Teacher Professional Continuum (TPC)

Program Solicitation
NSF 03-534

		National Science Foundation Directorate for Education and Human Resources       Division of Elementary, Secondary and Informal Education       Division of Undergraduate Education

Revisions And Updates

Summary Of Program Requirements

General Information

Program Title:

Synopsis of Program:

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

• General TPC Information, telephone: (703) 292-8613,

• Kathryn Chval, Section Head (Acting), Teacher Professional Continuum, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5088, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: kchval@nsf.gov

• David B. Campbell, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5093, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: dcampbel@nsf.gov

• V. Celeste Carter, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 n, telephone: (703) 292-4656, fax: (703) 292-9015, email: vccarter@nsf.gov

• Katherine Denniston, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4620, email: kdennist@nsf.gov

• Patricia K. Freitag, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-7322, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: pfreitag@nsf.gov

• Michael R. Haney, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5102, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: mhaney@nsf.gov

• Theodore W. Hodapp, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4640, email: thodapp@nsf.gov

• Karen King, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5105, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: kking@nsf.gov

• Monica Mitchell, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5120, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: mmitchel@nsf.gov

• Monica Neagoy, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-4688, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: mneagoy@nsf.gov

• Joan T. Prival, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4635, fax: (703) 292-9015, email: jprival@nsf.gov

• Jill Singer, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4651, fax: (703) 292-9015, email: jsinger@nsf.gov

• Wayne W. Sukow, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5122, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: wsukow@nsf.gov

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

• 47.076 --- Education and Human Resources

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: 25 to 35 - The program anticipates funding a broad range of awards including small-scale research projects under category I
• Anticipated Funding Amount: $28,000,000 FY 2004 pending availability of funds

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

• Preliminary Proposals: Submission of Preliminary Proposals is required. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
• Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that deviates from 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: Indirect costs are not allowed on participant support costs.
• Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

C. Due Dates

• Preliminary Proposals (required) :
  May 19, 2003
  required for categories I, II, and III; not required for category IV
• Full Proposal Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m proposer's local time):
  
  September 10, 2003

Proposal Review Information

• Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria apply.

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

II. Program Description

1. Research Studies

   The TPC program supports research studies that contribute to the knowledge base for how to effectively recruit, prepare and support qualified STM teachers, how to create supportive structures and environments that sustain STM educators at all levels, and how to impact teaching practice with teacher learning. Special attention will be given to projects that investigate: (1) how people learn, through informal and formal experiences across the continuum, to be effective K-12 STM teachers; (2) what resources and supports teachers need to be effective; (3) how teachers' needs change as they progress through the continuum; (4) how successful professional development experiences can be designed in order to improve teaching practice in large numbers of classrooms and with diverse populations; and (5) how teaching practice impacts student achievement.

   Competitive proposals for Research Studies should contain the following elements in the Project Description section of the proposal.  Proposal reviewers will examine the extent to which these elements are effectively incorporated and integrated in the overall project plan. 

   Rationale.
   Reference literature and evidence to support the rationale for the proposed work.  Describe how the proposed project: (1) addresses a national need, problem, or issue in the STM teaching field; (2) articulates the theoretical framework and research that ground the work; (3) builds on, and relates to, previous and on-going developments in educational practice; and (4) contributes to the research base on STM teacher preparation, teacher development, or teaching practice.

   Design.
   Identify the research question(s) or focus, design, instrumentation, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and a coherent chain of reasoning linking the questions, theory, and design.

   Work Plan. 
   Provide a detailed plan of the proposed work, including a complete timeline that indicates who is responsible for each facet of the work. Projects are expected to have a duration of two-to-five years.

   Dissemination.
   Explain how the PIs intend to share information about the project with professionals, including teachers and administrators, in STM discipline and education communities. It is expected that TPC PIs will network with PIs involved in other NSF research and development projects to inform existing NSF initiatives of TPC supported research.

   Personnel.
   Describe the expertise, experience, role, and commitment level of each member of the key personnel. 

   Results of Prior NSF Support.
   If key personnel have received funding from NSF in the last five years, information on the prior awards is required IF RELEVANT TO THE PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK (see Grant Proposal Guide NSF 03-2). Provide evidence and data-informed results from previous support, including a discussion of lessons learned from both successes and failures.  Specifically indicate how the proposed work differs from, and where appropriate, builds upon prior efforts.

