Opportunity Information: Apply for 12 574
Apply for 12 574
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Earthscope SAFOD Management Office (SMO)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.050 Geosciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 11, 2012 and posted on Jul 11, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 24, 2012 Full Proposal Deadline(s) September 24, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,800,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Organization Limit Proposals may only be submitted by the following For profit organizations U.S. commercial organizations, especially small businesses with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education. 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. Universities and Colleges Universities and two and four year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic institutions.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity titled "EarthScope SAFOD Management Office (SMO)" (Funding Opportunity Number 12-574) sought proposals to establish and run a new management office responsible for the ongoing operation of SAFOD, the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth. SAFOD is one of the three major components of the broader EarthScope Facility (alongside the Plate Boundary Observatory and USArray), a national-scale effort designed to expand observational capabilities in Earth science and improve understanding of the structure, evolution, and dynamics of the North American continent over space and time (often described as a four-dimensional view: three dimensions of structure plus changes through time).
At its core, the solicitation focused less on funding a specific research project and more on funding the organizational and technical capacity needed to keep a major scientific facility usable and productive for the research community. The SMO was expected to ensure that SAFOD is operated, managed, and maintained so that independent, principal investigator (PI)-driven research can continue to make effective use of the observatory. In practical terms, this implies responsibilities such as maintaining facility readiness, overseeing operational workflows, coordinating access and usage for outside researchers, sustaining data and instrument systems, and supporting a stable management structure that enables SAFOD to serve as a reliable platform for ongoing Earth science investigations.
The opportunity was framed within the wider goals of the EarthScope Program, which supports integrated, cross-disciplinary studies of North American geophysics and tectonics. The program emphasizes research areas including fault properties and earthquake processes, strain transfer across regions, the roles of magmatic and hydrous fluids in the crust and mantle, plate boundary dynamics, large-scale continental deformation, continental structure and evolution, and the composition and structure of the deep Earth. It also highlights EarthScope's role as a centralized venue for Earth science education at multiple levels and as a driver for cyberinfrastructure development to integrate, distribute, and analyze large and diverse geoscience datasets. While the SMO competition was specifically about SAFOD management, the solicitation placed that work in the context of enabling these broader scientific and educational outcomes by keeping a key facility functional and accessible.
NSF planned to make one award under this solicitation, using a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically indicates substantial NSF involvement during the period of performance (for example, through coordination, oversight, or shared decision-making on major programmatic elements). The estimated total funding amount was $1,800,000, with an award floor listed at $1,800,000, and there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The program fell under the Geosciences CFDA number 47.050 and was categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
Eligibility was broad across U.S.-based organizations capable of managing scientific or engineering activities. Eligible applicants included for-profit U.S. commercial organizations (with an emphasis on firms, including small businesses, that have strong scientific or engineering research or education capabilities), non-profit non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies associated with research or educational activities, and accredited U.S. universities and colleges (including two-year and four-year institutions, such as community colleges) applying on behalf of their faculty. The solicitation allowed either single-organization proposals or collaborative proposals.
Key dates show that the opportunity was posted on July 11, 2012, with a full proposal deadline of September 24, 2012, and an archive date of October 24, 2012. The official reference for the full solicitation was NSF Publication 12-574, and applicants needing technical help accessing the announcement were directed to Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NSF EarthScope SAFOD Management Office (SMO) (NSF 12-574)
1) What is this NSF funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the National Science Foundation (NSF) solicitation titled "EarthScope SAFOD Management Office (SMO)" with Funding Opportunity Number 12-574 (NSF Publication 12-574). It sought proposals to establish and operate a new management office responsible for the ongoing operation of SAFOD (the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth).
2) What is SAFOD?
SAFOD stands for the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth. It is described as a major scientific facility intended to be kept operational and usable so that independent, principal investigator (PI)-driven research can continue to make effective use of the observatory.
3) How does SAFOD fit within EarthScope?
SAFOD is one of three major components of the broader EarthScope Facility. The other two components listed are the Plate Boundary Observatory and USArray. EarthScope is a national-scale effort to expand observational capabilities in Earth science and improve understanding of the structure, evolution, and dynamics of the North American continent over space and time.
4) What is meant by a "four-dimensional view" in this solicitation?
The solicitation describes EarthScope as supporting a "four-dimensional view" of the North American continent, defined as three dimensions of structure plus changes through time.
5) Is this grant for a research project or for facility management?
The solicitation emphasized funding the organizational and technical capacity needed to keep a major scientific facility usable and productive for the research community, rather than funding a specific research project.
6) What was the purpose of establishing a SAFOD Management Office (SMO)?
The SMO was expected to ensure SAFOD is operated, managed, and maintained so that independent, PI-driven research can continue to use the observatory effectively. In other words, the SMO was intended to provide a stable management structure and operational capability that keeps SAFOD functional and accessible.
7) What types of responsibilities were implied for the SMO?
Based on the solicitation description, responsibilities implied for the SMO included maintaining facility readiness, overseeing operational workflows, coordinating access and usage for outside researchers, sustaining data and instrument systems, and supporting a stable management structure that enables SAFOD to serve as a reliable platform for ongoing Earth science investigations.
8) Why did NSF position this opportunity within the broader EarthScope Program goals?
Although the competition focused specifically on SAFOD management, the solicitation framed the work as enabling broader scientific and educational outcomes supported by EarthScope by keeping a key facility functional and accessible to the research community.
9) What research areas does the EarthScope Program emphasize (as described in the solicitation)?
The solicitation highlights EarthScope research areas including fault properties and earthquake processes; strain transfer across regions; roles of magmatic and hydrous fluids in the crust and mantle; plate boundary dynamics; large-scale continental deformation; continental structure and evolution; and the composition and structure of the deep Earth.
10) Did the solicitation mention education or data/cyberinfrastructure?
Yes. The opportunity notes EarthScope's role as a centralized venue for Earth science education at multiple levels and as a driver for cyberinfrastructure development to integrate, distribute, and analyze large and diverse geoscience datasets.
11) How many awards did NSF plan to make?
NSF planned to make one award under this solicitation.
12) What award mechanism was planned for this opportunity?
The solicitation indicated the award would be made via a cooperative agreement mechanism.
13) What does "cooperative agreement" imply in this context?
The solicitation notes that a cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial NSF involvement during the period of performance, such as coordination, oversight, or shared decision-making on major programmatic elements.
14) What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount was $1,800,000.
15) What was the award floor and was there an award ceiling?
The award floor was listed as $1,800,000. No award ceiling was stated in the provided opportunity summary.
16) Was cost sharing or a matching contribution required?
No. The solicitation stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
17) What CFDA number applied to this program?
The program fell under the Geosciences CFDA number 47.050.
18) How was this opportunity categorized?
It was categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
19) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad across U.S.-based organizations capable of managing scientific or engineering activities. The solicitation listed eligible applicants as for-profit U.S. commercial organizations (including small businesses with strong scientific or engineering research or education capabilities), non-profit non-academic organizations (such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies associated with research or educational activities), and accredited U.S. universities and colleges (including two-year and four-year institutions such as community colleges) applying on behalf of their faculty.
20) Could proposals be submitted by more than one organization?
Yes. The solicitation allowed either single-organization proposals or collaborative proposals.
21) What were the key dates for this opportunity?
The opportunity was posted on July 11, 2012. The full proposal deadline was September 24, 2012. The archive date was October 24, 2012.
22) Where is the official solicitation referenced?
The official reference for the full solicitation was NSF Publication 12-574.
23) Where could applicants get technical help accessing the announcement?
Applicants needing technical help accessing the announcement were directed to Grants.gov support at grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.
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