Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH08ZTT003N
Apply for NNH08ZTT003N
- The NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDAMENTAL SPACE BIOLOGY INVESTIGATIONS IN MICROBIAL PLANT AND CELL BIOLOGY" 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 Sep 19, 2008 and posted on May 28, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 24, 2008 Proposal due date postponed until 9/24/2008 due to Hurricane Ike.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
- Participation is open to all categories of organizations, including educational institutions, industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, and other Government agencies.
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Opportunity Summary:
NASA Headquarters announced a funding opportunity (NNH08ZTT003N) called "Research Opportunities for Fundamental Space Biology Investigations in Microbial, Plant and Cell Biology." It was issued as a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) through the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD), Advanced Capabilities Division, and was expected to be accessible around June 6, 2008 via the NSPIRES solicitations page (with electronic submission also available through Grants.gov). The program is framed as a broad agency announcement under FAR 6.102(d)(2), and NASA notes that even if the opportunity is posted in multiple federal portals, the agency retains discretion to choose the most appropriate award instrument for any selected proposal.
The central goal of the solicitation is to support ground-based research that advances fundamental space biology, specifically in microbial biology, plant biology, and cell biology. The scientific focus is basic, not applied development: the studies are meant to tackle foundational questions about how living systems respond to gravity and to conditions associated with space environments. The description emphasizes gravity as a major organizing force in biology, shaping life on Earth across scales, and positions space biology as a way to isolate and understand how changes in physical forces (especially altered gravity) affect biological structure, function, growth, and behavior. While the emphasis is on ground-based work, the solicitation also acknowledges that ground analogs can be complemented by space-based investigations, with the broader purpose of building the biological knowledge base that supports human and robotic exploration.
From an applicant standpoint, eligibility is intentionally broad. Participation is open to essentially any category of organization, including universities and other educational institutions, private industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, and other government agencies. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching. The funding instrument types listed include grants and cooperative agreements, which typically signals that NASA may select a standard grant when the project is largely investigator-driven, or a cooperative agreement when NASA expects more substantial involvement during the period of performance.
The application process is entirely electronic and must be submitted by an authorized official of the proposing organization, not solely by the principal investigator. Submissions can be made through NSPIRES (NASA's proposal system) or through Grants.gov, but the solicitation stresses that any organization planning to apply must be registered in NSPIRES and must clearly identify its authorized organizational representative(s) who are permitted to submit proposals. In addition, individual investigators and other participants such as co-investigators may face system-specific registration requirements, so applicants are urged to start the registration and data-entry steps early rather than waiting until the deadline, since delays in account setup or authorization can jeopardize on-time submission.
Key dates are spelled out in the announcement. Notices of Intent (NOIs) were due July 7, 2008. Proposals were originally due September 8, 2008, but the closing date was later extended to September 24, 2008 due to Hurricane Ike. The posting date is listed as May 28, 2008, and the opportunity was ultimately archived on October 15, 2008. The opportunity is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, with a CFDA listing shown as 00.000 (Not Elsewhere Classified), reflecting the broad R&D nature of the program rather than a narrowly labeled assistance category.
For applicant support and questions, the announcement points potential proposers to contacts named in the full solicitation document and provides points of contact for access issues or help with the electronic systems. The listed contacts include Jacob Cohen (Jacob.Cohen.1@nasa.gov), Cassandra Williams (Casandra.Williams.1@nasa.gov), and NAIS Support (nais.support@nasa.gov), which is consistent with NASA's reliance on NSPIRES/NAIS for proposal intake and troubleshooting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the official name of this NASA funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Research Opportunities for Fundamental Space Biology Investigations in Microbial, Plant and Cell Biology."
2) What is the solicitation number?
The solicitation number is NNH08ZTT003N.
3) What type of funding announcement is this?
It was issued as a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) and is framed as a Broad Agency Announcement under FAR 6.102(d)(2).
4) Which NASA organization released this announcement?
NASA Headquarters announced the opportunity through the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD), Advanced Capabilities Division.
5) What is the main goal of the solicitation?
The central goal is to support ground-based research that advances fundamental space biology, specifically in microbial biology, plant biology, and cell biology.
6) What scientific areas does the solicitation emphasize?
The emphasis is on fundamental investigations in microbial biology, plant biology, and cell biology, with a focus on how living systems respond to gravity and conditions associated with space environments.
7) Is this focused on basic research or applied development?
The focus is basic (fundamental) research, not applied development. The intent is to address foundational questions about how altered gravity and related physical conditions affect biological structure, function, growth, and behavior.
8) Does the solicitation only support ground-based work?
The emphasis is on ground-based research. The announcement also notes that ground analogs can be complemented by space-based investigations, within the broader purpose of building a biological knowledge base that supports human and robotic exploration.
9) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is intentionally broad and includes universities and other educational institutions, private industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, and other government agencies.
10) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching.
11) What types of awards might NASA use for selected proposals?
The listed funding instrument types include grants and cooperative agreements.
12) How does NASA decide between a grant and a cooperative agreement?
The announcement indicates grants and cooperative agreements are possible, which typically reflects whether NASA anticipates substantial involvement during the period of performance (more consistent with a cooperative agreement) versus a more investigator-driven effort (more consistent with a grant). The announcement also notes NASA retains discretion to choose the most appropriate award instrument for any selected proposal.
13) Where was the solicitation expected to be accessible?
It was expected to be accessible around June 6, 2008 via the NSPIRES solicitations page, with electronic submission also available through Grants.gov.
14) Can an application be submitted through Grants.gov?
Yes. Electronic submission was available through Grants.gov, and proposals could also be submitted through NSPIRES.
15) Is NSPIRES registration required if submitting electronically?
Yes. The solicitation stresses that any organization planning to apply must be registered in NSPIRES and must identify its authorized organizational representative(s) permitted to submit proposals.
16) Who must submit the application?
The application must be submitted electronically by an authorized official of the proposing organization (an authorized organizational representative), not solely by the principal investigator.
17) Do principal investigators and co-investigators have any registration requirements?
The announcement notes that individual investigators and other participants (such as co-investigators) may face system-specific registration requirements, so applicants are urged to begin registration and required data entry early.
18) Why does NASA recommend starting registration early?
Because delays in account setup, authorization, or required system steps can jeopardize on-time submission if left until close to the deadline.
19) What were the key dates listed in the announcement?
The posting date is May 28, 2008. Notices of Intent (NOIs) were due July 7, 2008. Proposals were originally due September 8, 2008, and the closing date was later extended to September 24, 2008 due to Hurricane Ike. The opportunity was archived on October 15, 2008.
20) Was the proposal deadline extended?
Yes. The proposal due date was extended from September 8, 2008 to September 24, 2008 due to Hurricane Ike.
21) What is the CFDA number shown for this opportunity?
The CFDA listing is shown as 00.000 (Not Elsewhere Classified), reflecting a broad research and development category rather than a narrowly labeled assistance listing.
22) How is the opportunity categorized?
It is categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
23) If the opportunity appears on more than one federal portal, does that affect how NASA makes awards?
The announcement states that even if the opportunity is posted in multiple federal portals, NASA retains discretion to choose the most appropriate award instrument for any selected proposal.
24) Who can be contacted for questions or support?
The announcement points to contacts named in the full solicitation document and lists points of contact for access issues or electronic systems help, including Jacob Cohen (Jacob.Cohen.1@nasa.gov), Cassandra Williams (Casandra.Williams.1@nasa.gov), and NAIS Support (nais.support@nasa.gov).
25) Where should applicants look for detailed program contacts?
The announcement indicates that program and technical contacts are named in the full solicitation document.
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