THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPLACED BY NSF 11-532

Antarctic Research  

Program Solicitation
NSF 10-543

Replaces Document(s):
NSF 09-536

National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs      Division of Antarctic Sciences

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

May 25, 2010

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND REVISION NOTES

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information

Program Title: 

Synopsis of Program:

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

• Lisa Clough, Program Director, Antarctic Integrated System Science, telephone: (703) 292-7450, fax: (703)292-9079, email: lclough@nsf.gov

• Alexandra Isern, Program Director, Antarctic Earth Sciences, telephone: (703) 292-7581, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: aisern@nsf.gov

• Roberta Marinelli, Program Director, Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems, telephone: (703) 292-7448, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: rmarinel@nsf.gov

• Peter Milne, Program Director, Antarctic Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, telephone: (703) 292-4714, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: pmilne@nsf.gov

• Julie Palais, Program Director, Antarctic Glaciology, telephone: (703) 292-8033, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: jpalais@nsf.gov

• Vladimir Papitashvili, Program Director, Antarctic Aeronomy and Astrophysics, telephone: (703) 292-7425, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: vpapita@nsf.gov

• Jessie L. Crain, Research Support Manager, OPP/AIL, telephone: (703) 292-7457, fax: (703)292-9080, email: jlcrain@nsf.gov

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

• 47.078 --- Office of Polar Programs

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award:  Standard Grant or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards:    50   approximately

Anticipated Funding Amount:   $22,000,000  in FY11, plus up to $30M in outyear increments for continuing awards, contingent on availability of funds. Anticipated funding available in FY11 by program is: AO&E, $4M; AA&A, $4M; AES, $4M; AG, $3M; AISS, $2M; AO&AS, $3M; Instrumentation, $2M. (See section III)

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit: 

None Specified

PI Limit: 

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

• Letters of Intent: Not Applicable

• 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:
    http://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:
    http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide )

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

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

  May 25, 2010

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:   Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Reporting Requirements:   Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary of Program Requirements

1. Introduction
   
   
2. Program Description
   
   
3. Award Information
   
   
4. Eligibility Information
   
   
5. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
   1. Proposal Preparation Instructions
   2. Budgetary Information
   3. Due Dates
   4. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements
      
      
6. NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures
   1. NSF Merit Review Criteria
   2. Review and Selection Process
      
      
7. Award Administration Information
   1. Notification of the Award
   2. Award Conditions
   3. Reporting Requirements
      
      
8. Agency Contacts
   
   
9. Other Information

I. INTRODUCTION

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

III. AWARD INFORMATION

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.

Organization Limit: 

None Specified

PI Limit: 

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 

V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

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: http://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: (http://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.

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.4 of the Grant Proposal Guide provides additional information on collaborative proposals.

Antarctic research proposal preparation:
Supplemental instructions

The following instructions supplement the NSF GPG and the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide guidelines.  Proposals not following these instructions are subject to return without review

Contents:

1. Page limit
2. Reporting on prior support:
3. Data and sample disposition
4. Antarctic or Southern Ocean Proposals Involving No Fieldwork
5. Antarctic or Southern Ocean Proposals Involving Fieldwork
   
   • Deployment of Scientific Instruments and Equipment
   • Electromagnetic Spectrum Management
   • Information Security Management
   • Environmental protection and waste management
   • Safety and health
   • Underwater diving
   • Radioactive materials and waste
   • Use of Controlled Substances
   • Research ship EEZ clearances
   • Composition of field teams
   • Physical and psychological screening

1. Page limit:
   Proposals involving one or two organizations must not exceed 15 pages in the project description section (see NSF GPG or NSF Grants.gov Application Guide for details).
   
   The normal 15-page limit for the Project Description will be strictly enforced. However, collaborative proposals involving three or more organizations may add one page to the Project Description for each organization beyond the first two.
   
   
2. Reporting on prior support:
   Proposals submitted to this solicitation must report on prior support from NSF. The GPG requires that reporting on prior support is limited to a single award within the last 5 years for each PI, CoPI, or Co-I named on the cover sheet. Furthermore, when an investigator has received more than one award, the report on prior support must cover the one award most closely related to the new proposal. (NSF GPG, Section II.C.2.d.iii.)
   
