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NSF 03-580: Cooperative Activities in Environmental Research between the National Science Foundation and the European Commission: Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algae

Program Solicitation

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  • Posted: July 18, 2003
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Cooperative Activities in Environmental Research between the National Science Foundation and the European Commission: Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algae

Program Solicitation
NSF 03-580

NSF Logo

National Science Foundation
Directorate for Geosciences
      Division of Ocean Sciences



Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):



    October 16, 2003

Summary Of Program Requirements

General Information

Program Title:

Cooperative Activities in Environmental Research between the National Science Foundation and the European Commission: Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algae

Synopsis of Program:

This program supports collaborative environmental research between U.S. scientists and engineers and their counterparts in the member countries of the European Union through an implementing arrangement between the National Science Foundation and the European Commission (EC).  

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

  • Phillip R. Taylor, Program Director, Directorate for Geosciences, Division of Ocean Sciences, 725 N, telephone: (703) 292-8582, fax: (703) 292-9085, email: prtaylor@nsf.gov

  • David Lee Garrison, Associate Program Director, Directorate for Geosciences, Division of Ocean Sciences, 725 N, telephone: (703) 292-8582, fax: (703) 292-9085, email: dgarriso@nsf.gov

  • Jeanne E. Hudson, Program Coordinator, Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences, Office of International Science and Engineering, 935 N, telephone: (703) 292-8702, fax: (703) 292-9067, email: jhudson@nsf.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

  • 47.050 --- Geosciences

Eligibility Information

  • Organization Limit: None Specified.
  • PI Eligibility Limit: None Specified.
  • Limit on Number of Proposals: None Specified.

Award Information

  • Anticipated Type of Award: Standard or Continuing Grant
  • Estimated Number of Awards: 5 to 10 - depending on the quality of the proposals, size of the US components of the EC/NSF cooperative activities, and the availability of funds
  • Anticipated Funding Amount: $2,000,000 per year in FY 2004 through FY 2007, pending availability of funds. Anticipated award size $100,000 to $500,000 per year for up to 4 years.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
  • Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that supplements the standard Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) proposal preparation guidelines. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
B. Budgetary Information
  • Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required.
  • Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable.
  • Other Budgetary Limitations: Not Applicable.
C. Due Dates
  • Full Proposal Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
      October 16, 2003

Proposal Review Information

  • Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information

  • Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.
  • Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.

I. Introduction

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are ecological phenomena due to proliferations of algae that can have harmful effects on human health, marine ecosystems and marine resources. Although the causative organisms of HABs are a natural component of the marine ecosystem, over the past several decades, the incidents of HAB occurrence and the impacts of their effects have been expanding worldwide, including Europe and the United States.  Impacts of these events range from human illness and death from consumption of contaminated seafood products, to the mass mortalities of wild and farmed fish and shellfish, to the death of marine mammals, and to alteration of ecosystem structure through accumulations of micro and macroalgae which enhance light attenuation and can lead to hypoxia or anoxia.

Because the fundamental ecological and oceanographic factors controlling harmful algal blooms are not well-known, it is presently impossible to predict the occurrences of HABs, assess potential effects on ecosystems, or to develop effective mitigation strategies. This cooperative research initiative between the European Commission (EC) and NSF will address this lack of fundamental scientific information.      

Over the last few years, the National Science Foundation has co-sponsored a series of international workshops designed to help stimulate community discussion about the research imperatives for understanding the ecology and oceanography of harmful algal blooms, and to achieve enhanced international collaboration among researchers.  Recently, this has included the GEOHAB (Global Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms) workshop (Denmark, 1999, http://www.jhu.edu/scor/GEOHAB_2001.pdf) , as well as a  joint European Union - United States workshop on Harmful Algal Blooms sponsored by the NSF and the European Commission and held in Trieste in 2002 (http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/announcements/trieste-workshop.html).   These workshops have identified many possible areas for mutually beneficial collaborations.  They have also recommended that extensive use be made of electronic communication, information exchanges, and databases to promote and facilitate research collaborations and educational activities at the international level.  Reports of these workshops and additional information can be found on the web page of the National Office for Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/).

As part of the implementation of an Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation Between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America, the National Science Foundation has entered into an implementing arrangement with the European Commission in support of environmental research, which includes research on the ecology and oceanography of harmful algal blooms.  

