NASA OFFICE OF THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST NASA INNOVATIVE ADVANCED CONCEPTS PHASE II STUDIES NASA RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT 2014 | Apply Online

NASA NIAC Phase II Studies (2014) - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NASA NIAC Phase II Studies opportunity?

The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase II Studies opportunity is a competitive funding call released by NASA Headquarters under the Office of the Chief Technologist as an appendix to the Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2014 (REDDI) NASA Research Announcement (NRA). It supports follow-on studies that further mature high-potential, far-term aerospace concepts previously explored under NIAC Phase I.

What is the main purpose of NIAC Phase II funding?

The core purpose is to fund multiple follow-on studies that continue and deepen the work begun in NIAC Phase I, strengthening the technical credibility and plausibility of bold, far-term concepts that could enable major leaps in spaceflight or aeronautics.

What kinds of ideas is NASA looking to fund under this Phase II call?

NASA is seeking studies of visionary, system-level concepts (architectures, missions, and integrated concepts) that are exciting, largely unexplored, far term, and ambitious, but still technically credible and plausibly implementable. The emphasis is on transformative concepts rather than incremental progress.

What types of proposals are discouraged or considered out of scope?

Proposals focused on narrow technology development, single subsystems, or modest near-term improvements are not aligned with the stated emphasis of NIAC Phase II. The program is aimed at advancing a coherent, potentially transformative concept rather than incremental upgrades or isolated component work.

Is this opportunity limited to applicants who completed NIAC Phase I?

Yes. Eligibility is intentionally narrow. The solicitation is open only to principal investigators or organizations that have successfully completed a NIAC Phase I study and have not yet completed a NIAC Phase II study.

Can teams associated with the earlier NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts apply?

Yes. NASA allows participation from individuals or teams associated with the earlier NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts, provided they completed a Phase I study and did not complete Phase II, unless the Phase II effort was ended at midterm review.

Who can participate institutionally if the eligibility conditions are met?

Within the Phase I/Phase II eligibility constraints, NASA allows broad institutional participation. Universities, commercial entities, nonprofit organizations, research laboratories, government agencies, and NASA Centers (including JPL) may be involved.

Can individuals apply, or is an organization required?

Individuals may apply as long as they meet NASA Research Opportunities on NSPIRES registration requirements and can complete submission requirements in NSPIRES.

Where was the solicitation posted and how do applicants access it?

The opportunity was made available through NASA Research Opportunities on NSPIRES at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ beginning April 18, 2014. The solicitation is associated with the Space Technology REDDI 2014 NRA and the NIAC appendix within that NRA framework.

What is the solicitation number or identifier for this opportunity?

The solicitation is identified as NNH14ZDA007L. It is also listed in source data as Funding Opportunity Number NNH14ZOA001L 14NIAC A2.

Which NASA organization is associated with this program?

The opportunity sits within NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate and was released by NASA Headquarters under the Office of the Chief Technologist.

How are proposals submitted?

Submissions are handled electronically through NSPIRES. Applicants must submit through the NSPIRES system rather than mailing or emailing complete proposals.

What are the NSPIRES registration requirements mentioned for submission?

Any organization intending to submit must be registered in NSPIRES and must designate authorized organizational representative(s) who are responsible for submitting the proposal. The principal investigator and other participants (such as co-investigators) also need registration details in NSPIRES.

Why does NASA recommend starting NSPIRES registration early?

NASA strongly encourages applicants to start registration and proposal entry early because account validation, role assignment, and organizational authority verification can take time before a submission can be finalized.

What were the key dates for this 2014 NIAC Phase II opportunity?

The opportunity was posted April 10, 2014, created April 11, 2014, and made available on NSPIRES beginning April 18, 2014. Proposals were due June 3, 2014, and the opportunity closed on June 3, 2014.

What is the proposal page limit?

The proposal length limit specified for this opportunity is 20 pages.

How many awards did NASA expect to make?

The solicitation anticipated roughly five awards, with the actual number dependent on appropriated funds.

What types of funding instruments may be used for awards?

The listed funding instrument types include cooperative agreements, grants, and other mechanisms under the broad category of science and technology and research and development.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity specifies there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning proposers are not required to provide non-federal funds as a condition of the award.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number provided for this opportunity is 43.009.

Where can applicants find evaluation criteria and detailed submission instructions?

The full details for evaluation criteria and precise submission instructions were to be provided within the NRA text on NSPIRES. This is consistent with NASA NRAs, where the appendix provides program-specific information and the main NRA provides broader policies, formats, and review rules.

How can applicants ask questions about the solicitation?

NASA directed applicants to contact NIAC program representatives by email at hq-niac@mail.nasa.gov.

How does NASA handle questions and answers for this opportunity?

NASA indicated that responses to inquiries would be provided by email and added to a publicly accessible Frequently Asked Questions document associated with the solicitation on NSPIRES, while preserving anonymity for those who submitted questions.

Who can help with electronic access to the announcement or NIAC contact issues?

Additional help for accessing the announcement electronically was available through the NIAC contact listed (John "Jay" Falker, PhD via the NIAC mailbox at hq-niac@mail.nasa.gov).

Who can help with NSPIRES system or NAIS support issues?

NAIS/NSPIRES support is available by email at nais.support@nasa.gov.