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Title: Ship-based Science Technical Support in the Arctic (STARC)
        Augmenting Science Support on the USCGC Healy and USCGC Polar Sea
Date: 08/09/10

Ship-based Science Technical Support in the Arctic (STARC)
Augmenting Science Support on the USCGC Healy and USCGC Polar Sea

[1]Program Solicitation
NSF 10-594


   NSF Logo

   National Science Foundation
   Office of Polar Programs
        Division of Arctic Sciences


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

     November 08, 2010

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND REVISION NOTES

   Please be advised that the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures
   Guide (PAPPG) includes guidelines implementing the mentoring
   provisions of the America COMPETES Act (ACA) (Pub. L. No. 110-69, Aug.
   9, 2007.)   As specified in the ACA, each proposal that requests
   funding to support postdoctoral researchers must include a description
   of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such
   individuals.  Proposals that do not comply with this requirement will
   be returned without review (see the PAPP Guide Part I: Grant Proposal
   Guide Chapter II for further information about the implementation of
   this requirement).

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information

   Program Title:

     Ship-based Technical Support in the Arctic
     Augmenting Science Support on the USCGC Healy and USCGC Polar Sea

   Synopsis of Program:

     This solicitation is for proposals to enhance marine science and
     technical services provided to NSF-supported research cruises on
     U.S. Coast Guard cutters Healy and Polar Sea. U.S. Coast Guard
     (USCG) provides basic services that will be augmented by the
     awardee to the level provided by the University-National
     Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) for supporting academic
     research. This solicitation is for an awardee to perform two
     primary functions: 1) to plan, coordinate and deliver science
     technical support onboard Healy and Polar Sea, augmenting the role
     of the USCG marine science technicians and 2) to coordinate with
     NSF, USCG and the academic community to provide for the operation,
     maintenance and upgrade of science equipment installed or used
     on Healy and Polar Sea. The awardee is expected to coordinate
     support among qualified providers as appropriate for specific
     cruises, utilizing the capabilities and equipment available through
     the UNOLS system. Ship-based science support will be planned and
     provided in close coordination with the research teams and USCG
     personnel with input and approval from NSF.

   Cognizant Program Officer(s):
     * Renee D. Crain, telephone: (703) 292-4482, email:
       [2]rcrain@nsf.gov

   Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
     * 47.078 --- Office of Polar Programs

Award Information

   Anticipated Type of Award:  Continuing Grant or Cooperative Agreement

   Estimated Number of Awards:    1   One award for 3 years as a
   continuing grant or cooperative agreement to a lead institution or a
   collaborative proposal involving multiple institutions.

   Anticipated Funding Amount:   $300,000  to $600,000  per year, subject
   to availability of funds. The funding amount is given as a range
   because the annual funding amount will be based on support
   requirements of funded research projects for each annual period of
   performance and availability of funds. After the first year, the
   funding request will be proposed by the awardee and agreed to by NSF
   through an annual program plan.

Eligibility Information

   Organization Limit:

     Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
     * U.S. institutions or organizations.

   PI Limit:

     None Specified

   Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

     None Specified

   Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:

     None Specified

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:
            [3]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:
            [4]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grant
            sgovguide)

   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):

     November 08, 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:   Standard NSF award conditions apply.

   Reporting Requirements:   Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

     [5]Summary of Program Requirements

    I. [6]Introduction
   II. [7]Program Description
   III. [8]Award Information
   IV. [9]Eligibility Information
    V. [10]Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
         A. [11]Proposal Preparation Instructions
         B. [12]Budgetary Information
         C. [13]Due Dates
         D. [14]FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements
   VI. [15]NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures
         A. [16]NSF Merit Review Criteria
         B. [17]Review and Selection Process
   VII. [18]Award Administration Information
         A. [19]Notification of the Award
         B. [20]Award Conditions
         C. [21]Reporting Requirements
   VIII. [22]Agency Contacts
   IX. [23]Other Information

I. INTRODUCTION

   The Arctic Sciences Division supports ship-based research in the
   Arctic in all aspects of oceanography and marine science as individual
   projects or organized research efforts. The USCGC Healy was
   commissioned for active service in 2000 and was designed to support
   research in the Arctic. It has supported approximately 3-4 projects
   per year during the arctic summer season, March-October, funded by
   NSF, NOAA, NASA, USGS, ONR and other agencies. Its capabilities are
   described in greater detail on the USCG website
   [24]http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/healy/ and a science support website
   for the USCG [25]http://icefloe.net/.

