FINAL EPSCoR 2020 Research CAN.docx

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of STEM Engagement

FY 2020 NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN)

Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)

Research Announcement

Announcement Number: NNH20ZHA005C Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008

NASA Headquarters Office of STEM Engagement Washington, DC 20546-0001

Table of Contents

1.0 Description of Opportunity

1.1 Technical Description

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of STEM Engagement, in cooperation with NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), Science Mission Directorates (SMD), the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), and NASA’s nine Centers, plus the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), solicit proposals for the NASA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

Each funded NASA EPSCoR proposal is expected to establish research activities that will make significant contributions to NASA’s strategic research and technology development priorities and contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities of higher education, and economic development of the jurisdiction receiving funding.

NASA will assign a Technical Monitor (TM) to each award. The TM will monitor the progress of the research and collaborate as required to keep the research aligned with the approved project. The awardee will provide annual reports as to the progress of the research that will be reviewed by the TM and approved by the NASA EPSCoR Project Manager. These reports will be shared with the NASA Mission Directorates, Centers, and JPL as necessary.

The program parameters are:

· Jurisdictions responding to this Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) may submit one proposal in accordance with paragraph 1.3 of this CAN, EPSCoR Eligibility and Proposal Acceptance. Proposals will be selected from this solicitation for FY 2020 funding.

· The maximum funding request per proposal is $750,000. This amount is to be expended over a three-year period.

· Cost-sharing by proposers is required at a level of at least 50% of the requested NASA funds. Also, in-kind cost-sharing is allowable. Limitations regarding acceptable cost-sharing are further discussed below at Section 2.2 and 2.3.

· Jurisdictions responding to this CAN may submit one proposal. It is anticipated that three (3) to five (5) awards of up to $750,000 to be expended over a three-year period of performance may be made under this CAN in accordance with regulatory guidance found at Title 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, as adopted and supplemented by NASA through Title 2 CFR Part 1800: Federal Agency Regulations for Grants and Agreements - NASA. The exact number of awards depends on the available EPSCoR Research Budget. Note: The 2 CFR 1800 was recently updated and everything above 2 CFR 1800.400 (Mostly terms and conditions) was moved to the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM), Appendix E

· The Government’s obligation to make an award is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment can be made.

This CAN is available in electronic form through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) and Grants.gov. However, all proposals shall be submitted through NSPIRES.

To access the CAN through NSPIRES, go to http://nspires.nasaprs.com and click on Solicitations.

To access the CAN through Grants.gov, go to http://www.grants.gov/search/agency.do and select the link for NASA.

1.2 EPSCoR Background

Public Law 102-588, passed in 1992 and implemented in 1993, authorized NASA to initiate NASA EPSCoR to strengthen the research capability of jurisdictions that have not in the past participated equably in competitive aerospace research activities. The goal of NASA EPSCoR is to provide seed funding that will enable jurisdictions to develop an academic research enterprise directed toward long-term, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in aerospace and aerospace-related research. This capability will, in turn, contribute to the jurisdiction's economic viability and expand the nation's base for aerospace research and development.

Based on the availability of funding, NASA will continue to help jurisdictions achieve these goals through NASA EPSCoR. Funded jurisdictions will be selected through a merit-based, peer-review competition.

The specific objectives of NASA EPSCoR are to:

· Contribute to and promote the development of research capability in NASA EPSCoR jurisdictions in areas of strategic importance to the NASA mission.

· Improve the capabilities of the NASA EPSCoR jurisdictions to gain support from sources outside the NASA EPSCoR program.

· Develop partnerships among NASA research assets, academic institutions, and industry.

· Contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities of higher education, and economic development of the jurisdiction.

1.3 EPSCoR Eligibility and Proposal Acceptance

While proposals can be accepted only from institutions where a NASA EPSCoR Director is currently serving, all institutions of higher education within the jurisdiction shall be made aware of this CAN and given the opportunity to submit a proposal to the EPSCoR Director for competition for submission to NASA.

The latest available National Science Foundation (NSF) eligibility tables are used to determine overall jurisdiction eligibility for NASA EPSCoR. Note that the eligibility process was recently changed. It is important that all proposers review the new requirements. The latest NSF eligibility table is available at:

https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/Eligibility_Tables/FY-2019-Eligibility.pdf The following jurisdictions are eligible to submit a proposal in response to this NASA EPSCoR solicitation: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

The estimated funding and number of proposals anticipated to be funded, as shown in this CAN under the section entitled “Summary of Key Information,” are subject to the availability of appropriated funds, as well as the submission of a sufficient number of proposals of adequate merit.

