OMB Approval Number 2700-0049 National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Headquarters Office of Education 2015 Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities (CP4SMPVC+) NASA RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT (NRA) Type of Project: STEM Education and Accountability Projects (SEAP) ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: NNH15ZHA001N CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 43.008 ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial Announcement ISSUED: September 8, 2015 KEY DATES PRE-PROPOSAL TELECON (optional): October 1, 2015 NOTICES OF INTENT DUE (strongly encouraged): October 8, 2015 PROPOSALS DUE: December 7, 2015 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary of Key Information .................................................................................................4 I. STRATEGIC RATIONALE ...........................................................................................................9 A.CP4SMPVC+ Overview ....................................................................................................................9 B. NASA Strategic Plan and Relevance to Education ............................................................................9 C. Federal Coordination of STEM Education Investments ..................................................................11 II. DESCRIPTION OF OPPORTUNITY .........................................................................................12 A.CP4SMPVC+ NRA Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................12 B. Compliance with NASA Policies .....................................................................................................17 C. Administrative Guidance ..................................................................................................................18 III. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ..............................................................................................21 A.Type of Organization: Limit on Proposing Organizations ...............................................................21 B . Principal Investigator Requirement or Limitation ...........................................................................25 C. Technical Content Limitation ...........................................................................................................26 D.Alignment with Federal STEM Education Goals.............................................................................26 IV. Technical AND EDUCATIONAL Content DescriptionS ...........................................................27 A.NASA Technical Content Priorities .................................................................................................27 B . NASA Education, Communications and Diversity Priorities ..........................................................31 C. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Organization Chart (April 2015).........................34 V. Collaborations and Interactions with NASA ...............................................................................35 VI. Terms of the Award .......................................................................................................................37 A.Funding, Duration, and Reporting ....................................................................................................37 B . Special Conditions for Cooperative Agreements .............................................................................38 C. NASA Award Management and Review Mechanisms ....................................................................38 D.NASA Responsibilities and Federal Requirements .........................................................................38 E. Management and Self-Evaluation ....................................................................................................39 F. Framework for Cooperative Interactions for Cooperative Agreements and Informal Education Institution Responsibilities ..............................................................................................39 VII. Proposal Guidelines and Submission Instructions ......................................................................41 A. Notice of Intent to Propose..........................................................................................................41 B . Proposal Instructions and Requirements ..........................................................................................41 C. Content and Form of the Proposal Submission ................................................................................41 D.Proposed Subawards and Consultants and Conflict of Interest Disclosure......................................45 VIII. Proposal Format and Content .......................................................................................................46 IX. Project Description; Evaluation (Proposal Peer Review Process); and Notification ...............48 A. Project Description ...........................................................................................................................48 B . Proposal Evaluation: Peer Review Process ......................................................................................50 C. Notification .......................................................................................................................................53 D.Process for Appeals Prior to Formal Requests for Reconsideration ................................................54 Appendix A: NASA Education Overview .................................................................................................56 Appendix B: Sample Proposal Cover Page ...............................................................................................59 Appendix C: Special Discussion on Partnerships ......................................................................................74 Appendix D: CP4SMPVC+ Points of Contact at NASA ..........................................................................76 Appendix E: Glossary of Abbreviations, Acronyms and Definitions ........................................................81 Appendix F: References to Relevant Web Addresses ...............................................................................85 Appendix G: Statements of Commitment, Letters of Support, and Proposed Subawards ........................90 Appendix H: Special Advisory Regarding Grants.gov Submissions to CP4SMPVC+ .............................93 2 Appendix I: Web Addresses Related to Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and Legacy Links for Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) .............................................95 Appendix J: CP4SMPVC+ Policy on Late Proposals ...............................................................................97 Appendix K: Identification of Entities as NASA Visitor Centers Special Guidance: STEM Education Activities and NASA Visitor Centers ................................................................................100 Appendix L: Special Advisory: NASA Grant Budgets and Policy .........................................................104 Appendix M: Guidance on Resolution for Pre-Submission Eligibility Questions ..................................110 Appendix N: Samples of Historic Special Limitations on NASA Funding/Award Conditions/etc. .......111 Appendix O Other Opportunities Unsolicited, Solicited, Single Source, No-Exchange-of-Funds Partnerships-with-Public-or-Private-Entities, or Non-Domestic Proposals ........................................130 Appendix P: CP4SMPVC Program Specific Data Announcement Number: NNH15ZHA001N ..........134 Appendix Q: History of Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities ...............................................................................139 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF KEY INFORMATION The NASA Office of Education, in cooperation with NASA Headquarters’ Offices of Communications, Chief Scientist, and Chief Technologist, the Mission Directorates (i.e., Aeronautics Research, Human Exploration and Operations, Science, and Space Technology), and Mission Support Directorate is issuing this NASA Research Announcement (NRA or solicitation) to solicit proposals to support NASA-inspired space, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (S-STEM) informal education projects, including exhibits, through partnerships with K-12 schools or districts, youth-serving organizations, higher education, and/or other agencies to support Federal STEM education goals. Successful proposals typically will be funded as grants or cooperative agreements depending on the size and complexity of the proposed project. MAIN THEMATIC FOCI FOR 2015 OPPORTUNITY To meet the direction of the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committee Reports for fiscal year (FY) 2015 funding, this NRA’s main thematic foci are on: 1) museums, science centers, planetariums, and NASA Visitor Centers to create interactive exhibits, professional development activities, and community-based programs to engage students, teachers, and the public in STEM, and 2) youth-serving organizations to engage K-12 students in STEM-related activities and to help encourage those students to pursue future STEM-related studies and careers. For this solicitation, informal education projects should focus on STEM engagement and advancement of STEM literacy for youth (defined as middle school and high school-aged individuals) and their families and educators. Projects are encouraged to support this focus through partnerships, professional development, and coordinated inter-connected authentic STEM experiences, with an emphasis on collaboration with stakeholder organizations and communities traditionally underserved in STEM. NASA Education defines an authentic STEM experience as meeting at least three of the following criteria: • Features real-world STEM content; • Conducted in a real-world STEM setting (e.g., museum, planetarium, research laboratory, etc.); • Directly participates in scientific practices (e.g., asking scientifically-oriented questions, generating hypotheses, designing/conducting experiments, recording/analyzing data, drawing conclusions based on or interpreting data, generating/revising theories, and presenting the results of experiments/research); or in the engineering design process (e.g., defining problems, conducting research, specifying requirements, identifying solutions, building a prototype, testing, and redesigning); • Involves scientists and engineers as role models or mentors; and • Involves participants in collaborative project work. Proposers shall classify projects by one of the following types: (1) Project Development and Implementation, utilizing evidence-based approaches (i.e. backed by research evidence that proves its effectiveness); (2) Pilot Project, that also budgets for a needs assessment, conference gathering or symposia, or other type of study to understand the effectiveness of an approach; or (3) Combination of types (1) and (2). ELIGIBILITY SUMMARY (DOES NOT APPLY TO APPENDIX O) Eligible proposals shall comply with four key eligibility requirements related to: type of organization, principal investigator, technical content, and Federal STEM Education goals. Note: Please consult Section III - Eligibility Requirements, of this NRA for the complete detailed explanations and caveats related to eligibility criteria for CP4SMPVC. 