NSF 11-564: Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE)
Program Solicitation
Document Information
Document History
- Posted: July 22, 2011
- Replaces: NSF 09-505
- Replaced by: NSF 14-587
Program Solicitation NSF 11-564
Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
October 19, 2011
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
May 15, 2012
Important Information And Revision Notes
A revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), NSF 11-1, was issued on October 1, 2010 and is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 18, 2011. Please be advised that the guidelines contained in NSF 11-1 apply to proposals submitted in response to this funding opportunity.
Cost Sharing: The PAPPG has been revised to implement the National Science Board's recommendations regarding cost sharing. Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. In order to assess the scope of the project, all organizational resources necessary for the project must be described in the Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal. The description should be narrative in nature and must not include any quantifiable financial information. Mandatory cost sharing will only be required when explicitly authorized by the NSF Director. See the PAPP Guide Part I: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Chapter II.C.2.g(xi) for further information about the implementation of these recommendations.
Data Management Plan: The PAPPG contains a clarification of NSF's long standing data policy. All proposals must describe plans for data management and sharing of the products of research, or assert the absence of the need for such plans. FastLane will not permit submission of a proposal that is missing a Data Management Plan. The Data Management Plan will be reviewed as part of the intellectual merit or broader impacts of the proposal, or both, as appropriate. Links to data management requirements and plans relevant to specific Directorates, Offices, Divisions, Programs, or other NSF units are available on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/dmp.jsp. See
Chapter II.C.2.j of the GPG for further information about the implementation of this requirement or refer to the Division of Materials Research (DMR) Data Management Plan which is available at https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/dmpdocs/dmr.pdf.
Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan: As a reminder, each proposal that requests funding to support postdoctoral researchers must include, as a supplementary document, a description of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such individuals. Please be advised that if required, FastLane will not permit submission of a proposal that is missing a Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan. See Chapter II.C.2.j of the GPG for further information about the implementation of this requirement.
Revision Summary
- Only Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES)-focused proposals will be considered.
- A single organization may submit only one preliminary proposal as the lead institution.
- Full proposals will be accepted by invitation only.
- Eliminates limit on the number of proposals on which a PI, co-PI or other Senior Personnel may appear.
- Depending on research topic and country, additional funding for U.S. PIs or foreign collaborators may be available from these agencies: United Kingdom Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); United Kingdom Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC); Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (MES); Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST); Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA); and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). See section II.D. for details.
Summary Of Program Requirements
General Information
Program Title:
Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE)
Synopsis of Program:
Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) is an NSF-wide program that supports international activities across all NSF supported disciplines. The primary goal of PIRE is to support high quality projects in which advances in research and education could not occur without international collaboration. PIRE seeks to catalyze a higher level of international engagement in the U.S. science and engineering community.
International partnerships are essential to addressing critical science and engineering problems. In the global context, U.S. researchers and educators must be able to operate effectively in teams with partners from different nations and cultural backgrounds. PIRE promotes excellence in science and engineering through international collaboration and facilitates development of a diverse, globally-engaged, U.S. science and engineering workforce.
This PIRE competition will focus exclusively on the NSF-wide investment area of Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES). The SEES effort focuses on interdisciplinary topics that will advance sustainability science, engineering and education as an integrative approach to the challenges of adapting to environmental, social and cultural changes associated with growth and development of human populations, and attaining a sustainable energy future. Additional details are provided in the Summary of Program Requirements below.
Cognizant Program Officer(s):
Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.
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John Tsapogas,1155 II, telephone: (703) 292-7799, email: PIRE-info@nsf.gov
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Amelia Greer,1155 II, telephone: (703) 292-8429, email: PIRE-info@nsf.gov
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Steven Burch,1155 II, telephone: (703) 292-7226, email: PIRE-info@nsf.gov
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
- 47.041 --- Engineering
- 47.049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
- 47.050 --- Geosciences
- 47.070 --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering
- 47.074 --- Biological Sciences
- 47.075 --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences
- 47.076 --- Education and Human Resources
- 47.079 --- International and Integrative Activities (IIA)
- 47.081 --- Office of Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
- 66.509 --- Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Research Program
Award Information
Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant.
Estimated Number of Awards: 10 to 15 Pending the availability of funds.
