Ice Coring and Drilling Program for the Office of Polar Programs

The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) at the National Science Foundation (NSF) requests proposals from interested groups to support current and future ice drilling activities. Current NSF ice drilling programs include development of drill systems that can obtain ice cores, embed instruments in the ice, carry out various types of borehole logging, and provide access to the ice sheet bed.

Specifically, proposals are requested for the continuation of the Ice Drilling Program Office (IDPO), which helps coordinate long-term and short-term planning for ice coring and drilling projects, in collaboration with the science community, and to be the principal supplier of ice drilling and coring support and expertise for NSF-funded research.   The IDPO will work with an Ice Drilling Development Office (IDDO) (through a sub-contract arrangement unless a single awardee proposes to execute both IDPO and IDDO activities). IDDO will provide the engineering design support for new drilling systems as well as the operation and maintenance of existing systems. The IDPO is expected to play a proactive role in the community to encourage innovation in ice drilling technologies in response to community needs and will help guide the development of new drilling designs as requested by the research community and funded by NSF.

Interested parties must propose to this solicitation with a plan to provide for both of the current functions (the IDPO and IDDO) under a single umbrella group with sub-awards as appropriate. These entities will be expected to work closely together and to partner, as appropriate, with scientists in the submission of research proposals.

Through a close collaboration with NSF the successful proponent will be expected to successfully manage and carry out drilling activities in varying mixtures of ice, rock, and sediment. Requirements for drilling activities will be derived both from the long range science plan developed by the IDPO as well as research proposals funded by NSF.  Collaborations with international partners and scientists funded by other sources are encouraged. The awardee from this solicitation will be integral to the planning and execution of all aspects of the drilling activities that OPP supports.