II. Program Description

The Directorate for Geosciences, Division of Ocean Sciences invites proposals for cooperative research activities between United States and European researchers focused on the ecology and oceanography of harmful algal blooms.  Proposals with this focus should be directed to the Biological Oceanography Program, Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE).  

This program is a continuation of the cooperative activities in research between the NSF and the European Commission initiated in 2000. In this announcement, the focus is environmental science.  

The European Commission's Sixth Framework Program (FP6) covers European Union (EU) activities in the field of research, technological development and demonstration.  FP6 is a five-year appropriation to support a specified research agenda and will run through 2006.  A priority Thematic Area of the EU Sixth Framework Program is "Global Change and Ecosystems" (http://www.cordis.lu/sustdev/environment/home.html).  The European Commission (EC) has issued a call for proposals in this thematic priority. More information about FP6 and its programs, including possible third-country participation, can be found at http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/

EC/NSF Cooperation:  

US researchers may join multi-lateral European consortia as participants on EC proposals, but normally cannot receive EC support. NSF will consider support for US participation in research on harmful and toxic algae on topics within the "Global Change and Ecosystems" thematic priority.  Within this thematic priority, FP6 will support projects primarily as Specific Targeted Research Projects (STREP) and Coordination Actions (CA) that explore the frontier of knowledge and create long-term innovation.  These are well suited for collaboration with US investigators, but involvement of US investigators in other types of projects is also possible.  For more information about the EC's thematic priorities and project types see http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/.

Proposals to NSF will be received and reviewed using the  regular Division of Ocean Sciences review process at the National Science Foundation.  Although NSF and EC proposals will be accepted and reviewed separately, using the respective administrative processes of the NSF and the European Commission, fully integrated collaborative activities between US and EU scientists are expected.  It should be understood that NSF only anticipates making award recommendations for US proposals where both the NSF and the EC counterpart proposals have received favorable funding recommendations.

The Science Theme:

A workshop report entitled "The EU-US Programme on Harmful Algal Blooms: A Prospectus for a Joint Programme funded by the European Commission Environment and Sustainable Development Programme and the US National Science Foundation" outlines the scope - in a very broad sense - of activities that the National Science Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences will consider for support in this EC/NSF cooperative program (see http://www.whoi.edu/redtide/announcements/trieste-workshop.html).

Projects to be supported by NSF through this competition must have a clear relevance to understanding the ecology and oceanography of harmful blooms.  Projects not having this focus will be returned without review. NSF suggests that investigators consult with one of the NSF staff contacts listed in this solicitation in advance of the proposal deadline to determine if the proposed scientific or technical focus is appropriate for NSF support under this solicitation. 

III. Eligibility Information

The categories of proposers identified in the Grant Proposal Guide are eligible to submit proposals under this program announcement/solicitation.

In general, it is expected that the research costs for the US and EU components will be supported by their respective funding agencies.  If there are questions with respect to support for foreign researchers, please contact the Biological Oceanography Program  (biooce@nsf.gov).  US PIs are also urged to contact Jeanne Hudson (jhudson@nsf.gov), Program Coordinator, Western European Program, Office of International Science and Engineering (INT), for details about additional opportunities for international collaboration. 

     

IV. Award Information

NSF expects to make standard or continuing grants. Anticipated total funding available for all awards resulting from this solicitation is $2,000,000 per year in FY 2004 through FY 2007.  The estimated number of awards is 5 to 10, depending on quality of proposals and the size of the US components of the EC/NSF cooperative activities. Anticipated award sizes are $100,000 to $500,000 per year for up to 4 years. Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.  Successful proposals will be designated as cooperative activities under the Implementing Arrangement between the EC and NSF.

Some additional funding may be available to facilitate the support of participants that would not normally be eligible for direct NSF support, such as researchers from federal agencies. Potential federal participants are requested to discuss their level of participation with either Quay Dortch (Quay.Dortch@NOAA.gov, 301/713-3338 ext 157) or Sue Banahan (Susan.Banahan@NOAA.gov, 301/713-3338 ext 148).

V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Full Proposal Instructions:

Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement/solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF Website at: https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (301) 947-2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

In addition to those described in the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), additional guidelines apply as follows:

Proposal titles should include the prefix "EU-US ECOHAB.    EC-NSF Cooperative Activity in Environmental Research:"

Biographical Sketches of both US and EU Senior Personnel should be included in the proposal.  

The proposal to NSF must include the following information,  which is to be entered into the "Special Information and Supplementary Documentation Section" Fastlane Form. 

  1. Provide information clearly identifying the counterpart EC proposal or funded project, including the project title, EC identification code, participant organization and/or person in charge, and a technical abstract (limit: 3 pages).  Collaborations should be documented with brief letters.             
  2. In addition to item 1, provide a specific summary of the proposed interaction between the US and European partners, including the anticipated benefits of the interaction (limit: 2 pages).  Information other than the nature of the US-EU collaboration will not be permitted.            
  3. Provide a detailed management plan (limit: 3 pages), including means of communication and data tracking/management with the group, management of intellectual property resulting from the project, and timeline of activities.            
  4. Describe the means of sharing the outcome of the research with the rest of the scientific community, e.g. publications, web sites, databases, etc. (limit: 2 pages).  The description should be specific and describe what, how and when the community should have access to the outcome of the project.             
  5. Proposals requiring ship time through the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) must include a ship time request:  http://www.unols.org/scheduling.html .  Investigators are reminded that the earliest ship scheduling for  October 2003 proposals would be January of 2005.  PIs should request start dates that reflect this policy.            

In addition, the proposal must be accompanied by the following items:

  1. Counterpart EC Proposal.  Single copies of the counterpart EC proposals can be provided to the Program by mail or e-mail to the NSF Biological Oceanography program contact listed.  These will not be used in the mail review process but may be used for information during Panel or Program review. 
  2. Conflict List.  To facilitate identifying organizational or personal relationships that would constitute conflicts of interest for peer reviewers, the lead PI/Organization is required to provide a comprehensive table listing these relationships for all persons with significant participation in the proposed activity (e.g., all senior personnel, any named personnel whose salary is requested in the project budget, and individuals with significant participation in the counterpart EC proposal). Please describe the nature of the conflict as well (see following). Conflicts to be identified are: (1) PhD thesis advisors or advisees, (2) postdoctoral advisors or advisees, (3) collaborators or co-authors for the past 48 months, and (4) any other individuals or organizations with which the investigator has financial ties (please specify type). This conflict list must be provided to the Program via email (biooce@nsf.gov) by the proposal deadline given above.  

Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation number (03-580) in the program announcement/solicitation block on the proposal Cover Sheet. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:

Cost sharing is not required in proposals submitted under this Program Solicitation.

C. Due Dates

Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s):

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

    October 16, 2003

D. FastLane Requirements

Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this announcement/solicitation through the FastLane system. Detailed instructions for proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system. Specific questions related to this program announcement/solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this announcement/solicitation.

Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic certifications within five working days following the electronic submission of the proposal. Proposers are no longer required to provide a paper copy of the signed Proposal Cover Sheet to NSF. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov

VI. Proposal Review Information

A. NSF Proposal Review Process

Reviews of proposals submitted to NSF are solicited from peers with expertise in the substantive area of the proposed research or education project. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the oversight of the review process. NSF invites the proposer to suggest, at the time of submission, the names of appropriate or inappropriate reviewers. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the proposer. Special efforts are made to recruit reviewers from non-academic institutions, minority-serving institutions, or adjacent disciplines to that principally addressed in the proposal.

The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating proposals at its meeting on March 28, 1997 (NSB 97-72). All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

On July 8, 2002, the NSF Director issued Important Notice 127, Implementation of new Grant Proposal Guide Requirements Related to the Broader Impacts Criterion. This Important Notice reinforces the importance of addressing both criteria in the preparation and review of all proposals submitted to NSF. NSF continues to strengthen its internal processes to ensure that both of the merit review criteria are addressed when making funding decisions.

In an effort to increase compliance with these requirements, the January 2002 issuance of the GPG incorporated revised proposal preparation guidelines relating to the development of the Project Summary and Project Description. Chapter II of the GPG specifies that Principal Investigators (PIs) must address both merit review criteria in separate statements within the one-page Project Summary. This chapter also reiterates that broader impacts resulting from the proposed project must be addressed in the Project Description and described as an integral part of the narrative.

