Title: Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities
Date: November 3, 1997
Replaces: NSF 97-2
CHEMISTRY RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION AND FACILITIES
Program Announcement
DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY
Deadlines for Submission:
  -  Departmental Multi-User Instrumentation: Second Monday of
     January, Annually
  -  Departmental Research Instrumentation for Use by Junior
     Faculty: First Monday of July, Annually
  -  Instrumentation Development: Second Monday of January,
     Annually
  -    Chemistry Research Facilities:
       Pre-Proposals:   December 1st, Annually
       Full Proposals:  June 1st, Annually
                        Table of Contents
Program Purpose and Definitions
1.   Purchase or Upgrade of Departmental Multi-User
  Instrumentation                                                  2
     Deadline for Submission                                       2
     Eligible Costs                                                2
     Proposal Evaluation                                           2
     Proposal Format                                               3
2.   Purchase of Departmental Research Instrumentation for Use by
  Junior Faculty in Establishing Their Academic Careers                             4
     Eligibility                                                   4
     Deadline for Submission                                       4
     Eligible Costs                                                4
     Proposal Evaluation Criteria                                  4
     Proposal Format                                               5
3.   Instrumentation Development                                   5
     Proposal Format                                               5
     Eligible Costs                                                5
     Proposal Evaluation Criteria                                  5
     Deadline for Submission                                       6
4.   Chemistry Research Facilities
     Definitions and General Considerations                        6
     Eligible Costs                                                6
     Rationale for the Facility                                    7
     Facility Proposal Format                                      7
     Pre-Proposal                                                  9
     Evaluation Mechanisms, Criteria, and Deadlines                9
Award Information                                                  9
Other NSF Instrumentation Programs                                10
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
CHEMISTRY RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION AND FACILITIES
PROGRAM PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS
Research  and education in the chemical sciences depend critically  on
access to state-of-the-art instrumentation, from small equipment items
used  in individual research projects to major instruments shared  and
maintained   for  multiple  uses  by  many  researchers.   Specialized
equipment dedicated for use in particular chemistry research  projects
is  normally  funded as part of individual investigator awards,  along
with personnel and other direct project costs.
The  Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF)  Program
of  the  National Science Foundation (NSF) provides funds to  research
institutions  and  consortia thereof for the  purchase  of  multi-user
instruments, for Junior faculty, for major instrumentation development
and  construction, and for the establishment and support of multi-user
research  facilities  in  the  chemical  sciences.  This  Program   is
structured  to  enable  the National Science Foundation,  through  its
Division  of  Chemistry,  to  respond  to  a  variety  of  needs   for
infrastructure  to  undergird  advanced  research  and  education   in
chemistry.  The NSF Division of Chemistry supports graduate  education
and  research activities in analytical, inorganic, organic,  physical,
materials,  and surface chemistry. Instrumentation for related  fields
of  research  is provided through other NSF programs (see  section  on
Other NSF Instrumentation Programs for details).
For  all  sections of this announcement, a statement of  institutional
commitment  and  budget is required. The signature of  the  authorized
institutional  representative commits the institution to  provide  the
matching  funds specified in the budget; the source of the funds  need
not  be  identified,  except for instrumentation facilities.  Matching
funds  must  be  in  cash,  not  in  kind  and  be  used  towards  the
instrument(s) purchase.
The  CRIF  Program  is  designed to support  the  following  types  of
academic instrumentation research needs:
1. Purchase or upgrade of departmental multi-user instrumentation;
2. Purchase  of departmental research instrumentation  for  use  by
   junior faculty in establishing their academic careers;
3. Development of Instrumentation, including the construction of new
   prototype instruments; and
4. Establishment  and  support  of  unique  national  or  regional
   instrumentation facilities.
Proposals  in all four categories will be evaluated using the  general
NSF  criteria, particularized for each specific category.  The general
criteria are:
  Criterion  1.  What  is  the  intellectual merit of  the  proposed
          activity?
Potential  considerations: 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, please 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
the necessary resources?
  Criterion  2.  What  are  the  broader  impacts  of  the  proposed
          activity?
Potential considerations: 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?
Other  criteria are described in the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF  98-2),
which is referred to as GPG below.
This Program Announcement describes what should be provided under each
of  these four rubrics, stipulates the guidelines that proposals  must
follow,  and  provides necessary information about  review  and  award
procedures. This Program Announcement replaces NSF 97-2.
1.   PURCHASE OR UPGRADE OF DEPARTMENTAL MULTI-USER
  INSTRUMENTATION
Proposals  will be considered for purchase or significant  upgrade  of
major  research instruments for use by a chemistry department or other
group of chemists.
For  all  such  multi-user  instrumentation  proposals,  the  head  or
chairperson  of the department must act as the Principal Investigator.
