Title:Biotic Surveys and Inventories
Date: July 28, 1997
Replaces: NSF 94-66
               BIOTIC SURVEYS AND INVENTORIES
      ________________________________________________
                    Program Announcement
                   (Supersedes NSF 94-66)
Deadline for Receipt of Proposals: First Friday in November of
                          each year
             DIRECTORATE FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
              DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY
We are at a critical juncture for the conservation and study of
biodiversity; such an opportunity will never occur again.
Understanding and maintaining that diversity is the key to
humanity's continued prosperous and stable existence on Earth.
Loss of Biological Diversity: A Global Crisis Requiring
International Solutions
National Science Board 1989
PURPOSE
Understanding biological diversity is essential for studies
in environmental biology. Baseline knowledge of species-
level biodiversity provides the foundation for analytical
research in systematic and population biology, ecology,
conservation and restoration biology, anthropology, physical
geography, biological oceanography, paleobiology and other
sciences. This baseline knowledge is also necessary for
monitoring and assessing land-use patterns, global climate
change, and the economic value of natural resources.
Humanity is dependent on a diverse array of products
obtained from wild species, on genetic diversity among wild
relatives of domesticated species, and on the stability of
natural ecosystems. All of these dependencies require the
maintenance of biodiversity. Increasing rates of extinction
of species, and the loss of knowledge of local species among
indigenous peoples, have created an urgent need for
scientific exploration to increase humanity's knowledge of
species-level biodiversity across all organisms. In support
of this area of research, the Division of Environmental
Biology established the Biotic Surveys and Inventories
Program (BS&I). BS&I invites proposals to document diversity
of species throughout the world, especially fungi,
prokaryotes, protists, and invertebrate animals from all
marine, aquatic, and terrestrial habitats.
The Program supports research to record the species-level
diversity of life on earth as a prologue to investigations
of patterns and processes and the development of plans for
conservation of that diversity. Support for analytical
phases of biodiversity research beyond the production of
electronic specimen databases, inventories, identification
guides, or other products should be sought from other
programs in the Directorates for Biological Sciences or
Geosciences. BS&I does not provide support for phylogenetic,
monographic, biogeographic, genetic, or ecological studies.
The program does not accept proposals to fund assays of
genetic diversity within single species, projects to monitor
diversity over time, ecological comparison of the diversity
in two or more sites, or studies of the functional
significance of diversity at the ecosystem level.
PROPOSAL CATEGORIES
Biotic Surveys
The majority of BS&I awards are for discovery (using
traditional and/or molecular techniques), collecting,
identifying, classifying and naming biota of a substantial
geographic or oceanographic region. BS&I typically makes
between fifteen and twenty awards in this category per
fiscal year. Most awards range from $30,000 to $150,000 per
year (averaging approximately $70,000 per year) and are for
three years. Investigators are cautioned that the budget
request should be cost-effective, commensurate with the
proposed research, and fully justified in the text and
budget justification. Proposals in this category should
include all information discussed below under "proposal
content" and "proposal format."
Long-Term, Large-Scale Inventories
Major projects to catalog thoroughly a major portion of the
biota of a geographic region of continental scale usually
involve multiple collaborators and complex logistics. Such
projects may require several years to complete, and their
successful conduct may be hampered by short funding cycles.
Leaders of such projects may apply for longer-term support
in the form of a series (no more than three) of five-year
awards that would be administered as cooperative agreements,
rather than grants. Proposers should discuss potential
proposals for such projects with the BS&I program director
in advance of application. In addition to all the elements
described below under "proposal content" and "proposal
format," an initial proposal for a long-term project should
include:
     1)the scientific rationale for the long term of the
       overall project and of each of the two or three five-year
       components of it;
     2)description of the electronic information products of
       the segments of the project and the project as whole, and of
       the underlying data, metadata standards, information
       management protocols, and database architectures that
       provide for interoperability with other databases,
       geographic information systems, ecological models, etc.
