Facilitator of Polar STEAM (Polar STEAM)

Facilitator of Polar STEAM (Polar STEAM) is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

NSF 21-618: Facilitator of Polar STEAM (Polar STEAM) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Archived funding opportunity This solicitation is archived. Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements .

All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions . NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects. NSF 21-618: Facilitator of Polar STEAM (Polar STEAM) Polar Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics Posted: September 14, 2021 Download the solicitation (PDF, 0.

8mb) National Science Foundation Directorate for Geosciences Directorate for Education and Human Resources Division of Undergraduate Education Division of Human Resource Development Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

submitter's local time): Important Information And Revision Notes Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the revised NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) ( NSF 22-1 ), which is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after October 4, 2021.

Summary Of Program Requirements Facilitator of Polar STEAM (Polar STEAM) Polar Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics NSF’s Office of Polar Programs (OPP) and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) seek proposals for a Facilitator to manage a Polar Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (Polar STEAM) initiative.

The successful proposal for the Facilitator of Polar STEAM will be administered as a Cooperative Agreement (CA) over a five-year period of performance, with the option for a renewal for up to five years pending review.

Polar STEAM is a new initiative, which encompasses and enriches two longstanding efforts: an Antarctic Artists and Writers (AAW) program to support writing and artistic projects specifically designed to increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of the Antarctic and the human endeavors on the southernmost continent; and support for educators, both formal and informal, to travel to the Antarctic and Arctic to work collaboratively with researchers (hereafter, the Polar Educators program).

These efforts have for decades provided a unique professional development opportunity that benefited not only the individual artists, writers, and educators but also the diverse communities they served. Both programs provided unique avenues for NSF-funded researchers to enhance the Broader Impact of their work.

Incorporating Art into STEM learning experiences (commonly referred to as STEAM, e.g., Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) allows students of all ages to access science concepts from different vantage points, promotes creative thinking, speaks to a broader swath of learners, and enhances engagement and understanding.

Polar STEAM will promote diversity, equity and inclusion in polar science programs and allow for participation by a broader range of educators. The Facilitator of Polar STEAM will be responsible for managing the AAW and Polar Educator program(s) as parallel but synergistic programs that promote connections and innovative partnerships between their participants.

To accomplish this, the Facilitator will need to demonstrate the ability to work with the two programs’ diverse stakeholders and audiences.

The creation of a Cooperative Agreement (CA) for a new Facilitator for Polar STEAM will 1) resume the AAW program; 2) expand the reach of the educators’ program to include faculty from community colleges and Minority Serving Institutions; 3) help integrate both programs with the work of the OPP and EHR programs; 4) foster collaboration and coordination between the participants, i.e., artists, writers, educators and researchers; and 5) broaden the public impact of Polar STEAM.

In response to this solicitation, NSF seeks proposals from a broad representation of PIs and institutions, including a geographically diverse set of institutions (including those in EPSCoR jurisdictions) and PIs who are women, early-career researchers, members of underrepresented groups, veterans, and persons with disabilities. Cognizant Program Officer(s): Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing.

See program website for any updates to the points of contact. email: polarsteam@nsf. gov email: polarsteam@nsf.

gov Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): --- Education and Human Resources Anticipated Type of Award: Estimated Number of Awards: One award for Facilitator Support Office. Amount is anticipated to be up to $700,000/year for each year of 5-year performance period.

Additional, specific costs during the performance period will be considered based on essential, supplemental efforts identified in approved Annual Work Plans.

Anticipated Funding Amount: Estimated award up to $3,500,000-$4,000,000 (up to $700,000 per year) over the five-year period of performance of the Cooperative Agreement, subject to the availability of funds Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities. For-profit organizations: U.S. commercial organizations, especially small businesses with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education.

Other Federal Agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs): Contact the appropriate program before preparing a proposal for submission. There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A.

Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not required Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines apply. The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=pappg .

Full Proposals submitted via Grants. gov: NSF Grants. gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.

gov guidelines apply (Note: The NSF Grants. gov Application Guide is available on the Grants. gov website and on the NSF website at: https://www.

nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp?

ods_key=grantsgovguide ). Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Other Budgetary Limitations: Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.

m. submitter's local time): Proposal Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review criteria apply.

Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. Award Administration Information Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) supports a broad portfolio of creative and innovative scientific research, engineering, and education in and about the polar regions, catalyzing fundamental discovery and understanding of polar systems and their global interactions to inform the nation and advance the welfare of all people.

OPP supports world-class Arctic and Antarctic science through grants to researchers across the U.S. and provides polar facilities and logistical support for that research.

The mission of the Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR) is to achieve excellence in U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels and in all settings (both formal and informal) in order to support the development of a diverse and well-prepared workforce and well-informed citizenry that have access to the ideas and tools of STEM.

Given their respective missions, OPP and EHR have traditionally collaborated to enhance both formal and informal polar education. https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=nsf19086 For decades, OPP managed the Antarctic Artists and Writers (AAW) program to support writing and artistic projects specifically designed to increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of the Antarctic and the human endeavors on the southern continent.

The AAW program was paused in 2020, in order to assess the best way to move the program forward. OPP and EHR have also supported sending educators, both formal and informal, to both the Antarctic and Arctic to work collaboratively with researchers. As a unique professional development opportunity, this effort benefitted not only the individual educators but also the diverse communities they have served.

NSF is coalescing the management of these programs, under the name “Polar STEAM,” in order to strengthen both programs and build synergies between them. Polar STEAM will promote diversity, equity and inclusion and allow for participation by a broader range of educators.

Incorporating Art into STEM learning experiences (commonly referred to as STEAM, e.g., Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) allows students of all ages to access science concepts from different vantage points, promotes creative thinking, speaks to a broader swath of learners, and enhances engagement and understanding. NSF anticipates entering into this Cooperative Agreement for a period of five years.

Annual Reviews will be conducted in addition to a comprehensive Management Review after the first three years of Awardee performance. Results of the latter review, in combination with demonstration of continuing community need, will guide a decision to re-compete or renew the Cooperative Agreement for a second five-year period, with renewal also contingent on submission of a meritorious proposal. https://www.

nsf. gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg20_1/index. jsp The Facilitator of Polar STEAM will be responsible for creating programs that support the inclusion of educators in NSF-funded scientific research programs in the Arctic and the Antarctic and that support the access of artists and writers to NSF-funded scientific facilities and research activities in the Antarctic.

An overarching goal of the initiative is to reach diverse audiences with information, materials, resources, and events that inspire and engage students and the general public with the NSF-supported scientific research underway in the Arctic and Antarctic.

The Facilitator will be responsible for supporting educators, artists and writers who wish to apply to the programs by answering all inquiries about the programs during the application process, developing an online application system, communicating with NSF science and logistic program officers and logistics contractors to ensure the suitability of applications, and creating a review and ranking process for the applications.

The Facilitator will also be responsible for communicating with and recruiting NSF-funded scientists who will host educators, artists and writers as participants in their field teams.

The Facilitator will select approximately twelve educators for participation in the program each year, with roughly half of the total being faculty from community colleges or Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) that are also Primarily Undergraduate Institutions, and the other half being informal science educators or teachers from middle and high schools. NSF will have final review and approval of all participants.

Educators will be matched with researchers for field projects, and each year on average about half of the projects should be conducted in the Arctic and half in the Antarctic. Final totals will depend on the researchers who apply, the educators who apply and logistical constraints of the proposed field activities.

The Facilitator will also develop a process to support an additional 6-12 educators annually who wish to participate virtually in a project with a polar scientist. Some in-person events may be included in this program, such as workshops or classroom visits by the researcher(s), but there will be no field-work participation by the educator.

The Facilitator will create and implement a recruitment plan that encourages applications from participants who are unable to travel and/or conduct fieldwork, including those who are physically unable to conduct fieldwork or who teach students with physical disabilities.

The program may also include matches with polar scientists who do not conduct fieldwork, but who can provide access to polar data that students can analyze for classroom projects. In addition to educators who participate in-person and virtually, the Facilitator will select and support up to 4 artists and/or writers to work in Antarctica each year.

Final totals will depend on the artists who apply and logistical constraints of the proposed field activities. NSF will have final review and approval of participants. The Facilitator will develop an online application process for NSF-funded researchers seeking to include a STEAM participant in their research teams during deployments and fieldwork.

The Facilitator is responsible for matching the scientists to participants and supporting activities that help participants and scientists develop working relationships prior to deployment, supporting communications and outreach of the team during deployment and supporting outreach events post-deployment. Scientists who wish to participate in the virtual program will also be selected and matched to participants in the virtual program.

