Deadlines:
Letters of Intent:  Monday, October 1, 2018, 5:00 p.m. PT.
Pre-Proposals:  Monday, November 19, 2018, 5:00 p.m. PT.

Overview

Nevada will be eligible to submit a new proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-1 (RII Track-1) in July 2019.

NSF limits EPSCoR-eligible states to a single RII Track-1 proposal submission. Therefore, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) hereby invites interested research teams to submit pre-proposals (which must be preceded by an LOI) for evaluation by an external panel of reviewers, assisting NSHE in identifying the pre-proposal most likely to result in an award under NSF’s 2019 competition.

The proposed research program is the centerpiece of an RII Track-1 project. The focal point of an RII Track-1 proposal is hypothesis- and/or problem-driven research that requires a comprehensive and integrative approach to a grand challenge in a scientific area of regional or jurisdictional importance and relevance. The intellectual merit and broader impacts of the proposed activities are expected to provide the rationale for the requested infrastructure investments that, in turn, enhance the overall research capacity and competitiveness of the jurisdiction.

Eligibility

Pre-proposal PIs must be affiliated with UNR, UNLV, or DRI. NSHE’s appointed NSF EPSCoR Project Director provides leadership and oversight for successful implementation of the NSF EPSCoR RII awards and has overall responsibility for NSF EPSCoR Programs in Nevada. PIs and co-PIs identified in the pre-proposal will work as part of a team with the NSF EPSCoR Project Director and Nevada EPSCoR staff in the development of a full proposal and project implementation upon award.

Funding

The award is expected to provide federal funding of $20M total over five years, with $15M dedicated to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research activities supported by NSF. The remaining $5M in federal funds along with a $4M in required state match will fund education, workforce development, communication, evaluation, sustainability, management and administration activities required by the RII Track-1 program.

Please read the full SOLICITATION for all relevant details.  Download PDF to view “paperclipped” attachments.

A workshop about this solicitation will be held Tuesday, September 4, 2018, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Nevada System of Higher Education System Administration Offices in Reno and Las Vegas. A Blue Jeans link for remote viewing will be sent to all registered participants. Participation in this workshop is not mandatory for submission of an LOI and pre-proposal.

Workshop Registration

Workshop Slides

Workshop Recording

An optional team building workshop is being organized by DRI, UNLV and UNR to facilitate team-building for the upcoming NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 pre-proposal submission.

Team Building Workshop Information

Interested in joining or starting a team? Connect with researchers from other institutions through posts on the Discussion Forum.

STEP 1 – Submit Letter of Intent (LOI) online: Due Monday, October 1, 2018, 5:00 p.m. PT.  Submit an LOI

View a Complete list of LOIs

STEP 2 – Submit Pre-Proposal online: Due Monday, November 19, 2018, 5:00 p.m. PT.  Click NEXT below to fill out the cover page and upload and submit your pre-proposal.

If you are having difficulty with any of the online forms or submitting documents as part of this solicitation, please contact Mayara Cueto-Diaz, mcueto-diaz@nshe.nevada.edu, 702-522-7083.

*Photo by Scotty Strachan, University of Nevada, Reno

REVISED – April 3, 2018*

*Due to a change in eligibility determination from DOE, each institution may now submit one proposal. Please contact your sponsored programs office for more information about your institution’s internal process.

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences has released Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0001897) for Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory Partnerships.  These partnerships are to advance fundamental early-stage energy research collaborations with the DOE national laboratories.   The research must be of public benefit within DOE’s Congressionally-authorized mission-space.

Applicants must propose scientific collaborations that partner academic, non-profit, or industrial researchers in EPSCoR jurisdictions and research staff at DOE national laboratories. These partnerships should leverage capabilities of DOE national laboratories, particularly their user facilities.

Participation by undergraduate students, graduate students, or postdocs is required. Junior faculty are encouraged to apply.

If selected to advance to a full proposal, the National laboratory partners must provide a letter of commitment confirming their willingness to collaborate on the project for the application (endorsed by both the national laboratory collaborator and an appropriate member of laboratory management who is authorized to commit the laboratory to the collaboration).

*Photo by Scotty Strachan, University of Nevada, Reno