Plant Biotic Interactions (PBI)

Plant Biotic Interactions (PBI) is sponsored by NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences (NSF/BIO) and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

NSF 20-576: Plant Biotic Interactions | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Active funding opportunity This document is the current version. 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 20-576: Plant Biotic Interactions To save a PDF of this solicitation, select Print to PDF in your browser's print options.

National Science Foundation Directorate for Biological Sciences Division of Integrative Organismal Systems National Institute of Food and Agriculture Full Proposal Deadline(s) : Proposals Accepted Anytime Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted.

The NSF PAPPG is regularly revised and it is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets the requirements specified in this solicitation and the applicable version of the PAPPG. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement. Full research proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation can no longer be prepared and submitted via FastLane.

Collaborative proposals may now be submitted by either method described in PAPPG Chapter II. D. 3: as a single proposal, in which a single award is being requested (with subawards administered by the lead organization); or by simultaneous submission of proposals from different organizations, with each organization requesting a separate award.

Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the聽 NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).

Summary Of Program Requirements Plant Biotic Interactions The Plant Biotic Interactions (PBI) program supports research on the processes that mediate beneficial and antagonistic interactions between plants and their viral, bacterial, oomycete, fungal, plant, and invertebrate symbionts, pathogens and pests.

This joint NSF/NIFA program supports projects focused on current and emerging model and non-model systems, and agriculturally relevant plants. The program’s scope extends from fundamental mechanisms to translational efforts, with the latter seeking to put into agricultural practice insights gained from basic research on the mechanisms that govern plant biotic interactions.

Projects must be strongly justified in terms of fundamental biological processes and/or relevance to agriculture and may be purely fundamental or applied or include aspects of both perspectives. All types of symbiosis are appropriate, including commensalism, mutualism, parasitism, and host-pathogen interactions.

Research may focus on the biology of the plant host, its pathogens, pests or symbionts, interactions among these, or on the function of plant-associated microbiomes.

The program welcomes proposals on the dynamics of initiation, transmission, maintenance and outcome of these complex associations, including studies of metabolic interactions, immune recognition and signaling, host-symbiont regulation, reciprocal responses among interacting species and mechanisms associated with self/non-self recognition such as those in pollen-pistil interactions.

Explanatory frameworks should include molecular, genomic, metabolic, cellular, network and organismal processes, with projects guided by hypothesis and/or discovery driven experimental approaches. Strictly ecological projects that do not address underlying mechanisms are not appropriate for this program. Quantitative modeling in concert with experimental work is encouraged.

Overall, the program seeks to support research that will deepen our understanding of the fundamental processes that mediate interactions between plants and the organisms with which they intimately associate and advance the application of that knowledge to benefit agriculture. Broadening Participation in STEM: NSF has a mandate to broaden participation in science and engineering, as articulated and reaffirmed in law since 1950.

Congress has charged NSF to “develop intellectual capital, both people and ideas, with particular emphasis on groups and regions that traditionally have not participated fully in science, mathematics, and engineering." 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.

Courtney E. Jahn, Program Director, E12324, telephone: (703) 292-7746, email: cjahn@nsf. gov Amer Fayad, National Program Leader, USDA-NIFA, telephone: (816) 894-7228, email: amer.

fayad@usda.

gov Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): --- USDA-NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 25 to 30 Anticipated Type of Award: Continuing Grant or Standard Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 25 to 30 awards per year, pending availability of funds Anticipated Funding Amount: $18,500,000 Approximate Funding Amount: $18,500,000 depending on availability of funds $10.

5M from NSF for new standard or continuing grant awards, and approximately $8M from USDA/NIFA for new awards. Both estimates depend on availability of appropriations. USDA/NIFA will support projects for up to four years in duration.

Although there are no formal upper or lower limits to award amounts, they typically range from $50,000 to $300,000 per year, with durations of two to four years (and five years for CAREER awards). Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

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.

USDA/NIFA Eligible applicants include: (1) State agricultural experiment stations; (2) colleges and universities (including community colleges offering associate degrees or higher); (3) university research foundations; (4) other research institutions and organizations; (5) Federal agencies, (6) national laboratories; (7) private organizations or corporations; (8) individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; and (9) any group consisting of 2 or more entities identified in (1) through (8).

Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations. There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: There are no restrictions or limits. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A. Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not required Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required Full Proposals submitted via Research.

gov: 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: For awards made by NSF, Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines apply.

For awards made by USDA/NIFA, Section 1462(a) and (c) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA) limits indirect costs for the overall award to 30 percent of Total Federal Funds Awarded (TFFA) under a research, education, or extension grant.

