Research Initiation Grants to Broaden Participation in Biology (RIG BP)

Research Initiation Grants to Broaden Participation in Biology (RIG BP) is sponsored by NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences. Supports early-career researchers from underrepresented groups to initiate research programs in biology, enhancing diversity in the field.

NSF 09-501: Research Initiation Grants to Broaden Participation in Biology (RIG BP) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Archived funding opportunity This solicitation is archived. NSF 09-501: Research Initiation Grants to Broaden Participation in Biology (RIG BP) Replaces: NSF 07-560 , NSF 05-581 Download the solicitation (PDF, 0.

3mb) National Science Foundation Directorate for Biological Sciences Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m. proposer's local time): Important Information And Revision Notes Starting in FY 2009, the Broadening Participation program in the Directorate for Biological Sciences consists only of Research Initiation Grants.

Career Advancement Awards are not being accepted under this program solicitation. Anyone interested in seeking BIO support for activities previously supported as Career Advancement Awards https://www. nsf.

gov/funding/opportunities/rig-bp-research-initiation-grants-broaden-participation-biology/10676/nsf07-560/solicitation should email rig-bp@nsf. gov for Please be advised that the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) includes revised guidelines to implement the mentoring provisions of the America COMPETES Act (ACA) (Pub. L.

No. 110-69, Aug. 9, 2007.) As specified in the ACA, each proposal that requests funding to support postdoctoral researchers must include a description of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such individuals.

Proposals that do not comply with this requirement will be returned without review (see the PAPP Guide Part I: Grant Proposal Guide Chapter II for further information about the implementation of this Summary Of Program Requirements Research Initiation Grants to Broaden Participation in Biology (RIG BP) With the goal of broadening participation to all biologists including members from groups under-represented in biology, the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) at NSF continues to offer Research Initiation Grants (RIG).

Currently, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders are under-represented in biology. These grants are intended to increase the diversity of researchers who apply for and receive BIO funding to initiate research programs early in their careers.

who share NSF's commitment to diversity in the following ways: role models who will interact with an increasingly diverse student population, the workforce of the future number of scientists at minority serving institutions actively and competitively engaged in research as independent investigators, thereby creating new research opportunities for students from Fund biological research projects that use innovative ways to attract and retain members of under-represented groups to careers Awards are for 24 months and are limited to $175,000 total costs (direct plus indirect) with up to an additional $25,000 for equipment (maximum total award amount of $200,000).

Principal Investigators must be U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted U.S. permanent residents at the time of application; visa-holders are not eligible. 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.

Anne M. Maglia, DBI, telephone: (703) 292-7380, email: amaglia@nsf. gov David A.

Rockcliffe, MCB, telephone: (703) 292-7123, email: drockcli@nsf. gov Cedric L. Williams, IOS, telephone: (703) 292-7876, email: clwillia@nsf.

gov Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s): 47. 074 --- Biological Sciences Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant Estimated Number of Awards: 10 to 15 per year Anticipated Funding Amount: $2,000,000 to $3,500,000 Estimated program budget and number of awards are subject to the availability of funds.

Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Universities and colleges: Universities and two- and four-year colleges (including community colleges) located and accredited in the U.S. Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, research labs, and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities.

Proposers affiliated with Minority-Serving Institutions MSIs, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are especially encouraged to apply. Co-investigators are not permitted, but collaborations with other scientists and/or visiting scientist status in other laboratories are permitted.

Principal investigators must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 1 Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions A.

Proposal Preparation Instructions Letters of Intent: Not Applicable Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not Applicable Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that supplements the standard NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, Part I: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) proposal preparation guidelines.

Please see the full text of this solicitation Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required under this solicitation. Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m. proposer's local time): Proposal Review Information Criteria Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria.

Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further Award Administration Information Award Conditions: Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

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

To address the need for more diversity in its programs, the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) at NSF offers Research Initiation Grants to Broaden Participation in Biology (RIG Data gathered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Science Foundation’s Division of Science Resource Statistics document the under-representation of some groups in the U.S. scientific workforce.

African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and American Indians as a group constituted 24 per cent of the U.S. civilian labor force in 2005, but only 11 per cent of the total science and engineering workforce and 9 per cent of the biological, agricultural, and life sciences workforce. The percentage of Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders is even lower.

Women are not under-represented in the fields of biology The intent of RIG awards is to promote the participation of scientists from all segments of the scientific community, including those from under-represented groups and scientists at minority serving institutions. Our goal is to increase the number of proposals to BIO from individuals who can serve as role models for the U.S. scientific workforce of the future.

Another goal is to support innovative plans for recruiting and retaining a broad representation of researchers in programs supported by these grants.

RIG awards are for beginning investigators (see Additional Eligibility Information below) to undertake activities, such as acquisition of preliminary data or development of collaborations, that will lead to formulation of competitive grant applications to NSF at the conclusion of the RIG award.

The purpose of the RIG award is to broaden the participation of and to increase opportunities for all scientists including those from groups under-represented in biology, in order to encourage individuals to become actively and competitively engaged in research as independent A specific goal of this program is to make BIO programs more inclusive in the future.