1.4 Period of Performance

NASA EPSCoR awards will support a three-year cooperative agreement. It is anticipated that this period of performance will enable the researchers to achieve the performance task objectives stated in the original proposal and/or any amendments submitted with annual progress reports and accepted by the NASA EPSCoR project office.

1.5 Role of NASA EPSCoR Director

Cooperative Agreements will be awarded to the institution of the NASA EPSCoR Director. Therefore, the NASA EPSCoR Director shall serve as the administrative Principal Investigator (PI) for, and administer, all of the jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR projects (see Section 3.0, Program Management, Subsection 3.2. Jurisdiction Level for a discussion of management responsibilities).

1.6 Notice of Intent

Jurisdictions planning to prepare a proposal package for NASA EPSCoR shall submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) to propose. To be useful to NASA EPSCoR Management for planning purposes, NOIs shall be submitted by the NASA EPSCoR Director through NSPIRES at http://nspires.nasaprs.com by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, January 24, 2020.

NOIs shall be submitted via NSPIRES regardless of whether the solicitation was downloaded via NSPIRES or Grants.Gov. Information provided in the NOI shall identify the proposed research areas of interests (Nanotechnology, Oceanography, Biology, etc.) and any desired Center, JPL, and/or Mission Directorate alignment, if known.) See Appendix E, Section 3 of this announcement for additional details regarding NOIs.

2.0 Project Overview and Guidelines

2.1 General

Each NASA EPSCoR project shall perform scientific and/or technical research in areas that support NASA’s strategic research and technology development priorities. Proposals shall emphasize developing capabilities to compete for funds from NASA and non-NASA sources outside of EPSCoR. The projects should move increasingly towards gaining support from sources outside NASA EPSCoR by aggressively pursuing additional funding opportunities offered by NASA, industry, other federal agencies, and other sources.

Awards from this funding announcement that are issued under 2 CFR 1800 are subject to the Federal Research Terms and Conditions (RTC) located at http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp. In addition to the RTC and NASA-specific guidance, three companion resources can also be found on the website: Appendix A—Prior Approval Matrix, Appendix B—Subaward Requirements Matrix, and Appendix C—National Policy Requirements Matrix.

2.2 Funding and Cost-Sharing

A jurisdiction may request a maximum of $750,000 from NASA per proposal. This amount is to be expended over a three (3) year performance period in accordance with the budget details and budget narrative in the approved proposal.

Cost-sharing is required at a level of at least 50% of the requested NASA funds. Although the method of cost-sharing is flexible, NASA encourages the EPSCoR jurisdiction committees to consider methods that would add value to the jurisdiction's existing research capabilities. All contributions, including cash or in-kind, shall meet the criteria contained in 2 CFR 200 per NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM).

2.3 Restrictions

In addition to the funding guidelines and requirements in the NASA Guidebook for Proposers March 2018 Edition located at http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/nraguidebook/proposer2018.pdf.

and the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM), the following restrictions govern the use of the federally-provided and the cost-shared portion of funds for this opportunity (referred to collectively as NASA EPSCOR funds) and are applicable to this CAN:

· Funds shall not be used to fund research carried out by non-U.S. institutions. However, U.S. research award recipients may directly purchase supplies and/or services that do not constitute research from non-U.S. sources. Also, subject to export control restrictions, a foreign national may receive remuneration through a NASA award for the conduct of research while employed either full or part time by a U.S. institution. For additional guidance on foreign participation, see the NASA Guidebook for Proposers.

· Travel, including foreign travel, is allowed for the meaningful completion of the proposed investigation, as well as for reporting results at appropriate professional meetings. Foreign travel to meetings and conferences in support of the jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR research project is an acceptable use of NASA EPSCoR funds, with a limit of $3,000 per trip for up to two (2) separate years of a jurisdiction’s proposal (i.e., the maximum amount the jurisdiction can request for foreign travel is $3,000 total in any one year and a limit of $6,000 total for each research proposal). EPSCoR support shall be acknowledged by the EPSCoR research project number in written reports and publications. Please note that domestic travel does not have a limit. Domestic travel, which is defined as travel that does not require a passport, shall be appropriate and reasonable to conduct the proposed research.

