Title: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Dear Colleague Letter (NSF-02-103) Date: 6/13/02 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (NSF-02-142) about the Dear Colleague Letter (NSF-02-103) (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02103/nsf02103.htm.) for Goal 3 of the Math and Science Partnership (MSP) Program Solicitation (NSF-02-061) (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02061/nsf02061.html). This set of FAQs (NSF-02-142) is considered to be appended to the original set of FAQs (NSF-02-140) (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02140/nsf02140.htm) posted on March 26, 2002. This set of FAQs pertains to Goal 3 of the MSP Solicitation -- for research, evaluation, and technical assistance for the overall MSP program. Proposals for Goal 3 (only) are due on June 17, 2002. This set of FAQs is intended to be a helpful supplement to the Dear Colleague Letter (NSF-02-103). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Is there a limit on the number of proposals an institution is allowed to submit? No ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Are there any restrictions on the kind of institution that may apply? No. Any institution that is eligible under the NSF Grant Proposal Guide may apply. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Clearly, eligibility requirements are different than for the MSP partnerships--what is the eligibility for Goal 3 proposers? Where are the proposal guidelines for this submission? See response to question 2. Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement/solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF Web Site at: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpg. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Since the GPG has a 15-page project description limit, is that the limit for Goal 3 submissions, or may we use the 20 pages allowed by the MSP solicitation? Use the Grant Proposal Guide limit of 15 pages. The 20-page limit only applies to Comprehensive Partnership proposals, which these are not. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Do we indicate the solicitation number somewhere on the submission or just the GPG? The program solicitation number (02-061) should be selected from the drop-down menu found in the CoverSheet section in Fastlane. When given the drop-down options of "Comprehensive," "Targeted," or "Other," select "Other." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. NSF 02-061 "proposal preparation and submission instructions" are focused on applications for MSP program grants. Our question is this: do you have a prescribed format or instructions for Goal 3 applications? The general NSF proposal guidelines should be used for this submission. These guidelines are found in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide at: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpg. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. What about appendices different than for partnerships? Narratives should not exceed the 15-page limit. No appendices are allowed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. According to the Dear Colleague Letter, final reports are due July 31, 2003 for the design grants. Would this be the end date for the design projects? What is the anticipated start date? The design grants should conclude by July 31, 2003. The starting date should be October 1, 2002. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9. The MSP solicitation suggests sections for the proposal (Overview, Planning History, etc.) Should the Goal 3 Proposals follow the same outline? These sections are not necessary since the focus is only on the Goal 3. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10. The Dear Colleague letter states that the design grants "will develop and test models." Does NSF expect full field testing of the model with Partnerships projects this year or is it acceptable to test the model through less intensive efforts? Full field testing is not critical. Pilot testing of a technical assistance model, for example, might be very reasonable, once a technical assistance preliminary design has been outlined in the first report due on March 1, 2003. In other words, it would be possible to propose that once the initial design has been submitted (by March 1, 2003), the second part of the year would involve some piloting testing that would be reported on at the end of the funding period. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 11. Can the technical assistance designs propose services for MSP evaluators to support their evaluation plans or will that be the responsibility of another grantee's role? Technical assistance to evaluators could be proposed under the Dear Colleague Letter. Those submitting proposals to develop technical assistance models may call for some (specified or unspecified) organization to provide the services; however, the delivery of technical assistance service will be addressed in a later competition. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 12. When and how will the Design Grantees have access to all of the baseline data submitted by the MSP's selected for funding? The MSP Targeted and Comprehensive Partnership awards will be announced by October 1, 2002, and the winning proposals, which include baseline data, should be available shortly thereafter to DCL grantees. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13. Will the two NSF merit review criteria be used to evaluate these proposals? Yes, the proposals will be evaluated through the use of the two merit review criteria. The two merit review criteria are listed below. What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity? What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?