Final_EPSCoR_ISS_Flt_Oppt.docx

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of STEM Engagement

NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN)

Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)

International Space Station (ISS) Flight Opportunity

Announcement Number: NNH20ZHA002C Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 43.008

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

NNH20ZHA002C NASA EPSCoR ISS Flight Opportunity

NNH20ZHA002C NASA EPSCoR ISS Flight Opportunity 15 Summary of Key Information The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Engagement (OSTEM), in cooperation with the International Space Station (ISS) Research Office, NASA’s Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), Science Mission Directorates (SMD), Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), and NASA’s nine Centers plus NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), solicits proposals for the NASA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

The 28 eligible jurisdictions that are eligible for this opportunity are: 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, US Virgin Islands, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

This Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN or Solicitation) is for current or previously funded EPSCoR projects or other research projects that are mature enough to design a research experiment or develop research experimental hardware to the point that it can be safely flown on the ISS. Each NASA-funded EPSCoR proposal is expected to perform scientific and/or technical research in areas that support 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.

Solicitation Availability This Solicitation is open to the 28 eligible EPSCoR jurisdictions only and is accessible through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) and through Grants.gov.

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

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

Selection Process and Selecting Official This selection will be a two-step process:

· In the first step, the proposals will be evaluated through an online NSPIRES peer review process by an ISS Program representative for flight feasibility and by the appropriate Mission Directorate representative for evaluation of ground-based results. There may be a down-select of proposals at the conclusion of this step based on feedback from the ISS Program representative as to the supportability.

· During the second step, the proposals recommended for flight will be presented to the Mission Directorate review panel for funding recommendations.

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

Number and Size of Awards It is anticipated that five (5) awards of up to $100,000 each, to be expended over a three year period of performance, will be made under this Notice pursuant to the authority found at Title 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, as adopted and supplemented by NASA through the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM), Appendix D, and 2 CFR Part 1800 (all available at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/srba/index.html). The exact number of awards depends on the available funding within the EPSCoR Research Budget.

NASA Safety Policy As stated in NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 8700.1E, Paragraph 1.a., NASA Policy for Safety and Mission Success, the objectives of the NASA Safety Program are “to protect the public from harm, ensure the safety of employees, and affect positively the overall success rate of missions and operations through preventing damage to high-value equipment and property” and to “protect the public, NASA workforce, high-value equipment and property, and the environment from potential harm as a result of NASA activities and operations by factoring safety as an integral feature of programs, projects, technologies, operations, and facilities.”

Proposal Submission All information needed to respond to this solicitation is contained in this announcement and in the companion document entitled Guidebook for Proposers Responding to a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) or Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) (2018 edition), hereafter referred to as the NASA Guidebook for Proposers. The latest PDF version is available through:

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/nraguidebook Within the Agency, NASA Research Announcements (NRAs) and CANs are types of solicitations used to solicit proposals for grants and cooperative agreements. The main difference between an NRA and a CAN is that a CAN is used when the decision has been made in advance that cooperative agreements, rather than grants, will be awarded for a given research opportunity. The procedures and processes to be followed by proposers when responding to CANs and NRAs are the same.

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

Telephone: (281) 244-7579

Table of Contents

NNH20ZHA002C NASA EPSCoR ISS Flight Opportunity i

1.0 Description of Opportunity

1.1 Technical Description

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Engagement (OSTEM), in cooperation with the International Space Station (ISS) Research Office, Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), Science Mission Directorates (SMD), Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), and NASA’s nine Centers plus NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), solicits 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 the strategic research and technology development priorities of one or more of the Mission Directorates, and contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, higher education, and economic development of the jurisdiction receiving funding.

NASA shall assign a Technical Monitor (TM) to each award. The TM shall monitor the progress of the research and collaborate as required to keep the research aligned with the approved project’s objective(s). Each awardee shall provide an annual report on the progress of the research; this report shall be reviewed by the TM and approved by the NASA EPSCoR Project Manager. These reports shall be shared with the NASA Mission Directorates, NASA Centers, and JPL.

