If you create a PDF file containing Symbol characters (alpha, beta, equivalent to, cross, etc.) on MacOS X with the Save as PDF function in Word X and then submit it to Fastlane, Fastlane will not display the Symbol characters properly.  The problem sometimes occurs for PCs, too.  Here is the guaranteed work-around for Macs.  

(1) In Word X, choose Print ...
(2) From the third pop-up menu, choose Output options
(3) Check Save as file and choose Postscript from the pop-up menu.  
(4) Press Save... [NOT Save as PDF...], choose a filename with the extension .ps, and press Save.
(5) Open the .ps file with Preview.  
(6) Choose File -> Export...  [NOT File -> Save ...]
(7) From the Format pop-up menu, choose PDF.
(8) Choose a filename with the extension .pdf and press Save.
(9) Upload the .pdf file to Fastlane.  

Note: If the body of your proposal and the references are in the same document, and you want the page numbering of the references section to begin at 1, then you need to save the body and the references in separate Word documents before converting them to Postscript format.  

-- Bob