EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH EPSCOR | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NNH13ZHA001C) is a discretionary, competitive solicitation issued by NASA Headquarters through the NASA Office of Education in coordination with multiple parts of the agency, including the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), Science Mission Directorate (SMD), the Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT), and all ten NASA Centers. It is offered as a Cooperative Agreement under 14 CFR Part 1260, a structure typically used when NASA anticipates substantial involvement or collaboration during the performance of the project, and it is aimed at educational and nonprofit research institutions. The overarching purpose is to strengthen aerospace and aerospace-related research capacity in states and territories that historically have received a smaller share of federal aerospace research funding, while also building longer-term, self-sustaining competitiveness in those jurisdictions.

At a practical level, NASA EPSCoR is positioned as seed funding. The expectation is that each selected project will not only conduct strong research aligned with NASA priorities, but will also leave behind durable benefits inside the jurisdiction, such as improved research infrastructure, increased science and technology capability, strengthened higher education research programs, and broader economic development impacts. Proposals are expected to establish research activities that make meaningful contributions to the strategic research and technology development priorities of one or more NASA Mission Directorates or OCT. In other words, the program is not just about funding an isolated research effort; it is also about helping jurisdictions build the people, facilities, partnerships, and experience needed to compete more successfully for major national aerospace R&D opportunities over time.

The award size and project period are clearly defined. The maximum request per proposal is $750,000 total, to be spent across a three-year performance period. NASA anticipated making about eight awards under this announcement. A major program requirement is cost sharing: all NASA EPSCoR funding must be matched by at least 50 percent with non-federal funds, and in-kind contributions are allowed. Even though the general metadata field lists the cost-sharing requirement as "No," the solicitation text itself explicitly requires at least a 50 percent non-federal cost share, which is an important compliance point for applicants because it affects budgeting, documentation, and institutional commitments.

Eligibility is tied to the EPSCoR framework established by Public Law 102-588 (1992), which authorized NASA to implement EPSCoR specifically to build research capabilities in underrepresented jurisdictions. Jurisdiction eligibility for NASA EPSCoR is determined by the National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR eligibility list, and the solicitation points applicants to NSF for the authoritative eligibility details. Only designated NASA EPSCoR jurisdictions may respond, and jurisdictions generally may submit only one proposal under the rules described in the Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN). The eligible jurisdictions listed in this announcement are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. South Carolina is a special case and may submit up to two proposals, as long as at least one proposal represents a project from the U.S. Virgin Islands (which, for NASA EPSCoR purposes at the time of this announcement, fell under South Carolina's jurisdiction).

Institutional eligibility focuses on higher education. The opportunity lists eligible applicants as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education, but there is an additional structural constraint: proposals can be accepted only from institutions for which the NASA EPSCoR Directors are currently serving. At the same time, the announcement emphasizes that all institutions of higher education within an eligible jurisdiction should be informed of the opportunity and given a fair chance to participate, reflecting EPSCoR's capacity-building and statewide (or territory-wide) coordination intent. The program has also been closely linked historically with the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program (Space Grant), reinforcing its role in developing academic and workforce pipelines alongside research competitiveness.

Key dates and submission logistics are also spelled out. Notices of Intent (NOIs) were due March 18, 2013 if submitted (suggesting the NOI may have been optional but encouraged), and full proposals were due April 19, 2013. The posting date was February 28, 2013, and the opportunity was accessible through NSPIRES (NASA's Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System) as well as Grants.gov. NASA also notes that even if the opportunity appears on other federal posting sites, the agency reserves the right to determine the appropriate award instrument for each selected proposal, which is a standard federal caveat but still important for applicants to understand.

Finally, the solicitation includes points of contact for help accessing the full announcement and for technical support. Jeppie R. Compton (jeppie.r.compton@nasa.gov) is listed as a contact, and the NAIS Support address (nais.support@nasa.gov) is provided for system-related issues.

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