Guidelines for Submission of Proposals

NSF 00-89
(Replaces NSF 99-110)

DEADLINE DATES:

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants 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 Web site at:  http://www.nsf.gov

Program Title: Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program

Synopsis of Program:

The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards for new faculty. The CAREER program recognizes and supports the early career development activities of those faculty members who are most likely to become the academic leaders of the 21^st century. CAREER awardees will be selected on the basis of creative, integrative, and effective research and education career development plans that build a firm foundation for a lifetime of integrated contributions to research and education.

Each year NSF selects nominees for Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from among the most meritorious new CAREER awardees. The PECASE program recognizes outstanding scientists and engineers who, early in their careers, show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of knowledge. This Presidential Award is the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers.

Guidelines for the FY 2001competition published in this announcement supercede the guidelines published in CAREER Program Announcement NSF 99-110 and are significantly different. Changes have been made in the guidelines on eligibility criteria, award size and duration, the PECASE program, and proposal preparation and submission. See the related sections of this announcement and the FAQ’s on the CAREER Web page for detailed information.

• A contact person for each NSF Division is listed on the CAREER Web page
  ( http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/career/contacts.htm).

• 47.041, Engineering; 47.049, Mathematical and Physical Sciences; 47.050, Geosciences; 47.070, Computer and Information Science and Engineering; 47.074, Biological Sciences; 47.075, Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences; 47.076, Education and Human Resources; 47.078, Polar Programs.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

• Organization Limit: Proposals may be submitted by academic institutions in the U.S., its territories or possessions, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, that award baccalaureate or advanced degrees in a field supported by NSF.
• PI Eligibility Limit: PI eligibility limitations are described in this document in Section III.
• Limit on Number of Proposals: There is no limit on the number of proposals that an organization may submit. However, a Principal Investigator may submit only one CAREER proposal for this deadline.

AWARD INFORMATION

• Anticipated Type of Award:  Standard or Continuing Grant
• Estimated Number of Awards: 200-300
• Amount of funds available: Approximately $65 million, subject to the availability of funds. Funds will be distributed across all Directorates of NSF and the Office of Polar Programs. Beginning with the FY 2001 competition, the PECASE award will be an entirely honorary award for all NSF recipients and does not provide additional funds.
• Anticipated date of award:
  
  • CAREER: January 2001 - September 2001
  • PECASE: September 2001 - February 2002

PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Proposal Preparation Instructions. Supplements to the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), NSF 00-2, apply.

   • Supplemental Preparation Guidelines. The program contains supplements to the standard guidelines in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), NSF 00-2. See Section V. of these guidelines. See also the CAREER Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s), available on the CAREER Web page, and FastLane Instructions, available on the FastLane Web page.

2. Budgetary Information

   • Cost Sharing Requirements:  None
   • Indirect cost (F&A) limitations:  None
   • Other budgetary limitations:  For the FY 2001 competition, the minimum award size is $250,000 in total. The award duration for all CAREER awards is 5 years.

3. Deadline Date

   • Letter of Intent Deadline:  None required.
   • Preproposal Deadline: None required.
   • Full Proposal Deadline for the FY 2001 competition:  Proposals must be submitted via FastLane by 5:00 p.m., applicant's local time, on or before the applicable deadline date below:

     July 25, 2000	Biological Sciences (BIO) Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Education and Human Resources (EHR)
     July 26, 2000	Engineering (ENG)
     July 27, 2000	Geosciences (GEO) Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) Office of Polar Programs (OPP)

4. FastLane Requirements

   • FastLane Submission:  Full proposal submission required.

     For the FY 2001 CAREER competition, the Proposal Cover Sheet (NSF Form 1207, Pages 1 and 2) will be submitted electronically to NSF by the Sponsored Research Office (or equivalent) at the time of the electronic transmission of the proposal. No PI Cover Sheet certifications will be required for this competition and no paper copy of the Cover Sheet should be sent to NSF.

   • FastLane Technical Questions can be directed to:

     • FastLane contacts for each NSF organization, who are listed on the NSF FastLane Web page under "NSF Contacts" (https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a0/flcontacts.htm).
     • FastLane Help Desk:  1-800-673-6188; fastlane@nsf.gov

PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION

• Merit Review Criteria:  Standard NSF Merit Review Criteria apply.

AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

• Award Conditions: Standard NSF Award Conditions apply.
• Reporting Requirements:  Standard NSF Reporting Requirements apply. Additionally, Department Heads must approve annual reports.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.  INTRODUCTION

To sustain and strengthen the Nation's science, mathematics, and engineering capabilities and to promote the use of those capabilities in service to society, the National Science Foundation (NSF) is dedicated to working in partnership with individuals and their institutions to support the early career development activities of those faculty members who are most likely to become the academic leaders of the 21^st century. Because of the critical roles played by faculty members in integrating research and education, and fostering the natural connections between the processes of learning and discovery, NSF has established the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program. The intent of the program is to provide stable support at a sufficient level and duration to enable awardees to achieve the education and research career-development objectives of the program. This program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards for new faculty.

Each year NSF selects nominees for Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from among the most meritorious new CAREER awardees. The PECASE program recognizes outstanding scientists and engineers who, early in their careers, show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of knowledge. This Presidential Award is the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers.

II.  PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. CAREER Program

   This premier program emphasizes the importance the Foundation places on the early development of academic careers dedicated to stimulating the discovery process in which the excitement of research is enhanced by inspired teaching and enthusiastic learning. NSF especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply.

   Successful applicants will propose creative, integrative, and effective research and education plans. The proposals will demonstrate activities that exemplify the process of continuous learning and the quest for new knowledge; such activities will enable the weaving of knowledge creation, integration and transfer into a robust whole. Program information can be accessed on the CAREER Web page at: http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/career/start.htm.

2. PECASE Program

   NSF will select up to twenty nominees for this award from among the most meritorious PECASE-eligible CAREER awardees who applied to the FY 2001 CAREER program.

III.  ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. CAREER Program

   Criteria.  Applicants for the FY 2001 competition MUST MEET ALL of the following requirements:

   • be untenured as of July 24, 2000;
   • as of October 1, 2000:

     • be employed in a tenure-track position at an institution in the U.S., its territories or possessions, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, that awards baccalaureate or advanced degrees in a field supported by NSF, and
     • have entered their first tenure track (or tenure-track equivalent - this parenthetical point of clarification added 6/13/00), academic position within the last 4 years, i.e. after October 1, 1996, and
     • have earned their first doctorate within the last 8 years, i.e. after October 1, 1992; and

   • have not previously received an NSF PECASE or CAREER award. Prior or concurrent Federal support for other types of awards or for non-duplicative research does not preclude eligibility.

   Exemptions.  The following are the only exceptions to the eligibility criteria listed above. Individuals in these categories may also be eligible to apply.

   • Individuals in "tenure-track-equivalent" positions whose appointments are continuing faculty appointments having substantial educational responsibilities at institutions or departments that do not offer tenure.
   • Non-tenured faculty who entered their first full-time tenure-track appointment before October 1, 1996, or who received their first earned doctorate degree before October 1, 1992, but who have interrupted their careers for family leave or serious health problems.

     Prior to proposal submission, eligibility exemptions must be requested from AND approved by an NSF CAREER Directorate contact. (See "CAREER Contacts List" on the CAREER Web page at http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/career/contacts.htm.) Note that CAREER Division contacts and program officers are not authorized to grant eligibility exemptions; only Directorate contacts are authorized to grant exemptions. If careful documentation leads to an exemption being granted, the full text of the approval received from the NSF CAREER Directorate contact must be submitted in the Deviation Authorization section of the FastLane Proposal Preparation application (see Section V of these guidelines).

2. PECASE Program

   In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements of the CAREER program listed above, PECASE nominees must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents who hold such status on or before July 24, 2000. To be considered for the PECASE award, eligible applicants must check the "PECASE Eligibility" box on the proposal Cover Sheet prior to proposal submission. Individuals can receive only one PECASE award.

IV.   AWARD INFORMATION

• Duration.  5 years.
• Amount.

• CAREER.  CAREER award size practices vary by NSF organizational unit. For additional information, applicants are strongly encouraged to refer to the CAREER FAQ’s section on "Budget and Award Administration Information," which can be accessed on the CAREER Web page (http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/career/guide.htm). For the FY 2001 competition, the minimum CAREER award, including indirect costs, will total $250,000.
• PECASE.  Beginning with the FY 2001 competition, the PECASE award will be an entirely honorary award for all NSF recipients and does not provide additional funds.

• Supplemental Funding.  CAREER awards are eligible for supplemental funding, as described in the GPG, Section VI. B.4.