Effective October 1, 2002, NSF will return without review proposals that do not separately address both merit review criteria within the Project Summary. It is believed that these changes to NSF proposal preparation and processing guidelines will more clearly articulate the importance of broader impacts to NSF-funded projects.

The two National Science Board approved merit review criteria are listed below (see the Grant Proposal Guide Chapter III.A for further information). The criteria include considerations that help define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being considered and for which he/she is qualified to make judgments.

    What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
    How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of the prior work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources?
    What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
    How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?

NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making funding decisions:

    Integration of Research and Education
    One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learning perspectives.
    Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
    Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities -- is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports.
    Additional Review Criteria:

    NSF will also take into consideration the value added by the proposed international collaboration in environmental research and the extent to which the collaboration integrates research and education and promotes diversity.  The review will evaluate the degree to which the project meets the goal of fostering mutually beneficial collaborations and information exchange between US and EU scientists.


B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard

All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular field represented by the proposal. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement/solicitation will be reviewed by Ad Hoc Review followed by Panel Review.

Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Director. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.

NSF is striving to be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the date of receipt. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.

VII. Award Administration Information

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program Division administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See section VI.A. for additional information on the review process.)

B. Award Conditions

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (NSF-GC-1); * or Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative agreement awards also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions (CA-1). Electronic mail notification is the preferred way to transmit NSF awards to organizations that have electronic mail capabilities and have requested such notification from the Division of Grants and Agreements.

*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at https://www.nsf.gov/home/grants/grants_gac.htm. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (301) 947-2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions is contained in the NSF Grant Policy Manual (GPM) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpm. The GPM is also for sale through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402. The telephone number at GPO for subscription information is (202) 512-1800. The GPM may be ordered through the GPO Website at http://www.gpo.gov.

C. Reporting Requirements

For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the PI must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period.

Within 90 days after the expiration of an award, the PI also is required to submit a final project report. Failure to provide final technical reports delays NSF review and processing of pending proposals for the PI and all Co-PIs. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project reporting system, available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports. This system permits electronic submission and updating of project reports, including information on project participants (individual and organizational), activities and findings, publications, and other specific products and contributions. PIs will not be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system.

VIII. Contacts For Additional Information

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

  • Phillip R. Taylor, Program Director, Directorate for Geosciences, Division of Ocean Sciences, 725 N, telephone: (703) 292-8582, fax: (703) 292-9085, email: prtaylor@nsf.gov

  • David Lee Garrison, Associate Program Director, Directorate for Geosciences, Division of Ocean Sciences, 725 N, telephone: (703) 292-8582, fax: (703) 292-9085, email: dgarriso@nsf.gov

  • Jeanne E. Hudson, Program Coordinator, Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences, Office of International Science and Engineering, 935 N, telephone: (703) 292-8702, fax: (703) 292-9067, email: jhudson@nsf.gov

For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:

  • Kandace S. Binkley, Associate Program Director, Directorate for Geosciences, Division of Ocean Sciences, 725 N, telephone: (703) 292-8583, fax: (703) 292-9085, email: kbinkley@nsf.gov

IX. Other Programs Of Interest

The NSF Guide to Programs is a compilation of funding for research and education in science, mathematics, and engineering. The NSF Guide to Programs is available electronically at https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gp. General descriptions of NSF programs, research areas, and eligibility information for proposal submission are provided in each chapter.

Many NSF programs offer announcements or solicitations concerning specific proposal requirements. To obtain additional information about these requirements, contact the appropriate NSF program offices. Any changes in NSF's fiscal year programs occurring after press time for the Guide to Programs will be announced in the NSF E-Bulletin, which is updated daily on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin, and in individual program announcements/solicitations. Subscribers can also sign up for NSF's Custom News Service (https://www.nsf.gov/home/cns/start.htm) to be notified of new funding opportunities that become available.

About The National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. Awardees are wholly responsible for conducting their project activities and preparing the results for publication. Thus, the Foundation does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation.

NSF welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists, engineers and educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to compete fully in its programs. In accordance with Federal statutes, regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from NSF, although some programs may have special requirements that limit eligibility.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on NSF-supported projects. See the GPG Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals.

Privacy Act And Public Burden Statements

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; project reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to applicant institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies needing information as part of the review process or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 267 (January 5, 1998), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 268 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.

OMB control number: 3145-0058.



 

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