Title: Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI)
Date: 11/12/02
Replaced: NSF 01-7



Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI)
Instrument Development and Acquisition

Program Solicitation
NSF 01-171

[NSF Logo]   National Science Foundation
             Office of Integrative Activities
             Directorate for Biological Sciences
             Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering
             Directorate for Education and Human Resources
             Directorate for Engineering
             Directorate for Geosciences
             Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
             Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
             Office of Polar Programs



Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m proposer's local time):

     Fourth Thursday in January Annually

REVISIONS AND UPDATES

Revised cost share requirements for non-Ph.D. granting institutions. Cost sharing is no
longer required for non-Ph.D. granting institutions. Additionally, minor word changes were
made for consistency purposes.

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information

Program Title:

     Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI)
     Instrument Development and Acquisition

Synopsis of Program:

     The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) is designed to increase access to
     scientific and engineering equipment for research and research training in our
     Nation's academic institutions. This program seeks to improve the quality and
     expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, and
     to foster the integration of research and education by providing instrumentation
     for research-intensive learning environments.  The MRI program encourages the
     development and acquisition of research instrumentation for shared use across
     academic departments, among research institutions, and in concert with private
     sector partners.

     The MRI program assists in the acquisition or development of major research
     instrumentation by U.S. institutions that is, in general, too costly for support
     through other NSF programs. The maintenance and technical support associated with
     these instruments is also supported. Proposals may be for a single instrument, a
     large system of instruments, or multiple instruments that share a common or
     specific research focus.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

   * Joseph F. Burt, Senior Staff Associate, Office of the Director, Office of Integrative
     Activities, 1270 N, telephone: (703) 292-8040, fax: (703) 292-9040, email:
     jburt@nsf.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

   * 47.074 --- Biological Sciences
   * 47.070 --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering
   * 47.076 --- Education and Human Resources
   * 47.041 --- Engineering
   * 47.050 --- Geosciences
   * 47.049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
   * 47.078 --- Office of Polar Programs
   * 47.075 --- Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

Eligibility Information

   * Organization Limit:

     Proposals may be submitted by U.S. institutions of higher education, independent
     nonprofit research institutions, research museums, and legally recognized consortia. A
     legally recognized consortium may also submit a proposal through a U.S. institution of
     higher education for instrumentation to be used at a Federally Funded Research and
     Development Center (FFRDC). Small businesses are eligible for instrument development
     support as a subaward through submitting U.S. institutions.

     Institutions eligible to participate in the NSF Research in Undergraduate Institutions
     (RUI) program may submit a RUI proposal to the MRI program. Follow all MRI guidelines
     for preparation and submission of your proposal. Identify the proposal as an MRI/RUI
     proposal in the project title on the proposal cover sheet. Include the Certification of
     RUI Eligibility and the RUI Impact Statement as described in the RUI program
     announcement, available at http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf00144.

   * PI Eligibility Limit: None Specified.
   * Limit on Number of Proposals: An institution may submit up to three proposals to the
     MRI program. An institution may submit up to two proposals for instrument acquisition.
     If an institution submits three proposals, at least one of the three proposals
     submitted must be for instrument development. However, two or all three proposals may
     be for instrument development. In addition, an institution may be included as a member
     of a legally recognized consortium submitting a separate proposal, clearly labeled as
     such in the proposal's title.

Award Information

   * Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant
   * Estimated Number of Awards: 300
   * Anticipated Funding Amount: $75,000,000 (pending availability of funds)

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

   * Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: The program announcement/solicitation contains
     supplements to the standard Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) proposal preparation guidelines.
     Please see the full program announcement/solicitation for further information.

B. Budgetary Information

   * Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is Specialized. Please see the full funding
     opportunity document for further information.
   * Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable.
   * Other Budgetary Limitations: Not Applicable.

C. Due Dates

   * Full Proposal Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m proposer's local time):
          Fourth Thursday in January Annually

Proposal Review Information

   * Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit
     review considerations apply. Please see the full funding opportunity document for
     further information.