     3)description of the mechanism by which electronic
       availability of the information will be maintained into the
       future, and the means by which that information can be
       corrected, upgraded, and added to by future scientists;
     4)discussion of the expected users of the products of the
       project and the benefits they will derive from those
       products that are not otherwise available;
     5)description of the overall budget of the project, both
       of the segments and of the whole, including which categories
       NSF will be asked to support;
     6)specification of institutional cost-sharing, and of
       plans to use NSF funding as leverage to gain support from
       other agencies, foundations, industry, private donations and
       the like; and
     7)the means by which the proportion of NSF funding will
       be reduced and the proportion of funding from other sources
       increased over the life of the project.
Project director(s) on proposals in this category that are
recommended for funding may be required to submit further
documentation for additional merit review prior to
negotiation of a cooperative agreement. Funded projects in
this category will be reviewed during the third year of each
five-year segment, for the next five years. This review will
lead either to another five-year cooperative agreement, or
to two years of interim funding. In the latter case, a new
proposal in year five will undergo review, and lead either
to further funding or close-out of the project.
Biotic Survey and Inventory Research Experience Supplements
A limited number of supplements will be provided annually to
ongoing BS&I projects to underwrite the involvement of
college undergraduates and high school students in survey
and inventory research activities. Current guidelines for
Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF 96-102) and
Research Assistantships for Minority High School Students
(NSF 89-39) should be utilized in preparing such requests.
All such supplement requests must be received by the BS&I
program by February 1 of each year.
PROPOSAL CONTENT
Proposals submitted to the Biotic Surveys and Inventories
Program should involve making collections of specimens of
organisms, including cultures, stocks, or extracted
macromolecules where appropriate, as samples of taxa of
geographic or oceanographic regions with the purpose of
discovering species new to science and documenting the
occurrence of groups of organisms in those regions;
developing and disseminating electronic databases of the
collected specimens and taxa; and/or producing electronic
biotic treatments, authenticated species lists, catalogs,
keys, expert identification systems, or other types of
information products. BS&I funds projects to discover
biodiversity, and to provide baseline information on that
diversity that can be used in future hypothesis formation
and testing, analyses, and syntheses.
Products: The products of the majority of BS&I projects are
expected to be new collections, discovery of species new to
science, and electronic inventories of those collections and
taxa. Some projects may involve extensive use of existing
collections and known taxa. These projects should result in
the production of electronic and electronically accessible
(e.g., available via the World Wide Web to the scientific
community and to the public) specimen-based databases, and
other electronic information products such as keys, expert
identification systems, checklists, descriptions, or taxon
databases and authority files. These products should be
designed to foster interactions with other disciplines, to
permit the PI and/or other scientists to use the data in
research and synthesis, and to benefit both formal and
informal science education. The program expects these
information products to be made accessible via the Internet.
In addition, the results of some projects may lend
themselves to publication in other media (print, compact
disc, etc.). Investigators interested in developing database
standards, protocols, or applications that would support a
community infrastructure for survey and inventory research
are encouraged to contact the program officer in Database
Activities in the Biological Sciences in the Division of
Biological Infrastructure at (703) 306-1470.
Urgency: There is much biodiversity to be discovered in most
geographic regions or ecological habitats. However, the need
for exploration of certain regions and habitats may be
substantially greater than in others, because of one or more
factors such as impending habitat destruction or ignorance
of entire biotic systems (e.g., soil biotas). Proposals
which demonstrate that the geographic region to be
investigated, and/or the need for knowledge of particular
group(s) of organisms is of particular importance and
urgency, will be more competitive.
Schedule: The ongoing, unprecedented disappearance of
species and populations on Earth and the need to discover
ways to develop biodiversity resources in a sustainable
manner dictate a timely research schedule in which the
knowledge of biological diversity can be gained,
disseminated, and used by the scientific community and
others (e.g., conservation organizations, resource managers,
governmental agencies, educational institutions, and the
public). Biotic surveys and inventories and their
information products should be scientifically expedient, not
duplicate other studies, and be cognizant of other
biological survey projects (ongoing and completed) in the
same region. Where possible, collaborations with such
endeavors should be developed to maximize the scientific
outcomes. Projects should be planned such that dissemination
of the information gathered during the project occurs as
that information is collected or as soon thereafter as is
reasonably possible.