2. Research and Development of Educational Models and Systems

   The TPC program supports projects that research, develop, and disseminate exemplary models and systems that prepare (both in undergraduate degree programs and alternative pathways), support, and sustain K-12 STM teachers and/or strengthen the STM teaching profession.  Projects may include studies of existing STM educational models and systems as well as the development and testing of new ones.  It is expected that projects will not only evaluate the effectiveness of the model/system, but also research how the components, and the respective relationships among these, influence its effectiveness. Special attention will be given to projects that address problems either across the STM teaching professional continuum or at transition points along the way.

   Competitive proposals for the Research and Development of Educational Models and Systems category should contain the following elements in the Project Description section of the proposal. Proposal reviewers will examine the extent to which these elements are effectively incorporated and integrated in the overall project plan. 

   Goals and Outcomes.
   Describe the major goals and anticipated outcomes of the project. The goals must be clearly defined and aligned with appropriate national standards.  Include a description of the target population(s), including the numbers of participants, that will be engaged in project activities. 

   Rationale. 
   Reference literature and evidence to support the rationale for the proposed work.  Describe how the proposed project: (1) addresses a national need, problem, or issue in the STM teaching field; (2) articulates the theoretical framework and research that grounds the work; (3) builds on, and relates to, previous and on-going developments in educational practice; and (4) contributes to the research base on STM teaching.

   Design.
   The design plan should clearly explain how the project goals will be achieved and what criteria will be used to determine their achievement.  The plan should define the model, including the components and respective relationships; describe the context in which the model will be implemented; and identify the design that will demonstrate and test the implementation of that model.  Anticipated outcomes would investigate questions such as: What indicators determine that the model "works?" Does it work?  How does it work?  Why does it work?  When does it work?  Who makes it work?  With whom does it work?  Can it be replicated, transferred, adapted, and scaled?

   Work Plan. 
   Provide a detailed plan of the proposed work, including a complete timeline that indicates who is responsible for each facet of the work. Projects are expected to have a duration of two-to-five years.

   Project Evaluation. 
   The evaluation plan must include two independent components: (1) the formative evaluation and (2) the summative evaluation.  Results of both components must be reported to NSF. 

   The project evaluation section must identify:

   • the guiding framework;     

   • a rationale for the design plan, based on evaluation literature;     

   • questions to guide and focus the evaluation design;     

   • measurable indicators associated with the project goals (e.g., recruitment and retention of STM teachers, changes in teacher knowledge and practice, impact on student learning);     

   • sources of information;     

   • types of data to be collected;     

   • methods to be used to collect, analyze and interpret data;     

   • a timeline linking the questions to the sources of information and to the methods of data collection and analysis; and     

   • the evaluator(s) to lead the effort. Please note that the summative evaluation must be conducted by an external, third-party evaluator.

   As part of a national analysis of the TPC program, each project must participate in an NSF-initiated third-party evaluation and other research activities, including a longitudinal study of impact.  As part of this evaluation, projects must provide requested data to the NSF program evaluator. This third-party evaluation will be funded by NSF separately.

   Dissemination.
   Explain how the PIs intend to share information about the project with professionals, including STEM and education faculty, university administrators, teachers and school and district administrators, and other professionals in the STEM education communities.  It is expected that TPC PIs will network with PIs involved in other NSF research and development projects to inform existing NSF initiatives of TPC supported research.

   Sustainability.
   Describe how the project activities will be institutionalized after the funding period ends.

   Personnel.
   Describe the expertise, experience, role, and commitment level of each member of the key personnel. Project teams should include STM practitioners and educators, classroom teachers, administrators, and assessment and evaluation experts.  Faculty from Colleges of Education and Colleges of Arts and Sciences working in partnership are encouraged, as appropriate. 

   Results of Prior NSF Support.
   If key personnel have received funding from NSF in the last five years, information on the prior awards is required IF RELEVANT TO THE PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK (see Grant Proposal Guide NSF 03-2). Provide evidence and data-informed results from previous support, including a discussion of lessons learned from both successes and failures. Specifically indicate how the proposed work differs from, and where appropriate, builds upon prior efforts.