The Facilitator will provide support for the virtual scientist-educator teams to ensure successful collaborations.

Finally, the Facilitator is responsible for enabling an evaluation of the project management and for developing metrics and collecting data that can be used to assess the impact of the program on the participants, including the scientists, as well as the educators’, artists’ and writers’ target audiences and the general public, as appropriate.

This program will be supported as a Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF will conduct annual reviews of budgets and will organize a mid-term review of the project during Year 3. Annual Facilitator budgets will be determined based on the final number of expected Polar STEAM participants and anticipated activities for the year.

Transportation expenses for all participants to and from their home in the U.S. to Antarctica will be provided by the USAP Antarctic contractor. The Antarctic contractor also covers all expenses for participants once they are in Antarctica.

All other travel expenses, such as per diem for hotels, transfers, and meals needed during transit to the departure point for Antarctica (Punta Arenas, CH or Christchurch, NZ) are the responsibility of the Facilitator. Travel expenses for participants going to and from their home to a logistical hub in the Arctic are the responsibility of the Facilitator.

From the hub location (e.g., Fairbanks, Alaska or Scotia, New York) the Arctic logistics contractor may cover transportation and shelter (tents or housing) and food, while the participant is working with the research team at the field site. The Facilitator needs to pay for food/per diem while participants are travelling.

Cold-weather gear, such as outerwear and boots, is provided by the Arctic logistics contractor for work at sites on the Greenland icesheet and by the USAP contractor for fieldwork in the Antarctic. Elsewhere in the Arctic, program participants will need to provide their own field attire including footwear and outerwear.

Prospective PIs should request a scope and cost letter from the Arctic Research Support and Logistic contractor ( https://batellearcticgateway. org ) by emailing arctic. planning@battelle.

org . Educator’s home institutions are expected to maintain salary and benefits for the participants, and a letter of support from an academic administrator is required. Support for substitute teachers and/or adjunct professors who will cover classes and courses during a participant’s deployment will be provided by the Facilitator for deployments that overlap with the academic schedule.

The Facilitator will serve as the principal liaison between educators, artists and writers and the NSF. In this capacity, the Facilitator will provide administration management, oversee communications and outreach activities, and track and document data to monitor and evaluate Polar STEAM.

Specific tasks will include (but are not limited to): Administration Management Develop and manage a website with web-based application processes for: 1) educators who may be middle or high school teachers, informal science educators, or faculty at Minority Serving Institutions and community colleges, 2) artists and writers and 3) scientists who wish to work with educators, artists or writers.

Develop and manage an annual process for review and selection of educators who wish to embed with a polar research team conducting field research in either the Arctic or Antarctic and for educators who wish to participate virtually. Develop and manage an annual process for review and selection of artists and writers who will travel to Antarctic stations, facilities, or field sites to conduct research for their proposed creative work.

Develop and manage a process for matching educators, artists, and writers with researchers who will include them in field programs, training participants in media and outreach techniques that are appropriate for polar fieldwork, host workshops to ensure that educators, artists, writers, and researchers develop a working relationship prior to deployment and arrange for field safety training prior to deployment, including training for the prevention of harassment in field settings.

Develop protocols for the virtual participation of educators. Communications and Outreach Respond to and track all inquiries from individuals and organizations about the program. Interface with NSF science and logistic program officers who will consult with support contractors to assess the feasibility of the highly competitive projects during the final selection process.

Provide support to participants as they interface with Arctic and Antarctic logistical support contractors who provide travel and logistical support in the field. Facilitate efforts required to obtain authorizations and permits, if needed, for work in the Arctic and Antarctic. Guide participants who are deploying to Antarctica or the Greenland Ice Sheet through the Physical Qualification (PQ) process.

Assist participants who may be required to submit environmental compliance and safety documentation. Develop and maintain a website that provides participants with connections to audiences in the US while they are deployed, organize online events that highlight their work during and after deployment and that offer the public access to lesson plans and other polar resources developed by participants.

Provide travel support for participants to attend one post-deployment meeting, conference, or exhibition in the U.S. to present their work.

Monitoring and Evaluation Evaluate the program to determine: 1) participant satisfaction with program implementation, including separate assessments of the educators, scientists and artists and writers, 2) documentation of collaborative efforts between participants and scientists, 4) success of efforts to recruit and select a diverse group of participants, 5) documentation of efforts to build synergies between the educators and artists and writers and to increase the public’s awareness and engagement with the program.

