Overall Document – In response to OMB guidance issued March 9, 2009 and the Foundation’s May 21st announcement that proposers must prepare and submit proposals using the NSF FastLane system, all references to Grants.gov Apply have been removed from the document. NSF will continue to post information about available funding opportunities to Grants.gov FIND.

The National Science Board issued a report in August, 2009 entitled “Investing in the Future NSF Cost Sharing Policies for a Robust Federal Research Enterprise”, which outlined a set of recommendations regarding NSF cost sharing policy. The Foundation is in the process of considering how best to implement those recommendations, however, no changes have been made yet and therefore, NSF’s current cost sharing policy remains in effect.

Chapter II.E.3, Project Outcomes Report for the General Public, is a new section which describes the project outcomes report PIs will need to produce and which is to be written for and will be accessible by the general public. Within 90 days following expiration of the grant, a project outcomes report must be submitted electronically via Research.gov. This report serves as a brief summary, prepared specifically for the public, of the nature and outcomes of the project. Information about the content of the report and what is to be included are contained in this section.

Chapter IV.A, Conflict of Interest Policies, been supplemented with language on applicability of such policies to subawardees and the like, who must either have their own policy that complies with NSF’s conflict of interest policy or they must follow the prime institution’s policies.

Chapter IV.B, Responsible Conduct of Research, is new section that provides NSF’s implementation of Section 7009 of the America COMPETES Act regarding responsible conduct of research (RCR). Institutions must have a plan in place to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct research. Institutions must designate one or more persons to oversee compliance with the RCR training requirement and must verify that appropriate training was provided.