   
3. Data and sample disposition
   NSF policy requires that grantees and investigators make samples and data available to other researchers. Given the costs for research in Antarctica, all proposals must describe how these requirements will be met. Please see OPP's Guidelines and Award Conditions for Scientific Data for more details. The program strongly encourages the use of national data centers, sample repositories, museums and other registration and curation systems. For physical and chemical oceanographic data, principal investigators are encouraged to consider compliance with the CLIVAR data policy (http://www.clivar.org/data/data_policy.php) and submit their data to the appropriate Data Assembly Centers (http://www.clivar.org/data/dacs.php).
   
   Some examples of these resources are listed on the USAP web portal. Unless otherwise justified, samples and data should be made publicly available no more than two years after collection. In addition, all awardees must submit a metadata listing to the Antarctic Master Directory (http://www.usap-data.org/) upon completion of the project.
   
   
4. Antarctic or Southern Ocean Proposals Involving No Fieldwork
   Proposals should be clear about whether or not field work in Antarctica is needed. If no field work is required, the statement "This proposal does not require field work in the Antarctic" must be included as the last line of the proposal Summary.
   
   
5. Antarctic or Southern Ocean Proposals Involving Fieldwork
   The U.S. Antarctic Program is committed to the principle that scientific needs should determine the research conducted in Antarctica, with logistics deriving from and supporting the research rather than dictating it. Prepare your proposal to NSF with the presumption that science can be supported operationally, even if it has not been done before.
   
   Project Descriptions must contain sufficient information for reviewers and NSF staff to make a judgment about the scientific need for fieldwork. For projects that request lab space to conduct analytical work, investigators should justify the need to conduct analyses in Antarctica rather than analyzing samples in their home laboratory.
   
   Prior discussion with a science program director in the Office of Polar Programs (703-292-8033) can help define research objectives that match the operational realities at any given time and will help NSF plan changes in operational support to meet research needs. To determine field support needs, and to help estimate costs and feasibility, proposers must submit an Operational Requirements Worksheet (ORW). Details and instructions are available at [new web site].
   
   For investigators who have not previously worked in Antarctica or who would like additional advice about field or logistical support, contact with the Division of Antarctic Infrastructure and Logistics of the Office of Polar Programs (703-292-8032) during proposal preparation also can be helpful. 

   An outline of the aspects of fieldwork that should be considered when preparing your proposal follows.  A detailed description of this information is available at http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ant/solicitation_resources/prop_prep_info.jsp.

   Completing the ORW is time consuming and must be done before the proposal is submitted. OPP recommends proposers start this process at least two weeks before final proposal submission. Proposals lacking these Operational Requirements Worksheets are subject to return without review.
   
   
   • Deployment of Scientific Instruments and Equipment 
     NSF's goal for scientific instruments and equipment deployed in Antarctica is to maximize the likelihood of successful operation within the operating parameters of the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP). Information about proper development and engineering tests of new or existing instruments and equipment prior to deployment is available at http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ant/solicitation_resources/prop_prep_info.jsp.
     
     
   • Electromagnetic Spectrum Management 
     Deployed science field programs that use radio spectrum must coordinate their requirements with USAP Spectrum Manager, a service provided to NSF by the U.S. Navy.  Details about spectrum management for emitters and passive systems are available at http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ant/solicitation_resources/prop_prep_info.jsp.

     If you have questions, contact Patrick Smith (pdsmith@nsf.gov) in OPP's Antarctic Infrastructure and Logistics Division.

   • Information Security Management
     United States law and Executive Office of the President guidance regarding information security requirements for Federal information systems apply to the information technology (IT) infrastructure of the USAP.
     
     All grantee scientific research instrumentation, personal computing devices (e.g., laptop computers), and remote interactions from home institution computing/networks to systems within the USAP general network infrastructure (i.e., within the usap.gov domain) must comply with NSF/USAP information security requirements. 
     
     USAP information security policy, guidance instructions, advisories, and other related information can be found on the USAP web portal on the USAP Information Security Program homepage (http://www.usap.gov/technology/contentHandler.cfm?id=1562).

   • Environmental protection and waste management
     You must convince the Foundation that your project, if approved, can be performed in compliance with Antarctic environmental regulations. The ORW will help you define field plans. Failure to provide for environmental stewardship and waste management in your proposal could change the Foundation's decision from award to declination.
     
     Please refer to the section U.S. Antarctic Program Environmental Stewardship for additional information about permitting and environmental impact assessments.
     
     If you have questions, contact Dr. Polly Penhale (email: ppenhale@nsf.gov), OPP Environmental Officer.

