RIDGE 2000  

Program Solicitation
NSF 07-571

Replaces Document(s):
NSF 02-011

National Science Foundation Directorate for Geosciences      Division of Ocean Sciences

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

January 15, 2008

January 15, Annually Thereafter

REVISION NOTES

In furtherance of the President's Management Agenda, NSF has identified programs that will offer proposers the option to utilize Grants.gov to prepare and submit proposals, or will require that proposers utilize Grants.gov to prepare and submit proposals. Grants.gov provides a single Government-wide portal for finding and applying for Federal grants online.

In response to this program solicitation, proposers may opt to submit proposals via Grants.gov or via the NSF FastLane system. In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the proposal, please note the following:

Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via the NSF FastLane system. Chapter II, Section D.3 of the Grant Proposal Guide provides additional information on collaborative proposals.

The due dates for this solicitation have been changed from two target dates per year in February and August to one deadline date in January.

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information

Program Title: 

RIDGE 2000

Synopsis of Program:

RIDGE 2000 is a community-based science initiative focused on integrated geological and biological studies of the Earth-encircling mid-ocean ridge system. Central to the RIDGE 2000 science plan is the recognition that the origin and evolution of life in deep-sea ecosystems are inextricably linked to, and perhaps an inevitable consequence of, the flow of energy and material from Earth's deep mantle, through the volcanic and hydrothermal systems of the oceanic crust, to the deep ocean. The complex linkages between life and planetary processes at the mid-ocean ridge can be understood only through tightly integrated studies that span a broad range of disciplines in geophysics, geology, geochemistry, biology and oceanography.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

• Adam Schultz, telephone: (703) 292-7597, email: aschultz@nsf.gov

• Phillip Taylor, telephone: (703) 292-7715, email: prtaylor@nsf.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

• 47.050 --- Geosciences

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award:  Standard Grant or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards:    10  

Anticipated Funding Amount:   $26,000,000  Up to $26 million over the next five years, pending availability of funds.

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit: 

Proposals may only be submitted by the following:

• RIDGE Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The RIDGE 2000 Postdoctoral Fellowships will be awarded for scientific research at any appropriate non-profit United States institution. Appropriate non-profit institutions in this program include institutions of higher education as well as government laboratories, national laboratories, and privately sponsored non-profit institutions. Awards will be made to the institution in the name of the Fellow as principal investigator, or co-principal investigator in accordance with normal institutional practice.  [NOTE:  This requirement does not apply to proposals for the RIDGE Research Program].

PI Limit: 

RIDGE Research Program.  There are no eligibility requirements for those submitting grants for Integrated Studies or Time Critical Studies.

RIDGE Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. There are eligibility requirements for the Postdoctoral Fellowship program.  Applicants must have (1) earned the doctoral degree in a relevant scientific discipline within two years of taking up the award; (2) agreed on a research plan with, and obtained a firm commitment from, a scientific advisor or collaborator at a host institution different from that of the applicant's previous research training; and (3) be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 

None Specified

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 

None Specified

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

• Letters of Intent: Not Applicable

• Full Proposals:

  • Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) Guidelines apply. The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.

  • Full Proposals submitted via Grants.gov: NSF Grants.gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.gov Guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov website and on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf/)

B. Budgetary Information

• Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required by NSF.  

• Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:  

  Postdoctoral fellowships provide an institutional allowance in lieu of indirect costs. Additional information is provided at www.ridge2000.org/science/fellowship/postdoc.php.

• Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

C. Due Dates

• Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

  January 15, 2008

  January 15, Annually Thereafter

Proposal Review Information Criteria

Merit Review Criteria:   National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information

Award Conditions:   Standard NSF award conditions apply

Reporting Requirements:   Standard NSF reporting requirements apply

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary of Program Requirements

1. Introduction
   
   
2. Program Description
   
   
3. Award Information
   
   
4. Eligibility Information
   
   
5. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
   1. Proposal Preparation Instructions
   2. Budgetary Information
   3. Due Dates
   4. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements
      
      
6. NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures
   1. NSF Merit Review Criteria
   2. Review and Selection Process
      
      
7. Award Administration Information
   1. Notification of the Award
   2. Award Conditions
   3. Reporting Requirements
      
      
8. Agency Contacts
   
   
9. Other Information

I. INTRODUCTION

RIDGE 2000 scientific objectives are encapsulated in the phrase "from mantle to microbes..." which expresses the inextricable linkages between the geological processes of planetary renewal that occur along the mid-oceanic plate boundary and the chemical and biological processes that sustain life, in the absence of sunlight, in the deep ocean. The hallmarks of RIDGE 2000 scientific studies focus on limited, scientifically defined geographic areas; co-location of experiments in space and time; and integration across a wide range of disciplines. By emphasizing an integrated, investigative approach that can be accomplished only with high levels of coordination, RIDGE 2000 complements ongoing ridge crest research. International activities through InterRidge serve to increase substantially the effectiveness and the accomplishments of this coordinated strategy.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The RIDGE 2000 Program has two elements:

1. RIDGE 2000 Integrated Studies

A strategy for focused, whole-system studies of global mid-ocean ridge processes is presented in the Integrated Studies section and related sections of the RIDGE 2000 Science Plan available from the RIDGE 2000 Office web site at www.ridge2000.org. The RIDGE 2000 office e-mail address is ridge2000@ucsd.edu.

