NSF 08-594: Social and Behavioral Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation (NSCC)
Program Solicitation
Document Information
Document History
- Posted: July 30, 2008
Program Solicitation NSF 08-594
 |
National Science Foundation | |
 |  |
Department of Defense |
Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
September 30, 2008
Required for proposals applying for a Small Award or Large Award. Not required for Workshop proposals.
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
October 30, 2008
Summary Of Program Requirements
General Information
Program Title:
Social and Behavioral Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation (NSCC)
Synopsis of Program:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Defense (DoD) are initiating a university-based social and behavioral science research activity, as part of The Minerva Initiative launched by the Secretary of Defense, that focuses on areas of strategic importance to U.S. national security policy. NSF and DoD intend: 1) to develop the DoD’s social and human science intellectual capital in order to enhance its ability to address future challenges; 2) to enhance the DoD’s engagement with the social science community; and 3) to deepen the understanding of the social and behavioral dimensions of national security issues. In pursuit of these objectives, NSF and DoD will bring together universities, research institutions, and individual scholars and will support disciplinary, interdisciplinary and collaborative projects addressing areas of strategic importance to national security policy. Proposals are to be submitted directly to NSF as described in the solicitation.
Cognizant Program Officer(s):
-
Amber L. Story, telephone: (703) 292-7249, email: astory@nsf.gov
-
Jonathan Leland, telephone: (703) 292-7285, email: jleland@nsf.gov
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
- 47.075 --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences
Award Information
Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Other Grant Workshops
Estimated Number of Awards: 10 to 15 Awards will be based on the recommendations of the NSF/DoD review process. Estimated Number of Awards: 1-5 for Workshops (NSCC/W); 8-10 for Small Awards (NSCC/SA); 1-3 for Large Awards (NSCC/LA), depending on size.
Anticipated Funding Amount: $8,000,000 We anticipate up to $8,000,000 of support from the DoD, contingent upon the availability of funds.
Eligibility Information
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:
None Specified
Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
- Letters of Intent: Submission of Letters of Intent is required. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
- Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not Applicable
-
Full Proposals:
-
Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, Part I: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Guidelines apply. The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.
-
Full Proposals submitted via Grants.gov: NSF Grants.gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.gov Guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov website and on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf)
-
B. Budgetary Information
- Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required under this solicitation.
- Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable
- Other Budgetary Limitations: Not Applicable
C. Due Dates
- Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
September 30, 2008
Required for proposals applying for a Small Award or Large Award. Not required for Workshop proposals.
- Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
October 30, 2008
Proposal Review Information Criteria
Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria apply.
Award Administration Information
Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.
Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.
I. Introduction
America today faces more challenges from more varied sources than at any time in the recent past. From the rise of new powers to ethnic strife, disease, and poverty, from climate change to failed and failing states and the rise of violent extremism, the United States will increasingly be forced to grapple with unprecedented social change. To address these challenges, Americans and their government need a better understanding of the factors and causes behind these changes, what they might mean for the U.S., and what the future might bring. The Department of Defense’s Minerva Initiative is intended to help develop that understanding. By drawing upon the knowledge, ideas, and creativity of the nation’s universities, NSF and DoD aim to foster a new generation of engaged scholarship in the social and behavioral sciences that seeks to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Defense (DoD) are initiating a university-based social and behavioral science research activity, as part of The Minerva Initiative launched by the Secretary of Defense, that focuses on areas of strategic importance to U.S. national security policy. NSF and DoD intend: 1) to develop the DoD’s social and human science intellectual capital in order to enhance its ability to address future challenges; 2) to enhance the DoD’s engagement with the social science community; and 3) to deepen the understanding of the social and behavioral dimensions of national security issues. In pursuit of these objectives, NSF and DoD will bring together universities, research institutions, and individual scholars and will support disciplinary, interdisciplinary and collaborative projects addressing areas of strategic importance to national security policy.
To achieve the Secretary’s vision, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OUSDP) will pilot a number of approaches for engaging the social science community. This multi-pronged strategy will enable the Department to solicit a broad range of proposals from the social and behavioral science communities and to leverage the expertise and infrastructures of a wide range of existing mechanisms for funding basic research. This NSF Solicitation represents one of those approaches. The competition will produce a variety of outcomes which may include new programs of research, scholarly papers, conferences, publications, and research and data archives. All work funded through this solicitation will be unclassified. There will be no constraints on researchers' freedom to publish their results.
II. Program Description
Under the broad category of defense-relevant social and behavioral science research, specific topics to be considered are:
- New Approaches to Understanding Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation
Successful applicants will develop new theories and models that address the security challenges of the 21st century. NSF-DoD are supporting innovative research that explores the security implications of findings in social and human science disciplines such as anthropology, demography, economics, geography, political science, psychology, and sociology, and that makes use of a variety of interdisciplinary methods, such as systems and network analyses and evolutionary modeling.