V.   PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Proposal Preparation Instructions

   Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), NSF 00-2. The complete text of the GPG (including electronic forms) is available electronically on the NSF Web Site at:  http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf002. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone 301.947.2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

   All CAREER proposals must be submitted via FastLane.

   Proposal Content – Material for Merit Review

   1. Cover Sheet, NSF Form 1207:

      • NSF limits the number of investigators on a CAREER proposal to one, the Principal Investigator.
      • You must identify an NSF disciplinary program on the Cover Sheet for the submission of your proposal via FastLane. If you have questions about which program best fits your research activities, see Section VIII. "Contacts for Additional Information." NSF reserves the right to make the final assignment of your proposal to a specific NSF organizational unit.
      • To complete the FastLane Cover Sheet block "For Consideration by NSF Organizational Unit(s)":

        • Complete the "Awardee/Performing Organization Selection.
        • Click on the "Program Announcement/Solicitation/Program Description No., or in Response to Grant Proposal Guide (GPG.)" button.
        • At the next screen, select the CAREER program announcement NSF 00-89 from the drop down menu; hit the "Select" button.
        • This will take you to a menu that allows you to view all the NSF Divisions in the first box, and all the NSF program areas in the second box. Follow the instructions to select a Division and then a Program or to directly select a Program as the Unit of Consideration for your proposal.

      • To be considered for a PECASE award, you must check the "PECASE Eligibility" box on the Cover Sheet. To access this option, from the "Cover Sheet Components" form, after selecting the CAREER program announcement and selecting a Division and Program, click on the "Go" button to the left of "Remainder of the Cover Sheet."
      • See Section D. below for special Proposal Cover Sheet submission instructions.

   2. Project Summary:  Summarize the integrated education and research activities of the proposed career development plan. Do not exceed one page in length.
   3. Table of Contents, NSF Form 1359:  The user cannot edit the Table of Contents form; it is automatically generated by FastLane.
   4. Project Description Including Results from Prior NSF Support:  The Project Description, must not exceed 15 single-spaced pages, including any graphical and tabular materials, and should contain the following two sections:

      1. Results from Prior NSF Support, if applicable.
      2. Career Development Plan. Provide a well-argued and specific proposal for activities that will, over a 5-year period, build a firm foundation for a lifetime of integrated contributions to research and education.  The plan should be developed in consultation with the department head or equivalent institutional official and include:

         • the objectives and significance of the proposed integrated research and education activities;
         • the relation of the research to the current state of knowledge in the field, and of the education activities to the current state of knowledge on effective teaching and learning in one's field of study;  
         • an outline of the plan of work, describing the methods and procedures to be used, including evaluation of the education activities (both research and education activities should be included in the plan for each year, but the relative amount of effort devoted to each may vary from year to year);
         • the relation of the plan to the PI’s career goals and job responsibilities, and to the goals of his/her institution; and
         • a summary of prior research and education accomplishments.

         While excellence in both education and research is expected, activity of an intensity that leads to an unreasonable workload is not.

         Proposed education activities may be in a broad range of areas. They may address curriculum, pedagogy, outreach, or mentoring at any level, including graduate and undergraduate students, majors and non-majors, teacher preparation or enhancement, K-12 students, and/or the general public.

         Examples include, but are not limited to:  course or curriculum development; pre-college teacher preparation and enhancement; outreach and mentoring activities to enhance scientific literacy or involve students from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in science; research on pedagogy or students' learning and conceptual development in the discipline; incorporating research activities into undergraduate courses; linking education activities to industrial, international, or cross-disciplinary work; innovative methods for evaluation and assessment of the proposed education activities.

         The education and research activities proposed may include collaborations with partners from other sectors (for example, partnerships with industry, national laboratories, or schools and school districts), as well as international collaborations. However, partners cannot participate as co-investigators. Proposals submitted with co-investigators will be returned without review.

   5. References Cited:   Provide references for both research and education activities.
   6. Biographical Sketch of Principal Investigator:  Provide a biographical sketch or curriculum vitae that includes both research and education activities and accomplishments. (Limited to two pages.)
   7. Budget and Budget Justification, NSF Form 1030:  Before preparing a budget request, refer to the CAREER FAQ’s section on Budget and Award Administration Information for specific information regarding appropriate budget requests (http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/career/guide.htm). For the FY 2001 competition, the minimum CAREER award size is $250,000 for a five year period. No funds may be budgeted for the principal investigator's academic-year salary unless justified by a plan for a limited period of fieldwork or other extraordinary career-development activity in research or education. No salary support for other senior personnel is allowed. NSF will reimburse indirect costs at your institution's official, negotiated rate.
   8. Current and Pending Support of Principal Investigator, NSF Form 1239:  See GPG Section II.D.8.
   9. Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources, NSF Form 1363: See GPG Section II. D.9.
   10. Special Information and Supplementary Documentation:

       Scan the signed original(s) of the document(s) below into the Supplementary Documents section of your proposal. Do not send paper copies to NSF.