Thus, one measure of success of these programs will be the number of future proposals received by BIO from awardees of RIG awards and from members of under-represented groups influenced or mentored by RIG Research proposed in this program must be within the purview of the Directorate for Biological Sciences, which does not include research with disease-related goals such as work on the molecular basis, etiology, diagnosis or treatment of physical or mental disease, abnormality, or malfunction in human beings or animals.

Research using animal models of such conditions or the development or testing of drugs or other procedures for their treatment also are not eligible for support. BIO expects to invest from $2,000,000 to $3,500,000 beginning in FY 2009. The duration for these awards is 24 months.

They are limited to $175,000 in total (direct plus indirect) costs with a possible addition of up to $25,000 for equipment (a maximum total award amount of $200,000). IV.

Eligibility Information Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Universities and colleges: Universities and two- and four-year colleges (including community colleges) located and accredited in the U.S. Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, research labs, and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities.

Proposers affiliated with Minority-Serving Institutions MSIs, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are especially encouraged to apply. Co-investigators are not permitted, but collaborations with other scientists and/or visiting scientist status in other laboratories are permitted.

Principal investigators must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 1 Additional Eligibility Info: You are eligible to apply under this program solicitation only if you are a citizen, national or legally admitted permanent resident of the United States AND hold a doctoral degree or have equivalent experience in NSF-supported fields AND present a plan that shows how the proposed activities will increase (1) the participation of scientists from under-represented groups and (2) the numbers of such individuals that serve as role models for the scientific workforce of the future AND are a new investigator, i.

e . , in your first academic appointment as a faculty member or research-related position other than a postdoctoral appointment in a U.S. college or university eligible to receive NSF support AND have not previously served as Principal Investigator or co-Principal Investigator on an independent federal research grant.

Previous federal support through a doctoral dissertation improvement award, as a Fellow (postdoctoral or graduate), or through a fellowship research starter grant is not disqualifying. V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions A.

Proposal Preparation Instructions Full Proposal Instructions: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the guidelines specified in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www. nsf.

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

Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-PUBS (7827) or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf. gov . Because of the special nature of RIG proposals, applicants are strongly encouraged to read this program solicitation in its entirety before sending inquiries to rig-caabp@nsf.

gov . to following the general format contained in the GPG, RIG proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation must also adhere to the following special instructions. cover page must identify the proposal as a RIG.

" RIG: " should precede the title of your research project in the title section of the NSF cover page. are not permitted on RIG, but collaborations with and/or visiting scientist status in other laboratories are permitted. Tenure or tenure-track status is not an eligibility factor, but the proposer must be the Principal Investigator.

The submitting institution must provide a letter from the department chair or dean pledging its support for the proposed activities. If the proposer is not in a tenure-track appointment, the institution must state its contractual agreement with the proposer if the appointment period and requested grant award dates are not congruent. Description.

This narrative description, not to exceed 15 pages (including tables, figures, and other visual supplements), is the principal part of the proposal. It is a detailed statement of the work to be undertaken and will be the basis for evaluation of the intellectual merit and broader impact of the proposal.

It should contain: A brief description of the proposer's overall A detailed description of the proposed activities, including any preliminary data already available or a description of data that the proposer plans to obtain.

relationship of the proposed activities to the proposer's projected longer term research A discussion of how those activities will facilitate development of a subsequent A specific explanation of how the award would broaden the participation of individuals from under-represented groups in the areas of the biological sciences supported by Budget (see below for limitations, and consult the GPG for instructions on budget preparation).

All proposers should include funds in the budget for travel to the Washington, DC area for a one and a half-day meeting of awardees. Budget Justification (not to exceed 3 pages). A budget justification should be attached, explaining each line item for which funds are requested.

Major cost items or unusual situations should be explained. Information and Supplementary Documentation: Except as indicated below, all information necessary for the review of an RIG proposal must be contained in the 15-page project description and the accompanying bibliography, biographical sketch, and budget justification.

For RIG proposals, the following are specific exceptions and are required: institution (a department chair or dean) must be supplied that addresses the availability of facilities and support for the research. It should be scanned in and submitted in the "Supplementary Documents" section.

Letters describing collaborative arrangements and commitments, if any, should also be scanned and submitted in the "Supplementary No other appendix materials are permitted in RIG Proposers are reminded to identify the program solicitation number (NSF 09-501) 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. Cost Sharing: Cost sharing is not required under this solicitation.

Other Budgetary Limitations: Project Budget: RIG awards are limited to $175,000 in total (direct and indirect) costs for a period of 24 months with a possible addition of up to $25,000 for equipment, if required (a maximum total award amount of $200,000). Budget Justification (not to exceed 3 pages). A budget justification should be attached, explaining each line item for which funds are requested.

Major cost items or unusual situations and inclusions should be explained. Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p. m.

proposer's local time): Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this program solicitation through use of the NSF FastLane system. Detailed instructions regarding the technical aspects of proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: http://www. fastlane.

nsf. gov/a1/newstan. htm .

For FastLane user support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf. gov . The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system.

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. Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets .

The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic certifications within five working days following the electronic submission of the proposal.

Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: https://www. fastlane. nsf.

gov/fastlane. jsp . VI.

