National Science Foundation
Division of Contracts, Policy & Oversight
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
July 12, 1995
Dear Colleagues:
We have published a new updated version of the NSF Grant Policy
Manual (GPM)(NSF 95-26) effective October 01, 1995. This
document supersedes the prior version of the GPM (NSF 88-47)
including the nine transmittal memoranda issued since July 1989.
This revision of the GPM is part of our effort to facilitate
easier access and use of NSF grant policy guidance. The GPM has
been reorganized to follow the NSF award cycle from issuance and
administration of an award through closeout. Information on a
particular topic has been consolidated, to the extent possible,
into one location. As part of this consolidation, information
which duplicates that already provided in other NSF policy
issuances has been eliminated. For example, NSF guidance
regarding proposal preparation, submission and review has now
been consolidated in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). A
revision of the GPG should also be available in the near future.
In addition, this issuance of the GPM also implements revised
administrative guidelines issued by the Office of Management and
Budget (e.g., OMB Circular A-110) as well as makes necessary
changes for conformance with previously issued NSF policies,
practices and procedures. Other sections have been revised, as
appropriate, for clarity.
The complete text of the GPM (as well as other NSF policy
documents) is available electronically on NSF's Science and
Technology Information System (STIS). In the near future, the
GPM also will be available on the NSF Home Page in both Microsoft
Word and html formats. In addition, two documents have been
developed to assist in use of the revised Manual. Enclosure 1
contains a table of contents which lists the section numbers in
the new GPM and the corresponding section numbers from the
previous version. Enclosure 2 identifies the significant overall
and section-by-section changes.
Please address any questions or comments about the GPM to the
Division of Contracts, Policy & Oversight, Policy Office on 703-
306-1243 or by e-mail to policy@nsf.gov.
Robert Hardy
Division Director
Enclosures:
1. Correlation of New and Old Section Headings of the GPM
2. NSF Grant Policy Manual Summary of Significant Changes
3. NSF 95-26, Grant Policy Manual