ROSES 2008 Heliophysics Guest Investigators | Apply Online

FAQs: ROSES 2008 Heliophysics Guest Investigators (HGI) (NNH08ZDA001N)

1) What is ROSES 2008 Heliophysics Guest Investigators (HGI)?

ROSES 2008 Heliophysics Guest Investigators (HGI) is a NASA Headquarters funding opportunity that appears as a program element under the broader Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences 2008 (ROSES 2008) solicitation. ROSES 2008 was released under the NASA Research Announcement funding opportunity number NNH08ZDA001N.

2) Is HGI a standalone solicitation or part of something bigger?

HGI is part of the broader ROSES 2008 solicitation. ROSES 2008 is structured as many individual program elements posted under the same overarching solicitation number (NNH08ZDA001N), spanning multiple NASA research programs.

3) What research areas does ROSES 2008 cover?

ROSES 2008 spans multiple NASA Science Mission Directorate research programs, including Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics. While the HGI label points to heliophysics-focused participation, the umbrella solicitation covers a wide range of space and Earth science topics through its individual program elements.

4) What types of activities and work are allowed under this opportunity?

Covered activities include basic and applied research and technology development aligned with NASA Science Mission Directorate goals, such as:

• Theory, modeling, and analysis of NASA science data
• Investigations using aircraft, stratospheric balloons, and suborbital rockets
• Development of experimental techniques and instrumentation approaches that could fly on future missions
• Early mission concept work for future missions
• Development of advanced technologies relevant to NASA science missions
• Laboratory and analytical work (including techniques for analyzing returned extraterrestrial samples)
• Analysis of terrestrial samples that help validate or interpret NASA Earth-observing mission data
• Determining atomic and compositional parameters needed to interpret space-based measurements and sample analyses
• Earth surface observations and field campaigns that support NASA missions
• Building integrated Earth system models
• Creating applied information systems that translate research data into societal or operational benefit consistent with SMD objectives

5) How much funding is available?

Funding levels vary widely by the nature of the proposed effort. NASA indicates awards may be under $100,000 per year for narrowly scoped projects (such as focused data analysis), while larger and more complex efforts (such as building science hardware) can exceed $1 million per year.

6) How much funding is available within a specific program element?

The amount available within any given ROSES program element can range from less than $1 million to several million dollars. Depending on program priorities and the quality and quantity of submissions, selections could be as few as a handful of proposals or as many as several dozen.

7) What is the typical project length (period of performance)?

NASA expects a typical period of performance of about four years, though some program elements may specify shorter or longer timelines.

8) Who is eligible to apply?

ROSES emphasizes broad eligibility. Participation is open to essentially all organization types, domestic and foreign, including universities, companies, nonprofit organizations, NASA centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and other government agencies.

9) Are teams or partnerships allowed? Is there a limit on the number of partners?

Teaming is allowed and the number of partners is not restricted by default, based on the information provided.

10) Can international (non-US) organizations participate?

Yes, non-US organizations can participate, but NASA notes a specific policy constraint: projects involving non-US organizations must be conducted on a no-exchange-of-funds basis. In general, NASA does not provide funding directly to non-US entities even if they collaborate scientifically.

11) What does "no-exchange-of-funds" mean for international collaborators?

Based on NASA's stated constraint, it means NASA generally will not provide funding directly to non-US entities. International partners may collaborate scientifically, but the project must be structured so that funds are not exchanged to those non-US organizations.

12) How do applicants submit proposals?

Proposals must be submitted electronically by an authorized organizational representative using either NASA NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

13) Do applicants need to register anywhere before applying?

Yes. Applicants must ensure their organization is registered in NSPIRES (and in Grants.gov as well if submitting via Grants.gov). In addition, principal investigators and other key participants (such as co-investigators) must be individually registered in NSPIRES.

14) Who must submit the proposal in the electronic system?

The proposal must be submitted electronically by an authorized organizational representative.

15) Does NASA recommend starting registration early?

Yes. NASA strongly encourages applicants to begin system access and registration well ahead of deadlines to avoid last-minute administrative problems.

16) Are Notices of Intent (NOIs) required?

NOIs are requested for most program elements. An early NOI date referenced in the solicitation materials is March 14, 2008.

17) When are proposals due?

Proposal due dates vary by program element. Due dates begin on May 9, 2008 and continue through March 27, 2009, depending on the specific element. For the HGI-related opportunity record, the due date shown is May 9, 2008.

18) When was this opportunity posted and archived?

The opportunity record indicates it was posted on February 27, 2008, and shows an archive date of June 8, 2008, reflecting the availability window for that specific posting.

19) How do applicants find the correct program element to apply to within ROSES 2008?

Applicants are directed to locate individual program elements within ROSES 2008 through the ROSES listing on NSPIRES. Applicants can also use Grants.gov Advanced Search and enter the solicitation number NNH08ZDA001N to display associated elements and download the correct application package for the element they intend to target.

20) Who should applicants contact for questions about a specific program element?

For content questions, NASA directs applicants to the program officers listed within each element's summary of key information.

21) Who is the point of contact for general solicitation policies and procedures?

For general solicitation policies and procedures, the listed point of contact is Dr. Yvonne Pendleton at NASA Headquarters (sara@nasa.gov, 202-358-1182).

22) What types of award instruments might NASA use?

The solicitation indicates awards may be made using several instrument types, including grants and cooperative agreements. Depending on circumstances, contracts or inter/intra-agency transfers may also be used. The specific mechanism depends on the proposing organization and program requirements.

23) Is the funding mechanism the same for every applicant?

No. The solicitation notes the specific mechanism depends on the proposing organization and program requirements, and may include grants, cooperative agreements, and in some circumstances contracts or inter/intra-agency transfers.

24) What is the main purpose of ROSES 2008 funding?

Through this NASA Research Announcement, NASA seeks proposals that support both basic and applied research and technology development tied to NASA Science Mission Directorate goals.

25) Does ROSES 2008 only fund heliophysics?

No. While HGI is heliophysics-focused, ROSES 2008 spans multiple disciplines and includes program elements across Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics.