Instrumentation for Materials Research - Major Instrumentation Projects  (IMR-MIP)

CONTACTS

PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Solicitation  10-552

Important Notice to Proposers

A revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), NSF 13-1, was issued on October 4, 2012 and is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after January 14, 2013. Please be advised that, depending on the specified due date, the guidelines contained in NSF 13-1 may apply to proposals submitted in response to this funding opportunity.

Please be aware that significant changes have been made to the PAPPG to implement revised merit review criteria based on the National Science Board (NSB) report, National Science Foundation's Merit Review Criteria: Review and Revisions. While the two merit review criteria remain unchanged (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts), guidance has been provided to clarify and improve the function of the criteria. Changes will affect the project summary and project description sections of proposals. Annual and final reports also will be affected.

A by-chapter summary of this and other significant changes is provided at the beginning of both the Grant Proposal Guide and the Award & Administration Guide.

DUE DATES

Archived

SYNOPSIS

The Instrumentation for Materials Research - Major Instrumentation Projects (IMR-MIP) program in the Division of Materials Research provides support for the design and construction of major instruments costing more than $4 million but less than $20 million. Such instruments may include, but are not limited to, key instrumentation for coherent light sources, neutron beam lines, synchrotron beam lines, high field magnets, and detectors. While all types of instrumentation are encouraged, in FY2010, there will be an emphasis on coherent light sources for R&D proposals. The program supports three types of awards: Research and Development (R&D) awards, Conceptual and Engineering Design (CED) awards, and Construction (CNST) awards. An R&D award will support the research and development of major instrumentation and address technical issues that are on the critical path of the engineering design of a major instrument. A CED award will enable the proposer to do the necessary engineering design of the instrument.  A CNST proposal may only be submitted after a satisfactory engineering design of the instrument has been completed and has been approved by both the facility at which the instrument will be situated and by NSF.  The program does not provide operating funds for projects it supports through this solicitation.  Operational costs must be supported either by the facility or the institution at which the instrument is located.  It is anticipated that about $ 7-10 million may be available in FY 2010 for new Major Instrumentation Projects. Up to two R&D projects may be funded as a continuing grant or as a cooperative agreement for a maximum of five years at about $1 to $4 million a year. Up to two CED awards may be funded for up to 3 years through continuing or standard grant, each award for a total of up to $ 2 million.  Up to one CNST award may be funded through a cooperative agreement, for about $1 to $4 million per year for a maximum of 5 years.

What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)

Map of Recent Awards Made Through This Program