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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NASA Translational Research Institute (NNJ15548000C)

1) What is the name of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE.

2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed is NNJ15548000C.

3) Which NASA center issued this opportunity?

The issuing agency is NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC).

4) What type of award instrument is this?

This opportunity is offered as a Cooperative Agreement, not a standard procurement contract and not a typical no-contact grant.

5) What does it mean that this is a Cooperative Agreement?

A cooperative agreement indicates that NASA expects to have substantial involvement during the performance of the work. Based on the listing, that involvement can include collaboration, shared planning, technical interchange, and ongoing coordination while the project is underway.

6) Is NASA buying a product or service through this opportunity?

No. The description emphasizes that this is not NASA purchasing a product or service (i.e., not a standard procurement). It falls under a research-and-development assistance mechanism.

7) What is the general subject area or category of this program?

It is listed under the broad category of science and technology research and development.

8) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The listing identifies CFDA 43.001 (Science).

9) What does "translational research" mean in this context?

In general terms (as reflected in the listing), "translational" research refers to work that helps move ideas, findings, or prototypes from earlier-stage research into more usable, validated, or deployable capabilities. It often focuses on bridging the gap between laboratory results and operational applications.

10) Is this opportunity still open for applications?

No. The opportunity is archived, which means it is not an active solicitation now.

11) When was the opportunity posted and created?

It was posted on July 1, 2015 and created on July 2, 2015.

12) What was the application deadline?

The original and final application deadline was January 6, 2016.

13) When was it archived?

The listing indicates it was archived on July 1, 2016.

14) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, with specific clarifications that participation was open to:

• Domestic academic institutions
• Commercial or nonprofit organizations that qualify under 501(c)(3)
• Consortia made up of the eligible entity types above

15) Are consortia or multi-organization teams allowed?

Yes. The solicitation allows applications from consortia comprised of eligible domestic academic institutions and qualifying commercial or nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations.

16) Does the listing suggest what kinds of partnerships this program supports?

Yes. The listing notes that allowing consortia typically supports multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary teams (for example, partnerships among universities, nonprofit research institutes, and industry collaborators) where different members contribute specialized expertise, facilities, or pathways for transitioning results into practice.

17) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The solicitation explicitly states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

18) Can an applicant still include voluntary cost sharing?

The listing states cost sharing is not required, and it also notes that voluntary cost sharing can sometimes appear in proposals depending on program norms and applicant strategy. The key point in the listing is that it was not a condition of award.

19) What are the most concrete details available from the excerpted listing?

The excerpt provides the clearest details on administrative structure, including:

• Issuing agency: NASA Johnson Space Center
• Instrument type: Cooperative Agreement
• CFDA: 43.001 (Science)
• Activity type: Science and technology R&D
• Eligibility approach: Unrestricted with specific eligible entity types and consortia allowed
• No cost sharing required
• Key dates (posting, deadline, archived date)

20) Where would applicants have found the full technical scope and requirements?

The listing indicates that the full technical scope, expected deliverables, evaluation criteria, period of performance, and any special requirements were provided in the full text of the announcement, accessible via the link in the original posting.

21) Who are the points of contact listed for program questions?

The listing provides the following contacts:

• Lawrence L. Miller: lawrence.l.miller@nasa.gov
• J. R. Carpentier: john.r.carpentier@nasa.gov

22) Who should be contacted for help accessing or navigating the electronic announcement materials?

The listing identifies NAIS Support for assistance: nais.support@nasa.gov.

23) What does the archived listing still help with if it is no longer active?

Even though it is not open, the archived listing can still be useful as a reference point for understanding NASA's past priorities and the types of institutional arrangements (such as institute-like models and collaborative cooperative agreements) that NASA has supported.

24) What overall purpose does the listing suggest for this opportunity?

Based on the title and description, it suggests NASA JSC sought to establish or support an institute-like capability focused on translating research into outcomes relevant to NASA missions, with NASA actively engaged alongside the award recipient(s).

25) What kind of work style does this program structure imply?

The cooperative agreement structure, combined with the institute framing and allowance for consortia, implies a model centered on ongoing collaboration and coordination with NASA, potentially including shared planning and technical interchange during performance.