The program parameters are:

· Only one proposal per jurisdiction shall be accepted;

· It is estimated that up to five (5) proposals may be selected for funding per paragraph 1.3 below (EPSCoR Eligibility and Proposal Acceptance);

· The maximum funding request per proposal is $100,000. This amount is to be expended over a three-year period;

· There is no cost share requirement for this opportunity; and

· Proposals are due no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, February 10, 2020 per paragraph 6.2. below.

This solicitation is being announced in electronic form through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) and through Grants.gov.

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 and ISS Background

EPSCoR The NASA Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993, Public Law 102-588, authorized NASA to initiate NASA EPSCoR to strengthen the research capability of jurisdictions that have not historically 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’ proposals shall be selected through a merit-based, peer-review competition, presented for review to the NASA HQ Mission Directorate Review Panel, and accepted by the International Space Station (ISS) Program Office.

The following are the specific objectives of NASA EPSCoR:

· 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; and

· Contribute to the overall research infrastructure and economic development of the jurisdiction.

International Space Station (ISS) Utilization of the ISS will further strengthen the relationships between NASA and the EPSCoR jurisdictions in the pursuit of national priorities for the advancement of science. This use of the ISS will also open new paths for the jurisdictions to compete for and win much larger spaceflight research projects.

The ISS, including its large solar arrays, spans the area of a U.S. football field, including the end zones, and weighs 827,794 pounds. The complex has more livable room than a conventional five-bedroom house, and has two bathrooms and a gymnasium. The ISS provides the microgravity (less than 10-5g) environment in a work volume accessible to the ISS crew of astronauts. The broader ISS Program provides launch capabilities, crew time, training, data downlink, commanding, thermal control and electrical power. General information about the ISS is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main.

1.3 EPSCoR Jurisdiction Eligibility

The National Science Foundation (NSF) determines overall jurisdiction eligibility for NASA EPSCoR. The latest available NSF eligibility tables are used to determine overall jurisdiction eligibility for NASA EPSCoR. The NSF 2018 eligibility table is available at:

http://www.nsf.gov/od/iia/programs/epscor/Eligibility_Tables/FY2018_Eligibility.pdf.

The following jurisdictions are eligible to submit a proposal 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, US Virgin Islands, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

While proposals can be accepted only from institutions for which the NASA EPSCoR Directors are serving currently, all institutions of higher education within the jurisdiction shall be given the opportunity and shall be made aware of this NASA EPSCoR CAN.

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 of the microgravity flight as stated in the original proposal and/or any amendments submitted with annual progress reports and accepted by the NASA EPSCoR project office.

1.5 Connections between the NASA’s EPSCoR and the ISS

NASA EPSCoR, through the jurisdiction’s research projects, will provide the ground-based research. Proposed projects have previously been selected by NASA EPSCoR for ground based research funding. Approximately $750,000 was provided by NASA and $375,000 was provided by the jurisdiction or was vetted and funded by Mission Directorate Programs. All proposed projects shall be mature enough to transition to a flight experiment with little or no additional NASA funding.

Through this solicitation, the ISS will provide the integration and flight opportunity. There are a variety of laboratory facilities and capabilities designed to support a range of scientific disciplines on the ISS. A general overview of the research facilities and capabilities is at http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/ISS_Overview_HSTI.pdf. ISS experts will evaluate each proposal’s potential for integration and flight based on:

* Proposers are not required to fund launch costs. However, proposers shall fund the cost of their research equipment/hardware unless such hardware is already available in the NASA/ISS inventory. Proposers shall also be responsible for providing data for the required flight documentation. For guidance, please see this brief tutorial at http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/750523main_How_To_Do_ISS_Research_22_May_2013.pdf (specifically the inputs required on pages 5 through 8).

The ISS Program will develop a payload unique Applicable Verification Matrix, identifying all of the required and recommended design interfaces and associated verifications. NASA test facilities may be utilized by the Payload Developer (PD) to complete verification testing; however, it is the PD’s responsibility to cover all costs associated with this testing, unless otherwise documented in their Payload Integration Agreement (PIA). For further explanation of these products, please contact Willie Williams at willie.b.williams@nasa.gov.