· The construction of facilities is not an allowable cost in any of the programs solicited in this CAN. For further information on allowable costs, refer to the cost principles cited in 2 CFR 200.

· NASA EPSCoR funding shall not be used to purchase general purpose equipment, e.g., desktop workstations, office furnishings, reproduction and printing equipment, etc. as a direct charge. Special purpose equipment purchases (i.e., equipment that is used only for research, scientific, and technical activities directly related to the proposed research activities) are allowed and can be reflected as a direct charge as per 2 CFR 200.

· NASA EPSCoR funding shall not be used to support NASA civil service participation (FTE) in any research project. That funding is provided through a funding vehicle between the jurisdiction and NASA Center, such as a Space Act Agreement or other reimbursable agreement using non-EPSCoR funds. NASA EPSCoR cannot withhold funding from an award to send to a NASA Center for FTE support (including travel).

· NASA EPSCoR funds shall be expended in NASA EPSCoR institutions. If a Co-Investigator (Sc-I/Co-I) with an NASA EPSCoR award transfers to a non-EPSCoR institution, the EPSCoR funding amount, or the part of it that remains unobligated at the time of Sc-I/Co-I transfer, cannot be transferred to the non-EPSCoR institution.

· All proposed funding requests must be for expenditures that are allowable, allocable, and reasonable. Funds may only be used for the awarded project. All activities charged under indirect costs shall be allowable under 2 CFR 200, Subpart E, Cost Principles.

· Grants and Cooperative Agreements shall not provide for the payment of fee or profit to the recipient.

· Unless otherwise directed in 2 CFR 200, for changes to the negotiated indirect cost rate that occur throughout the project period, the recipient shall apply the rate negotiated for that year, regardless of whether it is higher or lower than at the time the cooperative agreement was awarded.

· Proposals shall not include bilateral participation, collaboration, or coordination with China or any Chinese-owned company or entity, whether funded or performed under a no-exchange-of-funds arrangement.

· Any funds used for matching or cost sharing shall be allowable under 2 CFR 200.

· A non-Federal entity shall use one of the methods of procurement as prescribed in 2 CFR 200.320. As defined in 2 CFR 200.67, the micro-purchase threshold for acquisitions of supplies or services made under grant and cooperative agreement awards issued to institutions of higher education, or related or affiliated nonprofit entities, or to nonprofit research organizations or independent research institutes is $10,000; or such higher threshold as determined appropriate by the head of the relevant executive agency and consistent with audit findings under chapter 75 of Title 31, United States Code, internal institutional risk assessment, or State law.

2.4 NASA Research Areas of Interest

NASA EPSCoR research priorities are defined by the Aeronautics Research, Human Exploration & Operations, Science, and Space Technology Mission Directorates, and NASA’s nine Centers plus JPL. Each Mission Directorate, Center, and JPL covers a major area of the Agency’s research and technology development efforts.

Information about current NASA research solicitations can be found on NSPIRES at http://nspires.nasaprs.com (select “Solicitations” and then “Open Solicitations”).

Research priorities for each of the Mission Directorates, Centers, and JPL are summarized in Appendix A; also see Appendix D for detailed contact information for the NASA Point of Contact (POC) for each Mission Directorate, Center, and JPL. The Nasa Offices That Participated In The EPSCoR R3 Solicitation Have Requested That The Areas Listed In The R3 Solicitation Be Allowed To Be Proposed Against In This Research Can. Proposers May View Those Topics In Appendix G.

Also Note: EPSCoR was contacted by the Office of the NASA Chief Medical Officer who would like to add two areas of research interest. Those two areas are at the beginning of Appendix G.

2.5 Partnerships and Interactions

All institutions of higher education within an eligible jurisdiction shall be made aware of this NASA EPSCoR CAN and given the opportunity to compete. However, all proposals shall be submitted through the jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR Director’s office. Jurisdictions are strongly encouraged to submit proposals that demonstrate partnerships or cooperative arrangements among academia, government agencies, business and industry, private research foundations, jurisdiction agencies, and local agencies.

NASA-funded, in-kind services provided by Mission Directorates, NASA Centers, or JPL shall be identified as “NASA responsibilities” in the proposals and shall not be included in the 50% cost matching requirement.