   • Safety and health
     A project that involves work in Antarctica must consider aspects of the research that may pose safety and health risks. Current U.S. Antarctic Program policies regarding safety and health are consistent with U.S. laws and regulations affecting research in the USA.  The Office of Polar Programs has staff that are assigned full time responsibilities in safety and health. Please feel free to contact them (see roster) during proposal preparation.

     Details about health and safety issues are available at http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ant/solicitation_resources/prop_prep_info.jsp.

   • Underwater diving
     The U.S. Antarctic Program supports a scientific diving program similar to those of institutional members of the American Academy of Underwater Science. Scientific divers are expected to comply with guidelines in the Antarctic Scientific Diving Manual (NSF 99-22), available from the support contractor's dive coordinator (1-800-688-8606). Additional information about scientific diving requirements is available at http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ant/solicitation_resources/prop_prep_info.jsp.
     
     
   • Radioactive materials and waste
     If you wish to use low-level radioactive materials (open or sealed sources) in Antarctica, you need to do so under your organization's radiation use license and with the approval of NSF. Budget for this in your proposal, buy the materials through your organization, and register as a radioisotope user with your radiation safety committee. Additional information about the use of radioactive materials in Antarctica is available at http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ant/solicitation_resources/prop_prep_info.jsp.
     
     
   • Use of Controlled Substances
     If your Antarctic research requires the use of controlled substances that are regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, contact the cognizant program officer for additional guidance regarding transport, use and storage policies.
     
     
   • Research ship EEZ clearances
     Any research that is north of 60 °S and involves work in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of another nation (typically within 200 nautical miles of the coast of that nation), including underway measurements such as collecting multibeam data, gravity data, or surface water samples, requires an appropriate research clearance from the nation involved.
     
     Justify any EEZ work in your proposal, and provide information needed for a permit application in the Operational Requirements Worksheets. NSF's prime Antarctic contractor assists in the preparation of and provides to NSF the application for clearance. NSF must submit the application to the Department of State, which must receive it no later than 6 months before the cruise.
     
     
   • Composition of field teams
     The size and general composition of your field team must be justified in your proposal. In addition, identify in your ORW the number of people who will be involved in the prospective field project. Team members must be scientists, technicians, students, educators, or others with experience or strong interests in the goals of the project, must be necessary to the completion of the project as described in the proposal, and must have a direct interest in its outcome. NSF may request institutional certification of the qualifications of team members, especially in unusual circumstances such as when family members are proposed as part of a field team.
     
     Parties must have field safety expertise that is appropriate for the anticipated activities, conditions, and hazards. Examples of potentially hazardous situations include mountaineering, working in crevassed terrain, and working on sea ice. Investigators should consider augmenting their teams with persons experienced in field safety, particularly if the group is inexperienced in Antarctic fieldwork. Training of field party members in first aid is highly recommended. Feel free to consult with NSF (see roster) during proposal preparation.
     
     
   • Physical and psychological screening
     Because medical facilities in Antarctica are not equipped to deal with all possible medical emergencies, and because immediate medical evacuation may be impossible, it is important that all persons deploying to Antarctica be in good health. Before deploying, participants must meet physical and dental health criteria established for the program. Candidates for work during the austral winter isolation also must pass a psychological screening.
     
     The Antarctic support contractor will provide prospective travelers to the Antarctic with the U.S. Antarctic Program medical and dental examination forms. Travelers are responsible for completing their physical and dental examinations and sending the completed forms to the support contractor. Candidates for the winter isolation period will be provided instructions for the psychological screening.  Information concerning physical and dental screenings is available on the U.S. Antarctic Program web portal at   http://www.usap.gov/travelAndDeployment/deploymentPackets.cfm .

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:   Cost sharing is not required under this solicitation.

Budget Preparation Instructions:  

Budget provisions for field services in Antarctica

In Antarctica, many support services are provided and paid for by the NSF-funded U.S. Antarctic Program.  Many common-use items are bought and shipped to Antarctica in bulk for allocation to field parties. This practice, while affecting the way an investigator plans for fieldwork, lowers the cost of acquiring, maintaining, and shipping items to Antarctica.  However, as with other research programs at NSF requests for field support must be outlined in sufficient detail in the proposal so that reviewers and NSF program officers can assess whether this support is appropriate for the research program proposed.

Investigators should use their proposals and Operational Requirements Worksheets (ORWs) to specify services and items of equipment that are required for their research. To plan and budget for acquisition of these items, NSF must know well in advance what they are and approximately how much they cost.