Scale and Focus: The taxonomic content and geographic,
oceanographic, or geologic scale of a survey or inventory
should constitute a natural and compelling biological focus
and need. The proposed project should involve sampling a
diversity of taxa, rather than only a narrow group of
closely related taxa. Specifically, surveys of single
species or genera are excluded from submission, and surveys
of single families will generally be less competitive. BS&I
encourages surveys that have a very broad taxonomic scale
(e.g., the full array of microorganisms from soil or water
columns; fungi and vascular plants; vertebrates and their
parasites). Similarly, the geographic, geologic, and
logistic scales of surveys should be regional (e.g., the
southeastern U.S., the Orinoco River drainage), national, or
larger. Biogeographic or other definitions of region, based
on scientific rationale, are preferable to geopolitical
definitions. Proposals that focus on little explored regions
of the world and/or especially poorly known segments of the
biota (e.g., prokaryotes, invertebrates, fungi, protists)
are strongly encouraged, as are surveys of little-known
biota of Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites, both
those within the U.S. and in the international LTER network.
Infrastructure: Effective survey and inventory of the
world's biotic diversity will require local commitment and
international cooperation. Proposals for survey activities
in foreign countries must involve host country scientists
and students as well as including U.S. students in the
international activities. Projects in developing countries
should be designed to contribute to the scientific
infrastructure of those countries such that biodiversity
surveys could be continued and expanded after completion of
the BS&I project. Equipment (e.g., vehicles or computers)
purchased on BS&I awards may be left in-country at the
discretion of the awardee; however, those plans should be
detailed in the proposal. Prospective PIs who wish to
establish working relationships with foreign scientists
prior to submitting a BS&I proposal should refer to NSF's
Division of International Programs (INT) International
Opportunities for Scientists and Engineers: Program
Announcement (NSF 96-14). Investigators are encouraged to
contact cognizant program officers in INT for additional
information at (703) 306-1710.
PROPOSAL FORMAT
Information on the preparation of proposals to NSF can be
found under "Proposal Preparation" at
<http://www.nsf.gov/home/grants.htm>. Proposals that do not
conform to NSF 95-27, the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) and to
these program guidelines will be returned unreviewed.
Proposals to the Biotic Survey and Inventory Program should
include the components listed in GPG, in the sequence and
format indicated. The information in each of these
components should be stated as clearly and concisely as
possible for merit review and evaluation by the Program. The
proposal should contain all the elements listed in GPG,
Section C, but particular attention should be devoted to the
following information:
Title: The title of the proposal should indicate clearly the
name(s) of the taxon or taxa to be surveyed-usually the
scientific names, but common names may be included-and of
the country or region in which the research will be
conducted.
Project Summary-Proposal Section A: Maximum length: one
page. Summarize the proposed survey or inventory project,
emphasizing its design, rationale and impact on our
knowledge of biological diversity and other disciplines, and
the societal and educational relevance of the work.
Project Description-Proposal Section C: Include the
following components within the description.
1. Results from Prior NSF Support (maximum length: Five of
the 15 pages of text): Summarize the results of the single,
most recent biotic survey or inventory award that the PI has
received from NSF in the preceding five years (include
proposal number, title, duration, and level of funding). If
previous awards within the past five years do not involve
biotic surveys or inventories, describe a single award to
the PI or co-PI(s) that is most closely related to the
current proposal.
2. Need for the Project: Describe the proposed survey or
inventory including the need and rationale for the project,
with particular reference to the following issues:
   Taxonomic Breadth. Proposals should specify and justify
   the range of taxonomic groups to be sampled. Estimate
   the number of new taxa likely to be discovered by the
   survey and discuss the plans for describing these new
   taxa and producing the electronic information products
   of the work.
   Scale. Investigators should specify and justify the
   geographic or geologic scale of the proposed survey or
   inventory, with emphasis on the rationale for the choice
   of sampling sites. In particular, proposals must discuss
   and assess:
     a) previous and ongoing biotic surveys in the region;
     b) known levels of biotic diversity;
     c) the status of existing collections and of
     information products; and
     d) why these collections and inventories are
     inadequate.
   The Program expects that proposed biotic survey and
   inventory projects will not overlap unnecessarily with
   previous or ongoing endeavors, but rather seek
   collaboration and cooperation with these efforts if
   possible, in order to maximize effectiveness and
   outputs.