   Requests for ship time on Healy are made through the
   University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) ship time
   request system [26]http://www.unols.org. The Arctic Sciences Division
   collaborates with USCG to schedule and manage the icebreakers in
   collaboration with other federal agencies and involving the research
   community through the Arctic Icebreaker Coordinating Committee (AICC),
   a subcommittee of UNOLS. In conjunction with USCG and the AICC, NSF
   has supported development of the scientific capabilities of Healy. The
   awardee will work with USCG, NSF, other agencies and AICC to identify
   and implement improvements to the technical systems that support
   science in addition to proving science technical support during
   cruises.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

   The Arctic Sciences Division seeks proposals to provide two main
   functions: 1) to plan, coordinate and deliver science technical
   support onboard Healy and Polar Sea, augmenting the role of the
   USCG marine science technicians and 2) to coordinate with NSF, USCG
   and the academic community to provide for the operation, maintenance
   and upgrade of science equipment installed or used on Healy and Polar
   Sea.

   The number of cruises supported by the Arctic Sciences Division varies
   each year based on funded proposals. Historical data about the
   duration and scope of work on past cruises is available on the
   icebreaker cruise planning website, [27]http://www.icefloe.net.
   Because other agencies like NOAA, USGS and NASA fund cruises on the
   USCG icebreakers, NSF expects that these agencies will request
   services provided by the awardee on a cost-reimbursable basis to
   NSF. To provide a scope of work for proposers to respond to, the
   awardee may anticipate supporting 4 cruises per year for a total of
   112 days conducting oceanographic and marine science research on
   Healy. Polar Sea is used less frequently, so proposals should
   anticipate supporting one 14-day cruise.

   Three technicians are typical to operate all underway systems, plus an
   additional person that may be needed onshore for data management for
   all cruises. The awardee should plan to have technical staff available
   for shakedown and transit cruises to the Arctic prior to the field
   season for a total of 14 days, depending on the area of research
   focus. Key personnel should also plan to attend pre-cruise planning
   meetings with the ship, routine telephone calls with USCG or UNOLS
   organizations and post-cruise debrief teleconferences. These
   parameters are intended to simplify the proposal budget development
   and to outline an expected scope of work. Services provided onboard
   will include operation of all "Standard" equipment and systems
   described below. Those support services described as "Other" will vary
   depending on the nature of the cruise and are not necessary to include
   in your proposal budget for the purpose of this review.

   The awardee will work closely with the chief scientist and other
   participating researchers to provide an appropriate level of cruise
   support. The types of support will vary from cruise to cruise, aspects
   of which are noted below. NSF anticipates that no single institution
   will provide all the ship-based technical support, but rather that the
   awardee will work with the academic research community to coordinate
   services from established providers. The awardee should provide
   pre-cruise planning, deliver support during cruises, provide underway
   data to approved data archives, and provide information for the chief
   scientist's post-cruise report. The awardee will participate in cruise
   debriefs conducted by the AICC to address concerns of the research
   team or ship. Because Arctic cruises may be supported by vessels other
   than the USCG icebreakers, the awardee may be requested to coordinate
   with other vessel operators and the chief scientist to share or
   transfer equipment.

   The awardee will work with NSF, AICC, USCG and the academic community
   to define program needs and priorities for maintenance and upgrades to
   ship-based science support capabilities. To accomplish that, the
   awardee is expected to participate in meetings of the AICC and other
   UNOLS committees such as Research Vessel Operators Committee
   (RVOC) and Research Vessel Technical Enhancement Committee (RVTEC) and
   to work with the engineering and operations staff of Healy and with
   NSF.

   More information about UNOLS institutions, pooled equipment, research
   vessels and UNOLS committees is available on the UNOLS website at
   [28]http://www.unols.org/. Additional information about science
   support on the USCG icebreakers is available from the
   science liaisons, for Healy Dave Forcucci
   ([29]David.Forcucci@uscg.mil) and for Polar Sea, Phil McGillivary
   ([30]philip.a.mcgillivary@uscg.mil).