Anticipated Funding Amount: $10,000,000 to $15,000,000 Annually, for all awards, pending the availability of funds; the average award size is expected to be approximately $4 million over 5 years.
Eligibility Information
Who May Submit Proposals:
Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
U.S. academic institutions with Ph.D.-granting programs that have awarded doctoral degrees in the 2009 or 2010 academic years in any area of research supported by NSF. Any institution not listed at https://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/pire-2012-eligible-insts.xlsx should contact PIRE Program staff regarding eligibility. Institutions that have not participated in past PIRE awards are especially encouraged to submit.
Who May Serve as PI:
There are no restrictions or limits.
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1
A single organization may submit one preliminary proposal as the lead institution. Full proposals will be accepted by invitation only. There is no limit on the number of proposals on which an institution can participate as a partner.
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI:
There are no restrictions or limits.
Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
- Letters of Intent: Not required
- Preliminary Proposals: Submission of Preliminary Proposals is required. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
- 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/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide).
B. Budgetary Information
- Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.
- Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable
- Other Budgetary Limitations: Not Applicable
C. Due Dates
- Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
October 19, 2011
- Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
May 15, 2012
Proposal Review Information Criteria
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: Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
I. Introduction
Recognizing the value of international partnerships in addressing critical science and engineering questions, NSF established the Partnerships in International Research and Education (PIRE) program in 2005. PIRE is an NSF-wide program that supports fundamental, interdisciplinary, international research and education in physical, living, human, and engineered systems. PIRE enables research at the leading edge of science and engineering by partnering with others nationally and internationally, by educating and preparing a diverse, world-class STEM workforce, and by fostering institutional capacity for international collaboration. This agenda is designed to encourage high-risk/high-reward activities and pursues potentially transformative ideas.
International engagement will be critical to keeping the U.S. globally competitive at the frontiers of knowledge. As science and engineering expertise and infrastructure advance across the globe, it is expected that the U.S. will increasingly benefit from international collaborations and a globally engaged workforce leading to transformational science and engineering breakthroughs. Therefore, PIRE will promote cooperation among scientists and engineers from all nations and will fund international collaborative activities through all areas of research supported by the NSF. NSF PIRE is also working with counterpart funding agencies in other countries to lower barriers to collaboration of U.S scientists, engineers and students, and encourage jointly funded, bilateral and multilateral projects.
This fourth round of the PIRE competition will focus exclusively on the NSF-wide investment area of Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES). A sustainable world is one in which human needs are met equitably without harm to the environment, and without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Meeting this formidable challenge requires a substantial increase in our understanding of the integrated system of society, the natural world, and the alterations humans bring to Earth. NSF's Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) activities aim to address this need through support for interdisciplinary research and education in all fields of science and engineering. Especially encouraged is research on global sustainability issues including, but not limited to, climate change, clean energy, food security, biodiversity, and communication networks.
Fundamental to all sustainability research is the simultaneous consideration of social, economic, and environmental systems and the long-term viability of those systems. Concepts that underlie the science of sustainability include complex adaptive systems theory, emergent behavior, multi-scale processes, as well as the vulnerability, adaptive capacity, and resilience of coupled human-environment systems.
SEES activities span the entire range of scientific domains at NSF and aim to: 1) support interdisciplinary research and education that can facilitate the move towards global sustainability; 2) build linkages among existing projects and partners and add new participants in the sustainability research enterprise; and 3) develop a workforce trained in the interdisciplinary scholarship needed to understand and address the complex issues of sustainability. More information about NSF's SEES investment area may be found on the SEES webpage at: https://www.nsf.gov/sees/ and the NSF Dear Colleague Letter for the Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability (SEES) NSF-Wide Investment Area (nsf11022).
II. Program Description
A. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:
1. Support excellence in science, engineering, and education for sustainability (SEES) through international collaboration.
2. Promote opportunities where international collaboration can provide unique advantages of scope, scale, flexibility, or facilities, enabling advances that could not occur otherwise.
3. Engage and share resources and research infrastructure within and across institutions to build strong international partnerships.
4. Create and promote opportunities for students and early career researchers to participate in substantive international research experiences.