   Urgency. Investigators should provide reasons that this
   project is urgently needed. The urgency should be
   reflected in the project management plan and schedule.
   Justifications that involve endangered habitats,
   threatened sites, or vanishing resources should make
   reference to the specific area to be sampled, not simply
   to the broad region. An immediate and intensive
   collecting effort may be required for other reasons
   (such as political difficulty, limited opportunity,
   scientific expediency), in which case PIs should
   indicate the reasons for such urgency.
3. Project Management Plan: Describe the detailed
strategies, protocols, and timetable to be used in
collecting, preparing, documenting, distributing, and
studying the surveyed material. Using tables and figures as
appropriate (these must be included within the 15-page
limit), the project management plan should include:
estimates of the number of sites to be sampled and/or
existing collections to be inventoried; the volume of
material to be collected or inventoried; the data to be
recorded at the time of the survey or inventory; the
repository for new collections and accompanying data sets;
and the electronic means by which these collections data and
other products will be made available to the research
community and other users. Include discussion of the methods
by which the completeness of the survey will be assessed.
   Electronic Products: Describe the electronic database
   and other information-that is, checklists, catalogues,
   manuals, descriptions, taxonomic keys, interactive
   identification systems, or other innovative products.
   The description of database activities must include
   information regarding hardware and software
   specifications, the data model, elements and structure
   of the database, the manner in which specimen records
   will be captured in a quality-controlled manner, and
   capabilities for expansion. Projects that involve LTER
   sites should discuss the use of the LTER network in
   databasing and dissemination of the research results.
   For new collections, investigators are strongly
   encouraged to make use of appropriate Global Positioning
   System (GPS) technology to record locality data, and to
   link the biodiversity databases to a Geographic
   Information System (GIS). Description of database and
   information provision over the World Wide Web should
   include networking protocols, the integration of the
   specimen databases with other electronic information
   resources, and the means by which the availability of
   the products of the research will be sustained into the
   future. The last item may be documented by letters from
   directors of computer centers or other units that house
   WWW servers; such a letter may be included in proposal
   Section I, Supplementary Information.
   Deposition of Specimens: The BS&I Program expects that
   proposals will include descriptions of the arrangements
   for the housing of specimens, cultures, stocks, or
   extracted macromolecules and the accompanying data both
   in the host country (if the work is done outside the
   U.S.) and in the U.S. Funds to defray the costs of
   preparation and storage of the specimens collected
   during the project should be requested in this proposal.
   However, the PI must justify fully this budget request
   both in the text and in the Budget Justification. The
   proposal should include (in proposal section I,
   Supplementary Information) letters from the curators of
   the selected repositories, and these must specifically
   indicate their willingness to accept, to curate, and to
   maintain the collections. It is the intent of the
   program to foster international cooperation in research,
   and the open and accessible sharing of data across
   international boundaries while at the same time assuring
   that specimens collected today will be available for
   study by researchers (of any nationality) now and in the
   future.
   Surveys and Inventories in the United States and its
   Territories: Projects conducted in the United States are
   expected to obey the laws of the state(s) or territories
   included in the geographic region to be surveyed,
   including regulations regarding collecting permits, and
   in accordance with the regulations of the U.S. Fish and
   Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land
   Management, National Park Service, or other responsible
   government agencies. It is expected that the rights of
   private landowners will be respected. If the research is
   to be conducted in whole or in part on one or more LTER
   site(s), letters from the director(s) of those sites
   should be included in the Supplementary Information
   section of the proposal. Evidence that all relevant
   permits and permissions have been obtained will be
   required prior to an award.
   If the proposed survey or inventory involves a
   significant component related to a comprehensive
   synthesis, review, analysis, or evaluation of taxonomy,
   nomenclature, distribution and collections for one or
   more biological groups (selected groups of
   invertebrates, protists, algae and fungi) that are high
   priority for the federal agency members of the
   Integrated Taxonomic Information System partnership
   <http://www.itis.usda.gov/itis/>, it may be eligible for
   potential assistance by ITIS or its member agencies. The
   proposal may be submitted under joint NSF/ITIS aegis for
   support of biodiversity information in these biological
   groups. Survey and inventory proposals with possible
   NSF/ITIS implications must be submitted to the NSF BS&I
   Program, where the proposal will undergo merit review.
