# SOCIETAL DIMENSIONS

> ***OF ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:***

## Ethics and Values Studies

RESEARCH ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

# Program Announcement

> ***NSF 99-82***

## directorate for sOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL AND eCONOMIC SCIENCES 

> ***Yearly tARGET dateS:***
>
> ***fEBRUARY 1 AND aUGUST 1***
>
> ![](media/image1.png){width="0.75in" height="0.7284722222222222in"}
> NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

![](media/image2.png){width="1.1770833333333333in"
height="1.1729166666666666in"}

he National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress
in the United States by competitively awarding grants for research and
education in the sciences, mathematics and engineering.

To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download
copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the
NSF Web site at:

**http://www.nsf.gov**

-   **Location:** 4201 Wilson Blvd.

    Arlington, VA 22230

-   **For General Information (NSF Information Center):** 703.306.1234

-   **TDD (for the hearing-impaired):** 703.306.0090

-   **To Order Publications or Forms:**

> Send an e-mail to: pubs@nsf.gov

or telephone: 301.947.2722

-   **To Locate NSF Employees:** 703.306.1234

    summary of Program Requirements

##### General Information

**Program Name: Societal Dimensions of Engineering, Science, and
Technology Program -- Ethics and Values Studies, Research on Science and
Technology**

**Short Description/Synopsis of Program:**

In SDEST, the Ethics and Values Studies (EVS) component focuses on
improving knowledge of ethical and value dimensions in science,
engineering, and technology. The Research on Science and Technology
(RST) component focuses on improving approaches and information for
decision making about science, engineering, and technology.

**Cognizant Program Officer(s):** Drs. Rachelle Hollander and John
Perhonis, Program Officers, Room 995, Division of Social, Behavioral and
Economic Research, telephone 703. 306.1743 or .1742, fax: 703.306.0485;
e-mail: <rholland@nsf.gov>; jperhoni@nsf.gov.

**Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) No.:** 47.075
--- Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research

**Eligibility**

-   **Limitation on the categories of organizations that are eligible to
    submit proposals:** Proposals may be submitted by individuals or
    organizations generally eligible to submit to the NSF.

-   **PI eligibility limitations**: Standard for NSF.

-   **Limitation on the number of proposals that may be submitted by an
    organization**: None.

######### award information

-   **Type of award anticipated**: Standard Grant.

-   **Number of awards anticipated in FY 99**: 25 - 30 awards

-   **Amount of funds available**: Approximately \$2.5 million will be
    available for awards in FY 1999

-   **Anticipated dates of award**: Awards are generally made 6 months
    after the nearest submission date.

######### Proposal Preparation & submission Instructions 

-   **Proposal Preparation Instructions**

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-   **Letter of Intent requirements**: None

-   **Preproposal requirements**: None. Investigators who wish to do so
    may submit 4-6 page preproposals at any time.

-   **Proposal preparation instructions**: Standard NSF Grant Proposal
    Guide instructions. See the SDEST program home page for suggestions
    for applicants.

-   **Supplemental proposal preparation instructions**: None

-   **Deviations from standard (GPG) proposal preparation
    instructions**: None, except extra pages allowed in project
    description for specific purposes.

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-   **Budgetary Information**

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-   **Cost sharing/matching requirements**: Standard NSF requirement.

-   **Indirect cost (F&A) limitations**: None, except as specified in
    this announcement, for dissertations, fellowships, and small grants
    for training and research.

-   **Other budgetary limitations**: None

######### FastLane Requirements 

-   **FastLane proposal preparation requirements**: FastLane use is
    encouraged

-   **FastLane point of contact:** Division of Social and Economic
    Sciences,\
    e-mail: SBER-Fast@nsf.gov

######### Deadline/Target Dates 

-   Full Proposal Target Dates: February 1 and August 1, yearly

######### Proposal Review Information 

-   **Merit Review Criteria**: Standard National Science Board approved
    criteria

######### Award Administration Information 

-   **Special grant conditions anticipated**: None

-   **Special reporting requirements anticipated**: None

**Introduction**

###  

The Societal Dimensions of Engineering, Science, and Technology (SDEST)
program contains two former NSF programs, Ethics and Values Studies, and
Research on Science and Technology. It is located in the Directorate for
Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences of the National Science
Foundation.

