Title : NSF 96-50 - Earth Sciences Research at the NSF Type : Program Guideline NSF Org: GEO Date : March 7, 1996 File : nsf9650 EARTH SCIENCES RESEARCH AT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Program Announcement DIRECTORATE FOR GEOSCIENCES DIVISION OF EARTH SCIENCES NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Arlington, VA 22230 Directorate for Geosciences Division of Earth Sciences EARTH SCIENCES RESEARCH AT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION The National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) provides funding support to U.S. colleges and universities and other non-profit institutions for the conduct of research and education in most areas of the solid- earth sciences. Emphasis is on the support of basic research aimed at an improved understanding of the earth's structure, properties, processes, and evolution, including basic research in areas of practical importance. This support is provided through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements awarded in response to unsolicited, investigator-initiated proposals. Proposals should follow the guidelines in this brochure and in the Grant Proposal Guide, (GPG, NSF 95-27)/1. There are two proposal cycles each year with submission deadlines on June 1 and December 1. Consult The NSF Bulletin/1 for latest information on proposal submission deadlines. Investigators are encouraged to discuss their proposals with an EAR program officer well in advance of the proposal deadline. --------- 1/ This and other NSF documents may be ordered by electronic mail (Internet: pubs@nsf.gov; see description of STIS on the inside cover of this document) or voice mail: (703) 306-1130. Include the name and NSF number of each publication, number of copies needed, your name and complete mailing address. Publications will be mailed within two days of receipt of request. The section Earth Sciences Project Support contains guidelines for research proposals involving single or small groups of investigators. This section also contains a partial listing of the subdisciplines and subject matter normally covered by EAR programs. Proposals for acquisition of research instrumentation, instrument and technique development, support of research technicians, and for the operation of multi-user research facilities should follow the guidelines in the section Instrumentation and Facilities. The section Continental Dynamics contains guidelines for the submission of proposals for large, multi-investigator, multidisciplinary research projects. Guidelines for proposals requesting support for projects that are primarily educational in nature or that are designed to increase the participation of women, minorities and persons with disabilities in the earth sciences are contained in the other NSF publications listed at the end of the Earth Sciences Project Support section of this brochure (Related NSF Programs). When submitting proposals to the Division of Earth Sciences it is not necessary to specify a particular program. NSF staff will assign proposals to the program most appropriate for their review. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Arlington, VA 22230 Directorate for Geosciences Division of Earth Sciences EARTH SCIENCES PROJECT SUPPORT (ESPS) Guidelines for the Preparation of Proposals Scope of Programs The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) supports proposals for research oriented towards an improved understanding of the structure, composition, and evolution of the earth and the processes governing the formation and behavior of earth materials. The results of this research will serve as a basis for understanding the earth's changing environments, provide methods for predicting and mitigating the effects of major geologic hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and major landslides, and for understanding the natural distribution of the earth's mineral, water, and energy resources. Support is available for two modes: Core Research Support and Special Emphasis Areas. Core Research Support The Division is committed to supporting the best research proposals received in any area of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, paleobiology, or hydrology, including interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary proposals that may involve one or more of these disciplines. We are especially interested in proposals for research in newly emerging areas of science that may not fit easily into one of these categories. Where appropriate, proposals may be considered for joint support with other Divisions at the National Science Foundation. Funds allocated to specific subdisciplines or research topics depend on the number and quality of proposals submitted in that area and the number and quality of proposals submitted in other competing areas, as well as the total funds available to the Division. For convenience in evaluation, proposals are assigned to one of the six individual research-grant Programs listed below (or to Continental Dynamics or Instrumentation and Facilities, where appropriate) for handling. Titles of the Programs generally indicate the subject matter covered by each Program, but these titles should be considered very broadly and not as restrictive. Assignment to a Program is normally made by EAR staff on the basis of proposal content, program officer workload, and other considerations. Where the proposer requests assignment to a specific program or a specific program officer, those requests will be honored insofar as possible. In rare cases proposals may be transferred to other Divisions within the Foundation. In such cases, proposers will be notified of the Division ultimately assigned to handle their proposals. EAR Individual Research Grant Programs: Geology and Paleontology (703) 306-1551 Tectonics (703) 306-1552 Petrology and Geochemistry (703) 306-1554 Geophysics (703) 306-1556 Hydrologic Sciences (703) 306-1549 