Award Administration Information

   * Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.
   * Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

     Summary of Program Requirements

  I. Introduction

 II. Program Description

III. Eligibility Information

 IV. Award Information

  V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
       A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
       B. Budgetary Information
       C. Due Dates
       D. FastLane Requirements

 VI. Proposal Review Information
       A. NSF Proposal Review Process
       B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard

VII. Award Administration Information
       A. Notification of the Award
       B. Award Conditions
       C. Reporting Requirements

VIII.Contacts for Additional Information

 IX. Other Programs of Interest

I. INTRODUCTION

The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) is designed to increase access to
scientific and engineering equipment for research and research training in our Nation's
academic institutions. This program seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of
research and research training in science and engineering, and to foster the integration of
research and education by providing instrumentation for research-intensive learning
environments.  The MRI program encourages the development and acquisition of research
instrumentation for shared use across academic departments, among research institutions, and
in concert with private sector partners.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

MRI Program Goals

The goals of the MRI program are to:

   * Support the acquisition, through purchase, upgrade, or development, of major
     state-of-the-art instrumentation for research, research training, and integrated
     research/education activities at U.S. institutions;

   * Improve access to and increase use of modern research and research training
     instrumentation by scientists, engineers, and graduate and undergraduate students;

   * Enable academic departments or cross-departmental units to create well-equipped
     learning environments that integrate research with education;

   * Foster the development of the next generation of instrumentation for research and
     research training; and

   * Promote partnerships between academic researchers and private sector instrument
     developers.

MRI Program Scope

The MRI program assists in the acquisition or development of major research instrumentation
by U.S. institutions that is, in general, too costly for support through other NSF programs.
The maintenance and technical support associated with these instruments is also supported.
Proposals may be for a single instrument, a large system of instruments, or multiple
instruments that share a common or specific research focus. Computer systems, clusters of
advanced workstations, networks, and other information infrastructure components necessary
for research are encouraged. Proposals for computer networks as general-purpose equipment
will not be reviewed. A list of assorted instruments or general lab equipment that do not
share a common or specific research or research training focus will not be reviewed.
Instrumentation requested exclusively for standard Science and Engineering (S&E) courses
will also not be reviewed. This program will not support renovation or modernization of
research facilities or fixed equipment (see definitions). Note: The MRI program will not
review a duplicate proposal submitted to another NSF instrumentation program.

Instrument Development

NSF is stimulating the development of the next generation of research instrumentation by
encouraging institutions to submit proposals that target instrument development. Individual
investigators and teams of researchers are encouraged to apply for instrument development
support.

The academic research enterprise relies on and produces new generations of sophisticated
research instrumentation and software simulations thereof. The right design, development,
and manufacturing processes can yield new instruments that are more widely used, open up new
areas of research and research training, and have potential as commercial products. This
competition seeks to expand the research community's capabilities by supporting the
development of new instruments (or their software simulations) with enhanced performance.
"Performance" includes accuracy; reliability; resolving power; throughput speed; sample
capacity; flexibility of operation; breadth of application; user-friendliness; and cost of
acquisition, operation, and maintenance.

NSF particularly encourages collaborations between disciplinary scientists who are
knowledgeable in unique instrumentation areas and private sector experts in the area of
instrument manufacture. Working together within a framework of concurrent engineering, such
partnerships have the potential to create new products with wide scientific and commercial
impact. (NSF does not consider the acquisition of individual pieces of equipment to be
combined in a new system to be instrument development.) These academic research/private
sector partnerships must be performed in the United States. The "United States" is defined
as the 50 states, territories and possessions of the United States, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Trust Territory of the
Pacific Islands, and the District of Columbia.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Eligible Institutions

Proposals may be submitted by U.S. institutions of higher education, independent nonprofit
research institutions, research museums, and legally recognized consortiums of eligible
institutions. A legally recognized consortium may also submit a proposal through a
U.S. institution of higher education for instrumentation to be used at a Federally Funded
Research and Development Center (FFRDC). Small businesses are eligible for instrument
development support as private sector partners with submitting universities.

Institutions eligible to participate in the NSF Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI)
program may submit a RUI proposal to the MRI program. Follow all MRI guidelines for
preparation and submission of your proposal. Identify the proposal as an MRI/RUI proposal in
the project title on the proposal cover sheet. Include the Certification of RUI Eligibility
and the RUI Impact Statement as described in the RUI program announcement, available at
http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf00144.

Proposal Limit

An institution may submit up to three proposals to the MRI program.  An institution may
submit up to two proposals for instrument acquisition. If an institution submits three
proposals, at least one of the three proposals submitted must be for instrument development.
However, two or all three proposals may be for instrument development. In addition, an
institution may be included as a member of a legally recognized consortium submitting a
separate proposal, clearly labeled as such in the proposal's title.

