Background: This UCSD interdepartmental cooperative effort develops new electronic systems and processes that benefit faculty, academic departments, and administrative offices. SPEAR projects help principal investigators and departments as they develop and submit proposals, track the projects and negotiate awards, manage financial resources, report to and invoice agencies, and close awards.

The objectives of SPEAR are to analyze systems and processes and to develop products and electronic-based initiatives that will:

• Meet the needs of principal investigators in a transparent fashion while responding to agency requirements
• Be customer-oriented, providing sponsored-project services to principal investigators and central office administrative departments
• Provide electronic management of funds with seamless linkages to financial systems like IFIS, ISIS, and PPS

SPEAR receives its direction through the Sponsors Group and the SPEAR Team.

1. Preliminary stage
   Once the advisory group has identified a priority, a new SPEAR project is created. A team leader from a central office or academic department heads the project and shepherds it through completion. Team members consist of representatives from administrative and departmental areas of the campus. Large projects consist of many teams and subgroups that support the project goals.
2. Process stage
   Teams meet regularly through multiple phases. During these phases, they identify the problem and strategy, determine requirements, document processes, and participate in testing. The project is considered an ongoing project. Due to the scope and magnitude of these projects, which sometimes involve revamping older systems and creating entirely new systems, ongoing projects can span one or more years.
3. Completion stage
   Once the project's goals are met, it is considered a completed project. The team alerts campus groups about its implementation and disseminates information through Blink.
4. Post-completion stage
   After a SPEAR project is completed, the sponsoring department owns it. Usually one person in the sponsoring department becomes the primary contact who will handle questions and make recommendations for improvements. Although a project's goals have been met, the project will likely need maintenance, enhancements, and/or upgrades.
   
   If the department's process owner determines a need for significant changes or major technological advancements, the team, which remains active in an advisory capacity, can reconvene to assess the project’s requirements.
   
   Thus far, eight SPEAR projects have been completed, one project is still ongoing, and two are designated as future projects.