   Proposals that are recommended for funding by NSF may,
   at the discretion of BS&I, be forwarded to a joint
   NSF/ITIS steering committee for consideration for
   supplemental funding.
   Surveys and Inventories in the Oceans & U.S. Great
   Lakes: Proposals to survey marine biodiversity that
   require the scheduling of NSF-UNOLS ship time must
   include a complete NSF-UNOLS Request Form (NSF Form
   831). The UNOLS form may be obtained from the Division
   of Ocean Sciences Ship Operations Program, National
   Science Foundation by calling (703) 306-1577, or
   directly from the UNOLS World Wide Web site
   <http://sio.ucsd.edu/supp_groups/shipsked/forms/NSFform.
   html>. If the proposal requires time aboard non-UNOLS
   vessels, the proposal budget must reflect the direct
   cost of ship time. Use of UNOLS or other ship time also
   requires that permits to enter sovereign waters, in
   compliance with international laws of the sea, be
   obtained with the assistance of the U.S. Department of
   State if the researchers plan to collect specimens in
   any nation's sovereign waters. The Ship Operations
   Program of the NSF can assist in these negotiations.
   Contact information can be found in the "general
   divisional information" section of the Geoscience
   Directorate, Division of Ocean Sciences portion of the
   NSF home page <http://www.nsf.gov>.
   Surveys and Inventories in Foreign Countries: For
   surveys in countries other than the United States, the
   proposal must include a description of collaborations
   that have been established with scientists and students
   from the host country, and how these individuals will be
   involved in the project, as well as the arrangements for
   the in-country housing of specimens and data.
   Arrangements to divide the specimens between host
   country institution(s) and U.S. institutions may be
   made, but type specimens and quality representative
   specimens should remain in the host country. Prior to an
   award, PIs must document that they have obtained
   necessary research agreements and all legally required
   collecting, import, and export permits. These documents
   include those needed not only to remove specimens from
   the field, but also those required to export or import
   them across national boundaries, including compliance
   with CITES regulations.
   Surveys and Inventories in Antarctica or Greenland:
   Proposals that involve field work in Antarctica must
   include information about the logistical and operational
   requisites of the proposed research, and any
   environmental impacts. Instructions on proposal
   preparation for research in Antarctica are provided in
   the Program Announcement and Proposal Guide for the
   Antarctic Program of the Office of Polar Programs (OPP),
   currently NSF 96-93, which can be found in the NSF
   Documents Online system <http://www.nsf.gov>.
   Information on working in Antarctica should be obtained
   from the OPP prior to preparation of a proposal. All
   research projects in Greenland must be approved in
   advance by the Government of Denmark as stated in the
   NSF Grant Policy Manual <http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/cpo/gpm95/>,
   Chapter 7, Article 763. Applications for projects in which U.S.
   citizens and U.S. nationals are involved in any way (logistical,
   operational and/or financial support) shall be submitted
   to the Danish Government through diplomatic channels
   (i.e., through the U.S. Department of State and the
   American Embassy, Copenhagen) to the Danish Ministry of
   Foreign Affairs. The Arctic Research Program
   <http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/> of OPP (703-306-1029) can
   assist in the submission of these applications, and
   should be contacted for instructions prior to
   preparation of a proposal.
   Vertebrate Animals: If the proposed research includes
   the collection of vertebrate animals, the PI must
   respond to NSF 95-27 (obtainable from the Documents
   Online system at <http://www.nsf.gov>), the Grant
   Proposal Guide (GPG) section II, part D, paragraph 12,
   subparagraph e.
The Project Management Plan must be included within the 15
pages of proposal text allowed by the GPG. Except as noted
above, none of its elements may be deferred to Special
Information and Supplementary Documentation, Proposal
Section I (see GPG). Section I may only be used to submit
copies of permits, letters of agreement from collaborators,
letters and documentation from curators of institutions in
which specimens will be deposited and from scientists who
will identify particular materials, and letters from
institutions which document that electronic provision of
information generated by BS&I-funded research will be
sustained into the future.