Some examples of appropriate work in this area might include: exploring the impact on defense of changing concepts of national and individual security within an increasingly globalized and economically interdependent international system; considering how far the nature, means, and objectives of conflict may change within such a global system; examining the impact of quasi-governmental institutions on internal and international conflict; identifying the risks and opportunities for peace and security that are suggested by growing physical resource, demographic, and environmental pressures and the mechanisms available to address them; exploring the factors that influence conflict and conflict resolution between individuals, groups, organizations, and/or nations in the presence of these pressures; understanding the role of future societal change in shaping defense activities and capabilities; and determining the relationship between security, military capability, and national and international economic prosperity in the 21st century.
- Studies of Terrorist Organization and Ideologies
Successful applicants will examine the relationship of the structure, processes, and dynamics of terrorist organizations and ideologies to political and social conflict. Areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to: the interaction between political dynamics on the ground and terrorist goals and ideologies; the psychological, social, cultural, economic, political, and community factors that impact the choice to actively participate in or passively support international and/or national terrorist organizations; the role of internal and external security forces in suppressing terrorism; the role of new media technologies in terrorist recruitment, radicalization, and de-radicalization; the spread of ideologies across culturally diverse populations. When appropriate, use of original-language source materials is strongly preferred, but not essential. Innovative interdisciplinary approaches are particularly desirable.
- Studies of the Strategic Impact of Religious and Cultural Change
Successful applicants will explore the political and strategic impact of religious and cultural trends around the world. Though the impact of these changes in the Islamic world is of obvious current interest, all regions of the globe are open for inquiry. Both historical and contemporary projects will be considered. In either case, successful projects must be able to explain the relevance of findings to contemporary political and strategic contexts. Subject areas of particular interest include, but are not limited to: the relationship between religious ideologies and the behavior of sub-state actors bound by ethnic, tribal, and regional identities; the impact of religious and cultural identities on intragroup and intergroup political and strategic dynamics; transnational networks of religious thinkers and authorities; debates between religious extremists and their political competitors, religious and non-religious alike; and the interplay between religious and non-religious forms of identity. When appropriate, use of original-language source materials is strongly preferred, but not essential. Preference will be given to studies that combine academic expertise in religious and area studies with other relevant human science disciplines.
- Studies of Political, Cultural, and Social Dynamics Under Authoritarian Regimes
Successful applicants will explore the social, political, and cultural dynamics of authoritarian regimes and what changes are wrought by transitions to and from dictatorial rule. Research that explores these dynamics under the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq is particularly encouraged but projects concerning other authoritarian regimes will also be considered. Examples of issue areas of interest include, but are not limited to: studies of leadership dynamics; the role of national and social identity in building or undermining political unity; the ability of governments to provide public goods as nations transition from authoritarian rule; the role of foreign governments and non-government organizations on political transitions; and popular perceptions of international actors and relations. When appropriate, use of original-language source materials is strongly preferred, but not essential. Preference will be given to innovative interdisciplinary projects that bring insights from the behavioral and social sciences. Successful candidates must be capable of explaining the contemporary political and strategic relevance of their findings.
TYPES OF SUPPORT:
Standard awards will be made. Subject to availability of funds, projects funded under this solicitation will support research activities of the following types:
- Workshops (NSCC/W): Up to an all inclusive total of $50,000 to $150,000, for a duration of one year.
- Small Award Grants (NSCC/SA): Up to an all inclusive total of $500,000, over a duration of two to three years.
- Large Award Grants (NSCC/LA): Up to an all inclusive total of $2 million per year for a duration of three to five years.
III. Award Information
Projects funded under this solicitation will support research activities of the following types: 1) Workshops (NSCC/W): Up to an all inclusive total of $50,000 to $150,000, for one year; 2) Small Award Grants (NSCC/SA): Up to an all inclusive total of less than $500,000, of a duration of two to three years; and 3) Large Award Grants (NSCC/LA): Up to an all inclusive total of $2 million per year, over a duration of three to five years. it is anticipated that most of the awards in the Large category will range from $350,000 to $1 million per year. Awards in the upper end of the range will be made only for extremely meritorious proposals. Only one or two awards at this upper end may be made in a year and most large awards will fall within the lower to middle range of possible budgets. Estimated program budget, number of awards, and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds and the quality of proposals submitted. Interdisciplinary and collaborative projects are encouraged.
IV. Eligibility Information
The categories of proposers eligible to submit proposals to the National Science Foundation are identified in the Grant Proposal Guide, Chapter I, Section E.
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:
None Specified
V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
Letters of Intent(required):
Letters of Intent (LOI) are required for proposals submitted to the Small Award and Large Award categories and should be submitted via FastLane by the stated due date. Proposals submitted in the absence of an LOI will be returned without review. The LOI should include all relevant information for all institutions as discussed below. The PI should include the following information:
- The title of the project (up to 100 characters), beginning with "NSCC/SA:" or "NSCC/LA:" depending on whether you intend to submit a proposal for a small or large award.
- The type of award category (e.g., small award or large award)
- The name of the topical area (of the four listed) that the project addresses (e.g., New Approaches to Understanding Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation; Studies of Terrorist Organization and Ideologies; Studies of the Strategic Impact of Religious and Cultural Change; Studies of Political, Cultural, and Social Dynamics under Authoritarian Regimes).
- A brief project description/ synopsis (up to 2,500 characters).
- The names and affiliations of the Principal Investigator, co- principal investigators, and other senior personnel from all institutions involved, including paid consultants and subawardees.
- The e-mail address of the Principal Investigator.
- The submitting organization and any other organizations likely to be subawardees.
For each full proposal submitted (except Workshop proposals), a separate Letter of Intent is required. For collaborative projects, submit only one letter of intent.
Letter of Intent Preparation Instructions:
When submitting a Letter of Intent through FastLane in response to this Program Solicitation please note the conditions outlined below:
- Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) Submission is not required when submitting Letters of Intent
- A Minimum of 0 and Maximum of 4 Other Senior Project Personnel are allowed
- A Minimum of 0 and Maximum of 4 Other Participating Organizations are allowed
- Identification of the type of award (Small or Large) being sought is required when submitting Letters of Intent
- The name of the topical area (of the four listed) that the project addresses is required when submitting Letters of Intent
- Submission of multiple Letters of Intent is allowed
Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Grants.gov or via the NSF FastLane system.
- Full proposals submitted via FastLane: Proposals submitted in response to this program 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/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov. Proposers are reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National Science Foundation. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.
- Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation via Grants.gov should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.gov. The complete text of the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov website and on the NSF website at: (https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf). To obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov site, then click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button. Paper copies of the Grants.gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.
In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the proposal, please note the following:
Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via the NSF FastLane system. Chapter II, Section D.3 of the Grant Proposal Guide provides additional information on collaborative proposals.
ADDITIONAL PROPOSAL PREPARATION & SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
Cover Sheet - Project Title Block:
- The project title for Workshop proposals must begin with “NSCC/W:” and follow with an informative title.
- The project title for Small Award proposals must begin with "NSCC/SA:" and follow with an informative title.
- Project titles for Large Award proposals must begin with "NSCC/LA:" followed by an informative title.
For the Small Award and Large Award Categories - LOI in Supplemental Documents:
A copy of the required FastLane submitted Letter of Intent (LOI) should be included in the supplemental documents section of the full proposal for Small or Large Awards. Proposals submitted in the absence of an LOI will be returned without review.
For the Large Award (NSCC/LA) category only - Management Plan:
A Management Plan (2 pages maximum as part of the 15 page project description) must be included. Only proposals for the Large Award category must contain a management plan, which includes 1) the specific roles of the PI, co-PIs, other senior personnel and paid consultants at all organizations involved; 2) how the project will be managed within and across organizations and disciplines; 3) identification of the specific coordination mechanisms that will enable cross-institution and/or cross-discipline scientific integration (e.g., regular meetings or teleconferencing, yearly workshops, graduate student exchange, project meetings at conferences, videoconferences, software repositories, etc.); and 4) pointers to the budget line items that support these coordination mechanisms.
B. Budgetary Information
Cost Sharing: Cost sharing is not required under this solicitation.
Budget Preparation Instructions: Beginning in FY10, in addition to conducting the work outlined in their proposals, principal investigators of small and large awards are expected to attend annual grantees meetings in the Washington, DC area. These meetings will enable awardees to develop into a community of security science researchers, establish connections and networks, share project results, discuss issues of common interest, and participate in activities designed to facilitate the integration of research and education and integrate diversity into project activities. Proposers of small and large awards are expected to include in their proposals the costs for one to two team members to participate in these annual meetings.
C. Due Dates
- Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
September 30, 2008
Required for proposals applying for a Small Award or Large Award. Not required for Workshop proposals.
- Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
October 30, 2008
D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements
For Proposals Submitted Via FastLane:
Detailed technical instructions regarding the technical aspects of preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: https://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 solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this funding opportunity.