Eligible Fields of Science and Engineering

Proposals will be considered for instrumentation used for any NSF-supported field of
science, mathematics, and engineering. The research activities using this instrumentation
need not be supported by NSF or the Federal government. The program will not provide support
for instrumentation to be used in medical research and education paradigms or in the conduct
of disease-oriented research, including the etiology, diagnosis or treatment of physical or
mental disease, abnormality or malfunction in human beings or animals, or the design and
testing of drugs for treatment of such conditions.

Eligible Project Costs

Eligible project costs are those total project costs (comprising the NSF award plus the
institution's cost sharing, if required) that are properly and reasonably allocable to the
research instrumentation based on the percentage of time that it is used for research and
research training. For instrument acquisition proposals, eligible project costs include
costs of instrument purchase, installation, commissioning, and calibration. The direct and
indirect costs of operation, maintenance, and other appropriate technical support during the
award period are also eligible. For instrument development proposals, eligible project costs
include all of the items listed above, as well as the direct and indirect costs associated
with support for personnel engaged in the instrument development effort.  Direct and
indirect costs associated with research projects to be conducted using the requested
instrumentation (including researchers' salary and students' stipends) are not eligible
costs under the MRI program.

IV. AWARD INFORMATION

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be competing for about $75
million, pending availability of funds, in Fiscal Year 2003. The overall proposal funding
rate for the FY 2002 MRI competition was approximately 40%. In Fiscal year 2002, awards to
non-Ph.D. granting institutions totaled approximately 30% of the available funding of $75
million. This funding rate for non-Ph.D. granting institutions is expected to continue in FY
2003.

Awards for instrumentation will range from $100,000 to $2 million. Proposals requesting
funding at the low end of this range tend to have a higher funding rate than proposals at
the high end. The average MRI award amount for the period FY1997-FY2002 was approximately
$312,000.

Proposals requesting less than $100,000 will be considered only from non-Ph.D. granting
institutions, or from the disciplines of mathematical science or social, behavioral, and
economic science at any eligible institution. Proposers may request an award period up to
three years for acquisition proposals and up to five years for development proposals.

V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Full Proposal Instructions:

Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement/solicitation should be prepared
and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal
Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF Website at:
http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF
Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (301) 947-2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

In addition to the GPG, MRI proposals must be prepared in accordance with all applicable
FastLane guidelines and with the following instructions: (Note: Where these instructions and
those in the Grant Proposal Guide do not agree, these instructions take precedence.)

  1. Cover Sheet. On the cover sheet, where asked to identify a program
     announcement/solicitation number, select the number for this solicitation, "NSF 01-171
     Major Research Instrumentation program solicitation." Where asked to identify the NSF
     Unit Consideration, select the appropriate Division to consider your proposal. "Major
     Research Instrumentation" will be automatically selected as the program for your
     proposal.

     The project title should identify the scientific discipline(s) for which the
     instrumentation is requested, should convey the primary purpose of the proposal, e.g.,
     "Acquisition of ____" or "Development of ____," and should specify if the proposal is
     being submitted by a consortium. The requested amount shown on the cover page should be
     the amount requested from NSF, not the total eligible project costs.

  2. Project Summary (Maximum length, 1 page). Describe the proposed major research
     instrumentation, the type of research/research training conducted, and the activity
     that would result if NSF funds the project.

  3. Project Description (Maximum length, 15 pages, including all figures and charts).
     Please note: When preparing the Project Description in FastLane, this section must
     include items (a)-(e). If item (a), "Results from Prior NSF Support," is not
     applicable, the project description should contain items (b)-(e).

       a. Results from Prior NSF Support (Suggested maximum length, 5 pages). Include this
          section only if the PI(s) has received NSF support for instrumentation.

       b. Research Activities (Suggested maximum length, 10 pages; 6 suggested for
          instrument development). Describe the research and research training activities
          and projects to be conducted with the desired instrumentation, and sources of
          support, if any. In narrative or tabular form, list by number and type (e.g.,
          senior personnel, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduate students)
          the personnel who will use the instrumentation for research and research training
          on a regular basis. Letters of support should be scanned into the Supplementary
          Documents section of your FastLane proposal and submitted electronically as part
          of your proposal.

