Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH10UA005L
Apply for NNH10UA005L
- The NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "REQUEST FOR INFORMATION NASA OFFICE OF THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST EARLY STAGE INNOVATION DIVISION SPACE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 00.000 Not Elsewhere Classified.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 24, 2010 and posted on Aug 24, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 12, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- The Program plans to fund efforts that are led by investigators from accredited United States Universities, not for profit RD Laboratories and NASA Centers. Principal investigators do not need to have extensive space technology experience. Partnerships will be encouraged and investigators will be permitted to team with any U.S. or non U.S. organization, institution, or public or private company. Teaming with non U.S. organizations is subject to NASA policy of no exchange of funds.
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Opportunity Summary:
NASA Headquarters, through the Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) and its Early Stage Innovation Division, issued this Request for Information (RFI) to shape a new effort planned for Fiscal Year 2011: the Space Technology Research Grants Program. The program concept is focused on early, low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) research intended to create "push technologies," meaning technology development that is not tied to a specific near-term mission but could unlock new mission classes or significantly improve multiple future missions. NASA is using this RFI to gather feedback on the proposed program strategy and to collect suggestions for which space technologies NASA should consider supporting. This notice is explicitly for information and planning only, not a solicitation for funding, and NASA states it will not make awards based on RFI responses.
The core objective of the planned program is to accelerate maturation of ideas starting at TRL 1, TRL 2, or early TRL 3, which is notably earlier than many mission-aligned NASA technology programs that typically begin around TRL 3 or above. NASA is looking for short, high-leverage research efforts that can raise the readiness of foundational concepts and demonstrate proof-of-concept characteristics that could later be picked up by mission directorates or other development pipelines. NASA emphasizes crosscutting technologies relevant to the design, modeling, operation, maintenance, repair, testing, and reliability of both crewed and robotic spacecraft systems. They also highlight national-need relevance in areas like communications, power, energy storage, propulsion, safety, and security, as long as the work clearly advances aerospace and spaceflight applications.
NASA sets the bar for impact at the system level, even if the work funded under a single award is incremental. In other words, a project might only advance a component or technique by a step, but the proposer should clearly articulate how success would translate into dramatic system-level benefits such as improved performance, reduced mass, lower cost, higher reliability, greater safety, simpler operations, or easier manufacturing. The RFI points to a variety of prior studies and planning documents as starting references for technology topics, while noting that the list is not exhaustive and respondents are encouraged to propose additional areas NASA should consider.
On the funding and structure side, NASA anticipates typical awards around $250,000 for roughly one year, with some projects potentially running one to two years. Any second-year support would depend on first-year progress and available funds, and NASA does not expect awards above $400,000 per year. The agency expects to use multiple funding instruments (grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or intra-agency transfers) depending on the organization and work, but indicates most awards would likely be grants or intra-agency transfers. A key program feature is openness: NASA intends to share knowledge developed through the program and expects public dissemination of results, so proposers should assume outcomes will not be kept proprietary.
Eligibility, as planned, centers on projects led by investigators from accredited U.S. universities, nonprofit R&D laboratories, and NASA Centers. The program is designed to be accessible even to principal investigators without extensive prior space technology experience, and it encourages partnerships. Teams may include U.S. and non-U.S. entities, but collaboration with non-U.S. organizations must follow NASA policy that prohibits exchanging funds with those partners. To broaden nationwide participation, NASA also anticipates limiting any individual (whether a PI, co-investigator, or other participant) to involvement in no more than two proposals in the eventual solicitation. For the planned proposals themselves, NASA anticipates an 8-page limit for the science/technical/management section.
NASA outlines planned evaluation criteria for the future program, emphasizing peer review selection and stating there is no intended quota between internal NASA versus external organizations; the intent is to fund the strongest ideas. The highest-weighted criterion is Potential Impact (Value), including how the work would increase TRL in a way that enables new approaches or entirely new missions, how innovative the concept is, and how it compares to existing technologies on meaningful figures of merit (cost, mass, reliability, safety, operational simplicity, manufacturability, etc.). Next is Technical Merit, including the soundness and feasibility of the approach, alignment with scope and schedule, consistency with the TRL entry assumptions, an effective work plan, and a clear commitment to public availability of results. A third criterion addresses whether the team has the right expertise and facilities, awareness of the state of the art, and whether the budget is appropriate and justified relative to the value of the proposed idea.
The RFI also sketches a typical NASA Research Announcement timeline for a future solicitation: release of the solicitation (T), notices of intent due about three weeks later, full proposals due around two months after release, selections announced around four months, and awards in place around five and a half months. NASA indicates an intent to issue one call and make roughly 100 new awards per fiscal year under the planned program, subject to congressional approval and funding availability.
For the RFI response itself, NASA requests brief, focused input and sets strict submission rules. Responses must be submitted electronically by email attachment (PDF or Word), limited to two pages in 12-point font, and NASA will only consider one response per individual. Responders are asked to address one or both of two questions: (1) comments and suggested changes to improve the program strategy, with rationale, and/or (2) recommended space technologies NASA should pursue within the program, with a brief description and rationale. NASA will not accept oral responses, will not consider classified or proprietary marked material, will not reimburse costs incurred in responding, and is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt or provide feedback. NASA notes it may contact respondents for clarification and may use responses to help develop future solicitations, but does not intend to release individual RFI submissions. The deadline stated is 11:59 PM Eastern on September 12, 2010, sent to hq-esi-strg@mail.nasa.gov, with a program contact listed as Claudia M. Meyer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) Is this notice a funding opportunity or a request for information?
This notice is a Request for Information (RFI) issued for information-gathering and program planning only. It is not a solicitation for funding.
2) Will NASA make awards based on responses to this RFI?
No. NASA explicitly states it will not make awards based on RFI responses.
3) What future program is NASA using this RFI to shape?
NASA Headquarters (Office of the Chief Technologist, Early Stage Innovation Division) is using this RFI to shape a planned Fiscal Year 2011 effort called the Space Technology Research Grants Program.
4) What is the main goal of the planned Space Technology Research Grants Program?
The planned program aims to accelerate the maturation of very early-stage ideas starting at TRL 1, TRL 2, or early TRL 3 by supporting short, high-leverage research that can demonstrate proof-of-concept characteristics and raise readiness for later adoption by other NASA development pipelines.
5) What does NASA mean by "push technologies" in this context?
"Push technologies" refers to technology development that is not tied to a specific near-term mission, but could enable new mission classes or significantly improve multiple future missions.
6) What Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) are targeted?
The planned effort is focused on early, low-TRL work, specifically starting at TRL 1, TRL 2, or early TRL 3. NASA notes this is earlier than many mission-aligned NASA technology programs that often start around TRL 3 or above.
7) What types of technologies is NASA interested in for the planned program?
NASA emphasizes crosscutting space technologies relevant to the design, modeling, operation, maintenance, repair, testing, and reliability of crewed and robotic spacecraft systems. NASA also highlights national-need relevance in areas such as communications, power, energy storage, propulsion, safety, and security, as long as the work clearly advances aerospace and spaceflight applications.
8) Does a proposed project need to be tied to a specific NASA mission?
The program concept is intended for technology development that is not tied to a specific near-term mission, while still being relevant to future missions and system-level improvements.
9) What level of impact is NASA looking for?
NASA sets expectations for system-level impact. Even if the work under a single award is incremental, respondents/proposers are expected to explain how success could translate into major system-level benefits such as improved performance, reduced mass, lower cost, higher reliability, greater safety, simpler operations, or easier manufacturing.
10) Are the technology topic lists in NASA references exhaustive?
No. NASA notes the list of prior studies and planning documents is not exhaustive, and encourages respondents to suggest additional technology areas NASA should consider supporting.
11) What kinds of award sizes and durations does NASA anticipate for the future program?
NASA anticipates typical awards around $250,000 for roughly one year. Some projects may run one to two years. NASA does not expect awards above $400,000 per year.
12) Is second-year funding guaranteed for multi-year projects?
No. Any second-year support would depend on first-year progress and the availability of funds.
13) What types of funding instruments might NASA use?