Instruments awarded under this program are intended as assistance to a
department or a group of investigators; they would not move to  a  new
institution with any investigator. Group proposals for instruments  to
be  used primarily in research not normally supported by the Chemistry
Division should be directed to the appropriate NSF division (see Other
NSF  instrumentation programs).  However, multi-disciplinary proposals
in  which the majority of the proposed research is in areas of science
supported  by the Division of Chemistry will be considered.  With  the
exception  of  proposals  for the purchase  of  departmental  research
instrumentation  for  use  by  junior faculty  in  establishing  their
academic  careers,  proposals for instrumentation  primarily  for  the
benefit  of  one  investigator  are inappropriate  for  this  program;
however,   such  proposals  will  be  considered  by  the  appropriate
subdisciplinary program within the Division, provided the research  of
the investigator is already supported through that program.
Deadline for Submission
Proposals    to   purchase   or   upgrade   departmental    multi-user
instrumentation  must  be  received at NSF by  the  second  Monday  in
January,  annually.  Principal investigators will be notified  of  the
Foundation's  intended action on their proposals by the second  Monday
in June of that year.
Eligible Costs
The  CRIF Program will support successful proposals only in proportion
to  expected  usage  of  the  requested  instrumentation  in  research
appropriate  for  Chemistry Division funding.  For  all  proposals  to
purchase, develop, or upgrade instrumentation, the Chemistry  Division
requires  no matching funds for the first $80,000; it will  provide  a
maximum of one-half of the funds in excess of $80,000 required for the
purchase  or  upgrade of instrumentation. Matching funds  must  be  in
cash,  and be used towards the instrument(s) to be purchased, not  in-
kind.  The  NSF  award amount will be based on the net  price  to  the
institution,  less  any  applicable academic  discounts.  Funding  for
smaller  items,  such  as dedicated, special-purpose  instrumentation,
should  be  included  in the direct costs in research  proposals  from
individuals or small groups; not as part of the CRIF program. However,
it is appropriate to submit a request for an ensemble of smaller items
that  together  will constitute a major, multi-use  instrument  system
(e.g.,  a  departmental  computer system  comprising  workstations  in
different   locations).  Requests  for  multi-year   funding   for   a
coordinated  plan  for  development or  enhancement  of  a  multi-user
instrumentation  center are also appropriate. In well justified  cases
the   CRIF  Program  will  also  consider  providing  assistance   for
instrument  operations  and maintenance, not  to  exceed  10%  of  the
acquisition cost per year for five years.
Proposal Evaluation
Review  of  instrumentation proposals may involve ad hoc mail  review,
panel  review, or a combination thereof, and may include site  visits.
Evaluation of Chemistry Research Instrumentation proposals will be  on
the  basis  of the general criteria for review given above. Among  the
specific    considerations    for    the    Departmental    Multi-user
Instrumentation proposals are:
1.    How  does  the  proposed new or upgraded  equipment  impact  the
  technical  work  of  the department?  Does the department  have  the
  technical expertise and infrastructure to make effective use of  the
  new  or  enhanced  equipment?  Do prior research results  from  this
  department give confidence that the requested equipment will be used
  effectively?   Will  the  research with this new  equipment  advance
  knowledge and understanding in the relevant fields?  Is the plan for
  management and maintenance of the equipment appropriate and does  it
  make possible wide usage of the equipment?
2.   Is there a plan to use the new or enhanced equipment in teaching,
  training or learning?  Will other institutions be involved?  Do any of
  these plans enhance participation by underrepresented groups? Is there
  a  plan  to  make the results of the work done using this  equipment
  broadly available?  How will the new or upgraded equipment impact the
  educational programs of the departments that use it?
In  cases  of  comparable overall merit, priority  will  be  given  to
supporting requests that would strengthen research activities  already
supported  by  the Division of Chemistry. Where appropriate,  existing
research  project  reviews  and information on  departmental  strength
(publications,   education  and  training   of   chemistry   students,
development plans, extramural and institutional support) will be  used
by  Chemistry Division staff along with external reviews to assess the
overall merit of instrumentation proposals.
Proposal Format
Although the proposal format required to present the case for research
instrumentation  needs is somewhat different from  that  for  research
project proposals, the other requirements appropriate to all proposals
submitted  to  NSF  (as described in GPG) must  be  followed.   Please
consult GPG, Chapter II, for details. The title of the proposal should
include  the  type of instrument requested, but not the manufacturer's
name  or  the  model  number. An example of an appropriate  title  is:
"Purchase (or Upgrade) of an X-Ray Diffractometer."
Brevity   will  assist  reviewers  and  Foundation  staff  in  dealing
effectively   with  proposals.  Therefore,  the  Project   Description
(including  Results from Prior NSF Support, which is limited  to  five
pages)  may  not exceed 15 pages. Results may be summarized  in  fewer
than  five pages, which would give the proposer the balance of the  15
pages  for the Project Description. Figures, including charts, graphs,
maps, photographs and other pictorial presentation are included in the
15-page  limit.  Conformance to the 15-page  limit  will  be  strictly
enforced  and  may  not  be exceeded unless  the  deviation  has  been
specifically   authorized  in  writing  prior  to  submission.    Non-
conforming proposals will be returned unreviewed.
