TITLE: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Partnerships for
International Research and Education (PIRE) (nsf14088)
DATE: 7/30/2014
NSF 14-088
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Partnerships for International
Research and Education (PIRE)
PIRE Program Solicitation is available on the [1]PIRE webpage.
ELIGIBILITY
1. Who is eligible to serve as PI?
The PI must be an employee representing a U.S. Ph.D-granting
institution. U.S. citizenship of the PI and other researchers on
the U.S. team is not required. Collaborators in other countries
should be listed as Foreign Collaborators, not as PIs, Co-PIs or
other Senior Personnel. Although submission is limited to one
proposal per submitting institution, there is no limit on number
of proposals in which researchers can participate as partners or
collaborators. See question 2 for information regarding
researchers from non-Ph.D. granting institutions.
2. What institutions are eligible?
Eligible institutions include all U.S. academic institutions with
Ph.D. granting programs that have awarded doctoral degrees in the
2012 or 2013 academic years in any area of research supported by
NSF. Any institution not listed at
[2]http://www.nsf.gov/oise/2015-PIRE-Eligible-Institutions.
pdf should contact [3]PIRE Program staff regarding eligibility.
Institutions that have not participated in past PIRE awards are
especially encouraged to submit. Researchers who are affiliated
with a non-Ph.D. granting institution are encouraged to work with
their colleagues at Ph.D. granting institutions in developing PIRE
projects; such individuals may participate in PIRE projects, as
Co-PIs or Senior Personnel, with their students being supported
for research related activities, and with their own institutions
serving as collaborating organizations on the PIRE project via
sub-Awards.
PROGRAM DETAILS
3. How many proposal submissions are expected?
Based on past competitions, we expect to receive approximately 200
preliminary proposals and will invite approximately 50 full
proposals.
4. What areas of research are appropriate?
In this competition (the fifth round), PIRE will support
fundamental disciplinary and interdisciplinary research and
education in all NSF supported-disciplinary and interdisciplinary
research areas. In the previous PIRE competition (the fourth
round), NSF focused exclusively on the NSF-wide investment area of
[4]Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES).
In the current competition, SEES proposals focusing on
interdisciplinary topics that will advance sustainability science,
engineering and education are not excluded. However, NSF is
casting a wider net by allowing proposals in all of the science
and engineering research disciplines, as well as interdisciplinary
fields, supported by NSF.
5. What U.S. institutions are eligible to partner on PIRE projects?
Partnerships may include multi-institutional collaborations or
arrangements with other universities/colleges, national
laboratories, research museums, private sector research
laboratories, industrial organizations, state and local government
laboratories. (Collaborations with colleagues from U.S. government
agencies and labs are welcome although strict rules govern the use
of NSF funds in such collaborations. Please consult [5]NSF's
Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, Ch 1.E.7, for
more information). For PIRE proposals that are collaborations,
that include more than one U.S. university, the PIRE proposal must
be submitted as a single integrated proposal by the lead
university, with proposed sub awards to the other partner
institutions. Separate proposals from each partner will not be
accepted, since separately submitted collaborative PIRE proposals
are not allowed.
6. Are Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCs) and
Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) eligible for PIRE support?
All U.S. academic institutions that primarily serve
underrepresented minorities that have granted a PhD in 2012 or
2013 are eligible to submit proposals. These institutions are
encouraged to apply as lead institutions. If they choose not to
apply as lead institutions we encourage them to apply as partner
institutions. In addition, PIs are encouraged to establish
linkages with NSF-sponsored programs to enhance diversity (e.g.,
AGEP, LSAMP, HBCU-UP, TCUP, CREST, ADVANCE, all described at
[6]http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=HRD), especially at their
own institutions.
BUDGET
7. Can PIRE funds be used to support the salary or travel-related
expenses of foreign participants?
NSF funds are intended to support the U.S. side of a research and
education collaboration; the international collaborators should
seek funding for their participation in the project from their own
funding sources. NSF is working with counterpart funding
organizations to enhance opportunities for collaborative
activities in research and education between U.S. investigators
and their colleagues abroad. Additional funding for international
collaborators on PIRE projects may be available from the following
institutions:
+ China: Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST),
+ Finland:
+ Academy of Finland
+ the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation
(Tekes)
France:
+ Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)
+ Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Germany: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
India: Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
Japan:
+ Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
+ Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Republic of Korea: National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
Mexico: Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT)
Russia:
+ Ministry of Education and Science (MES)
+ Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR)
Spain: Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO)
Taiwan: Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
+ US Agency for International Development (USAID) through the
Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research Program
(PEER Science)
Proposers are also free to negotiate with any other research
funding bodies not listed above. For special funding
opportunities, refer to section ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
of the current PIRE solicitation, section II.D.
For projects involving exchanges of researchers and/or students,
reciprocal arrangements for provision of housing and subsistence
are allowed and are encouraged, with adherence to the overall
principle that each side supports equivalent costs. Please refer
to the Solicitation under the section on Allowable Costs.
8. Can the PIRE grant support sabbatical leave for a PI or co-PI?
PIRE is not intended as a sabbatical support program. PIRE salary
support for the PI is limited to two months per year and salary
for co-PI(s) and Senior Personnel (including as consultants and in
sub awards) is limited to one month per year.
9. Must we request the same level of budget for each year?
No. You are encouraged to request the budget that makes sense for
your project. Ramping up the budget as the project develops may
make sense in many cases.
10. Can we use some of the budget to support project coordination?
Must a project coordinator be a Co-PI?
Yes, part of the PIRE budget may be used to support project
coordination, (e.g., part-time salary for a coordinator,
coordination meetings, support for an outside advisory committee)
on a scale commensurate with the complexity of the partnership.
For some of the current PIRE projects, strong coordination has
been a key contributor to early success. The project coordinator
does not have to be a PI or Co-PI. The amount of salary that a
project coordinator can receive if listed as senior personnel is
limited to one month per year.
OTHER QUESTIONS
11. When and where should my foreign collaborator seek funding on
his/her side?
PIs are encouraged to be in contact with their foreign
collaborators and encourage them to seek funding from their own
sources as they develop their preliminary proposals.
NSF is working jointly with select counterpart national,
international and multinational funding organizations to enhance
opportunities for collaborative activities between U.S.
investigators and their colleagues abroad. NSF has entered into
co-funding/collateral funding agreements with 15 agencies to
provide funding opportunities for international
collaborators. These agencies are identified above in the response
to question #7.
In addition, PIs may want to discuss with the relevant country
program officers in ISE additional mechanisms for international
collaborators to seek support in their own countries. ISE Program
Officers are listed by region at
([7]http://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/country-list.jsp).
RELEVANT LINKS
NSF Home Page: [8]http://www.nsf.gov
Office International and Integrative Activities, International
Science and Engineering Section (ISE):
[9]http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=OISE
PIRE homepage:
[10]http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12819
ISE Staff by Country:
[11]http://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/country-list.jsp
How to Prepare Your Proposal:
[12]http://www.nsf.gov/funding/preparing/
NSF's Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide:
[13]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=papp
NSF Grants.gov Application Guide:
[14]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgov
guide
References
1. http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12819
2. http://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/2015-PIRE-Eligible-Institutions.pdf
3. mailto:pire-info@nsf.gov
4. http://www.nsf.gov/geo/sees/
5. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf14001/gpg_1.jsp#IE7
6. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=HRD
7. http://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/country-list.jsp
8. http://www.nsf.gov/
9. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=OISE
10. http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12819
11. http://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/country-list.jsp
12. http://www.nsf.gov/funding/preparing/
13. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=papp
14. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide