Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) NSF 24-063, Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE): Approaches to Research & Development Strategic Visioning (RDSV)

What activities are expected in a proposal?

The DCL does not prescribe specific activities in order to give a Principal Investigator (PI) flexibility in defining the organization and structure of their approach. This would include but is not limited to workshops, seminars, site visits, travel, and visitors. The proposal should clearly describe the proposed approach, how the results will be communicated, and why that is an effective approach.

How will the value of a proposed approach be assessed and evaluated?

The PI should highlight the strengths of their proposed approach and how that will be assessed during and at the end of the award.  One criterion of interest is how well a proposed approach would scale.

Is this DCL an announcement of a new research program?

No. This DCL is not a call for scientific research, rather it is a mechanism to surface and communicate promising future research and development (R&D) pathways and opportunities.

How will the results of these awards be used by NSF?

The results of these awards, especially their different approaches, will be used to inform discussions of strategic directions and future R&D portfolios. Moreover, the lessons learned from this announcement will inform and guide future R&D portfolio visioning activities.

Is a collaborative proposal allowed?

If a proposal involves multiple organizations, it must be submitted as a single proposal with subawards administered by the lead organization. Separately submitted collaborative proposals are not permitted and will be returned without review.

Will these proposals be externally reviewed?

The guidelines for Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) proposals will be followed as described in Chapter II.F.3 of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). The proposals will be reviewed internally by a team of program directors at NSF and external reviewers as needed.

Does a PI need to be an investigator on a current CISE or NSF award?

No.

Would a two-year proposal be allowed?

No, but a Grantee-approved no cost extension request at the end of the first year of the award would still be allowed if needed.

Is attendance at the biannual PI meetings required for awarded PIs?

Yes. All PIs are required to participate in the biannual PI meetings. It is a program objective to encourage awareness among the awardees of the different approaches and to share lessons learned by the PIs from their experience. A PI must budget for a virtual kickoff meeting and two PI meetings which will be hybrid meetings although in-person participation will be encouraged.

How will the efforts supported by these awards be coordinated?

The kickoff and PI meetings will serve to coordinate, as well as to socialize, the activities of the recipients. Moreover, these meetings will serve as an opportunity to share best practices and lessons learned among the PIs. NSF will also consider other approaches for coordination.

How could the value and practicality of a proposed approach be demonstrated?

One approach could be to produce a public report based on your visioning approach that identifies and describes your recommended strategic research directions in areas of research that the CISE community might consider and further discuss, and that could be accomplished within the timeframe and resources of an EAGER award.