The maximum indirect cost rate allowed under the award is determined by calculating the amount of indirect costs using: the sum of an institution’s negotiated indirect cost rate and the indirect cost rate charged by subawardees, if any; or 30 percent of TFFA (TFFA = Field K. , Total Costs and Fee, on SF-424 R&R Budget).

The maximum allowable indirect cost rate under the award, including the indirect costs charged by the subawardee(s), if any, is the lesser of the two rates. See Part V section 7. 9 of the NIFA Grants.

gov Application Guide for further indirect cost information. See webpage at http://nifa. usda.

gov/indirect-costs for indirect cost options. Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Full Proposal Deadline(s) : Proposals Accepted Anytime Proposal Review Information Criteria National Science Board approved criteria apply. 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 Plant Biotic Interactions (PBI) program supports basic research projects aimed at improved understanding of the interactions between plants, microbes and invertebrates, and applied research projects that translate new knowledge into novel methods of sustainably increasing crop yields.

Agricultural production systems are increasingly facing challenges from limited availability of resources, such as water and fertilizer, to extreme weather conditions. At the same time, demand for agricultural products is increasing as the global population increases. Production of enough food to meet the demands of the growing world population will require novel approaches to increase crop yields in a sustainable manner.

A deeper understanding of the fundamental, complex interactions between plants and their associated microbes and invertebrates is expected to lead to novel cropping systems that support plants with improved capacities to extract nutrients from their environments, ward off diseases and thrive in the face of extreme environmental conditions.

The last three decades have seen enormous growth in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that mediate the interaction of plants with their symbionts, pests and pathogens. As a result, a sophisticated and fertile conceptual framework now guides research in this field.

Deepening mechanistic understanding, combined with rapidly expanding technical capacity to apply what has been learned to crop plants, points to the need to facilitate synergies between basic and applied research in the effort to improve agricultural practice. The PBI program supports basic and translational research as well as projects across this continuum.

Previous organizational structures and priorities at NSF/BIO and USDA/NIFA impeded fluid development of practical applications of fundamental knowledge and insights. PBI was created to establish a programmatic environment that encourages intensive pursuit of fundamental understanding while also supporting the translation of the results of basic research to agricultural practice.

Combining the expertise and experience of long-standing grant programs at the NSF and USDA/NIFA, PBI supports the best fundamental and applied research in plant biotic interactions. In addition, proposals will be considered that include both basic and translational aspects. Thus PIs need not tailor aims or experimental systems to the specific mission of one or the other agency.

The PBI program seeks to support important fundamental and translational research on the mechanisms and principles that mediate the interaction of plants with their biotic partners. All types of symbiosis are considered, including pathogenic, commensal and mutualistic relationships.

Modes of inquiry include genetic, genomic, biochemical, metabolic and imaging-based approaches at molecular, cellular, organismal, population and community levels. Synergies are sought between modeling and experimental approaches and between exploration of fundamental principles and the deployment of insights gained by these approaches in agricultural settings.

Experimental systems should be employed as appropriate to the questions asked, with feasibility of the work an important consideration in merit review. Proposals that apply novel fundamental knowledge to agriculturally relevant systems should include information about the agricultural importance of the system (e.g. economic information) if available.

Central to the program's interests are the mechanisms involved in recognition between plants and their biotic partners and the downstream physiological consequences of that recognition. Approaches include inquiries into genetic and genomic responses, cellular signaling (and, more broadly, signaling architecture), and effects on nutritional, metabolic and developmental processes.

In addition to classical systems such as the rhizobia-legume symbiosis, the program supports inquiries into recognition and signaling between pathogenic plants and their hosts, and also the recognition and downstream processes involved in pollen-pistil interactions.

The PBI program supports research on immune function, including the role of pattern- and effector-driven immunity; the role of epigenetic processes in regulating immune responses and virulence strategies (including trans-generational inheritance of immune states); circadian regulation of immunity; the role of reactive oxygen species; immune priming and systemic acquired resistance.

In addition to focused inquiries into particular host-microbe or host-invertebrate relationships, questions concerning complex symbioses such as multipartite interactions between viruses, bacteria, fungi and/or host plants, as well as community level processes such as the rules that govern the assembly and function of rhizosphere and phylosphere microbiomes are also relevant to this program.

Much remains to be learned about the components involved in recognition and signaling between plants and their biotic partners. Discovery-based efforts can be useful in this context.

However, in order for a proposal to be competitive for funding it is essential that project aims calling for such efforts be thoroughly integrated into a larger project plan focused on gaining insights into mechanisms of general importance or to developing solutions to agriculturally important problems.