   Planning, Coordination and Reporting

   Ship time requests for use of the U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers are
   submitted by researchers through the UNOLS request system and will be
   copied to the awardee. NSF will notify the awardee when projects are
   funded to initiate their detailed planning process. When funding
   decisions are made, USCG develops the icebreaker schedules in
   collaboration with NSF and other agencies. The awardee will work with
   NSF during this planning phase of each arctic field season. As an
   additional service, researchers during the proposal stage or NSF may
   request that the awardee develop a budget estimate for proposed work
   to inform proposal review. This may include 5-10 estimates for cruise
   support.

   An annual program plan will be due on January 15 of each year
   detailing the planned technical support for scheduled cruises and
   related science technical support activities for review and approval
   by NSF. This will form the basis for each year's activities with
   adjustments negotiated as needed between NSF and the awardee. Each
   year after the first year, an annual report should accompany the
   program plan. The report should summarize major activities and
   accomplishments and include a government-recognized performance metric
   of the number of days of service lost due to the organization's
   performance. Other performance metrics may be included as well.

   Science Support on Polar Sea:

   Polar Sea is used less frequently to support research cruises but may
   be requested for mooring cruises or research in heavy ice. Because
   installed instrumentation onboard Polar Sea is limited, cruises may
   require borrowing or deploying over the side, equipment that is
   portable to make oceanographic measurements. Proposals should address
   the operation of the Bathy 2010 echo sounder and the Knudsen 320
   sub-bottom profiler on Polar Sea. In addition, the measurements from
   the acoustic equipment, ship position and ice imagery provided by the
   National Ice Center should be integrated into a real-time map server
   for use by scientists and the ship.

   Science support on Healy includes, but is not limited to:

   Acoustic Equipment

   Proposals should address operational support of the ADCP, multibeam
   sonar and Knudsen 320 sub-bottom profiler onboard Healy. The awardee
   will operate these instruments almost continuously while underway. The
   successful proposer should present a staffing plan and approach for
   collecting and distributing data from these and other underway
   measurements and for providing spatial data services such as real-time
   bottom mapping and georeferencing satellite imagery of ice
   conditions.

   Hydrographic systems

   A mainstay of arctic research includes collecting essential
   oceanographic data. The awardee will provide support to operate and
   manage onboard hydrographic systems. These systems include CTD
   rosettes, thermosalinograph, salinometer, and other devices that may
   be required for oceanographic studies.

   Meteorological systems

   The awardee will operate the science meteorological systems available
   on Healy and provide a plan to maintain and configure meteorological
   sensors in support of research. Healy's systems include
   photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), long and shortwave
   radiation, air temperature, barometric pressure, precipitation, and
   anemometers.

   Navigation systems

   Onboard Healy, the POS-MV inertial navigation system requires
   configuration and maintenance from the science support provider. GPS
   systems are maintained by the USCG. The awardee will operate the
   Terascan remote sensing satellite data receiving system. USCG supports
   the maintenance and configuration of the Terascan system. The awardee
   will provide onboard GIS support for displaying Radarsat and Terascan
   satellite images, georeferencing these images to the ship's location
   and inputting science underway data collection and station data for
   the science team.

   Information Technology and Data

   The USCG operates and maintains an onboard science network and science
   data logging and provides ship-board email addresses for email access.
   Underway connectivity is limited to two hours per day with small data
   transmissions via INMARSAT and Iridium. The awardee will work with
   USCG on IT solutions for research teams. Proposals may include new
   approaches to provide better connectivity for science teams on board
   Healy. Proposals should include an approach for disseminating underway
   data to science teams immediately following cruises. Underway
   measurement data should be quality assured, quality controlled and
   submitted to relevant NSF-recognized data archives following each
   cruise.

   Other Ship-based Support includes, but is not limited to:

   Coring

   The awardee will coordinate coring support for research cruises as
   required. A Jumbo Piston Corer (JPC) purchased for Healy is managed by
   Oregon State University for storage and maintenance and is typically
   operated by OSU technicians. In addition the awardee may need to plan
   for other coring in support of research.