B. CHARACTERISTICS OF PIRE PROJECTS
PIRE partners share an ambitious research vision that integrates research and education. The project theme may involve any area of research that falls within the broad scope of the SEES initiative. PIRE projects may vary in size and exhibit diverse forms of organization, collaboration, and operation suited to their individual needs. PIRE projects must include collaboration with foreign research partners and international research experiences for students to promote a diverse internationally competitive science and engineering workforce.
NSF is committed to the principle of diversity and expects PIRE projects to involve groups traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering at all levels (faculty, students and postdoctoral researchers). Increasing the participation of a diverse U.S. citizenry by creating opportunities and enabling them to contribute is essential to the health and vitality of science, engineering, and education.
C. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
The Principal Investigator (PI) will be the director of the PIRE project. The PI is expected to provide intellectual leadership and be an essential participant in research and related educational activities. The PI will have overall responsibility for the administration of the award, for the management of the project, and for serving as the main point of contact with NSF.
D. ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
NSF is working with counterpart funding organizations to enhance opportunities for collaborative activities in sustainability research and education between U.S. investigators and their colleagues abroad. Additional funding for international collaborators on PIRE projects may be available from: United Kingdom Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); United Kingdom Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC); Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (MES); Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST); Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI); U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); and, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Proposers are also free to negotiate with any other research funding bodies not listed.
NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) will coordinate and manage the review of proposals jointly with participating domestic and foreign funding organizations. In some instances, additional information is required by the U.S. and/or foreign funding organizations. (See Summary Table and details in sections below.) Relevant information about proposals and reviews of proposals will be shared between the participating organizations as appropriate.
Prior to final NSF funding recommendations, PIs whose proposals are selected for PIRE awards may be asked to submit additional information, including relevant budget details, to co-funding organizations to enable completion of their co-funding decisions. Award decisions by NSF are in no way contingent upon the funding decisions of partnering agencies.
Summary Table of additional funding opportunities from PIRE partners.
Partner Agency |
PIRE Activity Qualified for Funding |
Funding Recipient |
Research Focus |
Additional Documentation Required in PIRE Application for foreign component |
Review and Award Procedure |
UK Research Councils (RCUK) |
Foreign Partner Research and Education Activities in UK academic institutions |
UK academic institution |
Sustainability: Materials Engineering |
Budget for UK partner institution(s) |
(a)Partner agrees to accept NSF-PIRE compliance and review process; and (b)NSF and Partner will approve full panel recommendations for proposals with UK institutions |
Russian Federation Ministry of Education & Science (MES) |
Foreign Partner Research and Education Activities in Russian Federation academic institutions |
Russian partner academic institution |
Sustainability: Nanotechnology, Energy, IT |
Budget for Russian Federation partner institution(s) |
Partner will make funding decision after NSF panel recommendation (will fund separate proposal from Russian research university)
|
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) |
Foreign Partner Research and Education Activities in Japanese academic institutions |
Japanese academic institution with existing JST awards |
Sustainability: Low Carbon Society, Alternative Energy and Materials, and Water Management for Climate Change Adaptation |
Information on current JST award |
Partner will make funding decision after NSF panel recommendation (will fund separate supplemental funding request from active awardees in select JST programs) |
Inter-American Institute for Global Climate Change Research (IAI) |
Foreign Partner Research and Education Activities in IAI member academic institutions |
IAI member country academic institution |
Sustainability: Global Change Research |
Budget for IAI partner institution(s) |
(a)Partner agrees to accept NSF-PIRE compliance and review process; and (b)NSF and Partner will approve full panel recommendations for proposals with IAI institutions |
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
PIRE US Research and Education Activities |
NSF |
Sustainability: Air and Water |
None Required |
Partner will make co-funding decision after NSF panel recommendation |
US Agency for International Development (USAID) |
Foreign Partner (AID country academic institution) |
AID country academic institution |
Sustainability: All S&E fields supported by NSF |
Summary of the Research Plan from the developing country partner's proposal to USAID |
Partner will make funding decision after NSF panel recommendation (will fund separate proposal from AID country academic institutions) |
D.1. Collaboration with UNITED KINGDOM INVESTIGATORS
U.K. researchers who are partners in PIRE projects may be eligible for joint funding from the U.K. Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPSRC) and Economic and Social (ESRC) Research Councils. Proposals for collaboration with U.K. researchers in all areas relevant to SEES are encouraged; however, only proposals focused on topics described below will be considered for co-funding by EPSRC and/or ESRC. ESRC expects to contribute to this solicitation up to £500,000 total to co-fund between 2-5 projects, depending on quality of proposals.