RIDGE 2000 Integrated Studies address the complex, inter-linked array of processes that supports life at and beneath the sea floor as a consequence of heat and material transfer from the Earth's deep mantle, to the crust and overlying ocean. Integrated Studies develop focused, quantitative, whole-system models through coordinated, integrated and interdisciplinary experiments. The overarching goal is to understand the mid-ocean ridge as a complex geobiological system with interconnected parts related through diverse controls and feedbacks. This understanding requires integrated and often simultaneous investigations of all aspects of the system, and the linkages among them, at a small number of sites that encompass a range of external forcing functions.

Proposals that focus on any of three Integrated Studies (IS) sites will be considered. The sites were chosen through a community evaluation followed by a review by an independent RIDGE IS Site Selection Panel. (The Site Selection Panel Report is available from the RIDGE 2000 Office).

The three sites are:

• 9 - 10 degrees N segment of the East Pacific Rise
• East or Central Lau Spreading Center
• Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge

2. RIDGE 2000 Time Critical Studies

Strategies for capturing transient or ephemeral events along the mid-ocean ridge are described in the relevant sections of the RIDGE 2000 Science Plan.

RIDGE 2000 Time Critical Studies focus on the immediate biological, chemical and geological consequences of transient "events" along the mid-ocean ridge system. Events may include volcanic eruptions on the sea floor, intrusion of dikes or other magma bodies at the ridge axis, deformation events related to sea floor spreading and related phenomena. Transient events are short-lived, occurring on time-scales of seconds to months or, possibly, years. They can have major biological, chemical and geological impacts on the mid-ocean ridge system. RIDGE 2000 focuses on detecting and locating events as they occur, and on rapid deployment of instruments and sampling devices to events that are still in progress.

RIDGE 2000 Time Critical Studies are limited to monitoring and rapid response efforts in the northeast Pacific. This restriction recognizes that this is currently the only area in which real-time monitoring is available and coincident with rapid response capabilities. If a real-time detection and rapid response capability becomes feasible in other areas, the RIDGE 2000 Steering Committee will revisit this restriction.

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

In addition to these two elements, RIDGE 2000 is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The RIDGE 2000 Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is intended to foster cross-disciplinary fertilization by providing opportunities for individuals to broaden their research experience. Applicants already working on ridge crest problems should apply their expertise to problems that are distinct from those of their Ph.D. research and that lie within a distinct (but related) discipline. Applicants from disciplines outside the marine field are also encouraged to apply. Such applicants should bring their conceptual and technical expertise to a priority RIDGE 2000 objective that is distinct from their previous research experience. In both cases, the over-riding intent is to broaden the expertise of the applicant and to expand the breadth of ridge science.

To be eligible for consideration, applications for the Fellowship Program must be submitted to NSF by the January deadline. Applicants should establish a relationship with a proposed advisor well in advance of proposal submission. Applicants or their proposed advisors (depending on requirements of the host institution) should submit a Ridge 2000 proposal outlining the proposed research. In FastLane, use the Proposal Preparation function, NOT the link for Postdoctoral Fellowships and Other Programs. The project description must include within the 15-page limit:

1. A personal statement (not to exceed two single-spaced pages) that describes the career goals of the applicant and what role the chosen research, sponsoring/collaborating scientist and host institution will play in enhancing the applicant’s conceptual approach and technical skills;
2. A short abstract of dissertation research and planned publications; and
3. A statement from the sponsoring/collaborating scientist at the proposed host institution indicating agreement to work with the applicant if the award is made.

Proposals should also explain their relevance to Ridge 2000 objectives and explain how they will broaden Ridge science.

Fellows are normally expected to devote full time to appropriate scientific research and training during the tenure of the Fellowship and to pursue the program for which the Fellowship was awarded, although teaching one semester per year is allowable. Major changes in the plan of scientific research, in tenure, or in Fellowship institution require prior Foundation approval. Institutions may supplement Fellowship stipends without prior permission from the Foundation provided that such is done in accordance with established institutional policies. Supplementation may not be conditioned on any requirement for duties in addition to normal Fellowship activities.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

RIDGE 2000 proposals for Time Critical Studies and non-site-specific instrumentation or modeling will be considered. Proposals that would help refine selection of the primary Lau site will also be considered for RIDGE 2000 support. In exceptional cases, such as maintaining continuity of time-series data, other site-specific proposals may also be considered for RIDGE 2000 funds. All other ridge-related proposals will be considered only for core funds.

