Subject: New NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) – Significant Changes
As communicated in the May 2024 issue of Research@Lehigh, the National Science Foundation (NSF) issued the revised Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 24-1) that represent significant changes for NSF researchers and administrators. These new requirements are effective May 20, 2024.
A complete summary of changes can be found on the NSF website.
Notable pre-submission changes include:
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Biographical Sketches: (1) There is no longer a page limit. (2) The Synergistic Activities section has been removed from the biographical sketch. The information from that section must be provided, but in a standalone document directly in Research.gov. The document must be no more than one-page and includes a list of up to five distinct examples that demonstrates the broader impact of the individual's professional and scholarly activities that focus on the integration and transfer of knowledge as well as its creation.
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Mentoring Plan: Mentoring plans are now required when either postdoctoral researchers OR graduate students are supported on an NSF proposal. The one-page plan must be loaded in the “Supplementary Documents” section. See PAPPG 24-1 Chapter II.D.2i(i). If a project did not include a Mentoring Plan in their proposal but subsequently adds a graduate student or PostDoc to the project, a Mentoring Plan must be authored and sent to the assigned NSF Program Officer.
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Foreign Organizations: Proposers must justify any request that includes a foreign organization or foreign individual, including through a subaward or consultant arrangement. The information should include why in-country resources are not feasible, why more effective, unique experience of foreign entity, and the significance the foreign entity offers to the U.S.
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Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Certification: Certifications must be made on the biosketch, current and pending support, and other affiliation documents that each senior/key personnel is not party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.
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Projects that include off-campus or off-site research must have, on file, a project specific plan regarding the safe and inclusive working environment. If a project did not include a Plan in their proposal but subsequently adds off-campus work, a Plan must be authored and retained by the unit. See PAPPG 24-1 Chapter II.E.9.
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American Indian or Alaska Native Tribal Nation (Tribal Nation) prior approval requirement for any proposals that may impact the resources or interests of federally recognized Tribal Nations. Prior written approval from the designation official(s) from the relevant tribe is required before the NSF will issue an award. See PAPPG 24-1 Chapter II.E.10.
Notable Post-Award changes include:
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Individual Development Plans: The NSF requires postdoctoral scholars and graduate students who receive more than one month support during the annual reporting period to have an Individual Development Plan (IDP). The IDP is an annually updated document that maps educational goals, career exploration, and professional development. The IDP must be submitted in each annual and final report.
Common forms for the new Biosketch and CPS documents are now available as templates in ScienCV.