Statements of commitment and letters of support are important components of the proposal. However, NASA does not solicit or evaluate letters of endorsement. Review the NASA Guidebook for Proposers for distinctions among statements of commitment, letters of support, and letters of endorsement.

2.6 Environmental Statement

All awards must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NASA has an obligation under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to consider potential environmental effects of proposed projects. This includes projects that NASA funds which are implemented by grantees. The majority of grant related activities are categorically excluded as research and development projects that do not pose any adverse environmental impact. These are covered by a NASA Grants Record of Environmental Consideration (REC). The following questions enable NASA to identify grant proposals that do not fall within this blanket REC. Proposals that could result in a potential adverse environmental effect may require additional NEPA analysis if awarded (e.g., preparation of an Environmental Assessment). "Yes" responses are not grant selection criteria.

0. Construction of new facilities or modification to the footprint of an existing-facility, or

0. Ground disturbance (e.g., excavation, clearing of trees, installation of equipment, etc.), or

0. Outdoor discharges of water (e.g., waste water runoff), air emissions (e.g., ozone-depleting substances) or generation of noise exceeding 115 dBA (excluding those associated with aircraft operations)?

0. Release equipment (e.g., dropsondes, sensors, etc.) or chemicals (e.g., dyes, tracers, etc.) into the air, bodies of water or on the ground, or

0. Release a parachute or use equipment that would not be recovered, or

0. Involve equipment or a payload that contains hazardous (e.g., petroleum, hypergols, oxidizers, solid propellants, etc.) or radioactive materials?

Proposers should plan and budget accordingly if environmental impacts are anticipated. Anticipated environmental impacts should be documented in Section VIII – Other Project Information of the proposal cover page submitted to NASA. Questions concerning environmental compliance requirements may be addressed to Tina Norwood, NASA NEPA Manager, at tina.norwood-1@nasa.gov.

3.0 Program Management

3.1 NASA EPSCoR Program and Project Levels

The NASA EPSCoR is a component of the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA Headquarters. NASA EPSCoR Program Management is closely coordinated with NASA Headquarters Mission Directorates, NASA Centers, and JPL.

The NASA EPSCoR Project Office is located at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). This Project Office has the overall responsibility for oversight, evaluation, and reporting. Technical and scientific questions about programs in this solicitation may be directed to the NASA EPSCoR Project Manager.

3.2 Jurisdiction Level

The jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR Director will serve as the managing Principal Investigator (PI) for the award, providing leadership and administrative direction for the team from an oversight role. The submitting and awardee institution will be that of the jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR Director. The Director is responsible for oversight and overall administrative management of the project to assure compliance with NASA EPSCoR. The Director is responsible for ensuring the timely reporting of the team’s progress and accomplishment of its work.

The investigator responsible for the scientific direction and day-to-day management of the proposed work shall be listed as the Science-I (Sc-I). If the Sc-I’s institution is different from the submitting institution, awards may be made to the Sc-I’s institution through a subaward.

The Government’s obligation to continue any award is based on satisfactory progress as detailed in the recipient’s required annual progress reports. The research proposal may include an approved indirect cost rate if one has been negotiated with the Federal cognizant agency for funding of management, administrative, and oversight function of the jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR Director. For NASA to accept less than the approved indirect cost rate, a deviation is required. If a deviation is needed, the submitter shall include its proposed indirect cost amount as part of the $750,000 cap.

The jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR Director shall provide guidance and updates to the Sc-Is regarding NASA policy and direction from both an Agency technical perspective and from a NASA EPSCoR programmatic standpoint. The Director shall maintain an awareness of NASA research and technology development priorities and jurisdiction research priorities. As the primary point of contact for NASA regarding EPSCoR in the jurisdiction, the Director will identify and develop opportunities for collaboration within the jurisdiction with existing EPSCoR and EPSCoR-like programs from other federal agencies. Also, the NASA EPSCoR Director will consult with appropriate jurisdiction organizations, such as the economic development commission, in addressing jurisdiction research priorities.