3. Professional Resources Development

   The TPC program supports the development of resources for teaching including, but not limited to, materials, tools, teacher education curricula, and information resources that can be used to prepare, support, enhance, and sustain K-12 STM teachers, leaders, and administrators. The resources must be grounded in recent advances in research on teaching and learning, and must address a national need.  Projects must advance the knowledge base on STM teaching and/or the STM teaching profession. PIs are encouraged to access the Teacher Education Materials (TE-MAT) database (http://www.te-mat.org) during the proposal development process. This database contains reviews of several hundred materials that can be used for the professional development of mathematics and science teachers. PIs should review these resources to ensure that their project does not duplicate materials that have already been developed. PIs are also encouraged to search the new National Science Digital Library (www.nsdl.org) for educational materials related to their proposed work. Projects should consider how resources may be adapted and utilized across the teacher professional continuum.

   Competitive proposals for Professional Resources Development projects should contain the following elements in the Project Description section of the proposal. Proposal reviewers will examine the extent to which these elements are effectively incorporated and integrated in the overall project plan.

   Goals and Outcomes.
   Describe the major goals and the anticipated outcomes of the project. Projects that focus on resources for teacher learning experiences must define the learning goals of the resources and align them with research and relevant national standards for content, instructional strategies, and assessment.  Projects that focus on resources that enhance the STM teaching profession must be aligned with research and professional standards.

   Anticipated Products.
   Describe the format and content of the resources to be produced (e.g., curricula, software, videos, CD-ROMs, tools, ideas, information resources).

   Rationale. 
   Reference literature and evidence to support the rationale for the proposed work.  Describe how the proposed resources: (1) address a national need, problem or issue in the STM teaching field; (2) articulate the theoretical framework and research that grounds the work; (3) build on, and relate to, previous and on-going developments in educational practice; (4) support learning experiences or enhance the teaching profession for STM teachers; and ultimately (5) support teaching and learning in STM classrooms.

   Design and Work Plan.
   The design plan should clearly explain how the project goals will be achieved and what criteria will be used to determine their achievement.  Explain how the resources will be created, reviewed, pilot-tested, field-tested, evaluated, revised, and published and/or distributed.  Provide a detailed plan, including a complete timeline that indicates who is responsible for each facet of work.  Projects are expected to have a duration of two-to-five years.  

   STM educators, similar to those who will ultimately be the audience for the resources, must be included in development and field testing. Provide a description of the audience for pilot and field testing, including the number of participants. Field tests must include a broad range of STM educators with diverse backgrounds, and results from these field tests must be used to inform revisions of the resources. 

   Project Evaluation. 
   The evaluation plan must include three independent components: (1) the formative evaluation, (2) the summative evaluation, and (3) an external and formal review of the resources produced.  The external review should ensure accuracy of the content, appropriateness of the pedagogy, and suitability of the contexts, language, etc., for the intended audience.  Results of all three evaluation components must be reported to NSF.

   The project evaluation section must identify:

   • the guiding framework;    

   • a rationale for the design, based on evaluation literature;    

   • questions to guide and focus the evaluation design;    

   • measurable indicators associated with project goals (e.g., changes in teacher knowledge and practice, retention of STM teachers, impact on student learning);    

   • sources of information;    

   • types of data to be collected;    

   • methods to be used to collect, analyze, and interpret data;    

   • a timeline linking the questions to the sources of information and to the methods of data collection and analysis; and    

   • the evaluator(s) to lead the effort. Please note that the summative evaluation must be conducted by an external, third-party evaluator.

   As part of a national analysis of the TPC program, each project must participate in an NSF-initiated third-party evaluation and other research activities.  As part of this evaluation, projects must provide requested data to NSF program evaluators.  This third-party evaluation will be funded by NSF separately.

   Dissemination. 
   Explain how the PIs intend to share information about the project with professionals, including teachers and administrators, in STM education communities. This plan must include a strategy for publication and/or wide distribution of the resources, as well as a plan for educating appropriate audiences on the effective use of the resources. Provide a timeline for securing a publisher or identifying another appropriate distribution outlet. Submission of materials to the National Science Digital Library and TE-MAT is strongly encouraged.

   Personnel.
   Describe the expertise, role, and commitment level of each member of the key personnel. The resources must be developed with input from experts in academic disciplines, pedagogy, and adult learning.  Mathematicians, scientists, and/or engineers are required to participate in the project. It is expected that the development team will also include STM educators, classroom teachers, administrators, and experts in assessment and evaluation.  