The  following  topics  must  be addressed  in  the  proposal  (length
suggestions are within the 15-page overall limit).
Results  from  Prior NSF Support (1-5 pages). If the  PI(s)  has(have)
received  NSF  funding  in the past FIVE years, information  on  prior
awards  is required. Please consult GPG for details. Results of  prior
awards from the CRIF program for the benefit of the department must be
included,  regardless of the identity of the PI on  the  prior  award.
Reviewers  will be asked to comment on the quality of the  prior  work
described in this section of the proposal.
Description of Instrument(s) and Rationale for Selection (1-3  pages).
Describe  in this section the instrument(s) requested and alternatives
where appropriate. Special features needed in the requested instrument
and  any  necessary  accessories should be  justified,  both  in  this
section and in the descriptions of research projects. For example,  in
a  proposal for a high-field, multi-nuclear NMR spectrometer, the need
for high-resolution, dispersion, and multinuclear capabilities must be
justified   by   the  proposed  research  uses  and  by   departmental
development  strategies.  If similar or related instruments  exist  in
the  department or elsewhere in the institution, the relation  to  the
requested  instrument  should  be  indicated  and  the  need  for  the
additional instrument justified through usage data and by reference to
new   capabilities   or  enhanced  capacity.  Any  inter-institutional
cooperation  for  maximizing the effectiveness of this  investment  in
infrastructure should be described.
Operation and Maintenance (1-3 pages). This section should specify how
and  by  whom  the  requested instrumentation is to  be  operated  and
maintained, and how the operations and maintenance are to be financed.
For   related  existing  instrumentation,  information  on  usage  and
downtime  should be included. Pertinent data on income from, and  cost
of,  instrument  services  for  the  preceding  year,  including  user
charges,  salaries of support personnel, maintenance  contracts,  shop
charges, and other expenses, should be included.
Proposed   Research  (5-10  pages).  This  section  should   summarize
pertinent  research  projects in the context  of  the  broad  research
themes  of the major users of the proposed instrument(s). The combined
research  descriptions  are  limited to a total  of  10  single-spaced
pages. Research project summaries of major users should provide enough
information  for reviewers to assess scientific merit,  the  projected
use  of the proposed instrument, and the need for special features  or
accessories. Research descriptions should be provided for no more than
six  major users; other users should be listed by name only.  Projects
currently  supported by the Chemistry Division should  be  identified.
Projects  ineligible  for NSF support (e.g.,  drug  development  work)
should  not  be  included. Use no more than six  references  for  each
research description.
Biographical  Sketches. This section should include short biographical
sketches  (one  page each) for the major users and  for  the  Head  or
Chairperson  (designated as Principal Investigator). In addition  each
user  should  provide a list of up to five publications  most  closely
related to the proposed acquisition (see GPG, II.D.6.). To aid the NSF
Program  Director in identifying conflicts of interest  that  must  be
avoided  during review, major users must include a list of researchers
with whom they have collaborated during the past four years.
Current  and  Pending Support. Current research support data  must  be
organized  into  a  single table that summarizes all  extant  research
support  from  all  sources  for all major users.  Parallel  duplicate
submission of CRIF proposals to other agencies or patrons (not  within
NSF)  is encouraged but must be disclosed in the proposal.  (See  GPG,
II.D.8.)
2. PURCHASE OF DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION FOR USE BY JUNIOR
 FACULTY IN ESTABLISHING THEIR ACADEMIC CAREERS
Proposals   will  be  considered  for  the  purchase  of  departmental
instrumentation that will be used primarily by a junior faculty member
in  launching a research career. This program is designed  to  provide
enhancements  to startup funds normally provided for new  faculty  and
provide  additional flexibility to institutions for the investment  of
resources  for  research  instrumentation. Proposals  must  place  the
requested  instrumentation  in  context  of  the  department's   other
instrumentation resources and needs, its commitment to development  of
research strength in focused areas, and its plans for so doing.
Eligibility
Department  chairs may submit proposals to support the instrumentation
needs of new faculty hired to develop academic careers involving  both
research  and teaching in areas of science normally supported  by  the
Chemistry   Division.  These  awards  are  not  intended  to   support
instrumentation  needs for senior or highly experienced  investigators
who  have independent research careers. The junior faculty member MUST
MEET ALL of the following requirements:
- be  employed  at an institution in the U.S., its territories  or
  possessions,  or  the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,  which  awards  a
  baccalaureate or advanced degree in an appropriate department;
- not  hold or have held a tenured position in such an institution
  on or before the award date;
- begin  or have begun a tenure-eligible position within 15 months
  of the submission date.
Equipment  may  be  requested  for only  one  junior  faculty  member,
although research projects may involve collaboration with others.