Education and Human Resources (703) 306-1557 Special Emphasis Areas The Division periodically selects research areas for special emphasis. Frequently these are related to national research initiatives such as the U.S. Global Change Research Program or the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program. They may also be selected by the Division on the basis of special scientific opportunities as identified by NSF Advisory Committees, or they may be Foundation-wide cross-directorate programs. Such areas of special emphasis are typically described in separate announcements, and may involve special evaluation criteria in addition to the general Foundation requirements for scientific excellence. There are often special budget set-asides for these areas. Proposals submitted for consideration under an area of special emphasis should cite the specific announcement involved, should address research subjects falling within the range discussed in the announcement, and should specifically address any special evaluation criteria noted in the announcement. Proposals not submitted specifically in response to a special announcement may also be considered for special emphasis funding if they otherwise meet all the criteria established for the special emphasis area. Current special emphasis areas (and their associated program announcements or announcements of research opportunity) include: Active Tectonics NSF 95-137 Cooperative Studies of the Earth's Deep Interior (CSEDI) NSF 95- 155 Environmental Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry (EGB) NSF 96-2 Earth System History (ESH) and Water and Energy: Atmospheric, Vegetative and Earth Interactions (WEAVE) Components of the U.S. Global Change Research Program NSF 95-45 Fundamental Earthquake Studies A component of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program NSF 92-93 NSF Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships NSF 93-93 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) NSF 95-118 Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) NSF 94-79 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) NSF 93-112 Research Planning Grants (RPG) and Career Advancement Awards (CAA) for Women Scientists and Engineers NSF 93-130 Eligible Applicants Proposals will be accepted from colleges, universities, and other institutions in the United States with formal research programs in the areas supported by EAR. Colleges and universities designated as Undergraduate or Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions should consult the guidelines described in Research in Undergraduate Institutions (NSF 94- 79). Proposals may involve individual scientists or collaborative efforts of associated researchers working on coordinated projects (see below for "Proposal Preparation"). Proposal Preparation The proposal format is detailed in the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 95-27). NOTE: The Foundation has adopted rigorous guidelines for the proposal format, particularly its length. Proposals not conforming to these guidelines will be returned to the proposer without review. Collaborative research projects involving principal investigators from different institutions should use the following guidelines: (1) The title of the proposal should begin with "Collaborative Research:. . ." and all co-principal investigators should be listed on the cover sheet (NSF Form 1207 in NSF 95-28, Proposal Forms Kit). There should be an explicit statement of the collaboration in the Project Summary. (2) The proposals should have a common text. Cover sheets, budgets, and PI information (vitae, current and pending support statements, results from prior NSF support) should reflect the separate submissions. Each institution should submit one full copy of the proposal with a signed original cover sheet, and 20 copies of the separate information. Only one institution need submit 20 copies of the full text of the proposal. (3) Where proposals require cooperation with other groups for access to field locations, samples, special instrumentation, etc., supporting letters must be included endorsing the nature and extent of cooperation. These letters are not counted in the page limitations. Submission deadlines are June 1 and December 1 of each year. Proposals not meeting a deadline will ordinarily be returned to the proposer, but may be held until the following deadline at the request of the principal investigator. Twenty copies of the proposal, including the original signature copy, should be sent to: Proposal Processing Unit, Room P-60 Attention: EAR National Science Foundation Arlington, VA 22230 Declined proposals may be resubmitted only after substantial revision, and will not be accepted in the competition immediately following the prior submission. Review Criteria General criteria to be used in evaluation of the proposals are described in the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 95- 27). Award Mechanisms The standard NSF grant provisions will apply to awards made from these programs. Although awards would customarily be made through a grant, in special cases the award instrument could be a cooperative agreement. Related NSF Programs Other Research Programs: Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE): Marine Geology & Geophysics Program Chemical Oceanography Program Ocean Drilling Program Office of Polar Programs (OPP): Polar Earth Sciences Program Polar Glaciology Program Division of Environmental Biology (DEB): Systematic and Population Biology Program Division of Civil and Mechanical Structures (CMS): Earthquake Hazard Mitigation Program Natural and Technological Hazard Mitigation Program Division of International Programs (INT) Cross-Disciplinary and Other Related Programs: NSF Programs that are evaluated by and funded through the Division of Earth Sciences include: NSF Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships NSF 93-93 NEHRP