Policy Office
Head, Policy Office: Jean Feldman
The Policy Office in the Division of Institution and Award Support is responsible for developing, implementing and issuing proposal and award policy for the programs of the National Science Foundation and is available to assist you with questions involving policy related issues. Questions related to specific awards should be directed to the Division of Grants and Agreements.
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Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
NSF published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of a "For comment" draft of the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 22-1). The Foundation is accepting comments from the external community until cob February 12, 2021.
Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 20-1) - effective for proposals submitted or due on or after June 1, 2020, and awards made on or after June 1, 2020
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Proposal Preparation and Award Administration Related to PAPPG (NSF 20-1)
- Webinar on PAPPG Significant Changes
- Significant changes to the PAPPG include:
- NSF will require use of an NSF-approved format in submission of the biographical sketch and current and pending support documents;
- NSF has partnered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to use SciENcv: Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae as an NSF-approved format for preparation of both documents.
- Use of an NSF-approved format will go into effect for new proposals submitted or due on or after October 5, 2020. In the interim, proposers must continue to prepare these documents in accordance with the guidance specified in the PAPPG (NSF 20-1). NSF, however, encourages the community to use the NSF-approved formats and provide valuable feedback as we enhance them for the October implementation.
- To assist the community, NSF has developed websites with additional information for the preparation of the biographical sketch and current and pending support. A set of FAQs related to current and pending support also is available.
- NSF recorded a webinar on the use of the NSF-approved formats. Please note that this webinar was recorded April 2020, and refers to the effective date of June 1, 2020 for the requirement to use an NSF-approved format in submission of the biographical sketch and current and pending support documents. Since the recording of the webinar, NSF has changed the effective date of the requirement. Use of an NSF-approved format will go into effect for new proposals submitted or due on or after October 5, 2020.
- New requirement for proposing organizations to submit government-wide representations and certifications in the System for Award Management (SAM);
- New requirement for providing e-mail documentation of Program Officer approval for the submission of RAPID and EAGER proposals; and
- Clarifications to current and pending support coverage as well as other changes throughout the document.
- For guidance on proposals submitted or due before June 1, 2020, and awards made before June 1, 2020, reference the PAPPG 19-1, dated February 25, 2019
Automated Compliance Checking of NSF Proposals
Research Protection
- Dear Colleague Letter: Research Protection
- Personnel Policy on Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs
NSF Responses to Natural Disasters
Conflicts of Interest
Collaborators and Other Affiliations Information
Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR)
Dissemination and Sharing of Research Results (NSF Data Management)
NSF - NIH/OLAW Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Regarding Vertebrate Animal Welfare Issues
- Implementation of the 2nd NSB Cost Sharing Report: NSF Revised Cost Sharing Policy Statement
- Pre-award
- Post-award
- NSF Programs with Mandatory Cost Sharing
- Enabling Access to Cloud Computing Resources for CISE Research and Education (Cloud Access)
- Innovation Corps Program (I-Corps)
- Major Research Instrumentation Program
- Robert Noyce Scholarship Program
- Engineering Research Centers
- Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
- Individual NSF-funded Projects with Mandatory Cost Sharing
- Computing Innovation Fellows Project 2020, Award No. 2030859, Prime Awardee: Computing Research Association (subawardeesÂ’ indirect cost recovery limited to 35%)
Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR)
NSF Prospective New Awardee Guide
Federal Demonstration Partnership
- NSF Grants.gov Application Guide - effective October 5, 2020