In SDEST, the Ethics and Values Studies (EVS) component focuses on
improving knowledge of ethical and value dimensions in science,
engineering, and technology. The Research on Science and Technology
(RST) component focuses on improving approaches and information for
decision making about science, engineering, and technology.[^1]

Over the past few years, NSF has made approximately 30 new awards each
year under this program, with an annual budget of about \$2.5 million.
Program goals include advancing scholarly and scientific work in these
areas; and making research results of broad use in educational, policy
and other settings.

### Program Description

Research on ethics, values, and the conduct and impacts of science and
engineering often uses historical and philosophical modes of analysis.
It may involve theories and methods from science and technology studies,
applied ethics, and other areas of the social sciences and humanities.
Research for decision making about science and technology addresses
questions of interest to scholars and decisionmakers concerned with
directions, management, and outcomes of U.S. investment in science,
engineering, and technology. It takes an empirical approach to data
collection and analysis. Information and analysis from the natural and
physical sciences and engineering may also play a role in both of these
research areas.

Proposals might address the following kinds of questions. These
descriptions are suggestive, not exhaustive.

In *Ethics and Values Studies (EVS),* projects might address such issues
as:

\--scientific or professional ethics, including research ethics;

\--the role of social or organizational values in scientific or
engineering practice;

\--equity issues in the development, use and effects of science or
technology;

\--controversy and the resolution of controversy involving science or
technology;

\--normative issues in decisions involving science or technology, and

\--ethical and value issues for organizational policy and practice
involving science or technology.

\--Within these topics can fall a wide range of subjects,

-   from ethical issues for research on vulnerable populations to
    ethics, values, and the relationship of expertise to democratic
    decision making;

-   from values, value conflicts, and decision-making involving
    scientists and engineers in industry, government or non-profit
    organizations, to those concerning scientists, engineers and science
    and engineering students in academia;

-   from ethics and biotechnology to ethics and the world wide web.

SDEST also supports educational projects on ethical and value dimensions
in science, engineering, and technology. The program works closely with
programs in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) at
NSF in the consideration of these proposals. Educational projects use
results from research on ethics and the conduct and impacts of science
and engineering to develop programs or materials for formal or informal
educational settings. Proposals for educational projects should satisfy
the criteria in relevant EHR program announcements, and indicate how
results will have impacts beyond improving a course or curriculum at a
single institution. In addition, SDEST provides small supplemental
awards for ethics activities in NSF-supported Research Experiences for
Undergraduate sites projects.

In *Research on Science and Technology (RST)*, projects could address
such topics as:

\--factors influencing the directions and impacts of scientific and
engineering research and technological change, both domestic and
international;

\--issues of human resources in science and technology; and

\--the relationships between individual, organizational and political
adaptation or change and scientific and technological innovation or
change.

\--Under these headings can fall research on such questions as:

-   What are the implications of changing sources and modes of support
    for academic research and science and engineering education?

-   What measures can be used to gauge social or quality-of-life returns
    to public or private investment in research, and in science and
    engineering education?

-   How do legal, political, or economic institutions interact with
    developments in research and innovation?

SDEST is also interested in considering proposals for research on the
implications of different national strategies towards support for
science and technology, on development of models and other approaches
with which to gather and interpret information, and on improvement of
data resources. Projects to summarize and assess the knowledge base
about an important issue can also be considered. The section titled
"Modes of Support" below has further information on eligible activities.
The program welcomes inquiries from researchers who are uncertain about
whether the topic or method they have in mind is appropriate for
consideration.