Deadline for Submission
Proposals  must  be  received  at NSF by  the  first  Monday  in  July
annually.  Principal Investigators will be notified  of  the  intended
action  on  their  proposals by the second Monday in December  of  the
following fiscal year.
Eligible Costs
For successful proposals, the amount of the NSF award will be based on
the net price of the instrumentation to the institution, including all
academic  discounts  and other special purchase  arrangements.  Single
research  instruments, research instrumentation systems, and ensembles
of  research instruments that enable a particular research thrust  may
be requested. No funds will be provided for instrument maintenance and
operation. Again, the CRIF Program requires no matching funds for  the
first  $80,000 and will provide up to one-half of the funds in  excess
of  $80,000  required for the purchase of departmental instrumentation
for  use  by  junior  faculty in establishing their research  careers.
Matching  funds must be in cash, not in-kind and be used  towards  the
instrument(s) to be purchased.
Proposal Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation  of these proposals will involve ad hoc mail review,  panel
review,  or a combination thereof. These evaluations will be based  on
the  standard NSF evaluation criteria given above, particularized  for
this  specific  activity. Among the specific  considerations  for  the
Junior Faculty Research Instrumentation proposals are:
1.    How will the new equipment affect the research activities of the
  junior faculty member?  Is it realistic to expect this faculty member
  to utilize the equipment effectively?  Would the availability of this
  equipment impact the work of other faculty members at the institution?
  How  does  this new equipment fit into department plans for  focused
  research   activities?    Does  this  equipment   complement   other
  instrumentation resources at the institution?
2.   Is there a plan to use the new equipment in teaching, training or
  learning?  At what level - graduate, undergraduate, other?  Will the
  work  done  broaden the participation in science of underrepresented
  groups?  Will the results of work done using this equipment be  made
  broadly available to the general non-scientific community?  What  is
  the plan for doing this?  How will research done with this equipment
  affect society at large?
Proposal Format
The  format  for  these  proposals should follow  that  described  for
proposals    to   purchase   or   upgrade   departmental    multi-user
instrumentation adjusted as appropriate for a single primary user.  As
noted  above, the head or chairperson of the department must serve  as
the  Principal Investigator. The title of the proposal should  include
the generic type of instrumentation requested and the research area in
which  it will be used by the junior faculty member. An example of  an
appropriate    title   is:   "Purchase   of   Electron    Spectroscopy
Instrumentation for Research in Dynamics of Heterogeneous Reactions."
3. INSTRUMENTATION DEVELOPMENT
To help ensure that advances in fundamental science and technology are
rapidly incorporated into instrumentation of broad importance  to  the
chemistry community, proposals for the design and construction of  new
chemistry  research instruments are eligible for consideration.  These
proposals  should  follow the general guidelines for research  project
proposals  as  outlined in GPG. The proposal title should  be  of  the
form:  "Development (Construction) of a New ..........  for  Chemistry
Research."
Proposal Format
The Introduction or Background section of the proposal must present an
analysis  of  the need for the proposed instrumentation,  including  a
projection  of the uses and users in chemistry research. This  section
should  detail the advantages for research in chemistry with  the  new
instrumentation. If the instrumentation is to be shared among multiple
users in a Chemistry Department, brief descriptions of the research of
the major users should be given.
The main body of the proposal should provide a detailed description of
the  proposed  instrument, plans for its design and  construction,  an
analysis  of  problems  to  be  overcome,  preliminary  work   already
completed,  feasibility analysis, and an estimated  time  schedule  to
completion.  Include  also  plans for transferring  new  knowledge  or
technology  to  U.S. industrial or governmental laboratories  or  U.S.
instrument manufacturers.
The  budget  section  of proposals for instrument  development  should
indicate   the   total  cost  for  construction  of   the   equipment,
apportioning  estimated costs between personnel, supplies,  equipment,
and  other  costs.  Requests  for personnel  support  must  include  a
description of the responsibilities of project co-workers and  explain
why a given position is necessary for the completion of the design and
construction of the new instrument. Sufficient detail should be  given
so that reviewers can analyze the cost of the new technology.
Eligible Costs
Although  there  is no fixed cost sharing requirement  for  instrument
development  and construction projects, institutional  and  industrial
cost  sharing  is  encouraged and is taken as  an  indication  of  the
perceived  importance  by the institution of the  proposed  instrument
development.
Proposal Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation  of these proposals will involve ad hoc mail review,  panel
review,  or a combination thereof. These evaluations will be based  on
the  standard NSF evaluation criteria given above, particularized  for
this  specific  activity. Among the specific  considerations  for  the
Instrumentation Development proposals are:
1.  Is the proposed instrument unique?  How widely useful within the
  science community would such an instrument be? Do the specific plans
  in the proposal and the prior work of the investigators indicate that
  the instrumentation will be success-fully developed and utilized? How
  widely accessible will the instrument be?