       c. Description of the Research Instrumentation and Needs (Suggested maximum length, 2
          pages; 6 suggested for instrumentation development). Provide a technical
          description of the requested instrumentation, including manufacturer and model
          number. Proposers are strongly encouraged to submit manufacturers' quotes for
          instrument acquisition proposals. Written quotes from manufacturers should be
          scanned into the Supplementary Documents section of your FastLane proposal and
          submitted electronically as part of the proposal. The description should be
          comprehensive enough to allow reviewers to evaluate the extent to which the
          equipment is essential and appropriate. A listing and/or description of related
          instrumentation currently available at or near the submitting institution should
          be provided, and the request should be justified in this context. For development
          of new instrumentation, present the design concept, rationale, and development
          methods in sufficient detail to allow evaluation of its technical feasibility.
          Provide preliminary results from existing equipment, or appropriate calculations
          or models to show the performance (e.g., sensitivity, capacity, stability,
          resolution or signal-to-noise ratio) to be achieved by the new instrument. Justify
          the necessity and adequacy of the new instrumentation for the proposed research
          projects, with reference to existing instruments.

       d. Impact of Infrastructure Projects (Suggested maximum length, 2 pages). Describe
          how the instrumentation will contribute to meeting the research and educational
          goals of the institution or consortium. Indicate how the instrumentation will
          attract researchers and students, particularly underrepresented groups and women
          pursuing advanced degrees in science and engineering, and improve the quality of
          their research training. (For example, the proposal could demonstrate that faculty
          at women's colleges and minority-serving institutions will have access to the
          instrumentation.) For instrument development proposals, discuss the potential
          impact of this activity on the Nation's academic research infrastructure. Describe
          how students will be involved and how their education will be enhanced through
          development efforts. If the development effort involves a private sector partner,
          submit a letter of agreement describing their role. This letter should be scanned
          into the Supplementary Documents section of your FastLane proposal and submitted
          electronically as part of the proposal.

       e. Project and Management Plans (Suggested maximum length, 1 page). Outline
          procedures for allocating instrument time if appropriate. Describe user fees if
          any are planned. Provide plans for the maintenance, operation, and technical
          support of the instrumentation, and for attracting new users. Where appropriate,
          describe management plans for instrument development oversight where third parties
          are involved.

  4. Biographical Sketches. Your proposal must include the two-page biographical sketches of
     the PI, Co-PI(s), and senior personnel who are major users of the relevant research
     instrumentation, in accordance with GPG Chapter II, Section 5.a. through e. Also,
     identify the individual responsible for the instrumentation and provide his/her brief
     vita, including relevant experience. DO NOT send copies of publications. Where the
     number of senior personnel is large, limit the number of biographical sketches.

  5. Budget and Funding. Provide a single cumulative budget page presenting only those
     eligible project costs that NSF is being asked to fund. Cost sharing should be shown on
     Line M on the proposal budget.  In FastLane, enter your cumulative budget in Budget
     Year 1. FastLane will automatically fill out a cumulative budget for your proposal.
     (Note:  Refer to the section on Budgetary Information later in this solicitation for
     step-by-step instructions for calculating cost sharing.)  The budget justification,
     which must not exceed three pages, should itemize and explain all eligible project
     costs, assign each to either the NSF request or institutional cost sharing, and explain
     the basis for all cost estimates. Specify the sources and amounts of cost-sharing funds
     (e.g., state appropriations, department funds, private sources); the steps necessary to
     obtain cost-sharing funds; and a projection of when they will be available.

     A letter to the Director, OIA, of commitment to cost sharing from the appropriate
     institutional officer must be scanned into the Supplementary Documents section of your
     FastLane proposal and submitted electronically as part of the proposal. The letter of
     institutional cost-sharing commitment should state the amount and source of eligible
     cost sharing and should assure availability and commitment of these funds during the
     proposed award period. Documentation indicating price quotes of large items must also
     be scanned and submitted as part of the proposal.

  6. Current and Pending Support. Provide a form for the PI, Co-PI(s), and each major user
     of the instrumentation for whom a biographical sketch is submitted. If an individual
     has no current or pending support (other than this proposal), completion of the form is
     not required.

  7. Facilities, Equipment, and Other Resources. This section is not required for Major
     Research Instrumentation proposals.

  8. Letters. A Letter to the Director, OIA, of Institutional Cost-Sharing Commitment
     (required), Letters of Industrial Partnership (optional), Letters of Support
     (optional), and Manufacturers' quotes should be scanned into the Supplementary
     Documents section of your FastLane proposal and submitted electronically as part of the
     proposal. Hardcopies should not be mailed to NSF.

