NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Office of Budget, Finance & Award Management
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230

Dear Colleagues:

We have published a revised version of the NSF Grant Policy Manual (GPM) effective August 1, 2002. This document supersedes all prior versions of the GPM. This revision implements important changes to NSF's policies, as well as updates procedures for conformance with the Foundation's conversion to electronic processes. A summary of significant changes has been developed to assist the user in navigating through these changes.

Given the continually expanding use of the NSF website to provide and obtain information regarding NSF programs, funding opportunities, and proposal and award policies and procedures, the GPM will no longer be a "printed" document or be available through the Government Printing Office subscription service. NSF has successfully tested use of electronic dissemination with a number of our major announcements and solicitations, as the well as the NSF Grant Proposal Guide and Guide to Programs, over the past few years. Therefore, the GPM will be issued electronically and accessible on the NSF website.

Organizations or individuals unable to access the GPM electronically may order paper copies (maximum of 5 per request) by either of the following means:

• Phoning the NSF Publications Clearinghouse at (301) 947-2722; or
• Sending a request to pubs@nsf.gov or the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 218, Jessup, MD 20794-0218.

Please address any questions or comments about the GPM to the Policy Office, Division of Grants and Agreements at (703) 292-8243 or by e-mail to policy@nsf.gov.

Thomas N. Cooley
Chief Financial Officer &
Director, Officer of Budget, Finance & Award Management