FAQs for Social and Behavioral Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation (NSCC)
1. What is the relationship between the NSCC solicitation (08-594) just announced by NSF and the Broad Agency Announcement on Minerva that came out of DoD earlier this summer? If I already submitted to the Minerva BAA, can I also submit to NSF's NSCC competition?
The NSCC solicitation and the Minerva BAA are independent and separate. As such, you may submit to both competitions. However, if you are submitting identical or similar proposals to both competitions, you cannot receive funding for the same activity from both programs. If funded through either NSF's NSCC or the DoD's Minerva BAA, you will have to withdraw the identical proposal submitted to the other competition. Keep in mind that the National Science Foundation seeks to fund basic, theoretically-driven research, and that proposals that are competitive in this competition will be those that meet the NSF merit review criteria of intellectual merit and broader impacts. Please see the Grant Proposal Guide for a discussion of the review criteria: (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf08_1/gpg_index.jsp)
2. Does the NSCC solicitation allow for Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement grants?
No.
3. Is there any restriction on the number of proposals an institution or representative of institutions may submit?
No.
4. Can a Letter of Intent (LOI) be submitted through grants.gov?
No, the Letters of Intent that are required for the small and large award proposals must be submitted through NSF's FastLane system.
5. Will the Letters of Intent be evaluated?
No, the Letters of Intent are for NSF's informational purposes only. They will give us a sense of how many proposals to expect and a general idea of the types of proposed activities forthcoming. This will enable NSF to begin preparations for the merit review process. Letters of Intent will not be evaluated, but they are required if you plan to submit a proposal for a small or large award. Letters of Intent are not required for workshop proposals.
6. The NSCC solicitation stated that "Submission of multiple letters of intent are not allowed." Does this mean that a person or an institution can't submit multiple letters of intent?
When initially posted, there was an internal inconsistency in the wording of the document. It has since been corrected. The solicitation now, correctly, states that a researcher can submit multiple letters of intent as can institutions. For each full proposal submitted (except Workshop proposals), a separate Letter of Intent is required. Even if the proposal is collaborative, only one letter of intent is to be submitted.
7. Can proposals include partnerships with foreign institutions and scholars not in the United States?
As with all NSF programs, international collaboration is encouraged. NSF supports research at US based institutions, but this research can involve collaboration with other scholars located abroad.
8. I am a foreign national on faculty at a US university. Am I eligible to submit a proposal to the NSCC solicitation?
Yes.
9. I am a United States citizen on faculty at a foreign university. Am I eligible to submit a proposal to the NSCC solicitation?
No. The Principle Investigator must be based at a US institution. You may however serve as a collaborator on a project with a US-based scientist who serves as the PI.
10. I work in the private sector. Am I eligible to apply to the NSCC competition?
Yes. For eligibility requirements for proposers, including for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations, and unaffiliated individuals, please see the Grant Proposal Guide (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf08_1/gpg_1.jsp#IE).
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