3.3 Data Management Plan - Increasing Access to the Results of Scientific Research In keeping with the NASA Plan for Increasing Access to Results of Scientific Research, new terms and conditions consistent with the Rights in Data clause (GCAM, Annex E) in the award, which make manuscripts and data publically accessible, may be attached to NASA EPSCoR Research awards. All proposals shall provide a Data Management Plan (DMP) or an explanation as to why one is not necessary given the nature of the work proposed. The DMP shall be submitted by responding to the NSPIRES cover page question about the DMP (limited to 4000 characters). Any research project in which a DMP is not necessary shall provide an explanation in the DMP block. Example explanations:

· This is a development effort for flight technology that will not generate any data that I can release, so a DMP is not applicable.

· The data that we will generate will be ITAR.

· Or, the submitter may explain why its project will not generate any data.

The type of proposal that requires a DMP is described in the NASA Plan for increasing access to results of federally funded research. The DMP shall contain the following elements, as appropriate to the project:

· A description of data types, volume, formats, and (where relevant) standards;

· A description of the schedule for data archiving and sharing;

· A description of the intended repositories for archived data, including mechanisms for public access and distribution;

· A discussion of how the plan enables long-term preservation of data; and

· A discussion of roles and responsibilities of team members in accomplishing the DMP. (If funds are required for data management activities, these should be covered in the normal budget and budget justification sections of the proposal.).

Proposers that include a plan to archive data should allocate suitable time for this task. Unless otherwise stated, this requirement supersedes the data sharing plan mentioned in the NASA Guidebook for Proposers.

In addition, researchers submitting NASA-funded articles in peer-reviewed journals or papers from conferences now shall make their work accessible to the public through NASA's PubSpace at https://www.nihms.nih.gov/db/sub.cgi. PubSpace provides free access to NASA-funded and archived scientific publications. Research papers will be available within one year of publication to download and read.

EPSCoR has also implemented the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) process to collect demographic data from grant applicants for the purpose of analyzing demographic differences associated with its award processes. Information collected will include name, gender, race, ethnicity, and disability status. Submission of this information is voluntary, only available to NASA in aggregate form, and is not a pre-condition of award.

3.4 Schedule

The schedule for the review and selection of proposals for this CAN is:

Notices of Intent Due: January 24, 2020 Proposals Due: March 6, 2020

3.5 Cancellation of Program Announcement

The NASA Office of STEM Engagement reserves the right to not make any awards under this CAN and/or to cancel this CAN. NASA assumes no liability (including proposal costs) for cancelling the CAN or for any entity’s failure to receive such notice of cancellation.

3.6 Inquiries

Technical and scientific questions about this CAN may be directed to:

Mr. Jeppie R. Compton Project Manager, NASA EPSCoR/PX-E Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899-0001 E-mail: jeppie.r.compton@nasa.gov Telephone: (321) 867-6988 Inquiries regarding the submission of proposal materials may be addressed to:

Ms. Althia Harris NASA Research and Education Support Services (NRESS) 2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22202-4816 E-mail: aharris@nasaprs.com Telephone: (202) 479-9030 x310 Fax: (202) 479-0511

4.0 Proposal Review and Selection

4.1 Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation by peer review will be used to assess each proposal’s overall merit. The evaluation criteria are: Intrinsic Merit, NASA Alignment and Partnerships, Management and Evaluation, and Budget Justification: Narrative and Details. A NASA Headquarters Mission Directorate panel will use the results of the peer evaluation to make funding recommendations to the selecting official. See Section 8.0, Proposal Evaluation Criteria.

4.2 Review and Selection Processes

Review of proposals submitted in response to this CAN shall be consistent with the general policies and provisions contained in the NASA Guidebook for Proposers, Appendix D. The evaluation criteria described in this CAN under Section 8.0, Proposal Evaluation Criteria, takes precedence over the evaluation criteria described in Section 5 of the NASA Guidebook for Proposers. However, selection procedures shall be consistent with the provisions of the NASA Guidebook for Proposers, Section 5. The selecting official for this CAN is the Associate Administrator for STEM Engagement at NASA Headquarters or his appointed representative.

The NASA Grants Officer will conduct a pre-award review of risk associated with the proposer as required by 2 CFR 200.205. For all proposals selected for award, the Grants Officer will review the submitting organization’s information available through the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) and the System for Award Management (SAM) to include checks on the entity’s (applicant’s) core data, registration expiration date, active exclusions, and delinquent federal debt.

Prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $250,000), NASA is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS, which is accessible through SAM at https://www.sam.gov) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313).

