What does "no deadline" mean?
Beginning August 15, 2018, all core programs in the Directorate for
Engineering (ENG) will accept proposals at any time throughout the year.
There will no longer be any restriction on when an unsolicited proposal can
be submitted for consideration to the core programs.
Does the change to no deadlines also apply to solicitations?
No. Solicitations (such as CAREER, Engineering Research Centers, Small
Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer, etc.) will
continue to accept proposals by the deadlines stated in their respective
solicitations.
Why is this change being made?
By accepting proposals at any time, ENG is affording more time to prepare
proposals, build strong collaborations, and to think more creatively without
the pressure of a deadline. Spreading proposal submissions more evenly over
the year may also reduce the burden on principal investigators (PIs),
reviewers, and proposing organizations.
Will proposals still be panel and ad hoc reviewed?
As is present practice, unsolicited proposals will undergo panel and/or ad
hoc review as determined by the cognizant NSF Program Director(s). NSF
relies on a merit review process that incorporates consideration of both the
intellectual merit and broader impacts of the proposed project. NSF Program
Directors make every effort to conduct a fair, competitive, transparent
merit review process for the selection of projects.
Will the community be told the dates of panels?
Consistent with NSF policy, panel dates will not be announced to PIs.
Will it take longer to receive a decision on my proposal?
No change in average time to decision and release of reviews is expected
with this transition to use of no deadline dates.
Can I resubmit a declined proposal right away or do I have to wait a certain
length of time to resubmit it?
A declined proposal may be resubmitted, but only after it has undergone
substantial revision, as determined by the cognizant NSF Program Director,
and only after 12 months has passed from the previous date of submission.
Any proposal that is a duplicate of, or substantially similar to, a previous
proposal that is under the moratorium period will be returned without
review (see NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
Chapter IV.E). A revised proposal must abide by the 12-month moratorium
regardless of whether it is to be resubmitted to the same program as the
previous proposal or to a different program in the Engineering Directorate
Is there a limit to how many proposals I can have pending at the same time
as a PI or co-PI?
There is no limit to the number of pending proposals a PI or co-PI can have
within the Engineering Directorate at any given time. However, each proposal
must be significantly different from the others pending at NSF in order to
be considered for review. A proposal that is a duplicate of, or
substantially similar to, a pending proposal at NSF will be returned without
review.
Do I need to alert the program if I intend to submit or when I submit a
proposal?
No, PIs are not required to contact a Program Director before submitting a
research proposal to a core program. However, the Directorate recommends
that PIs contact a Program Director if they have questions about program fit
, or if they are proposing a large or complex proposal that they want to
discuss with the Program Director.