  9. List of Suggested Reviewers (optional). Proposers may include a list of suggested
     reviewers whom they believe are especially well qualified to review the proposal.
     Proposers may also list persons they would prefer not review the proposal, indicating
     why.

NOTE: No other items are to be included. Proposals containing items other than those
required above and required by the GPG will not be reviewed.

Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation number ((01-171))
in the program announcement/solicitation block on the proposal Cover Sheet. Compliance with
this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines.
Failure to submit this information may delay processing.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:

The minimum award from NSF will be $100,000 (except for awards to non-Ph.D. granting
institutions or awards to any eligible institution in the mathematical sciences or the
social, behavioral, or economic sciences) and the maximum award will be $2 million. The
minimum and maximum award amounts represent NSF's contribution to the project and do not
include the institution's cost sharing.

For the purposes of the MRI program, a Non-Ph.D. granting institution is defined as a two-
or four-year college or university that has produced fewer than 20 Ph.D.'s or D.Sci.'s in
all NSF-supported disciplines during the two previous academic years. The following sections
explain how to calculate the cost sharing requirement for your MRI proposal, how to enter
your cost sharing amount and requested amount in the proposal budget, and what costs may be
included in your cost sharing.

Cost Sharing for Acquisition Proposals

Cost sharing is not required for non-Ph.D. granting institutions. For Ph.D. granting
institutions, cost sharing at a level of 30% of total eligible project costs is required.
To calculate your cost sharing requirement for an acquisition proposal:

  1. Add all eligible project costs for your proposal to determine total project cost. These
     costs include cost of purchase, installation, commissioning, and calibration of the
     instrumentation; and direct and indirect costs of operation, maintenance, and other
     appropriate technical support (including related personnel and supply costs) during the
     award period.
  2. If you are a Ph.D. granting institution, your cost sharing requirement is 30% of your
     total project cost.
  3. Enter your cost sharing amount, as determined above, on Line M of the proposal budget.
     All entries in the column titled, "Funds Requested By Proposer," on the proposal budget
     should reflect only those costs that you are requesting from NSF. Line L should reflect
     the total amount that you are requesting from NSF.
  4. For acquisition proposals, cost sharing may include partial purchase of the
     instrumentation and costs of instrument installation and calibration. In addition, an
     institution may provide as cost sharing the direct and indirect costs of supplies and
     personnel directly associated with operation and maintenance of the instrumentation, up
     to a limit equivalent to 10% of the total instrument hardware cost, in each year of the
     award period (up to three years).

Note: Manufacturers' discounts are encouraged for reducing total project cost, but are not
eligible institutional cost sharing.

Cost Sharing for Development Proposals

Cost sharing is not required for non-Ph.D. granting institutions. For Ph.D. granting
institutions, cost sharing at a level of 30% of total equipment cost is required. To
calculate your cost sharing requirement for a development proposal:

  1. Determine total equipment cost by adding all equipment costs to be included in your
     proposal. NSF defines equipment as an item of property that has an acquisition cost of
     $5,000 or more (unless the organization has established lower levels) and an expected
     service life of more than one year. This cost is entered on line D of the proposal
     budget.
  2. If you are a Ph.D. granting institution, your cost sharing is 30% of total equipment
     cost.
  3. Enter your cost sharing amount, as determined above, on Line M of the proposal budget.
     All entries in the column titled, "Funds Requested By Proposer," on the proposal budget
     should reflect only those costs that you are requesting from NSF. Line L should reflect
     the total amount that you are requesting from NSF.
  4. For development proposals, cost sharing may include all costs that are eligible to be
     included as cost sharing for instrument acquisition projects. In addition, an
     institution may provide as cost sharing the direct and indirect costs of supplies and
     personnel directly associated with instrument design, development, operation, and
     maintenance, up to a limit equivalent to 10% of the total instrument hardware cost, in
     each year of the award period (up to five years).

Note: Manufacturers' discounts are encouraged for reducing total project cost, but are not
eligible institutional cost sharing.

Cost sharing must occur during the award period.

The proposed cost sharing must be shown on Line M on the proposal budget. Documentation of
the availability of cost sharing must be included in the proposal. Only items which would be
allowable under the applicable cost principles, if charged to the project, may be included
as the awardee's contribution to cost sharing. Contributions may be made from any
non-Federal source, including non-Federal grants or contracts, and may be cash or in-kind
(see OMB Circular A-110, Section 23). It should be noted that contributions counted as
cost-sharing toward projects of another Federal agency may not be counted towards meeting
the specific cost-sharing requirements of the NSF award. All cost-sharing amounts are
subject to audit. Failure to provide the level of cost-sharing reflected in the approved
award budget may result in termination of the NSF award, disallowance of award costs and/or
refund of award funds to NSF.