2.  Is  there  a  plan to use this new research capability in  teaching,
  training  or  learning?   Will the proposed instrumentation  broaden
  the  participation  in  science  of underrepresented  groups?   Will
  other  institutions have access to this equipment?  Is there a  plan
  to  make  the  results  of work done using this  instrument  broadly
  available?  Are there plans to transfer the technology developed  to
  U.S. industrial or governmental laboratories?
Deadline for Submission
Proposals for instrument development and construction projects must be
received  at NSF by the second Monday in January, annually.  Proposals
in this category will be evaluated as a group. Principal Investigators
will  be  notified  of  the  Foundation's  intended  action  on  their
proposals by the second Monday in June of that year.
4. CHEMISTRY RESEARCH FACILITIES
The  CRIF  Program  also accepts proposals for the  support  of  major
national  or regional facilities, which would provide unique state-of-
the-art  instrumentation  and  resources  for  research  to  a   broad
community of users in the chemical sciences. This program is  intended
to  complement,  not  duplicate, support for  facilities  and  centers
provided  under  other NSF programs such as those of NSF's  Office  of
Science  and  Technology Infrastructure. Principal  Investigators  are
encouraged  to  consider carefully which program is  best  suited  for
their  research  needs and must consult with Chemistry Division  staff
(including the submission of a pre-proposal) before submitting a  full
proposal for facility support to CRIF.
Definitions and General Considerations
A  facility  is  distinctly different from a  departmental  instrument
center.  It provides for unique or nearly unique instrumentation  that
is either too expensive to be widely available or must be custom-made.
A  facility  typically requires a permanent support staff to  operate,
maintain,  and  provide service to a national user community.   It  is
anticipated  that there will be one or only a few national  facilities
in   a  given  technical  area  (e.g.,  high-field  NMR  spectroscopy,
synchrotron beam lines, high-field ICR, or advanced computer systems).
These   facilities   are   expected  to  serve  the   state-of-the-art
instrumentation needs for a wide community of users and simultaneously
to  support  core  research  in  the  development  of  next-generation
instrumentation  and  instrumental  methods.   Facilities  under  this
definition  must  not  encroach upon the service  functions  that  are
available  in the private sector.  The proposal (and the pre-proposal)
should  document the need for the facility and describe  the  research
community  it  would serve. Use of a facility might, for  example,  be
divided into core research (15%) and host-institution research  (10%),
service to or collaboration with non-host-institution users (60%), and
instrument improvement and development (15%).
The Chemistry Division does not set aside funds for establishment of a
pre-determined number of facilities. It will consider each request  on
its own merits against other possible uses for the same funds. Because
national  or  regional user facilities are expensive to  maintain  and
will  entail long-term commitments of NSF financial resources,  it  is
anticipated that no more than one such facility can be established  in
any  one  fiscal year. Facility planners should anticipate the phasing
out  of  NSF support after a 10-year period and should plan  to  build
user  fees  and  other  partnership and cost-sharing  arrangements  to
sustain operation.
Successful  proposals will be supported by the Chemistry  Division  of
NSF for a period of five years, with the intention to provide one five-
year  renewal  if  the facility is successful in  its  core  research,
service,  and  instrument development functions, and if this  type  of
facility is still needed. Annual progress reports will be required and
used  to  assess these factors. On-site evaluations of all aspects  of
the  facility operation will be made during the award period.  Renewal
proposals  must  present a plan for the eventual transition  from  NSF
support and a budget reflecting decreasing levels of NSF support  over
the last two years of the renewal five-year period.
Eligible Costs
All  costs  of  establishing and maintaining a  facility,  except  for
building   construction   and  renovation,  are   eligible.   Facility
organizers may request funds for:
-    acquisition  of  new  instrumentation (either  purchased  from  a
     manufacturer or built at the site) to establish the facility;
-    operation and maintenance, including support personnel;
-    core research (including student support);
-    instrumentation  development,  including  regular  upgrading   of
     instrumentation to maintain state-of-the-art capabilities;
-    salaries,   travel,   workshops,  student   training,   supplies,
     participant support, and other miscellaneous expenses.
The budget section of a facility proposal should detail the full costs
of  capital  equipment  to be purchased or designed  and  constructed.
Although there are no specific cost-sharing requirements for chemistry
research facility proposals, institutional contributions will be taken
as  evidence  of institutional support for the facility. Institutional
or   state   cost-share  commitments,  whether  for  construction   or
renovation  of  space, capital equipment purchase, or salary  support,
must be stated explicitly. The budget section should make it clear how
combined  NSF,  institutional, and user  resources  will  be  used  to
support all necessary costs.
Rationale for the Facility
Proposals  for  the  support  of a chemistry  research  facility  must
include  a  full  description  of the technical  capabilities  of  the
facility,  what  distinguishes  it  from  a  local,  departmental,  or
university-wide facility, and the impact that these capabilities  will
make  on  new  state-of-the-art chemical research. Investigators  must
identify  the  nature and size of the user community in  the  chemical
sciences that will make principal use of the research facility,  along
with  any  evidence (e.g., citations of reports or  studies)  of  that
community's desire to pool resources in support of the facility.