4 Note: Organizations that do not meet the eligibility requirements stated in Section III or projects that do not align with the main thematic foci should not apply to this NRA. Such organizations/projects may consider submitting through the mechanisms stated in Appendix O, Other Opportunities. 1. Organization Type By submitting a proposal, organizations responding to this NRA (other than Appendix O), are certifying that they meet the following criteria to propose as a lead organization: • legally recognized by a federal, state or local authority as a non-profit organization, • located in the United States or its Territories, and • provide S-STEM education programming, (such as but not limited to exhibits) through partnerships with K-12 schools or districts, youth-serving organizations, higher education, and/or other federal, state, or local agencies. An organization that is operated by a K-12 school, district, higher education institution, or other entity such as a planetarium, museum, or youth-serving organization should refer to the special instructions in Section III - Eligibility. An organization selected for funding may be required to self-certify that it meets the definition of a: 1) museum (including planetarium) as defined in Federal Management Regulation (FMR) 102-37-C-1 Amendment Appendix C—Glossary Of Terms For Determining Eligibility Of Public Agencies And Nonprofit Organizations, or 2) youth-serving organization as defined by this NRA (see Section III.A). An eligible institution is not required to have the words museum, visitor center, science, planetarium or youth in its name. All types of NASA Visitor Centers (e.g., private, state or federal entities) are eligible. A non-profit institution of informal education within a higher education organization is eligible as a lead organization only if it has its own Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number that is distinct from its controlling or operating education organization. 2. Principal Investigator Requirement A Principal Investigator (PI) must be the President, Vice President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chairman of the Board, Superintendent of Schools, Planetarium Director, Director of Sponsored Research, or similarly ranked executive from an eligible institution. 3. Technical Content Limitation A key feature that distinguishes this NRA from informal, STEM engagement, educator professional development or undergraduate education sponsored by other Federal agencies is that in addition to meeting criteria for technical merit and affordable and realistic costs, proposals in response to this NRA shall align to NASA’s Mission Directorate programs, and/or offices of Education (OE) and/or Communications (OC). The only eligible technical subject areas are NASA-themed space exploration, aeronautics, space science, Earth science, or microgravity, or combinations of these themes. Proposals focused exclusively on non-NASA themes will be returned without peer review. Proposals shall explicitly address one or more of the priorities noted in Section IV - NASA Technical and Educational Content Descriptions. 4. Alignment with NASA and Federal STEM Education Goals In May 2013, the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) released the report Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education 5-Year 5 Strategic Plan (https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/stem_stratplan_2013.pdf). Proposals shall demonstrate how the activity will directly contribute to one or more of the priority STEM education investment areas of the Federal STEM education goals. See Section II.A - CP4SMPVC+ NRA Goals and Objectives. Organizations that do not meet all CP4SMPVC eligibility criteria or whose proposals do not align with the thematic foci of this NRA should refer to Appendix O. OTHER KEY INFORMATION Funds Availability The Government’s current and future obligation to make or continue awards under this NRA is contingent upon the availability of sufficient appropriated funds from which payment can be made and the receipt of proposals that NASA determines are acceptable for award. Additionally, NASA’s available funding for institutions that are not museums, planetariums or NASA Visitor Centers may be severely limited. The Government’s obligation to continue any award is based on satisfactory progress as detailed in the recipient’s required interim and annual progress reports. Cancellation of Announcement NASA reserves the right to not make any awards under this NRA or to cancel this NRA at any time. NASA assumes no liability (including bid and proposal preparation costs) for canceling the NRA or for an entity’s failure to receive the notice of cancellation. Number and Size of Awards Subject to Congressional appropriation of sufficient funds in Fiscal Years 2015-2016, and also pending NASA’s receipt of proposals of adequate merit, NASA expects to select between one (1) and forty (40) proposals for award. NASA reserves the right to make a full or partial selection of any proposal. Individual total award values will not exceed a maximum of $1,250,000. For proposals of Type (2) Pilot Projects, the lowest amount that may be proposed is $300,000, with a period of performance not to exceed two years. For projects classified as Type (1) Project Development and Implementation, or Type (3) Combination, the lowest amount that may be proposed is $500,000, with a period of performance not to exceed five years. Note: The accountability, reporting, and evaluation requirements for CP4SMPVC+ make it unlikely that a viable project could be accomplished for less than $300,000 for Type (2) Pilot Projects, or $500,000 for Type (1) Project Development and Implementation or Type (3) Combination. Proposals budgeted for less than these amounts will not advance to external peer review. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost sharing or matching is not required. Key Dates Release Date: September 8, 2015 Pre-Proposal Teleconference (optional): October 1, 2015 Notice of Intent Due: October 8, 2015 Proposals Due: December 7, 2015 6 Announcement of Updates or Amendments Additional programmatic information for this NRA may develop before the proposal due date. Such information will be added as a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) or formal amendment to this NRA and posted on http://nspires.nasaprs.com. It is the proposer’s responsibility to regularly check the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) for updates to this NRA. When new FAQs are posted, a notice will be sent via the NASA Education Express listserv. To subscribe to NASA Express, go to: http://www.nasa.gov/education/express. Notice of Intent Notices of Intent (NOIs) to propose along with identification of the CP4SMPVC+ thematic foci and alignment with CoSTEM Strategic Plan priority investments are requested and strongly encouraged for this solicitation and are due October 8, 2015. Pre-proposal Teleconference A pre-proposal teleconference will be held October 1, 2015 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Prospective proposers are requested to submit any questions in writing to [email protected] no later than four business days before the teleconference date so that NASA will be prepared to cover as much information as possible during the teleconference. NASA plans to post written questions and answers and teleconference charts to the NSPIRES website. The teleconference will provide an opportunity for prospective proposers to ask questions and solicit clarifications. To dial into the teleconference, call 1-800-779-1622. The participant passcode is 2534752. For relay services for the hearing impaired, call 711 at least 30 minutes before the call is to begin. (For more information on relay services refer to https://www.fcc.gov/guides/711-telecommunications- relay-service). Inquiries Submit general questions about CP4SMPVC in writing to: CP4SMPVC Manager Anita M. Sohus Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Email: [email protected] If no response is received within five days, proposers may contact one of the CP4SMPVC+ Technical Officers: Tammy B. Rowan NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Email: [email protected] Stephanie Brown-Houston NASA Glenn Research Center Email: [email protected] Technical Note: Under the terms of Caltech/JPL’s contract with NASA, JPL will refer CP4SMPVC+ questions from NASA Visitor Centers to NASA civil servants for a response. Alternatively, NASA Visitor Centers can submit questions, in writing, directly to one of the CP4SMPVC+ Technical Officers. 7 Note: NASA and the NRA team are not responsible for delays in 1) acknowledging or responding to inquiries and 2) submission to NSPIRES or Grants.gov that are attributable to internet disruption, telephone line unavailability, busy signals, operator/internet provider interference, technical or atmospheric conditions that disrupt the completion of the communication, other system malfunctions, user or human error, or any other type of telecommunications problem that may or may not result from interest in or application to this NRA. Inquiries about On-line Submission of Proposal Materials through NSPIRES Address questions about a proposal submitted to or pending in NSPIRES to: Althia Harris NASA Research & Education Support Services 2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22202 202-479-9030 ext. 310 202-479-0511 (fax) Email: [email protected] If there is no response or it is after hours, contact the NSPIRES Help Desk at [email protected] or call 202-479-9376 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays. 8 I. STRATEGIC RATIONALE A. CP4SMPVC+ Overview The Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums, and NASA Visitor Centers (CP4SMPVC) is authorized by P.L. (Public Law) 109-155 SEC. 616. MUSEUMS: The Administrator may provide grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with, museums and planetariums to enable them to enhance programs related to space exploration, aeronautics, space science, earth science, or microgravity. NASA satisfies this Congressional guidance through the selected award portfolio. (Ref: NASA Authorization Act of 2005, Section 616. http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS- 109s1281enr/pdf/BILLS-109s1281enr.pdf). In 2008 Congress further established: To the extent possible, NASA is urged to use education funds to address the educational needs of women, minorities, and other historically underrepresented groups. For more information about the background of CP4SMPVC+, see Appendix Q, History of Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities. CP4SMPVC+ is administered through NASA’s Office of Education. To support implementation of its objectives, CP4SMPVC+ builds and develops the capacity of informal education institutions and organizations for