Replaces Doc(s):
NSF 21-531
Nationwide Science Basis
Directorate for Organic Sciences
Division of Molecular and Mobile Biosciences
Directorate for Engineering
Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Techniques
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Financial Sciences
Division of Social and Financial Sciences
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s native time):
February 01, 2024
February 1, Each Different 12 months Thereafter
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND REVISION NOTES
Targets and analysis themes of solicitation have been modified to concentrate on present program priorities.
Proposal submissions will probably be accepted each different yr.
Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation must be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information (PAPPG) that’s in impact for the related due date to which the proposal is being submitted. The NSF PAPPG is recurrently revised and it’s the duty of the proposer to make sure that the proposal meets the necessities specified on this solicitation and the relevant model of the PAPPG. Submitting a proposal previous to a specified deadline doesn’t negate this requirement.
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Basic Info
Program Title:
Designing Artificial Cells Past the Bounds of Evolution (Designer Cells)
Synopsis of Program:
Due to latest technological advances in artificial biology and bioengineering, researchers at the moment are in a position to tailor cells and cell-like programs for a wide range of primary and utilized analysis functions. The objective of this solicitation is to assist analysis that (1) develops cell-like programs to establish the minimal necessities for the processes of life, (2) designs synthetically-modified cells to handle elementary questions within the evolution of life or to discover organic range past that which at present exists in nature, and (3) leverages primary analysis in cell design to construct novel artificial cell-like programs and cells for revolutionary biotechnology purposes.
Highest funding precedence is given to proposals which have excellent mental advantage and broader impacts, whereas proposals with weaknesses in both class (or these which are perceived as prone to have an incremental affect) won’t be aggressive. Proposals submitted to this solicitation ought to tackle social, moral, and questions of safety related to designing and constructing synthetically modified cells as an built-in part of the challenge.
Cognizant Program Officer(s):
Please observe that the next info is present on the time of publishing. See program web site for any updates to the factors of contact.
Relevant Catalog of Federal Home Help (CFDA) Quantity(s):
47.041
— Engineering
47.074
— Organic Sciences
47.075
— Social Behavioral and Financial Sciences
Award Info
Anticipated Kind of Award:
Commonplace Grant or Persevering with Grant
Estimated Variety of Awards:
5
to 7
Anticipated Funding Quantity:
$6,000,000
Estimated program funds, variety of awards and common award measurement and length are topic to the provision of funds.
Eligibility Info
Who Might Submit Proposals:
Proposals could solely be submitted by the next:
Establishments of Larger Training (IHEs) – Two- and four-year IHEs (together with group faculties) accredited in, and having a campus situated within the US, performing
on behalf of their school members. Particular Directions for Worldwide Department Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal consists of funding to be offered to an
worldwide department campus of a US establishment of upper training (together with via use of subawards and marketing consultant preparations), the proposer should clarify
the profit(s) to the challenge of efficiency on the worldwide department campus, and justify why the challenge actions can’t be carried out on the US campus.
Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Impartial museums, observatories, analysis laboratories, skilled societies and comparable organizations situated within the U.S. which are straight related to academic or analysis actions.
Tribal Governments: The governing physique of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or group that the Secretary of the Inside acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe below the Federally Acknowledged Indian Tribe Listing Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a, et seq.)
Who Might Function PI:
There aren’t any restrictions or limits.
Restrict on Variety of Proposals per Group:
There aren’t any restrictions or limits.
Restrict on Variety of Proposals per PI or co-PI:
There aren’t any restrictions or limits.
Proposal Preparation and Submission Directions
A. Proposal Preparation Directions
Letters of Intent: Not required
Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required
B. Budgetary Info
C. Due Dates
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s native time):
February 01, 2024
February 1, Each Different 12 months Thereafter
Proposal Evaluation Info Standards
Benefit Evaluation Standards:
Nationwide Science Board authorised standards. Further advantage overview standards apply. Please see the complete textual content of this solicitation for additional info.
Award Administration Info
Award Circumstances:
Commonplace NSF award circumstances apply.