III. AWARD INFORMATION

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 10 per year

Anticipated Funding Amount: Up to $26 million over the next five years

Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds. Award size is expected to range from $100,000 to $2 million for research grants and $100,000-$150,000 for postdoctoral fellowship grants.

IV. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Organization Limit: 

Proposals may only be submitted by the following:

• RIDGE Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The RIDGE 2000 Postdoctoral Fellowships will be awarded for scientific research at any appropriate non-profit United States institution. Appropriate non-profit institutions in this program include institutions of higher education as well as government laboratories, national laboratories, and privately sponsored non-profit institutions. Awards will be made to the institution in the name of the Fellow as principal investigator, or co-principal investigator in accordance with normal institutional practice.  [NOTE:  This requirement does not apply to proposals for the RIDGE Research Program].

PI Limit: 

RIDGE Research Program.  There are no eligibility requirements for those submitting grants for Integrated Studies or Time Critical Studies.

RIDGE Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. There are eligibility requirements for the Postdoctoral Fellowship program.  Applicants must have (1) earned the doctoral degree in a relevant scientific discipline within two years of taking up the award; (2) agreed on a research plan with, and obtained a firm commitment from, a scientific advisor or collaborator at a host institution different from that of the applicant's previous research training; and (3) be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 

None Specified

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 

None Specified

Additional Eligibility Info:

V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Grants.gov or via the NSF FastLane system.

• Full proposals submitted via FastLane: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov. Proposers are reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National Science Foundation. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.

• Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation via Grants.gov should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.gov. The complete text of the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov website and on the NSF website at: (http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf). To obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov site, then click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button. Paper copies of the Grants.gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the proposal, please note the following:

Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via the NSF FastLane system. Chapter II, Section D.3 of the Grant Proposal Guide provides additional information on collaborative proposals. 

Proposals for RIDGE 2000 funding should be prepared in accordance with the guidelines provided in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide or the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide. Each proposal should also include a statement addressing its relevance to the goals of the RIDGE 2000 Science Plan and, in the case of Integrated Studies proposals, to the relevant Site Implementation Plan. The RIDGE 2000 program will also support limited Incubation Studies and/or community workshops that are designed to supplement existing data in order to bring additional IS site proposals to maturity. 

Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

To be eligible for consideration, applications for the Fellowship Program must be submitted to NSF by the January deadline. Applicants should establish a relationship with a proposed advisor well in advance of proposal submission. Applicants or their proposed advisors (depending on requirements of the host institution) should submit a Ridge 2000 proposal outlining the proposed research. In FastLane, use the Proposal Preparation function, NOT the link for Postdoctoral Fellowships and Other Programs. The project description must include within the 15-page limit:

1. A personal statement (not to exceed two single-spaced pages) that describes the career goals of the applicant and what role the chosen research, sponsoring/collaborating scientist and host institution will play in enhancing the applicant’s conceptual approach and technical skills;
2. A short abstract of dissertation research and planned publications; and
3. A statement from the sponsoring/collaborating scientist at the proposed host institution indicating agreement to work with the applicant if the award is made.

Proposals should also explain their relevance to Ridge 2000 objectives and explain how they will broaden Ridge science.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:   Cost sharing is not required by NSF in proposals submitted to the National Science Foundation.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:  

Postdoctoral fellowships provide an institutional allowance in lieu of indirect costs. Additional information is provided at www.ridge2000.org/science/fellowship/postdoc.php.

Other Budgetary Limitations:  Postdoctoral fellowships must meet specific requirements outlined in the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program section of this solicitation.

C. Due Dates

• Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

  January 15, 2008

  January 15, Annually Thereafter

D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements

• For Proposals Submitted Via FastLane:

  Detailed technical instructions regarding the technical aspects of preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this funding opportunity.

  Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic certifications within five working days following the electronic submission of the proposal. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp.

• For Proposals Submitted Via Grants.gov:

Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization must register to create an institutional profile. Once registered, the applicant's organization can then apply for any federal grant on the Grants.gov website. The Grants.gov's Grant Community User Guide is a comprehensive reference document that provides technical information about Grants.gov. Proposers can download the User Guide as a Microsoft Word document or as a PDF document. The Grants.gov User Guide is available at: http://www.grants.gov/CustomerSupport. In addition, the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide provides additional technical guidance regarding preparation of proposals via Grants.gov. For Grants.gov user support, contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email: support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Contact Center answers general technical questions related to the use of Grants.gov. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this solicitation.

