Opportunity Information: Apply for 07 601
Apply for 07 601
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sustainable Digital Data Preservation and Access Network Partners" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.070 Computer and Information Science and Engineering 47.080 Office of Cyberinfrastructure.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 3, 2009 and posted on Sep 28, 2007.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 15, 2009 NOTE Deadline dates for preliminary and full proposals have been changed to Preliminary Proposals due November 13, 2008 and Full Proposals due May 15, 2009. The page limit for the project description has been increased to 20 pages.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $100,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Organization Limit Proposals may only be submitted by the following Academic Institutions located in the U.S. U.S. universities and colleges located in the U.S. Non profit, non academic organizations Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity "Sustainable Digital Data Preservation and Access Network Partners" (DataNet Partners) is aimed at building a small set of large, exemplar organizations that can preserve, manage, and provide broad access to scientific and engineering data over the long term. NSF is responding to a major, field-wide reality: modern research and education are increasingly digital and data intensive, and data now function both as products of research and as foundational inputs for new discoveries. The core challenge the solicitation targets is how to develop the methods, governance structures, and technologies needed to handle the diversity, scale, and complexity of current and future datasets and continuous data streams, in ways that remain reliable and useful for decades.
At the center of the program is the creation of "DataNet Partners," envisioned as national and global data research infrastructure organizations rather than conventional repositories. These Partners are expected to blend expertise from library and archival sciences, cyberinfrastructure, computer and information science, and domain sciences. The goal is to deliver dependable capabilities for digital preservation, data access, integration across sources, and advanced analysis. A defining expectation is that these organizations do not remain static; they should continuously anticipate and adapt to evolving technologies and changing user needs and norms. In parallel, they should engage in research and development at the frontiers of computing and information science, pushing the state of the art in areas essential to long-term data stewardship and usability. Each Partner is also expected to function as a component in a broader interoperable network, meaning the program is not just funding standalone entities, but pieces of a connected preservation and access ecosystem.
NSF emphasizes that these organizations should demonstrate feasibility at a national or global scale, identify best practices, and establish viable models for long-term technical and economic sustainability. The solicitation frames these Partners as pathfinders that can help multiple sectors of society invest more rationally in digital preservation and access, from local and regional actors to national and international stakeholders. In practical terms, NSF is looking for organizations that can articulate a compelling vision and rationale tied to critical data needs, open up new opportunities for discovery and innovation, and improve how science and engineering research and education are carried out. Sustainability is not treated as an afterthought; it is a required outcome supported by governance, partnerships, and realistic operational planning.
From an organizational and operational standpoint, proposed DataNet Partners are expected to provide comprehensive expertise and robust cyberinfrastructure capabilities, while ensuring active participation and meaningful use by a wide diversity of users, institutions, and sectors. They should be credible, capable collaborators within an interoperable network of preservation and access organizations, and they must show strong leadership, management, and accountability. The activities supported should span the full data management lifecycle, treating data both as a resource to be used and as an object of research in its own right. The Partners are also expected to conduct or enable the computer science and information science research that is critical to DataNet functions, and to develop tools and capabilities for learning that integrate research and education across levels, from early education through advanced training. Another major requirement is deep and ongoing community engagement, with mechanisms for user input and participation throughout all phases of the Partner's work, alongside a vigorous and comprehensive assessment and evaluation program to measure performance, impact, and progress toward sustainability.
Importantly, NSF explicitly notes what this program is not: it is not intended to fund narrowly defined, discipline-specific repositories. The emphasis is on broad, interoperable infrastructure and cross-cutting capabilities that can serve diverse communities and remain resilient as technologies and scientific practices evolve.
Administratively, this is a discretionary NSF funding opportunity using a Cooperative Agreement, signaling that NSF expects substantial involvement and coordination during the award period rather than a hands-off grant relationship. NSF anticipated making about five awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $100,000,000 and an award floor of $20,000,000, indicating a small number of large-scale, high-impact investments. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated. The opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 47.070 (Computer and Information Science and Engineering) and 47.080 (Office of Cyberinfrastructure). Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based academic institutions (universities and colleges) and U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies connected to educational or research activities.
Key timeline details included preliminary and full proposal stages, with deadline changes noted in the announcement. The solicitation indicates that preliminary and full proposal due dates were adjusted, and that the project description page limit was increased to 20 pages. The current closing date listed is May 15, 2009, reflecting the final full proposal deadline after the changes described in the notice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NSF "Sustainable Digital Data Preservation and Access Network Partners" (DataNet Partners) opportunity?
This NSF opportunity supports the creation of a small set of large, exemplar organizations called "DataNet Partners" that can preserve, manage, and provide broad access to scientific and engineering data over the long term. The emphasis is on durable, adaptable, interoperable infrastructure that remains reliable and useful for decades.
What problem is NSF trying to address with DataNet Partners?
NSF is responding to the reality that research and education are increasingly digital and data intensive. Data now serve both as products of research and as essential inputs for new discoveries. The core challenge is developing methods, governance structures, and technologies that can handle diverse, large-scale, complex datasets and continuous data streams in ways that remain dependable over very long time horizons.