Maintain regular reporting schedules to NSF program officer(s) who will provide final review and approval of the list of participants and projects. Plan and budget for an annual Reverse Site Visit. Develop Annual Work Plans (AWPs) that detail specific activities and estimated costs for each year of Awardee performance.

Provide Interim Reports quarterly and Annual Reports that describe progress and associated cost in achieving efforts identified in the respective AWP. Provide additional reporting as described in Section VII. c.

below. NSF welcomes creative ideas to further enhance the Broader Impacts of Polar STEAM. Estimated award up to $3,500,000-$4,000,000 over the five-year period of performance of the Cooperative Agreement, subject to the availability of funds.

IV. Eligibility Information Who May Submit Proposals: Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) - Two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members.

Special Instructions for International Branch Campuses of US IHEs: If the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a US institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus, and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the US campus.

Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities. For-profit organizations: U.S. commercial organizations, especially small businesses with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education.

Other Federal Agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs): Contact the appropriate program before preparing a proposal for submission. There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: Additional Eligibility Info: Collaborations and partnerships are encouraged, however in the case of proposals involving multiple organizations, a single organization must be identified as the lead, and a single proposal describing the entire project must be submitted by that organization.

Funds may be distributed among partner organizations via subawards from the lead organization. Consortia members may not submit separate proposals. V.

Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Full Proposal Preparation Instructions : Proposers may opt to submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via FastLane or Grants.

gov. Full proposals submitted via FastLane: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=pappg .

Paper copies of the PAPPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf. gov . Proposers are reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National Science Foundation.

Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing. Full proposals submitted via Grants.

gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation via Grants. gov should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NSF Applications via Grants.

gov . The complete text of the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.

gov website and on the NSF website at: ( https://www. nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ.

jsp? ods_key=grantsgovguide ). To obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application Forms Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants.

gov site, then click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Application Instructions link and enter the funding opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button. Paper copies of the Grants. gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.

gov . See PAPPG Chapter II. C.

2 for guidance on the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF. Please note that the proposal preparation instructions provided in this program solicitation may deviate from the PAPPG instructions. In addition to the requirements for Sections of the Proposal described in PAPPG Chapter II.

C. 2, the Project Description shall include the following specific information: Describe the overall approach for providing a cost-effective program that will support educators who apply to work in the Arctic or Antarctic with polar researchers, educators who wish to participate virtually, and artists and writers who apply to work at NSF-supported facilities in Antarctica.

Thoroughly address the experience, expertise, and capability of the proposer to perform the specific tasks listed in Section II of this solicitation. Explain the project’s management plan to demonstrate that the project team and partners will work collaboratively to achieve project outcomes.

Emphasize proposer’s understanding of U.S. middle and high school educator requirements, faculty requirements at U.S. community colleges and Minority Serving Institutions that are also Primarily Undergraduate Institutions, and best practices in informal science education. Emphasize proposer’s understanding of and connections to the broad cross-section of disciplines within the arts and humanities.

Discuss plans for recruiting highly qualified and committed participants and how the program can build synergies between the cohorts to expand and enhance the impact of the program. Describe how the Facilitator will work to achieve the NSF priority goal of Broadening Participation through this work.

Proposers should demonstrate understanding of logistical constraints, regulatory and environmental considerations, and the capability to successfully support participants to travel to and work in the Arctic and Antarctic. Delineate a timeline for the program that includes a cycle of applications, review, selection, and preparation for new participants as well as ongoing support for current participants and past participants.

Delineate a Work Breakdown Structure that ties schedule milestones to major budget elements. Describe plans for project assessment. The Project Description is limited to no more than 25 pages.

The following sites are potential resources for prospective PIs: For information about the NSF Office of Polar Programs: www. nsf. gov/geo/opp/about.

jsp . For information about the US Antarctic Program (USAP): www. usap.

gov . For information about Navigating the New Arctic, one of NSF’s 10 Big Ideas, visit the Navigating the New Arctic Community Office www. nna-co.

org . For information about Arctic logistics, see NSF’s prime contractor for Arctic field research support website: https://battellearcticgateway. org , or email Battelle Arctic at arctic.

planning@battelle. org . For information about PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating): www.

polartrec. com Polar Educators International (PEI) https://polareducator. org Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) https://www.

apecs. org The Polar Impact Network: www. polarimpactnetwork.

org . The Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE) is a cooperative agreement with the NSF AISL program designed to strengthen the field of informal STEM education and its infrastructure. See www.

informalscience. org for more information. The Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (CADRE) is the resource network for the DRK-12 program.