At its option, an applicant may review information about itself that NASA previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS and may comment on such information.

NASA will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in reaching a determination about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 CFR 200.205, Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

Limited Release of Proposers Confidential Business Information For proposal evaluation and other administrative processing actions, NASA may find it necessary to release information submitted by the proposer to individuals not employed by NASA. Business information that would ordinarily be entitled to confidential treatment may be included in the information released to these individuals. Accordingly, by submission of its proposal, the submitter hereby consents to a limited release of its confidential business information (CBI).

Except where otherwise provided by law, NASA will permit the limited release of CBI only pursuant to non-disclosure agreements signed by the assisting contractor or subcontractor, and their individual employees who may require access to the CBI to perform the assisting contract.

4.3 Selection Announcement

NASA’s stated goal is to announce selections as soon as possible. However, generally NASA does not announce new selections until the funds needed for those awards are approved through the Federal budget process. Therefore, a delay in NASA’s budget process may result in a delay of the selection date(s). After 180 days past the proposal’s submitted date, proposers may contact the NASA EPSCoR Project Manager for a status update.

A proposer has the right to be informed of the major factor(s) that led to the acceptance or rejection of the proposal. Debriefings will be available upon request. Again, it is emphasized that non-selected proposals should be aware that proposals of nominally high intrinsic and programmatic merits may be declined for reasons entirely unrelated to any scientific or technical weaknesses.

5.0 Award Administration Information

5.1 Administrative, National Policy Requirements, and Intellectual Property Information 2 C.F.R. 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl

2 C.F.R. 1800 NASA supplement to 2 C.F.R. 200 (open word file) https://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/srba/index.html

Grants and Cooperative Agreement Manual – Appendix E, Terms and Conditions https://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Grant_and_CooperativeManual.doc

Award and intellectual property information is available here:

https://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/srba/Award_and_IP_Information_for_Proposers.docx

5.2 Notice of Award

For selected proposals, a NASA Grants Officer will contact the business office of the proposer’s institution. The NASA Grants Officer is the only official authorized to obligate the Government. For a grant or cooperative agreement, any costs that the proposer incurs within 90 calendar days before an award are at the recipient's risk in accordance with 2 CFR 200.458, & 1800.209.

5.3 Award Reporting Requirements

The reporting requirements for awards made through this CAN shall be consistent with the GCAM.

5.4 Access to NASA Facilities/Systems

All recipients shall work with NASA project/program staff to ensure proper credentialing for any individuals who need access to NASA facilities and/or systems. Such individuals include U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (“green card” holders).

6.0 Updates and Submission Information

6.1 Announcement of Updates/Amendments to Solicitation

Additional programmatic information for this CAN may be made available before the proposal due date. If so, such information will be added as a formal amendment to this CAN as posted at its homepage on http://nspires.nasaprs.com.

Any clarifications or questions and answers regarding this CAN will be posted at its homepage on http://nspires.nasaprs.com.

Each prospective proposer has the responsibility to regularly check this CAN’s homepage for updates.

6.2 Electronic Submission of Proposal Information

On-time electronic submission via NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com) is required for every proposal. Please note carefully the following requirements for submission of an electronic proposal via NSPIRES:

· Every organization that intends to submit a proposal to NASA in response to this CAN shall be registered in NSPIRES. Registration for the proposal data system shall be performed by an organization’s electronic business point-of-contact (EBPOC) who holds a valid registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/.

· Each individual team member (e.g., PI, co-investigators, etc.), including all personnel named on the proposal’s electronic cover page, shall be individually registered in NSPIRES.

While every effort is made to ensure the reliability and accessibility of the website and to maintain a help center via e-mail and telephone, technical difficulties may arise at any time with the Internet, including with the user’s own equipment. Thus, prospective proposers are strongly urged to familiarize themselves with the NSPIRES site and to submit the required proposal materials well in advance of the proposal submission deadline. Difficulty in registering with or using a proposal submission system (NSPIRES) is not, in and of itself, a sufficient reason for NASA to consider a proposal that is submitted after the proposal due date (see Appendix E).

6.3 Proposal Submission Date and Time

All proposals in response to this CAN shall be submitted electronically via NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com). Hard copies of the proposal will not be accepted. Electronic proposals shall be submitted in their entirety by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on the proposal due date of March 6, 2020.

