Title: NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) Date: 08/13/04 Replaced: NSF 00-136 NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) Program Solicitation NSF 03-578 Replaces Document 00-136 [NSF Logo] National Science Foundation Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences Division of Astronomical Sciences Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time): October 08, 2003 October 13, 2004 Second Wednesday in October, annually REVISIONS AND UPDATES This program solicitation has been updated to list the 13 October 2004 full proposal deadline on the cover page and in the Summary of Program Requirements. The rolling deadline date of the 2nd Wednesday in October had been previously listed only in Section V.C. This program solicitation has been updated to reflect an increase in the stipend amount and host institutional allowance, and to reflect revised submission requirements. SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS General Information Program Title: NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) Synopsis of Program: The NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships provide an opportunity for highly qualified young investigators within 3 years of obtaining their PhD to carry out an integrated program of independent research and education. Fellows may engage in research of observational, instrumental, or theoretical nature, in combination with a coherent educational plan for the duration of the fellowship. The program supports researchers for a period of up to 3 years with fellowships that can be taken to the institution or national facility of their choice. The program is intended to recognize young investigators of significant potential, and provide them with experience in research and education that will establish them in positions of distinction and leadership in the community. Cognizant Program Officer(s): * Dana E. Lehr, Assistant Program Director, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Astronomical Sciences, 1045 S, telephone: (703) 292-7456, fax: (703) 292-9034, email: dlehr@nsf.gov * Randy L. Phelps, Program Director, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Astronomical Sciences, 1030 S, telephone: (703) 292-4910, fax: (703) 292-9034, email: rphelps@nsf.gov * Eileen D. Friel, Executive Officer, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Astronomical Sciences, 1045 S, telephone: (703) 292-4895, fax: (703) 292-9034, email: efriel@nsf.gov Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): * 47.049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences Eligibility Information * Organization Limit: Proposals must be submitted by individuals. * PI Eligibility Limit: Eligibility is limited to citizens or permanent residents of the United States who have earned a doctoral degree within 3 years of the proposal deadline date or expect to receive the doctoral degree by 1 September of the award year. Individuals who have not yet received their doctoral degrees at the time of application must, in the event of being selected for an award, present evidence of having completed all academic requirements before beginning their fellowships at their host institutions. * Limit on Number of Proposals: None Specified. Award Information * Anticipated Type of Award: Fellowship * Estimated Number of Awards: 10 Up to 10 awards annually. * Anticipated Funding Amount: $670,000 in FY2004, subject to the availability of funds. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions * Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that supplements the standard Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) proposal preparation guidelines. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. B. Budgetary Information * Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required. * Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: In lieu of indirect costs, an institutional allowance of $7,000 per year may be requested by the host institution. * Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. C. Due Dates * Full Proposal Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time): October 08, 2003 October 13, 2004 Second Wednesday in October, annually Proposal Review Information * Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Award Administration Information * Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply. * Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply. TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary of Program Requirements I. Introduction II. Program Description III. Eligibility Information IV. Award Information V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions B. Budgetary Information C. Due Dates D. FastLane Requirements VI. Proposal Review Information A. NSF Proposal Review Process B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard VII. Award Administration Information A. Notification of the Award B. Award Conditions C. Reporting Requirements VIII.Contacts for Additional Information IX. Other Programs of Interest I. INTRODUCTION The NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships provide an opportunity for highly qualified young investigators within 3 years of obtaining their PhD to carry out an integrated program of independent research and education. Fellows may engage in research of observational, instrumental, or theoretical nature, in combination with a coherent educational plan for the duration of the fellowship. The program supports researchers for a period of up to 3 years with fellowships that can be taken to the institution or national facility of their choice. The program is intended to recognize young investigators of significant potential, and provide them with experience in research and education that will establish them in positions of distinction and leadership in the community. II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) are available for the support of highly qualified young investigators to carry out an integrated program of research and education at the institution of their choice. Fellows are expected to carry out a strong, coherent research program in any area of astronomy and astrophysics, including areas of observation, instrumentation, theory, or laboratory astrophysics. Applicants are encouraged to approach the fellowships as opportunities to broaden their experience with research that moves beyond their previous research focus, and takes a broad view of integrating disciplines, extending technical approaches to problems, or expanding collaborations. Research that highlights the creative use of or is clearly related to NSF-funded facilities, institutes, or projects is particularly encouraged. We encourage applicants to consider programs that focus on areas of research that are particularly facilitated or enabled by new ground-based capability in radio, optical/IR, or