ROSES 2010 Ocean Salinity Field Campaign | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - ROSES 2010 Ocean Salinity Field Campaign (OSFC)

1) What is the name of this NASA funding opportunity?

This opportunity was offered by NASA Headquarters under the broad solicitation titled Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2010 (Funding Opportunity Number NNH10ZDA001N). The specific listing described here is labeled "ROSES 2010 Ocean Salinity Field Campaign" (OSFC).

2) Who is offering the opportunity?

NASA Headquarters offered the opportunity through NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) as part of the ROSES 2010 NASA Research Announcement (NRA) framework.

3) What type of solicitation is ROSES 2010 / OSFC?

It is a NASA Research Announcement (NRA). This means it is a competitive, peer-reviewed call for research and technology proposals, not a procurement seeking a specific deliverable in the way a traditional contract solicitation might.

4) What is the purpose of ROSES 2010 in general?

ROSES 2010 invited a wide range of basic and applied research and technology development activities that advance NASA science goals across the Science Mission Directorate, including Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics.

5) How does the Ocean Salinity Field Campaign (OSFC) fit within ROSES 2010?

OSFC was described as a field-campaign style activity within the Earth science portion of ROSES. It was intended to strengthen NASA mission science through surface observations and related research, consistent with ROSES emphasis on Earth surface observations and field campaigns that support space-based missions.

6) What kinds of activities were within the scope of ROSES 2010?

ROSES 2010 scope explicitly included:

• Theory, modeling, and analysis of Science Mission Directorate data
• Work using aircraft, balloons, suborbital rockets, and commercial reusable rockets
• Development of new experiment techniques and measurement approaches suitable for future space missions
• Early concepts for future missions
• Advanced technologies relevant to NASA missions

On the Earth science side, ROSES also emphasized field campaigns and Earth surface observations supporting space-based missions, laboratory analysis of terrestrial samples to verify or interpret Earth system observations, development of integrated Earth system models, and applied systems that translate Earth science data into societal benefits.

7) What does a field campaign focused on ocean salinity generally imply under this description?

Based on the description provided, an ocean salinity field campaign would be positioned around collecting and using in situ and near-surface observations to support, validate, and improve satellite-derived ocean salinity products and related Earth system understanding, alongside the modeling and data analysis components that make those observations broadly useful.

8) How much funding could an award provide?

Funding amounts were intentionally flexible across ROSES program elements. NASA indicated awards could be:

• Quite small for narrowly scoped efforts (often under $100,000 per year, such as targeted data analysis)
• Very large for resource-intensive activities (could exceed $1,000,000 per year, such as instrument hardware development or major campaign logistics)

The total funding available varied by program element, ranging from less than $1 million to several million dollars, which also affected how many proposals could be selected.

9) What types of award instruments could NASA use?

NASA noted it could issue awards using different legal instruments depending on the organization and the work, including:

• Grants
• Cooperative agreements
• Contracts
• Inter- or intra-agency transfers

10) What is the typical project duration (performance period)?

The typical performance period was described as about four years. Some elements could allow shorter or longer durations, up to a stated maximum of five years.

11) When was the solicitation released?

The solicitation was released on or about February 12, 2010. It was also posted in early March 2010 in the source record referenced in the opportunity description.

12) Were Notices of Intent (NOIs) required?

NOIs were requested for most program elements under ROSES 2010. The NOI windows ran from March 15, 2010 through February 9, 2011.

13) When were proposals due?

Proposal due dates began April 30, 2010 and continued through April 30, 2011. The specific due date for a given program element was determined by the tables and appendices in the ROSES document (including references to Tables 2 and 3 for due dates).

14) Why do some records show a closing date of May 28, 2010 and an archive date of June 27, 2010?

The OSFC listing in the source record shows an original and current closing date of May 28, 2010 and an archive date of June 27, 2010, reflecting how the opportunity was tracked in that particular posting system. However, NASA's ROSES structure relied on appendix-specific due dates and a year-long cycle of submissions and amendments.

15) How long was the overall ROSES 2010 submission cycle?

ROSES 2010 used a rolling schedule. NOIs and proposals were accepted across a cycle extending from spring 2010 into spring 2011 (with the solicitation noting NOI windows through February 2011 and proposal due dates through April 2011).

16) Should applicants watch for amendments or updates?

Yes. Applicants were encouraged to monitor NSPIRES for amendments, new program elements, clarifications, and corrections through February 2011, when a subsequent ROSES solicitation was expected.

17) Who is eligible to apply under ROSES 2010?

Eligibility was described as broad in principle. Many types of organizations could submit, including:

• Government and private entities
• For-profit and non-profit organizations
• Domestic and foreign institutions

No restriction was stated on the number of proposals or teaming arrangements.

18) Are non-U.S. organizations allowed to participate?

Non-U.S. organizations could participate, but NASA emphasized a practical constraint: NASA generally funds U.S. institutions, and participation by non-U.S. organizations is typically on a "no exchange of funds" basis.

19) Where are the rules for non-U.S. participation described?

Non-U.S. entities were directed to consult the NASA NRA Guidebook (including Appendix B and related sections) for specific rules. The description also notes that special instructions apply when non-U.S. proposals involve U.S. personnel for whom NASA support is requested.

20) Is NSPIRES registration required?

Yes. Proposers had to be affiliated with an institution registered in NSPIRES (NASA's proposal system).

21) How can proposals be submitted?

Submission was electronic. Proposals could be submitted through NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

22) If submitting through Grants.gov, is NSPIRES still required?

Yes. Even if submitting through Grants.gov, organizations still had to be registered in NSPIRES. Grants.gov submission also required Grants.gov registration in addition to NSPIRES.

23) Who must be registered in NSPIRES?

NASA required that all investigators and participants (including co-investigators) be registered in NSPIRES, regardless of whether the proposal was submitted through NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

24) Who is allowed to submit the proposal on behalf of an organization?

The proposal had to be submitted by an authorized organizational representative.

25) Does NASA provide any advice about registration and submission timing?

Yes. NASA explicitly advised applicants to begin early, learn the submission system, and complete required profiles and authorizations well before the relevant due date, since registration and system setup can take time.

26) Where can applicants find detailed program-element requirements and due dates?

Applicants were directed to the ROSES appendices for detailed requirements and program-element descriptions, and to Tables 2 and 3 for proposal due dates.

27) Who should applicants contact with program-specific questions?

Program-specific questions were to be directed to the program officers listed in each appendix element's "Summary of Key Information."

28) Who is the general ROSES policy and procedure point of contact?

For general ROSES policies and procedures, the solicitation identified Dr. Max Bernstein (Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters) as the point of contact, and also provided the general SARA email address: sara@nasa.gov, along with a NASA Headquarters phone number.