What is a "DataNet Partner" in this solicitation?
A DataNet Partner is envisioned as a national and global data research infrastructure organization rather than a conventional, standalone data repository. Partners are expected to combine preservation, access, integration, and advanced analysis capabilities with ongoing research and development that advances the state of the art in computing and information science for long-term stewardship.
How is a DataNet Partner different from a traditional data repository?
The solicitation describes DataNet Partners as dynamic infrastructure organizations that continuously anticipate and adapt to evolving technologies and changing user needs and norms. They are also expected to be part of a broader interoperable network and to push frontier research in areas essential to long-term data usability, rather than operating as static storage sites.
Is this program meant to fund discipline-specific repositories?
No. NSF explicitly notes that the program is not intended to fund narrowly defined, discipline-specific repositories. The focus is on broad, interoperable infrastructure and cross-cutting capabilities that can serve diverse communities and remain resilient as technologies and scientific practices evolve.
What kinds of capabilities are DataNet Partners expected to deliver?
Partners are expected to deliver dependable capabilities for digital preservation, data access, integration across sources, and advanced analysis. They should span the full data management lifecycle and treat data both as a resource for use and as an object of research in its own right.
What expertise does NSF expect DataNet Partners to bring together?
DataNet Partners are expected to blend expertise across library and archival sciences, cyberinfrastructure, computer and information science, and domain sciences. This combination is presented as central to building organizations capable of long-term, large-scale data stewardship and broad usability.
What does NSF mean by an "interoperable network" of Partners?
The solicitation indicates Partners should function as components within a broader network of preservation and access organizations. This means NSF is not only funding standalone entities, but pieces of a connected ecosystem designed to support interoperability and coordinated long-term preservation and access.
What does "sustainability" mean in the context of this opportunity?
Sustainability is treated as a required outcome, not an optional add-on. Proposed Partners are expected to identify viable models for long-term technical and economic sustainability and support those models through governance, partnerships, and realistic operational planning.
What is NSF looking for in terms of scale and impact?
Partners are expected to demonstrate feasibility at a national or global scale, identify best practices, and establish viable models that can guide broader societal investments in digital preservation and access. NSF frames Partners as pathfinders that can open new opportunities for discovery and innovation and improve research and education in science and engineering.
What are the expectations for community engagement and user participation?
The solicitation calls for deep and ongoing community engagement, including mechanisms for user input and participation throughout all phases of a Partner's work. This is paired with expectations for active participation and meaningful use by a wide diversity of users, institutions, and sectors.
Is evaluation and assessment required?
Yes. NSF expects a vigorous and comprehensive assessment and evaluation program to measure performance, impact, and progress toward sustainability.
Does the program include research components, or is it only about operations and services?
It includes research components. Partners are expected to engage in research and development at the frontiers of computing and information science in areas essential to long-term data stewardship and usability, and to conduct or enable the computer science and information science research critical to DataNet functions.
Are education and learning activities part of what NSF expects?
Yes. The solicitation expects Partners to develop tools and capabilities for learning that integrate research and education across levels, from early education through advanced training.
What kind of award mechanism will NSF use for this opportunity?
NSF describes this as a discretionary funding opportunity using a Cooperative Agreement, indicating substantial NSF involvement and coordination during the award period rather than a purely hands-off grant relationship.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making, and what is the total funding level?
NSF anticipated making about five awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $100,000,000.
What is the award size (floor) for this opportunity?
The listed award floor is $20,000,000, reflecting a small number of large-scale investments.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the provided opportunity information.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based academic institutions (universities and colleges) and U.S. non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, and professional societies connected to educational or research activities.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 47.070 (Computer and Information Science and Engineering) and 47.080 (Office of Cyberinfrastructure).
Were there preliminary and full proposal stages?
Yes. The opportunity included both preliminary and full proposal stages, and the announcement notes that deadlines were adjusted.
Were any proposal preparation requirements changed?
Yes. The notice indicates that preliminary and full proposal due dates were adjusted and that the project description page limit was increased to 20 pages.
What is the closing date for the opportunity based on the information provided?
The current closing date listed is May 15, 2009, reflecting the final full proposal deadline after the changes described in the notice.
What types of data are DataNet Partners expected to handle?
The solicitation highlights the diversity, scale, and complexity of current and future datasets and continuous data streams. Partners are expected to develop approaches that can remain reliable and useful for decades across that range of data types and behaviors.
What does NSF expect in terms of governance, leadership, and accountability?
Proposed Partners are expected to show strong leadership, management, and accountability, supported by governance structures and partnerships that enable long-term sustainability and effective operation as part of an interoperable network.
What does NSF mean by "active participation and meaningful use"?
The solicitation emphasizes that Partners should not only build infrastructure, but also ensure it is used in meaningful ways by a wide diversity of users, institutions, and sectors, supported by ongoing community engagement and input mechanisms.
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