CADRE’s mission is to support and connect researchers and developers in K-12 STEM education. See www. cadrek12.

org for more information. Antarctic Artists and Writers Collaborative: www. aawcollective.

com NSF INCLUDES is one of the NSF 10 Big Ideas. For the U.S. to remain the world leader in STEM innovation and discovery, it must identify and develop talent from all sectors. For more information, see the NSF INCLUDES Coordination Hub and National Network: http://includesnetwork.

org . Journal of Geoscience Education , Volume 69, 2021 – Issue 2: The Imperative for Polar Education. Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE).

Investing in Diverse Communities, 2017-2018 Biennial Report to Congress. CEOSE | Biennial Report to Congress 2017-2018 (nsf. gov) .

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Minority Serving Institutions: America’s Underutilized Resource for Strengthening the STEM Workforce.

Washington, D. C. : The National Academies Press.

https://doi. org/10. 17226/25257 .

Community College Review , Understanding Determinants for STEM Major Choice Among Students Beginning Community College Colleen A. Evans , Rong Chen , Ryan P. Hudes , First Published June 5, 2020 https://doi.

org/10. 1177/0091552120917214 Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.

m. submitter's local time): D. FastLane/Grants.

gov Requirements For Proposals Submitted Via FastLane: To prepare and submit a proposal via FastLane, see detailed technical instructions available at: https://www. fastlane. nsf.

gov/a1/newstan. htm . For FastLane user support, call the NSF Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.

gov . The NSF Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane and Research. gov systems.

Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this funding opportunity. For Proposals Submitted Via Grants. gov: Before using Grants.

gov for the first time, each organization must register to create an institutional profile. Once registered, the applicant's organization can then apply for any federal grant on the Grants. gov website.

Comprehensive information about using Grants. gov is available on the Grants. gov Applicant Resources webpage: https://www.

grants. gov/web/grants/applicants. html .

In addition, the NSF Grants. gov Application Guide (see link in Section V. A) provides instructions regarding the technical preparation of proposals via Grants.

gov. For Grants. gov user support, contact the Grants. gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email: support@grants.

gov . The Grants. gov Contact Center answers general technical questions related to the use of Grants.

gov. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this solicitation. Submitting the Proposal: Once all documents have been completed, the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must submit the application to Grants. gov and verify the desired funding opportunity and agency to which the application is submitted.

The AOR must then sign and submit the application to Grants. gov. The completed application will be transferred to the NSF FastLane system for further processing. Proposers that submitted via FastLane may use Research.

gov to verify the status of their submission to NSF. For proposers that submitted via Grants. gov, until an application has been received and validated by NSF, the Authorized Organizational Representative may check the status of an application on Grants.

gov. After proposers have received an e-mail notification from NSF, Research. gov should be used to check the status of an application. VI.

NSF Proposal Processing And Review Procedures Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program for acknowledgement and, if they meet NSF requirements, for review.

All proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to ten other persons outside NSF either as ad hoc reviewers, panelists, or both, who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with oversight of the review process.

Proposers are invited to suggest names of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review the proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection process at the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names, however, is optional.

Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the proposal. In addition, Program Officers may obtain comments from site visits before recommending final action on proposals. Senior NSF staff further review recommendations for awards.

A flowchart that depicts the entire NSF proposal and award process (and associated timeline) is included in PAPPG Exhibit III-1. A comprehensive description of the Foundation's merit review process is available on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

gov/bfa/dias/policy/merit_review/ . One of the strategic objectives in support of NSF's mission is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions must recruit, train, and prepare a diverse STEM workforce to advance the frontiers of science and participate in the U.S. technology-based economy.

NSF's contribution to the national innovation ecosystem is to provide cutting-edge research under the guidance of the Nation's most creative scientists and engineers. NSF also supports development of a strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce by investing in building the knowledge that informs improvements in STEM teaching and learning.

NSF's mission calls for the broadening of opportunities and expanding participation of groups, institutions,