2.0 Project Overview and Guidelines

2.1 General

Each selected NASA EPSCoR flight project shall perform scientific and/or technical research in areas that support NASA’s strategic research and technology development priorities. Proposals shall emphasize how a flight in microgravity will influence/improve the results/quality of any ground-based research.

2.2 Funding and Cost-Sharing

The maximum funding that a jurisdiction can request from NASA is $100,000 per proposal based on availability of funds. This amount is to be expended over three (3) years in accordance with the budget details and budget narrative included in the proposal and approved at the time of award.

All awards made in response to proposals to this solicitation shall comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Thus, proposers are encouraged to plan and budget for any anticipated environmental impacts per instructions in the Guidebook for Proposers Responding to a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) or Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) 2018 Edition (hereafter referred to as the NASA Guidebook for Proposers).

Cost-sharing is not required. However, the proposer shall be aware of costs such as hardware and/or software development and documentation development support (data to the ISS), which are not covered by this award.

2.3 Restrictions

In addition to the funding guidelines and requirements in the NASA Guidebook for Proposers, the Title 2 CFR §1800, and the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM), Appendix D, the following restrictions govern the use of the federally-provided NASA EPSCoR funds and are applicable to this CAN:

· Funds may 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. 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 Section 3.2 of the NASA Guidebook for Proposers and the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) Part 1835.016-70.

· EPSCoR support shall be acknowledged by the EPSCoR research project number in written reports and publications. Note that there is no limit for domestic travel, which is defined as that travel which does not require a passport, and shall be appropriate and reasonable to conduct the proposed research. Researchers from proposals selected for this ISS opportunity shall attend an ISS one-day workshop (Date TBD) at the ISS Program Office located at Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX.

· 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 shall be reflected as a direct charge as per cost principles cited in GCAM, Appendix D, Equipment and Other Property.

· NASA EPSCoR funding shall not be used to support NASA civil service participation (FTE) in a research project unless that funding is provided through a funding vehicle between the jurisdiction and NASA center, such as a Space Act Agreement or other reimbursable agreement. NASA EPSCoR shall not set aside funding obtained from an award to send to a center for full time equivalent (FTE) (i.e., civil servant) support, including travel.

· NASA EPSCoR funds shall be expended on 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, shall not be transferred to the non-EPSCoR institution.

· All proposed funds shall be allowable, allocable and reasonable. Funds may only be used for the EPSCOR ISS project. All activities charged under indirect costs shall be allowed under 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles.

· The 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.

· Unless otherwise directed in 2 CFR 200, for changes to the negotiated indirect cost rate that occur throughout the project period, the proposer/awardee shall apply the rate negotiated for that year, regardless of whether it is higher or lower than at the time the budget and application 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 cost sharing or matching shall be allowable under 2 CFR 200.

2.4 Special information relative to this solicitation

Researchers from proposals selected for this ISS opportunity shall help complete Part 1 of the Payload Integration Agreement (PIA). See Appendix A for the PIA template. Note: Part 1 of the PIA does not need to be filled out in response to this solicitation.

2.4.1 Experiments

Experiments shall fit within the mass and volume constraints of existing ISS launch vehicles and shall adhere to ISS integration requirements. Experiments can be launched pressurized or unpressurized. The proposer shall include specific requirements for mass, volume, power, and data from the ISS. Also, it is highly recommended that proposers include drawings or photographs of any flight hardware.

All ISS flight experiments shall undergo a 3-phase safety review process and the PD shall provide a letter certifying that the experiment is safe for flight. This is a very stringent safety review process that may be accomplished via Webex, but travel to JSC is preferred. It is strongly recommended that all selected projects appoint a safety representative to interface with NASA safety experts, provide the required documentation, and lead the project’s safety review at JSC. Information on external payload accommodations is at http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110013510.pdf

2.4.2 Student Research Assistants

The use of NASA EPSCoR funds for support of research assistants is allowable and encouraged, and shall be detailed in the budget justification and described in the narrative and evaluation sections of the proposal.

2.4.3 Labs and Funding Support

If post-flight labs are required, the ISS requires the jurisdictions to provide this lab support.

