Nationwide Science Basis
Directorate for Mathematical and Bodily Sciences
Division of Chemistry
Directorate for Expertise, Innovation and Partnerships
Innovation and Expertise Ecosystems
Procter & Gamble
PepsiCo
BASF
Dow
IBM Corp.
Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. submitting group’s native time):
December 05, 2024
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitting group’s native time):
January 16, 2025
Necessary Info And Revision Notes
Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation needs to 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.
Abstract Of Program Necessities
Common Info
Program Title:
Molecular Foundations for Sustainability: Sustainable Polymers Enabled by Rising Information Analytics (MFS-SPEED)
Synopsis of Program:
The Molecular Foundations for Sustainability: Sustainable Polymers Enabled by Rising Information Analytics program (MFS-SPEED) is a cross-directorate funding name in response to The Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Yr (FY) 2021 and the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act. It’s supported by the NSF Directorates for Mathematical and Bodily Sciences (MPS) and Expertise, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP), and 5 {industry} companions: Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, BASF, Dow, and IBM.
The purpose of MFS-SPEED is to help basic analysis enabling the accelerated discovery and supreme manufacturing of sustainable polymers utilizing state-of-the-art information science, and to boost growth of a cross-disciplinary workforce expert on this space. Particularly, by this solicitation the analysis group is inspired to deal with the invention and elaboration of recent sustainable polymers or sustainable pathways to present polymers by the creation and use of a data-centric surroundings the place analysis tasks are:
targeted on new approaches to predicting construction and properties of polymers and superior comfortable supplies,
with insights enabled by information analytics together with Synthetic Intelligence/Machine Studying;
This contains extra environment friendly, scalable preparation of monomers and polymers utilizing present or new artificial routes
and this name goals to coach a technical workforce that leverages information analytics to create sustainable polymers and comfortable supplies.Molecular Foundations for Sustainability: Sustainable Polymers Enabled by Rising Information Analytics (MFS-SPEED,) analysis grants – Awards will likely be supported in FY24/25 as much as $2M per award for as much as a three-year grant interval, commensurate with the scope and staff dimension. This program seeks to fund collaborative staff analysis that transcends the standard boundaries of particular person disciplines to attain this system objectives.
Cognizant Program Officer(s):
Please word 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):
47.049
— Mathematical and Bodily Sciences
47.084
— NSF Expertise, Innovation and Partnerships
Award Info
Anticipated Kind of Award: Customary Grant or Persevering with Grant
Estimated Variety of Awards: 4
to six
Roughly 5 awards are anticipated, every as much as $2M whole and as much as 3 years in length, topic to the supply of funds and high quality of proposals acquired.
Anticipated Funding Quantity: $9,500,000
The whole funding quantity features a $500,000 in-kind contribution from IBM within the type of Entry to Accelerated Discovery companies (SaaS, Software program as a Service).
The finances needs to be commensurate with the scope of the proposed analysis. Estimated program finances, variety of awards and common award dimension/length are topic to the supply of funds.
Eligibility Info
Who Might Submit Proposals:
Proposals could solely be submitted by the next:
Establishments of Increased Schooling (IHEs) – Two- and four-year IHEs (together with group schools) 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 contains funding to be supplied to an
worldwide department campus of a US establishment of upper schooling (together with by use of subawards and advisor preparations), the proposer should clarify
the profit(s) to the undertaking of efficiency on the worldwide department campus, and justify why the undertaking actions can’t be carried out on the US campus.
Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Unbiased museums, observatories, analysis laboratories, skilled societies and comparable organizations situated within the U.S. which are straight related to instructional or analysis actions.
Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or group that the Secretary of the Inside acknowledges as a federally acknowledged tribe pursuant to the Federally Acknowledged Indian Tribe Checklist Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131.
Who Might Function PI:
There are not any restrictions or limits.
Restrict on Variety of Proposals per Group:
There are not any restrictions or limits.
Restrict on Variety of Proposals per PI or co-PI:
1
An investigator could solely function a PI, co-PI or Senior Personnel on just one proposal, together with sub-awardees, submitted in response to this solicitation. If an investigator exceeds this restrict, the proposal acquired inside the restrict will likely be accepted primarily based on earliest date and time of proposal submission. The rest will likely be returned with out overview. This limitation contains proposals submitted by a lead group and any subawards included as a part of a proposal involving a number of organizations.
Variety of PIs per proposal: Minimal of two
Given the multidisciplinary nature of analysis encompassed by MFS-SPEED, proposals should contain the participation of no less than two investigators, e.g., one PI and a number of co-PIs. The proposals should show a collaboration between the investigators with synergistic approaches to the issue addressed by MFS-SPEED, with no less than one among them having information science experience and bringing important information analytics to the proposed analysis. Investigators with experience in macromolecular chemistry, polymer chemistry, and/or polymer physics are notably inspired to construct groups. Consideration to recyclable, upcyclable, and/or biodegradable polymers is inspired, as is techniques pondering (see https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/NSTC-JCEIPH-SCST-Sustainable-Chemistry-Federal-Panorama-Report-to-Congress.pdf). Proposals with {industry} participation (e.g., as a co-PI by a GOALI proposal or as non-funded senior personnel) are inspired.
Proposal Preparation and Submission Directions
A. Proposal Preparation Directions
Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required
B. Budgetary Info
C. Due Dates
Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. submitting group’s native time):
December 05, 2024
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitting group’s native time):
January 16, 2025
Proposal Assessment Info Standards
Advantage Assessment Standards:
Nationwide Science Board accepted standards. Extra advantage overview standards apply. Please see the complete textual content of this solicitation for additional info.
Award Administration Info
Award Circumstances:
Extra award circumstances apply. Please see the complete textual content of this solicitation for additional info.
Reporting Necessities:
Customary NSF reporting necessities apply.
Desk 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 Assessment Procedures
Advantage Assessment Ideas and Standards
Assessment and Choice Course of
Award Administration Info
Notification of the Award
Award Circumstances
Reporting Necessities
Company Contacts
Different Info
I. Introduction
Mitigating local weather change, reversing the deterioration of ecosystems, and enhancing resiliency of our planet are pressing international challenges. Sustainable Chemistry, the power to fabricate high-value molecules and supplies at commercially related scale from out there and renewable uncooked supplies, whereas utilizing sustainable power sources, after which disassemble these molecules into non-toxic and environmentally protected substances when not wanted, is essential in addressing these international challenges and requires collaborative efforts of the scientific and engineering communities. Creating progressive options within the realm of Sustainable Chemistry and profitable translation of primary science discoveries to commercialization and wide-spread use requires a paradigm shift the place scientific discoveries throughout disciplinary boundaries have to be pursued within the context of functioning techniques/fashions and systems-level approaches. Synergistic cross-disciplinary experience is predicted to open up vital new avenues to deal with these international challenges.
The Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Yr (FY) 2021 and the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act calls out Sustainable Chemistry as an vital analysis subject space, urging NSF to determine a program to help chemistry analysis and schooling actions (https://www.congress.gov/invoice/117th-congress/house-bill/4346/textual content) Sustainable Chemistry can be the topic of a current report issued by the Sustainable Chemistry Technique Group (SCST) underneath the auspices of the Joint Subcommittee on Setting, Innovation, and Public Well being (JEEP) by the White Home Workplace of Science and Expertise Coverage (https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/news-updates/2023/08/02/nstc-sustainable-chemistry-report/). In parallel, Sustainability, because it pertains to the chemical {industry}, is predicted to play a distinguished position sooner or later US economic system and is mentioned intimately within the 2022 NASEM report “The Significance of Chemical Analysis to the U.S. Economic system (2022)” (ISBN 978-0-309-68863-5; DOI 10.17226/26568). In response to the societal wants and scientific advances, the Division of Chemistry (CHE) at Nationwide Science Basis (NSF) establishes the Molecular Foundations for Sustainability (MFS) Program to advertise collaborative analysis, workforce growth, and partnerships wanted to construct a sustainable future.
In November 2022, the College/Business Demonstration Partnership (UIDP), 16 giant corporations, and an analogous variety of tutorial leaders with pursuits in sustainable chemistry engaged in an NSF-funded workshop titled “Growing Chemical Firm Engagement in Federally Funded Analysis Alternatives” (https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2236626&HistoricalAwards=false). This broad group of chemistry and supplies science specialists representing private and non-private analysis domains rallied round a standard motivation: to remodel and speed up sustainable polymer design utilizing rising digital instruments. Reaching this imaginative and prescient would elevate American competitiveness by unleashing the invention of superior and sustainable polymer chemistries, tackling main societal challenges from plastics wastes, and coaching a talented workforce on much-needed mixtures of chemistry and information science abilities. The workshop outcomes have been revealed in a publicly out there report titled “Aligning Pursuits in Help of Chemistry Analysis” (https://uidp.org/custom-type/chemistry-workshop-report/#disclaimer-21436).
Constructing on societal wants and group enter, the Molecular Foundations for Sustainability: Sustainable Polymers Enabled by Rising Information Analytics program (MFS-SPEED) is a cross-directorate funding name supported by the NSF’s Directorates for Mathematical and Bodily Sciences (MPS) and Expertise, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) to leverage and advance the discoveries supported by the MFS Program.
The purpose of MFS-SPEED is to help basic analysis enabling the accelerated discovery and supreme manufacturing of sustainable polymers utilizing state-of-the-art information instruments, and to boost growth of a workforce expert on this topic space.
Within the context of this funding alternative, the time period polymers contains conventional thermoplastics and thermosets in addition to water soluble polymers (ionic and nonionic) utilized in functions the place properties comparable to floor power and rheology modification are vital. Sustainable refers to supplies produced from constructing blocks, reagents, and catalysts which are renewable, function at optimum effectivity, make use of renewable power sources, and with decreased waste; this contains the intentional design, manufacture, use, and end-of-life administration of those supplies and merchandise throughout their lifecycle that don’t adversely impression human well being and the surroundings, whereas selling circularity, assembly societal wants, are scalable and contribute to financial resilience, and aspire to perpetually use parts, compounds, and supplies with out depletion of sources or accumulation of waste. Relying on their use and disposal, explicit focus is on polymers that biodegrade within the receiving surroundings or polymers that may be upcycled/recycled into useful supplies. MFS-SPEED seeks to speed up the invention of sustainable polymers by the disruptive and progressive software of recent and rising information and chem- and polymer informatic instruments comparable to synthetic intelligence (AI), machine studying (ML), and systems-level approaches. The creation of a workforce expert in using AI/ML and associated instruments to resolve chemical and supplies manufacturing issues is one other MFS-SPEED purpose.
MFS-SPEED enhances present analysis actions within the present analysis areas in sustainable chemistry and sustainable polymers, each inside NSF and different federal companies, however focuses on the combination of recent and rising information instruments to allow extra fast, environment friendly discovery and growth, and thus impression on the economic system and surroundings. MFS-SPEED proposals ought to present a transparent imaginative and prescient of the appliance space impacted by the analysis and might embrace ties to {industry} to allow fast adoption of recent discoveries. They need to present a imaginative and prescient assertion describing the brand new capabilities that may very well be enabled by the proposed analysis, and the potential industrial, instructional, and societal advantages.
Sustainability have to be addressed in all proposals. Necessary issues towards this finish embrace, however usually are not restricted to, renewable and/or bio-based uncooked supplies (monomers), modification of naturally occurring polymers/supplies, polymer re- or upcycling, polymer biodegradability, the destiny and motion of polymers and their degradation merchandise within the surroundings, and power effectivity. Polymer properties stay essential to their eventual utility and thus additionally needs to be addressed.
Polymer informatics and information approaches ought to handle the digitization of polymer constructions, information structuring and analytics, and prediction of parameters related to each sustainability and structure-property/polymer physics. To those ends, MFS-SPEED emphasizes analysis on information infrastructure instruments to advance polymer informatics (digitization of polymer constructions, information structuring and analytics, widespread strategies and measures frameworks, construction and property prediction, software program instruments), fashions for the computational description of polymeric constructions and properties (e.g. BigSMILES, https://olsenlabmit.github.io/BigSMILES/), together with linear, branched, cross-linked, networked, and water-soluble polymers), prediction of polymer constructions from automated interpretation of analytical information, and new, validated AI/ML instruments that allow growth of novel sustainable polymers.
All proposals ought to describe the implications of the proposed actions on the schooling of a talented technical workforce, particularly at this intersection of chemical/polymer analysis and information/modeling. The event of a talented workforce working at this interface is essential to the accelerated discovery of recent sustainable polymers and needs to be addressed. All groups responding to this solicitation should embrace a “Academic and Workforce Affect” part describing how the undertaking addresses this want and the anticipated impression of the grant.
The outcomes of this program, when translated to apply, ought to advance the U.S. polymer manufacturing {industry}, allow new capabilities and improve U.S. competitiveness in creating new merchandise. This initiative will educate and prepare college students with the talents wanted for a paradigm shift in these industries. Outcomes will assist the manufacturing enterprise reduce environmental impression; scale back power consumption in each the manufacturing and use; handle waste; and optimize design, fabrication, and using sources.
MFS-SPEED proposals ought to show the necessity for sustained help of a multidisciplinary staff utilizing a convergent analysis method. Inclusion of minority-serving establishments (https://www2.ed.gov/about/workplaces/record/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html) and organizations from EPSCoR states (https://new.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/epscor/state-websites) is inspired. Proposals should describe why the undertaking staff is acceptable to appreciate the undertaking objectives and the way the staff will guarantee efficient collaboration. A compelling rationale have to be offered for a multiorganization construction of the undertaking. Subsequently, proposers responding to this solicitation should embrace a “Challenge Administration and Collaboration” part.