- Funding for the U.K. counterparts will be awarded through EPSRC and/or ESRC in accordance with the policies of those agencies. The Research Councils will require that costs for the U.K. element of the proposal be submitted via the RCUK's Je-S application submission system.
- The topic for U.K. funding is Sustainable Materials for Energy. Research is sought to investigate:
- Novel technologies and processes addressing resource and security of supply issues
- Governance and regulation issues in relation to the development of new energy options and their social acceptability;
- Economics of novel material/processing options for energy generation technologies; and,
- Opportunity costs of adopting new materials, in particular where scarce resources are used, and how these could be mitigated.
- U.K. Budget. In addition to the requirements provided in this solicitation for all PIRE proposals, invited full proposals that include collaboration with U.K. colleagues in the relevant topical area should provide U.K. budget information. Costs for the U.K. component should be entered in the Je-S system by the U.K. partner, but the completed form SHOULD NOT be submitted electronically to EPSRC or ESRC at this stage. Instead, a PDF version of the form should be saved and sent to the U.S. lead PI for inclusion as a Supplementary document in the full proposal. Full details on what is required can be obtained at: EPSRC: http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/ and ESRC: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/.
D.2. Collaboration with RUSSIAN FEDERATION INVESTIGATORS
Russian partners on PIRE projects may be eligible for funding from MES to support their participation in the PIRE project. Proposals for collaboration with Russian Federation (R.F.) researchers in all areas relevant to SEES are encouraged; however, only proposals focused on nanoscience, energy, and information technology will be considered for special MES funding. See http://eng.mon.gov.ru/.
- Funding for the R.F. component will be awarded through MES in accordance with the policies of the Ministry.
- U.S. PIs of competitively reviewed PIRE proposals will be contacted by NSF program officers and invited to work with their Russian partners to prepare and submit a separate proposal to MES.
- MES may provide funding to Russian researchers for two years with a possibility for third year no cost extension.
- In addition to the requirements for all PIRE proposals, full proposals that include collaboration with Russian colleagues on nanoscience, energy, and information technology should provide R.F. budget information. Costs for the R.F. component of the project should be provided to the U.S. lead PI in tabular form, by year, for inclusion as a Supplementary Document in the NSF proposal.
D. 3. Collaboration with JAPAN INVESTIGATORS
Japan-based partners on PIRE projects may be eligible for coordinated funding from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). JST may consider requests for additional funding from Japan-based partners who are involved in ongoing projects under its Advanced Low Carbon Technology Research and Development Program (ALCA) or other programs under the Strategic Basic Research Program. Proposals for collaboration with Japan-based researchers in all areas relevant to SEES are encouraged; however, only proposals focused on topics described below will be considered for additional funding by JST.
- Funding for the Japan component will be awarded through JST in accordance with the policies of the agency.
- The topic of sustainability, with priority on
- Low Carbon Society
- Alternative Energy and Materials
- Water Management for Climate Change Adaptation
- U.S. PIs of competitively reviewed PIRE proposals will be contacted by NSF program officers and invited to work with their JST-supported partners as they prepare and submit a separate proposal to JST.
- JST may provide additional funding to Japanese researchers for the residual duration of their on-going projects.
- In addition to the requirements provided in this solicitation for all PIRE proposals, full proposals that include collaboration with JST-funded researchers should provide JST support information, including award title, PI name, scale of funding, and duration of award. JST support information should be entered as a PDF document and sent to the U.S. lead PI for inclusion as a Supplementary Document in the proposal. Additional details can be obtained at http://www.jst.go.jp/alca/en/index.html, http://www.jst.go.jp/kisoken/en/, and http://www.jst.go.jp/kisoken/global/en/background.html.
D.4. Collaboration with investigators in member countries of the INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH (IAI)
Researchers from IAI member countries who are partners on PIRE projects may be eligible for joint funding from the IAI. Proposals for collaboration with researchers from IAI member countries in all areas relevant to SEES are encouraged.