National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program Fundamental Earthquake Studies NSF 92-93 GCRP U.S. Global Change National Research Program NSF 95-45 ESH Earth System History WEAVE Water and Energy: Atmospheric, Vegetative and Earth Interactions HPCC High Performance Computing and Communications CAREER Faculty Early Career Development NSF 95-118 RUI Research in Undergraduate Institutions NSF 94-79 ROA Research Opportunity Awards NSF 94-79 RPG Research Planning Grants for Women NSF 93-130 CAA Career Advancement Awards for Women NSF 93-130 FASED Facilitation Awards for Scientists & Engineers with Disabilities NSF 91-54 SBIR Small Business Innovation Research NSF 95-59 GOALI Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry NSF 95-111 Additional Cross-Disciplinary Programs that are evaluated and funded by Programs outside the Division of Earth Sciences include: VPW Visiting Professorships for Women NSF 95-113 ILI Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement NSF 96-10 UFE Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement NSF 96-10 Inquiries Inquiries are welcome and should be addressed to: Head, Research Grants Section, Division of Earth Sciences, Room 785, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230, (703) 306-1553. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Arlington, VA 22230 Directorate for Geosciences Division of Earth Sciences INSTRUMENTATION AND FACILITIES Guidelines for the Preparation of Proposals Scope of Program The Instrumentation and Facilities Program (IF) in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) will consider proposals for: (1) the acquisition of new research equipment or the modernization of existing equipment, (2) the development of new instrumentation or techniques that extend current research capabilities in the earth sciences, (3) the support of shared facilities that make complex and expensive instrument systems available on a national or regional basis, and (4) the support of research technicians. Eligible Applicants Proposals will be accepted from colleges, universities, and other non-profit institutions in the U.S. with formal research programs in areas of science supported by EAR. Applicants from colleges or universities designated as Undergraduate or Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions should consult the program announcement Research in Undergraduate Institutions (NSF 94-79)/1. Proposal Preparation The proposal format detailed in the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG, NSF 95-27)/1 should be followed. Principal investigators who anticipate a need to depart from the recommended format (e.g., page limit) must contact the IF Program Director for approval prior to submission. Special attention should be paid to the following when submitting a proposal to the IF/EAR program: ___________ 1/This and other NSF documents may be ordered by electronic mail (Internet: pubs@nsf.gov; see description of STIS on the inside cover of this document) or voice mail: (703) 306-1130. Include the name and NSF number of each publication, number of copies needed, your name and complete mailing address. Publications will be mailed within two days of receipt of request. (1) Title/2 The title of the proposal should convey its main topic. Proposals for new equipment, equipment upgrade, development of new instrumentation or technique, support of facilities, and support of technicians should, respectively, have titles beginning with: "Acquisition of ____," "Upgrading of ____," "Development of____," "Facility Support: ____," "Technician Support: ____" (2) Project Description Proposals for equipment acquisition or upgrade must include a description of the research projects of the principal investigator(s) and other non-casual users for which the equipment will be used. The description of the research projects and the equipment should be comprehensive enough to allow reviewers to evaluate the merit of the research and the extent to which the equipment is essential and appropriate. Proposals for the development of new instrumentation or techniques must include a description of the instrument design or technique that is sufficiently detailed for reviewers to evaluate its technical capabilities and potential benefit to research in the earth sciences. Proposals for the support of a facility must include a description of the technical capabilities of the facility and ---------- 2/RUI eligible applicants should also follow the special instructions for the title page of proposals submitted under that program. the impact that these capabilities will make on the science. The size and nature of the science community that will make principal use of the facility should also be described, along with any evidence of that community's desire to pool resources in support of the facility. Proposals for the support of a technician must include a description of the laboratory and/or field responsibilities that will be assumed by the technician. The description should be detailed enough so that reviewers can evaluate the extent of the technician's contribution to the research of an individual principal investigator, group of investigators, or a department-wide research program. (3) Maintenance and Operation Proposals for facilities or complex equipment must include a section describing the provisions for their maintenance and operation. The qualifications of persons immediately in charge and the source of funds to meet the cost of maintenance and operations should be given. If user fees are involved, a description of how they will be assessed should be included. For facilities or shared-use departmental equipment, the proposal should include a management plan for dealing with questions of access by users. (4) Inventory of Existing Equipment and Technician Positions Proposals for equipment must list all comparable items of equipment at the submitting institution or to which the applicants have access elsewhere. The