4. Scientific Context: Collection and documentation of
biodiversity alone is not sufficient to conserve that
diversity for posterity; however, it is a necessary first
step. All survey projects should lead to a better
description, record, and understanding of poorly known
taxonomic groups and geographic regions. Lack of knowledge
about the taxa and region, alone, cannot be the sole
justification for a survey or inventory proposal.
Investigators should, therefore, place the proposed survey
and inventory in a broader scientific and/or conservation
context (e.g., whether the collected material will allow
resolution of phylogenetic relationships of taxa, whether
other data can be captured from the specimens, whether
explicit tests can be made of hypotheses about evolutionary
and ecological patterns and processes, whether research may
be stimulated in other areas of inquiry, or how conservation
efforts will be aided). Contextual statements should be
specific, and projects that provide concrete plans or
directions for future research based on the baseline data
generated by the proposed survey or inventory will be more
competitive in the review process. Furthermore, the
specimens (as defined above, under "Deposition of
Specimens") and data should be collected in such a way as to
contribute to later scientific inquiry. However, PIs should
not propose to complete the contextual work as part of the
project described in this proposal.
5. Value-added: The proposed survey or inventory may include
value-added component(s), such as the collection of
additional or more detailed information about the organisms
to be collected during the survey (e.g., ecological and/or
physical context data, or descriptions of indigenous
peoples' uses of the taxa under study). Interactions with
foreign collaborators and training of students and others to
contribute to the infrastructure for biodiversity science in
host countries, as well as the involvement of U.S. students
in the work in other countries, are value-added components.
Projects with meritorious value-added components will fare
better in the competition.
Bibliography-Proposal Section D: List the full names (not
just initials) of authors and the full citation of
publications.
Biographical Sketch(es) -Proposal Section E: Provide a
biographical sketch only for the senior participants (PIs
and co-PIs whose names are listed on the cover page of the
proposal). The biographical sketch for each PI must list the
full names and institutions of that person's collaborators
and co-authors on papers, books, proposals or other works.
The PI's doctoral major professor and post-doctoral
advisor(s), but not members of advisory committees, should
be listed, as well as all of the PI's own doctoral advisees.
Budget-Proposal Section F: The proposal must include a
detailed budget justification, including an especially
detailed breakdown of any foreign costs or support of
foreign scientists or students. The PI should provide a
clear explanation of the need for each listed item (e.g.,
why the PIs propose to purchase equipment or vehicles in the
U.S. and shipping it to the host-country, rather than either
purchasing it in-country or renting it).
PROPOSAL FORMAT AND ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION
Proposals must be prepared following margin and other
quality requirements described on page 3 of the NSF document
Grant Proposal Guide, (GPG) NSF 95-27. The GPG, as well many
other NSF publications, can be obtained from the Documents
Online system at the NSF World Wide Web home page
<http://www.nsf.gov/>. Paper copies of the GPG can be
requested at no cost from:
NSF Publications and Supplies Unit
4201 Wilson Blvd., Room P15
Arlington, VA 22230
Telephone: (703) 307-1130 or
via e-mail: pubs@nsf.gov
Proposals must be submitted electronically using the NSF
FastLane system for electronic proposal submission and
review, available through the World Wide Web at the FastLane
home page (https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov).
In order to use NSF FastLane to prepare and submit a
proposal, you must use a browser that supports multiple
buttons and file upload (e.g., Netscape 2.0 and above for
Windows, UNIX, or Macintosh). In addition, Adobe Acrobat
Reader is needed to view and print forms, and Adobe Acrobat
3.0 (or Adobe Exchange or Distiller) is needed for creating
PDF files. To access the FastLane Proposal Preparation
application, your institution needs to be a registered
FastLane institution. A list of registered institutions and
the FastLane registration form are located on the FastLane
home page.
PROPOSAL REVIEW
Proposals to the Biotic Surveys and Inventories Program will
be reviewed in accordance with NSF policy within six months
following the deadline. Proposals received after the
deadline will not eligible for consideration until the
following competition.  Investigators and institutions may
submit more than one proposal, on different projects, for
the same competition. Each proposal to BS&I will be reviewed
by experts in the particular field represented by the
project and will be evaluated by the Program using the
following criteria adapted from the guidelines for merit
review1 adopted by the National Science Board in March,
1997:
1. What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
The following are suggested questions that the reviewer will
consider in assessing how well the proposal meets this
criterion. Each reviewer will address only those questions
which he/she considers relevant to the proposal and for
which he/she is qualified to make judgments.
