NASA Human Research Program Omnibus Opportunity | Apply Online

FAQs: NASA Human Research Program Omnibus Opportunity (HERO 2013 NRA)

1) What is this NASA funding opportunity?

This opportunity is NASA's Human Research Program (HRP) Omnibus solicitation released under the Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO) 2013 NASA Research Announcement (NRA). It is a broad call for applied research proposals intended to protect and improve astronaut health, safety, and performance during spaceflight and long-duration human exploration missions.

2) What is the main goal of the HERO 2013 HRP Omnibus solicitation?

The main goal is to generate practical countermeasures, technologies, tools, and knowledge that make human spaceflight safer, more reliable, and more productive. The emphasis is on applied research that can translate into real mission capabilities.

3) Who manages this solicitation within NASA?

The opportunity is managed through NASA Johnson Space Center and aligns with the work of NASA's Human Research Program (HRP).

4) Where can applicants find the full solicitation and the specific research topics?

The full solicitation and its specific research topics are made available through NASA's NSPIRES system. Applicants are expected to use NSPIRES to access the appended research areas and to confirm exact requirements and any topic-specific deviations from general guidance.

5) What kinds of projects is NASA looking for under this announcement?

NASA is looking for applied research projects that support astronaut health and performance. The announcement indicates proposals may range from physiological and biomedical studies (such as bone loss, muscle wasting, immune changes, cardiovascular risk, and radiation effects) to operational and human-systems topics (such as extravehicular activity (EVA) performance, habitability, sensorimotor adaptation, human factors engineering, and behavioral health).

6) How is NASA's Human Research Program (HRP) organized for purposes of this solicitation?

HRP is organized into six major elements that frame the solicitation:

• Space Radiation
• Human Health and Countermeasures
• Exploration Medical Capability
• Behavioral Health and Performance
• Space Human Factors and Habitability
• International Space Station Medical Project

7) What discipline areas commonly frame the work NASA expects to be proposed?

The announcement identifies fourteen supporting discipline areas that commonly frame proposals:

• Behavioral Health and Performance
• Bone
• Cardiovascular
• Extravehicular Activity
• Immunology
• Medical Capabilities
• Muscle
• Nutrition
• Pharmacology
• Radiation
• Sensorimotor
• Advanced Food Technology
• Advanced Environmental Health
• Space Human Factors Engineering

8) Is this opportunity focused on basic research or applied research?

It is described as a broad call for applied research proposals, with an emphasis on practical outcomes like countermeasures, tools, technologies, and knowledge that can support human spaceflight operations and long-duration exploration.

9) What funding instrument is used?

Funding is provided through grants. The announcement also notes that NASA reserves the right to select the appropriate award instrument for proposals chosen under the announcement.

10) Is cost sharing required?

No cost-sharing requirement is listed for this opportunity.

11) How much funding is typical for an award?

Typical award sizes vary widely depending on the scope of work. The announcement indicates projects can range from under $100,000 per year for narrow efforts (such as focused analyses) up to roughly $450,000 per year for more extensive work (such as technology or hardware development).

12) How much total funding is available within each HRP element?

NASA indicates that funds available within each program element can range from less than $1 million to several million dollars. This implies that some areas may support only a handful of awards while others may support up to around a dozen, depending on proposal quality and program priorities.

13) How long can projects last (period of performance)?

The performance period is flexible and may range from one to five years. This allows for short, targeted studies as well as multi-year development or validation efforts.

14) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad across U.S. entities. All categories of U.S. institutions may apply, and principal investigators may collaborate with universities, federal laboratories, industry, and state or local government laboratories.

15) Can proposals include collaborations, and who is responsible for project administration?

Yes. Collaborative arrangements are allowed. In collaborations, the submitting organization remains responsible for overall project administration and performance in accordance with the management plan proposed.

16) Are international (non-U.S.) partners allowed?

Yes, NASA highlights that collaborations with non-U.S. organizations are permitted on a cooperative basis with no exchange of funds. This is relevant for teams considering international partners.

17) What is NSBRI and how does it relate to this announcement?

The announcement notes the role of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), described as a nonprofit partner selected by NASA to advance space biomedical research and countermeasure development through an integrated, team-based approach under a cooperative agreement with HRP. This reflects NASA's interest in coordinated research that translates into mission capabilities.

18) How do applicants submit proposals?

Submission is handled electronically through NSPIRES. Applicants are expected to follow the formatting and compliance rules laid out in the HERO 2013 NRA and the appended research areas for the relevant topics.

19) Is there a two-step proposal process?

Most program elements are expected to use a two-step process, typically involving an initial step such as a Notice of Intent and/or a preliminary proposal followed by an invited full proposal. Some elements may allow a one-step submission, depending on the specific element/topic instructions in NSPIRES.

20) Is a Notice of Intent (NOI) required?

A Notice of Intent to propose is requested. Applicants should follow the exact instructions provided in the NRA and in the topic-specific materials in NSPIRES.

21) What does the proposal package include (as described in the opportunity summary)?

The proposal package includes an electronically submitted cover page, proposal summary, and budget summary by the stated due date, along with other materials required under the NRA and any element-specific requirements listed in NSPIRES.

22) What happens if a proposal does not meet formatting or compliance requirements?

The announcement states that proposals not meeting the stated standards may be declared noncompliant and processed under the NASA Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement rules referenced in the announcement.

23) What is the open period and when were due dates expected?

The HERO 2013 NRA operated as an open, omnibus-style announcement with staggered due dates across an extended window beginning around late July 2013 and running through July 2014. Early proposal due dates began September 4, 2013. The overall opportunity lists a closing date of September 4, 2014.

24) Can research topics change while the announcement is open?

Yes. Applicants were encouraged to monitor NSPIRES or subscribe to electronic notifications for amendments and newly added program elements during the open period, since NASA may modify research needs or add topics before releasing a subsequent HERO NRA.

25) How is this opportunity categorized administratively (CFDA and related classification)?

Administratively, this opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant program supporting science and technology and other research and development activities under CFDA 43.003 (Exploration). It is also described as a broad agency announcement under FAR 6.102(d)(2).

26) Who should applicants contact for questions?

The solicitation provides points of contact for different types of questions:

• Contracting officer: Dana Altmon Cary
• HRP program leadership contact: Mark Shelhamer (Chief Scientist, HRP)
• NSBRI programmatic contact: Graham Scott
• NSPIRES/NAIS support contacts: for submission or system access issues

27) If there is a conflict between general NRA guidance and a specific topic area, which should an applicant follow?

Applicants are expected to rely on the appended research areas in the NRA for exact requirements, allowable approaches, and any element-specific deviations from the general guidance. In practice, that means topic/element-specific instructions in NSPIRES and the appended research areas govern the details.