Amendment No. 6 to the FY 2008 NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums (CP4SMP)
Dear Potential Proposer:
A member of your institution or yourself has expressed 1) some interest in or 2) intent to propose to the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums (CP4SMP): Solicitation NNH08ZNE006N. As of October 10, 2008 CP4SMP has received 89 Notices of Intent (NOI) to propose.
The dual purpose of this note is:
1) To announce the proposal due date of 17 October 2008 had changed to: 27 October 2008.
2) To remind those interested to track amendments to the NRA and updates to the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) by visiting NSPIRES at least once a week. The following link is not “clickable,” but it takes visitors directly to the NSPIRES summary page for CP4SMP. In order to be taken directly to the summary page on NSPIRES, please carefully copy and cut the following URL that ends in =init:
To clarify what kind of information will be found on the CP4SMP summary page on NSPIRES, particularly related to institutional eligibility for CP4SMP, a sample FAQ follows:
Q70: We are an institution of informal education (IIE) (e.g. planetarium, museum, observatory, visitor center, science and technology center, Challenger Learning Center, etc.) and we are within a formal education organization (e.g. K-12 school system, institution of higher education). Are we eligible to apply to CP4SMP? Can NASA confirm to us that we are eligible to apply, so we can submit our proposal?
A70: This clarifies how an education organization, such as a university, that may run a museum or planetarium completes the steps necessary to apply to the CP4SMP NRA. NASA encourages an informal education institution (IIE) to apply to the CP4SMP NRA by working closely with its Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). The AOR will certify that a proposal meets NASA’s proposal eligibility guidelines as outlined in the CP4SMP NRA, the NRA guidebook, and NASA’s grant and cooperative agreement handbook. The AOR will submit your proposal electronically through NSPIRES or Grants.gov.
Yes, if you have an appropriate DUNS number you are eligible as follows: An IIE within an education organization that has its own Dun and Bradstreet, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number (distinct from its controlling or operating Education Organization) is eligible to submit a proposal for CP4SMP. Under Section 1.4.1 (“Proposing Organizations) of the NASA Guidebook for Proposers Responding to a NASA Research Announcement dated January 2008, NASA’s position is that an IIE within an education organization that has its own DUNS number would be designated as either 1) a Commercial Organization, “an organization of any size that operates for profit or fee and that has appropriate capabilities, facilities, and interests to conduct the proposed effort” or 2) a nonprofit, nonacademic organization such as “a private or Government-supported research laboratory, university consortium, museum, observatory, professional society, or similar organization that directly supports advanced research activities but whose principal charter is not for the training of students for academic degrees.”
If your controlling organization already has both 1) a DUNS number and 2) a Central Contractor Registration (CCR) number, an IIE may be able obtain a +4 extension to a DUNS number to distinguish the IIE as different from the controlling Education Organization. Dunn and Bradstreet does not create or maintain the +4 number. The 4-digit suffix is assigned at the discretion of the controlling business concern for such purposes as identifying subunits or affiliates. However, the creation of this +4DUNS is solely at the discretion of the controlling organization that is registered with the CCR. NASA cannot require your controlling organization to provide this option. The DUNS +4 is created from an active record in the CCR. Please refer questions to the CCR Helpdesk at 1-888-227-2423.
To clarify, a DUNS number is a 9 digit number created for an organization by Dunn & Bradstreet. A different DUNS number shall be assigned for each physical location or different address of an organization as well as for each legal division that may be co-located. As such, if you are an IIE within an education organization with a different physical address or categorized as legal division, a separate DUNS number should be obtained. A DUNS Number assignment is free for all businesses (including for each legal division) and is required to register with the US Federal government for contracts or grants. For assistance with obtaining a DUNS number, please refer to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do).
As noted in the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Handbook under Section 1260.10 (b) (3) entitled “Proposals”, a Dun and Bradstreet, Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number shall be included on the Cover Page of all proposal submissions. Before submitting a proposal, all applicants shall have an active registration in the Department of Defense, Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database and shall obtain a Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) code.
If you are unsure whether the DUNS submitted with the NOI belongs to your IIE by name, you can verify the number and match it to your IIE by name at: http://smallbusiness.dnb.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/AdvancedCompanySearch?storeId=10001&catalogId=70001 .
If your IIE has no DUNS, please request one at: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/CCRSearch.do.
In order to submit a proposal using NSPIRES, the IIE will need to link its DUNS number to its CCR number (if you don’t have a CCR number, request one). In order for a DUNS number to be accepted in NSPIRES or Grants.gov, first it must be linked to an active record in the CCR. If an IIE does not have a Cage Code assigned from a prior application to CCR, the process for an organization to become an active record in the CCR and receive a Cage Code is lengthy and includes an IRS review. If your IIE needs to complete both steps (obtaining a DUNS number and then a CAGE code), it can take two or more weeks, so plan accordingly. Once you have both your DUNS and CAGE codes, you will be able to register with NSPIRES and submit your proposal. Visit the CCR website for a more comprehensive description of the process, and review their FAQs at: http://www.ccr.gov/faq.aspx#needtoknow.
To register your organization within NSPIRES, you must first register as a user. Please visit http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/index.do and find the FAQ section on “Member Registration” for questions about completing your personal registration. You will not affiliate yourself during this process. Once you have activated your personal account, login, select “Organization Mgmt” from the menu bar, and click the “Register an Organization” link.
There is an online tutorial for organization registration on the NSPIRES Tutorials page, which is accessible from the NSPIRES Help Page. Additionally, the NSPIRES Help Desk is staffed from 8AM to 6 PM, M-F (excluding Federal Holidays) Eastern Time. They can be reached at (202) 479-9376 or via email to NSPIRES-Help@nasaprs.com.
Finally, remember that that both proposal submission systems (Grants.gov and NSPIRES) require a DUNS number in order to submit a proposal. (Technical note: A +4 DUNS number is 13 digits and will not fit on the coversheet in NSPIRES, but it will fit in the program specific data form required for CP4SMP proposals. So a proposal’s coversheet will use the 9 digit DUNS it shares with the controlling business.)
Thank you for your interest in NASA’s Office of Education and the CP4SMP NRA.
Sincerely,
Mary Frances Sladek
Outcome Manager, Informal Education
Office of Education
NASA Headquarters
