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FAQs: ROSES 2012 Fellowships for Early Career Researchers (NASA ROSES 2012)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is part of NASA's broader Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences 2012 (ROSES 2012) solicitation, released as a NASA Research Announcement under Funding Opportunity Number NNH12ZDA001N by NASA Headquarters. The listing titled "ROSES 2012 Fellowships for Early Career Researchers" sits within the larger ROSES structure, so proposals must align with specific ROSES program elements described in the ROSES appendices.

2) Is this only for fellowships, or is it part of a larger solicitation?

It is part of the larger ROSES 2012 solicitation. Even though the title highlights fellowships for early career researchers, NASA indicates applicants must follow the relevant ROSES appendix/program element requirements, rules, timelines, and submission instructions.

3) Which NASA organization is running this solicitation?

NASA Headquarters is the issuing organization, and the solicitation supports priorities of NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD).

4) What research areas does ROSES 2012 support?

ROSES 2012 supports NASA SMD priorities across four major research areas:

• Earth Science
• Heliophysics
• Planetary Science
• Astrophysics

5) What kinds of work are in scope?

NASA describes a deliberately broad scope that includes basic and applied research and technology development. Examples listed include:

• Theory, modeling, and analysis of NASA science data
• Investigations using aircraft, high altitude balloons, suborbital rockets, and commercial reusable suborbital platforms
• Development of experimental techniques intended to mature future missions
• Formulation of new mission concepts
• Advancement of technologies directly relevant to future SMD missions
• Laboratory work, including analysis of extraterrestrial samples returned by spacecraft
• Laboratory analysis of terrestrial samples used to validate or interpret Earth observing mission data
• Determination of atomic and compositional parameters needed to interpret remote sensing or sample measurements

6) What additional Earth Science activities does NASA emphasize?

For Earth science, NASA also emphasizes:

• Field campaigns and surface observations that support mission science
• Integrated Earth system modeling
• Applied systems that translate Earth science research data into societal benefits and usable information products

7) How much funding is available per award?

Funding varies widely by program element and the scale of work. NASA notes that awards can be under $100,000 per year for narrowly focused efforts (such as targeted data analysis) and can exceed $1 million per year for large, complex activities (such as building or advancing science instrument hardware).

8) How large are the total funding pools for individual program elements?

NASA indicates that individual program elements may have total funding pools ranging from less than $1 million to several million dollars. Based on program goals and proposal quality/relevance, NASA may make anywhere from a handful of awards to several dozen within an element.

9) What is the typical project period?

The usual performance period is about four years. Some program elements may specify shorter or longer durations, with an upper limit generally capped at five years.

10) What types of award mechanisms might NASA use?

Awards may be issued through several mechanisms depending on the proposer and the work involved, including:

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

11) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as broadly open to organizations of many types, including government and private entities, for-profit and non-profit organizations, and both domestic and foreign organizations. However, NASA policy generally limits direct funding to U.S. institutions.

12) Can non-U.S. organizations participate?

Non-U.S. organizations are typically allowed to participate only on a "no exchange of funds" basis, meaning NASA does not transfer funds to the non-U.S. entity. NASA points proposers to the NASA Guidebook for Proposers for detailed rules governing foreign participation, including special cases involving U.S. personnel for whom NASA funding is requested.

13) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed for ROSES 2012 is NNH12ZDA001N.

14) Where and when was the solicitation expected to be available?

NASA expected the ROSES 2012 solicitation to be available around February 14, 2012 through the NSPIRES portal, with the opportunity posted on February 23, 2012.

15) Are Notices of Intent (NOIs) required?

Notices of Intent are requested for most program elements. The earliest NOI timing mentioned begins March 16, 2012, but the applicable NOI timing depends on the specific program element.

16) When are proposals due?

Proposal due dates begin May 4, 2012 and extend through March 22, 2013 depending on the specific program element. This particular listing shows a closing date of May 25, 2012 (original and current). NASA notes that the authoritative deadline depends on which appendix/program element you target, and directs applicants to the due date tables within the ROSES document.

17) Why might there be more than one deadline?

ROSES is organized by appendices and program elements, each with its own due date(s). Because of that structure, the exact due date depends on the specific program element you select, not just the top-level listing date.

18) How do applicants submit proposals?

Applications must be submitted electronically, either through NSPIRES or through Grants.gov.

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

Yes. NASA states that all organizations planning to submit must be registered in NSPIRES. Organizations submitting via Grants.gov must also be registered with Grants.gov in addition to NSPIRES.

20) Who needs to be registered in NSPIRES?

NASA requires that:

• The submitting organization be registered in NSPIRES and identify its authorized organizational representative (AOR) who is permitted to submit on behalf of the institution.
• All principal investigators (PIs) and other named participants (such as co-investigators) be registered in NSPIRES, regardless of whether submission occurs via NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

21) What does NASA recommend regarding registration timing?

NASA strongly encourages prospective applicants to start registration early because system registration and profile setup can take time. NASA recommends doing this well before the relevant deadline to learn the workflow and complete required entries.

22) Where are the program details and element-specific requirements found?

Program details are contained in the ROSES appendices. The appendices list each program element along with information such as scope, points of contact, and any element-specific requirements.

23) Can the solicitation change after it is released?

Yes. NASA notes that amendments, clarifications, and corrections may be issued through February 2013. Applicants are advised to monitor NSPIRES or subscribe to its notification service. NASA also references a web archive and RSS feed for ROSES 2012 updates via NASA's research solicitations site.

24) Who should applicants contact with questions?

For element-specific guidance, NASA directs applicants to the individual program officers listed in the ROSES appendices. For general policy and procedure questions, NASA directs inquiries to Dr. Max Bernstein at NASA Headquarters (Science Mission Directorate) via sara@nasa.gov or by phone at 202-358-0879.