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