- IAI member country collaborators of NSF-funded PIRE PIs may be eligible for funding from IAI through a parallel review and funding process.
- U.S. PIs of competitively reviewed PIRE pre-proposals will be contacted by NSF program officers and invited to work with their IAI member country partners who will prepare and submit a separate proposal for consideration by IAI. IAI funding for the IAI member country partner(s) of PIRE PIs will be allocated on a competitive basis and is not assured.
- Funding for the IAI-supported counterparts will be awarded through IAI's grant programs in accordance with their policies. The IAI will require that costs for the IAI element of the proposal be submitted via the IAI CRN grant procedures before final sign-off.
- The topic for IAI funding is Global change, mitigation and adaptation in a multi-disciplinary context that will fund science that contributes to informed decision making.
- IAI Budget. In addition to the requirements for all PIRE proposals provided in this solicitation, proposals that include collaboration with IAI colleagues in the relevant topical area(s) should provide IAI budget information. Costs for the IAI component of the project should be entered onto the IAI system by the international partner, but the completed form SHOULD NOT be submitted electronically to the IAI at this stage. Instead, a PDF version of the form should be saved and sent to the U.S. lead PI for inclusion as a Supplementary Document in the NSF proposal. Full details on what IAI requires can be obtained at: http://www.iai.int/.
D.5. Collaboration with U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Researchers from developing countries who are partners on PIRE projects may be eligible for funding from USAID. Proposals for collaboration with scientists in developing countries in all areas relevant to SEES are encouraged . A list of developing countries where USAID operates may be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/locations/.
- Developing country collaborators of NSF-funded PIRE PIs may be eligible for funding from USAID through a parallel review and funding process.
- U.S. PIs of competitively reviewed PIRE pre-proposals will be contacted by NSF program officers and invited to work with their developing country partners who will prepare and submit a separate proposal for consideration by USAID. A summary of the research plan (maximum 3 pages) from the developing country partner's proposal to USAID should be included in Supplementary Documents in the NSF full proposal. As these collateral proposals will be reviewed for development impacts, USAID funding for the developing country partner(s) of PIRE PIs will be allocated on a competitive basis and is not assured.
- USAID will manage the parallel PIRE funding opportunity via the third party manager of the USAID Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) program (PEER manager).
- The USAID PEER manager will receive and review proposals from developing country applicants, make awards directly to the applicants' institutions, and assume responsibility for award management. This implementation will be similar to that for PEER (see Addendum I of the NSF-USAID Memorandum of Understanding).
D.6. Collaboration with U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)
Proposals including sustainability science and education in environmental research areas will be considered for additional funding from the US EPA (http://www.epa.gov/).
- US EPA may provide co-funding for selected PIRE projects, pending the availability of funds.
- No additional proposal submission action is required by PIRE PIs to be considered for these US EPA opportunities.
- In addition to co-funding PIRE awards, US EPA may offer to provide US EPA fellows to participate in selected PIRE projects, based on US EPA interests. These US EPA Fellows would provide additional research capacity for PIRE awardees upon mutual agreement between US EPA, PIRE PIs and relevant institutions. US EPA Fellows would not be supported by NSF. US EPA will contact selected PIs following the NSF review process with the fellowship offer. Coordination between US EPA Fellows and PIRE PIs and institutions will be distinct from the PIRE award process.
E. VISAS AND PERMITS
PIs are responsible for obtaining any required visas for foreign travel and for providing documentation through the U.S. research institution in support of U.S. visas for foreign counterpart investigators. PIs are also responsible for obtaining research permits and import/export documents where necessary. PIs should review NSF's web page "Information for U.S. Travelers", https://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/for-travelers-main.jsp.
III. Award Information
Anticipated Type of Award: Continuing Grant or Standard Grant
Estimated Number of Awards: 10 to 15 Pending the availability of funds.
Anticipated Funding Amount: $10,000,000 to $15,000,000 Annually, for all awards, pending the availability of funds; the average award size is expected to be approximately $4 million over 5 years.
Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.
IV. Eligibility Information
Who May Submit Proposals:
Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
U.S. academic institutions with Ph.D.-granting programs that have awarded doctoral degrees in the 2009 or 2010 academic years in any area of research supported by NSF. Any institution not listed at https://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/pire-2012-eligible-insts.xlsx should contact PIRE Program staff regarding eligibility. Institutions that have not participated in past PIRE awards are especially encouraged to submit.
