NSF 2019 Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide – Summary of Changes
Each year NSF revises the PAPPG changing requirements that impact proposal submissions and award management. The revised PAPPG (NSF 19-1) will be effective for proposals submitted or due, or awards made, on or after February 25, 2019. The following are key items of note for Purdue University faculty.
Biographical Sketch, Synergistic Activities – The synergistic activities required within the biographical sketch should include up to five distinct examples that demonstrate the broader impact of the individual’s professional and scholarly activities that focuses on the integration and transfer of knowledge as well as its creation. NSF warns that these should be limited to five specific examples; not five bullets listing a variety of items (i.e. presentations, awards, etc.)
Proposal Formatting: Page Size, Proposal Font, Spacing and Margin Requirements – NSF has specified that fonts not listed in the PAPPG may only be used for mathematical formulas, equations, or when inserting Greek letters or special characters. Additionally, they have stated that the required page size of 8.5 inches X 11 inches formatted with 1 inch margins will be strictly enforced. Letters of Collaboration from foreign participants often do not meet the page size requirements and must be altered to the correct size.
Project Description, Subawards - The description of the work to be performed by the subaward must be included in the project description.
The following are key items from the 2018 PAPPG. They have been included here as reminders to investigators when preparing their NSF proposals.
Collaborators and Other Affiliations (COA) Template – NSF implemented the COA excel template which was piloted in 2017 as a requirement for all proposal submissions. Be sure to use the most recent version of the template found here: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/coa/coa_template.xlsx
Project Description – The Project Description must include a separate section specifically labeled “Intellectual Merit.” This is similar to the current requirement to include a section labeled “Broader Impacts.”
In addition, we would like to bring the following to the attention of Purdue faculty:
Letters of Collaboration – While instructions related to Letters of Collaboration has not changed, NSF has begun to require removal of any letters that do not strictly adhere to the guidance in the PAPPG. The specific language from PAPPG, Chapter II.C.2.j. is included below:
“Documentation of collaborative arrangements of significance to the proposal through letters of collaboration. (See Chapter II.C.2.d(iv)). Letters of collaboration should be limited to stating the intent to collaborate and should not contain endorsements or evaluation of the proposed project. The recommended format for letters of collaboration is as follows:
"If the proposal submitted by Dr. [insert the full name of the Principal Investigator] entitled [insert the proposal title] is selected for funding by NSF, it is my intent to collaborate and/or commit resources as detailed in the Project Description or the Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal."”
The following detailed resources are available for further review:
Summary of Significant Changes and Clarifications to the PAPPG - https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg19_1/sigchanges.jsp
Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), January 2019 - https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg19_1/index.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_109