Funding requirements: The selected research project will be an EPSCoR project. NASA ISS will fund the required use of its equipment, ISS research integration, and the flight to and from the ISS.

Jurisdictions shall provide funding/resources for the research project’s faculty, students, and PIs; the basic (ground) research; and program integration documentation inputs and any specific hardware not already available in the ISS Program inventory.

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 in the award, information about making manuscripts and data publically accessible may be attached to NASA EPSCoR Research awards. As a general rule, proposals will be required to provide a Data Management Plan (DMP) or proposers shall provide an explanation as to why a DMP 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 for which a DMP is not necessary shall provide an explanation in the DMP block. Example explanations are as follows:

· This is a development effort for flight technology that will not generate any data that the proposer/recipient can release, so a DMP is not necessary;

· The data that the proposer/recipient will generate will be subject to ITAR; or

· The proposer/recipient may explain why its project is not going to generate data.

The proposal type that requires a DMP is described in the NASA Plan for increasing access to results of federally funded research (see above link). 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 included in the 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 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 now be available within one year of publication to download and read.

The following documents are available online at the address shown:

International Space Station Facilities and Accommodations Overview.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/facilities_category/index.html ISS Research Facilities Booklet http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/research2013.pdf External Payloads Proposer's Guide http://nanoracks.com/products/external-platform/

2.5 Partnerships and Interactions

All EPSCoR projects in eligible jurisdictions shall be made aware of this solicitation. All proposals shall be submitted through the jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR Director’s office. Existing EPSCoR awards already demonstrate partnerships or cooperative arrangements among academia, government agencies, business and industry, private research foundations, jurisdiction agencies, and local agencies, and need not be repeated.

"Letters of affirmation" (i.e., letters that endorse the Intrinsic Merit, including significance or impact, of a proposal) do not satisfy the requirement for statements of commitment and letters of resource support. NASA neither solicits nor evaluates such proposal endorsements. Whether a proposal fully meets the evaluation criteria is determined by NASA with input from peer review. The NASA Guidebook for Proposers includes a description of the distinctions between statements of commitment and letters of resource support.

Note: If letters of affirmation are submitted, they may not be submitted as an appendix to the proposal; rather, they must be included as part of the Scientific/Technical/Management plan and are counted within the required proposal page limitations.

3.0 Program Management

3.1 NASA EPSCoR Program Levels

The NASA EPSCoR project is administered by the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Office of STEM Engagement for NASA HQ, which has overall responsibility for EPSCoR policy, program management, and oversight. NASA HQ OSTEM is also responsible for reporting evaluation, outcomes, and results to the appropriate program-level entity. NASA EPSCoR project management is closely coordinated with the Mission Directorates and NASA Centers. A NASA Technical Monitor shall be assigned to provide technical oversight and an independent evaluation of the progress of the award.

The primary points of contact for this solicitation are listed in Appendix E.

3.2 Jurisdiction Level

The jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR Director shall serve as the managing Principal Investigator (PI) on the award, providing leadership and direction for the team from an oversight role. The submitting and awardee institution shall be that of the jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR Director. The Director is responsible for oversight and overall management of the project to ensure compliance with NASA EPSCoR and ISS administrative requirements. Also, the Director is responsible for ensuring the timely reporting by the team of progress and accomplishments of its work. The Science-I shall be listed as the technical POC and Payload Developer for ISS integration and flight.

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 a reasonable level of funding for management, administrative, and oversight function of the jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR Director. If required, this amount shall be included in the $100,000 proposal limit.

3.3 Cancellation of Program Announcement

NASA HQ OSTEM reserves the right to not make any awards under this CAN and to cancel this CAN at any time. NASA assumes no liability (including bid and proposal costs) for cancelling the CAN or for any entity’s failure to receive such notice of cancellation.