proposal must also contain certification, signed by the authorized organizational representative, that the equipment requested (a) is essential and not reasonably available and accessible to the project, and (b) if funded by NSF, will be subject to reasonable inventory controls and maintenance procedures. Proposals requesting technician support must include a short description of all existing technician positions in the submitting department and their source of funding. The proposal should make it clear that the request is for support of a full-time technician position. (5) Budget The budget section of proposals for equipment acquisition or upgrade should indicate the current list price and any discounts available for the total equipment package requested, itemized by major components. The institutional cost-share commitment, if known, should be explicitly stated. If the cost- share commitment is not specified when the proposal is submitted, it will be assumed that the institutional contribution is to be negotiated if the proposal receives favorable review. Personnel costs directly attributable to instrument or technique development efforts or to the operation of a facility may be requested. Personnel costs will not ordinarily be supported on grants for acquisition or upgrading of equipment. Grants for technician salaries are intended to encourage and supplement institutional support of full-time technician positions. In order to accommodate the diversity of institutional approaches to the problem of technician support, the IF program will grant support of technicians in two phases. Phase I proposals may request a maximum of $50,000/year for three years. The budget section should make it clear how the combined NSF and institutional support will result in a full- time technician position during this period. Phase I grantees will be eligible to apply for an additional two-year Phase II award at the same annual level. In addition to the evaluation criteria already listed, Phase II proposals will be evaluated on the degree to which the institution commits itself to underwriting the technician position beyond the five-year period of NSF support. (6) Submission Proposals may be submitted to the IF/EAR program throughout the year. Twenty copies of the proposal, including the original signature copy, should be sent to: Proposal Processing Unit, Room P-60 Attention: EAR National Science Foundation Arlington, VA 22230 Review Criteria The general NSF criteria used in evaluation of proposals are described in the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG, NSF 95-27). Criteria specifically appropriate to the evaluation of proposals to IF will depend on the nature of the request and may include: (1) the intrinsic merit of the research for which the equipment, technique, facility, or effort of a technician is intended, (2) the number of investigators who will substantially benefit from the equipment or service of a technician and the strength of their research programs, (3) the degree to which equipment, technique, facility, or the aid of a technician is appropriate and essential for the intended research, (4) the ability to operate and provide technical support for complex equipment during its expected lifetime, (5) the ability to provide access to a facility intended to serve a regional or national research community, and (6) the degree of institutional commitment as documented by cost-sharing of equipment acquisition and technical and personnel support. Award Mechanisms The standard NSF grant provisions will apply to awards made from this program. The specific award instrument used will depend on the nature of the proposal and could be a grant or a cooperative agreement. Related NSF Programs Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities NSF 93-94 Research Equipment Grant Program (Engineering) NSF 93-155 Multi-User Biological Equipment and Instrumentation Resources NSF 95-37 Instrument Development for Biological Research NSF 95-37 Instrumentation Grants for Research in Computer and Information Sciences and EngineeringNSF 95-60 Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement Program NSF 96-10 (Education and Human Resources) Instrumentation for Materials Research NSF 94-108 Small Business Innovation Research NSF 95-59 Inquiries Inquiries are welcome and should be addressed to: Program Director, Instrumentation and Facilities Program, Division of Earth Sciences, Room 785, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230; (703) 306-1558. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Arlington, VA 22230 Directorate for Geosciences Division of Earth Sciences CONTINENTAL DYNAMICS Guidelines for the Preparation of Proposals Introduction The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) will consider proposals for multidisciplinary research that focuses on an improved understanding of the processes governing the origin, structure, composition and dynamical evolution of the continents and continental building blocks. The program is particularly oriented toward projects whose scope and complexity require a cooperative or multi-institutional approach and multi-year planning and execution. The intent of the program is to fund only relatively large projects that do not fit easily within other Earth Sciences programs and that have broad support of major sections of the Earth Science community. For more than two decades the principles of the theory of plate tectonics have been successfully applied to help understand the history of and processes active in forming the major structural subdivisions of the earth. One significant advance is an understanding of the clear distinction between oceanic and continental crust. It has been shown that the oceans are the cradle of crustal formation and represent the result of a single episode in the plate tectonic cycle. The greatest advances have been made in quantitatively understanding the process of ocean