Title: Chemical Bonding Centers Phase II (CBC-II)
Date: 03/27/06
Chemical Bonding Centers Phase II (CBC-II)
Chemistry as the Driver for Transformative Research and Innovation
Program Solicitation
NSF 06-558
[NSF Logo] National Science Foundation
Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Division of Chemistry
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):
August 31, 2006
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
General Information
Program Title:
Chemical Bonding Centers Phase II (CBC-II)
Chemistry as the Driver for Transformative Research and
Innovation
Synopsis of Program:
The Chemical Bonding Centers (CBC) Program is designed to support
the formation of centers that can address major, long-term basic
chemical research problems. Appropriate research problems are
high-risk but potentially high-impact because they will attract
broad scientific and public interest. Centers are expected to be
agile structures that can respond rapidly to emerging
opportunities and make full use of cyberinfrastructure to enhance
collaborations. Center teams may include researchers from other
disciplines and from academia, industry, government laboratories
and international organizations. CBCs are expected to integrate
research, education, diversity, and outreach. Proposals should
contain a compelling strategy for achieving demonstrable impact
in all of these areas.
The CBC program is a two-phase program. In the first phase,
Massachusetts General Hospital, the University of California at
Santa Barbara, and the University of Washington were lead
institutions funded by NSF in FY 2004 to explore the development
of CBCs. The second phase is to provide funding for
implementation of full-scale centers in FY 2007. Only these
development teams are eligible to participate in Phase II of the
competition by submitting a proposal for the establishment of a
full CBC.
Cognizant Program Officer(s):
* Katharine J. Covert, Program Director, Directorate for Mathematical &
Physical Sciences, Division of Chemistry, 1055 S, telephone: (703)
292-4950, fax: (703) 292-9037, email: kcovert@nsf.gov
* Janice M. Hicks, Executive Officer, Directorate for Mathematical &
Physical Sciences, Division of Chemistry, 1055 S, telephone: (703)
292-4956, fax: (703) 292-9037, email: jhicks@nsf.gov
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
* 47.049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Eligibility Information
* Organization Limit:
The eligible institutions are those funded in the CBC Phase I program
under proposals submitted by Massachusetts General Hospital, the
University of California at Santa Barbara, and the University of
Washington.
* PI Eligibility Limit:
An investigator may participate (as a PI, co-PI or senior personnel)
in only one CBC proposal submitted to this competition. The PI must be
affiliated with a U.S. academic institution or non-profit research
organization. Other investigators may be affiliated with U.S. academic
institutions, non-profit research organizations, industry, government
laboratories and international organizations. Unaffiliated scientists
may also be eligible for support under a proposal submitted by an
eligible organization. CBC award funds may not go directly to
industry, government laboratories or international organizations. The
PI listed on the cover sheet must be affiliated with the proposing
institution. While these proposals will reflect the research of many
investigators, only the name of the PI, and no names of Co-PIs, should
appear on the cover sheet.
* Limit on Number of Proposals: Only one proposal may be submitted per
eligible institution.
Award Information
* Anticipated Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement
* Estimated Number of Awards: 1 to 2 - Cooperative Agreement(s) with an
initial commitment of five years and a potential duration of ten years
* Anticipated Funding Amount: $3,000,000-$6,000,000 pending availability
of funds.
Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
* Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains
information that supplements 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 by NSF.
* Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable.
* Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please
see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
C. Due Dates
* Full Proposal Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):
August 31, 2006
Proposal Review Information
* Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria.
Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text
of this solicitation for further information.
Award Administration Information
* Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.
* Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Summary of Program Requirements
I. Introduction
II. Program Description
III. Eligibility Information
IV. Award Information
V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
B. Budgetary Information
C. Due Dates
D. FastLane Requirements
VI. Proposal Review Information
A. NSF Proposal Review Process
B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard
VII. Award Administration Information
A. Notification of the Award
B. Award Conditions
C. Reporting Requirements
VIII.Contacts for Additional Information
IX. Other Programs of Interest
I. INTRODUCTION
The Division of Chemistry is initiating a Phase II competition for Chemical
Bonding Centers (CBCs) to capitalize on advances in addressing major
intellectual challenges in basic chemical research that were achieved in
CBC Phase I projects. These Phase II CBCs will continue to provide the
opportunity for especially able and imaginative groups of investigators to
share a commitment toward solving a "big problem" in an atmosphere having a
high tolerance for risk and within a structure permitting considerable
agility. A workshop at NSF, "New Mechanisms for Support of High-Risk and
Unconventional Research in Chemistry," explored mechanisms for encouraging
and supporting such initiatives. A report of the workshop can be obtained
at http://www.mrl.uiuc.edu/docs/nsfgmwfinal.pdf.
