ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SOLAR PROBE PLUS INVESTIGATIONS | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "Announcement of Opportunity for Solar Probe Plus Investigations."

2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is NNH10ZDA002O.

3) Which NASA office released this opportunity?

NASA Headquarters released the discretionary research funding opportunity.

4) What type of work does this solicitation support?

It supports science and technology research tied to the Solar Probe Plus mission, a heliophysics effort focused on investigating the Sun and the near-Sun environment.

5) How is this opportunity categorized?

It is categorized under research and development (science and technology and other R and D).

6) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The CFDA number is listed as 00.000 (not elsewhere classified).

7) What funding instrument is NASA expecting to use for awards?

Awards are expected to use a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument.

8) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the information provided.

9) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning any type of applicant may apply, as long as they meet any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement.

10) What is being highlighted in this notice?

This notice highlights Amendment 1 to the original synopsis. The original synopsis was first posted on November 17, 2009, and Amendment 1 was released on December 3, 2009.

11) What did Amendment 1 change?

Amendment 1 updates two planning and budgeting references in the Announcement of Opportunity (AO): Table 4 (the mission schedule) and Table B3 (the total mission cost funding profile template).

12) What is Table 4 and how should proposers use it?

Table 4 is the mission schedule. NASA emphasizes it is a planning schedule that proposers should use as the baseline for building their investigation schedules, while recognizing that dates may be revised during Phase A.

13) What specific schedule edits were made to Table 4?

The edits include adding a new planning date for the start of Phase B and a new planning date for the end of Phase F. These edits affect how teams should lay out timelines, staffing, deliverables, and integration activities across the mission lifecycle.

14) What is Table B3 and why was it revised?

Table B3 is the total mission cost funding profile template. It was revised to align more cleanly with NASA mission phases and fiscal years and to help proposers present mission cost phasing in a consistent, reviewable format.

15) What specific budgeting/template changes were made to Table B3?

The changes correct the alignment of fiscal year columns with mission phases, add a dedicated column for Phase F costs, and remove the row for Bridge Phase costs.

16) Is an updated cost template available in Excel?

Yes. An Excel version of the updated cost profile template is made available through the AO Program Library referenced in AO Section 6.1.4.

17) What is the Notice of Intent to Propose deadline?

The Notice of Intent to Propose deadline is January 11, 2010.

18) When is the full proposal due?

The full proposal due date is March 26, 2010.

19) When would the formal posting of Amendment No. 1 appear on NSPIRES?

The opportunity indicates the formal posting of Amendment No. 1 would appear on or about January 12, 2010 on NASA's NSPIRES website under Open Solicitations for NNH10ZDA002O.

20) What is the archive date for this opportunity?

The archive date is listed as January 12, 2011.

21) Where is this opportunity posted?

It is posted on NASA's NSPIRES website under Open Solicitations for NNH10ZDA002O.

22) Who is the point of contact for questions about the AO?

The point of contact is Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, Solar Probe Plus Program Scientist in NASA's Heliophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate.

23) Who should be contacted for access issues related to the announcement materials?

For access issues, NASA lists NAIS Support at nais.support@nasa.gov.

24) Why does NASA emphasize that Table 4 dates may change?

NASA notes that Table 4 is a planning baseline and that dates may be revised during Phase A, so proposers should plan using the table while understanding adjustments may occur later.

25) How do the Table 4 edits affect proposal planning?

By adding planning dates for the start of Phase B and the end of Phase F, the schedule baseline changes how teams should structure investigation timelines, staffing plans, deliverables, and integration activities across the mission lifecycle.

26) How do the Table B3 edits affect proposal budgeting?

Because the fiscal year columns are realigned to mission phases, a Phase F column is added, and the Bridge Phase row is removed, proposers should ensure their mission cost phasing matches the revised structure so budgets are presented in the expected format.