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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): ROSES 2010 Planetary Protection Research (PPR)

What is the ROSES 2010 Planetary Protection Research (PPR) opportunity?

Planetary Protection Research (PPR) is a NASA Headquarters funding opportunity released under the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) titled "Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences 2010" (ROSES 2010). It is associated with Funding Opportunity Number NNH10ZDA001N and supports research and technology efforts that address planetary protection needs.

How does PPR fit within ROSES 2010?

ROSES is the NASA Science Mission Directorate's primary annual solicitation for research and technology that supports NASA science across Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics. PPR is one element within that broader ROSES framework, focused specifically on planetary protection problems and mission needs.

What is the main purpose of the Planetary Protection Research (PPR) element?

PPR supports work that helps NASA prevent harmful forward contamination of other worlds and harmful back contamination of Earth. The element is intended to strengthen the scientific and technical basis for meeting planetary protection policy and requirements for current and future missions.

What kinds of activities and work are supported under PPR?

Consistent with typical ROSES activities, PPR can support both basic and applied work, including theory, modeling, and analysis; development and validation of methods and techniques; laboratory studies; and technology development relevant to present and future missions. The focus is on planetary protection-related topics such as contamination control approaches and measurement and verification methods.

Is PPR limited to basic research, or can it include applied research and technology development?

PPR can include both basic and applied work. The solicitation describes a wide range of eligible activity types, including research (e.g., modeling and analysis), laboratory studies, method development and validation, and technology development aimed at planetary protection objectives.

What are examples of the kinds of planetary protection problems PPR is meant to address?

The announcement highlights topics such as contamination control approaches, measurement and verification methods, and related research that improves the scientific and technical basis for meeting planetary protection requirements and mission needs.

How much funding is typically available per award?

Award sizes are flexible and vary widely. Typical awards can range from under $100,000 per year for smaller, tightly scoped efforts (such as focused analysis) to more than $1 million per year for large and complex efforts (such as substantial hardware or major technology development).

How much total funding is available for this program element?

The amount available varies by specific ROSES program element and is described as generally ranging from less than $1 million up to several million dollars. This range influences how many proposals NASA can select within each area.

What types of award instruments might NASA use?

Depending on the proposer and the nature of the work, awards may be issued as grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or inter- and intra-agency transfers.

How long is the typical period of performance?

A typical period of performance is about four years. Some elements may allow shorter or longer periods, up to a maximum of five years.

When was the ROSES 2010 NRA expected to be available?

The ROSES 2010 NRA was expected to be available on or about February 12, 2010.

Were Notices of Intent (NOIs) required?

NOIs were requested for most elements. The due dates for NOIs varied across ROSES elements, beginning March 15, 2010 and continuing through February 9, 2011, depending on the specific appendix element.

When were full proposals due?

Full proposal due dates varied by ROSES appendix element. Proposal due dates began April 30, 2010 and continued through April 30, 2011, based on the specific element and its listed deadline.

Why do the Grants.gov dates look different from the ROSES element deadlines?

The Grants.gov posting for this opportunity lists a posted date and creation date of June 10, 2010, an original and current closing date of September 3, 2010, and an archive date of October 3, 2010. ROSES itself used a rolling set of deadlines that depended on the specific appendix element, so users were directed to consult the ROSES tables and appendices for the correct due date for their chosen element.

Where do applicants find the detailed program description and the correct due date for their element?

Applicants were directed to the ROSES 2010 appendices for the full solicitation and detailed program descriptions, and to ROSES tables listing due dates for each element.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad in terms of organization types, including government or private, for-profit or nonprofit, domestic or foreign organizations. The opportunity also stated there was no restriction on the number of proposals or teaming arrangements.

Can non-U.S. organizations participate?

Yes, non-U.S. organizations may participate, but NASA funding is generally directed to U.S. institutions. Non-U.S. organizations typically participate under NASA's "no exchange of funds" policy, meaning NASA does not transfer funds to the non-U.S. partner.

What does "no exchange of funds" mean for non-U.S. participants?

It means NASA generally does not provide funding to the non-U.S. organization. The non-U.S. partner would participate without receiving NASA funds, consistent with the policy described in the ROSES NRA Guidebook for Proposers and referenced sections of the announcement.

Are there special instructions for proposals involving non-U.S. organizations and U.S. personnel?

Yes. The announcement notes that non-U.S. participation details are governed by the ROSES NRA Guidebook for Proposers and specific referenced sections, including special instructions when proposals from non-U.S. organizations involve U.S. personnel who would receive NASA support.

How must proposals be submitted?

Submissions were required to be electronic. Proposals could be submitted through NSPIRES (NASA's proposal system) or via Grants.gov.

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

Yes. Even if submitting via Grants.gov, the organization must be registered in NSPIRES. If using Grants.gov, the organization must also be registered in Grants.gov.

Who needs to be registered in NSPIRES?

The organization must identify authorized organizational representative(s) who can submit on behalf of the institution. In addition, all investigators and participants, including co-investigators, must have NSPIRES registrations regardless of whether submission is through NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

Why does NASA recommend registering early in NSPIRES and Grants.gov?

NASA strongly encouraged applicants to register and become familiar with the electronic systems well ahead of deadlines to avoid last-minute submission and registration issues.

Can ROSES 2010 be amended after release?

Yes. NASA noted that ROSES can be amended over its open period. Proposers were encouraged to monitor the NSPIRES solicitation page or subscribe to notifications and to use the ROSES 2010 amendments archive/RSS feed for clarifications and corrections released through February 2011.

Where should applicants monitor for updates and clarifications?

Applicants were encouraged to monitor the NSPIRES solicitation page and/or subscribe to notifications, as well as consult the ROSES 2010 amendments archive and RSS feed for updates issued during the open period.

Who is the point of contact for general policy or procedural questions?

The listed point of contact for general policy and procedural questions was Dr. Max Bernstein at NASA Headquarters (Science Mission Directorate), using the SARA mailbox at sara@nasa.gov and the provided phone number in the announcement.