The Division of Chemistry expects to make one or more awards in Fiscal Year
(FY) 2007 to support Phase II of the Chemical Bonding Centers (CBC)
Program. Each Phase II award is expected to have a duration of five years,
at a level averaging $3 million per year, with possible renewal for a
second five-year period at the same average level of $3 million per year
pending availability of funds.
II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Background. The CBC Program is based on a staged competition. Three
developmental proposals outlining center’s goals were funded in FY
2004 with three-year awards at a level of $500,000 per year. Each of the
teams receiving these awards is eligible to participate in Phase II of the
competition by submitting a proposal for the establishment of a full CBC.
CBC- II. The CBC Program is designed to support the formation of centers
that can address major, long-term basic chemical research problems.
Appropriate research problems are high-risk but potentially high-impact
because they will attract broad scientific and public interest. Centers are
expected to be agile structures that can respond rapidly to emerging
opportunities and make full use of cyberinfrastructure to enhance
collaborations. Center teams may include researchers from other disciplines
and from academia, industry, government laboratories and international
organizations. Team sizes will reflect the needs of the problem to be
studied, but a minimum of three investigators is required. Team sizes may
be different from those in the corresponding CBC Phase I projects.
It is anticipated that successful centers will involve novel research
centered in the chemical sciences and aimed at solving high-risk, long-term
problems of large scope and impact. It is expected that these CBC Phase II
projects will continue the development of new areas of research and new
communities of scientists and engineers that were initiated in Phase I.
These communities will bring common and complementary interests into
productive contact to nurture a culture of risk-taking and innovation
around structures that are agile and take full advantage of
cyberinfrastructure for fostering collaborations. The awards made under the
CBC Program are expected to continue innovative plans to make chemistry and
chemists more visible to the broader scientific community and to the
public.
CBCs are expected to integrate research and education throughout the course
of the project. CBCs should provide novel opportunities for participants to
engage in joint efforts that combine education with the excitement of
discovery at the frontiers of modern chemical research. CBCs should contain
strong diversity and outreach components. There must be a commitment to
broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens --
women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities
– in the solution of these “big problems.” A vigorous
outreach program should be designed to achieve the CBC goal of increasing
public appreciation for the contributions of chemistry to progress in
modern science.
Examples of possible CBC outcomes are:
* The emergence of new areas of chemical inquiry;
* The solution of problems in basic chemical research beyond the scope
of individual investigators and/or single disciplines that have broad
scientific impact;
* The emergence of innovative, high-risk, cyber-enabled science; and
* An enhanced favorable perception of chemistry and chemists by the
broader scientific community and by the public.
During preparation of a CBC Phase II proposal, investigators are strongly
urged to discuss details with a cognizant Program Officer listed in Section
VII of this solicitation. Investigators contemplating the involvement of
industrial, government and/or international team members will need to
provide an institutional letter of collaboration from the partner
organization that confirms the participation of a co-investigator. This
letter should be included in the Supplementary Documents Section of the
Full Proposal. (See Section V.A., below). The letter should describe the
plan of interaction with the U.S. academic institution, the time commitment
of the researcher(s), and the nature of the collaborative research
activities. Letters of general support or recommendation are inappropriate
and may cause a proposal to be returned without review. Cost sharing is not
required for Phase II proposals.
Support for collaborations with international scientists is provided
through the NSF grant to the submitting U.S. institution. No CBC award
funds may go directly to foreign institutions. The proposal may include up
to $500,000 in participant support costs, over the duration of the grant,
for international collaborative research activities. Travel and incidental
research costs may be included; salaries may not. These international
collaborations must feature a joint scientific work plan and should be
clearly described in the Project Description. If, after review, a proposal
is recommended for funding, the cognizant Program Officer will work with
Program Officers from the NSF Office of International Science and
Engineering and the key project personnel to develop a detailed plan
consistent with applicable international arrangements.
Co-investigators associated with entities such as industry, state agencies
and national laboratories (Federally Funded Research and Development
Centers (FFRDCs)) must be supported by their own organization. However, it
is appropriate for students supported through universities to work at a
partner industrial laboratory, FFRDC or comparable site, or for
universities to fund research expenses incurred when scientists from such
entities work at university sites. Federal employees may not receive
salaries or in other ways augment their agency's appropriation through
grants made by this program, and no funds for major equipment at FFRDC's
are allowed.
Principal Investigators should ensure that their proposed project does not
substantially overlap with ongoing Federally funded research. Additional
information is available through the NSF Guide to Programs
(http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?gpg). NSF reserves the right to
return without review proposals that are not appropriate for the CBC
Program.