Chemistry research facilities are intended, in part, to stimulate  the
development of new instrumentation or techniques; facilities proposals
must  therefore  include  a description of the  instrument  design  or
technique  in  sufficient detail for reviewers  to  evaluate  the  new
technology  and its potential benefit to chemical research.   Transfer
of  new  knowledge  or technology to U.S. industrial  or  governmental
laboratories or U.S. instrument manufacturers is an important way  for
fundamental research to contribute to U.S. economic growth.  Plans for
such  transfer  will  be  considered in evaluation  of  the  proposal.
Beneficial partnerships with private-sector instrument developers  are
encouraged.
Proposals  for chemistry facilities must include descriptions  of  the
provisions   for  service  operations,  maintenance  and  development.
Important   elements  include  the  qualifications  of   the   persons
immediately  in  charge,  support personnel  at  various  levels,  the
management and external advisory structure, and the partners  involved
in  instrument  development.   Proposals must  indicate  the  intended
sources of funds to meet personnel and maintenance costs. Requests for
personnel  support must include a description of the  responsibilities
of  each  position  and  why a given position  is  necessary  for  the
successful  operation of the facility. If user fees  are  involved,  a
description  of  how  they will be assessed should  be  included.  The
proposal must include a management plan for dealing with questions  of
access by users.
Facility Proposal Format
Proposals for Chemistry Research Facilities should provide a title  in
the  format: "National (or, "Regional) Chemistry Research Facility for
......."    The   body   of  the  research  proposal,   exclusive   of
illustrations,  required forms, biographical and budgetary  materials,
will  be  limited to 40 single-spaced pages. Within that overall  page
limitation,  the proposal must address the following issues,  item  by
item  (length  stipulations on individual proposal sections  are  only
suggestions).
NSF  Cover and Certification Page (NSF Form 1207, see GPG). Enter this
program announcement number in the space indicated.
Supplementary Forms: Complete and attach one copy only  of  Form  1225
(Information About Principal Investigators/Project Directors).
Project Summary (1 page maximum). The project summary should serve  as
an  "Executive Summary," of the rationale for the center, the intended
user  community,  the  nature of the facility to be  established,  the
areas  of  research  to  be  enhanced, and  the  principal  instrument
development goals.
Table  of Contents. A table of contents is required, with page numbers
keyed to required sections of the proposal.
Rationale  for  and  Impact of Facility (5 pages).  This  introductory
section  should describe the need for the proposed facility:  (1)  the
unique  capabilities and services it will bring  to  research  in  the
chemical sciences; (2) the community to be served (areas of chemistry,
regional or national users, host institution faculty) by the facility;
and (3) how it will contribute to meeting the research and educational
goals  of  the host institution and research community.  The rationale
should   summarize  the  planning  history  for  the  project,  citing
pertinent  studies  or  reports.  It  should  also  describe  how  the
facility  will  attract  research workers and students,  increase  the
number of students from underrepresented groups entering programs  for
advanced  degrees in science and engineering, and improve the  quality
of research training and experience.
Detailed Description of the Research Facility (5 pages). This  section
should  provide  a full description of the proposed research  facility
including  location,  size, and major equipment  to  be  purchased  or
constructed, services to be provided, and core research  areas  to  be
developed  or  enhanced.  This section should assess  limitations  and
constraints  and  their  potential impact  on  research,  service  and
training activities. Investigators should indicate the percentages  of
time  and space in the facility that will be devoted to service,  core
research, education and training, and instrument development.
In-House  (Core) Research Activities (10 pages). This  section  should
identify the senior on-site personnel using the facility for research,
development and training, summarize their current research  activities
and describe the research projects to be conducted in and enhanced  by
the  research facility. Numbers of additional personnel whose research
and   education   would  depend  on  the  proposed   facility   (e.g.,
postdoctorates, graduate students, undergraduate students)  should  be
estimated as closely as possible.
Instrumentation   Development Plan (5 pages). The plan  should  detail
the  instrument improvement and development component and explain  how
resources  of  the  facility will be targeted at developing  the  next
generation  of  research equipment. Strategies to  keep  the  proposed
facility at the forefront of research in the identified field must  be
described  and  necessary  equipment upgrades  planned  and  budgeted.
Investigators  should  identify connections with  other  research  and
development organizations, including instrument manufacturers  in  the
private  sector,  and  the roles each will play  in  development.  The
proposal  must  contain  a  plan  for  evaluation  of  feasibility  of
commercialization of the technical advances of the facility.
Service  to  the External Community (5 pages). Because CRIF facilities
are  few in number, they must serve a national or large regional  user
community.  Describe  in  detail the  plan  for  making  the  facility
accessible  to  external  users.  Document  the  managerial,   support
personnel,  advisory, and accounting structures necessary  to  fulfill
the  service  objectives. Describe mechanisms for selecting  proposals
from  users,  for  choosing among in-house  activities,  and  for  the
allocation of resources. Provide a plan for assessing performance  and
results of all activities supported by the facility.