Proposals could make the most of important efforts underway to enhance the nation’s competitiveness in sustainable polymers and supplies. For instance, proposals could leverage actions of different initiatives within the U.S. authorities and in Business. Proposers are additionally inspired to leverage present instructional packages inside or outdoors of NSF in artistic methods
II. Program Description
II. A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
MFS-SPEED aligns with nationwide priorities in rising applied sciences, specifically, superior engineering supplies, synthetic intelligence, superior manufacturing, and biotechnology. MFS-SPEED additional helps OSTP’s (Workplace of Science and Expertise Coverage) multi-agency analysis and growth priorities together with sustainable chemistry as recognized in a current report by the NSTC (Nationwide Science and Expertise Council).
MFS-SPEED will help actions that considerably speed up the discovery-to-use timeline in sustainable polymers by making use of new and rising information analytics to advance the design, growth, or manufacturability (i.e., properties related to manufacturing, process-property relationships, property efficiency metrics, scalable synthesis routes, financial feasibility, provide chain issues, or life cycle points) of sustainable polymers with fascinating properties or performance. Accordingly, MFS-SPEED will drive the event of recent instruments and approaches, and their integration with experiment, principle, computation, information analytics, and AI/ML to attain its goal. NSF and the collaborating corporations are in search of efforts that can focus strictly on information science directed in the direction of polymer and comfortable matter sustainability in precompetitive, basic analysis area. This program intends to deal with the hole between how polymer/comfortable matter analysis is performed at this time and the way it must be performed sooner or later to permit for the grand challenges round sustainability to be addressed.
The character of the actions addressed by this initiative requires a transformative interdisciplinary method to discovering new, sustainable polymers and comfortable matter. MFS-SPEED will handle this problem by supporting interdisciplinary groups to conduct analysis that leverages new and rising information analytics to advance polymer informatics, whereas educating, coaching, and selling a various and inclusive future workforce expert at this multidisciplinary interface and constructing a cohort of researchers dedicated to establishing constant practices for workflows, evaluation, and information sharing.
Proposers to this solicitation will handle sustainable polymers through a number of of three vital areas: (1) software of AI, ML, and different fashionable information evaluation methods to polymer chemistry, construction, and properties with the purpose of figuring out promising areas for additional interrogation; such approaches ought to each end in a broadly relevant ontology to permit modeling of polymers and in addition be validated by applicable analytical strategies to make sure robustness of developed methods and fashions; (2) growth of information structure approaches to polymer informatics that ensures that information that isn’t revealed shouldn’t be misplaced however reasonably managed and retained in a platform that enables it to be shared, accessed, and leveraged for future precompetitive, basic analysis; and (3) leverage specialists in quite a lot of fields to develop greatest practices across the growth of constant requirements that may be utilized to the evaluation of polymer chemistry and polymer physics; these requirements can embrace however shouldn’t be restricted to monomer properties, polymer biodegradability, lengthy chain oligomer or polymer security and toxicology, environmental destiny, polymer properties and efficiency, and predictive willpower of extremely complicated aggregation.
All proposed packages want to debate approaches to constructing the polymer-data science workforce (4) – these packages can embrace however shouldn’t be restricted to PhD-level industrial internships, faculty-industry researcher change packages, joint PhD analysis packages, and undergraduate capstone tasks. To institutionalize the paradigm shift of infusing information science and confirmed information approaches into basic polymer analysis, recipients will disseminate the approaches developed as a part of the award in instructional journal articles and the sharing of information and code produced in these tasks.
Give attention to Sustainability
Sustainability right here implies a use-inspired method to optimizing the efficacy of supplies within the economic system, together with issues comparable to course of power effectivity, life cycle, and technoeconomic evaluation. Additionally included are issues of carbon footprint, biodegradability/environmental destiny and mobility, and toxicity, with a molecular circularity in thoughts. As said within the current OSTP Sustainable Chemistry Report (August 2023, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/NSTC-JCEIPH-SCST-Sustainable-Chemistry-Federal-Panorama-Report-to-Congress.pdf), sustainability contains techniques bigger than solely a selected molecule, polymer or response, but additionally contains downstream supplies growth, processing, web power inputs, environmental impression, and economics.
An information-driven method to the sustainability of polymer manufacturing is a key motivating issue. The specified outcomes as they relate to polymer chemistry and physics are vital in their very own proper, however advances in foundational data on this space are much more vital within the context of sustainability. The proposed program will create a cross-functional platform that may catalyze and speed up change to disrupt present approaches and develop extra environmentally pleasant, sustainable supplies. For sustainable impression, outcomes needs to be translatable at scale to facilitate U.S. financial competitiveness in sustainable supplies manufacturing.
The partnering corporations concerned on this this program are dedicated to utilizing sustainability as a name to motion and want to see tutorial researchers suggest huge information analysis approaches that can have broad societal impression with transformative outcomes. This program doesn’t search to merely proceed present analysis. Reasonably, it seeks to incentivize a paradigm shift that allows information evaluation and discovery utilized to basic chemistry to turn out to be a platform for a sustainable future and tackles the analysis challenges on the extra complicated, system-level that goes past these supported by the present NSF disciplinary packages.
Information Structure
Universities possess huge portions of information, and the speculation is that interrogating this information will speed up innovation with an emphasis on sustainability. This contains information that aren’t revealed and held in inaccessible locations comparable to notebooks, retired lab gear, or particular person computer systems, but is nonetheless useful. This program seeks to each incentivize a shift in tradition to acknowledge that non-optimal, unfavorable, or “uninteresting” lab outcomes, needs to be retained and leveraged and to develop instruments to help information retention and leverage. Making use of AI/ML instruments will enable for information to be analyzed in new methods. Along with creating a strategy and tradition of retaining information, this program seeks to bolster using methods that can develop actionable findings from the knowledge repository.
MFS-SPEED proposals should present a plan for complete information administration that ensures transparency, information sharing, and open-source software program, together with an express assertion of which open-source license(s) and repositories, if relevant, will likely be used. This requires that the information and findings of any MFS-SPEED grant are made out there in a strong and reliable manner that outlasts the lifetime of the undertaking and is attentive to the FAIR (https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/) ideas the place all generated information is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. Groups/PIs are inspired to contemplate broader elements of information infrastructure and constructing a cohort of researchers dedicated to establishing commonplace greatest practices for information sharing in polymer science. To this finish, proposers ought to pay attention to and observe efforts by NSF and different federal companies to emphasise shared information infrastructure and the democratization of those sources (https://new.nsf.gov/information/democratizing-future-ai-rd-nsf-launch-national-ai).
Constant Requirements
Up to now, the methodology for quantifying polymer traits shouldn’t be uniform. In the identical manner that molecular weight is constant throughout laboratories the world over, there’s a want for the chemical properties of polymers and comfortable matter to be measured, analyzed, and cataloged in a constant method throughout labs to allow them to be accessible and readable by information evaluation instruments. Reaching this requires the event of normal, standardized, and systematic workflows for utilizing information analytics instruments broadly in polymer science to deal with sustainability objectives. The information evaluation instruments additionally should be transferrable to different techniques with out important recoding or reorganization. Such transferability would additionally enable for a future workforce expert in, and cozy with, the appliance of such instruments, with out the necessity for the deeper coaching required for his or her design from scratch. Developed code needs to be extremely modular to facilitate addition, change, and adoption. The first programming language needs to be one related to the broader technical group (comparable to Python or R) and code developed with correct model management (e.g., in GitHub). Tasks must also take into account repository (e.g., GitHub) and infrastructure upkeep and administration, in addition to the coaching of collaborators (college students, companions, and so forth.) on software program design ideas (model management, testing, and so forth.).
Bolster the Chemistry-Information Science Workforce
Sustainability in polymer growth and manufacturing requires a systems-level method. College students could also be attracted by this idea, however they want experience in a number of areas to pursue it through a techniques method. A well-trained workforce will likely be nicely positioned to deal with a myriad of subjects associated to end-of-life optimization, life cycle evaluation, decarbonization, biodegradability, or toxicity with a working data of each chemistry and information science. Growing synergistic information evaluation platforms that help such an endeavor requires a workforce that has twin capabilities in information science and polymer chemistry/physics.
II. B. ROLE OF INDUSTRY FUNDING PARTNERS
The businesses listed on this solicitation (Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Dow, BASF, and IBM) decide to offering annual contributions to NSF for the aim of funding proposals awarded underneath this solicitation. The reference to “{industry} companions” on this part refers particularly to those 5 entities and their position as funding companions on this solicitation. The contributions from these companions have been agreed upon primarily based on a shared perception within the significance of constructing progress within the analysis, schooling, and workforce growth objectives recognized on this program.
Previous to award, these {industry} companions could observe proposal panel opinions, however could not have interaction in or impression the panel proceedings. Panel observers will likely be required to conform to the identical Battle-of-Pursuits and Confidentiality Assertion (NSF Type 1230P) required of reviewers. After completion of the advantage overview course of, NSF will share with representatives of the {industry} companions the subset of proposals that are into account for funding by NSF, together with corresponding unattributed opinions and panel summaries the place relevant. Proprietary or privileged info supplied by the PI within the separate “Single Copy Paperwork” part of the proposal won’t be shared with reviewers or {industry} associate representatives. NSF will take into accounts the enter of all {industry} funding companions prior to creating remaining funding choices however will retain remaining authority for making all award choices.
NSF will administer awards underneath the Program in accordance with commonplace NSF insurance policies and procedures. All awards will likely be topic to plain NSF phrases and circumstances. Business companions won’t oversee the actions or use of funds by grantees underneath this Program however could have interaction with grantees as outlined beneath. Particularly, post-award, {industry} companions could make out there direct contributions of sources together with, however not restricted to, software program (prototypes or merchandise), information units, and/or different sources or infrastructure. No recipient will likely be required to make use of any {industry} associate’s provided contributions.
After an award, an {industry} associate can also organize to fund its personal personnel as researchers to straight take part, part-time or full-time, with recipient undertaking personnel. These preparations will likely be optionally available and upon the mutual consent of the {industry} associate and respective recipient establishments. No recipient will likely be required to just accept an {industry} associate researcher.
NSF will share annual and remaining annual undertaking studies with {industry} companions after these studies have been reviewed and accepted by the cognizant NSF Program Officer.
The award phrases and circumstances will state that recipients shall grant to the sponsoring events (NSF, and all of the {industry} companions and their associates named within the award letter) a non-exclusive, worldwide, absolutely paid-up, non-transferable, sublicensable, irrevocable royalty-free license to all mental property rights in any innovations conceived or first decreased to apply within the efficiency of the Program work underneath the funding settlement. [Note: the Bayh-Dole Act provides similar rights to the U.S. Government for patents on inventions made under federal funding.] The license to every {industry} associate will embrace its subsidiaries and contractors, at its discretion, to the extent that such use is particularly in reference to the {industry} associate’s merchandise and/or companies. Recipients shall grant the license to every {industry} associate named within the award letter until the {industry} associate opts to say no the license. Such license shall not lengthen to recipients’ background mental property; nonetheless, particular person recipients and {industry} companions could negotiate, voluntarily, in good religion, a mutually acceptable decision to background mental property, if desired, although NSF shall neither implement nor take part in any such negotiations between recipients and {industry} companions, nor will any funds supplied by NSF to the recipient be contingent upon such negotiations. No rights or licenses are granted by the {industry} companions. Recipients could delay the publishing of information and software program describing innovations to first allow the submitting of patent functions. That mentioned, NSF phrases and circumstances would require that recipients promptly publish all outcomes, information, and software program generated in efficiency of the analysis.
Proposals to this program could not record or describe any sort of agreed or assumed association to make use of the contributions described above or some other collaborative association with this solicitation’s {industry} companions, past what’s described within the eligibility part of this solicitation. Proposals that embrace such preparations or collaborations with these companions will likely be returned with out overview. Exception: Proposers usually are not restricted from making use of the extensively accessible services or products of {industry} companions.
Proposers to this program mustn’t straight contact {industry} companions with questions pertaining to their firm’s participation on this solicitation. All questions needs to be directed to the NSF program factors of contact listed within the solicitation.
III. Award Info
Anticipated Kind of Award: Customary Grant or Persevering with Grant
Estimated Variety of Awards: 4 to 6
Roughly 5 awards are anticipated, every as much as $2M whole and as much as 3 years in length, topic to the supply of funds and high quality of proposals acquired.
Anticipated Funding Quantity: $9,500,000
The whole funding quantity features a $500,000 in-kind contribution from IBM within the type of Entry to Accelerated Discovery companies (SaaS, Software program as a Service).
The finances needs to be commensurate with the scope of the proposed analysis.
Estimated program finances, variety of awards and common award dimension/length are topic to the supply of funds.
IV. Eligibility Info
Who Might Submit Proposals:
Proposals could solely be submitted by the next:
Establishments of Increased Schooling (IHEs) – Two- and four-year IHEs (together with group schools) 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 contains funding to be supplied to an
worldwide department campus of a US establishment of upper schooling (together with by use of subawards and advisor preparations), the proposer should clarify
the profit(s) to the undertaking of efficiency on the worldwide department campus, and justify why the undertaking actions can’t be carried out on the US campus.
Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Unbiased museums, observatories, analysis laboratories, skilled societies and comparable organizations situated within the U.S. which are straight related to instructional or analysis actions.
Tribal Nations: An American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or group that the Secretary of the Inside acknowledges as a federally acknowledged tribe pursuant to the Federally Acknowledged Indian Tribe Checklist Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131.
Who Might Function PI:
There are not any restrictions or limits.
Restrict on Variety of Proposals per Group:
There are not any restrictions or limits.
Restrict on Variety of Proposals per PI or co-PI:
1
An investigator could solely function a PI, co-PI or Senior Personnel on just one proposal, together with sub-awardees, submitted in response to this solicitation. If an investigator exceeds this restrict, the proposal acquired inside the restrict will likely be accepted primarily based on earliest date and time of proposal submission. The rest will likely be returned with out overview. This limitation contains proposals submitted by a lead group and any subawards included as a part of a proposal involving a number of organizations.
Variety of PIs per proposal: Minimal of two
Given the multidisciplinary nature of analysis encompassed by MFS-SPEED, proposals should contain the participation of no less than two investigators, e.g., one PI and a number of co-PIs. The proposals should show a collaboration between the investigators with synergistic approaches to the issue addressed by MFS-SPEED, with no less than one among them having information science experience and bringing important information analytics to the proposed analysis. Investigators with experience in macromolecular chemistry, polymer chemistry, and/or polymer physics are notably inspired to construct groups. Consideration to recyclable, upcyclable, and/or biodegradable polymers is inspired, as is techniques pondering (see https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/NSTC-JCEIPH-SCST-Sustainable-Chemistry-Federal-Panorama-Report-to-Congress.pdf). Proposals with {industry} participation (e.g., as a co-PI by a GOALI proposal or as non-funded senior personnel) are inspired.
Extra Eligibility Data:
Tips for the Participation of Companion Corporations and Affiliated People in Proposals:
Tips for Companion Corporations:
A associate firm shouldn’t be permitted to take part in proposals to this system.
Tips for People Affiliated with Companion Corporations:
People affiliated with a associate firm could take part in proposals to this system topic to sure limitations and allowances. These limitations and allowances apply to people who’re presently employed by, consulting for, presently seconded to or on sabbatical with an {industry} associate, or on an lively settlement to offer companies for the corporate. Particularly:
Such people could not take part of their capability as affiliated with the corporate.
Such people could take part in the event that they (i) maintain a main appointment at one other group not partnered on this system (e.g., a main tutorial appointment at an establishment of upper schooling), as relevant to and outlined by that group, and (ii) achieve this strictly of their capability at that different group.
Such people could take part if their submission shouldn’t be spinoff of their work affiliated with an {industry} associate. A affirmation letter from the supporting firm stating that the proposed undertaking shouldn’t be spinoff of their work with the {industry} associate have to be submitted as a single copy doc with the proposal.
V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Directions
A. Proposal Preparation Directions
Letters of Intent (required):
Letters of Intent are required and have to be submitted through Analysis.gov no later than the date specified on this solicitation. LOIs should embrace the next:
Title of the proposal, preceded by the phrases “MFS-SPEED:”;
Names and organizational affiliations of the Principal Investigator (PI) and co-PIs. Proposals should contain the participation of no less than two investigators, e.g., one PI and a number of co-PIs.
The names of some other collaborating organizations; and
Within the Challenge Synopsis part, a quick description of the particular objectives of the proposal and the way the proposed analysis is attentive to the MFS-SPEED solicitation.
Letters of intent are required for proposals to this solicitation. They’re non-binding with respect to the staff members, title, and particular objectives of the analysis. The letters of intent won’t be used as pre-approval mechanisms for the submission of proposals, and no suggestions will likely be supplied to submitters. The letters of intent will likely be utilized by NSF to evaluate necessities for proposal overview.
Letter of Intent Preparation Directions:
When submitting a Letter of Intent by Analysis.gov in response to this Program Solicitation please word the circumstances outlined beneath:
Submission by an Licensed Organizational Consultant (AOR) shouldn’t be required when submitting Letters of Intent.
A Minimal of
1
and Most of
4
Different Senior Challenge Personnel are permitted
A Minimal of
0
and Most of
10
Different Taking part Organizations are permitted
Submission of a number of Letters of Intent shouldn’t be permitted
Full Proposal Preparation Directions: Proposers could choose to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation through Analysis.gov or Grants.gov.
Full Proposals submitted through Analysis.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation needs to be ready and submitted in accordance with the overall tips contained within the NSF Proposal and Award Insurance policies and Procedures Information (PAPPG). The whole textual content of the PAPPG is out there 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 through Grants.gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation through Grants.gov needs to be ready and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.gov Utility Information: A Information for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Purposes through Grants.gov. The whole textual content of the NSF Grants.gov Utility Information is out there 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 word the next:
Collaborative Proposals. All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from a number of organizations have to be submitted through Analysis.gov. PAPPG Chapter II.E.3 supplies extra info on collaborative proposals.
See PAPPG Chapter II.D.2 for steerage on the required sections of a full analysis proposal submitted to NSF. Please word that the proposal preparation directions supplied on this program solicitation could deviate from the PAPPG directions.
Cowl Sheet:
Title: Proposal titles ought to start with “MFS-SPEED:” then the title.
Challenge Description:
Along with the content material specified within the PAPPG, the Challenge Description should include particular extra sections with the next titles required, as indicated, and described within the above Sections I and II. These sections will likely be reviewed in accordance with the Extra Solicitation Particular Assessment Standards outlined in Part VI:
Challenge Administration and Collaboration: The “Challenge Administration and Collaboration” part should describe and rationalize why the undertaking staff is acceptable to appreciate the undertaking objectives and the way the staff will guarantee efficient, synergistic collaboration.
The required part labeled “Broader Impacts” should include the next subsections. (Please word that the part header for Broader Impacts have to be by itself line with no different textual content on that line.)
Schooling and Workforce Affect: The “Schooling and Workforce Affect” part should describe the anticipated impression of the grant on the schooling and growth of a workforce with technical data combining polymer chemistry/physics and cutting-edge information science approaches comparable to synthetic intelligence (AI) and machine studying (ML).
Information Instruments and Strategies Entry: MFS-SPEED helps data-intensive polymer informatics analysis. This requires that the information and findings of any MFS-SPEED grant are made out there in a strong and reliable manner that outlasts the lifetime of the undertaking and is attentive to the FAIR ideas the place all generated information is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. Investigators are strongly inspired to assume by the method of digital information creation and develop practices and a plan for sharing digital information. Entry to the information instruments and strategies are of explicit relevance to MFS-SPEED and should show responsiveness to the FAIR tips. It’s moreover useful if information is “AI-ready” and that machine studying fashions are made out there together with their coaching information to be maximally helpful to the analysis group. It’s a affordable expectation that digital information supporting revealed work will likely be freely out there with out request inside an inexpensive time from publication.
Letters of Collaboration:
Letters of collaboration ought to comply with the advisable format specified within the PAPPG Chapter II.D.2. Proposers should not embrace letters of collaboration from any of the collaborating {industry} companions listed on this solicitation. Any proposal that deviates from these tips will likely be returned with out overview.
Single Copy Paperwork (if relevant):
Proposers could want to embrace proprietary or privileged info as a part of their proposals. Per PAPPG Chapter II.E.1, NSF defines such info as “patentable concepts, commerce secrets and techniques, privileged or confidential industrial or monetary info, disclosure of which can hurt the proposer”. Whereas offering this info shouldn’t be required, a proposer to the MFS-SPEED program who needs to incorporate proprietary or privileged info should present all such info within the proposal as a Single-Copy Doc. That’s, this info shall not seem in different elements of the proposal. Consistent with NSF’s apply, the Single Copy Doc won’t be shared with reviewers or {industry} companions.
Whereas NSF will make each effort to forestall unauthorized entry to such materials, the Basis shouldn’t be accountable or in any manner responsible for the discharge of such materials.
Observe: As a result of proprietary or privileged info could solely be specified within the Single Copy Doc, PIs mustn’t verify the “Proprietary or Privileged Info” field on the Cowl Sheet; that field applies solely to such content material showing within the physique of a proposal.
Proposers who’re collaborating with, or supported by, a number of of the {industry} companions could take part on this program if their submission shouldn’t be spinoff from their work affiliated with the {industry} associate(s). A affirmation letter from the supporting firm stating that the proposed undertaking shouldn’t be spinoff of their work with the {industry} associate have to be submitted with the proposal as a single copy doc.
B. Budgetary Info
Value Sharing:
Inclusion of voluntary dedicated value sharing is prohibited.
C. Due Dates
Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. submitting group’s native time):
December 05, 2024
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitting group’s native time):
January 16, 2025
D. Analysis.gov/Grants.gov Necessities
For Proposals Submitted By way of Analysis.gov:
To arrange and submit a proposal through Analysis.gov, see detailed technical directions out there 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 help, 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 needs to be referred to the NSF program workers contact(s) listed in Part VIII of this funding alternative.
For Proposals Submitted By way of 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 out there 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) supplies directions relating to the technical preparation of proposals through Grants.gov. For Grants.gov person help, contact the Grants.gov Contact Heart at 1-800-518-4726 or by e mail: [email protected]. The Grants.gov Contact Heart solutions normal technical questions associated to using Grants.gov. Particular questions associated to this program solicitation needs to 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 Licensed Organizational Consultant (AOR) should submit the appliance to Grants.gov and confirm the specified funding alternative and company to which the appliance is submitted. The AOR should then signal and submit the appliance to Grants.gov. The finished software will likely be transferred to Analysis.gov for additional processing.
The NSF Grants.gov Proposal Processing in Analysis.gov informational web page supplies submission steerage 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 Incessantly 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 through Grants.gov, NSF strongly recommends candidates provoke proposal submission no less than 5 enterprise days prematurely of a deadline to permit ample time to deal with NSF compliance errors and resubmissions by 5:00 p.m. submitting group’s native time on the deadline. Please word 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 through Analysis.gov could use Analysis.gov to confirm the standing of their submission to NSF. For proposers that submitted through Grants.gov, till an software has been acquired and validated by NSF, the Licensed Organizational Consultant could verify the standing of an software on Grants.gov. After proposers have acquired an e-mail notification from NSF, Analysis.gov needs to be used to verify the standing of an software.
VI. NSF Proposal Processing And Assessment 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 rigorously reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and often by three to 10 different individuals outdoors NSF both as advert hoc reviewers, panelists, or each, who’re specialists within the explicit 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 nicely certified to overview the proposal and/or individuals they would favor not overview the proposal. These ideas could function one supply within the reviewer choice course of on the Program Officer’s discretion. Submission of such names, nonetheless, is optionally available. Care is taken to make sure that reviewers don’t have any conflicts of curiosity with the proposal. As well as, Program Officers could receive feedback from website visits earlier than recommending remaining motion on proposals. Senior NSF workers additional overview suggestions for awards. A flowchart that depicts your entire 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 out there on the NSF web site at: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/coverage/merit_review/.
Proposers must also pay attention to core methods which are important to the success 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 by the combination of analysis and schooling and broadening participation in NSF packages, tasks, and actions.
One of many strategic goals in help of NSF’s mission is to foster integration of analysis and schooling by 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 underneath the steerage 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 data 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 important 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. Advantage Assessment Ideas and Standards
The Nationwide Science Basis strives to put money into a strong and various portfolio of tasks that creates new data and allows breakthroughs in understanding throughout all areas of science and engineering analysis and schooling. To determine which tasks to help, NSF depends on a advantage overview course of that comes with consideration of each the technical elements of a proposed undertaking 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 number of tasks.
1. Advantage Assessment Ideas
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 suggest proposals for funding and whereas overseeing awards. On condition that NSF is the first federal company charged with nurturing and supporting excellence in primary analysis and schooling, the next three ideas apply:
All NSF tasks needs to be of the very best high quality and have the potential to advance, if not rework, the frontiers of data.
NSF tasks, within the mixture, ought to contribute extra broadly to attaining societal objectives. These “Broader Impacts” could also be achieved by the analysis itself, by actions which are straight associated to particular analysis tasks, or by actions which are supported by, however are complementary to, the undertaking. The undertaking actions could also be primarily based on beforehand established and/or progressive strategies and approaches, however in both case have to be nicely justified.
Significant evaluation and analysis of NSF funded tasks needs to be primarily based on applicable metrics, protecting in thoughts the possible correlation between the impact of broader impacts and the sources supplied to implement tasks. If the dimensions of the exercise is restricted, analysis of that exercise in isolation shouldn’t be more likely to be significant. Thus, assessing the effectiveness of those actions could greatest be performed at a better, extra aggregated, degree than the person undertaking.
With respect to the third precept, even when evaluation of Broader Impacts outcomes for explicit tasks is completed at an aggregated degree, PIs are anticipated to be accountable for finishing up the actions described within the funded undertaking. Thus, particular person tasks ought to embrace clearly said objectives, 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 premise for the advantage overview standards, in addition to a context inside which the customers of the standards can higher perceive their intent.
2. Advantage Assessment Standards
All NSF proposals are evaluated by use of the 2 Nationwide Science Board accepted advantage overview standards. In some situations, nonetheless, NSF will make use of extra standards as required to spotlight the particular goals of sure packages and actions.