solar astrophysics, including the development of theory that guides their use or the interpretation of resulting data. Fellows are expected to include educational activities in their fellowship plans, and applicants must present a coherent program of educational activities as part of their proposal. Examples of such activities include teaching one course each year of the fellowship at their host institution or an academic institution with ties to their host institution, developing educational materials, or engaging in a significant program of outreach or public education. As a rough guideline, fellows should plan on their educational activities taking up no less than 10%, nor more than 25%, of their time. Applicants are encouraged to discuss the proposed educational activities with their proposed host institution prior to proposal submission to ensure that their educational plan is consistent with opportunities and plans at the institution. Fellows may propose to hold the fellowships at any US institution of higher education, NSF-funded national centers, facilities, or institutes, such as the national observatories or the Institute for Theoretical Physics, and non-profit organizations with research and educational missions. Tenure of fellowships at international sites that are operated by US organizations, such as Cerro Tololo InterAmerican Observatory or Gemini South, is allowed. Fellows are expected to be fully integrated into the educational and research activities of their host institution. The applicant must present a coherent research and educational plan throughout the proposed duration of the fellowship. However, the applicant may propose to take the fellowship to more than one host institution. Normally changes of institution would be sequential, in moving from one institution to another during the duration of the fellowship, but holding the fellowship at two institutions simultaneously, for example at a national center and a nearby university, is also possible. In the event of proposing to hold a fellowship at more than one institution simultaneously, a single institution must be designated by the applicant to receive the institutional allowance. In any case, the justification of the choice of institutions must be made clearly and compellingly. III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION Eligibility is limited to citizens or permanent residents of the United States who have earned a doctoral degree within 3 years of the proposal deadline date or expect to receive the doctoral degree by 1 September of the award year. Fellowships are awarded to individuals, and proposals must be submitted directly by the applicant to NSF. Individuals who have not yet received their doctoral degrees at the time of application must, in the event of being selected for an award, present evidence of having completed all academic requirements before beginning their fellowships at their host institutions. IV. AWARD INFORMATION Support may be requested for periods of up to 3 years, at a level of $67,000 per year. NSF anticipates up to 10 awards annually, subject to availability of funds. Fellowship stipends of $50,000 annually, are paid directly to the Fellow on a monthly schedule. A research allowance of $10,000 per year is provided to the Fellow for expenses directly related to the conduct of research, such as computing, travel, publication charges, and other research needs. An institutional allowance of $7,000 per year is paid to the host institution for the purposes of providing fringe benefits for the Fellow, such as health insurance, moving expenses, or child care, and for expenses incurred in support of the Fellow, such as general purpose supplies and use of equipment and facilities. No additional appointment or fellowship may be held during the period of the fellowship. No other remuneration from any source may be accepted during the period of the fellowship without permission of the program officer. For more information on allowable costs, see the relevant section of Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions below. Successful applicants will be notified on or about 1 February following the year of the deadline. Those applicants selected to receive fellowships will be contacted by NSF and asked to provide additional information, such as completing acceptance forms and starting certificates, before starting their fellowships. Successful applicants who have not completed their PhD at the time of application must provide certification of the receipt of the PhD before receiving their fellowship award. Normally fellowships will be held at institutions specified in the proposal, but under certain circumstances, and with suitable justification, Fellows may transfer during the tenure of the fellowship to a new institution upon approval by NSF. V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Full Proposal Instructions: 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 Website at: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov. Before starting proposal preparation in FastLane, the applicant must be registered as an awardee institution. Detailed instructions are available at : https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm#individualregistration. Proposals must include all of the following items. In cases where requirements given in this document differ from those given in the Grant Proposal Guide, the former takes precedence. (a) NSF Cover Page (b) Information about Principal Investigators/Project Directors (c) Table of Contents (automatically generated by FastLane) (d) Project Summary, up to 250 words. Note that the project summary must separately address both NSF merit review criteria; see the Grant Proposal Guide for instructions. (e) Project description, not to exceed ten single-spaced pages, which must include the following information : i. A detailed plan for research and education; ii. A detailed justification for the choice of the host institution, identifying collaborating scientist(s) and educational mentors, relating the proposed work to current research and educational efforts at the host institution, and describing facilities and resources available and the suitability of the host institution; iii. A description of the long term career goals of the applicant and the role of this postdoctoral experience in achieving them. (f) References cited. See the Grant Proposal Guide for format. (g) Biographical Sketch. See the Grant Proposal Guide for format and page limit. (h) NSF Budget Page. The stipend and research allowance should be entered under Participant Support; the host institutional allowance should be entered under indirect costs. (i) Current and Pending Support. Include current and planned applications to other fellowship programs. (j) The letter of commitment, as described below, is considered to be Supplementary