ROSES 2011 Outer Planets Research | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is "ROSES 2011 Outer Planets Research"?

ROSES 2011 Outer Planets Research is a funding opportunity within NASA's broader Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2011 announcement (a NASA Research Announcement, or NRA). Although the name highlights Outer Planets Research, proposals are submitted under specific ROSES program elements described in the ROSES appendices, with due dates and other details organized in the ROSES tables.

2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this opportunity?

The Funding Opportunity Number is NNH11ZDA001N.

3) When was the ROSES 2011 NRA released?

ROSES 2011 was released on February 18, 2011.

4) Which NASA organization manages this solicitation?

The solicitation is run out of NASA Headquarters under the Science Mission Directorate.

5) What kinds of activities does ROSES 2011 generally support?

ROSES 2011 invites proposals for a wide range of basic and applied research and technology activities relevant to NASA missions and data, including:

• Theory, modeling, and analysis of NASA science data
• Development of experimental techniques and instrumentation suitable for future missions
• Mission concept development
• Advanced technology development tied to science mission needs
• Laboratory analysis methods for extraterrestrial samples returned by spacecraft and terrestrial samples used to validate or interpret mission observations
• Measurement/determination of atomic and compositional parameters needed to analyze remote sensing or in situ space data
• Earth surface observations and field campaigns that support NASA science
• Integrated Earth system modeling
• Systems that translate Earth science data into societal and applied-use products

6) What is the scope for Outer Planets Research within ROSES?

While the posting highlights Outer Planets Research, the most relevant portions typically fall within Planetary Science program elements. Examples of relevant work include (as defined by the specific appendix element under which you submit):

• Analysis and interpretation of NASA mission data related to the outer planets
• Theory and modeling of outer planet atmospheres and magnetospheres
• Studies of icy satellites, rings, and small bodies
• Laboratory work that supports interpretation of spacecraft observations
• Technology or instrument concept work enabling future investigations

7) Where do I find the detailed program rules and requirements?

Program details are provided in the ROSES appendices, and deadlines are organized in the ROSES tables (referenced as Tables 2 and 3). NASA directed applicants to access the ROSES 2011 solicitation and updates via the NSPIRES solicitations page and to monitor amendments through February 2012.

8) How much funding can a project request?

Funding levels vary widely depending on the proposed work. NASA states awards can range from:

• Under $100,000 per year for narrowly scoped efforts (for example, focused data analysis)
• More than $1,000,000 per year for large, complex activities (for example, building or advancing science experiment hardware)

NASA does not state a single overall funding pool for all of ROSES. Instead, each program element may have its own funding range, described as anywhere from less than $1 million to several million dollars, supporting anywhere from a handful to dozens of selections depending on proposal quality, program priorities, and available funds.

9) What funding mechanisms might NASA use for awards?

Awards may be made using several mechanisms, including grants and cooperative agreements (and where appropriate, contracts and inter- or intra-agency transfers). For this posting, the listed instrument types include grants and cooperative agreements.

10) What is the CFDA number and activity category for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 43.001, and the activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

11) What is the typical project period of performance?

The typical period of performance is four years. Some program elements may allow shorter or longer durations, with a stated maximum of five years.

12) Who is eligible to submit proposals?

Eligibility is broad by organization type: domestic and foreign, governmental and private, for-profit and nonprofit organizations may submit proposals.

13) Can non-U.S. organizations receive NASA funding under this opportunity?

NASA notes an important practical constraint: in general, NASA provides funding only to U.S. institutions. Non-U.S. organizations may participate under NASA's "no exchange of funds" policy, meaning they typically must support their own participation without receiving NASA funds, unless special jointly issued arrangements apply.

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

Yes. Additional rules for non-U.S. participation are referenced in NASA's NRA Guidebook, including instructions for proposals from non-U.S. organizations that include U.S. personnel for whom NASA support is requested.

15) Is there a limit on the number of proposals an organization can submit?

No restriction on the number of proposals or teaming arrangements is stated in the information provided.

16) Are Notices of Intent (NOIs) required?

NOIs were requested for most elements. The NOI windows ran from March 18, 2011 through February 8, 2012, depending on the element.

17) When were proposals due?

Proposal due dates varied by program element. The due dates began April 29, 2011 and extended through April 30, 2012, with exact dates listed in ROSES Tables 2 and 3.

18) Why does this posting show different closing dates than the element-specific ROSES deadlines?

This specific posting lists an original closing date of October 21, 2011, a current closing date of November 4, 2011, and an archive date of November 20, 2011. The broader ROSES 2011 solicitation included multiple program elements with due dates extending through April 2012, so the dates on the posting reflect administrative handling for that entry rather than replacing the element-specific schedule in the ROSES tables.

19) How do applicants submit proposals?

Submission is electronic and must be made by an authorized organizational representative. Proposals could be submitted through NSPIRES (NASA's proposal system) or through Grants.gov.

20) Do all team members need to be registered in NSPIRES?

Yes. NSPIRES registration was an administrative requirement for every proposing organization and for all investigators and participants (including co-investigators), regardless of whether the final proposal was submitted via NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

21) If submitting through Grants.gov, is additional registration required?

Yes. Organizations submitting via Grants.gov also needed Grants.gov registration in addition to NSPIRES registration.

22) What did NASA recommend regarding registrations and learning the submission systems?

NASA strongly advised applicants to begin registration and system familiarization well in advance of deadlines to avoid administrative delays.

23) Where should applicants look for amendments, clarifications, and corrections?

NASA instructed applicants to monitor or subscribe for amendments through February 2012 via the NSPIRES solicitations page. Amendments, clarifications, and corrections were also maintained in a web archive (with an RSS feed) on NASA's science researcher solicitation pages.

24) Who should be contacted for questions about a specific program element?

For program-specific questions, proposers were instructed to contact the program officers listed in the relevant appendix element.

25) Who should be contacted for general ROSES policy and procedure questions?

General ROSES policy and procedure questions were routed to Dr. Max Bernstein at NASA Headquarters (sara@nasa.gov, 202-358-0879).