Members of the NAI community, the NAI Cooperative Agreement Notice – Cycle 7 has been released

Solicitation Number: NNH13ZDA015C

** Pre-proposal Conference: September 30 at 11am PDT

Step 1 Proposal Due: November 4, 2013

Step 2 Proposals Due: January 31, 2014

On September 23, 2013 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate released a Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) soliciting team-based proposals for membership in the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). The CAN-7 document can be downloaded from the 

NSPIRES web page at https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={DF07566F-A000-4BC7-1116-34747BD49A7F}&path=open

The goal of CAN Cycle 7 is to maintain a multidisciplinary institute by selecting focused, interdisciplinary teams that complement without replicating the strengths of the continuing teams. The teams selected in Cycle 7 will replace the teams selected in Cycle 5, whose five-year Cooperative Agreements are expiring. 

Unlike previous CANs for the NAI, Cycle 7 will require a brief Step-1 proposal to be submitted six weeks after the release of the CAN.  Based on a programmatic review of these Step-1 proposals, proposers will be encouraged to or discouraged from submitting a full proposal. Other changes to previous solicitations are described in sections 1.7 Open Access to Research Materials and Results and 4.6 Education and Public Outreach (E/PO).

Issuance of this CAN is dependent on programmatic factors, including NASA receiving an appropriation and operating plan containing adequate funding within the NASA Planetary Science Division budget. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators in preparing submissions in response to this CAN are incurred completely at the submitter’s own risk. 

A pre-proposal conference will be held on September 30, at 11 AM PDT (2 PM EDT) to provide interested parties with the opportunity to better understand the intent, scope, and selection criteria of this CAN. A PDF describing how to participate in the CAN 7 pre-proposal conference can be downloaded at https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2013/09/How_participate_in_CAN7.pdf. Programmatic questions regarding this solicitation should be submitted in writing or via E-mail no later than 10 days prior to the proposal due date to:

Dr. Mary Voytek

Senior Scientist for Astrobiology/ NAI Program Scientist

Science Mission Directorate NASA Headquarters

300 E Street SW Washington, DC 20546

Phone: (202) 358-1577

E-mail: CAN7@nasa.gov