Reporting Necessities:
Commonplace NSF reporting necessities apply.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract of Program Necessities
Introduction
Program Description
Award Info
Eligibility Info
Proposal Preparation and Submission Directions
Proposal Preparation Directions
Budgetary Info
Due Dates
Analysis.gov/Grants.gov Necessities
NSF Proposal Processing and Evaluation Procedures
Benefit Evaluation Rules and Standards
Evaluation and Choice Course of
Award Administration Info
Notification of the Award
Award Circumstances
Reporting Necessities
Company Contacts
Different Info
I. INTRODUCTION
NSF acknowledges the dramatic advances in rational cell design know-how lately and the potential to make use of this know-how to handle questions concerning the basic parts of cells, the evolution of life, and organic range past extant processes and organisms. The taking part organizations additionally acknowledge the potential to make use of rational cell design know-how for novel biotechnology purposes.
NSF is dedicated to the inclusion of all individuals and establishments throughout all geographies within the U.S. as a result of all are important to the nation’s well being, safety and international management in STEM. NSF welcomes the submission of proposals to this funding alternative that embody the participation of the complete spectrum of numerous expertise in STEM, e.g., as PI, co-PI, senior personnel, postdoctoral students, graduate or undergraduate college students or trainees. NSF additionally acknowledges that STEM analysis and training happen at a variety of establishments, together with Minority-serving Establishments (MSIs), Primarily Undergraduate Establishments (PUIs), and two-year faculties, in addition to main analysis establishments. NSF welcomes single establishment and multi-institutional collaborative proposals from all forms of establishments and encourages genuine and substantive collaborations and partnerships throughout numerous geographies and forms of establishments. Proposals from EPSCoR jurisdictions are particularly inspired.
II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Over the previous few a long time, organic analysis has vastly improved our understanding of life processes on the molecular, organismal and group ranges. Lately, researchers have been in a position to make use of this information base and the toolkits of artificial biology and mobile engineering to handle elementary organic questions. Artificial biologists and mobile engineers have additionally been in a position to repurpose organisms and organismal processes to handle essential issues in well being, manufacturing, vitality, ecology and agriculture, profoundly impacting the bioeconomy.
With latest technological advances resembling the power to assemble cell-like programs with specific functionalities and the power to make precision small-scale and large-scale modifications to eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes utilizing rewriting instruments, artificial biology is poised to enter the age of designer organelles, cell-like programs and organisms. Certainly, progress in rational cell design know-how will allow artificial biology researchers to look at mobile features in a brand new means, to discover the evolution of life in ways in which weren’t attainable earlier than, and to engineer cells and cell-like programs which have specific features and purposes. Progress on this know-how will even assist the USA obtain its objective of being a world chief in primary organic analysis, biotechnology and bioeconomic output now and into the long run.
Creating designer cells requires simultaneous cautious exploration of the social, moral, and biosafety/safety dimensions of such analysis. Understanding each the societal advantages and dangers in addition to their potential for willful misuse or unintended harm to pure organic programs is an integral part of developments on this space.
The objective of this solicitation is to assist revolutionary analysis that used the instruments of artificial biology and mobile engineering to construct artificial cells or cell-like programs for one of many following: 1) to establish and analyze the minimal perform models of mobile buildings, organelles or processes; 2) to handle elementary questions within the evolution of life on earth or to discover organic range past that which at present exists in nature; and three) to offer new functionalities for revolutionary biotechnology purposes.
Themes:
Determine and analyze the purposeful models of artificial cells: We search tasks that design and analyze artificial cell parts (ribosomes, mitochondria, membranes, regulatory modules, molecular machines, and so forth.), or artificial parts which have been built-in into cells or cell-like programs. The challenge ought to embody a purposeful evaluation of the artificial part or a purposeful evaluation of a part as soon as it has been built-in into cells or a cell-like system.
Evolution and increasing range: Applied sciences resembling genome rewriting will present researchers with new methods to discover the evolution of life on this planet and to discover organic range that doesn’t at present exist and will by no means have existed on earth. Tasks are solicited that develop synthetically modified prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic cells that can tackle questions resembling, how do regulatory circuits evolve, are 20 canonical amino acids and 4 nucleotides essential for all times or what are the features of the darkish matter of the genome? Tasks to develop artificial programs that permit researchers to broaden mobile range into design areas that evolution has not sampled/or chosen for and analyze the brand new parts are additionally inspired. Examples would come with artificial programs that permit researchers to broaden the variety of amino acids obtainable for proteins, protein structural range and probably broaden protein purposeful range for functions resembling increasing biochemical range. All tasks ought to combine social, moral and biosafety/biosecurity dimensions in addressing these points.