Who May Serve as PI:
There are no restrictions or limits.
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1
A single organization may submit one preliminary proposal as the lead institution. Full proposals will be accepted by invitation only. There is no limit on the number of proposals on which an institution can participate as a partner.
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI:
There are no restrictions or limits.
Additional Eligibility Info:
Institutions holding current PIRE awards are eligible to apply only if submitted proposals are significantly different in scope from those previously awarded. Incremental expansions of funded projects do not qualify and will be returned without review.
V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
Preliminary Proposals (required): Preliminary proposals are required and must be submitted via the NSF FastLane system, even if full proposals will be submitted via Grants.gov.
PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL should present the main concept of the proposed project. The relevance to SEES objectives, as interpreted by the PI(s), should be clearly stated, as SEES relevance is one of the review criteria (Section VI.A).
The preliminary proposal should consist of the following elements:
1. Cover Sheet: Check the box indicating that this is a preliminary proposal. Provide an informative title that begins with "PIRE:". The proposed PIRE Project Director must be shown as the Principal Investigator. For administrative purposes, enter $2 in the Requested Amount box on the FastLane Cover Sheet. Do not enter any other budget figures in FastLane. Check the international cooperative activities box and select appropriate countries from the pull-down list.
2. Project Summary: (1 page maximum) Describe the concept of the proposed PIRE project, including why the international partnership is critical to the project success. Separately address the intellectual merit and broader impacts of the project. The summary should be informative to those working in the same or related field(s), and understandable to a scientifically or technically literate reader.
3. Table of Contents: A table of contents is automatically generated for the proposal by the FastLane system. The proposer cannot edit this form.
4. Project Description (6 page maximum): The Project Description should take the form of a concept paper that clearly outlines the research challenges being addressed or breakthroughs being sought in the proposed PIRE SEES project. The proposed approaches must be innovative and interdisciplinary, and it must be clear how they will transform or significantly impact the science of sustainability. Include the following elements:
- Administrative Summary (1 page maximum) should include:
- title of the project
- principal investigator
- length of study (maximum 5 years)
- estimated total budget (does not need to be itemized)
- lead institution
- list of partner institutions and key researchers
- If the proposal is to be considered for an Additional Funding Opportunity as described in Section II.D., explicitly name the funding partner agency.
- Research Summary (3 page maximum): Summarize the main ideas and essence of the proposed research. Describe issue/topic the proposed research is trying to address within the context of SEES, the overall goal, approaches, expected outcomes, and the synergy that each participant brings to the project.
- Education Summary (2 page maximum): Describe the goals of the proposed education activities, and how the integration of research and education will advance the proposed PIRE project in a way that other funding mechanisms cannot. A justification for education programs and activities should be included and described in the context of current knowledge of teaching and learning.
5. References Cited: Per NSF Grant Proposal Guide instructions.
6. Biographical Sketches: Required for PIRE director, Co-PIs, and key domestic and international partners. See NSF Grant Proposal Guide for details.
7. Required Information on Conflicts of Interests: A FastLane Single Copy Document should be provided giving an alphabetically ordered list of Conflicts of Interests of proposed participants in the academic or professional community who have collaborated with (within the last 48 months), or have been a Ph.D. advisee or advisor of PIRE director, Co-PIs, and key domestic and international partners. In this list, include the name of each individual in conflict and their current institutional or company affiliation.
8. Optional Supplemental Documents: Official letters of commitment are not required at the preliminary proposal stage; however, informal evidence indicating agreement to collaborate is encouraged for both U.S. and international partners. Note that partner institutions and key participants may not be changed in the subsequent full proposal.
9. Optional Reviewer Information: A list of suggested reviewers, or reviewers not to include, with a brief explanation or justification for why the reviewer should be excluded, may be submitted in the Single Copy Documents Section.
No other items or appendices are to be included in the preliminary proposal. Information pertaining to "Current and Pending Support", and "Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources" is not required for preliminary proposals and should not be included.
Preliminary proposals containing items other than those described above will be returned without review.
