RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN FLUID PHYSICS | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NASA "Research Opportunities in Fluid Physics" (NNH08ZTT002N)

1) What is this funding opportunity called?

The opportunity is titled "Research Opportunities in Fluid Physics" and was released by NASA Headquarters.

2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is NNH08ZTT002N.

3) What type of announcement is this opportunity under?

This opportunity was issued under a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) and was also characterized as a broad agency announcement under FAR 6.102(d)(2).

4) What is the purpose of this NRA?

The purpose is to support the ISS Research Project through ground-based studies that mature research ideas and results with the longer-term intent of transitioning suitable work into flight research on the International Space Station.

5) Is the proposed work required to be conducted on the International Space Station?

No. The work proposed under this call is ground based. The larger intent is that results could later transition into ISS flight research.

6) What technical areas does NASA want proposals to address?

The technical focus is on fluid physics problems relevant to space exploration, specifically multiphase flow and heat transfer, including phase-change processes, in microgravity and reduced-gravity environments.

7) What does "multiphase flow" mean in the context of this solicitation?

In this context, multiphase flow refers to systems where more than one phase is present, such as liquid-vapor mixtures, and where the interaction of phases is important to understanding fluid behavior in weak or altered gravity.

8) What does "phase-change processes" include?

The notice highlights phase transitions where heating, cooling, boiling, condensation, or related phase-change phenomena play a central role in the investigation.

9) What environments are emphasized (gravity conditions)?

The solicitation emphasizes microgravity and reduced-gravity environments and aims to improve understanding of fluid behavior when gravity is weak or altered.

10) What kinds of investigations is NASA looking for?

NASA expressed interest in investigations that improve understanding, modeling, or experimental characterization of fluid behavior in microgravity/reduced gravity, particularly for multiphase flow and heat transfer with phase change.

11) Which NASA organization released or sponsored this call?

The call came from the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD), Advanced Capabilities Division.

12) What does the ESMD Advanced Capabilities Division involvement imply?

Based on the notice, it indicates an emphasis on capabilities that enable future exploration missions and ISS utilization, rather than purely academic fluid dynamics disconnected from operational needs.

13) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility was described as broad and essentially unrestricted across organization types, including universities, private industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, and other government agencies, subject to any clarifications in the full solicitation.

14) What types of awards were anticipated?

Awards were anticipated in the form of grants and cooperative agreements.

15) Is this a procurement contract?

The notice frames the opportunity as a competitive research solicitation (broad agency announcement under FAR 6.102(d)(2)), which typically emphasizes scientific/technical merit and relevance rather than a lowest-price procurement approach.

16) What category of funding is this?

It was categorized as discretionary funding for science and technology and other research and development.

17) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement was stated in the notice. Budgeting rules and any voluntary cost share considerations would be governed by the full NRA.

18) How must proposals be submitted?

NASA required electronic submission.

19) Where can proposals be submitted?

Submissions could be made through NSPIRES or through Grants.gov, according to the notice.

20) Is NSPIRES registration required even if submitting through Grants.gov?

Yes. The notice states that all organizations intending to submit were required to be registered in NSPIRES and to identify their Authorized Organizational Representative(s) within NSPIRES.

21) Who must officially submit the proposal?

Proposals had to be submitted by an authorized official of the proposing organization, not informally by the principal investigator alone.

22) What is an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in this context?

The AOR is the authorized official(s) identified in NSPIRES who is responsible for organizational submission actions. The notice emphasizes that the organization must identify its AOR(s) within NSPIRES.

23) Should investigators and institutions wait until the deadline to register?

No. The notice specifically warns to begin registration and data entry early because NSPIRES and other electronic systems impose participant registration requirements for principal investigators and co-investigators, and registration delays can become a last-minute barrier to submission.

24) When was the solicitation expected to be accessible online?

The solicitation was expected to be accessible around June 6, 2008 through NASA's NSPIRES site.

25) How do applicants find the solicitation in NSPIRES?

The notice indicates applicants could navigate in NSPIRES to "Solicitations" and then "Open Solicitations" to locate it.

26) What was the Notice of Intent (NOI) due date?

Notices of Intent were due July 7, 2008.

27) What was the original proposal due date?

Proposals were originally due September 8, 2008.

28) Was the proposal deadline extended?

Yes. The closing date was extended to September 24, 2008 due to Hurricane Ike.

29) When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted May 28, 2008.

30) When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was archived October 15, 2008.

31) What does it mean that NASA can choose the award instrument?

The notice states NASA retained discretion to select the appropriate award instrument for each selected proposal.

32) Does it matter that the opportunity may appear on multiple portals?

The notice indicates the opportunity could be displayed on public portals such as FedBizOpps.gov, NSPIRES, or Grants.gov, while NASA still retains discretion regarding award instrument selection and the governing solicitation details are in the full NRA.

33) Where are the detailed instructions, evaluation factors, page limits, and allowable costs explained?

The notice indicates that detailed technical and administrative guidance (including evaluation criteria, page limits, and allowable costs) is contained in the complete NRA text accessible through the solicitation materials, and that substantive questions should be directed to the contacts referenced in the full solicitation document.

34) Who can be contacted for access or submission system issues?

The listing provided contacts for access/submission system problems including Cassandra Williams (casandra.williams 1@nasa.gov as written in the notice) and NAIS Support (nais.support@nasa.gov).

35) Who should receive substantive questions about responding to the announcement?

Substantive questions were directed to the contacts referenced in the full solicitation document, according to the notice.