In general, SDEST does not consider proposals from individual academic
institutions to support lectureships or conference activities. It does
consider proposals where conferences or workshops are part of a research
or education project plan, and proposals for workshops to develop
research agendas on topics important to program goals. It will consider
proposals from national organizations such as professional societies,
for small amounts of assistance for conference activities on ethical
issues. Research focused primarily on ethical, value or policy issues
for clinical research or practice or resource allocation in health care
is not normally supported by the NSF or considered in SDEST.

### 

### 

### Modes of Support

Support for SDEST projects involving one or more investigators is
available through grants for research or education. Some categories are
noted below:

1\) **Standard Grants** for research, infrastructure or education
projects. These projects may involve one or several investigators,
additional collaborators, advisors, postdoctoral researchers, or
graduate or undergraduate student assistants. Infrastructure projects
may involve a variety of activities to stimulate and provide resources
for new research areas, including outreach efforts. They can include
development and dissemination of appropriate data bases, text retrieval
systems, and graphic resources for research, educational or public use.
Electronic dissemination of results from infrastructure projects should
be the norm in SDEST awards.

SDEST education projects on ethics, values and the conduct and impacts
of science or engineering can include such activities as national summer
workshops for graduate students or faculty, or projects by professional
societies to develop concentrations in ethics and the social context of
science and engineering for undergraduate or graduate level science and
engineering students. **Applicants should contact the program to discuss
their ideas before preparing written submissions for education
projects.**

2\) **SDEST Scholars Awards**, enabling individuals to undertake **full
time** research during part or all of an academic year or summer. Awards
allow up to \$18,000 for partial support of full time summer research
and/or related costs, and up to \$60,000 for partial support of one or
more semesters (or quarters) of full time academic year release time and
related expenses. Summer support is limited to 2/9ths academic year
salary. The maximum inclusive award in this category is \$120,000; this
is expected to extend over at least 24 months. Research assistance from
postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate students, if justified, may be
included within these requests. Unaffiliated and affiliated scholars are
eligible for these awards.

3)  **Postdoctoral and Professional Development Fellowships** (PDF) for
    researchers who wish to improve and expand their skills in the areas
    of EVS (for physical and natural scientists and engineers); in areas
    of science or engineering (for researchers trained in ethics); and
    in both (for researchers trained in history, philosophy, or social
    science of science). Historians, philosophers or social scientists,
    for example, may have a research project in EVS that would benefit
    from training in a particular field of science or engineering along
    with education in applied ethics. Ethics scholars may undertake
    training in a scientific field. Alternatively, scientists or
    engineers may use this award to work with an ethics specialist to
    learn methods to improve an EVS research project. Applicants are
    encouraged to make arrangements with more than one host if needed.
    Awards may be made to the home or host institution, or as an
    individual fellowship.

Awards can extend over two years; they are expected to support a
full‑time academic year of research and study in a field outside the
applicant\'s current area of expertise. PDFs must contain both a
training and a research component. Letters from host scholars,
describing their plans to work with the applicants, and from the host
institutions, agreeing to provide appropriate space and facilities, must
accompany these proposals, and can be appended to the project
description. Reference letters may also be submitted.

EVS Professional Development Fellowships provide a stipend and travel
allowance to the fellow and an activities support allowance to the host
institution. The amount of the stipend depends on the fellow\'s prior
earnings and work history; it can range from \$35,000 to \$60,000. The
award also provides up to \$4,000 for travel and \$4,000 for the host
institution allowance. The activities support allowance can be used to
cover direct or indirect costs associated with the fellowship.

4\) **Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants**. These grants
provide funds for research expenses not normally available through the
student\'s university. More information to apply is in *Grants for
Improving Doctoral Dissertation Research* (NSF92‑114). The dissertation
advisor is the principal investigator on these applications; the
doctoral student should be listed as co‑principal investigator; the
award is made to the student's university. No indirect costs are
allowed; and the usual limit on an award is \$8,000 for research in
North America and \$12,000 for work abroad. The proposal must include a
letter of recommendation from the faculty advisor evaluating the
student\'s promise as a researcher and the value and status of the
proposed research. If the doctoral student will use the award for travel
expenses to work with a specialist, the proposal should provide a
justification for this choice and a letter from the specialist agreeing
to work with the student. The proposal should include a statement
indicating whether the student has passed the preliminary qualifying
exams and all course work required for the dissertation. These
requirements must be met before an award will be made.