Costs for the following items must be included in your funding request (questions related to this list should be directed to your cognizant program officer or Research Support Managers in the Division of Antarctic Infrastructure and Logistics):

• Physical and dental examinations, including blood work, for all persons going to Antarctica. Note: Awards cannot be used to support the subsequent medical or dental procedures required to meet physical and dental health criteria established for the program as per the "Physical and psychological screening" section in Section V. 5. of this solicitation.
• Living expenses (per diem) during travel to and from Antarctica. Budget these costs under foreign travel
• Laboratory consumables above those that are normally stocked by the contractor (http://www.usap.gov/usapgov/proposalInformation/).
• Batteries to operate remote equipment or to provide battery stored power at a camp.
• Non-recoverable and potentially non-recoverable equipment, such as moorings (except for the anchor mass), drifters, XCTDs, and satellite tracking tags
• Dedicated mountaineer/sea ice specialist is required if your team will be in the field for greater than two weeks working in technical terrain.
• A certified explosives blaster required to detonate any explosives in the field.
• Project-specific equipment, laboratory supplies, and field supplies that the contractor does not have in stock or equipment and supplies required at home organizations.
• Equipment that will be dedicated to your project for multiple years, if you are submitting a proposal with several field seasons.  This includes UNAVCO and IRIS/PASCAL equipment that cannot be supplied from their equipment pools.
• Non-standard cargo or sample shipping such as hazardous materials and/or expedite services (equipment shipped to or from Antarctica with less than 6 weeks transit time). The U.S. Antarctic Program provides northbound sea shipment to a U.S. port without cost to the grantee, but onward transport to the home organization is paid for using your grant funds.
• Specialized packaging or preparation of equipment needed for transport of special equipment to and/or from Antarctica.
• If your team travels on a tour ship or other private transportation that is not sponsored by an National Antarctic Program your group may need to obtain private medical evacuation insurance.

Note: The USAP issues at no charge to the award limited amounts of basic polar clothing including insulated underwear, mukluks, thermal boots, parkas, insulated overalls, gloves, and other extreme-cold-weather gear.

Commercial air travel

Do not budget in your proposal for commercial air travel between your home organization and the departure point for Antarctica (normally Christchurch, New Zealand, or Punta Arenas, Chile). The Foundation's Antarctic support contractor will issue tickets at no cost to your grant. Under most circumstances the support contractor will not pay for travel from a point outside the United States.  If you contemplate such foreign travel, please discuss this with your program director.

If a foreign scientist is part of your field Program, NSF generally expects that person to be cleared medically through their nation's Antarctic program (if relevant) and to provide their airfare and travel expenses to and from the southern hemisphere point of departure. Exceptions must be discussed with your cognizant program officer.

Do budget in the proposal for accompanied excess baggage needed for your research as well as for per diem during this travel and for any travel not involving deployment to Antarctica.

Insurance

Do not budget for life or disability insurance. NSF does not provide insurance for grantee personnel in Antarctica, and it does not fund acquisition of this insurance in its research grants.

Persons traveling to Antarctica are expected to have insurance appropriate to their normal life situations so that any needed health care, compensation for property loss, worker's compensation, or survivor benefit will be provided for.

Emergency medical care for U.S. Antarctic Program participants in Antarctica is provided in clinics at the year-round stations. Persons who need hospital care will be transported to health care facilities in New Zealand, South America, or the United States, at which point they or their sponsors will be responsible for medical costs.

Check your health and life insurance policies to be sure that flights aboard scheduled military aircraft are covered.

All research staff (paid or volunteer) should be affiliated in some manner with your organization(s), so any worker compensation issues arising from injuries sustained while deployed can be addressed by your organization.

C. Due Dates

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

  May 25, 2010

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.

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

Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities -- is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports.

Additional Review Criteria:

1. Rationale for access to Antarctica

NSF supports fieldwork in Antarctica for research that can only be done or is best done in Antarctica. Proposals must make a compelling case that the fieldwork is needed to accomplish the goals of the proposed investigation. External reviewers will be asked to comment on the importance of fieldwork, and program officers will consider this in their recommendation.

2. Operational feasibility

Proposals involving fieldwork will also be evaluated for operational feasibility, which includes resource availability, environmental protection and waste management provisions, safety and health measures, and safeguards of radioactive materials. Proposers must recognize that proposals may be declined for operational reasons. For proposals involving fieldwork in the Antarctic, this operational evaluation is based largely on the Operational Requirements Worksheets that the proposer must complete as instructed in Section V.A. (Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions).