III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
* Organization Limit: The eligible institutions are those funded in the
CBC Phase I program under proposals submitted by Massachusetts General
Hospital, the University of California at Santa Barbara, and the
University of Washington.
* PI Eligibility Limit: An investigator may participate (as a PI, co-PI
or senior personnel) in only one CBC proposal submitted to this
competition. The PI must be affiliated with a U.S. academic
institution or non-profit research organization. Other investigators
may be affiliated with U.S. academic institutions, non-profit research
organizations, industry, government laboratories and international
organizations. Unaffiliated scientists may also be eligible for
support under a proposal submitted by an eligible organization. CBC
award funds may not go directly to industry, government laboratories
or international organizations. The PI listed on the cover sheet must
be affiliated with the proposing institution. While these proposals
will reflect the research of many investigators, only the name of the
PI, and no names of Co-PIs, should appear on the cover sheet.
* Limit on Number of Proposals: Only one proposal may be submitted per
eligible institution.
IV. AWARD INFORMATION
Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration
are subject to the availability of funds.
* Anticipated Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
* Estimated Number of Awards: 1 to 2 - Cooperative Agreement(s) with an
initial commitment of five years and a potential duration of ten
years.
* Anticipated Funding Amount: $3,000,000-$6,000,000 pending availability
of funds.
V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
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:
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 pubs@nsf.gov.
Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation must originate
from teams whose projects were successful in the CBC Phase I competition in
FY 2004 and be based on those projects. The lead institutions funded in
that competition were Massachusetts General Hospital, the University of
California at Santa Barbara, and the University of Washington. All
proposals not meeting this requirement will be returned without review.
Proposers are strongly encouraged to consult the proposal submission
checklist included in the Grant Proposal Guide as they prepare their
proposal. Proposals not compliant with the proposal preparation guidelines,
as supplemented by the following instructions, may be returned without
review.
The items outlined below pertain to the corresponding sections in the Grant
Proposal Guide.
* Project Summary. One-page limit, including the names and affiliations
of all senior personnel. The project summary must address both the
intellectual merit and broader impacts of the proposed CBC-II project.
* Project Description. A total of up to twenty-eight (28) pages: i)
Results from CBC Phase I Support (up to 5 pages), ii) Proposed
Research (up to 15 pages), iii) Modes of Dissemination and Education
(up to 2 pages), iv) Diversity Plan (up to 2 pages), v) Outreach Plan
(up to 2 pages), and vi) Management Plan (up to 2 pages).
i. Prior Support. Following the Grant Proposal Guide, a report on
the results from the CBC Phase I program, up to a total of five
(5) pages. No other results from prior support should be
included.
ii. Proposed Research. Narrative, not to exceed fifteen (15) pages,
consisting of the following items:
An explanation of the scientific context, intellectual
merit, relevance to chemistry and timeliness of the proposed
project;
A description of the proposed research;
A discussion of the broader impacts of the proposed work;
A discussion of why a transition from a Phase I to a Phase
II Center is justified;
A discussion of the mode of collaboration with description
of any use of cyberinfrastructure; and
A description of the contribution to be made by each senior
investigator.
iii. Modes of Dissemination and Education. Narrative, not to
exceed two (2) pages, describing:
The mode of training undergraduate students, graduate
students, and postdoctoral researchers, including
co-mentorship or other collaborative training; and
Plans for dissemination and education.
iv. Diversity Plan not to exceed two (2) pages, describing:
The diversity goals to be achieved;
Plans for achieving those goals; and
A discussion of how progress toward diversity will be
measured.
v. 0utreach Plan not to exceed two (2) pages, describing:
Plans to capture the imagination of the public;
Plans to increase the visibility and public
appreciation of chemistry; and
A discussion of ways to assess the impact of outreach
efforts.
vi. Management Plan. Narrative, not to exceed two (2) pages,
describing:
How the group effort will be coordinated, including any
use of cyberinfrastructure;
How decisions will be made regarding the conduct of the
project;
A discussion of how agility will be addressed in terms
of the incorporation of new ideas, tools and partners;
and
How the collaboration will be evaluated.
* References Cited. References should include full titles of articles
and book chapters cited. This section should include bibliographic
citations only and must not be used to provide parenthetical
information outside of the Project Description. Indicate with an
asterisk (*) references from work on the CBC Phase I project.
* Biographical sketches. For PI/Co-PIs and all senior personnel, provide
brief biographical sketches using the format described in the Grant
Proposal Guide. Note that recent collaborators and other affiliates
should also be collected into the combined list given in the
Supplementary Documents section (below).
