COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NOTICE FOR NASA INTERNSHIPS | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NASA Internships Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is a NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) for NASA Internships, led by the NASA Headquarters Office of Education in coordination with the Johnson Space Center and other NASA Centers. NASA intends to select a single partner organization to help operate and support NASA internship activities across multiple NASA sites.

2) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is NNJ13ZBR001C.

3) Where was the solicitation posted and how could proposals be submitted?

The solicitation was made available through NSPIRES (NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System). Submissions were allowed electronically through NSPIRES, with submission also allowed via Grants.gov.

4) Is this a grant or something else?

NASA framed this as a cooperative agreement. That means NASA expects an active partnership relationship with the recipient, rather than a simple pass-through grant arrangement.

5) What does "cooperative agreement" mean in practical terms for this opportunity?

Based on the description provided, NASA anticipates an active partnership and expects the recipient to work closely with NASA to support internship activities across multiple NASA Centers. The arrangement is described as indefinite-quantity and cost-reimbursement, with funding levels that may vary based on NASA needs and internal transfers.

6) How many awards did NASA expect to make?

NASA expected to make one award (ExpectedAwards: 1).

7) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to organizations that serve higher education students and have a mission aligned with building interest and performance in STEM or closely related fields. Eligible respondents include institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and consortia or groups of organizations and institutions.

8) Are nonprofits eligible, and is 501(c)(3) status relevant?

Nonprofit organizations are included among eligible respondents. The listing references nonprofit eligibility details such as 501(c)(3) status, but the core intent described is to fund an entity that can manage internship support at scale while aligning with NASA education goals and student outcomes.

9) Is this opportunity meant for organizations that directly serve students?

Yes. The eligibility limitation is described as organizations that serve higher education students, with a mission aligned to building interest and performance in STEM or closely related fields.

10) What is the CFDA number and activity category?

The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 43.008 (Education), and the funding activity category is Education.

11) How much funding was anticipated?

The estimated annual funding range was described as roughly 3,000,000 to 10,000,000 per year, with an award ceiling of 10,000,000.

12) How long is the period of performance?

The performance period was described as not to exceed five years.

13) Is cost sharing or matching required?

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

14) Can the funding amount vary over time?

Yes. NASA anticipated an indefinite-quantity, cost-reimbursement structure where funding levels can vary based on NASA needs and internal transfers.

15) Does NASA have discretion over the final award mechanism?

Yes. NASA noted it may determine the appropriate award instrument for selected proposals, meaning NASA retains discretion over the final contracting or assistance mechanism used.

16) What is the main role of the selected partner organization?

The selected recipient is expected to help operate and support NASA internship activities across multiple NASA sites, and to administer internship support at scale in alignment with NASA education goals and student outcomes.

17) How many NASA centers are involved in the sub-agreement structure?

The selected recipient would be responsible for supporting sub-agreements tied to 10 NASA centers.

18) Why did NASA require a center-by-center agreement structure?

NASA emphasized that the structure is required so costs can be tracked correctly and so each NASA facility can transfer funds from various internal technical or administrative organizations to support internships.

19) What does the center-by-center structure require from the awardee financially?

The awardee must be able to track spending, invoices, and drawdowns separately for each center cooperative agreement number, and report those costs accurately back to NASA.

20) Who assigns the unique cooperative agreement numbers for each center?

Each center will have a unique cooperative agreement number assigned by the NASA Shared Services Center.

21) Do all NASA centers operate under the same rules for this award?

Yes. The information provided states that all centers will operate under the same guidelines.

22) What accounting or financial management capabilities did NASA emphasize?

NASA highlighted the importance of strong financial management capacity due to a funding model that can shift and draw from multiple sources. The successful proposer is expected to have an accounting system NASA considers adequate for tracking and reporting costs allocable to the agreement across multiple funding sources and center-specific identifiers.

23) Why is financial management a key factor in this opportunity?

The opportunity depends not only on program design and student impact, but also on the applicant's ability to handle complex, distributed cost accounting and compliant reimbursement processes while maintaining auditability.

24) What characteristics did NASA say it wants in the selected partner?

NASA described the partner it wants in performance terms: flexible and scalable, innovative and impactful, and able to deliver sustainable, demonstrable, and measurable results.

25) Were specific evaluation criteria listed in the information provided?

No detailed evaluation criteria were included in the text provided. However, the language strongly suggests proposals would be judged on both the quality of the internship support approach (including outcomes, measurement, and sustainability) and the operational ability to administer a multi-center program with consistent rules and rigorous financial controls.

26) Was a Notice of Intent (NOI) required?

NASA requested (but did not necessarily require) a Notice of Intent (NOI) to help plan the review workload and determine how many subject matter experts were needed for the Proposal Review Panel.

27) When was the NOI due and how was it submitted?

The NOI deadline was February 13, 2013, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, and it was submitted through NSPIRES.

28) What did NASA ask organizations to include in the NOI?

NASA asked proposers to include a list of participating or partnering institutions in the NOI to help NASA avoid conflicts of interest when assigning reviewers.

29) When were full proposals due?

Full proposals were due March 13, 2013, by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

30) How were full proposals submitted?

Full proposals had to be submitted electronically through NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

31) Did applicants need to register with NSPIRES?

Yes. Organizations needed to register with NSPIRES before using it.

32) Where could applicants get technical help with NSPIRES submissions?

Technical help was available through the NSPIRES help desk at nspireshelp@nasaprs.com or 202-479-9376 for submission issues.

33) Under what regulations was this solicitation issued?

The solicitation was issued under NASA regulatory authorities at 14 CFR Part 1260 (educational and nonprofit institutions) and 14 CFR Part 1274 (commercial organizations).

34) How were questions about the announcement handled?

Questions were required to be submitted in writing (not by phone) within 30 calendar days of the release date to the listed solicitation support contact. NASA indicated it would answer and post responses within five business days, and that questions and answers would be posted on NSPIRES for transparency and consistency.

35) Who were the technical and programmatic points of contact?

Technical officers listed for technical and programmatic issues included Carolyn Knowles (NASA Headquarters Office of Education) and Robert Musgrove (Johnson Space Center Office of Education).

36) Who was the solicitation support contact for written questions?

Tamra Ross (NASA Research Education Support) was listed for solicitation support and written questions.

37) Were any additional contacts mentioned for access to the full announcement?

Yes. Additional assistance for accessing the full announcement was referenced through Rose A. Herrera and NAIS Support.

38) What were the posting and archive dates?

The posting date was January 17, 2013, and the archive date was January 17, 2014.

39) Does the opportunity involve multiple NASA sites?

Yes. The award is intended to support NASA internship activities across multiple NASA sites, with sub-agreements tied to 10 NASA centers.

40) What is one major operational takeaway for potential applicants?

A central operational requirement is the ability to administer a distributed, multi-center cost-reimbursement structure with center-specific agreement identifiers, separate tracking of costs and drawdowns, and accurate reporting back to NASA under consistent guidelines across centers.