Title: DCL  Fundamental Research Supplement Opportunity for I/UCRCs
 Date: 08/22/08

 National Science Foundation
 4201 Wilson Boulevard
 Arlington, VA 22230

 NSF 08-068

 Memorandum

 To:          NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research
               Centers (I/UCRCs)
 From:      Dr. Michael Reischman, Deputy Assistant Director
                Directorate for Engineering
                Dr. Deborah Crawford, Deputy Assistant Director
                Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering
 Re:          Fundamental Research Supplement Opportunity for  I/UCRCs

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 Dear Colleagues:

 The National Science Foundation (NSF) invites supplemental requests
 for fundamental research in NSF Industry/University Cooperative
 Research Centers (I/UCRC). This supplemental opportunity is
 intended to support fundamental research, an activity designed to
 broaden scientific and technical knowledge beyond the more applied
 research interests of the industries served by the I/UCRC. The
 Fundamental Research Supplement program intends to provide the
 opportunity for its centers to conduct fundamental research to
 better position themselves as leaders for emerging areas that could
 benefit the industries that they serve. Industry members are
 increasingly reluctant to invest in fundamental research as they
 are under pressure by investors and other stakeholders to maximize
 profits and their returns on investments. Supplements must discuss
 how the proposed research will benefit current industry members and
 attract new industry members. This document replaces NSF 07-050.

 Supplement Due Dates: February 4, 2009 by 5:00 PM, submitter’s
 local time and first Wednesday in February, annually thereafter.

 Awards Information

 Number of awards: 10 or more anticipated supplements pending the
 availability of funds:

 Maximum Award Request

    * $150,000 per center for combined supplement requests from
      multi-university I/UCRCs.
    * $75,000 for single institution I/UCRCs and multi-university
      centers with only one participating site.
    * All awards are pending the availability of funds.

 An exception to the maximum award amount (see the three bullets above) 
 is possible when a center collaborates with an external non-academic or 
 non-federal government organization. NSF will match the contribution from 
 such organizations up to a maximum of $75,000. The non-academic 
 contribution must appear on Line M of the budget and be justified in the 
 supplemental request.

 Limit on the number of supplements: One supplemental funding
 request per center. Multi-university supplemental funding requests
 must be part of the same integrated research experimental plan of
 the center. The total budget for all site submissions from a center
 cannot exceed the maximum award.

 Eligibility based on center performance: Fundamental research
 opportunities are available for existing I/UCRCs who continue to
 meet the criteria as outlined in the current Industry/University
 Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC) solicitation. This
 opportunity requires that centers submitting fundamental research
 supplement requests have met the following conditions for
 eligibility:

    * Maintained sufficient industrial memberships to meet program
      requirements,
    * Engage graduate students in center research projects, and
    * Disseminated current and accurate information to the public
      about their center via the NSF web site. NSF directory
      listings must be current and accurate by the supplement
      deadline date. Updates can be sent to the I/UCRC program
      director if needed.

 Supplement Preparation Instructions: The PI from the primary I/UCRC
 center award (usually the center director) must be listed as the PI
 for this supplement request. Other researchers may be listed as
 co-PIs for this supplement. The supplemental request must discuss
 how the proposed research will better position the center to
 recruit and attract new members.

 I/UCRCs may want to submit separate requests for their
 participating research sites. Care must be taken to ensure that the
 maximum award is not exceeded. University sites can do this by
 submitting a collaborative supplement that represents their share
 of the research that will be done. For example, a center with three
 university sites (partners) can submit three integrated
 experimental supplements (one by each university research site)
 with a request for funding which would then equal the maximum
 allowable amount of up to $150,000 for a center, subject to the
 availability of funds.

 Required for multi-university site supplements - Preference is
 given to collaborative projects that involve multiple sites in a
 center. If all sites in a center are not involved, the center's
 director must include a letter stating that the co-directors from
 other sites are in agreement as to their level of participation (if
 any).

 Proposals for supplemental funding must be submitted through
 FastLane as a supplement. For FastLane user support, call the
 FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov.
 The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related
 to the use of the FastLane system. When contacting FastLane, inform
 the technician that you are required to apply for this opportunity
 as a supplement.

 Review process: All supplements submitted to this opportunity are
 peer reviewed by a panel of experts.

 Additional Information: Please contact one of the following program
 officials if you have questions about the I/UCRC Fundamental
 Research Supplement opportunity.

    * Glenn Larsen, I/UCRC Fundamental Research Program Director,
      505 N, telephone: (703) 292-8383, email: glarsen@nsf.gov
    * Rathindra DasGupta (Babu), I/UCRC Program Director, 585 N,
      telephone: (703) 292-8383, email: rdasgupt@nsf.gov
    * Rita Rodriguez, CISE Program Director, 1175N, telephone: (703)
      292-8950, email: rrodrigu@nsf.gov
    * Gregory Misiorek, Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP)
      Program Specialist, telephone: (703) 292-8383, email:
      gmisiore@nsf.gov