Similarly, lateral expansion of knowledge gained in the study of model systems is also appropriate, but again, the rationale for such efforts must include an important biological question or a potential translational application in an agricultural setting. Sponsoring Agency Mission Specific Research The Plant Biotic Interactions program supports USDA Strategic Goals ( https://www. usda.

gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-fy-2022-2026-strategic-plan.

pdf ), especially Goal 2 – Maximize the ability of American agricultural producers to prosper by feeding and clothing the world; Goal 5 – Strengthen the stewardship of private lands through technology and research; Goal 6 – Foster productive and sustainable use of our National Forest System Lands and Goal 7 – Provide all Americans access to a safe, nutritious and secure food supply.

The Plant Biotic Interactions program directly aligns with the USDA Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan ( https://www. ree. usda.

gov/sites/default/files/2017-08/2016USDA_%20REEProgressReportR2.

pdf ) and specifically addresses: Goal 1 – Local and Global Food Supply and Security, Sub goals 1A, 1B, and 1C (which focus on Crop Production, Health, Genetics, Genomics, Genetic Resources, and Biotechnology); and Goal 2 - Responding to Climate and Energy Needs, Sub goals 2A and 2B (which focus on Climate Variability, Bioenergy/Biofuels and Bio based Products) by developing and extending approaches to enhance local and global food supply and security, while also responding to climate and energy.

Research in Undergraduate Institution (RUI) Proposals PBI will accept Research in Undergraduate Institution (RUI) proposals. Information on the scope of RUI projects and the format of these proposals can be found at https://www. nsf.

gov/funding/pgm_summ. jsp? pims_id=5518 .

Research Coordination Network (RCN) Proposals PBI will accept Research Coordination Network (RCN) Proposals. Information on the scope of RCN projects and the format of these proposals can be found at https://www. nsf.

gov/funding/pgm_summ. jsp? pims_id=11691 .

Conference Proposals and Supplemental Funding: Please contact a PBI/NIFA and/or PBI/NSF program director for advice on applying for conference or supplementary support.

EA rly-concept G rants for E xploratory R esearch and Grants for RAPID Response Research: EAGERs and RAPIDs on topics relevant to PBI should be submitted following the standard guidelines by selecting "Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide” on the proposal coversheet and then selecting the applicable type from the pull-down menu.

CAREER Proposals: Although not covered by this solicitation, CAREER proposals submitted on topics relevant to PBI will be reviewed along with those submitted in response to this solicitation. Additional CAREER proposal information can be found here: https://www. nsf.

gov/funding/pgm_summ. jsp? pims_id=503214 .

Supplemental Funding Requests Please note that supplemental funding is intended for unanticipated opportunities only and should be justified on this basis. Requests for support of planned Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), Research Experiences for Teachers (RET), Research Assistantships for High School Students (RAHSS), and Research Opportunity Awards (ROA) activities should be included in the proposal budget.

See https://www. nsf. gov/funding/pgm_summ.

jsp? pims_id=5517 for additional guidance on budget preparation. NSF and USDA/NIFA are interested in promoting international cooperation that links scientist and engineers from a range of disciplines and organizations to solve significant global agricultural challenges.

Proposals including international collaboration are encouraged when those efforts enhance the merit of the proposed work by incorporating unique resources, expertise, facilities or sites of international partners. The U.S. team's international counterparts generally should have support or obtain funding through other non-NSF sources.

Anticipated Type of Award: Continuing Grant or Standard Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 25-30 awards per year, pending availability of funds Anticipated Funding Amount: The estimated funding includes approximately $10. 5M from NSF for new standard or continuing awards, and approximately $8M from USDA for new awards. Both estimates depend on availability of funds.

USDA/NIFA will support projects for up to four years in duration. Although there are no formal upper or lower limits to award amounts, they typically range from $50,000 to $300,000 per year, with durations of two to four years (and five years for CAREER awards). 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.

USDA/NIFA Eligible applicants include: (1) State agricultural experiment stations; (2) colleges and universities (including community colleges offering associate degrees or higher); (3) university research foundations; (4) other research institutions and organizations; (5) Federal agencies, (6) national laboratories; (7) private organizations or corporations; (8) individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; and (9) any group consisting of 2 or more entities identified in (1) through (8).

Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations. There are no restrictions or limits. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: There are no restrictions or limits.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: There are no restrictions or limits. 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 Research. gov or Grants. gov. Full Proposals submitted via Research.

gov: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and 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 . The Prepare New Proposal setup will prompt you for the program solicitation number.

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 . In determining which method to utilize in the electronic preparation and submission of the proposal, please note the following: Collaborative Proposals.

All collaborative proposals submitted as separate submissions from multiple organizations must be submitted via Research. gov. PAPPG Chapter II. D.

3 provides additional information on collaborative proposals. 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. Results from Prior Support.

Proposals must include results from prior NIFA support as well as prior NSF support as described in the NSF PAPPG (Chapter II. C. 2.

d. (iii)). Research Experiences for Undergraduates.