5\) **Small Grants for Training and Research**. These awards are
intended to provide sustained research opportunities for graduate
students and post‑doctoral fellows on important issues in SDEST. One or
more senior investigators may propose a sustained course of study,
research and training (for from one to three years) on a subject of
significance. These training programs should have a specific research
theme (e.g., ethics and computers in education, or analysis of federal
and state science policy efforts), and the proposal should indicate how
the training will be organized around the theme. The grants can provide
a maximum of \$100,000 support for one postdoctoral fellow and up to
three graduate students to participate each year. For projects of more
than one year, PIs may retain or change the postdoc and graduate
students. In addition to providing a research theme and plan, applicants
must also indicate how they will recruit members of underrepresented
groups into the programs. They must specify how they will incorporate
education of these students and postdocs about research ethics in the
SGTR training activities. These awards are made to the university; the
budget for student and post-doc support belongs in the participant
support costs section of the budget form, and no indirect costs can be
applied to these budget items.

#### 

#### proposal preparation & submission Instructions

##### 

##### A. [Proposal Preparation Instructions.]{.underline}

Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement should be
prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines
contained in the *Grant Proposal Guide* (GPG), NSF 99-2. The complete
text of the GPG (including electronic forms) is available electronically
on the NSF Web site at: \<http://www.nsf.gov/\>. Paper copies of the GPG
may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, PO Box 218,
Jessup MD 20794-0218; telephone 301.947.2722 or by e-mail from
pubs@nsf.gov.

Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement number (NSF
99-82) in the program announcement/solicitation block on the NSF Form
1207, "*Cover Sheet for Proposal to the National Science Foundation*."
Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant
proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may
delay processing.

All SDEST proposals contain a project description section of up to 15
pages. To assist in the evaluation of how proposed projects contribute
to the SDEST program goal of making results of broad use to other
researchers and, where relevant, in educational, policy and other
settings, proposals can add up to two pages to the end of the project
description section, titled "Dissemination Plan." Here, investigators
should identify the individuals or groups with whom they intend to
communicate, and specify how they will do so. They should specify the
significance their findings will have for these audiences. In addition,
if the projects will produce data and information of value to the
broader research community, proposals can include up to two pages,
titled "Data Management," describing the data and information products
and the management and dissemination plans and costs for making them
available to interested parties. Proposals involving interviews or
surveys can include up to three pages at the end of the description,
titled "Protocols."

##### B. [Proposal Due Dates.]{.underline}

For paper submission of proposals, paper copies should be submitted at
or around the twice-yearly target dates of February 1 and August 1.
Copies of the proposal must be made and submitted to NSF according to
the normal procedures for paper proposals identified in the GPG. For
paper submission of proposals, the delivery address **must clearly
identify the NSF announcement or solicitation number** under which the
proposal is being submitted.

Similarly, for electronic submission of proposals, the proposal should
be submitted at or around the twice-yearly target dates of February 1
and August 1. Copies of the signed proposal cover sheet must be
submitted in accordance with the instructions identified below.

*Submission of Signed Cover Sheets.* For proposals submitted
electronically via the NSF FastLane Project, the signed proposal Cover
Sheet (NSF Form 1207) should be forwarded to the following address
within five working days of submission of the proposal:

National Science Foundation

DIS-FastLane Cover Sheet

4201 Wilson Blvd.

Arlington, VA 22230

A proposal may not be processed until the complete proposal (including
signed Cover Sheet) has been received by NSF.

###### C. [FastLane Requirements.]{.underline}

The NSF FastLane system is available for electronic preparation and
submission of a proposal through the Web at the FastLane Web site at
\<http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov\>. The Sponsored Research Office (SRO or
equivalent) must provide a FastLane Personal Identification Number (PIN)
to each Principal Investigator (PI) to gain access to the FastLane
\"Proposal Preparation\" application. PIs that have not submitted a
proposal to NSF in the past must contact their SRO to be added to the
NSF PI database. !!!This should be done as soon as the decision to
prepare a proposal is made!!!

In order to use NSF FastLane to prepare and submit a proposal, the
following are required:

Browser (must support multiple buttons and file upload)

-   Netscape 3.0 or greater

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-   Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or greater

PDF Reader (needed to view/print forms)

-   Adobe Reader 3.0 or greater

PDF Generator (needed to create project description)

-   Adobe Acrobat 3.01 or greater

-   Aladdin Ghostscript 5.10 or greater

A list of registered institutions and the FastLane registration form are
located on the FastLane Web page. For questions or problems regarding a
FastLane submission, send an e-mail message to <Flprop@nsf.gov> or call
703.306.1142. You can also send e-mail queries to the FastLane
information line in the Division of Social and Economic Sciences that
houses the SDEST program: sber-fast@nsf.gov.

#### PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION

A.  **[Merit Review Criteria.]{.underline}**

Reviews of proposals submitted to NSF are solicited from peers with
expertise in the substantive area of the proposed research or education
project. These reviewers are selected by program officers charged with
the oversight of the review process. NSF invites the proposer to suggest
at the time of submission, the names of appropriate or inappropriate
reviewers. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with
the proposer. Special efforts are made to recruit reviewers from
non-academic institutions, minority serving institutions, adjacent
disciplines to that principally addressed in the proposal, etc.

Proposals will be reviewed against the following general merit review
criteria established by the National Science Board. Following each
criterion are potential considerations that the reviewer may employ in
the evaluation. These are suggestions and not all will apply to any
given proposal. Each reviewer will be asked to address only those that
are relevant to the proposal and for which he/she is qualified to make
judgments.

**What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?**

How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and
understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well
qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project?
(If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of prior
work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore
creative and original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the
proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources?

**What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?**

How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while
promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed
activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g.,
gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it
enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as
facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the
results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological
understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to
society?

Further delineation of these criteria for SDEST include:

-   fit of subject with theoretical and empirical issues of importance
    in the field;

-   grounding in theory and literature;

-   well-conceived methodologies, including, as applicable, reliable
    methods of empirical research;

-   relevance to policy, practice, or action;

-   academic outreach, including members of underrepresented groups, and

-   utility and dissemination to decision makers or an important
    spectrum of audiences.

**Integration of Research and Education**

One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster
integration of research and education through the programs, projects and
activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These
institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may
concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and
students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education
with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the
diversity of learner perspectives. PIs should address this issue in
their proposal to provide reviewers with the information necessary to
respond fully to both NSF merit review criteria. NSF staff will give it
careful consideration in making funding decisions.

**Integrating Diversity into NSF Program, Projects, and Activities**

Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens
\-- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with
disabilities \-- is essential to the health and vitality of science and
engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems
it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and
supports. PIs should address this issue in their proposal to provide
reviewers with the information necessary to respond fully to both NSF
merit review criteria. NSF staff will give it careful consideration in
making funding decisions.

**B. [Merit Review Process.]{.underline}**

Most of the proposals submitted to NSF are reviewed by mail review,
panel review, or some combination of mail and panel review. For the most
part SDEST uses a combination of merit review from knowledgeable
investigators followed by panel review by experts with broad knowledge
of the field.

All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons
outside NSF who are experts in the particular field represented by the
proposal. Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to
either support or decline each proposal. A program officer assigned to
manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and
will formulate a recommendation. In most cases, the program officer will
contact the proposer after his or her recommendation to award or decline
funding has been approved by his or her supervisor, the division
director. This informal notification is not a guarantee of an eventual
award. NSF will be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have
been declined or recommended for funding within six months for 95
percent of proposals in this category. In those cases where a proposal
is being considered for joint funding by separate divisions,
directorates, or agencies, NSF will be able to inform applicants within
nine months in 95 percent of proposals. The time interval begins on the
proposal deadline or target date or from the date of receipt, if
deadlines or target dates are not used by the program. The interval ends
when the division director accepts the program officer's recommendation.