NASA expects to use multiple funding instruments depending on the organization and the work, including grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or intra-agency transfers. NASA indicates most awards would likely be grants or intra-agency transfers.
14) Will results from the planned program be proprietary?
No. A key feature described is openness. NASA intends to share knowledge developed through the program and expects public dissemination of results, so outcomes should be assumed to be non-proprietary.
15) Who is expected to be eligible to lead projects in the planned program?
NASA indicates eligibility (as planned) centers on projects led by investigators from accredited U.S. universities, nonprofit R&D laboratories, and NASA Centers.
16) Does NASA want only investigators with extensive space technology experience?
No. The program is described as being accessible even to principal investigators without extensive prior space technology experience, and it encourages partnerships.
17) Can teams include non-U.S. organizations?
Yes, teams may include U.S. and non-U.S. entities. However, collaboration with non-U.S. organizations must follow NASA policy that prohibits exchanging funds with those partners.
18) Will there be limits on how many proposals a person can participate in (for the future solicitation)?
NASA anticipates limiting any individual (PI, co-investigator, or other participant) to involvement in no more than two proposals in the eventual solicitation, to broaden nationwide participation.
19) What proposal length does NASA anticipate for the future solicitation?
For the planned proposals, NASA anticipates an 8-page limit for the science/technical/management section.
20) How does NASA expect to select awards in the planned program?
NASA describes a peer review selection approach and states there is no intended quota between internal NASA and external organizations; the intent is to fund the strongest ideas.
21) What are the planned evaluation criteria, and what is weighted most heavily?
NASA outlines three main criteria for the future program. The highest-weighted criterion is Potential Impact (Value), including TRL advancement enabling new approaches or new missions, innovativeness, and comparison to existing technologies using meaningful figures of merit (cost, mass, reliability, safety, operational simplicity, manufacturability, etc.).
22) What does NASA include under Technical Merit for the planned evaluation?
Technical Merit includes the soundness and feasibility of the approach, alignment with scope and schedule, consistency with TRL entry assumptions, an effective work plan, and a clear commitment to public availability of results.
23) What does NASA consider regarding the team and budget?
NASA includes considerations such as whether the team has the right expertise and facilities, awareness of the state of the art, and whether the budget is appropriate and justified relative to the value of the proposed idea.
24) What timeline does NASA sketch for a typical future solicitation?
NASA sketches a typical NASA Research Announcement timeline: solicitation release (T); notices of intent due about three weeks after release; full proposals due around two months after release; selections announced around four months after release; and awards in place around five and a half months after release.
25) How many awards does NASA intend to make per fiscal year under the planned program?
NASA indicates an intent to issue one call and make roughly 100 new awards per fiscal year, subject to congressional approval and funding availability.
26) What is NASA asking for in the RFI response?
NASA requests brief, focused input addressing one or both of two questions: (1) comments and suggested changes to improve the program strategy (with rationale) and/or (2) recommended space technologies NASA should pursue within the program (with a brief description and rationale).
27) How must the RFI response be submitted?
Responses must be submitted electronically by email attachment (PDF or Word) to hq-esi-strg@mail.nasa.gov.
28) What are the formatting and length limits for the RFI response?
The RFI response is limited to two pages in 12-point font.
29) How many RFI responses can one person submit?
NASA will only consider one response per individual.
30) Are oral responses accepted?
No. NASA will not accept oral responses.
31) Can an RFI submission include classified or proprietary information?
No. NASA will not consider classified material or material marked proprietary.
32) Will NASA reimburse costs incurred in responding to the RFI?
No. NASA will not reimburse costs incurred in responding.
33) Will NASA acknowledge receipt or provide feedback on RFI submissions?
NASA states it is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt or provide feedback.
34) Will NASA publish individual RFI submissions?
NASA indicates it does not intend to release individual RFI submissions.
35) Can NASA contact respondents after submission?
Yes. NASA notes it may contact respondents for clarification.
36) What is the deadline for the RFI response?
The stated deadline is 11:59 PM Eastern on September 12, 2010.
37) Who is the program contact listed in the notice?
The program contact listed is Claudia M. Meyer.
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