NSF Proposal Processing And Review Procedures Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program where they will be reviewed if they meet NSF proposal preparation requirements. 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 who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposal.

These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the 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. A.

NSF Merit Review Criteria All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board (NSB)-approved merit review criteria: intellectual merit and the broader impacts of the proposed effort. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities. The two NSB-approved merit review criteria are listed below.

The criteria include considerations that help define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being considered and for which the reviewer is qualified to make What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?

important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of the prior work.)

To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources?

What are the broader impacts of the proposed How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)?

To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to Examples illustrating activities likely to demonstrate broader impacts are available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.

nsf. gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts. pdf .

activities provided to postdoctoral researchers supported on the project, as described in a one-page supplementary document, will be evaluated under the Broader Impacts criterion.

also will give careful consideration to the following in making funding Integration of Research and Education principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions.

These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities -- 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 Additional Review Criteria: For Research Initiation Grant proposals, both the scientific merit of the proposed research and the extent to which the proposed activities will broaden participation of individuals from under-represented groups in the areas of the biological sciences supported by BIO are of paramount importance.

The RIG proposals will also be judged on the potential of the research initiation activities to produce sufficient preliminary data to serve as the basis for a competitive research B. Review and Selection Process Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review. Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal.

The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation. After scientific, technical and programmatic review and consideration of appropriate factors, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the cognizant Division Director whether the proposal should be declined or recommended for award.

NSF is striving to be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the deadline or target date, or receipt date, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Officer.

In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement.

Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer.

A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own VII. Award Administration Information A. Notification of the Award Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements.

Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See Section VI.

B. for additional information on the review process.)

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (GC-1); * or Research Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter.

Cooperative agreements also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC) and the applicable Programmatic Terms and Conditions. NSF awards are electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail. documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at https://www.

nsf. gov/awards/managing/award_conditions. jsp?

org=NSF . Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf. gov .

information on NSF Award Conditions and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF Award & Administration Guide (AAG) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www. nsf. gov/publications/pub_summ.

jsp? ods_key=aag . Special Award Conditions: Because RIG awards have an upper limit, they cannot be supplemented.

C. Reporting Requirements For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period. (Some programs or awards require more frequent project reports).

Within 90 days after expiration of a grant, the PI also is required to submit a final project report, and a project outcomes report for the general public. required annual or final project reports, or the project outcomes report will delay NSF review and processing of any future funding increments as well as any pending proposals for that PI.

PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project-reporting system, available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports. Such reports provide information on activities and findings, project participants (individual and organizational), publications, and other specific products and contributions.

PIs will not be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system. Submission of the report via FastLane constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are accurate and complete. The project outcomes report must be prepared and submitted using Research.

gov. This report serves as a brief summary, prepared specifically for the public, of the nature and outcomes of the project. This report will be posted on the NSF website exactly as it is submitted by the PI. in mind that the annual and final reports must be substantive.

They must be accepted by the cognizant Program Officer. Failure to submit a report will prevent the PI from receiving future funding from NSF until a report is received. For RIG awards, the following two additional reporting requirements apply: An explanation of how the award contributed to broadening participation in the scientific workforce, particularly in the areas of the biological sciences supported by BIO.

A description of how the results of the award will contribute to the submission of a future NSF research proposal. Please note that the program contact information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

inquiries regarding this program should be made to: Anne M. Maglia, DBI, telephone: (703) 292-7380, email: amaglia@nsf. gov David A.

Rockcliffe, MCB, telephone: (703) 292-7123, email: drockcli@nsf. gov Cedric L. Williams, IOS, telephone: (703) 292-7876, email: clwillia@nsf.

gov For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact: FastLane Help Desk, telephone: 1-800-673-6188; e-mail: fastlane@nsf. gov . The NSF Website provides the most comprehensive source of information on NSF Directorates potential proposers is strongly encouraged.

In addition, National Science Foundation Update is a free e-mail subscription service designed to keep potential proposers and other interested parties through e-mail when new publications are issued that match their identified interests. Users can Grants. gov provides an additional electronic be accessed via this new mechanism.

Further information on Grants. gov may be obtained at http://www. grants.

gov . The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering."

NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the US. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic institutions for basic research.

NSF receives approximately 40,000 proposals each year for research, education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded. In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no laboratories itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Antarctic research stations.

The Foundation also supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and educational activities at every academic level. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects.

See Grant Proposal Guide Chapter II, Section D. 2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals. The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information.

TDD may be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339. The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703) 292-5111. The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the NSF Website at https://www. nsf. gov 4201 Wilson Blvd.

Arlington, VA 22230 (NSF Information Center) : TDD (for the hearing-impaired): To Order Publications or Forms: Privacy Act And Public Burden Statements The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended.

The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; and project reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress.

The information requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to proposer institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies or other entities needing information regarding applicants or nominees as part of a joint application review process, or in order to coordinate programs or policy; and to another Federal agency, court, or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party.

Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50 , "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004), and NSF-51 , "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records," 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004).

Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions.

Send comments regarding the burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Reports Clearance Officer Division of Administrative Services National Science Foundation Randolph Building, 401 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314