Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 is sponsored by NSF. Supports the design and implementation of research infrastructure, including equipment, cyberinfrastructure, large-scale datasets, and personnel.

Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 (Mid-scale RI-1) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 (Mid-scale RI-1) View image credit & caption NSF's implementation of the revised 2 CFR NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website .

These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.

Important information for proposers All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements.

Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Updates to NSF Research Security Policies On July 10, 2025, NSF issued an Important Notice providing updates to the agency's research security policies, including a research security training requirement, Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program annual certification requirement, prohibition on Confucius institutes and an updated FFDR reporting and submission timeline.

Supports the design and implementation of research infrastructure — including equipment, cyberinfrastructure, large-scale datasets and personnel — whose total project costs are under $20 million. Supports the design and implementation of research infrastructure — including equipment, cyberinfrastructure, large-scale datasets and personnel — whose total project costs are under $20 million.

NSF-supported science and engineering research increasingly relies on cutting-edge infrastructure. With its Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program and Major Multi-user Facilities ("Major Facilities") projects, NSF supports infrastructure projects at the lower and higher range of infrastructure project costs, Foundation-wide, across science and engineering research disciplines.

The Foundation-wide Mid-scale Research Infrastructure opportunity is intended to provide NSF with an agile, Foundation-wide process to fund experimental research capabilities in the mid-scale range between MRI and Major Multi-user Facilities. NSF defines Research Infrastructure (RI) as any combination of facilities, equipment, instrumentation, or computational hardware or software, and the necessary human capital in support of the same.

Major facilities and mid-scale projects are subsets of research infrastructure. The NSF Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 Program (Mid-scale RI-1) supports either design activities or implementation of unique and compelling RI projects.

Mid-scale implementation projects may include any combination of equipment, instrumentation, cyberinfrastructure, broadly used large scale datasets and the personnel needed to successfully commission the project. Mid-scale RI-1 design activities include the design efforts intended to lead to eventual implementation of a mid-scale class RI project.

Mid-scale RI-1 projects should involve the training of a diverse workforce engaged in the design and implementation of STEM research infrastructure. Mid-scale RI-1 projects should directly enable advances in any of the research domains supported by NSF. Projects may also include upgrades to existing research infrastructure.

Mid-scale RI-1 emphasizes strong scientific merit, a response to an identified need of the research community and/or fulfillment of a national need to enable U.S. researchers to be competitive in a global research environment.

Well-conceived technical and management plans are essential for both design and implementation proposals, as are well-developed plans (e.g., mentoring and professional development) for student training and the involvement of a diverse STEM workforce in all aspects of mid-scale design and/or implementation activities.

The inclusion of individual project participants that will lead to a supportive working environment is especially encouraged at all levels of the project team. Within Mid-scale RI-1, proposers may submit two types of projects, “Implementation” (e.g., acquisition and/or construction) or “Design”. The “Design” track is intended to facilitate progress toward readiness for a mid-scale range implementation project.

Both Implementation projects and Design activities may involve new or upgraded research infrastructure. Mid-scale RI-1 "Implementation" projects may have a total project cost ranging from $4 million up to but not including $20 million.

Mid-scale RI-1 "Design" activities may request less than $4 million, with a minimum request of $400,000 and a maximum request up to but not including $20 million, as appropriate, to prepare for a future mid-scale range implementation project.

Note: Successful award of a Mid-scale RI-1 design activity does not imply NSF's commitment to the future implementation of the project being designed, nor is a Mid-scale RI-1 design award required for the submission of an implementation project.

The Mid-scale RI-1 Program seeks to broaden the representation of PIs and institutions in its award portfolio, including a geographically diverse set of institutions (especially those in EPSCoR jurisdictions). Proposals submitted by, or involving partnerships between institutions are encouraged.

Participation in this opportunity is encouraged for the full spectrum of diverse talent society has to offer to include PIs who are women, early-career researchers, persons with disabilities, or members of other groups underrepresented in STEM.

To improve participation in science and engineering research for persons with disabilities, Mid-scale RI-1 encourages PIs to incorporate accessibility as part of Mid-scale RI-1 design activity and implementation projects. Please consult NSF's Research Infrastructure Guide, or RIG (available at https://www. nsf.

gov/bfa/lfo/lfo_documents. jsp ), for definitions of certain terms used in this solicitation, such as the Project Execution Plan (PEP) and Design and Execution Plan (DEP). The RIG provides guidance specific to Mid-scale Research Infrastructure Projects, including references to other parts of the RIG as needed.

Note that PEP or DEP should be appropriately scaled for the complexity of the project and may not require all of the elements described in the RIG. Mid-scale research infrastructure projects with total project costs beyond the Mid-scale RI-1 Program limit are separately solicited through the Mid-scale RI-2 Program.

Proposals to the Mid-scale RI-1 Program with total project costs outside of this solicitation's budgetary limits, either during initial submission or after cost analyses/revisions during subsequent review, are subject to return without further review. Updates and announcements Mid-scale RI-1 2025-26 Competition Town Hall Project Personnel and Affiliations Template available here Contacts for Topic-specific Inquiries: Carleitta L.

Paige-Anderson October 15, 2024 - Midscale Research Infrastructure-1 Program (BIO) Office Hours October 15, 2024 - Midscale Research Infrastructure-1 Program Office Hours September 23, 2024 - Midscale Research Infrastructure-1 Program Office Hours September 23, 2024 - Midscale Research Infrastructure-1 Program Office Hours September 19, 2024 - Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure Town Hall September 19, 2023 - Midscale Research Infrastructure-1 Program Office Hours November 17, 2022 - Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure-1 Program Informational… November 16, 2022 - Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure-1 Program Informational… October 28, 2022 - Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure-1 Program Webinar July 19, 2022 - DBI Virtual Office Hour: Instrumentation Awards made through this program Browse projects funded by this program Map of recent awards made through this program Office of Integrative Activities (OD/OIA) Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) Directorate for Engineering (ENG) Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE)