Special Evening Session: The Business of NASA Research

August 22, 2006 Evening Session

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Proposals: Solicitation

Research Opportunities in Earth and Space Science (ROSES)- annual omnibus solicitation- topics solicited in a ROSES element (A.#)- proposal requirements and Guidebook Other solicitations: AO’s and special casesUnsolicited Proposals- being discouraged in favor of responses to ROSES- still appropriate for workshops and supporting activities and still an option if a really relevant and innovative idea just doesn’t fit All-electronic process (NSPIRES and grants.gov)

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Proposals: Review Process

Peer Review- scientific experts: individual, panel or combination of both (as in NRA or our call)- balance of expertise, with due care to avoid conflict-of-interest - criteria: relevance, scientific merit, cost reasonableness- redacted budgets for peer reviewersProgrammatic Review- HQ program managers & scientists; use same criteria, but focus more on relevance and cost- involves program/portfolio priorities and balance and, possibly, other external considerations

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Proposals: Selection Process

Selection made by Selecting Official noted in NRA- Program/Technical Officer makes, documents and justifies recommendation- Selection recommendation presented to Earth Science Steering Committee for concurrence- Program/Technical Officer drafts letters for Selecting Official to sign- Letters signed and selection announced on NSPIRES web page- There is now an official process for requesting re-consideration

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Awards & Their Administration

Award instrument (grant, cooperative agreement, contract, interagency transfer, training grant) chosen by NASA or may be specified in NRA Grant and cooperative agreement awards now made by NSSC (new contractor at NASA SSC) Contracts and interagency transfers still done by “HQ” office at NASA GSFC NASA is moving to an all-electronic process – revised budgets and progress reports included Annual progress reports required 3 mos. in advance of award anniversary date - basic information, do not need to be elaborate- include update on spending; adjust if needed (declare carryover, etc.)

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Costing and Why We Keep Bugging You about It!

Costing is a perennial issue in the NASA research program- sequence of events: appropriate, commit, obligate, cost- costing occurs after the funded institution reports back to NASA that the funds have been expended and NASA enters the report into its financial management system – until that time, NASA views those committed and obligated funds as still available to do NASA work- uncosted carryover from previous fiscal years is considered adequate reason to reduce funds available to the program in the current fiscal year

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Awards & Their Administration

NASA has several new data and financial management tools, and transition(s) have not been smooth . . . more are coming- NSPIRES (proposal, peer review modules in place; selection module to come; Task Book may follow)- IFMP / SAP – upgrade this fall- Full-cost accounting for NASA Centers- RAPTOR (to replace SysEYFUS and RATS)

- NSSC for new grants and cooperative agreements started May, 2006- GSFC will administer older grants and cooperative agreements through close out

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NASA Science Mission Directorate

TASK BOOK

A Web-based electronic annual report submission and data collection tool. The public search engine is in development.Went online with first group of Terrestrial Ecology tasks on April 1, 2005.The information requested for each task consists of a description, progress, number of students/post-docs, publications, and other accomplishments (e.g., presentations, awards, etc.) for each year of funding. This is an isolated database—not connected to SYSEYFUS or NSPIRES (NSPIRES Task Book development is anticipated).The Task Book provides a vehicle for NASA to receive annual reports. The “approval” process is for public search engine purposes only.

For further information, please contact :Julie Prowe, NRESS Task Book Editor, (202) 479-9030 x431

jprowe@nasaprs.com

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TASK BOOK

http://taskbook.nasaprs.com/science/taskbookYour role will determine how the site displays and what data you are able to view.Screenshots for the NASA Monitor/Program Scientist pages follow. The information collected is in two parts: data entry to the site and an uploaded, confidential PDF file.The requirements for the PDF file are flexible. Direct additional data collection requirements to Task Book Editor.

NASA Science Mission Directorate

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