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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - ROSES 2014 Planetary Protection Research (PPR)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the ROSES 2014 Planetary Protection Research program element (PPR), under NASA's Headquarters Science Mission Directorate (SMD) omnibus solicitation called ROSES (Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences). The Funding Opportunity Number is NNH14ZDA001N.

2) What is ROSES, and how does PPR fit within it?

ROSES is NASA SMD's annual umbrella solicitation that includes many program elements. Planetary Protection Research (PPR) is one of those elements, and its detailed scope, requirements, points of contact, and due dates are provided in the ROSES 2014 Appendices for that element.

3) What kinds of work does this opportunity support?

The solicitation supports a wide range of basic and applied research and technology work that advances NASA science goals, including research that underpins planetary protection needs. It is designed to strengthen the scientific and technical foundation for current and future NASA missions, spanning fundamental theory and modeling through hands-on technology development and laboratory methods.

4) Is the scope narrow or broad?

The solicitation is intentionally broad and covers many types of work relevant to Science Mission Directorate (SMD) missions, including (as examples) analysis of NASA science data, new experimental techniques and instrumentation approaches, mission concept development, and development or maturation of advanced technologies supporting NASA mission objectives.

5) What are some examples of activities NASA is looking for (as described in the notice)?

Examples specifically mentioned include:

• Analysis and interpretation of NASA science data
• Development of new experiment techniques and instrumentation approaches that could fly on future missions
• Concept development for future missions
• Creation or maturation of advanced technologies that support NASA mission objectives
• Sample science work, including techniques and laboratory analysis for extraterrestrial samples returned by spacecraft
• Terrestrial sample studies used to validate or ground-truth observations from Earth system science missions
• Determining atomic and compositional parameters needed to interpret remote measurements and returned samples
• Earth surface observations and field campaigns that support NASA science
• Building integrated Earth system models
• Developing applied information systems that transform Earth science research data into usable societal products

6) Where do I find the specific research topics for Planetary Protection Research (PPR)?

The detailed scope and specific research topics for PPR are provided in the ROSES 2014 Appendices. Those appendices also include program-by-program instructions, points of contact, and due dates.

7) How much funding is available per award?

NASA indicates the funding level varies widely based on the nature and scale of the proposed work. Smaller, focused efforts (such as limited data analysis) may be funded at under $100,000 per year, while larger, more complex efforts (such as developing science experiment hardware) can exceed $1,000,000 per year.

8) How large is the total funding pool for a program element?

For each program element in ROSES 2014, the total pool of funds can range from less than $1 million to several million dollars. This means NASA may select only a handful of proposals in some elements or several dozen in others, depending on program priorities and proposal quality.

9) What types of award mechanisms might NASA use?

Awards may be issued as grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or inter- and intra-agency transfers. The mechanism is selected based on the proposer type and NASA program needs.

10) How long is the typical performance period?

The typical performance period is four years. Some elements may specify different durations, with a stated maximum of five years.

11) Who is eligible to submit proposals?

Eligibility is broad by organization type. Domestic and foreign entities, government and private organizations, for-profit and nonprofit groups can submit proposals.

12) Are there limits on the number of proposals an organization can submit?

No stated limit is provided in the notice on the number of proposals or on teaming arrangements.

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

Yes, the solicitation allows proposals from foreign entities, but NASA notes a key policy constraint: investigations involving non-U.S. organizations must generally be conducted on a no-exchange-of-funds basis, meaning NASA does not provide funding to the non-U.S. entity.

14) Does NASA fund non-U.S. institutions?

The notice states that, in general, NASA provides funding only to U.S. institutions. Non-U.S. proposers are directed to consult the NASA Guidebook for Proposers (including Appendix B and other cited sections) for specific rules, special cases, and scenarios involving U.S. personnel requesting NASA support.

15) How do I submit a proposal?

Submission is electronic and must be made by an authorized organizational representative. Proposals may be submitted through NASA NSPIRES (NASA Proposal Data System) or through Grants.gov, but in either case the organization must be registered in NSPIRES.

16) Can I submit through Grants.gov instead of NSPIRES?

Yes. Proposals can be submitted through Grants.gov, but the organization must still be registered in NSPIRES. If using Grants.gov, the organization must also be registered in Grants.gov.

17) Who is allowed to submit the proposal?

The proposal must be submitted by an authorized organizational representative identified through the required registrations. Registrations must identify the authorized organizational representatives who are permitted to submit.

18) Do principal investigators (PIs) and co-investigators need to register anywhere?

Yes. All principal investigators and other participants (including co-investigators) must be registered in NSPIRES regardless of whether the proposal is submitted via NSPIRES or Grants.gov.

19) When should we complete system registrations?

NASA encourages prospective proposers to complete registrations and to familiarize themselves with NSPIRES and/or Grants.gov well before the relevant due date.

20) What are the key dates listed for this posting?

The notice lists:

• Posted date: March 25, 2014
• Original and current closing date: September 5, 2014
• Archive date: October 5, 2014

21) Are there different due dates for different ROSES program elements?

Yes. Because ROSES includes many program elements, NASA points proposers to Tables 2 and 3 for element-specific due dates and for organization by topic area, respectively.

22) Can the solicitation change after it is posted?

Yes. NASA advises investigators to monitor NSPIRES or subscribe to its notification service for amendments, clarifications, corrections, or newly added program elements. The notice indicates updates could occur through February 2015, when the next ROSES solicitation was anticipated.

23) Who do I contact for general questions about ROSES policies and procedures?

General questions are directed to Max Bernstein (Lead for Research, SMD) via sara@nasa.gov.

24) Who do I contact for topic-specific questions about Planetary Protection Research (PPR)?

Topic-specific questions are meant for the program officers listed within the relevant Appendix section for the Planetary Protection Research element in the ROSES 2014 Appendices.