4.0 Proposal Review and Selection

4.1 Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria are as follows:

EPSCoR Project Office:

All complaint proposals shall not exceed 15 pages, which does not include budget, bio, letters of support, or certifications. They will be peer reviewed via NSPIRES and by representatives of the ISS Program Office in consultation with the NASA HQ Mission Directorates. The EPSCoR program Office will ensure that all proposals are evaluated based on:

· Intrinsic merit of microgravity requirement (i.e., what is the added value of flying on the ISS?);

· Approach to flight safety process; and utilization requirements of available ISS resources; and

· Budget (shall be adequate, appropriate, reasonable, and realistic, and demonstrate the effective use of funds that align to the proposed project).

ISS Program Office:

Proposals will be evaluated by ISS Program personnel based on the following:

· Feasibility;

· Time to flight;

· Crew time requirements;

· Power requirements; and

· Physical Space requirements.

4.2 Review and Selection Processes

This selection shall be a two-step process. In the first step, the proposals will be evaluated by ISS Program Office personnel for flight feasibility and by the Mission Directorates for scientific benefit of microgravity flight. Those proposals selected in the first step shall then proceed to the second step, in which ISS Program personnel will evaluate them for inclusion as a proposed project on the ISS flight manifest. At the end of the second step, the proposals recommended for funding will be presented to the EPSCoR Project Manager, who is the selecting official for this CAN.

The NASA Grant 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 Grant 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 entity 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) accessible through SAM, https://www.sam.gov (see 41 U.S.C. 2313).

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

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

Successful research proposals are likely to be those that 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 and economic development of the jurisdiction.

4.2.1 Intrinsic merit of microgravity requirement (40% of score)

· Existing Research - If relevant, the narrative shall include a very brief history of the NASA EPSCoR Research project (include the grant number assigned by the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC)); and

· Benefit of a microgravity environment to the research - Proposals shall provide a detailed technical narrative of the proposed research activity and the potential impact of a microgravity environment on the proposed research (Project Description, Microgravity Goals and Objectives, Anticipated Results, and Timeline).

4.2.2 Approach to flight and ground safety review process (40% of score).

The ISS Payload Safety Review Panel (PSRP) is an ISS Safety Review Panel (SRP) located at the JSC. The purpose of the PSRP is to ensure that the Payload Developer (PD) complies with technical and process safety requirements. Specifically, the PSRP performs the following functions:

· Assists the PD in the interpretation of safety requirements;

· Conducts safety reviews during appropriate phases of the payload development to assess the payload compliance to the relevant program safety and process requirements;

· Evaluates hazard assessment revisions resulting from modifications to payloads that may affect a safety critical subsystem or create a potential hazards to the crew, ISS, or other ISS/International Partner visiting vehicles;

· Evaluates the safety analyses, safety reports, and waiver/deviation requests prepared by the PD and elevates to Program Management (for approval) those non-compliances that are above the delegated authority of the PSRP; and

· Ensures the resolution of payload safety issues, including (as required) the formation of splinter groups, subpanels, and/or coordination with other organizations to perform technical activities required to accomplish assigned responsibilities.

The PD will be required to work with the PSRP to produce a Safety Data Package (SDP) as a part of the payload integration process. The SDP usually contains the following two parts:

· Part one of the SDP is descriptive text that contains information (usually drawings) to describe the payload, its systems, sub-systems, and interfaces, as well as flight and ground operations. It also summarizes hazard analyses used in the identification and control of payload hazards.

· Part two of the SDP is typically a hazard report. The hazard report is used to summarize controls and verifications to ensure compliance to safety requirements. Elements of a hazard report include technical requirement references, description of hazard, hazard category, hazard cause, hazard controls, and safety verification methods.

More information can be found in the “Payload Developers and Principal Investigators Payload Planning, Integration and Operations Primer” at: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/501115main_ISS_Payload_Integration_Process_Primer_final_submission_baseline.pdf.

4.2.3 Budget (20% of score)

A detailed budget is required for the entire three (3) years of performance. A suggested format to use in preparing the proposed budget is contained in the NASA Guidebook for Proposers, Section 2.3.10. The budget will be evaluated based upon the clarity and reasonableness of the funding request. A budget narrative shall be included in the proposal.

The proposed budget shall: be adequate, appropriate, reasonable, and realistic, and demonstrate the effective use of funds; reflect clear alignment with the content and text of the proposal; and contain sufficient cost detail and supporting information to facilitate evaluation.