The 2 advantage overview standards are listed beneath. Each standards are to be given full consideration throughout the overview and decision-making processes; every criterion is critical however neither, by itself, is enough. Subsequently, proposers should absolutely handle each standards. (PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.d(i). accommodates extra info to be used by proposers in growth of the Challenge Description part of the proposal). Reviewers are strongly inspired to overview the standards, together with PAPPG Chapter II.D.2.d(i), previous to the overview of a proposal.
When evaluating NSF proposals, reviewers will likely be requested to contemplate what the proposers wish to do, why they wish to do it, how they plan to do it, how they are going to know in the event that they succeed, and what advantages may accrue if the undertaking is profitable. These points apply each to the technical elements of the proposal and the best way by which the undertaking could make broader contributions. To that finish, reviewers will likely be requested to judge all proposals in opposition to two standards:
Mental Advantage: The Mental Advantage criterion encompasses the potential to advance data; 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 needs to be thought of within the overview for each standards:
What’s the potential for the proposed exercise to
Advance data and understanding inside its personal area or throughout totally different fields (Mental Advantage); and
Profit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?
To what extent do the proposed actions recommend and discover artistic, authentic, or doubtlessly 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 nicely certified is the person, staff, or group to conduct the proposed actions?
Are there ample sources out there to the PI (both on the house group or by collaborations) to hold out the proposed actions?
Broader impacts could also be achieved by the analysis itself, by the actions which are straight associated to particular analysis tasks, or by actions which are supported by, however are complementary to, the undertaking. NSF values the development of scientific data and actions that contribute to achievement of societally related outcomes. Such outcomes embrace, however usually are not restricted to: full participation of ladies, individuals with disabilities, and different underrepresented teams in science, know-how, engineering, and arithmetic (STEM); improved STEM schooling 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, {industry}, and others; improved nationwide safety; elevated financial competitiveness of the US; and enhanced infrastructure for analysis and schooling.
Proposers are reminded that reviewers may also be requested to overview the Information Administration and Sharing Plan and the Mentoring Plan, as applicable.
Extra Solicitation Particular Assessment Standards
Solicitation particular overview standards are supplied within the MFS-SPEED solicitation as embellishments of the NSF Mental Advantage and Broader Impacts standards. These extra standards will assist focus consideration on elements that improve the affect on the broader {industry} and spotlight issues distinctive to the objectives of this system. Particularly,
To what diploma is the proposed undertaking attentive to the MFS-SPEED program objectives? Particularly, how successfully does the proposal apply the fashionable and rising instruments of information analytics to polymer informatics and systems-level, quantitatively-supported approaches to sustainability as described above?
Schooling and Workforce Affect: How successfully does the proposal current a compelling argument that the undertaking will equip college students with the talents and data to use information science approaches to polymer chemistry and polymer physics issues?
Challenge Administration and Collaboration: Is the composition of the multidisciplinary staff applicable for the scope of the proposed actions and MFS-SPEED objectives? Does the proposal convey a compelling case for synergy and efficient communication/group between the undertaking members?
B. Assessment and Choice Course of
Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will likely be reviewed by
Advert hoc Assessment and/or Panel Assessment.
NSF will coordinate and handle the overview of proposals in accordance with the usual NSF advantage overview course of. As outlined in Part II.B. Function of Business Funding Companions, {industry} associate representatives could function panel observers and related details about proposals and opinions of proposals could also be shared with {industry} companions.
Reviewers will likely be requested to judge proposals utilizing two Nationwide Science Board accepted advantage overview standards and, if relevant, extra program particular standards. A abstract ranking and accompanying narrative will usually be accomplished and submitted by every reviewer and/or panel. The Program Officer assigned to handle the proposal’s overview will take into account 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 needs to 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 notably complicated proposals or proposals from new recipients could require extra 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 likely 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 needs to 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 danger.
As soon as an award or declination resolution has been made, Principal Investigators are supplied suggestions about their proposals. In all circumstances, 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/Challenge 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 Info
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 likely be suggested as promptly as potential by the cognizant NSF Program administering this system. Verbatim copies of opinions, not together with the id of the reviewer, will likely be supplied routinely 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 finances, which signifies the quantities, by classes of expense, on which NSF has primarily based its help (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, comparable to Grant Common Circumstances (GC-1)*; or Analysis Phrases and Circumstances* and (5) any announcement or different NSF issuance which may be included 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 through 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 vital info on the administration of NSF awards is contained within the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information (PAPPG) Chapter VII, out there 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, Making certain the Future is Made in All of America by All of Americas 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, in step with legislation, using items, merchandise, and supplies produced in, and companies provided in, the US.
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 out there by this funding alternative could also be obligated for an award until all iron, metal, manufactured merchandise, and development supplies used within the undertaking are produced in the US. For extra info, go to NSFs Construct America, Purchase America webpage.
Particular Award Circumstances:
Acknowledgement of Help:
Recipients will likely be required to incorporate applicable acknowledgment of NSF and {industry} companions help in studies and/or publications on work carried out underneath an award. An instance of such an acknowledgement could be: “This materials relies upon work supported by the Nationwide Science Basis underneath grant no. (NSF grant quantity) and is supported partially by funds from federal company and {industry} companions as specified within the Molecular Foundations for Sustainability: Sustainable Polymers Enabled by Rising Information Analytics (MFS-SPEED) program.”
Business Companion Engagement with Program Recipients:
As soon as the Program awards have been issued, every of the {industry} companions could have interaction with the recipients within the following methods:
Proposers ought to plan that NSF or an NSF-funded coordination entity will facilitate a PI assembly(s) between NSF, {industry} companions, and recipients. Recipients should have interaction with NSF and/or the coordination entity on these actions all through the length of the grant. Business companions agree to not disclose any personal info offered or disclosed by recipients at such occasions to any non-recipient establishment of upper schooling or group outdoors of the corporate. Additional, {industry} companions agree to not disclose any {industry} partner-owned personal info to recipients.
Present software program (prototypes or merchandise), {hardware} (prototypes or merchandise), and/or different such help to all recipients, though recipients won’t be required to make use of these provided contributions.
Present sources (entry to check and/or instrumentation services), non-proprietary information, and/or alternatives (e.g., seminars, internships) to all recipients, though recipients won’t be required to just accept or use these provided contributions.
NSF requires recipients to submit annual undertaking studies and, on the completion of the award, a remaining undertaking report. Challenge studies are personal info. NSF will share these studies with the {industry} companions after they’ve been reviewed and accepted by the cognizant NSF Program Officer. The commercial associate could choose to say no to obtain these studies. Additional, industrial companions agree to not disclose any personal info within the undertaking studies to any non-recipient establishment of upper schooling or group outdoors of the corporate.
