Published March 5, 2024, via Research News
A revised version of the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (NSF 24-1) has been issued.
The new PAPPG will be effective for proposals submitted or due on or after Monday, May 20, 2024. Significant changes include:
- Clarification that the 5 p.m. submitter’s local time is tied to the organization, and not the location of the PI.
- Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs:
- New section establishing that individuals who are a party to a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program are not eligible to serve as a senior/key person on an NSF proposal.
- The Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support documents require the individual to certify prior to proposal submission that the information provided is accurate, current, and complete, and that the individual is not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program
- Pursuant to Section 10632 (42 U.S.C. § 19232), each identified as senior/key person must certify prior to proposal submission that they are not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program and annually thereafter for the duration of the award.
- Certification Regarding Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs: In accordance with Section 10632 of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. § 19232), the AOR must certify that all individuals identified as senior/key personnel have been made aware of and have complied with their responsibility under that section to certify that the individual is not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.
- Updated guidance serves as NSF’s implementation of the biographical sketch common form developed by the National Science and Technology Council’s Research Security Subcommittee.
- This section has been revised to remove the 3-page limitation for the biographical sketch. There is no page limitation for this section of the proposal.
- The Synergistic Activities section has been removed from the biographical sketch. This information must now be submitted by individuals designated as senior/key persons as part of the senior/key personnel documents in Research.gov.
- Mentoring Plan has been expanded to address the revision of the America COMPETES Act of 2022 requiring a mentoring plan for postdoctoral researchers or graduate students supported on the project. This page limitation for the Mentoring Plan remains one page.
- Projects Requiring Advanced Computing, Data, and Analysis Capabilities has been updated with revised instructions for projects that require such resources.
- Individual Development Plans for Postdoctoral Scholars or Graduate Students, implements Section 10313 (42 U.S.C. § 18993) of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 requirement for postdoctoral scholars or graduate students who receive substantial NSF support must have an Individual Development Plan which is required to be updated annually.
- New coverage on the use of concept outlines and the required use of the Program Suitability and Proposal Concept Tool (ProSPCT) for submission.
You are encouraged to review the by-chapter Summary of Changes provided in the Introduction section of the PAPPG.
NSF will present information about these changes in a webinar on Tuesday, March 12th at 2 p.m. (EST). Sign up on the Policy Office outreach website to be notified once registration opens.
While this version of the PAPPG becomes effective on Monday, May 20, 2024, in the interim, the guidelines contained in the current PAPPG (NSF 23-1) continue to apply.
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If you have questions, please contact Joe Gindhart (314-747-5385 / jgindhart@wustl.edu) or Teri Medley (314-747-4444 / medleyt@wustl.edu).