   The awardee will gather requirements from funded research projects and
   plan to meet those requirements. In addition to operating the above
   equipment onboard Healy, the awardee may be required to provide or
   arrange support that includes but is not limited to the following:
     * assisting with mooring deployment or recovery
     * arranging and coordinating the use of general or special purpose
       vans
     * ensuring proper handling and disposal of hazardous or radioactive
       material
     * assisting with deployment and recovery of autonomous vehicles
     * arranging scientific diving
     * designing and implementing active seismic systems
     * conducting environmental assessments, consultations and permitting
       activities
     * engineering on-deck flow-through sea water systems
     * assisting with requirements gathering for helicopter services in
       support of research
     * other tasks as needed

   The awardee should provide key personnel who will work with USCG and
   the chief scientist to determine the cruise requirements. To meet
   these requirements, services may be provided directly by the awardee
   or coordinated by the awardee utilizing other institutions that are
   equipped and experienced at providing aspects of cruise support
   required. The Arctic Sciences Division is interested in making use of
   existing infrastructure and institutions and technicians with
   expertise in relevant aspects of cruise support.

   The proposal should describe an approach to gathering researcher
   requirements and planning to support the requests. The proposal may
   include a work breakdown structure, describe the approach to providing
   cruise support, describe the roles and responsibilities of personnel
   or entities involved, and should include metrics for how the service
   provider will assess their performance. The proposal should also
   address aspects of planning and overseeing maintenance and upgrades to
   science equipment on Healy and Polar Sea in collaboration with USCG,
   NSF and the research community.

III. AWARD INFORMATION

   Anticipated Type of Award: Continuing Grant or Cooperative Agreement

   Estimated Number of Awards: One award for 3 years as a continuing
   grant or cooperative agreement to a lead institution or a
   collaborative proposal involving multiple institutions.

   Anticipated Funding Amount: $300,000 to $600,000 per year, subject to
   availability of funds. The funding amount is given as a range because
   the annual funding amount will be based on support requirements of
   funded research projects for each annual period of performance and
   availability of funds. After the first year, the funding request will
   be proposed by the awardee and agreed to by NSF through an annual
   program plan.

IV. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

   Organization Limit:

     Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
     * U.S. institutions or organizations.

   PI Limit:

     None Specified

   Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

     None Specified

   Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:

     None Specified

   Additional Eligibility Info:

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:
       [31]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
       [32]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:
       ([33]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgo
       vguide). 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 [34]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.

   Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic

   Proposers should observe the Principles for the Conduct of Research in
   the Arctic
   [35]http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/arctic/conduct.jsp. Proposers may also
   find helpful the "Guidelines for Improved Cooperation between Northern
   Communities and Arctic Researchers"
   ([36]http://www.arcus.org/guidelines).

   The Arctic Research Support and Logistics (RSL) program was created,
   in part, to enhance access, safety and interactions with arctic
   communities. Accordingly investigators are encouraged to propose
   effective and efficient use of logistics resources to achieve research
   goals and to cooperate with communities near field research sites.

   Relevant Organizations

   The University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS)
   includes pooled, university operated equipment to meet specific
   research needs. UNOLS equipment may be requested for science support
   onboard Healy.

   When private aircraft are required for science support, NSF works with
   the Aviation Management Directorate (AMD) at the Department of the
   Interior (DOI), which coordinates contracting for federal aviation
   support.

   NSF's prime arctic logistics contractor is CH2M Hill Polar Services
   (CPS; [37]http://www.polar.ch2m.com/). CPS may be involved in some
   aspects of marine research projects, but does not typically provide
   ship-based support services.

B. Budgetary Information

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

C. Due Dates

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

     November 08, 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:
       [38]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
       [39]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: [40]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:
       [41]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: [42]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.

     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, original, or potentially
     transformative 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?

   Examples illustrating activities likely to demonstrate broader impacts
   are available electronically on the NSF website at:
   [43]http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf.

   Mentoring activities provided to postdoctoral researchers supported on
   the project, as described in a one-page supplementary document, will
   be evaluated under the Broader Impacts criterion.