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 nsfpubs@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/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide). 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 nsfpubs@nsf.gov.
FULL PROPOSALS WILL BE ACCEPTED BY INVITATION ONLY. Include the components described below. Consider these important notes.
- Proposals that exceed the specified page limitations given below will be returned without review.
- No additional information may be provided by links to web pages.
- PIRE will not accept collaborative proposals for a single project submitted separately from multiple organizations.
- U.S. Project Directors are advised to make sure that their foreign collaborators consult their funding agencies to determine whether they are eligible to submit a proposal, whether separate submission to their agency is required, and the agency submission requirements.
- If the project involves human subjects, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the submitting organization must certify that the proposed project is in compliance with the Federal Government's "Common Rule" for the protection of human subjects. If IRB approval has been obtained and the date of approval is listed on the cover sheet, no other certification is required. If IRB approval is still pending, submit certification of IRB approval in electronic form as soon as approval is obtained to the cognizant program officer. (The name of this program officer will be listed in the Proposal Status module of FastLane.) Delays in obtaining IRB certification may result in NSF being unable to make an award. For more information regarding the protection of human subjects, consult https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/hsfaqs.jsp
- If the project involves the use of vertebrate animals, the project must be approved by the submitting organization's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before an award can be made. For more detail, see NSF's Proposal and Award Policy and Procedures Guide.
- PIs proposing work in the Arctic or Antarctic Polar Regions should contact the Office of Polar Programs program officer associated with the program most closely aligned with the proposed research for guidance on submission (https://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=OPP).
1. COVER SHEET:
- Select this PIRE solicitation number from the FastLane pull-down menu. For Grants.gov users, the solicitation number will be pre-populated by Grants.gov.
2. PROJECT SUMMARY (1 page maximum):
- Include project title, PI's name, and name of the lead institution.
- Provide clear and concise description of the project and relevance to SEES.
- Indicate the unique opportunities that the international partners bring to the project .
- Address NSF merit review criteria (intellectual merit and broader impacts) in separate paragraphs. (For additional instructions, see the NSF Grant Proposal Guide).
- Write a summary that is informative to those working in the same or related fields and, insofar as possible, understandable to a scientifically or technically literate lay reader.
3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION (20 page maximum): In addition to the NSF Grant Proposal Guide, standard description, the guidelines below must be followed. Note that the 20-page maximum includes tables, figures, other graphical data, and Results of Prior Support. Program Objectives (section II.A. above) should be considered in items a) through e) below.
a) List of Participants: Include names and departmental and institution/organization affiliation of PI, co-PIs, and other Senior Personnel, both U.S. and international.
b) Research Plan:
Describe the goals of the project, scientific and technical approaches, with expected outcomes and milestones. Illustrate how this research represents important advances in the SEES investment area achievable only through international collaboration. Descriptions must be sufficiently detailed to allow adequate review.
Explain how international collaboration will be integrated into the overall research plan. Highlight specific and unique contributions (e.g., expertise, facilities, sites, data, approaches/methods, opportunities, etc.) of each U.S. and international partner.
c) Plan for Educational Activities:
- Make clear what activities provide international research experience for students and early career researchers. Describe training and/or educational activities that take advantage of unique and specific opportunities the proposed project would provide. Broadening participation of members of under-represented groups and small colleges and universities is especially encouraged.
- Describe procedures, arrangements, and plans for recruiting, selecting, preparing, and sending student participants to international sites, including logistical arrangements (lodging, transportation, health care, safety, etc.), language and cultural issues, and administrative requirements.
d) Management Plan:
- Describe the overall structure of the partnership; plans for internal means of communication; coordination of data and information management; allocation of funds and personnel; and other specific issues relevant to the proposed activities.
- Summarize the role of each investigator. Indicate the time commitment of each key project member in the management plan, regardless of any request for his/her salary from NSF.
- Present an evaluation and assessment plan integral to the development and effective management of the project, including relevant international collaborative oversight.
International collaborative oversight may include:
- Adherence to common principles for the responsible conduct of research and misconduct, including the training of students and postdocs in an international context (for references, see NSF International Research Integrity at https://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/intl-research-integrity.jsp, and NIH Fogarty International Center materials at http://med.brown.edu/fogarty/codes.htm).