C. Due Dates

Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s):

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m proposer's local time):

     Fourth Thursday in January Annually

Full proposals must be submitted via FastLane by 5:00 PM, submitter's local time, on the
fourth Thursday of January, 2003, and annually thereafter.

All supplementary documents, including the required letter of cost sharing commitment, any
letters of support, letter of industrial partnership, and manufacturers' price quotes, must
be uploaded or scanned into the Supplementary Documents section of your FastLane proposal
and submitted as part of the proposal. Do not send hard copies to NSF.

D. FastLane Requirements

Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this
announcement/solicitation through the FastLane system. Detailed instructions for proposal
preparation and submission via FastLane are available at:
http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. 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. Specific questions
related to this program announcement/solicitation should be referred to the NSF program
staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this announcement/solicitation.

Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized Organizational
Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the proposal Cover Sheet to submit the
required proposal certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for
a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic
certifications within five working days following the electronic submission of the proposal.
Proposers are no longer required to provide a paper copy of the signed Proposal Cover Sheet
to NSF. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website
at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov

VI. PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION

A. NSF Proposal Review Process

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

The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating proposals at its meeting
on March 28, 1997 (NSB 97-72). All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two merit
review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required
to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

On July 8, 2002, the NSF Director issued Important Notice 127, Implementation of new Grant
Proposal Guide Requirements Related to the Broader Impacts Criterion. This Important Notice
reinforces the importance of addressing both criteria in the preparation and review of all
proposals submitted to NSF. NSF continues to strengthen its internal processes to ensure
that both of the merit review criteria are addressed when making funding decisions.

In an effort to increase compliance with these requirements, the January 2002 issuance of
the GPG incorporated revised proposal preparation guidelines relating to the development of
the Project Summary and Project Description. Chapter II of the GPG specifies that Principal
Investigators (PIs) must address both merit review criteria in separate statements within
the one-page Project Summary. This chapter also reiterates that broader impacts resulting
from the proposed project must be addressed in the Project Description and described as an
integral part of the narrative.

Effective October 1, 2002, NSF will return without review proposals that do not separately
address both merit review criteria within the Project Summary. It is believed that these
changes to NSF proposal preparation and processing guidelines will more clearly articulate
the importance of broader impacts to NSF-funded projects.

The two National Science Board approved merit review criteria are listed below (see the
Grant Proposal Guide Chapter III.A for further information). The criteria include
considerations that help define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will
apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria,
reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are relevant to the
proposal being considered and for which he/she is qualified to make judgements.

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

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

NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making funding decisions:

     Integration of Research and Education
     One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of
     research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at
     academic and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities
     where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators,
     and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the
     excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learning
     perspectives.

     Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
     Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens -- women and
     men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities -- is essential to the
     health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of
     diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers
     and supports.

     Additional Review Criteria

     In addition to the evaluation criteria stated above, NSF will consider the following
     the factors in making MRI awards:

        * Partnering with the private sector for instrument development;
        * The ability to demonstrate the shared use of the instruments for research and/or
          research training;

        * Whether the research and/or research training served by the instrumentation
          advances the goals and aligns with the goals and core strategies articulated in
          the Foundation's strategic plan (available on the NSF homepage at
          http://www.nsf.gov);

        * Commitment of the MRI program to supporting quality proposals from non-Ph.D.
          granting and minority-serving institutions;

        * Geographic distribution and distribution across Ph.D. and non-Ph.D. granting
          institutions;and

        * Management plans for oversight of acquisition of instruments to be developed by
          third parties.

B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard

All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons outside NSF who are
experts in the particular field represented by the proposal. Proposals submitted in response
to this announcement/solicitation will be reviewed by Ad Hoc and/or panel review.

Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each
proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the
advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each
reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of
reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, are sent to the Principal
Investigator/Project Director by the Program Director. In addition, the proposer will
receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.

NSF is striving to be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have been declined or
recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the date of receipt.
The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

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

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the
Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be
advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program Division administering the
program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be
provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See section VI.A. for additional
information on the review process.)