Facility  Management Plan (3 pages). This section should describe  the
management plan for direction and operation of the proposed  facility.
The management plan must identify the facility director and any senior
personnel  (including  their  vitae in the "Biographical  Information"
section)  involved  in the day-to-day operation of  the  facility  and
indicate the percentage of time to be devoted by each to the facility.
This   section  should  also  outline  the  structure  that  will   be
established   to  advise  the  facility's  management  on  operations,
direction, and external relations with users. The facility  must  have
an external advisory committee satisfactory to the NSF.
Education and Outreach (3 pages). A facility is a unique resource  for
special  education,  for  transfer of knowledge  and  technology,  for
exchanges of staff with other research organizations, and for outreach
to  communities currently underrepresented in science and engineering.
Investigators   should  outline  their  plans  to   use   the   unique
capabilities  of a facility to contribute to a stronger infrastructure
in the chemical sciences through education and outreach activities.
Five-Year  Budget Estimate (3 pages explanation plus six budget  pages
on  NSF  Form  1030 -- five individual yearly and one  total  budget).
This section should provide a detailed estimate and explanation of the
total  five-year budget projected for establishment and  operation  of
the  facility and of the portion that the NSF is being asked to  fund.
Explain the basis for any cost estimates. Specify the expected sources
and  estimated amounts of cost-shared or matching funds (for  example,
state    appropriations,   endowment,   debt   financing,   industrial
contributions, etc.) and when they will be available.  Commitments  of
space,  renovation,  faculty, staff positions,  or  capital  equipment
should be detailed here, with estimated dollar values.
Biographical Sketches. Biographical sketches must be provided  in  the
standard NSF format (1 page each, GPG, NSF Form 1361) for the facility
director,  for  all  senior personnel whose core  research  activities
would  make  major  use  of the facility, and  for  any  other  senior
personnel who would draw major salary support from the facility.
Current and Pending Support (2 tables). Current and pending support of
two types must be summarized. In one table should be grouped necessary
information  about all current and pending support for  the  facility,
including  any  support  from any source,  received  or  pending,  for
support,  repair,  renovation, replacement,  or  construction  of  the
proposed  or similar facilities in the previous five years.  A  second
table should be used to summarize current and pending support (agency,
award number, total cost amount, expected duration, and topic) for all
research   projects  of  each  senior  investigator  from   the   host
institution  involved  in  the  operation,  management,  research   or
training functions of the facility.
Pre-Proposal
Pre-proposals  are  required  to  minimize  expenditure  of  planning,
writing,  and  reviewing time for proposals that  might  have  limited
prospects for success. The pre-proposal is primarily a concept  paper.
It is to be submitted in letter format, limited to eight pages, and it
must  bear an institutional endorsement. It must present evidence that
the  facility is needed, can have a major impact on chemical research,
and  can  be  established and maintained at the proposed site  by  the
proposed  principal staff. Information about projected  users  of  the
facility  and the costs to establish and maintain it at the  state-of-
the-art  are essential. Preliminary plans for outreach, education  and
training,  transfer  of  knowledge to the  scientific  community,  and
proposed partnerships in development should be outlined. A summary  of
anticipated start-up and annual maintenance costs is required.
The   pre-proposal  is  an  extremely  important  document  for  those
contemplating establishment of a chemistry research facility.  Only  a
small  number of pre-proposals will be judged strong enough to warrant
the  preparation  of a full facilities proposal, so  the  pre-proposal
must be compelling.
Evaluation Mechanisms, Criteria, and Deadlines
Facilities  pre-proposals will be reviewed by a  review  panel.   Full
facility  proposals  will  be  reviewed  by  ad  hoc  mail  review  by
scientific experts and an overview review panel, and a site visit  may
be  required.  These  evaluations will be based on  the  standard  NSF
evaluation  criteria  given above, particularized  for  this  specific
activity.  Application of these general criteria to the specific  case
of  Research Facilities as defined here leads to consideration of  the
following specific issues:
- Competence of the facility management to meet multiple  purposes
  of research, education, and service simultaneously;
- Merit of the facility to provide the state-of-the-art in chemical
  research;
- Usefulness of the facility as expressed by long-term  commitment
  of  the  submitting institution, support of a national  or  regional
  community  of  users,  a  plan for phase  out  of  NSF  support  and
  leveraging of limited Federal resources;
- Anticipated effect on rapid, efficient development of instruments
  and  effective  transfer of new knowledge and  technology  to  other
  sectors of the U.S. science and technology enterprise;
- Use  of  unique resources to enhance education and  training  of
  students;
- Participation  of  groups  underrepresented  in   science   and
  engineering;
- Cross-disciplinary research and transfer of knowledge.