Create artificial biosystems for revolutionary biotechnology purposes. We search tasks that incorporate artificial parts into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells, or design artificial cell-like programs to generate new functionalities. These new functionalities could embody artificial programs that adapt and reply to particular exterior stimuli, carry out novel computations, or have novel features not present in pure programs. Tasks which have primary analysis parts, resembling these described in themes 1 and a pair of, and leverage the fundamental analysis findings for biotechnology purposes are of specific curiosity. The biotechnology utility could possibly be in any sector of the economic system.
Further Issues
In live performance with know-how growth, educating college students and the lay public will even be essential to make sure an correct understanding of the scientific advances ensuing from the event and use of designer cells. Responsive proposals should tackle the social, moral and/or biosafety/safety problems with the proposed analysis and the ensuing organic programs. There will probably be severe consideration given to proposals that embody the experience of social scientists as a funded collaborator on the challenge and characterize how social science, ethics, and/or biosafety experience is built-in to the challenge.
Abstract of Solicitation Necessities
To be conscious of this solicitation, profitable proposals will:
Develop and use artificial cells or cell-like programs to construct and examine minimal mobile purposeful models, to discover the potential for all times past that which evolution sampled or to create new functionalities with biotechnology purposes.
Deal with social, moral, and/or biosafety/biosecurity implications of designer cells as an integral part of the challenge.
III. AWARD INFORMATION
Pending availability of funds, roughly $6M will probably be dedicated in complete for all new awards in every fiscal yr. Award measurement and length must be commensurate with the scope of the challenge.
IV. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
Who Might Submit Proposals:
Proposals could solely be submitted by the next:
Establishments of Larger Training (IHEs) – Two- and four-year IHEs (together with group faculties) accredited in, and having a campus situated within the US, performing
on behalf of their school members. Particular Directions for Worldwide Department Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal consists of funding to be offered to an
worldwide department campus of a US establishment of upper training (together with via use of subawards and marketing consultant preparations), the proposer should clarify
the profit(s) to the challenge of efficiency on the worldwide department campus, and justify why the challenge actions can’t be carried out on the US campus.
Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Impartial museums, observatories, analysis laboratories, skilled societies and comparable organizations situated within the U.S. which are straight related to academic or analysis actions.
Tribal Governments: The governing physique of any Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or group that the Secretary of the Inside acknowledges to exist as an Indian tribe below the Federally Acknowledged Indian Tribe Listing Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a, et seq.)
Who Might Function PI:
There aren’t any restrictions or limits.
Restrict on Variety of Proposals per Group:
There aren’t any restrictions or limits.
Restrict on Variety of Proposals per PI or co-PI:
There aren’t any restrictions or limits.
V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
A. Proposal Preparation Directions
Full Proposal Preparation Directions: Proposers could decide to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation by way of Analysis.gov or Grants.gov.
Full Proposals submitted by way of Analysis.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation must be ready and submitted in accordance with the final pointers contained within the NSF Proposal and Award Insurance policies and Procedures Information (PAPPG). The whole textual content of the PAPPG is obtainable electronically on the NSF web site at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg. Paper copies of the PAPPG could also be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, phone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from [email protected]. The Put together New Proposal setup will immediate you for this system solicitation quantity.
Full proposals submitted by way of Grants.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation by way of Grants.gov must be ready and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.gov Utility Information: A Information for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Purposes by way of Grants.gov. The whole textual content of the NSF Grants.gov Utility Information is obtainable on the Grants.gov web site and on the NSF web site at: (https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgovguide). To acquire copies of the Utility Information and Utility Varieties Package deal, click on on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov website, then click on on the Apply Step 1: Obtain a Grant Utility Package deal and Utility Directions hyperlink and enter the funding alternative quantity, (this system solicitation quantity with out the NSF prefix) and press the Obtain Package deal button. Paper copies of the Grants.gov Utility Information additionally could also be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, phone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from [email protected].
In figuring out which technique to make the most of within the digital preparation and submission of the proposal, please observe the next:
Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from a number of organizations have to be submitted by way of Analysis.gov. PAPPG Chapter II.E.3 gives further info on collaborative proposals.
See PAPPG Chapter II.D.2 for steering on the required sections of a full analysis proposal submitted to NSF. Please observe that the proposal preparation directions offered on this program solicitation could deviate from the PAPPG directions.