4.2.4 ISS Program vetting of select proposals.

Proposals that the EPSCoR Project Office recommends for acceptance will be evaluated by ISS Program personnel based on the following; a maximum of ten (10) points will be awarded per the following table:

Funding Feasibility (EPSCoR)

The ISS program Office requires information for each selected project in order to complete Part 1 of the Payload Integration Agreement by the time of the kick-off meeting at the JSC. See Appendix A.

The EPSCoR project office will request that the NSSC include the Exhibit C of the GCAM which is a required Cross-Waiver of Liability for International Space Station Activities in the ISS Flight Opportunity awards. See Appendix B.

Appendix C includes a list of possible services that can be negotiated with the ISS Program.

NASA EPSCoR is the sponsor at the level shown in the chart below.

4.3 Selection Announcement

NASA’s goal is to issue award notices as soon as possible after the selections are announced (anticipated in February, early March) to the proposers. However, delays may be caused by:

· The need for additional materials from the proposer (e.g., revised budgets and/or budget details) before NASA may legally obligate Federal money; and

· A delay in NASA receiving its appropriation for the current fiscal year.

5.0 Award Administration Information

5.1 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 Title 2 CFR § 1800.209.

A proposer has the right to be informed of the major factor(s) that led to the acceptance or rejection of its proposal. Debriefings will be available upon request. Again, it is emphasized that proposers 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.

5.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements. All administrative and national policy requirements may be found at Title 2 CFR Part 200, Title 2 CFR Part 1800, Title 14 CFR Part 1274 and the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM) (all available at: http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/srba/index.html).

5.3 Award Reporting Requirements

The reporting requirements for awards made through this CAN shall be consistent with GCAM, Appendix D. Specific reporting requirements are described below.

5.4 Annual Progress and Final Reports

Jurisdictions shall submit electronic progress reports to the NSSC at NSSC-Grant-Report@mail.nasa.gov and the technical officer at agency-epscor@mail.nasa.gov on the results of Years-1&2 ISS flight integration activities (as PDF files) no later than 60 days prior to the end of the first anniversary of the award.

The EPSCoR Project Office Program Coordinator shall notify the Jurisdiction PI in advance when a report is coming due and provide specific formats and data entry forms. The Program Coordinator shall also provide a Research Project Progress/Performance Reporting Outline, which is a template of the required data. This will be followed by notification from the NSSC that the report is due.

A NASA TM shall evaluate accomplishments toward project goals by reference to indicators such as, but not limited to, the metrics outlined above. NASA may approve no-cost extensions when requested by the recipient in accordance with the GCAM, Appendix D, Extensions.

The ISS staff, EPSCoR staff, and a NASA Technical Monitor shall review the annual and final reports for completeness. A recipient’s failure to provide an annual project report and/or final report shall delay or preclude the participation of the respective jurisdiction in other funding opportunities related to NASA EPSCoR.

Awards issued under this CAN shall comply with the provision set forth in the NASA Plan for Increasing Access to the Results of Scientific Research (http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/NASA_Data_Plan.pdf), including the recipient’s responsibility for reporting publications with the annual and final progress reports. Requirements shall be identified in the Notice of Award.

If the Federal share of any award issued under this CAN is more than $500,000 over the period of performance, additional reporting requirements shall apply. See 2 CFR 200 Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4b63b1740bdb186d3bf5d346f5ddf42c&mc=true&node=ap2.1.200_1521.xii&rgn=div9)

5.5 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.

5.6 Intellectual Property

Data Rights: NASA encourages the widest practicable dissemination of research results at any time during the course of the investigation. The award will contain the Rights in Data clause at GCAM, Appendix D. This clause allows a recipient to assert copyright in any work that is subject to copyright and was developed, or for which ownership was acquired, under the NASA award. NASA will reserve a royalty-free, nonexclusive and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work for Government purposes, and to authorize others to do so, in any such copyrighted work. Note that the Grant Officer may revise the language under this Rights in Data clause to modify each party's rights based on the particular circumstances of the program and/or the recipient's need to protect specific proprietary information.