An {industry} associate can also organize to fund its personal personnel as researchers to straight take part, part-time or full-time, with recipient undertaking personnel. These preparations will likely be optionally available and upon the mutual consent of the {industry} associate and respective recipient establishments. Recipients usually are not required to just accept an {industry} associate researcher.
An {industry} associate can also request conferences or different modes of knowledge change with recipients to debate and share concepts or info. These preparations will likely be optionally available and upon the mutual consent of the {industry} associate and respective recipient establishments. The scope and goals of the undertaking might not be modified with out prior NSF approval.
Along with the required annual studies and the ultimate annual undertaking report, recipients could, however usually are not required to, share personal info (e.g., analysis outcomes, information, conclusions, analysis samples, code, fashions, and innovations) which are generated from the undertaking with the NSF and {industry} companions. NSF and {industry} companions shall not disclose any personal info till they turn out to be public or until granted written permission to take action by the discloser.
Mental Property:
Recipients shall grant to {industry} companions named within the award letter, a non-exclusive, worldwide, paid-up, non-transferable, irrevocable royalty-free license to all mental property rights in any innovations conceived or first decreased to apply within the efficiency of the Program work underneath the funding settlement. [Note: the Bayh-Dole Act provides similar rights to the U.S. Government for patents on inventions made under federal funding.] The license to every {industry} associate will embrace its subsidiaries and contractors, at its discretion, to the extent that such use is particularly in reference to the {industry} associate’s merchandise and/or companies. Recipients shall grant the license to every {industry} associate named within the award letter until the {industry} associate opts to say no the license. Such license shall not lengthen to recipients’ background mental property; nonetheless, particular person recipients and {industry} companions could negotiate, voluntarily, in good religion, a mutually acceptable decision to background mental property, if desired, although NSF shall neither implement nor take part in any such negotiations between recipients and {industry} companions, nor will any funds supplied by NSF to the recipient be contingent upon such negotiations. No rights or licenses are granted by the {industry} companions. Recipients could delay the publishing of information and software program describing innovations to first allow the submitting of patent functions. That mentioned, NSF phrases and circumstances would require that recipients promptly publish all outcomes, information, and software program generated in efficiency of the analysis.
C. Reporting Necessities
For all multi-year grants (together with each commonplace and persevering with grants), the Principal Investigator should submit an annual undertaking report back to the cognizant Program Officer no later than 90 days previous to the top of the present finances interval. (Some packages or awards require submission of extra frequent undertaking studies). No later than 120 days following expiration of a grant, the PI is also required to submit a remaining annual undertaking report, and a undertaking outcomes report for most of the people.
Failure to offer the required annual or remaining annual undertaking studies, or the undertaking 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, out there by Analysis.gov, for preparation and submission of annual and remaining annual undertaking studies. Such studies present info on accomplishments, undertaking members (particular person and organizational), publications, and different particular merchandise and impacts of the undertaking. Submission of the report through Analysis.gov constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are correct and full. The undertaking outcomes report additionally have to be ready and submitted utilizing Analysis.gov. This report serves as a quick abstract, ready particularly for the general public, of the character and outcomes of the undertaking. This report will likely be posted on the NSF web site precisely as it’s submitted by the PI.
Extra complete info on NSF Reporting Necessities and different vital info on the administration of NSF awards is contained within the NSF Proposal & Award Insurance policies & Procedures Information (PAPPG) Chapter VII, out there electronically on the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg.
VIII. Company Contacts
Please word that this system contact info is present on the time of publishing. See program web site for any updates to the factors of contact.
Common inquiries relating to this program needs to be made to:
For questions associated to using NSF techniques 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 Heart: If the Licensed Organizational Representatives (AOR) has not acquired a affirmation message from Grants.gov inside 48 hours of submission of software, please contact through phone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail: [email protected].
IX. Different Info
The NSF web site supplies essentially the most complete supply of knowledge 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 recent NSF funding alternatives and publications, vital modifications in proposal and award insurance policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Grants Conferences. Subscribers are knowledgeable by e-mail or the person’s Net browser every time new publications are issued that match their recognized pursuits. “NSF Replace” additionally is out there on NSF’s web site.
Grants.gov supplies an extra digital functionality to seek for Federal government-wide grant alternatives. NSF funding alternatives could also be accessed through this mechanism. Additional info on Grants.gov could also be obtained at https://www.grants.gov.
About The Nationwide Science Basis
The Nationwide Science Basis (NSF) is an unbiased 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 schooling in all fields of science and engineering.”
NSF funds analysis and schooling in most fields of science and engineering. It does this by grants and cooperative agreements to greater than 2,000 schools, universities, Ok-12 college techniques, companies, casual science organizations and different analysis organizations all through the US. The Basis accounts for about one-fourth of Federal help to tutorial establishments for primary analysis.
NSF receives roughly 55,000 proposals annually for analysis, schooling and coaching tasks, of which roughly 11,000 are funded. As well as, the Basis receives a number of thousand functions for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The company operates no laboratories itself however does help Nationwide Analysis Facilities, person services, sure oceanographic vessels and Arctic and Antarctic analysis stations. The Basis additionally helps cooperative analysis between universities and {industry}, 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 gear 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 relating to preparation of a lot 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 Heart could also be reached at (703) 292-5111.
The Nationwide Science Basis promotes and advances scientific progress in the US by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for analysis and schooling 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 Common Info
(NSF Info Heart):
(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
Privateness Act And Public Burden Statements
The data requested on proposal kinds and undertaking studies is solicited underneath the authority of the Nationwide Science Basis Act of 1950, as amended. The data on proposal kinds will likely be utilized in reference to the number of certified proposals; and undertaking studies submitted by proposers will likely 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 relating to the proposal overview course of, award choices, or the administration of awards; to authorities contractors, specialists, volunteers and researchers and educators as crucial to finish assigned work; to different authorities companies or different entities needing info relating to proposers or nominees as a part of a joint software overview course of, or with a purpose to coordinate packages or coverage; and to a different Federal company, courtroom, or occasion 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 Report Notices, NSF-50, “Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Related Information,” and NSF-51, “Reviewer/Proposal File and Related Information.” Submission of the knowledge is voluntary. Failure to offer full and full info, nonetheless, could scale back the opportunity of receiving an award.
An company could not conduct or sponsor, and an individual shouldn’t be required to answer, an info assortment until it shows a legitimate Workplace of Administration and Price range (OMB) management quantity. The OMB management quantity for this assortment is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this assortment of knowledge is estimated to common 120 hours per response, together with the time for reviewing directions. Ship feedback relating to the burden estimate and some other facet of this assortment of knowledge, together with ideas for decreasing this burden, to:
Suzanne H. Plimpton
Reviews Clearance Officer
Coverage Workplace, Division of Establishment and Award Help
Workplace of Price range, Finance, and Award Administration
Nationwide Science Basis
Alexandria, VA 22314