B. Budgetary Info
Value Sharing:
Inclusion of voluntary dedicated price sharing is prohibited.
C. Due Dates
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s native time):
February 01, 2024
February 1, Each Different 12 months Thereafter
D. Analysis.gov/Grants.gov Necessities
For Proposals Submitted Through Analysis.gov:
To organize and submit a proposal by way of Analysis.gov, see detailed technical directions obtainable at: https://www.analysis.gov/research-portal/appmanager/base/desktop?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=research_node_display&_nodePath=/researchGov/Service/Desktop/ProposalPreparationandSubmission.html. For Analysis.gov person assist, name the Analysis.gov Assist Desk at 1-800-381-1532 or e-mail [email protected]. The Analysis.gov Assist Desk solutions normal technical questions associated to using the Analysis.gov system. Particular questions associated to this program solicitation must be referred to the NSF program workers contact(s) listed in Part VIII of this funding alternative.
For Proposals Submitted Through Grants.gov:
Earlier than utilizing Grants.gov for the primary time, every group should register to create an institutional profile. As soon as registered, the applicant’s group can then apply for any federal grant on the Grants.gov web site. Complete details about utilizing Grants.gov is obtainable on the Grants.gov Applicant Sources webpage: https://www.grants.gov/net/grants/candidates.html. As well as, the NSF Grants.gov Utility Information (see hyperlink in Part V.A) gives directions concerning the technical preparation of proposals by way of Grants.gov. For Grants.gov person assist, contact the Grants.gov Contact Middle at 1-800-518-4726 or by e mail: [email protected]. The Grants.gov Contact Middle solutions normal technical questions associated to using Grants.gov. Particular questions associated to this program solicitation must be referred to the NSF program workers contact(s) listed in Part VIII of this solicitation.
Submitting the Proposal: As soon as all paperwork have been accomplished, the Approved Organizational Consultant (AOR) should submit the applying to Grants.gov and confirm the specified funding alternative and company to which the applying is submitted. The AOR should then signal and submit the applying to Grants.gov. The finished utility will probably be transferred to Analysis.gov for additional processing.
The NSF Grants.gov Proposal Processing in Analysis.gov informational web page gives submission steering to candidates and hyperlinks to useful sources together with the NSF Grants.gov Utility Information, Grants.gov Proposal Processing in Analysis.gov how-to information, and Grants.gov Submitted Proposals Steadily Requested Questions. Grants.gov proposals should move all NSF pre-check and post-check validations with a purpose to be accepted by Analysis.gov at NSF.
When submitting by way of Grants.gov, NSF strongly recommends candidates provoke proposal submission a minimum of 5 enterprise days prematurely of a deadline to permit sufficient time to handle NSF compliance errors and resubmissions by 5:00 p.m. submitting group’s native time on the deadline. Please observe that some errors can’t be corrected in Grants.gov. As soon as a proposal passes pre-checks however fails any post-check, an applicant can solely appropriate and submit the in-progress proposal in Analysis.gov.
Proposers that submitted by way of Analysis.gov could use Analysis.gov to confirm the standing of their submission to NSF. For proposers that submitted by way of Grants.gov, till an utility has been acquired and validated by NSF, the Approved Organizational Consultant could examine the standing of an utility on Grants.gov. After proposers have acquired an e-mail notification from NSF, Analysis.gov must be used to examine the standing of an utility.
VI. NSF PROPOSAL PROCESSING AND REVIEW PROCEDURES
Proposals acquired by NSF are assigned to the suitable NSF program for acknowledgement and, in the event that they meet NSF necessities, for overview. All proposals are fastidiously reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and normally by three to 10 different individuals exterior NSF both as advert hoc reviewers, panelists, or each, who’re consultants within the specific fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers are chosen by Program Officers charged with oversight of the overview course of. Proposers are invited to recommend names of individuals they consider are particularly properly certified to overview the proposal and/or individuals they would favor not overview the proposal. These solutions could function one supply within the reviewer choice course of on the Program Officer’s discretion. Submission of such names, nonetheless, is non-obligatory. Care is taken to make sure that reviewers haven’t any conflicts of curiosity with the proposal. As well as, Program Officers could receive feedback from website visits earlier than recommending last motion on proposals. Senior NSF workers additional overview suggestions for awards. A flowchart that depicts the complete NSF proposal and award course of (and related timeline) is included in PAPPG Exhibit III-1.
