ROSES 2014 IceBridge Research | Apply Online

FAQs: ROSES 2014 IceBridge Research (NNH14ZDA001N, element tag ICEBR)

What is this funding opportunity?

ROSES 2014 IceBridge Research is a NASA Headquarters funding opportunity that sits inside NASA's annual Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) omnibus solicitation. It is identified under Funding Opportunity Number NNH14ZDA001N and uses the program element tag ICEBR.

What is the purpose of the ROSES 2014 solicitation overall?

The overall purpose is to support basic and applied research that advances NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) goals. The solicitation is designed to fund competitively selected work that makes meaningful scientific or technical contributions using SMD-related data, platforms, and methods.

What is the goal of the IceBridge Research element specifically?

IceBridge Research is one of the program elements within ROSES 2014. Based on the opportunity description, it seeks proposals tied to NASA Earth science investigations and IceBridge-relevant airborne investigations, and more broadly supports research and related technical work aligned with SMD objectives that can strengthen current investigations and help shape or enable future missions.

What kinds of projects are allowed under this solicitation?

The solicitation is intentionally broad and allows a wide range of research and development activities. Examples explicitly mentioned include theory, modeling, and analysis of NASA science data; studies tied to airborne investigations (relevant to IceBridge); and investigations using balloons, sounding rockets, the International Space Station, CubeSats, or other suborbital systems.

Can proposals focus on technology or mission-enabling work, not just science analysis?

Yes. The opportunity allows proposals that develop experiment techniques suitable for future missions, advance technologies that support SMD objectives, create mission concepts, and improve laboratory methods for analyzing samples. It also includes work to determine key atomic or compositional parameters needed for interpreting data.

Are field campaigns and Earth surface observations allowed?

Yes. The solicitation states that Earth surface observations and field campaigns that complement NASA missions are within scope.

Does ROSES support applied projects that turn Earth science data into practical tools?

Yes. Beyond pure research, the ROSES structure supports development of integrated Earth system models and applied systems that translate Earth science data into societal benefits, such as decision support tools and information systems aligned with NASA data and objectives.

How much funding is available per award?

Funding levels vary widely depending on scope. The announcement notes awards can be under $100,000 per year for tightly focused efforts such as data analysis, and can exceed $1,000,000 per year for large, complex activities such as building or developing science instrument hardware.

Is there a single total funding amount for the entire solicitation?

No. The opportunity description explains that total funding is not presented as one single pot for the entire solicitation. Instead, each program element (including IceBridge Research) has its own funding range that can be less than $1 million up to several million dollars.

How many awards might NASA make under an element like IceBridge Research?

The stated funding range is intended to support anything from a small number of high-value selections to several dozen awards, depending on program priorities and the number of meritorious proposals received.

What is the typical project period for awards?

NASA expects most awards to run about four years.

Can the project period be shorter or longer than four years?

Some program elements may allow shorter or longer periods, up to a maximum of five years.

What types of award instruments might NASA use?

Awards may be issued using different legal instruments depending on the nature of the work and the proposing organization. The opportunity description lists grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and interagency or intraagency transfers as possible mechanisms.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity states there is no stated cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad. Organizations of every type may apply, including government and private entities, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and domestic and foreign institutions.

Is there a limit on how many proposals an organization can submit?

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

Can non-U.S. organizations apply, and can they receive NASA funding?

Non-U.S. organizations may participate, but NASA emphasizes a policy for international participation: in general, NASA funding is provided only to U.S. institutions, and non-U.S. organizations typically must participate on a no-exchange-of-funds basis.

Where are the detailed rules for non-U.S. participation explained?

The opportunity points applicants to the NASA Guidebook for Proposers (including Appendix B and related sections) for detailed rules governing non-U.S. proposals and scenarios involving U.S. personnel and NASA support requests.

How must proposals be submitted?

Submission is electronic only and must be made by an authorized organizational representative.

What submission systems can be used?

Proposals can be submitted through NSPIRES (NASA's proposal system) or through Grants.gov.

What registrations are required to submit?

Registration requirements apply. Every submitting organization must be registered in NSPIRES. If submitting through Grants.gov, the organization must be registered in both Grants.gov and NSPIRES.

Do principal investigators and co-investigators need NSPIRES accounts?

Yes. All principal investigators and any other named participants (such as co-investigators) must be registered in NSPIRES regardless of whether submission is through NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

Why does NASA recommend starting registrations early?

NASA strongly encourages starting registrations and system familiarization well ahead of deadlines to avoid administrative delays.

What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?

The posted date and creation date are March 17, 2014. The original and current closing date is May 1, 2014. The archive date is May 31, 2014.

Where can applicants find element-specific deadlines and instructions within ROSES 2014?

Because ROSES includes many program elements with different due dates and requirements, applicants are directed to the ROSES 2014 tables listing program elements and deadlines (Table 2 organized by due date and Table 3 organized by subject area) and to the appendices for element-specific details and points of contact.

Can ROSES 2014 change after it is posted?

Yes. NASA notes that amendments and new program elements can be released over time.

How long should interested parties monitor updates?

NASA encourages interested parties to monitor NSPIRES or subscribe to notifications through February 2015, when a subsequent ROSES solicitation was planned.

Who is the contact for general policy and procedure questions?

For general policy and procedure questions, the solicitation identifies Max Bernstein (SMD Lead for Research) with the contact email sara@nasa.gov.

Who should be contacted for IceBridge element-specific questions?

Element-specific questions are routed to the program officers listed in the ROSES appendices.

What is the main takeaway about ROSES 2014 IceBridge Research?

It is a competitively selected NASA funding opportunity within ROSES 2014 that supports IceBridge-relevant and broader SMD-aligned Earth science research and related technology efforts. It accommodates projects ranging from targeted analysis of existing NASA data to major development activities, uses standard NASA electronic submission systems with specific registration requirements, and is open to many applicant types with special rules for international participation centered on a no-exchange-of-funds policy.