Documentation and is the only item permitted as supplementary documentation or appendices. The letter should be scanned into a Portable Document Format (PDF) file and uploaded into the supplementary documentation form. The letter of commitment from the prospective host institution should be signed by the department chair (or equivalent). The letter should certify that the applicant's proposal has been read and approved by the proposed scientific mentor, that adequate facilities and support will be provided for the fellow, that the fellow's plan for teaching or education is aligned with the institution's educational plans and goals, and that arrangements will be made to use part of the institutional allowance for the fellow's fringe benefits. The letter should include a discussion of the role the proposed scientific mentor will play in the professional development of the fellow, and of the opportunities for training and research at the host institution that will be of particular benefit to the fellow. Should the applicant propose to hold the fellowship at more than one institution through the 3-year tenure, letters of commitment must be provided for all institutions involved. Since this program relies on reviewed proposals rather than applications, letters of recommendation will not be considered. Thus the letter of commitment from the institution should not reflect a letter of recommendation. Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation number (03-578) in the program announcement/solicitation block on the proposal Cover Sheet. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing. B. Budgetary Information Cost Sharing: Cost sharing is not required in proposals submitted under this Program Solicitation. Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: In lieu of indirect costs, an institutional allowance of $7,000 per year may be requested by the host institution. Other Budgetary Limitations: Award amounts are $67,000 annually. Budget Preparation Instructions: The stipend and research allowance should be entered in section F, Participant Support Costs; put the $50,000 stipend in F1 and the $10,000 research allowance in F4. The $7,000 host institutional allowance should be entered in section I, Indirect Costs. C. Due Dates Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s): Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time): October 08, 2003 October 13, 2004 Second Wednesday in October, annually D. FastLane Requirements Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this announcement/solicitation through the FastLane system. Detailed instructions for proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system. Specific questions related to this program announcement/solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this announcement/solicitation. Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic certifications within five working days following the electronic submission of the proposal. Proposers are no longer required to provide a paper copy of the signed Proposal Cover Sheet to NSF. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov VI. PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION A. NSF Proposal Review Process Reviews of proposals submitted to NSF are solicited from peers with expertise in the substantive area of the proposed research or education project. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the oversight of the review process. NSF invites the proposer to suggest, at the time of submission, the names of appropriate or inappropriate reviewers. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the proposer. Special efforts are made to recruit reviewers from non-academic institutions, minority-serving institutions, or adjacent disciplines to that principally addressed in the proposal. The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating proposals at its meeting on March 28, 1997 (NSB 97-72). All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities. On July 8, 2002, the NSF Director issued Important Notice 127, Implementation of new Grant Proposal Guide Requirements Related to the Broader Impacts Criterion. This Important Notice reinforces the importance of addressing both criteria in the preparation and review of all proposals submitted to NSF. NSF continues to strengthen its internal processes to ensure that both of the merit review criteria are addressed when making funding decisions. In an effort to increase compliance with these requirements, the January 2002 issuance of the GPG incorporated revised proposal preparation guidelines relating to the development of the Project Summary and Project Description. Chapter II of the GPG specifies that Principal Investigators (PIs) must address both merit review criteria in separate statements within the one-page Project Summary. This chapter also reiterates that broader impacts resulting from the proposed project must be addressed in the Project Description and described as an integral part of the narrative. Effective October 1, 2002, NSF will return without review proposals that do not separately address both merit review criteria within the Project Summary. It is believed that these changes to NSF proposal preparation and processing guidelines will more clearly articulate the importance of broader impacts to NSF-funded projects. The two National Science Board approved merit review criteria are listed below (see the Grant Proposal Guide Chapter III.A for further information). The criteria include considerations that help define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being considered and for which he/she is qualified to make judgments. What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity? How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of the prior work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources? What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society? NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making funding decisions: Integration of Research and Education One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learning perspectives. Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities -- is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports. Additional Review Criteria:In addition to the above criteria, the following factors will be used in the evaluation process: * Qualifications of the applicant and his/her potential for continued professional growth and leadership in the field; * Qualifications and suitability of the proposed host institution and the scientific or educational collaborations proposed; * Prospective benefits to the applicant, the scientific discipline, and the activities of the host institution. B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular field represented by the proposal. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement/solicitation will be reviewed by Ad Hoc and/or panel review. Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation. A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Director. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding. In most cases, proposers will be contacted by the Program Officer after his or her recommendation to award or decline funding has been approved by the Division Director. This informal notification is not a guarantee of an eventual award. NSF is striving to be able to tell proposers whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the closing date of an announcement/solicitation, or the date of proposal receipt, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation. In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk. VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION A. Notification of the Award Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program Division administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See section VI.A. for additional information on the review process.) B. Award Conditions An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (NSF-GC-1); * or Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative agreement awards also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions (CA-1). Electronic mail notification is the preferred way to transmit NSF awards to organizations that have electronic mail capabilities and have requested such notification from the Division of Grants and Agreements. *These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at http://www.nsf.gov/home/grants/grants_gac.htm. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov. More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions is contained in the NSF Grant Policy Manual (GPM) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpm. The GPM is also for sale through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402. The telephone number at GPO for subscription information is (202) 512-1800. The GPM may be ordered through the GPO Website at http://www.gpo.gov. C. Reporting Requirements For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the PI must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period. Within 90 days after the expiration of an award, the PI also is required to submit a final project report. Failure to provide final technical reports delays NSF review and processing of pending proposals for the PI and all Co-PIs. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required data. PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project reporting system, available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports. This system permits electronic submission and updating of project reports, including information on project participants (individual and organizational), activities and findings, publications, and other specific products and contributions. PIs will not be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system. VIII. CONTACTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION General inquiries regarding this program should be made to: * Dana E. Lehr, Assistant Program Director, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Astronomical Sciences, 1045 S, telephone: (703) 292-7456, fax: (703) 292-9034, email: dlehr@nsf.gov * Randy L. Phelps, Program Director, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Astronomical Sciences, 1030 S, telephone: (703) 292-4910, fax: (703) 292-9034, email: rphelps@nsf.gov * Eileen D. Friel, Executive Officer, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Astronomical Sciences, 1045 S, telephone: (703) 292-4895, fax: (703) 292-9034, email: efriel@nsf.gov For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact: * Kim S. Elliott, Computer Specialist, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Astronomical Sciences, 1053 S, telephone: (703) 292-4894, email: kelliott@nsf.gov IX. OTHER PROGRAMS OF INTEREST The NSF Guide to Programs is a compilation of funding for research and education in science, mathematics, and engineering. The NSF Guide to Programs is available electronically at http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gp. General descriptions of NSF programs, research areas, and eligibility information for proposal submission are provided in each chapter. Many NSF programs offer announcements or solicitations concerning specific proposal requirements. To obtain additional information about these requirements, contact the appropriate NSF program offices. Any changes in NSF's fiscal year programs occurring after press time for the Guide to Programs will be announced in the NSF E-Bulletin, which is updated daily on the NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin, and in individual program announcements/solicitations. Subscribers can also sign up for NSF's Custom News Service (http://www.nsf.gov/home/cns/start.htm) to be notified of new funding opportunities that become available. There are a number of other NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship opportunities. For more information, see the NSF website at : http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/jsp/homepage/postdoc_fel.jsp ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. Awardees are wholly responsible for conducting their project activities and preparing the results for publication. Thus, the Foundation does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation. NSF welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists, engineers and educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to compete fully in its programs. In accordance with Federal statutes, regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from NSF, although some programs may have special requirements that limit eligibility. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on NSF-supported projects. See the GPG Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals. The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering. To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov * Location: 4201 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22230 * For General Information (703) 292-5111 (NSF Information Center): * TDD (for the hearing-impaired): (703) 292-5090 * To Order Publications or Forms: Send an e-mail to: pubs@nsf.gov or telephone: (703) 292-7827 * To Locate NSF Employees: (703) 292-5111 PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; project reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to applicant institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies needing information as part of the review process or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 267 (January 5, 1998), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 268 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230. OMB control number: 3145-0058.