FY2009 IPP SEED FUND CALL ANNOUNCEMENT | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the FY2009 IPP Seed Fund Call Announcement?

The FY2009 IPP Seed Fund Call Announcement (Funding Opportunity Number NNH09IPP001O) is a NASA Headquarters discretionary funding opportunity under NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP). It is intended to support early-stage, cost-shared technology development partnerships by providing small amounts of initial funding to help teams overcome early barriers, begin joint work, and position projects to grow into larger, sustained partnerships that support NASA mission needs.

What is the purpose of the IPP Seed Fund?

The Seed Fund is designed to provide initial money so NASA Centers and their partners can start joint technology development, reduce early obstacles to collaboration, and build momentum toward longer-term partnerships. The emphasis is on partnerships that can mature into more sustained efforts aligned with NASA mission needs.

Who manages and distributes this opportunity?

This call is managed and distributed through the IPP Offices at NASA Centers (Center IPP Offices). While IPP operates across NASA, proposals for this Seed Fund call are submitted through NASA Center channels rather than directly by external organizations.

How does this announcement differ from the original synopsis posted on February 19, 2009?

This announcement is a modification to the original synopsis and narrows the focus of the solicitation. The updated call limits eligible proposal topics to technology needs identified by two mission areas: the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) and the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD).

What mission areas are eligible under this updated call?

Eligible proposal topics must align with technology needs identified by:

• Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD)
• Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD)

Can a company or university apply directly to this opportunity?

No. External entities (companies, universities, research institutions, national laboratories, other government agencies, etc.) are encouraged to participate, but they cannot submit proposals directly. Proposals must be submitted from within NASA through a Center IPP Office.

Who must submit the proposal?

Each proposal must be submitted by NASA personnel through a NASA Center IPP Office. The submission pathway is internal to NASA, with external organizations participating as formal partners rather than as direct applicants.

What partnership roles are required in a proposal?

The call describes a partnership-based structure that includes:

• A NASA Partnership Manager (PM)
• An internal NASA Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
• An External Co-PI from the non-NASA partner organization

This structure is intended to support true joint development and shared ownership of the work.

Is partnering required?

Yes. Projects must include at least one non-NASA partner. The solicitation also requires involvement from additional non-IPP NASA partners (for example, NASA programs, projects, or Centers) that commit resources to the effort.

Is cost sharing required?

Yes. The opportunity includes a cost-sharing requirement. The call indicates that the desired cost-share level from partners should be at least equal to, or greater than, the amount of Seed Fund money provided.

How much cost share is expected from partners?

The call states that the desired level of partner cost sharing should be at least equal to, or greater than, the Seed Fund amount. Higher leveraging is explicitly encouraged and may allow NASA to make more awards.

What leveraging ratio does the call describe as typical?

The announcement notes that past Seed Fund projects often achieved strong leverage. It describes a rough overall leveraging ratio of about 4:1 relative to the IPP Seed Fund investment, based on internal NASA resources often matching the Seed Fund contribution and external partner resources matching the overall NASA contribution.

What kinds of cost share are acceptable?

Acceptable cost sharing must reflect real contributions applied directly to the proposed project and cannot include sunk costs. The call indicates that acceptable contributions may include:

• Direct funding
• In-kind contributions such as labor (workforce time)
• Use of unique or dedicated facilities and testbeds (valued according to allowable rules)

Are sunk costs allowed as cost share?

No. The call specifies that acceptable partner cost sharing cannot include sunk costs and must be tied to real contributions applied directly to the proposed project during the project period.

How should in-kind facility or testbed contributions be valued?

When valuing in-kind access to facilities or testbeds, the valuation must be based only on the actual costs incurred by the partner in performing the project during the project period. The call explicitly excludes historical development costs and original capital construction costs of the facility or testbed from the valuation.

Can a partner claim the full value of an existing lab or infrastructure as match?

No. The call explains that partners cannot inflate match amounts by claiming the total value of an existing facility or infrastructure. Only incremental, project-relevant costs incurred during the project period can be counted.

What type of funding instrument is used for this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered through cooperative agreements and grants under a science and technology / research and development activity category, with a cost-sharing requirement.

What does "eligibility is unrestricted" mean in practice for this call?

While eligibility is described as "unrestricted," the solicitation text clarifies that proposals must be submitted through NASA Center personnel and Center IPP Offices. As a result, external organizations are effectively eligible only as formal partners teaming with NASA, not as direct submitters.

What are the key dates for this opportunity?

• Original synopsis posted: February 19, 2009
• Updated (modified) posting: April 23, 2009
• Original closing date: April 30, 2009
• Extended closing date: May 20, 2009
• Archive date: April 20, 2010

Where can applicants and partners find the full call text and amendments?

NASA directs interested parties to monitor the NASA business opportunities site and related online posting locations, including FedBizOpps and the NSPIRES external website. The IPP Seed Fund website is also referenced as the place to find the full "Partnership Seed Fund Call for Proposals - 2009" and related guidance.

Who should be contacted for questions or coordination?

Questions and coordination are handled through IPP Points of Contact at the NASA Centers. The posting notes that contacts are listed for multiple Centers (including Ames, Dryden, Glenn, Goddard, JPL, Johnson, Kennedy, Langley, and Marshall).

What role do the IPP Leads at each Center play?

The announcement states that IPP Leads at each Center have primary responsibility for shaping the partnership development approach, as well as the intellectual property and business elements of the proposal.

What should someone do if they cannot access the full announcement electronically?

If there are problems accessing the full announcement electronically, the posting includes points of contact for assistance, including Mr. Michael F. Battaglia and NAIS Support.