Patent Rights: Recipients will be allowed to obtain title to any inventions made under the award. Awards will include the provisions of 37 CFR 401.3(a) which requires use of the standard clause set out at 37 CFR 401.14 “Patent Rights (Small Business Firms and Nonprofit Organizations),” and GCAM, Appendix D “Patent Rights.”

6.0 Updates and Submission Information

6.1 Announcement and Updates/Amendments to Solicitation

This solicitation will be announced via NSPIRES and Grants.gov, but submission shall be an on-time electronic submission via NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com). Proposers shall carefully note the following requirements for submission of an electronic proposal via NSPIRES. Instructions for submission of proposals are also detailed in the NASA Guide for Proposers, Section 4.

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 listed 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 web site and to maintain a help center via e-mail and telephone, difficulty may arise at any point on the internet, including with the user’s own equipment. Therefore, 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 the 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. Additional programmatic information for this CAN may become known before the proposal due date. If so, such information shall be added as a formal amendment to this CAN and posted on its homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com.

It is the proposer’s responsibility to regularly check this CAN’s homepage for updates.

6.2 Electronic Submission of Proposal Information

All proposals submitted in response to this CAN shall be submitted electronically via NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com). Hard copy proposals will not be accepted. Electronic proposals shall be submitted in their entirety by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on February 10, 2020

6.3 Collection of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Information NASA is implementing a process to collect demographic data from grant applicants for the purpose of analyzing demographic differences associated with its award processes. NASA continually monitors the operation of its review and award processes to identify any inequities based on gender, ethnicity, race, or disability.

Therefore, we are requesting additional demographic data to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq., Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq. and NASA’s implementing regulations at 14 CFR. §§1250, 1251, and 1253. Submission of the requested information on Nasa Form 1839 is voluntary and will not affect the organization's eligibility for an award. Any individual not wishing to submit some or all the information should check the box provided for this purpose.

7.0 Proposal Preparation

Proposals shall not exceed 15 pages total. Required elements of the proposal are described in section 4 (para 4.1) above, Proposal Review Process.

Appendix A: ISS Payload Integration Agreement (PIA) Part 1 Template Payload Integration Agreement (PIA) Part 1 for {Payload Name} {If this is an update or replacement to an approved PIA, use this paragraph, otherwise delete} This PIA supersedes and replaces PIA {insert previously approved PIA number} dated {insert the date of the previously approved PIA}.

This PIA documents joint management agreements and expectations between the International Space Station (ISS) Program and the Payload Developer (PD) to integrate and execute the mission preparation, ground processing and handling, transportation services, on-orbit operations, and conditioned stowage for the payload in accordance with the Standard Payload Integration Agreement (SPIA). Any unique agreements or agreed deviations from the SPIA shall be documented in this PIA.

The PD is responsible for defining and meeting functional requirements for payload mission success. The ISS Program will assess the unique services and other needs in support of the payload’s mission success. Those agreed to by the ISS Program will be documented in this PIA.

The ISS Program will support the payload’s development, planning, operations, and overall integration with the ISS and visiting vehicles. The PD is responsible for on-time delivery of payload data in order to support these integration processes. If data is not provided on-time, the ISS Program cannot guarantee successful integration which may result in not meeting target manifest and operations timeframes.

The ISS Program shall develop a payload unique Applicable Verification Matrix, identifying all of the required and recommended design interfaces and associated verifications. NASA test facilities may be utilized by the PD to complete verification testing; however, it is the responsibility of the PD to cover all costs associated with this testing, unless otherwise documented in this PIA.

The Research Portfolio Manager shall serve as the focal point for development of Part 1. Following a handoff, the Payload Integration Manager (PIM) and Research Integration Manager (RIM) shall serve as the focal points for development of PIA Part 2 and overall maintenance. Updates to this PIA can be made as often as needed with joint approval of the PD and ISS Research Integration Office Manager.

PART 1 {Developed by OZ3/OZ4 (sponsors). Submit to the PIP chair for approval and addition to the IPL. Once approved, the PIA is transitioned to OZ6 (PIM/RIM) to manage changes.}

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