crust formation and associated processes that contribute to the nature of the oceanic crust, its sediments and biota, and the global distribution of continents and oceans. In contrast, the continents represent an accumulation of the residues of previous tectonic cycles and the addition of new material through geologic processes restricted to the continental crust and lithosphere. Although the result is a complex mass of superimposed units whose history is difficult to unravel, it is the library that stores the record of previous tectonic cycles and the principal data source to reconstruct the long-term history of the earth. In addition, the growth of the continents has resulted in structural units with bulk physical, chemical and mechanical properties sufficiently different from those of the oceanic crust that the principles of plate tectonics have yet to be fully applied. Correspondingly, the geological, geophysical and geochemical structure and evolution of the continents is still not clearly understood nor can the processes that control continental phenomena be confidently placed within the plate tectonic theory. A major unifying frontier of future research in the Earth Sciences is the study of the dynamical evolution of continents. In this perspective, the continent as a system includes continental crust, the subjacent lithosphere and asthenosphere, and the building blocks of continental evolution that include oceanic sediments, arcs, plateaus, and marginal basins. The dynamics of continental evolution involve processes that are currently active at the surface and extend into the mantle, including earthquakes, structural deformation, generation and movement of magmas, and the migration of chemically active fluids. The exposed rocks of the crystalline basement that record up to 4 billion years of earth history are the only resource of data to study continental evolution. The study of continental dynamics requires a combination of geological and geochemical studies of these rocks in the context of major studies of modern processes and three dimensional structure. The Continental Dynamics Program (CD) has evolved, in part, in response to the recommendations of a national workshop (Chandler, Arizona, March 4-7, 1989) regarding future directions for basic research into the dynamics, structure, and evolution of continents contained in the workshop report, CD/2020 A National Program for Research in Continental Dynamics/1 ----------- 1/Copies may be obtained from: The IRIS Consortium, 1616 North Fort Myer Drive, Suite 1050, Arlington, VA 22209-3109. Scope of Program The CD/2020 Report introduces the concept of a field laboratory as an organizational schema for the most effective mobilization of scientific creativity and project implementation for continental dynamics research. Each field area would become an outdoor laboratory, in which techniques such as sampling, mapping, geophysical studies, and drilling are combined, over a number of years and a number of investigators. Data and samples that originate in the field laboratory then go indoors where many participating investigators engaged in sample analysis, computer modeling, and data processing work together to develop a quantitative synthesis. In this context, research projects supported by CD will normally be characterized by many of the following criteria: - be interdisciplinary, requiring coordination of efforts in geophysics, geology, and geochemistry; - be critically dependent on the ability to mobilize high technology tools for acquisition of data in the field, for study of materials in the laboratory, and for modeling of systems on the computer; - include three-dimensional study of the subsurface by geophysical means, direct measurement of plate motions, detailed monitoring of earthquakes and of deformation near plate boundaries, and instrumentation and sampling of the subsurface through drilling; - often involve increased coordination and collaboration among scientists from universities and other government agencies as well as from industry; - be of such a scope that they will require a multiple year effort to complete; - be single focused projects of finite duration; - require an initial screening by means of a preliminary proposal process (see below). Eligible Applicants Proposals will be accepted from colleges, universities and other institutions in the United States with formal research programs in the areas supported by EAR. Colleges and universities designated as Undergraduate or Primarily Undergraduate Institutions are eligible to participate and should consult guidelines in Research in Undergraduate Institutions (NSF 94-79)/2. It is anticipated that proposals to this program will involve groups of scientists planning research of sufficient disciplinary diversity that coordinated or consortium-type approaches are necessary. Groups could nucleate between departments within single institutions or from multiple institutions and should reflect the balance of approaches required by the scope of the proposed project. Additional guidelines for group proposals are included in the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG, NSF 95-27)/2. -------- 2/This and other NSF documents may be ordered by electronic mail (Internet: pubs@nsf.gov; see description of STIS on the inside cover of this document) or voice mail: (703) 306-1130. Include the name and NSF number of each publication, number of copies needed, your name and complete mailing address. Publications will be mailed within two days of receipt of request. Proposal Preparation General guidelines for the preparation of proposals are described in the GPG. Specific additional guidelines for CD proposals are described below. Copies of the required forms are contained in the GPG. The proposal must be single spaced (a maximum of 500 words per page). Proposals that do not adhere to the specified page and word limitations, including those in any required