* Budget. Include five annual budgets, one for each year of the duration
of the award; a cumulative budget will be automatically generated by
the Fast Lane system. A detailed budget justification (up to three
pages) should document proposed expenses. Multi-institutional
proposals should use the award-sub award proposal mechanisms (see GPG
guidelines, chapter II.D.3).
* Current and Pending Support. A full description of the total level of
current and pending support from all sources for the key personnel.
Any intellectual overlap between federally funded projects and the
proposed research must be clarified.
* Facilities. A description of the facilities (including laboratories,
computational facilities and cyberinfrastructure) that will be made
available to the project. Separate facilities descriptions should be
included for multi-institutional projects or those involving
non-academic partners.
* Supplementary Documents. Required letters of collaboration from
national laboratories, international organizations, and industry
should be included in this section. Letters of collaboration from
senior personnel not supported on the grant are also appropriate.
Letters of recommendation or general support are not permitted.
* A combined, alphabetized list of all scientists, with current
affiliations, who have collaborated with the PI, co-PIs and other
senior personnel in the last 48 months or are otherwise affiliated
with them should be included as a single copy document.
Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation
number (06-558) 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 by NSF in proposals submitted under this
Program Solicitation.
Other Budgetary Limitations:
Proposals should include funds in the budget for CBC personnel to
participate in site visits or reverse site visits in the second and fourth
years of the project.
The proposal may include up to $500,000 in participant support costs, over
the duration of the grant, for international collaborative research
activities. Travel and incidental research costs may be included; salaries
may not.
Budget Preparation Instructions:
Multi-institutional proposals should use the award-subaward mechanism
discussed in the GPG, Chapter II.D.3. A single proposal and budget should
be submitted, with subawards administered by the lead institution.
C. Due Dates
Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s):
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):
August 31, 2006
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: 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 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.
Additional Review Criteria:
In addition to the National Science Board merit review criteria,
reviewers will be asked to apply the following criteria when reviewing
CBC Phase II proposals:
* Does the proposal present a convincing argument that transition
from Phase I to Phase II will lead to significant new progress in
addressing a "big problem"?
* Will the project lead to a major advance in chemistry and/or at
the interface of chemistry and other sciences?
* Are the scientific goals appropriate for a full-scale CBC?
* Does the project build upon novel and significant results
achieved in Phase I?
* Is there capacity for agility and evolution as the center
develops and matures?
* Does the project have the potential to attract broad scientific
and public interest and support?
* Will the plans for education, dissemination, diversity, outreach,
management and use of cyberinfrastructure be effective?
* Does the proposal have the potential to lead to transformative
research and innovation in chemistry and related fields?
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.
NSF is striving to be able to tell proposers whether their proposals have
been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time
interval begins on the closing date of an announcement/solicitation, or the
date of proposal receipt, whichever is later. 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 are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement
Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC). 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.
Consistent with the requirements of OMB Circular A-16, Coordination of
Geographic Information and Related Spatial Data Activities, and the Federal
Geographic Data Committee, all NSF awards that result in relevant
geospatial data must be submitted to Geospatial One-Stop in accordance with
the guidelines provided at: www.geodata.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 http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=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/.
*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at
http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/. Paper copies of these documents may be
obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827
or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.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:
* Katharine J. Covert, Program Director, Directorate for Mathematical &
Physical Sciences, Division of Chemistry, 1055 S, telephone: (703)
292-4950, fax: (703) 292-9037, email: kcovert@nsf.gov
* Janice M. Hicks, Executive Officer, Directorate for Mathematical &
Physical Sciences, Division of Chemistry, 1055 S, telephone: (703)
292-4956, fax: (703) 292-9037, email: jhicks@nsf.gov
For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:
* Paul G. Spyropoulos, Computer Specialist, Directorate for Mathematical
& Physical Sciences, Division of Chemistry, 1055 S, telephone: (703)
292-4968, fax: (703) 292-9037, email: pspyropo@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
http://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 http://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin, and in individual
program announcements/solicitations. Subscribers can also sign up for NSF's
MyNSF News Service (http://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/) to be notified of new
funding opportunities that become available.
Related Programs:
* Collaborative Research in Chemistry (NSF 05-606)
* Environmental Molecular Science Institutes (NSF 04-509)
* Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (NSF 04-580)
* Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships
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.
The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific
progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and
cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences,
mathematics, and engineering.
To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download
copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the
NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov
* Location: 4201 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22230
* For General Information (703) 292-5111
(NSF Information Center):
* TDD (for the hearing-impaired): (703) 292-5090
* To Order Publications or Forms:
Send an e-mail to: pubs@nsf.gov
or telephone: (703) 292-7827
* To Locate NSF Employees: (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; 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.
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