Respondents without Internet access or that experience difficulty using the NSPIRES proposal site (http://nspires.nasaprs.com) may contact the Help Desk at nspires-help@nasaprs.com or call 202-479-9376 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal Government holidays. NSPIRES automatically identifies any proposals that are late. Proposals received after the due date may be returned without review. If a late proposal is returned, it is entirely at the proposer’s discretion whether or not to resubmit it in response to a subsequent solicitation.

7.0 Proposal Preparation

Required elements of the proposal are described below and shall be submitted as one or more PDF documents that are uploaded for proposal submission. Please refer to Appendix E of this announcement for NSPIRES instructions on proposal submission procedures. Section 3.6 of the NASA Guidebook for Proposers provides guidelines for style formats, and Section 3.7 provides guidelines for proposal content.

REQUIRED SECTIONS OF THE PROPOSAL

(in order of assembly)

PAGE LIMIT

Biographical Sketches for:

· Includes proposed budget, itemized list detailing expenses within major budget categories, detailed subawards and summary of personnel (User’s Guide section 3.18 and Appendix C).

· For grants/cooperative agreements the table of personnel and work effort should immediately follow the proposal budget and is not included in the budget.

* includes all illustrations, tables, and figures, where each "n-page" fold-out counts as n-pages and each side of a sheet containing text or an illustration counts as a page.

8.0 Proposal Evaluation Criteria

Successful research proposals shall provide sound contributions to both immediate and long-term scientific and technical needs of NASA, as explicitly expressed in current NASA documents and communications, as well as contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities of higher education, and economic development of the jurisdiction. Successful proposals shall also include pragmatic plans for generation of sustained non-EPSCoR support.

Jurisdictions responding to this CAN may submit proposals per paragraph 1.3 above. Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: Intrinsic Merit, NASA Alignment and Partnerships, Management and Evaluation, and Budget Justification: Narrative and Details. The bulleted lists after each criterion below should not be construed as any indication of priority or relative weighting. Rather, the bullets are provided for clarity and facilitation of proposal development. Note: Each proposer shall provide specific information on how it determined the relevance of the proposed effort to NASA and the jurisdiction.

8.1 Intrinsic Merit (35% of score)

· Proposed Research. Proposals shall provide a detailed narrative of the proposed research activity, including the scientific and/or technical merit of the proposed research, unique and innovative methods, approaches, concepts, or advanced technologies, and the potential impact of the proposed research on its field.

· Existing Research Proposals shall provide baseline information about current research activities within the jurisdiction in the proposed research area, including projects currently funded under NASA EPSCoR. If relevant, the narrative shall include a brief history of NASA EPSCoR Research projects in the jurisdiction, and shall include a discussion of how these previous NASA EPSCoR research projects or Research Infrastructure Development (RID) activities have helped prepare the institution and jurisdiction for and contributed to the proposed research activities. If the proposed research represents a new direction for the jurisdiction, the technical team’s ability to conduct the research shall be explained. Other relevant research and technology development programs within the jurisdiction shall also be included.

8.2 NASA Alignment and Partnerships (35% of score)

· Proposals shall discuss the value of the proposed research to NASA and to the jurisdiction’s research priorities.

· Proposals shall describe the use of NASA content, people, or facilities in the execution of the research activities. They should describe current and/or previous interactions, partnerships, and meetings with NASA researchers, engineers, and scientists in the area of the proposed research, and discuss how future partnerships between the institution’s researchers and personnel at the Mission Directorates, Centers, and/or JPL will be fostered. The name(s) and title(s) of NASA researchers with whom the proposers will partner shall be included. NASA shall consider the utilization of NASA venues for recipients to publish their accomplishments.

· Proposals shall articulate clearly how the proposed research activities build capacity in the jurisdiction. In particular, proposers shall explain how this proposed research is related to the strategic plan for NASA EPSCoR-related research in the jurisdiction.

· Proposals shall state how they plan to develop research competitiveness both in the jurisdiction and nationally. Proposals shall delineate mechanisms for building partnerships with universities, industry, and/or other government agencies to enhance the ability of the jurisdiction to achieve its objectives, to obtain and leverage sources of additional funding, and/or to obtain essential services not otherwise available.

