NASA’s EPSCoR Grant to Boost Competitive Aerospace Research in Underrepresented Jurisdictions

The program parameters are:
• NASA EPSCoR Jurisdictions responding to this Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) may submit one proposal per paragraph C below (EPSCoR Eligibility and Proposal Acceptance).
• The maximum funding request per proposal is $750,000. This amount is to be expended over a three-year period.
• All NASA EPSCoR monies must be cost-shared at a level of at least 50% with non-federal monies. In-kind cost-sharing is allowable.

This solicitation leading to the award of a Cooperative Agreement is issued pursuant to title 14 CFR Part 1260 for educational and nonprofit institutions.

Eligible Applicants

Public Law 102-588, passed in 1992, authorized NASA to initiate NASA EPSCoR to strengthen the research capability of jurisdictions that have not in the past participated equably in competitive aerospace research activities. The goal of NASA EPSCoR is to provide seed funding that will enable jurisdictions to develop an academic research enterprise directed toward long-term, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in aerospace and aerospace-related research. This capability will, in turn, contribute to the jurisdiction’s economic viability and expand the nation’s base for aerospace research and development. Since its inception, NASA EPSCoR has been closely linked to the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program (Space Grant).

While proposals can be accepted only from institutions for which the NASA EPSCoR Directors are currently serving, all institutions of higher education within the jurisdiction should be given the opportunity and must be made aware of the FY 2013 NASA EPSCoR CAN. The National Science Foundation (NSF) determines overall jurisdiction eligibility for NASA EPSCoR. Details regarding general eligibility are available at: http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/eligible.jsp.

The following jurisdictions are eligible to submit up to one proposal to this NASA EPSCoR solicitation: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

South Carolina may submit up to two proposals, provided at least one of the proposals represents a project from the US Virgin Islands (which currently falls under South Carolina’s jurisdiction).

This announcement is accessible through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) and through Grants.gov.

Notwithstanding the posting of this opportunity at FedBizOpps.gov, Grants.gov, or at both sites, NASA reserves the right to determine the appropriate award instrument for each proposal selected pursuant to this announcement.