B. Award Conditions

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

*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at
http://www.nsf.gov/home/grants/grants_gac.htm. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF
Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (301) 947-2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions is contained in the NSF Grant Policy
Manual (GPM) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at
http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpm. The GPM is also for sale through the Superintendent
of Documents, Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402. The telephone number
at GPO for subscription information is (202) 512-1800. The GPM may be ordered through the
GPO Website at http://www.gpo.gov.

C. Reporting Requirements

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

Within 90 days after the expiration of an award, the PI also is required to submit a final
project report. Failure to provide final technical reports delays NSF review and processing
of pending proposals for the PI and all Co-PIs. PIs should examine the formats of the
required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project reporting system, available through
FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports. This system
permits electronic submission and updating of project reports, including information on
project participants (individual and organizational), activities and findings, publications,
and other specific products and contributions. PIs will not be required to re-enter
information previously provided, either with a proposal or in earlier updates using the
electronic system.

VIII. CONTACTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

   * Joseph F. Burt, Senior Staff Associate, Office of the Director, Office of Integrative
     Activities, 1270 N, telephone: (703) 292-8040, fax: (703) 292-9040, email:
     jburt@nsf.gov

General inquiries about the NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program should be addressed
to:

     Office of Integrative Activities
     Major Research Instrumentation Program
     National Science Foundation, Room 1270
     4201 Wilson Boulevard
     Arlington, VA  22230
     (703) 292-8040

E-Mail: mri@nsf.gov

The Office of Polar Programs strongly encourages MRI proposals related to all aspects of
polar research supported by the Foundation. For any proposals requiring access to the polar
regions or polar logistical support, investigators must contact appropriate OPP program
managers for guidance about submitting information needed to assess logistical support
requirements. This should be done during proposal development. For proposals requiring
access to the arctic, contact Simon Stephenson (703-292-7435 or sstephen@nsf.gov). For
proposals requiring access to the antarctic, contact one of the following managers:  for
projects related to antarctic marine research, contact Alexander Sutherland (703-292-8032 or
alsuther@nsf.gov); for all other antarctic projects, contact Brian Stone (703-292-8032 or
bstone@nsf.gov).

For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:

   * Fastlane Help Desk, telephone: 1-800-673-6188, email: fastlane@nsf.gov

IX. OTHER PROGRAMS OF INTEREST

The NSF Guide to Programs is a compilation of funding for research and education in science,
mathematics, and engineering. The NSF Guide to Programs is available electronically at
http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gp. General descriptions of NSF programs, research areas,
and eligibility information for proposal submission are provided in each chapter.

Many NSF programs offer announcements or solicitations concerning specific proposal
requirements. To obtain additional information about these requirements, contact the
appropriate NSF program offices. Any changes in NSF's fiscal year programs occurring after
press time for the Guide to Programs will be announced in the NSF E-Bulletin, which is
updated daily on the NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin, and in individual
program announcements/solicitations. Subscribers can also sign up for NSF's Custom News
Service (http://www.nsf.gov/home/cns/start.htm) to be notified of new funding opportunities
that become available.

                      RELATED NSF PROGRAMS FOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION

    Program Title                            Brochure                           Telephone

 Chemistry Research  NSF 00-81                                                  703-292-4953
 Instrumentation
 and Facilities

 Instrumentation     NSF 02-009                                                 703-292-4943
 for Materials
 Research

 Advanced            No Publication #                                           703-292-4892
 Technologies and
 Instrumentation     http://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/ati.htm
 Program, Division
 of Astronomical
 Sciences

 Scientific          NSF 01-16                                                  703-292-4863
 Computing Research
 Environment for
 the Mathematical
 Sciences

 Earth Sciences      Earth Sciences? Website:                                   703-292-8558
 Instrumentation
 and Facilities      http://www.geo.nsf.gov/ear/if/guide.htm

 Ocean Technology    Ocean Sciences' Website:                                   703-292-8580
 and
 Interdisciplinary   http://www.geo.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/showprog.pl?id=39&div=oce
 Coordination
 Program (OTIC)      No Publication #

 Oceanographic       NSF 00-39                                                  703-292-8580
 Instrumentation
 Program (Shipboard  http://www.geo.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/showprog.pl?id=47&div=oce
 instrumentation
 only)

 Instrument          NSF 98-119                                                 703-292-8470
 Development for
 Biological          (electronic only)
 Research

