NASA Research Announcement: Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System Released
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH15ZTT001N, entitled “Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System.” This NRA solicits ground-based research proposals using an open science method to generate new scientific insights by utilizing experimental data residing in NASA’s Physical Sciences Informatics (PSI) system (http://psi.nasa.gov), an online database of past and current physical science International Space Station flight experiments and related ground-based studies. The proposals submitted in response to this NRA must present a compelling case on how the experimental data from the PSI system will be used to promote the advancement of further research. Proposers must show a clear path from the scientific data obtained from the PSI system to the proposed investigation. In addition, the project must address an important problem in the proposed area of research and advance scientific knowledge or technology.
The NRA will remain open for approximately two years, with proposals solicited through a series of appendices released under the main NRA. Therefore, investigators will have multiple opportunities to propose their research because NASA plans to release an appendix on a periodic basis (approximately every six months), depending on available funding and other programmatic constraints.
The first of the appendices, Appendix A, solicits proposals in the five research areas (Combustion Science, Complex Fluids, Fluid Physics, Fundamental Physics and Materials Science) for which complete experimental data will available in the PSI by the proposal due date of September 30, 2015.
The solicitation is applicable to researchers in all categories of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry, nonprofit organizations, NASA Centers and other U.S. Government agencies. The NRA is soliciting proposals from two types of investigators: 1) established researchers, and 2) graduate students (with advisors) from accredited U.S. postsecondary institutions and programs. The proposals from graduate students must be submitted by their advisor. Eligibility requirements and further instructions for both types of investigators are provided in the NRA. Principal Investigators (PIs) may collaborate with investigators from universities, Federal Government laboratories, the private sector, state and local government laboratories, and other countries.
The full text of the solicitation is available on the NASA Research Opportunities homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com under menu listing “Open Solicitations.” The direct link to the main solicitation ishttp://tinyurl.com/NRA-NNH15ZTT001N. The direct link to the Appendix A webpage is http://tinyurl.com/NRA-15PSI-A. Questions with regard to responding to this NRA may be addressed to the contacts referenced in the full solicitation document.
Proposals must be submitted electronically by an authorized official of the proposing organization. Proposers may use either NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com/) or Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) for proposal submission. Every organization that intends to submit a proposal in response to this NRA must be registered with NSPIRES, and such registration must identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal. Instructions on how to register in NSPIRES are provided in the NRA. Each electronic proposal system places requirements on the registration of principal investigators and other participants (e.g. co-investigators). Potential applicants are urged to access these sites well in advance of the proposal due date to familiarize themselves with their structure and to register in the systems.
This is a broad agency announcement as specified in FAR 6.102 (d)(2). Notwithstanding the posting of this opportunity at FedBizOpps.gov, nspires.nasaprs.com, or Grants.gov, NASA reserves the right to determine the appropriate award instrument for each proposal selected pursuant to this announcement.