All Antarctic field participants must also meet specified U.S. Antarctic Program health and dental requirements. See Section V.B. (Budget Preparation).

Candidates for wintering at the year-round stations are screened for psychological fitness.

Joint support from international partners and other federal agencies

International collaborative proposals, especially when joint fieldwork is involved, as well as proposals that involve other US federal agencies require special efforts for coordination between the sponsoring organizations. NSF will engage potential partner organizations as required to determine project feasibility prior to making awards.

NSF's BROADER-IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERION

Antarctica presents exceptional opportunities for projects in all of the program areas described in the "Research Areas" section of this solicitation to respond to NSF's broader-impacts proposal evaluation criterion — "What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity" — that asks how well the proposed activity will advance understanding while promoting teaching and learning; how well it will broaden the participation of underrepresented groups; to what extent it will enhance the research and education infrastructure (facilities, instruments, networks, partnerships, etc.); how well the results will be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding; and what may be the benefits to society of the proposed activity.

The Foundation's Advisory Committee for Polar Research, Working Group on Implementation of the Broader Impacts Criterion (then called "criterion 2"), has produced a document, Criterion 2 Background and List of Representative Activities, that proposers may want to consider when addressing the broader-impacts review criterion. The NSF Office of Budget, Finance, and Award Management has also prepared a document, Merit Review Broader Impacts Criterion: Representative Activities, describing activities that demonstrate broader impacts. [Note: The term "Criterion 2" used to be synonymous with the term "Broader Impacts Criterion." The latter term alone is currently used. The OPP Advisory Committee completed their work on the issue prior to this change in the criterion name.]

Proposers are encouraged to develop "Broader Impacts" activities that are specific to their research. Awareness of or collaboration with other Foundation programs also may be helpful in achieving broader impact.

Programs of potential interest are

• PolarTREC, funded by the Foundation and managed by the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S., enables K-12 teachers to participate in polar research by working closely with scientists as a pathway to improving science education. The program's website (http://www.polartrec.com/) provides information about how researchers can participate.  This activity offers a way for polar scientists to integrate education outreach into their research and help to meet the broader impacts criterion.
• The Antarctic Artists and Writers Program, which is managed by the Division of Antarctic Sciences, enables serious writings and works of art that exemplify the Antarctic heritage of humankind. In particular, the program seeks to increase public understanding of the Antarctic region, including the continent and the surrounding oceans, as well as the associated research and education endeavors.
• The annual program for media representatives to visit and interview research teams and others in the U.S. Antarctic Program is managed by NSF's Office of Legislative and Public Affairs.  Information concerning the media program can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=115519&org=OPP&from=news.

B. Review and Selection Process

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or 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.

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 http://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 nsfpubs@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 http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag.

Special Award Conditions: 

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, and a project outcomes report for the general public.

Failure to provide the required annual or final project reports, or the project outcomes report 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. The project outcomes report must be prepared and submitted using Research.gov. This report serves as a brief summary, prepared specifically for the public, of the nature and outcomes of the project. This report will be posted on the NSF website exactly as it is submitted by the PI.  

VIII. AGENCY CONTACTS

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

• Lisa Clough, Program Director, Antarctic Integrated System Science, telephone: (703) 292-7450, fax: (703)292-9079, email: lclough@nsf.gov

• Alexandra Isern, Program Director, Antarctic Earth Sciences, telephone: (703) 292-7581, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: aisern@nsf.gov

• Roberta Marinelli, Program Director, Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems, telephone: (703) 292-7448, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: rmarinel@nsf.gov

• Peter Milne, Program Director, Antarctic Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences, telephone: (703) 292-4714, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: pmilne@nsf.gov

• Julie Palais, Program Director, Antarctic Glaciology, telephone: (703) 292-8033, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: jpalais@nsf.gov

• Vladimir Papitashvili, Program Director, Antarctic Aeronomy and Astrophysics, telephone: (703) 292-7425, fax: (703) 292-9079, email: vpapita@nsf.gov

• Jessie L. Crain, Research Support Manager, OPP/AIL, telephone: (703) 292-7457, fax: (703)292-9080, email: jlcrain@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, National Science Foundation Update is a free e-mail subscription service 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 when new publications are issued that match their identified interests. Users can subscribe to this service by clicking the "Get NSF Updates by Email" link on the NSF web site.

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.

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