Funding-Limited Submission - NSF Recovery and Reinvestment Major Research Instrumentation Program; June 8, 2009

The NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) serves to increase access to shared scientific and engineering instruments for research and research training in our Nation's institutions of higher education, museums and science centers, and not-for-profit organizations. This program especially seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, by providing shared instrumentation that fosters the integration of research and education in research-intensive learning environments. Development and acquisition of research instrumentation for shared inter- and/or intra-organization use are encouraged, as are development efforts that leverage the strengths of private sector partners to build instrument development capacity at academic institutions.

To accomplish these goals, the MRI program assists with the acquisition or development of shared research instrumentation that is, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs. For the purposes of the MRI Program, proposals must be for either acquisition or development. Instruments are expected to be operational for regular research use by the end of the award period. A key recommendation of a 2006 National Academies report on “Advanced Research Instrumentation and Facilities” (ARIF) was that the NSF should expand the MRI program so that it includes “mid-scale” instrumentation whose capital costs are greater than $2 million, but with costs that are not appropriate for NSF’s Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction account.

As a result of the enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, NSF is holding a competition that is separate from the regular MRI competition. For this MRI-R² competition only, proposals will be accepted for instrument development or for acquisition of a single instrument or a system of related instruments that share a common or specific research focus in the range $100,000 - $6 million from Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education and non-degree-granting organizations; up to $6 million (there is no minimum request) from non-Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education or the disciplines of mathematical sciences or social, behavioral, and economic sciences at any eligible organization. 

Proposals that wholly or substantially duplicate MRI proposals that were submitted under NSF 09-502, and were accepted for review, will not be accepted for this MRI-R² competition.

Link to Program Page and Solicitation:

NSF 09-561 - http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5260

Cost Sharing: The University of Kentucky is required to provide 30 percent cost-sharing. (Effective FY 2009, cost-sharing for both acquisition and development proposals will be calculated based on the total proposal project costs.) The Vice President for Research will provide the required 30% match and the institutional letter documenting it.

Institutional Limits: To promote instrumentation development, the MRI-R² competition requires that if an organization submits or is included as a significantly funded² subawardee/subcontractor in three MRI-R² proposals, at least one of the three proposals must be for instrument development. 

Because NSF limits an institution to no more than two acquisition proposals and one development proposal, the University of Kentucky has established an internal selection process. Researchers interested in submitting a proposal are to submit the following material electronically to the Office of the Vice President for Research at vpr@email.uky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Monday, June 8, 2009:  

1. Description of the Research Instrumentation and indicate if the proposal is for Instrument acquisition or Instrument development; note that if UK submits or is included as a partner or subawardee on three proposals, at least one of these proposals must be for instrument development.

2. PI name and department and names and departments of other researchers involved;

3. A two-page description of the research/research training to be conducted and why the equipment is important to this research;

4. A budget – itemize total instrument cost, anticipated recurring costs (such as maintenance, operating cost and technical support for the life of the equipment), anticipated renovation costs for site if appropriate, and cost-sharing from all sources. Include in the budget justification a description of the match required. The priority for institutional cost-sharing will be to supply operations funds for personnel, supplies, or other eligible support costs, which must be directly allocable to the instrument and be expended during the award period. Matches are welcome from other sources, such as personnel time. Priority will be given to proposals for multi-user instruments with a clear plan for extended maintenance and usage and to those that intend to place such instruments in supported core facilities operating as recharge centers.

Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (alevan4@email.uky.edu or 257-1663.)

A committee will be convened to review the material and make recommendations as to the University’s submissions. All applicants will be notified in time to submit the proposal by the August 10, 2009 deadline (a letter of intent is no long necessary).