appendices, may be ineligible for consideration and/or funding and may be returned. Proposals for CD projects will normally be submitted in a two-step process; step 1: a preliminary proposal, and step 2: a formal proposal. The two steps have separate deadlines and separate formats as described below. The submission of a preliminary proposal is intended to provide a review of the basic concept of the project at an early stage of development, so that if the review is negative the principal investigators will not have invested a large amount of time and resources in the preparation of a formal proposal. This process is also expected to improve the success rate at the formal proposal review stage. Preliminary proposals will be treated as informal documents involving no commitment on the part of either the applying organization or the Foundation. They will not in any way preclude later submission of, or affect the review of, a formal proposal and no signatures of institutional representatives or other formal commitment are required. Proposals that are related to a CD project or to the research focus of the CD Program but do not meet the criteria for a CD proposal will normally go to other EAR programs. If favorably reviewed, they may be eligible for split-funding by the CD Program and the other program. Preliminary Proposals The preliminary proposal should provide a brief description of the proposed research, the need for a multidisciplinary, cooperative or multi-institutional consortia approach, the management structure, the key personnel and their duties, and a rough estimate of cost and duration. Preliminary proposals may not exceed eight pages in length (exclusive of figures). No appendices are to be included. Formal Proposals Except as modified below, formal proposals should be prepared in accordance with the guidelines contained in the GPG. Particular attention should be given to the following: 1. Description of Research: The proposal should describe the proposed research activities in sufficient detail to allow assessment of their scientific merit. Indicate what impact the research will have on an improved understanding of the processes governing the origin, structure, composition and dynamical evolution of the continents. 2. Rationale for a Collaborative Approach: Justify the need for a cooperative or multi-institutional approach. Indicate what unique opportunities will be provided by the collaborative approach compared to separate individual research projects. 3. Management Plan: Outline the capability of the group to conduct the research and manage the required personnel and equipment needed to successfully complete the proposal objectives. If there is joint use of equipment or facilities, describe the provisions for maintenance and a management plan for operation of shared-use equipment or facilities. Include specific details on the role of each principal investigator. 4. Duration of Project: The proposal should contain a carefully thought-out plan to complete the proposed research in a specified amount of time. Projects that take more than three years to complete will be subject to a major review near the end of the third year. Any project lasting more than five years will be required to submit a new formal proposal for review at the end of five years. 5. Distribution of Data and/or Samples and Publication of Results: Where data or samples are collected as part of the project it is necessary to provide a management plan for the secure preservation of all materials, and the mechanisms by which they may be used by, or distributed to responsible scientists. Provisions must also be made for the rapid publication of reports that describe the nature of stored data and sample resources and research results of the project. 6. Education and Human Resources: A statement must be included specifying the potential of the proposed research to contribute to the education and the development of human resources in science and engineering at the postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate levels. This statement may include, but is not limited to, the role of the research in student training, course preparation, and seminars, particularly for undergraduates. Special effectiveness or achievement in the area of producing professional scientists and engineers from groups presently underrepresented should be described. NOTE: The section of the proposal dealing with the above items should not exceed a total of 30 pages. This does not include figures. 7. Budget: Include, at the front of the proposal, a summary sheet indicating the total annual project cost for each institution. In the formal budget section, include only the summary budget for the submitting institution, indicating the total cost for the duration of the project. Include separate annual budgets indicating the total cost for each year. For any subcontracts, provide separate budget pages as above for each subcontracting institution. Appendices: 1. Biographical Sketches: Provide a biographical sketch that includes a list of only up to five (5) publications most relevant to the research proposed and only up to five (5) other significant research publications. Include biographical sketches for principal and co-principal investigators only. 2. Current and Pending Support: A table should be provided to summarize the current and pending support of each principal and co-principal investigator from all sources. The project title, current year's amount, source of funding, and future commitments should be included. Pending proposals should also be listed. 