Projects anticipating the inclusion of undergraduate research experiences should include those as part of the research proposal itself, rather than as a subsequent supplemental request. See the REU solicitation ( https://www. nsf.

gov/publications/pub_summ. jsp? ods_key=nsf13542 ) for additional information.

Collaborators & Other Affiliations Information . Information regarding collaborators and other affiliations must be provided for each individual who has a biographical sketch in the proposal using the NSF COA template as specified in Chapter II. C.

1. e of the PAPPG. Note: Collaborations involving junior authorship on a multi-authored papers (>5 authors) may be limited to the senior author.

Letters of Collaboration. Supplementary Documents may include letters of collaboration from individuals or organizations that are integral to the proposed project but are neither senior personnel nor supported by subawards. This may include subsidiary involvement in some aspect of the project, cooperation on outreach efforts, or documentation of permission to access materials or data.

Letters of collaboration must focus solely on affirming that the individual or organization is willing to collaborate on the project as specified in the Project Description or Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal. Note: No endorsements of the potential value or significance of the project may be included. Letters of general support are not allowed.

Inclusion of extra description of collaborative activities is not allowed. Each letter of collaboration must be signed by the designated collaborator. Requests to collaborators for letters of collaboration should be made by the PI well in advance of the proposal submission deadline, because they must be included at the time of the proposal submission.

The recommended template for letters of collaboration is provided below. No additional text may be included. If the proposal submitted by Dr. [insert the full name of the Principal Investigator] entitled [insert the proposal title] is selected for funding by NSF, it is my intent to collaborate and/or commit resources as detailed in the Project Description or the Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal.

Research Coordination Network proposals. These proposals should begin the title with "RCN:" Follow the proposal preparation instructions in the RCN solicitation ( https://www. nsf.

gov/funding/pgm_summ. jsp? pims_id=11691&org=BIO&from=home ).

Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: For awards made by NSF, Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines apply.

For awards made by USDA/NIFA, Section 1462(a) and (c) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA) limits indirect costs for the overall award to 30 percent of Total Federal Funds Awarded (TFFA) under a research, education, or extension grant.

The maximum indirect cost rate allowed under the award is determined by calculating the amount of indirect costs using: the sum of an institution’s negotiated indirect cost rate and the indirect cost rate charged by subawardees, if any; or 30 percent of TFFA (TFFA = Field K. , Total Costs and Fee, on SF-424 R&R Budget).

The maximum allowable indirect cost rate under the award, including the indirect costs charged by the subawardee(s), if any, is the lesser of the two rates. See Part V section 7. 9 of the NIFA Grants.

gov Application Guide for further indirect cost information. See webpage at http://nifa. usda.

gov/indirect-costs for indirect cost options. Other Budgetary Limitations: Subawards: In accordance with the applicable award terms and conditions, proposers are reminded of their responsibilities with regard to subawardees.

Should an award be made, the prime awardee is responsible for flowing down the appropriate terms and conditions to, as well as management and oversight of, any subawardees on the project, including any foreign subawardees. USDA/NIFA Requirements: See Part V. , Section 4.

12. of the NIFA Grants. gov Application Guide (Field 12 on the Form) for instructions regarding Felony Convictions or Tax Delinquent Status.

Full Proposal Deadline(s) : Proposals Accepted Anytime D. Research. gov/Grants.

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

research. gov/research-portal/appmanager/base/desktop? _nfpb=true&_pageLabel=research_node_display&_nodePath=/researchGov/Service/Desktop/ProposalPreparationandSubmission.

html . For FastLane or Research. gov user support, call the FastLane and Research.

gov Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf. gov or rgov@nsf. gov .

The FastLane and Research. gov 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 or Research.

gov 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, and geographic regions that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines, which is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports. A.

Merit Review Principles and Criteria The National Science Foundation strives to invest in a robust and diverse portfolio of projects that creates new knowledge and enables breakthroughs in understanding across all areas of science and engineering research and education.

To identify which projects to support, NSF relies on a merit review process that incorporates consideration of both the technical aspects of a proposed project and its potential to contribute more broadly to advancing NSF's mission "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes."

NSF makes every effort to conduct a fair, competitive, transparent merit review process for the selection of projects. 1. Merit Review Principles These principles are to be given due diligence by PIs and organizations when preparing proposals and managing projects, by reviewers when reading and evaluating proposals, and by NSF program staff when determining whether or not to recommend proposals for funding and while overseeing awards.

Given that NSF is the primary federal agency charged with nurturing and supporting excellence in basic research and education, the following three principles apply: All NSF projects should be of the highest quality and have the potential to advance, if not transform, the frontiers of knowledge. NSF projects, in the aggregate, should contribute more broadly to achieving societal goals.

These "Broader Impacts" may be accomplished through the research itself, through activities that are directly