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. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp.
-
For Proposals Submitted Via Grants.gov:
Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization must register to create an institutional profile. Once registered, the applicant's organization can then apply for any federal grant on the Grants.gov website. The Grants.gov's Grant Community User Guide is a comprehensive reference document that provides technical information about Grants.gov. Proposers can download the User Guide as a Microsoft Word document or as a PDF document. The Grants.gov User Guide is available at: http://www.grants.gov/CustomerSupport. In addition, the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide provides additional technical guidance regarding preparation of proposals via Grants.gov. For Grants.gov user support, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email: support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Contact Center answers general technical questions related to the use of Grants.gov. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this solicitation.
Submitting the Proposal: Once all documents have been completed, the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must submit the application to Grants.gov and verify the desired funding opportunity and agency to which the application is submitted. The AOR must then sign and submit the application to Grants.gov. The completed application will be transferred to the NSF FastLane system for further processing.
VI. NSF Proposal Processing And Review Procedures
Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program where they will be reviewed if they meet NSF proposal preparation requirements. All proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to ten other persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the oversight of the review process. Proposers are invited to suggest names of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review the proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection process at the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names, however, is optional. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the proposal.
A. NSF Merit Review Criteria
All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board (NSB)-approved merit review criteria: intellectual merit and the broader impacts of the proposed effort. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.
The two NSB-approved merit review criteria are listed below. 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 the reviewer is qualified to make judgements.
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, original, or potentially transformative 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?
Examples illustrating activities likely to demonstrate broader impacts are available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf.
NSF staff also 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.
B. Review and Selection Process
Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review, Internal NSF Review, or for Large Awards (NSCC/LA), site vists and reverse site visits may also be required.
All proposals will be reviewed using the two NSB general review criteria. In addition, they will be judged on the basis of their responsiveness to the goals and criteria established for this joint NSF-DoD activity as specified in the program solicitation. Because proposals requesting consideration as "large awards" involve complex efforts from teams that are likely to be interdisciplinary, the relative effectiveness of their management plans also will be considered.
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.
After scientific, technical and programmatic review and consideration of appropriate factors, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the cognizant Division Director whether the proposal should be declined or recommended for award. 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 deadline or target date, or receipt date, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's 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 Officer. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.
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 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.B. 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 (GC-1); * or Research Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative agreements also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC) and the applicable Programmatic Terms and Conditions. NSF awards are electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail.
*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/award_conditions.jsp?org=NSF. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.
More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF Award & Administration Guide (AAG) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag.
C. Reporting Requirements
For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period. (Some programs or awards require more frequent project reports). Within 90 days after expiration of a grant, the PI also is required to submit a final project report.
Failure to provide the required annual or final project reports will delay NSF review and processing of any future funding increments as well as any pending proposals for that PI. 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. Such reports provide information on activities and findings, project participants (individual and organizational) 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. Submission of the report via FastLane constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are accurate and complete.
VIII. Agency Contacts
General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:
-
Amber L. Story, telephone: (703) 292-7249, email: astory@nsf.gov
-
Jonathan Leland, telephone: (703) 292-7285, email: jleland@nsf.gov
For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:
- FastLane Help Desk, telephone: 1-800-673-6188; e-mail: fastlane@nsf.gov.
For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:
- Grants.gov Contact Center: If the Authorized Organizational Representatives (AOR) has not received a confirmation message from Grants.gov within 48 hours of submission of application, please contact via telephone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: support@grants.gov.
IX. Other Information
The NSF Website provides the most comprehensive source of information on NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and funding opportunities. Use of this Website by potential proposers is strongly encouraged. In addition, MyNSF (formerly the Custom News Service) is an information-delivery system designed to keep potential proposers and other interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and publications, important changes in proposal and award policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Regional Grants Conferences. Subscribers are informed through e-mail or the user's Web browser each time new publications are issued that match their identified interests. MyNSF also is available on NSF's Website at https://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/.
Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may be accessed via this new mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may be obtained at http://www.grants.gov.
About The National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering."
NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the US. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic institutions for basic research.
NSF receives approximately 40,000 proposals each year for research, education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded. In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no laboratories itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and educational activities at every academic level.
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See Grant Proposal Guide Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals.
The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.
The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703) 292-5111.
The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering. To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov
|
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; and 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 proposer 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 or other entities needing information regarding applicants or nominees as part of a joint application review process, or in order to coordinate programs or policy; 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," 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records, " 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004). 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 Office of Management and Budget (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 the burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:
Suzanne H. Plimpton
Reports Clearance Officer
Division of Administrative Services
National Science Foundation
Arlington, VA 22230