Submitting the Proposal: Once all documents have been completed, the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must submit the application to Grants.gov and verify the desired funding opportunity and agency to which the application is submitted. The AOR must then sign and submit the application to Grants.gov. The completed application will be transferred to the NSF FastLane system for further processing.

VI. NSF PROPOSAL PROCESSING AND REVIEW PROCEDURES   

Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program and, if they meet NSF proposal preparation requirements, for review. All proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to ten other persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the oversight of the review process. Proposers are invited to suggest names of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review the proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection process at the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names, however, is optional. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the proposer.

A. NSF Merit Review Criteria

All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board (NSB)-approved merit review criteria: intellectual merit and the broader impacts of the proposed effort. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

The two NSB-approved merit review criteria are listed below. The criteria include considerations that help define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being considered and for which the reviewer is qualified to make judgements.

What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of the prior work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources?

What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?

NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making funding decisions:

Integration of Research and Education
One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learning perspectives.

Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities -- is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports.

Additional Review Criteria:

Evaluation and Selection of Fellows

The evaluation of applicants will be based on ability as evidenced by past research work; suitability and availability of the sponsoring senior scientist and other associated colleagues; suitability of the host institution for the proposed research; likely impact on the future scientific development of the applicant; scientific quality of the research likely to emerge; and the potential impact of the research on the RIDGE 2000 Initiative. The criteria listed above will be used by a panel of scientists convened by NSF, with representatives from appropriate disciplines, to evaluate the proposals submitted. In addition, the applications will be reviewed by a RIDGE 2000 committee that will assess the relevance and priority of the proposed research to the RIDGE 2000 Initiative.

B. Review and Selection Process

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review.

Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.

After scientific, technical and programmatic review and consideration of appropriate factors, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the cognizant Division Director whether the proposal should be declined or recommended for award. NSF is striving to be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the date of receipt.  The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Officer.  In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.

In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See Section VI.B. for additional information on the review process.)

B. Award Conditions

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (GC-1); * or Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative agreements also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC) and the applicable Programmatic Terms and Conditions. NSF awards are electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail.

*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/general_conditions.jsp?org=NSF. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF Award & Administration Guide (AAG) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag.

C. Reporting Requirements

For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period. (Some programs or awards require more frequent project reports). Within 90 days after expiration of a grant, the PI also is required to submit a final project report.

Failure to provide the required annual or final project reports will delay NSF review and processing of any future funding increments as well as any pending proposals for that PI. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project-reporting system, available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports.  Such reports provide information on activities and findings, project participants (individual and organizational) publications; and, other specific products and contributions.  PIs will not be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system.  Submission of the report via FastLane constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are accurate and complete.

VIII. AGENCY CONTACTS

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

• Adam Schultz, telephone: (703) 292-7597, email: aschultz@nsf.gov

• Phillip Taylor, telephone: (703) 292-7715, email: prtaylor@nsf.gov

For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:

• FastLane Help Desk, telephone: 1-800-673-6188; e-mail: fastlane@nsf.gov.

For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:

• Grants.gov Contact Center: If the Authorized Organizational Representatives (AOR) has not received a confirmation message from Grants.gov within 48 hours of submission of application, please contact via telephone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: support@grants.gov.

Questions regarding RIDGE 2000 and requests for RIDGE 2000 information should be directed to the RIDGE 2000 web site (www.ridge2000.org) or the RIDGE 2000 Office (UCSD/IGPP-0225, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, 858.534.8588).  Information on RIDGE 2000 meetings, workshops and research opportunities are also available at the web site.  Information regarding InterRidge and requests for InterRidge documents can be obtained from the InterRidge web site (interridge.whoi.edu).

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

The NSF Website provides the most comprehensive source of information on NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and funding opportunities. Use of this Website by potential proposers is strongly encouraged. In addition, MyNSF (formerly the Custom News Service)is an information-delivery system designed to keep potential proposers and other interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and publications, important changes in proposal and award policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Regional Grants Conferences. Subscribers are informed through e-mail or the user's Web browser each time new publications are issued that match their identified interests. MyNSF also is available on NSF's Website at http://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/.

Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may be accessed via this new mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may be obtained at http://www.grants.gov.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering."

NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the US. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic institutions for basic research.

NSF receives approximately 40,000 proposals each year for research, education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded. In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no laboratories itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and educational activities at every academic level.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See Grant Proposal Guide Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals.

The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.

The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703) 292-5111.

PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; and project reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to proposer institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies or other entities needing information regarding applicants or nominees as part of a joint application review process, or in order to coordinate programs or policy; and to another Federal agency, court, or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records, " 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004). Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding the burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:

Suzanne H. Plimpton
Reports Clearance Officer
Division of Administrative Services
National Science Foundation
Arlington, VA 22230