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OCE Practices on Resubmission of Declined Proposals


June 23, 2017

One-year waiting period

OCE’s practice regarding resubmission of recently declined proposals is to encourage PIs to take their time to revise their proposal and thus resubmit it no earlier than one year after the initial submission date. OCE Programs recognize that occasionally there may be special circumstances where an immediate resubmission is advisable and/or necessary for time-sensitive activities, and will communicate, as appropriate, with affected PIs.

Resubmission of a proposal that has been reviewed twice or more

OCE programs discourage further resubmissions of proposals that have not shown to be competitive for support, and all Programs follow NSF resubmission guidelines.  Each Program will communicate its preferred way of implementing this policy in its Program recommendation of declined proposals.

NSF resubmission guidance

When proposals are resubmitted, they must be substantially revised in accordance with the policy outlined in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter IV.E:

“A declined proposal may be resubmitted, but only after it has undergone substantial revision. A resubmitted proposal that has not clearly taken into account the major comments or concerns resulting from the prior NSF review may be returned without review. The Foundation will treat the revised proposal as a new proposal, subject to the standard review procedures.”

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

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