8.3 Management and Evaluation (15% of score)

NOTE: This information does not count toward the 15 page limit for the Scientific, Technical, or Management section.

This section shall describe the management structure for the proposed research, and coordination with the jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR project management. The following elements shall be included:

· Personnel: The proposal shall include a list of the personnel participating in this research program, including Principal Investigator, Science-Investigator, and all Co-Investigators, Research Associates, Post-Doctoral Fellows, Research Assistants, and other research participants. The credentials of the researchers are important; however EPSCoR includes the concept of encouraging and helping new researchers.

· Research Project Management: A description of the Science-I’s management structure of the proposed research project, and the extent to which the project’s management and research team will lead to a well-coordinated, efficiently-managed, and productive effort shall be included.

· Multi-Jurisdiction Projects: If the proposed research is a collaboration between more than one NASA EPSCoR jurisdiction, one jurisdiction shall be identified as the lead with additional partners identified as sub-awardees. The proposal shall detail the inter-jurisdiction management structure of the proposed research project, including a list of the participating jurisdictions, and the participating universities and agencies within each jurisdiction. Multi-jurisdictional proposals shall not exceed the $750,000 limit.

· Project Evaluation: Proposals shall document the intended outcomes and offer metrics to demonstrate progress toward and achievements of these outcomes. They shall discuss metrics to be used for tracking and evaluating project progress. Milestones and timetables for achievement of specific objectives during the award period shall be presented. The proposal shall describe an appropriate evaluation plan/process to document outcomes and demonstrate progress toward achieving objectives of proposed project elements. Evaluation methodology shall be based upon reputable models and techniques appropriate to the content and scale of the project. Projects shall implement improvements throughout the entire period of performance based on ongoing evaluation evidence.

· Results of Prior NASA EPSCoR Research Support: Examples of accomplishments commensurate with the managerial and administrative expectations of the award shall be provided. The EPSCoR Director will not be assessed on his/her expertise in the specific proposed research area since the Science-PI is tasked with managing the scientific/technical development progress. The following information shall be provided: the NASA EPSCoR award number(s), the title of the projects(s); and period(s) of performance; primary outcomes resulting from the NASA EPSCoR award, including a summary discussion of accomplishments compared to the proposed outcomes from the original proposal; coordination with the research and technical development priorities of NASA, and contribution(s) to the overall research capacity of the jurisdiction.

8.4 Budget Justification: Narrative and Details (15%)

The proposed budget shall be adequate, appropriate, reasonable, and realistic, and demonstrate the effective use of funds that align with the content and text of the proposed project. Preparation guidelines for the budget can be found in the NASA Guidebook for Proposers, Section 3.18 and Appendix C.

A detailed budget, including both NASA provided and cost-share funds, is required. This section shall include detailed budgets for each of the three years of the funding and a summary budget for all three years. All sources of cost-sharing shall be thoroughly described and documented.

The budget will be evaluated based upon the clarity and reasonableness of the funding request. A budget narrative shall be included that discusses relevant budgetary issues such as the extent and level of jurisdiction, industrial, and institutional commitment and financial support, including resources (staff, facilities, laboratories, indirect support, waiver of indirect costs, etc.).

Appendix A: NASA Mission Directorates and Center Alignment NASA’s Mission to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research, draws support from four Mission Directorates, nine NASA Centers, and JPL, each with a specific responsibility.

NOTICE:

EPSCoR was contacted by the Office of the NASA Chief Medical Officer who would like to add two areas of research interest. POCs:

Dr James D. Polk; E: james.d.polk@nasa.gov, P: (202)358-1959 Dr Victor S. Schneider: E: vschneider@nasa.gov, P: (202)358-2204 Those two areas are:

1. Post Flight MRI/MRV- In astronauts that have signs of VIIP/SANS performing postflight MRI/MRV to identify brain edema, clots that may have occurred in the collecting system on the central nervous system, and correlating those findings to a spinal pressure would be extremely useful clinically. We don’t yet know the degree of edema, how that correlates to the intracranial pressure, and if there are any clots in the collecting system. The bulk of the collecting system is behind the skull and not visible with ultrasound. Doing this with MRI/MRV would be extremely useful clinically.

2. Part Two- We are looking for a treatment using drug(s) or mechanical devices which lowers intracranial pressure and CSF fluid in the brain. Ideally, we would want to trial this on the ground.