How important is the proposed activity to advancing
knowledge and understanding within its own field and across
different fields? How well qualified is the proposer
(individual or team) to conduct the project? 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?
2. What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
The following are suggested questions that the reviewer will
consider in assessing how well the proposal meets this
criterion. Each reviewer will address only those questions
which he/she considers relevant to the proposal and for
which he/she is qualified to make judgments.
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, 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?
Applicants are encouraged to suggest the names and complete
contact information for possible reviewers, and a brief
description of their expertise, in a letter or e-mail to the
Program Director.
AWARD ADMINISTRATION
Awards made as a result of this document are administered in
accordance with the terms and conditions of NSF GC-1, "Grant
General Conditions," or FDP-III, "Federal Demonstration
Partnership General Terms and Conditions," depending on the
grantee organization, or "Cooperative Agreement General
Terms and Conditions." Copies of these documents are
available from the "Grants and Awards" section of the NSF
home page <http://www.nsf.gov/home/grant.htm>, and at no
cost from the NSF Forms and Publications Unit, which may be
contacted via telephone at (703) 306-1130 or Internet at
pubs@nsf.gov. More comprehensive information is contained in
the Grant Policy Manual  (NSF 95-26), for sale through the
Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402. The telephone number of GPO is (202)
783-3238 for subscription information.
Any exceptions to the terms and conditions of GC-1, FDP-III,
or the Cooperative Agreement General Terms and Conditions
should be addressed. If the submitting institution has never
received an NSF award, it is recommended that appropriate
administrative officials become familiar with the policies
and procedures in the Grant Policy Manual that are
applicable to most NSF awards. If a proposal is recommended
for an award, the NSF Division of Grants and Agreements will
request certain organizational, management, and financial
information. These requirements are described in Chapter III
of the Grant Policy Manual.
STUDENT RESEARCH EXPERIENCES SUPPLEMENTS
Organizations with active BS&I awards are invited to submit
requests for supplemental support that will broaden the
research and educational impact of the project.  NSF
announcements about these supplements may be obtained from
the Documents Online system at <http://www.nsf.gov/>.
High School Students
Investigators with active BS&I awards are encouraged to make
contact with local high schools and engage one or more
biology teachers as summer research associates and several
students as research assistants. Most of the students chosen
should be from minority or at-risk groups. In addition to
being employed in the project's research activities, the
students and their teachers may receive training in order to
improve their understanding of biological science and foster
the students' interest in biodiversity-related scientific
careers. Supplements can be requested for summer salary
support for the students and teachers, their supplies,
training by project staff members, and the equipment to be
used. Applicants should follow the currently applicable
guidelines for the program Research Assistantships for
Minority High School Students (NSF 89-39).
Undergraduate Students
Investigators with active BS&I awards have the opportunity
to improve scientific research and education, especially in
organismal biology, by recruiting undergraduate students to
work on BS&I research projects. Supplements can be requested
for student stipends as described in the "REU Supplements"
section of the currently applicable Research Experiences for
Undergraduates (REU) guidelines (NSF 96-102).
OTHER INFORMATION
Inquiries regarding the program or these guidelines and
questions about prospective proposals should be directed to:
Biotic Surveys and Inventories Program
Division of Environmental Biology
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 635
Arlington, VA 22230
Phone: (703) 306-1480
Fax: (703) 306-0817
or via e-mail to the appropriate Program Director, who may
be identified by searching "Directory and Staff" on the NSF
World Wide Web home page, <http://www.nsf.gov>.
The Foundation provides awards for research 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 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", 60 Federal Register 4449 (January 23, 1995), and
NSF-51, "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, 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.
The program described in this announcement is in category
47.074 (BIO) of the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.
1 For additional information on NSF's new merit review
criteria, see the Merit Review Task Force Final Report,
(NSB) 97-72 via the NSF Home Page online document system at
<http://www.nsf.gov.
OMB# 3145-0058
P.T. 34
K.W. 1002146, 1002000, 0404021
CFDA # 47.074
NSF 97-136 (Replaces NSF 94-66)
Electronic Dissemination Only