 EPSCoR
Dear EPSCoR Colleagues:
The NSF EPSCoR Office staff has received several inquiries regarding the NSF EPSCoR RII solicitation (NSF 05-589). Below, I have noted these general questions along with the Office's responses:
1. Is evidence for the jurisdiction's commitment of resources and
facilities to sustain and support the project subject to evaluation
during merit review?
Office Response: Yes. This evidence of a jurisdiction's commitment
will be considered part of the project's sustainability plan, which is one
of the listed evaluation criteria in the RII solicitation.
Therefore, any included commitments in the submitted proposals will be
evaluated as part of the overall merit review process.
2. Are the commitments identified in such submitted evidence subject
to potential audit?
Office Response: Yes. The recent recommendation from both the NSF
Policy Office as well as the Cost Analysis and Audit Resolution Branch is
to assume that such commitments may be audited. In the past, only
formal cost sharing commitments identified on Line M of the NSF budget
form were audited. Now, in the new environment of no required cost
sharing, we are cautioned that all the identified costs associated
with an award's activities are subject to potential audit.
3. Are the sustainability plans for the science and technology
enterprise intended to cover the research activities identified in the
proposal as well as the education/outreach activities?
Office Response: Yes. The term "science and technology enterprise"
encompasses the project-linked research, education, and outreach
activities.
4. What is the rationale for the specific wording of "tightly focused
research areas" in the solicitation?
Office Response: Jurisdictions should keep in mind that one targeted
outcome for RII projects may be the future development of a Strength-Based Research Collaborative (SBRC) proposal and theprocurement of a subsequent SBRC award. In this case, a RII project that
is theme-focused will likely provide a better infrastructure platform for developing and launching a subsequent SBRC, which will target the combined goals of national competitiveness and sustainability in a specific research area. The wording in the solicitation is also based on recommendations stated in the "Resource Manual for EPSCoR States and Jurisdictions'", which was produced as a result of the June 2003 workshop in Wyoming. Page 12 of this latter document notes that EPSCoR jurisdictions should "select a niche to establish a competitive position" and that they should "remember to focus, focus, focus".
Best regards,
Sherry Farwell
Director,
NSF EPSCoR
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