   Results of Prior NSF Support.
   If key personnel have received funding from NSF in the last five years, information on the prior awards is required IF RELEVANT TO THE PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK (see Grant Proposal Guide NSF 03-2).  Provide evidence and data-informed results from previous support, including a discussion of lessons learned from both successes and failures.  Specifically indicate how the proposed work differs from, and where appropriate, builds upon prior efforts.

4. Conferences and Symposia

The TPC program supports conferences and symposia that: (1) assemble experts to discuss and/or synthesize research and/or STM education issues, (2) introduce research and/or exemplary educational models, (3) assemble innovators in the field, or (4) develop action plans for future TPC research and development projects.

These proposals may be submitted at any time and do not require submission of a preliminary proposal, but prior discussion with a TPC Program Director is encouraged. Proposals should be submitted at least one year in advance of the planned activity.

Competitive proposals for conferences and symposia should contain the following elements in the Project Description section of the proposal.  Proposal reviewers will examine the extent to which these elements are effectively incorporated and integrated in the overall project plan.

Goals and Outcomes.
Describe the major goals and anticipated outcomes of the project. 

Activity.
Describe the content, format, purpose, audience, method of announcement or invitation, location, and dates for the proposed activity. 

Rationale.
Reference literature and evidence to support the rationale for the proposed work.  Describe how the proposed project: (1) addresses a national need, problem or issue; (2) builds on, and relates to, previous and on-going efforts in the field; (3) selects and/or recruits participants; and (4) advances the knowledge and/or awareness among professionals in STM education communities.

Work Plan.
Explain how the project goals will be achieved.  Provide a detailed plan for the proposed work, including a complete timeline that indicates who is responsible for each facet of the work.  Projects are expected to have a duration of one-to-two years.  Describe the plan for producing proceedings or publications of findings that will result from the proposed events.

Program Assessment. 
Describe how the conferences or symposia will be assessed and reported to NSF.

Dissemination. 
Explain how the PIs intend to share information about the project and proceedings with professionals, including teachers and administrators, in STM education communities.

Personnel.
Describe the expertise, experience, role, and commitment level of each member of the key personnel who will design and facilitate the effort. 

Results of Prior NSF Support.
If key personnel have received funding from NSF in the last five years, information on the prior awards is required IF RELEVANT TO THE PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK (see Grant Proposal Guide NSF 03-2). Provide evidence and data-informed results from previous support, including a discussion of lessons learned from both successes and failures. Specifically indicate how the proposed work differs from, and where appropriate, builds upon prior efforts.

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Award Information

V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Preliminary Proposals (required):

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.

Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation number (03-534) 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.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

Other Budgetary Limitations:

Budget Preparation Instructions:

C. Due Dates

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

Preliminary Proposals (required):

May 19, 2003
required for categories I, II, and III; not required for category IV

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

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.

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 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.

In most cases, proposers will be contacted by the Program Officer after his or her recommendation to award or decline funding has been approved by the Division Director. This informal notification is not a guarantee of an eventual 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 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:

• General TPC Information, telephone: (703) 292-8613,

• Kathryn Chval, Section Head (Acting), Teacher Professional Continuum, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5088, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: kchval@nsf.gov

• David B. Campbell, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5093, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: dcampbel@nsf.gov

• V. Celeste Carter, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 n, telephone: (703) 292-4656, fax: (703) 292-9015, email: vccarter@nsf.gov

• Katherine Denniston, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4620, email: kdennist@nsf.gov

• Patricia K. Freitag, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-7322, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: pfreitag@nsf.gov

• Michael R. Haney, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5102, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: mhaney@nsf.gov

• Theodore W. Hodapp, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4640, email: thodapp@nsf.gov

• Karen King, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5105, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: kking@nsf.gov

• Monica Mitchell, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5120, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: mmitchel@nsf.gov

• Monica Neagoy, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-4688, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: mneagoy@nsf.gov

• Joan T. Prival, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4635, fax: (703) 292-9015, email: jprival@nsf.gov

• Jill Singer, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4651, fax: (703) 292-9015, email: jsinger@nsf.gov

• Wayne W. Sukow, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Elementary, Secondary, & Informal Education, 885 S, telephone: (703) 292-5122, fax: (703) 292-9044, email: wsukow@nsf.gov

For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:

• ESIE FastLane contact, telephone: (703) 292-8620, email: ehr-esie-info@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.