3. Official letters of support and/or participation: Only official letters that verify specific institutional and other sector resource commitments or participation should be included. No other appendices are to be included. Continental Dynamics projects usually will involve principal investigators from several different institutions, each submitting his/her own proposal. Only the lead institution's proposal need contain the full text as described above. The other institutions' proposals need only contain cover sheets, project summary, budgets, and PI information (vitae, current and pending support statements, results from prior NSF support) particular to the institution submitting the proposal. Proposal Submission Preliminary Proposals: The submission of a preliminary proposal is optional but strongly encouraged. Twenty (20) copies of the proposal should be sent to the Continental Dynamics Program, Division of Earth Sciences, Room 785, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230. PLEASE NOTE: Only preliminary proposals are to be sent directly to the program. Formal proposals must be addressed to the Proposal Processing Unit of the Foundation. Formal Proposals: Thirty (30) copies of each proposal, including one copy bearing original signatures, should be mailed to: Proposal Processing Unit, Room P-60 Attention: EAR Continental Dynamics Program National Science Foundation Arlington, VA 22230 Only one (1) copy of NSF Form 1225, Information about Principal Investigator/Project Director, should be sent, attached to the original proposal. Deadlines Deadlines for submission of Continental Dynamics proposals are the following: Preliminary Proposals: December 1 Formal Proposals: June 1 Review Criteria Preliminary Proposals: Preliminary proposals will be evaluated by Earth Science Division Program Staff and by the Continental Dynamics Program Proposal Review Panel. The response to the principal investigator will be a letter containing a summary of review comments which either encourages or discourages a formal proposal. This response is the consensus of review by EAR staff members and the panel and represents their collective opinion of the prospect for eventual funding. The opinion is informal, does not preclude submission of a formal proposal, and has no part in the subsequent review. Formal Proposals: The evaluation of formal proposals will involve both mail and panel review by the Continental Dynamics Program Proposal Review Panel. The general criteria to be used in evaluating formal proposals are described in the GPG. Within these, specific criteria to be emphasized include: 1. the scientific merit of the research for the overall project and the special justification for adopting a collaborative project oriented approach; 2. the relative importance of the project to the earth science community as a whole and its relation to the current, major scientific questions in the study of the dynamical evolution of continents; 3. the degree to which the proposed mix of principal investigators and their specialties match to achieve the broad objectives outlined in the proposal; and 4. the adequacy of the proposed administrative structures to coordinate and integrate the individual research efforts to achieve the overall objectives of the project. Award Mechanisms The standard NSF grant provisions will apply to awards made from this program. The specific award instrument used will depend on the nature of the project being proposed and could be a grant or cooperative agreement. Inquiries General inquiries should be made to the Program Director, Continental Dynamics Program, Division of Earth Sciences, Room 785, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230, telephone (703) 306-1559. Upon completion of the project a Final Project Report (NSF Form 98A), including the Part IV Summary, will be required. Applicants should review this form prior to formal proposal submission so that appropriate tracking mechanisms are included in the proposal plan to ensure that complete information will be available at the conclusion of the project. The Foundation provides awards for research in the sciences and engineering. The awardee is wholly responsible for the conduct of such research and preparation of the results for publication. The Foundation, therefore, does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation. The Foundation welcomes proposals on behalf of all qualified scientists and engineers, and strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in any of the research and research-related programs described in this document. In accordance with Federal statutes and regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the National Science Foundation. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on NSF projects. See the FASED program announcement (NSF 91-54) or contact the FASED Coordinator in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources at (703) 306-1636. Privacy Act and Public Burden. Information requested on NSF application material is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. It will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals and may be used and disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the review process and to other government agencies. See Systems of Records, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 60 Federal Register 4449 (January 23, 1995), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposals File and Associated Records," 59 Federal Register 8031 (February 17, 1994). Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of your receiving an award. 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 this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Herman G. Fleming, Reports Clearance Officer, Contracts, Policy and Oversight, NSF, Arlington, VA, 22230. The National Science Foundation has TDD (Telephonic Device for the Deaf) and FIRS (Federal Information Relay Service) capabilities, which enable individuals with hearing impairment to communicate with the Division of Personnel and Management about NSF programs, employment, or general information. To access TTD, dial (703) 306-0090; for FIRS dial 1- 800-877-8339. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 47.050. OMB 3145-0058 P.T. 18, 34, 38 K.W. 1005000 NSF 96-50 (Replaces NSF 93-66)