The Policy Office of the Division of Institution and Award Support is responsible for developing, implementing and issuing proposal and award policy, for the programs of the National Science Foundation. Support is provided to both the Division of Grants and Agreements (DGA) and the Division of Contracts and Complex Agreements (DCCA), plus the rest of the Foundation and our external customers as well. Specific responsibilities include: planning, recommending and issuing grant, cooperative and other agreement policies, procedures and practices that are responsive to both Federal law and regulations and yet sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of the diverse national and international programs of the NSF.

Policies, procedures and implementing guidance may be developed in response to administrative initiatives published by the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, General Services Administration and other Federal agencies involved in the oversight of grants activities. These initiatives, as well as proposed and newly enacted legislation, regulations and policies relating to grants activities are evaluated for possible implications and impact on the NSF grants activities, and the NSF grantee communities.

Additional responsibilities of the Policy Office include: maintaining various manuals and publications which provide guidance for proposal processing and award administration. This includes the Proposal and Award Manual, Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), Grant Policy Manual (GPM), Grant and Agreement Conditions, standard terms and conditions (e.g., GC-1 and FDP), and the Federal Demonstration Partnership. The majority of these documents, other grants-related publications and information regarding the NSF Regional Grant Conferences and Other Outreach Opportunities, are available electronically on the NSF Home Page.

The Policy Office also provides guidance to senior grant and agreement specialists, NSF senior program and administrative officials, and the grantee community on policy questions involving complex issues, and represents the Foundation at various outreach activities, such as NSF Regional Grants Conferences.

General questions or comments regarding grant policy not related to a specific award may be sent via electronic mail to the Policy Office at policy@nsf.gov.