In all cases, after final programmatic approval has been obtained, award
recommendations are then forwarded to the Division of Grants and
Agreements for review of business, financial and policy implications and
the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are
cautioned that only a Grants Officer may make commitments, obligations
or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No
commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or
budgetary discussions with an NSF program officer. A principal
investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel
commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by
the NSF Grants Officer does so at its own risk.

# 

# Award Administration Information 

A.  **[Notification of the Award.]{.underline}**

Notification of the award is made ***to the individual awardee or
submitting organization*** by a Grants and Agreements Officer in the
Division of Grants and Agreements (DGA). Organizations whose proposals
are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant
NSF Program Division administering the program. Verbatim copies of
reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided
automatically to the Principal Investigator.

**B. [Grant Award Conditions.]{.underline}**

An NSF grant consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any
special provisions applicable to the grant and any numbered amendments
thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of
expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates
any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3)
the proposal referenced in the award letter; (4) the applicable grant
conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (NSF GC-1)\* or Federal
Demonstration Partnership Phase III (FDP) Terms and Conditions\* and (5)
any NSF brochure, program guide, announcement or other NSF issuance that
may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Electronic mail
notification is the preferred way to transmit NSF grants to
organizations that have electronic mail capabilities and have requested
such notification from the Division of Grants and Agreements.

**\*** These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Web site
at: \<http://www.nsf.gov/\>. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF
Publications Clearinghouse, telephone 301.947.2722 or by e-mail from
pubs@nsf.gov.

**C. [Administration of Fixed Amount and Fellowships
Awards]{.underline}.**

SDEST Scholars Awards are fixed amount awards. They will be made on a
fixed amount basis subject to the conditions of the grant instrument and
this Announcement. A fixed amount award represents a predetermined
amount for NSF support of the proposed research without regard to the
subsequent costs of the project. Note to Institutional Research
Administrators: grants awarded on a fixed amount basis are not subject
to Federal cost principles as contained in OMB Circular A‑21. As part of
the final report required by the grant general conditions, the grantee
must certify that the person months funded were actually expended.
Individuals receiving fellowships or fixed amount awards to individuals
must be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals or have permanent U.S. resident
status.

**D. [Reporting Requirements.]{.underline}**

For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing
grants), the PI must submit an annual project report to the cognizant
Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget
period.

Within 90 days after expiration of a grant, the PI also is required to
submit a final project report. Approximately 30 days before expiration,
NSF will send a notice to remind the PI of the requirement to file the
final project report. Failure to provide final technical reports delays
NSF review and processing of pending proposals for that PI. PIs should
examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure
availability of required data.

NSF has implemented a new electronic project reporting system, available
through FastLane, which permits electronic submission and updating of
project reports, including information on: project participants
(individual and organizational); activities and findings; publications;
and, other specific products and contributions. Reports will continue to
be required annually and after the expiration of the grant, but PIs will
not need to re-enter information previously provided, either with the
proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system.

Effective October 1, 1998, PIs are required to use the new reporting
format for annual and final project reports. PIs are strongly encouraged
to submit reports electronically via FastLane. For those PIs who cannot
access FastLane, paper copies of the new report formats may be obtained
from the NSF Clearinghouse as specified above. NSF expects to require
electronic submission of all annual and final project reports via
FastLane beginning in October, 1999.