       1. Departmental Endorsement and Certifications.

          The proposal must include a one-page document containing the following three endorsement and verification statements. (Do not exceed one page total.)

          • A statement by the Department Head that describes how the faculty member's career development plan is supported by and integrated into the educational goals of the department and the institution.
          • A statement that the applicant meets the CAREER eligibility criteria, as described in Section III.A. in these guidelines, and verification of the following information: the official effective date (month/day/year) of the applicant's first tenure-track appointment and the date (month/year) of the applicant's first earned doctorate.
          • A statement, "I have read and I endorse this career development plan."

          The applicant's Department Head (or equivalent institutional official) must sign the bottom of this page, thereby attesting to the departmental endorsement of the career development plan, the department's partnership in the applicant's career development, and the applicant's eligibility. Below the signature, type the official's name, title, and date. Proposals that do not include all of these statements will be returned without review.

       2. Other special information. The proposal should include letters of commitment to support proposed collaborations, if applicable. Only letters that describe the planned collaborative effort(s) will be accepted (Letters of reference or recommendation are not appropriate and will not be sent to reviewers.)

   11. Appendices. Appendices may not be included unless a deviation has been authorized, according to the procedures described in GPG Section II. A.

    

   Proposal Content - Information Not to Be Released to Reviewers

   12. Information about Principal Investigators/Project Directors, NSF Form 1225:  FastLane automatically generates this form.
   13. List of suggested reviewers or reviewers not to include:  Optional (one-page limit). See GPG Section II. B.1.
   14. Deviation Authorization, if applicable:  

       The full text of the approval received from NSF, including the name of the CAREER Directorate Contact, must be provided in this section of your proposal.

       • NSF approval for exemption from CAREER eligibility requirements, if applicable (see Section III.A. in these guidelines).
       • Other, if applicable (see GPG Section II.A.).

   THIS CONCLUDES THE PROPOSAL MATERIAL THAT IS TO BE SUBMITTED VIA FASTLANE.

    

   Other Documentation, if applicable:

   • Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Certification Form, NSF Form 1404: For a proposal to potentially be eligible for EPSCoR co-funding, applicants must contact to their jurisdiction's NSF EPSCoR Project Director and request "certification" prior to submission of the proposal. It is the prerogative and responsibility of the EPSCoR Project Director to decide which proposals shall be certified (see CAREER FAQ's and EPSCoR Home Page, at http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/EPSCOR/report/cofund.htm for more detail and contact information). For the FY 2001 CAREER competition, the "Certification of EPSCoR Co-funding Eligibility" form (NSF Form 1404) must be completed by the Project Director in the FastLane Notification of Certification system and transmitted electronically to the NSF EPSCoR Office. For this specific FY 2001 CAREER competition, only this electronic transmission is necessary; signed copies of this form are not required and should not be forwarded to NSF.

   • PECASE information, if applicable:  will be requested at the time of CAREER award.

2. Cost Sharing Requirements

   Cost sharing is not required for proposals submitted under this program announcement.

3. Deadline Date

   Full Proposal Deadline: Proposals must be submitted via FastLane by 5:00 p.m., applicant's local time, on or before the applicable deadline date below:

   July 25, 2000	Biological Sciences (BIO) Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Education and Human Resources (EHR)
   July 26, 2000	Engineering (ENG)
   July 27, 2000	Geosciences (GEO) Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) Office of Polar Programs (OPP)

4. FastLane Requirements

   Proposers are required to prepare and submit proposals for this Program Announcement through the FastLane system. Include Departmental Endorsement and Certifications in the FastLane submission and, if applicable, letters of commitment to support proposed collaborations, deviation authorizations, and NSF approval for eligibility exemptions; do not submit paper copies of these documents to NSF. Detailed instructions for proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm.