sustained STEM capabilities in topical areas of interest to NASA. CP4SMPVC+ supports the development of learners, particularly students, families, and community support systems, who are prepared to use STEM knowledge in personal and professional settings, and understand the role of NASA and STEM in addressing societal issues. CP4SMPVC+ provides STEM engagement opportunities and educator professional development in informal education settings that: • Leverage NASA assets and NASA-related content to provide experiential authentic STEM opportunities that encourage innovation, critical thinking, and problem solving skills; • Utilize partnerships to expand reach and better serve groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields; • Support the learner experience through appropriate connections to state and local needs, coordinated interconnected experiences, effective engagement across classrooms and out-of-school settings; • Use or develop evidenced-based educational strategies in designing and implementing the project; and • Provide a measureable impact on learner interest in and positive attitudes towards STEM topics and improve self-perception of the learner’s ability to participate in STEM. • Support the learner experience through design practices and innovations B. NASA Strategic Plan and Relevance to Education NASA is a multi-mission agency that addresses national priorities in civil aeronautics research, space exploration, science, and advanced research and development. NASA’s 2014 Strategic Plan states the agency’s current goals as follows: (1) Expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunity in space. (2) Advance understanding of Earth and develop technologies to improve the quality of life on our home planet. 9 (3) Serve the American public and accomplish our Mission by effectively managing our people, technical capabilities, and infrastructure. (Reference: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/FY2014_NASA_SP_508c.pdf.) Proposers are advised to write proposals that explore one or more of the aspects of NASA’s Strategic Objective 2.4: Advance the Nation’s STEM education and workforce pipeline by working collaboratively with other agencies to engage students, teachers, and faculty in NASA’s missions and unique assets. A highly educated and well-prepared workforce is critical to the success of the Agency’s mission. NASA’s investment in education is directly linked to inspiring the next generation of explorers and innovators. NASA’s 2014 Strategic Plan includes the following Education statement: (Reference: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/FY2014_NASA_SP_508c.pdf) NASA’s education programs work in collaboration with other Federal agencies to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in the United States, which supports both NASA’s strategic plan and the Administration’s STEM policy. To maintain a globally competitive Nation, our education programs develop and deliver activities that support the growth of NASA’s and the Nation’s STEM workforce, help develop STEM educators, engage and establish partnerships with institutions, and inspire and educate the public. NASA’s contribution to STEM education brings immediate benefits to schools and other institutions, while helping to ensure that future generations of Americans will have the technical skills needed to continue NASA’s missions. We will continue to engage and involve the public and other stakeholders in our activities, and work to build an open, transparent and participatory organization. Through effective use of our assets in our STEM education programs, we are able to share NASA’s inspirational activities with a broader audience. NASA STEM engagement activities provide learners of all ages the chance to engage in science, technology, engineering, and math, and to understand the value of STEM in their lives. Our learners include: primary, secondary, and higher education students; parents and guardians; formal and informal educators and higher education faculty; and the general public at large. The quality of life we enjoy today is the direct result of the inspiration and achievements of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and technologists of yesterday. We pursue our objective to ensure future generations of STEM professionals are inspired, experienced, and capable of achieving even greater accomplishments in STEM-related fields. We pursue this objective through a portfolio of NASA-unique STEM experiential learning opportunities (e.g. grants, internships, fellowships, scholarships, workshops) and challenges. These creative applications of NASA-related knowledge encourage innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, which are characteristics required of our Nation’s future STEM workforce. NASA’s Education strategy is to engage in strategic partnerships with intergovernmental, academic, industrial, entrepreneurial, and international communities to ensure NASA’s education mission and vision reach a wider and diversified audience. NASA seeks to facilitate partnerships that support the evolution of its portfolio of projects and strategic objective. NASA defines specific benefits and outcomes for each partnership, systematically managing the lifecycle of partnerships and leveraging each organization’s resources appropriately. A key strategy for achieving effective partnerships is continued participation in the Administration’s Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM). Through that committee, NASA works closely with all relevant stakeholders across Federal agencies. NASA shares its best 10