**D. [New Awardee Information.]{.underline}**

If the submitting organization has never received an NSF award, it is
recommended that the organization's appropriate administrative officials
become familiar with the policies and procedures in the NSF *Grant
Policy Manual* which are applicable to most NSF awards. The "Prospective
New Awardee Guide" (NSF 97-100) includes information on: Administration
and Management Information; Accounting System Requirements and Auditing
Information; and Payments to Organizations with Awards. This information
will assist an organization in preparing documents that NSF requires to
conduct administrative and financial reviews of an organization. The
guide also serves as a means of highlighting the accountability
requirements associated with Federal awards. This document is available
electronically on NSF's Web site at:
\<<http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf97100>\>.

#### 

#### Contacts for Additional Information

For further information, contact Program Directors Rachelle Hollander or
John Perhonis, NSF, Room 995, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230.
Telephone: 703.306.1742 or .1743. Fax: .0485.

E-mail: [rholland@nsf.gov]{.underline} or <jperhoni@nsf.gov> **SDEST Web
Address:**
[www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/sdest/](http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/sdest/)

For questions related to use of FastLane, contact 703.306.1142, e-mail:
<flprop@nsf.gov>, or sber-fast@nsf.gov.

#### Other Programs of Interest

The NSF Guide to Programs is a compilation of funding opportunities for
research and education in science, mathematics, and engineering. General
descriptions of NSF programs, research areas, and eligibility
information for proposal submission are provided in each chapter.
Beginning in fiscal year 1999, the NSF Guide to Programs only will be
available electronically. Many NSF programs offer announcements
concerning specific proposal requirements. To obtain additional
information about these requirements, contact the appropriate NSF
program offices listed in Appendix A of the GPG.

Any changes in NSF\'s fiscal year programs occurring after press time
for the Guide to Programs will be announced in the NSF E-Bulletin,
available electronically on the NSF Web site at:
\<http://www.nsf.gov/\>. The direct URL for recent issues of the
Bulletin is \<http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gp\>. Subscribers can
also sign up for NSF\'s Custom News Service to find out what funding
opportunities are available.

##### ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and
engineering. Grantees are wholly responsible for conducting their
project activities and preparing the results for publication. Thus, the
Foundation does not assume responsibility for such findings or their
interpretation.

NSF welcomes proposals on behalf of all qualified scientists, engineers
and educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities and
persons with disabilities to participate fully in its programs. In
accordance with Federal statutes, regulations and NSF policies, no
person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin or
disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the
benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or
activity receiving financial assistance from NSF (some programs may have
special requirements that limit eligibility).

*Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities*
provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons
with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. (For more
information, see Section V.G.)

The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD)
and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable
individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation
about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be
accessed at 703.306.0090, FIRS is found at 1.800.877.8339.

###### PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is
solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of
1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in
connection with the selection of qualified proposals; and project
reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and
reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information
requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants
as part of the proposal review process; to proposer
institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal
review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to
government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and
educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government
agencies needing information as part of the review process or in order
to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or party in
a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a
party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the
Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer
reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50,
\"Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records,\" 63
*Federal Register* 267 (January 5, 1998), and NSF-51,
\"Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records,\" 63 *Federal Register*
268 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary.
Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce
the possibility of receiving an award.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated
to average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for
reducing this burden, to: Suzanne Plimpton,

Reports Clearance Officer, Information Dissemination Branch, Division of
Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA
22230

**YEAR 2000 REMINDER**

In accordance with Important Notice No. 120 dated June 27, 1997,
Subject: Year 2000 Computer Problem, NSF awardees are reminded of their
responsibility to take appropriate actions to ensure that the NSF
activity being supported is not adversely affected by the Year 2000
problem. Potentially affected items include: computer systems,
databases, and equipment. The National Science Foundation should be
notified if an awardee concludes that the Year 2000 will have a
significant impact on its ability to carry out an NSF funded activity.
Information concerning Year 2000 activities can be found on the NSF web
site at http://www.nsf.gov/oirm/y2k/start.htm.

[^1]: A third program in the Directorate, called Science and Technology
    Studies, is related to these two. It supports historical,
    philosophical, and social research about the character and
    development of science and technology, the nature of theory and
    evidence in different fields, and the social and intellectual
    construction of science and technology.