   NSF staff also 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:
       Proposals responding to this solicitation are to provide science
       technical support to funded research projects on the USCG
       icebreakers Healy and Polar Sea. Accordingly, the intellectual
       merit of the proposal may be somewhat different than that in most
       research proposals. Intellectual merit will be reflected in
       proposing an organized approach to providing science support or
       coordinating service providers to meet requirements of funded
       research projects. Broader impacts of this support proposal will
       likely focus on services provided to a community of researchers,
       but may also include education, training and outreach in fields
       relevant to marine sciences.
       Meritorious proposals will:

     * Describe an approach to gathering detailed science support
       requirements, planning, and providing ship-based science technical
       support.
     * Describe what aspects of science support will be provided directly
       and which aspects will be coordinated with other institutions and
       how this coordination will be managed successfully.
     * Include metrics for measuring their success at providing research
       support and improving on their performance.
     * Include approaches to participate in ship scheduling
       meetings, AICC meetings and other relevant meetings.
     * Leverage the investment NSF has made in developing the UNOLS pool
       of equipment, services and expertise as appropriate.
     * Include an approach for managing the maintenance and upgrade of
       science equipment in collaboration with USCG, NSF and the research
       community.

B. Review and Selection Process

   Proposals submitted in response to this program 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.

   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
   [44]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 [45]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
   [46]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag.

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:
     * Renee D. Crain, telephone: (703) 292-4482, email:
       [47]rcrain@nsf.gov

   For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:
     * FastLane Help Desk, telephone: 1-800-673-6188; e-mail:
       [48]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:
       [49]support@grants.gov.

   Additional information regarding science support onboard USCG Healy is
   available from Dave Forcucci, Science Liaison for Healy, at
   [50]dforcucci@pacnorwest.uscg.mil.

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 [51]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 [52]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.

    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
       (NSF Information Center):(703) 292-5111

    * TDD (for the hearing-impaired):(703) 292-5090

    * To Order Publications or Forms: Send an e-mail to:
       nsfpubs@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; 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

     [55]Policies and Important Links

   |
   [56]Privacy | [57]FOIA | [58]Help | [59]Contact NSF | [60]Contact Web
   Master | [61]SiteMap

   National Science Foundation

   The National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington,
   Virginia 22230, USA
   Tel: (703) 292-5111, FIRS: (800) 877-8339 | TDD: (800) 281-8749

   Last Updated:
   11/07/06
   [62]Text Only
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References

   1. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#toc
   2. mailto:rcrain@nsf.gov
   3. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg
   4. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide
   5. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#summary
   6. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#pgm_intr_txt
   7. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#pgm_desc_txt
   8. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#awd_info
   9. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#elig
  10. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#prep
  11. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#prep
  12. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#budg_cst_shr_txt
  13. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#dates
  14. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#fastlane
  15. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#review
  16. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#reviewcrit
  17. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#reviewprot
  18. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#awardadmin
  19. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#awardnotify
  20. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#grantcond
  21. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#reportreq
  22. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#cont
  23. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10594/nsf10594.htm#othpgm
  24. http://www.uscg.mil/pacarea/healy/
  25. http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://icefloe.net/
  26. http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.unols.org
  27. http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.icefloe.net
  28. http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.unols.org/
  29. mailto:David.Forcucci@uscg.mil
  30. mailto:philip.a.mcgillivary@uscg.mil
  31. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg
  32. mailto:nsfpubs@nsf.gov
  33. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide
  34. mailto:nsfpubs@nsf.gov
  35. http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/arctic/conduct.jsp
  36. http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.arcus.org/guidelines
  37. http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.polar.ch2m.com/
  38. https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm
  39. mailto:fastlane@nsf.gov
  40. https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp
  41. http://www.grants.gov/CustomerSupport
  42. mailto:support@grants.gov
  43. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf
  44. http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/award_conditions.jsp?org=NSF
  45. mailto:nsfpubs@nsf.gov
  46. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag
  47. mailto:rcrain@nsf.gov
  48. mailto:fastlane@nsf.gov
  49. mailto:support@grants.gov
  50. mailto:dforcucci@pacnorwest.uscg.mil
  51. http://www.nsf.gov/
  52. http://www.grants.gov/
  53. http://www.nsf.gov/
  54. mailto:nsfpubs@nsf.gov
  55. http://www.nsf.gov/policies
  56. http://www.nsf.gov/policies/privacy.jsp
  57. http://www.nsf.gov/policies/foia.jsp
  58. http://www.nsf.gov/help/
  59. http://www.nsf.gov/help/contact.jsp
  60. mailto:webmaster@nsf.gov
  61. http://www.nsf.gov/help/sitemap.jsp
  62. http://transcoder.usablenet.com/tt/referrer