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NSF's implementation of the revised 2 CFR

NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website. These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.

Important information for proposers

All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Updates to NSF Research Security Policies

On July 10, 2025, NSF issued an Important Notice providing updates to the agency's research security policies, including a research security training requirement, Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program annual certification requirement, prohibition on Confucius institutes and an updated FFDR reporting and submission timeline.

Dear Colleague Letter

National Science Foundation Translation to Practice (NSF TTP) Collaborates with U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center (DEVCOM GVSC)

Encourages research proposals to NSF Translation to Practice (NSF TTP) program focused on the interests of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Ground Vehicle Systems Center (DEVCOM GVSC).
Encourages research proposals to NSF Translation to Practice (NSF TTP) program focused on the interests of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Ground Vehicle Systems Center (DEVCOM GVSC).

Dear Colleagues:

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) Translation to Practice (TTP) program seeks to translate research to practice, ensuring that the insights and innovations developed through scientific study and experimentation have tangible, positive impacts on society. These impacts include improved quality of life, intensified economic and global competitiveness, strengthened job growth, and increased national security. 

To deliver on its mission, including through programs like TTP, NSF TIP engages with partners from industry, government, and philanthropy. With this Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), NSF TIP announces a partnership with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center (DEVCOM GVSC). DEVCOM GVSC seeks to advance cutting-edge scientific discovery, provide technological innovation, and transition knowledge products to empower U.S. Army capabilities today and in the future. 

The NSF TTP program seeks to:

  • Identify and support the initiation of use-inspired research and initial translational activities enabling a continuum from foundational research to practice;
  • Develop partnerships and collaborations that include traditional (academic) and non-traditional entities. These sustainable partnerships will accelerate the transfer of technology by ensuring needs and opportunities are appropriately addressed;
  • Promote and advance the education and training of students and postdoctoral researchers, avoiding undue geographic concentration of funding and encouraging the participation of all Americans; and
  • Identify future customer needs and opportunities through NSF Innovation Corps (NSF I-CorpsTM) training. 

Further, DEVCOM GVSC seeks to empower U.S. Army capabilities today and in the future. DEVCOM GVSC research initiatives are aligned to six core competencies: 

  1. Survivability & Protection;
  2. Robotics & Autonomy;
  3. Power & Mobility;
  4. Additive Manufacturing;
  5. Fuel & Lubricants; and
  6. Modeling, Simulation, & Software Development. 

Given this context, NSF TTP-GVSC projects will provide ample opportunities for ground vehicle research translation focused on state-of-the-art ground vehicle robotics and autonomy, survivability, power and mobility, intelligent systems, maneuver support, and sustainment. Pursuant to this DCL, proposers will tailor their use-inspired research and translation projects towards national security and/or national defense. Specifically, proposers will work towards developing, integrating, enhancing, and sustaining DEVCOM GVSC capabilities to support Army modernization priorities and improve readiness. The NSF TTP program will consider proposals that are responsive to the core competencies and interests of the DEVCOM GVSC across all three tracks of the NSF TTP program solicitation. None of the research considered by this solicitation should be considered Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) – all research is unclassified, publicly releasable research.

Proposal Submission, Review, Recommendation, Award, and Program Evaluation Processes

Proposal Submission. When responding to this DCL, please title your proposal "TTP/GVSC: E:" for the TTP-Explore track "TTP/GVSC: T:" for the TTP-Translate track or “TTP/GVSC: P:” for the TTP-Partner track. For consideration for U.S. Army DEVCOM GVSC co-funding or full funding, proposals must provide strong justification of use-inspired and translation activities focused on Army needs and interests. 

Proposals should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the current NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) as well as instructions contained in the NSF TTP solicitation and this DCL. All TTP proposals and other proposal-related information (e.g., concept papers or outlines, unattributed reviews, panel summaries, etc.) may be shared with DEVCOM GVSC, subject to standard NSF conflict-of-interest rules.

Proposal Review. NSF will provide DEVCOM GVSC with a complete list of all proposals submitted in accordance with this DCL. DEVCOM GVSC agrees not to disclose any non-public information to any external organization. DEVCOM program staff may attend NSF TTP review panels, subject to standard NSF FACA and conflict-of-interest rules. 

NSF will manage and conduct the review process of all proposals submitted to the NSF TTP-GVSC funding opportunity. Proposals submitted pursuant to this DCL will be evaluated for co-funding based on their responsiveness to the core competencies and interests of the DEVCOM GVSC. 

Award Recommendation. NSF will take into consideration input from DEVCOM GVSC prior to making final funding recommendations, but NSF will retain final authority for making all award decisions. 

Award. As appropriate, DEVCOM GVSC may co-fund any NSF TTP-GVSC proposals that are meritorious and meet NSF TTP-GVSC requirements. Co-funded NSF TTP- GVSC awardees will be required to include appropriate acknowledgment of NSF and DEVCOM GVSC support in presentations, reports, and/or publications on work performed under the award. An example of such an acknowledgment is: "This material is based upon work supported by the NSF and DEVCOM GVSC under Award No. NSF TTP-GVSC-[award number(s)].” 

NSF will administer awards in accordance with standard NSF policies and procedures. 

Program Evaluation. DEVCOM GVSC may engage with awardees at required TTP Principal Investigator (PI) Meetings.

NSF will share annual and final annual project reports with DEVCOM GVSC after they have been reviewed and accepted by the cognizant NSF Program Officer. 

DEVCOM GVSC will not own any intellectual property as a result of funding or co-funding proposals submitted to the NSF TTP solicitation.

PIs should reference the full NSF TTP solicitation for further details. PIs with questions pertaining to this DCL, or the NSF TTP program in general, may contact: translation@nsf.gov. 

Sincerely,

Erwin Gianchandani 
Assistant Director
Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships

David Gorsich
Chief Scientist
Office of the Chief Scientist 
U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center (DEVCOM GVSC) 

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