   For the FY 2001 CAREER competition, the Proposal Cover Sheet (NSF Form 1207, Pages 1 and 2) will be submitted electronically to NSF by the Sponsored Research Office (or equivalent) at the time of the electronic transmission of the proposal. No PI Cover Sheet certifications will be required for this competition and no paper copy of the Cover Sheet should be sent to NSF.

VI.  PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION

1. 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 and/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 and minority-serving institutions.

   Proposals will be reviewed against the following general review criteria established by the National Science Board. Following each criterion are potential considerations that the reviewer may employ in the evaluation. These are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. Each reviewer will be asked to address only those that are relevant to the proposal and for which he/she is qualified to make judgements.

   • 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?

   Principal Investigators should address the following elements in their proposal to provide reviewers with the information necessary to respond fully to both of the above-described NSF merit review criteria. NSF staff will give these elements careful consideration 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.

   A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and signed by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, are mailed 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.

2. 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 will be reviewed by mail review, panel review, or both.

   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.

   NSF will be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months for 95 percent of proposals. The time interval begins on the proposal deadline or target date or from the date of receipt, if deadlines or target dates are not used by the program. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

   Since CAREER proposals are reviewed by different panels and/or mail reviews held at different times across NSF, award and declination letters will be issued at different times. You can check the status of your CAREER proposal through the FastLane Proposal Status Inquiry Module (http://www.FastLane.nsf.gov/a2/PropInq.htm). If you have not received notification of the status of your CAREER proposal by the beginning of February 2001, and your status is shown as "pending" in FastLane, you can contact the program or division to which your proposal was assigned to inquire about the status. Program Assignments can be viewed through this FastLane module.

   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 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 an 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 Officer does so at its own risk.

VII.  AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. 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).

2. 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 NSF brochure, program guide, 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 web site at http://www.nsf.gov/home/grants/grants_gac.htm. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone 301.947.2722 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, (NSF 95-26) available electronically on the NSF web site 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, D.C. 20402. The telephone number at GPO for subscription information is 202.512.1800. The GPM may be ordered through the GPO web site at http://www.gpo.gov.

3. Reporting Requirements

   For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the PI must submit an annual project report via FastLane to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period. The report must be approved by the awardee's department head or equivalent, thereby reaffirming the department's endorsement of the work plan and continuing partnership in the individual's career development. The Department endorsement must be scanned into each annual report.

   Within 90 days after the expiration of an award, the PI also is required to submit a final project report via FastLane. Approximately 30 days before expiration, NSF will send a notice to remind the PI of the requirement to file the final project report. Failure to provide final technical reports delays NSF review and processing of pending proposals for that PI. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

   NSF has implemented an electronic project reporting system, available through FastLane. 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 should be made to the CAREER Directorate/Division program officer listed on the CAREER Contacts Web page at http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/career/contacts.htm.

Specific questions about proposal development, appropriate disciplinary funding levels, and supplement opportunities and requirements should be directed to the appropriate disciplinary program. See GPG, Appendix A, for a list of programs, and use that list in completing the proposal Cover Sheet. Information about directorates, divisions, and programs is available from NSF's Guide to Programs. The FastLane Proposal Status Inquiry Module provides information about the receipt and status of proposals, including the proposal title, the date NSF received the proposal, the NSF program name, and the assigned Program Officer. All communications about your proposal, including the program assignment, should be directed to the assigned program director, with reference to the proposal number.

For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact the Division FastLane contact listed on the NSF FastLane Web page under NSF Contacts. This information can be accessed at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a0/flcontacts.htm

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 concerning specific proposal requirements. To obtain additional information about these requirements, contact the appropriate NSF program offices listed in Appendix A of the GPG. Any changes in NSF's fiscal year programs occurring after press time for the Guide to Programs will be announced in the NSF Bulletin, available monthly (except July and August), and in individual program announcements. The Bulletin is available electronically via the NSF web site at http://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin. 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.

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 (unless otherwise specified in the eligibility requirements for a particular program).

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 program announcement or contact the program coordinator at (703) 306-1636.

The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be accessed at (703) 306-0090, FIRS at 1-800-877-8339.

The National Science Foundation is committed to making all of the information we publish easy to understand. If you have a suggestion about how to improve the clarity of this document or other NSF-published materials, please contact us at plainlanguage@nsf.gov.

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.

Pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(b), 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, Information Dissemination Branch, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230, or to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for National Science Foundation (3145-0058), 725 - 17th Street, N.W. Room 10235, Washington, D.C. 20503.

OMB #3145-0058