NASA STUDENT CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this NASA funding opportunity?

This is a discretionary education funding opportunity announced by NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) under the NASA Student Career Exploration Program (CEP). It is issued as a Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) under Solicitation No. NNJ11366115C and is associated with CFDA 43.008.

2) What does "Modification One" mean?

"Modification One" is an update to the original synopsis that was posted on February 1, 2011. Based on the information provided, this modification is mainly administrative and is intended to (1) update the proposal due date and (2) correct where applicants should look online for the official solicitation materials and any future amendments.

3) What changed in the deadline?

The proposal closing date was changed from the original date of March 11, 2011 to a revised closing date of April 8, 2011. Proposals needed to be submitted by April 8, 2011 in accordance with NASA's electronic submission requirements.

4) How must proposals be submitted?

Responses must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES, NASA's proposal data system.

5) Do applicants need to register anywhere before submitting?

Yes. Organizations intending to apply must be registered in NSPIRES. The registration must identify the organization's authorized individuals who are permitted to submit proposals on the organization's behalf.

6) Why does NSPIRES registration matter?

The notice highlights that NSPIRES registration is a compliance step and that it can take time if an organization has not used NSPIRES before. The registration also controls which individuals are authorized to submit proposals for the organization.

7) Where is the official CAN supposed to be available online?

The announcement states that the CAN will be available electronically through the following site: http://nspires.nasaprs.com.

8) Where should applicants check for related documents and updates?

Applicants are directed to NASA/JSC's Business Opportunities page (hosted on the NAIS system) as the location where related procurement documents and updates would be posted.

9) Who is responsible for monitoring updates or amendments?

The responsibility is placed on offerors/applicants to actively monitor the NASA/JSC Business Opportunities (NAIS) site for the solicitation release and for any amendments.

10) Will NASA send the solicitation materials directly to interested applicants?

No. The notice makes clear that potential offerors must download their own copies of the solicitation and any amendments. There is no expectation stated that materials will be pushed out directly to interested parties.

11) What type of funding instrument is this?

This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant.

12) What does it imply that this is a cooperative agreement?

Based on the summary information provided, a cooperative agreement typically signals that NASA expects substantial involvement with the recipient during performance (such as coordination, technical involvement, or programmatic collaboration). The specific nature of that involvement would be defined in the full solicitation text.

13) What program area/category is this opportunity under?

The opportunity is categorized under "Education."

14) Who is administering this opportunity?

The opportunity is administered by NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC).

15) Who is eligible to apply (based on the summary provided)?

The eligible applicant category listed in the summary information provided is state governments.

16) Is cost-sharing or a matching contribution required?

The summary information provided explicitly notes that there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated.

17) What should applicants do if they cannot access the announcement online?

The notice indicates that practical help is available for applicants who cannot access the full announcement online, and it provides points of contact for access or system issues.

18) Who are the points of contact listed in the notice?

The notice lists the following contacts: Matrenia R. Anumele (matrenia.r.anumele@nasa.gov), Dawn Alexander (dawn.alexander 1@nasa.gov as written in the text), and NAIS Support (nais.support@nasa.gov).

19) What kinds of issues are the contacts intended to help with?

Based on the provided information, these contacts are intended for access or system issues and for directing questions about the announcement. The authoritative requirements, submission instructions, and program details are contained in the full CAN accessed via NSPIRES and the JSC business opportunities posting.

20) Where are the authoritative submission instructions and requirements?

The authoritative requirements, submission instructions, and program details would be contained in the full CAN, which applicants are expected to access via NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com) and by monitoring the NASA/JSC Business Opportunities (NAIS) posting for the solicitation and any amendments.