A complete description of the Basis’s advantage overview course of is obtainable on the NSF web site at: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/coverage/merit_review/.
Proposers also needs to concentrate on core methods which are important to the achievement of NSF’s mission, as articulated in Main the World in Discovery and Innovation, STEM Expertise Growth and the Supply of Advantages from Analysis – NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022 – 2026. These methods are built-in in this system planning and implementation course of, of which proposal overview is one half. NSF’s mission is especially well-implemented via the combination of analysis and training and broadening participation in NSF packages, tasks, and actions.
One of many strategic goals in assist of NSF’s mission is to foster integration of analysis and training via the packages, tasks, and actions it helps at tutorial and analysis establishments. These establishments should recruit, prepare, and put together a various STEM workforce to advance the frontiers of science and take part within the U.S. technology-based economic system. NSF’s contribution to the nationwide innovation ecosystem is to offer cutting-edge analysis below the steering of the Nation’s most artistic scientists and engineers. NSF additionally helps growth of a powerful science, know-how, engineering, and arithmetic (STEM) workforce by investing in constructing the information that informs enhancements in STEM instructing and studying.
NSF’s mission requires the broadening of alternatives and increasing participation of teams, establishments, and geographic areas which are underrepresented in STEM disciplines, which is crucial to the well being and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is dedicated to this precept of range and deems it central to the packages, tasks, and actions it considers and helps.
A. Benefit Evaluation Rules and Standards
The Nationwide Science Basis strives to spend money on a sturdy and numerous portfolio of tasks that creates new information and permits breakthroughs in understanding throughout all areas of science and engineering analysis and training. To establish which tasks to assist, NSF depends on a advantage overview course of that includes consideration of each the technical features of a proposed challenge and its potential to contribute extra broadly to advancing NSF’s mission “to advertise the progress of science; to advance the nationwide well being, prosperity, and welfare; to safe the nationwide protection; and for different functions.” NSF makes each effort to conduct a good, aggressive, clear advantage overview course of for the collection of tasks.
1. Benefit Evaluation Rules
These ideas are to be given due diligence by PIs and organizations when getting ready proposals and managing tasks, by reviewers when studying and evaluating proposals, and by NSF program workers when figuring out whether or not or to not advocate proposals for funding and whereas overseeing awards. Provided that NSF is the first federal company charged with nurturing and supporting excellence in primary analysis and training, the next three ideas apply:
All NSF tasks must be of the very best high quality and have the potential to advance, if not remodel, the frontiers of information.
NSF tasks, within the combination, ought to contribute extra broadly to attaining societal targets. These “Broader Impacts” could also be completed via the analysis itself, via actions which are straight associated to particular analysis tasks, or via actions which are supported by, however are complementary to, the challenge. The challenge actions could also be primarily based on beforehand established and/or revolutionary strategies and approaches, however in both case have to be properly justified.
Significant evaluation and analysis of NSF funded tasks must be primarily based on applicable metrics, retaining in thoughts the doubtless correlation between the impact of broader impacts and the sources offered to implement tasks. If the scale of the exercise is restricted, analysis of that exercise in isolation shouldn’t be prone to be significant. Thus, assessing the effectiveness of those actions could finest be achieved at a better, extra aggregated, degree than the person challenge.
With respect to the third precept, even when evaluation of Broader Impacts outcomes for specific tasks is completed at an aggregated degree, PIs are anticipated to be accountable for finishing up the actions described within the funded challenge. Thus, particular person tasks ought to embody clearly said targets, particular descriptions of the actions that the PI intends to do, and a plan in place to doc the outputs of these actions.
These three advantage overview ideas present the idea for the advantage overview standards, in addition to a context inside which the customers of the factors can higher perceive their intent.
2. Benefit Evaluation Standards
All NSF proposals are evaluated via use of the 2 Nationwide Science Board authorised advantage overview standards. In some cases, nonetheless, NSF will make use of further standards as required to focus on the precise goals of sure packages and actions.