 Multi-user          NSF 98-137                                                 703-292-8470
 Biological
 Equipment and       (electronic only)
 Instrumentation
 Resources

 Computer and        NSF 96-15                                                  703-292-8980
 Information
 Science and
 Engineering
 Minority
 Institutions
 Infrastructure
 (MII)

 Computer            NSF 00-5                                                   703-292-8980
 Information
 Science and
 Engineering
 Research
 Infrastructure
 (RI)

 Computer and        NSF 01-100                                                 703-292-8980
 Information
 Science and
 Engineering
 Research Resources
 (CISE-RR)

 Information         NSF 02-168                                                 703-292-8900
 Technology
 Research (ITR)

 Small Business      NSF 01-28                                                  703-292-8330
 Innovation
 Research (SBIR)

Information on the above NSF Instrumentation Programs can be retrieved by accessing the
individual Directorate websites on the NSF Home page (http://www.nsf.gov).

X. DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply to the Major Research Instrumentation Program and this
program solicitation:

Consortia: Legally recognized groups consisting exclusively of two or more eligible
institutions. For the purposes of evaluation and review, a consortium proposal will be
identified with the institution where the requested research instrumentation is located.

Fixed Equipment: The permanent components of a research facility that are integral (i.e.,
built in, rather than affixed) to the facility (e.g., clean rooms, fume hoods, elevators,
laboratory casework); their removal would affect the integrity or basic operation of the
facility.

Independent Nonprofit Research Institutions: Independent legal entities, other than
institutions of higher education, which are generally recognized as separately incorporated,
nonprofit, tax exempt organizations, and which conduct research as one of their primary
purposes.

Institution: A separate legal and fiscal entity, whether at the central or system level,
main campus level, or branch campus level, which can receive awards and which is separately
and consistently identified at that level by NSF.

Institutions of Higher Education: Institutions legally authorized and accredited at the
college level by a nationally recognized accrediting agency to offer and which are offering
at least a two-year program of college-level studies leading toward a degree.

Instrument Development: Development of new instruments (or their software simulations) with
enhanced performance. "Performance" includes: accuracy; reliability; resolving power;
throughput speed; sample capacity; flexibility of operation; breadth of application; and
user-friendliness. NSF does not consider the acquisition of individual pieces of equipment
to be combined in a new system to be instrument development.

Minority Serving Institutions: Historically Black Colleges and Universities defined as "part
B institutions" by section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2))
and other institutions whose enrollments are: (a) more than 50 percent of a combination of
any of the following groups: Alaskan Native (Eskimo or Aleut), American Indian, Black or
African American, Hispanic, or Native Pacific Islander; or (b) 20 percent or more of any one
of the above eligible minorities.

Non-Ph.D. Granting Institutions: Two- and four-year colleges and universities that have
produced fewer than 20 Ph.D.'s or D.Sci.'s in all NSF-supported disciplines during the two
previous academic years.

Private Sector: A business that is: 1) independently owned and operated, has its principal
place of business in the United States, and is organized for profit; and 2) at least 51
percent owned, or in the case of a publicly owned business, at least 51 percent of its
voting stock is owned by United States citizens or lawfully admitted permanent resident
aliens.

Research Facilities: The bricks-and-mortar physical plant in which sponsored or unsponsored
research activities (including research training) take place, including related
infrastructure, systems (e.g., HVAC and power systems, toxic waste removal systems), and
fixed equipment.

Research Museums: Independent nonprofit science museums, zoological parks, aquaria, natural
history museums, etc., which conduct research as one of their primary purposes.

Research Training: Training of individuals (including advanced undergraduates, graduate
students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty) in research techniques where such activities
utilize the same facilities as research activities. Research training does not include
introductory science or engineering instruction, whether in a classroom or instructional
laboratory.



ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

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

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

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-supported projects. See
the GPG Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of
proposals.

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

          To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download
          copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the
          NSF Website at http://www.nsf.gov

                 * Location:                       4201 Wilson Blvd.
                                                   Arlington, VA 22230
                 * For General Information         (703) 292-5111
                   (NSF Information Center):
                 * TDD (for the hearing-impaired): (703) 292-5090

                 * To Order Publications or Forms:

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

                          or telephone:            (301) 947-2722

                 * To Locate NSF Employees:        (703) 292-5111

PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS

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

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an
information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number
for this collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne
Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Division of Administrative Services, National Science
Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.

OMB control number: 3145-0058.


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