Proposals and pre-proposals for new facilities will be accepted once a
year.  The  deadline for submission of pre-proposals  is  December  1,
annually.   Providers  of  pre-proposals  will  be  given  preliminary
notification  by  February 15 of their eligibility to  submit  a  full
proposal. Deadline for submission of full proposals is June 1 of  that
year.  Ten copies of a facilities pre-proposal, including the original
signature copy, should be sent to:
National Science Foundation
Proposal Processing Unit Room P-60
Attention: Chemistry Division-CRIF Program
4201  Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
AWARD INFORMATION
Proposals  submitted in response to this announcement  are  considered
unsolicited.   The Chemistry Research Instrumentation  and  Facilities
Program  may  provide funds for a less expensive or less sophisticated
instrument  than  requested,  if  the  proposal  review  indicates  an
alternative  choice to be both appropriate to the  research  and  more
cost-effective. There is no NSF commitment to make any specific number
of awards or to provide any specified fraction of   the   cost.   The
CRIF  Program  has  provided  about   50-   60 instrumentation  support
awards in each of the  last  several  years. These awards averaged
approximately $150,000 each.
For  shared multi-user instrumentation and instrumentation for use  by
junior faculty no matching funds are required for the first $80,000; a
maximum  of one-half of the funds requested in excess of $80,000  will
be  provided.   The  threshold  value  of  $80,000  will  be  reviewed
periodically for its appropriateness.
In  the  last  full facilities competition, five full  proposals  were
invited  from  nine  pre-proposals and  one  award  was  made.  It  is
anticipated  that no more than one new facility will be  initiated  in
any year.
Further inquiries concerning this program may be directed to:
Chemistry Research Instrumentation and
  Facilities Program
Chemistry Division - Room 1055
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230
Tel: (703)-306-1849
OTHER NSF INSTRUMENTATION PROGRAMS
For  related  areas  of  research  activity,  including  biochemistry,
atmospheric  and  marine  chemistry,  atomic  and  molecular  physics,
chemical  engineering,  and  materials  research,  funds  for   shared
instrumentation should be sought from other appropriate NSF  Divisions
(see Guide to Programs, NSF 95-138).
The CRIF Program cooperates with other NSF instrumentation programs in
the  joint  review  and  co-funding of  multidisciplinary,  multi-user
instrument  proposals  for research uses which  cross  NSF  divisional
lines.  For  instructional  instrumentation needed  for  undergraduate
educational purposes in chemistry, application should be made  through
the  Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement Program  described  in
Undergraduate Education (NSF 97-29).
Related  NSF  programs  for  research instrumentation  and  instrument
development  are  listed below. In divisions  that  have  no  separate
instrumentation  program, instrumentation needs are  provided  for  in
regular research grant programs.
NSF 96-50    Earth   Sciences  Research  at  the  National   Science
             Foundation.  Instrumentation and Facilities
NSF 97-29    Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement Program
NSF 94-108   Instrumentation for Materials Research
NSF 96-113   Instrumentation  Grants for  Research  in  Computer  and
             Information Sciences and Engineering
NSF 95-37    Multi-User  Biological  Equipment  and  Instrumentation
             Resources.  Instrument Development for Biological Research
NSF 97-64    Small Business Innovation Research
NSF 97-15    Small Business Technology Transfer
The Foundation provides awards for research and education in the sciences
and engineering. The awardee is wholly responsible for the conduct of such
research and preparation of the results for publication. The Foundation,
therefore, does not assume responsibility for the research findings or their
interpretation.
The Foundation welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists and
engineers and strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with
disabilities to compete fully in any of the research and education related
programs described here. 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 subject to discrimination under any program or
activity receiving financial assistance from the National Science Foundation.
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED)
provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with
disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research
assistants) to work on NSF projects. See the program announcement or
contact the program coordinator at (703) 306-1636.
Privacy Act. The information requested on proposal forms is solicited under
the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended.
It will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals
and may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part
of the review process; to applicant institutions/grantees; to provide or
obtain data regarding the application review process, award decisions, or
the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts,
volunteers, and researchers as necessary to complete assigned work; and
to other government agencies in order to coordinate programs. See Systems
of Records, NSF 50, Principal Investigators/Proposal File and Associated
Records, and NSF-51, 60 Federal Register 4449 (January 23, 1995),
Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records, 59 Federal Register
8031 (February 17, 1994).
Public Burden. Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to
provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility
of your receiving an award.
The 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 or any other
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for
reducing this burden, to Gail A. McHenry, Reports Clearance Officer,
Information Dissemination Branch, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson
Boulevard, Suite 245, Arlington, VA 22230.
The National Science Foundation has TDD (Telephonic Device for the Deaf)
capability, which enables individuals with hearing impairment to
communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment, or
general information. To access NSF TDD, dial (703) 306-0090; for FIRS,
1-800-877-8339.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 47.049, Mathematical and
Physical Sciences
OMB 3145-0058
P.T. 34, 18
K.W. 1002000, 1003000
NSF 98-10
(Replaces NSF 97-2)