The 2 advantage overview standards are listed beneath. Each standards are to be given full consideration through the overview and decision-making processes; every criterion is important however neither, by itself, is ample. Due to this fact, proposers should totally tackle each standards. (PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.d(i). incorporates further info to be used by proposers in growth of the Mission Description part of the proposal). Reviewers are strongly inspired to overview the factors, together with PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.d(i), previous to the overview of a proposal.
When evaluating NSF proposals, reviewers will probably be requested to think about what the proposers need to do, why they need to do it, how they plan to do it, how they are going to know in the event that they succeed, and what advantages might accrue if the challenge is profitable. These points apply each to the technical features of the proposal and the best way by which the challenge could make broader contributions. To that finish, reviewers will probably be requested to judge all proposals towards two standards:
Mental Benefit: The Mental Benefit criterion encompasses the potential to advance information; and
Broader Impacts: The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the potential to learn society and contribute to the achievement of particular, desired societal outcomes.
The next parts must be thought-about within the overview for each standards:
What’s the potential for the proposed exercise to
Advance information and understanding inside its personal subject or throughout completely different fields (Mental Benefit); and
Profit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?
To what extent do the proposed actions recommend and discover artistic, authentic, or probably transformative ideas?
Is the plan for finishing up the proposed actions well-reasoned, well-organized, and primarily based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to evaluate success?
How properly certified is the person, workforce, or group to conduct the proposed actions?
Are there sufficient sources obtainable to the PI (both on the dwelling group or via collaborations) to hold out the proposed actions?
Broader impacts could also be completed via the analysis itself, via the actions which are straight associated to particular analysis tasks, or via actions which are supported by, however are complementary to, the challenge. NSF values the development of scientific information and actions that contribute to achievement of societally related outcomes. Such outcomes embody, however aren’t restricted to: full participation of girls, individuals with disabilities, and different underrepresented teams in science, know-how, engineering, and arithmetic (STEM); improved STEM training and educator growth at any degree; elevated public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and know-how; improved well-being of people in society; growth of a various, globally aggressive STEM workforce; elevated partnerships between academia, business, and others; improved nationwide safety; elevated financial competitiveness of the USA; and enhanced infrastructure for analysis and training.
Proposers are reminded that reviewers will even be requested to overview the Information Administration Plan and the Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan, as applicable.
Further Solicitation Particular Evaluation Standards
Along with the usual NSF overview standards, reviewers will probably be requested to judge the next:
The proposed analysis makes use of the instruments of artificial biology and mobile engineering to construct an artificial cell or cell-like system for one of many following: to establish and analyze the minimal purposeful models of mobile buildings, organelles or processes; to handle elementary questions within the evolution of life on earth or to discover organic range past that which at present exists in nature; to create new functionalities with biotechnology purposes.
The proposal features a part that addresses applicable features of social, moral and/or biosafety/safety implications of artificial or designer cells.
B. Evaluation and Choice Course of
Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will probably be reviewed by
Advert hoc Evaluation and/or Panel Evaluation.
Reviewers will probably be requested to judge proposals utilizing two Nationwide Science Board authorised advantage overview standards and, if relevant, further program particular standards. A abstract score and accompanying narrative will typically be accomplished and submitted by every reviewer and/or panel. The Program Officer assigned to handle the proposal’s overview will think about the recommendation of reviewers and can formulate a advice.
After scientific, technical and programmatic overview and consideration of applicable elements, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the cognizant Division Director whether or not the proposal must be declined or advisable for award. NSF strives to have the ability to inform proposers whether or not their proposals have been declined or advisable for funding inside six months. Giant or significantly complicated proposals or proposals from new recipients could require further overview and processing time. The time interval begins on the deadline or goal date, or receipt date, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director acts upon the Program Officer’s advice.
After programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals advisable for funding will probably be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements or the Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Help for overview of enterprise, monetary, and coverage implications. After an administrative overview has occurred, Grants and Agreements Officers carry out the processing and issuance of a grant or different settlement. Proposers are cautioned that solely a Grants and Agreements Officer could make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No dedication on the a part of NSF must be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or group that makes monetary or personnel commitments within the absence of a grant or cooperative settlement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their very own threat.
As soon as an award or declination resolution has been made, Principal Investigators are offered suggestions about their proposals. In all instances, opinions are handled as confidential paperwork. Verbatim copies of opinions, excluding the names of the reviewers or any reviewer-identifying info, are despatched to the Principal Investigator/Mission Director by the Program Officer. As well as, the proposer will obtain a proof of the choice to award or decline funding.
VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
A. Notification of the Award
Notification of the award is made to the submitting group by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer. Organizations whose proposals are declined will probably be suggested as promptly as attainable by the cognizant NSF Program administering this system. Verbatim copies of opinions, not together with the id of the reviewer, will probably be offered mechanically to the Principal Investigator. (See Part VI.B. for extra info on the overview course of.)
B. Award Circumstances
An NSF award consists of: (1) the award discover, which incorporates any particular provisions relevant to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the funds, which signifies the quantities, by classes of expense, on which NSF has primarily based its assist (or in any other case communicates any particular approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced within the award discover; (4) the relevant award circumstances, resembling Grant Basic Circumstances (GC-1)*; or Analysis Phrases and Circumstances* and (5) any announcement or different NSF issuance which may be integrated by reference within the award discover. Cooperative agreements are also administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Settlement Monetary and Administrative Phrases and Circumstances (CA-FATC) and the relevant Programmatic Phrases and Circumstances. NSF awards are electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and transmitted electronically to the group by way of e-mail.
*These paperwork could also be accessed electronically on NSF’s Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/award_conditions.jsp?org=NSF. Paper copies could also be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, phone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from [email protected].
Extra complete info on NSF Award Circumstances and different essential info on the administration of NSF awards is contained within the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information (PAPPG) Chapter VII, obtainable electronically on the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg.
Administrative and Nationwide Coverage Necessities
Construct America, Purchase America
As expressed in Government Order 14005, Guaranteeing the Future is Made in All of America by All of America’s Staff (86 FR 7475), it’s the coverage of the chief department to make use of phrases and circumstances of Federal monetary help awards to maximise, per legislation, using items, merchandise, and supplies produced in, and providers provided in, the USA.
In keeping with the necessities of the Construct America, Purchase America Act (Pub. L. 117-58, Division G, Title IX, Subtitle A, November 15, 2021), no funding made obtainable via this funding alternative could also be obligated for an award except all iron, metal, manufactured merchandise, and development supplies used within the challenge are produced in the USA. For extra info, go to NSF’s Construct America, Purchase America webpage.
C. Reporting Necessities
For all multi-year grants (together with each normal and persevering with grants), the Principal Investigator should submit an annual challenge report back to the cognizant Program Officer no later than 90 days previous to the tip of the present funds interval. (Some packages or awards require submission of extra frequent challenge studies). No later than 120 days following expiration of a grant, the PI is also required to submit a last challenge report, and a challenge outcomes report for most people.
Failure to offer the required annual or last challenge studies, or the challenge outcomes report, will delay NSF overview and processing of any future funding increments in addition to any pending proposals for all recognized PIs and co-PIs on a given award. PIs ought to study the codecs of the required studies prematurely to guarantee availability of required information.
PIs are required to make use of NSF’s digital project-reporting system, obtainable via Analysis.gov, for preparation and submission of annual and last challenge studies. Such studies present info on accomplishments, challenge members (particular person and organizational), publications, and different particular merchandise and impacts of the challenge. Submission of the report by way of Analysis.gov constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are correct and full. The challenge outcomes report additionally have to be ready and submitted utilizing Analysis.gov. This report serves as a short abstract, ready particularly for the general public, of the character and outcomes of the challenge. This report will probably be posted on the NSF web site precisely as it’s submitted by the PI.
Extra complete info on NSF Reporting Necessities and different essential info on the administration of NSF awards is contained within the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information (PAPPG) Chapter VII, obtainable electronically on the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg.
VIII. AGENCY CONTACTS
Please observe that this system contact info is present on the time of publishing. See program web site for any updates to the factors of contact.
Basic inquiries concerning this program must be made to:
For questions associated to using NSF programs contact:
NSF Assist Desk: 1-800-381-1532
Analysis.gov Assist Desk e-mail: [email protected]
For questions referring to Grants.gov contact:
Grants.gov Contact Middle: If the Approved Organizational Representatives (AOR) has not acquired a affirmation message from Grants.gov inside 48 hours of submission of utility, please contact by way of phone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: [email protected].
IX. OTHER INFORMATION
The NSF web site gives essentially the most complete supply of data on NSF Directorates (together with contact info), packages and funding alternatives. Use of this web site by potential proposers is strongly inspired. As well as, “NSF Replace” is an information-delivery system designed to maintain potential proposers and different events apprised of latest NSF funding alternatives and publications, essential modifications in proposal and award insurance policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Grants Conferences. Subscribers are knowledgeable via e-mail or the person’s Internet browser every time new publications are issued that match their recognized pursuits. “NSF Replace” additionally is obtainable on NSF’s web site.
Grants.gov gives an extra digital functionality to seek for Federal government-wide grant alternatives. NSF funding alternatives could also be accessed by way of this mechanism. Additional info on Grants.gov could also be obtained at https://www.grants.gov.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
The Nationwide Science Basis (NSF) is an impartial Federal company created by the Nationwide Science Basis Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the aim of the NSF is “to advertise the progress of science; [and] to advance the nationwide well being, prosperity, and welfare by supporting analysis and training in all fields of science and engineering.”
NSF funds analysis and training in most fields of science and engineering. It does this via grants and cooperative agreements to greater than 2,000 faculties, universities, Ok-12 faculty programs, companies, casual science organizations and different analysis organizations all through the US. The Basis accounts for about one-fourth of Federal assist to tutorial establishments for primary analysis.
NSF receives roughly 55,000 proposals annually for analysis, training and coaching tasks, of which roughly 11,000 are funded. As well as, the Basis receives a number of thousand purposes for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The company operates no laboratories itself however does assist Nationwide Analysis Facilities, person services, sure oceanographic vessels and Arctic and Antarctic analysis stations. The Basis additionally helps cooperative analysis between universities and business, US participation in worldwide scientific and engineering efforts, and academic actions at each tutorial degree.
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) present funding for particular help or tools to allow individuals with disabilities to work on NSF-supported tasks. See the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information Chapter II.F.7 for directions concerning preparation of most of these proposals.
The Nationwide Science Basis has Telephonic System for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Info Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that allow people with listening to impairments to speak with the Basis about NSF packages, employment or normal info. TDD could also be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.
The Nationwide Science Basis Info Middle could also be reached at (703) 292-5111.
The Nationwide Science Basis promotes and advances scientific progress in the USA by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for analysis and training within the sciences, arithmetic, and engineering.
To get the newest details about program deadlines, to obtain copies of NSF publications, and to entry abstracts of awards, go to the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov
2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314
For Basic Info
(NSF Info Middle):
(703) 292-5111
TDD (for the hearing-impaired):
(703) 292-5090
To Order Publications or Varieties:
Ship an e-mail to:
or phone:
(703) 292-8134
(703) 292-5111
PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS
The data requested on proposal varieties and challenge studies is solicited below the authority of the Nationwide Science Basis Act of 1950, as amended. The data on proposal varieties will probably be utilized in reference to the collection of certified proposals; and challenge studies submitted by proposers will probably be used for program analysis and reporting inside the Government Department and to Congress. The data requested could also be disclosed to certified reviewers and workers assistants as a part of the proposal overview course of; to proposer establishments/grantees to offer or receive information concerning the proposal overview course of, award selections, or the administration of awards; to authorities contractors, consultants, volunteers and researchers and educators as mandatory to finish assigned work; to different authorities businesses or different entities needing info concerning proposers or nominees as a part of a joint utility overview course of, or with a purpose to coordinate packages or coverage; and to a different Federal company, courtroom, or social gathering in a courtroom or Federal administrative continuing if the federal government is a celebration. Details about Principal Investigators could also be added to the Reviewer file and used to pick potential candidates to function peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See System of Document Notices, NSF-50, “Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Related Data,” and NSF-51, “Reviewer/Proposal File and Related Data.” Submission of the data is voluntary. Failure to offer full and full info, nonetheless, could cut back the potential for receiving an award.
An company could not conduct or sponsor, and an individual shouldn’t be required to answer, an info assortment except it shows a sound Workplace of Administration and Funds (OMB) management quantity. The OMB management quantity for this assortment is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this assortment of data is estimated to common 120 hours per response, together with the time for reviewing directions. Ship feedback concerning the burden estimate and some other side of this assortment of data, together with solutions for lowering this burden, to:
Suzanne H. Plimpton
Studies Clearance Officer
Coverage Workplace, Division of Establishment and Award Help
Workplace of Funds, Finance, and Award Administration
Nationwide Science Basis
Alexandria, VA 22314
