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Division of Sponsored Programs > Proposal Preparation & Submission > National Science Foundation (NSF) Updates

National Science Foundation (NSF) Updates

The new Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) 20-1 was released and became effective for proposals submitted or due, and awards made, on or after June 1, 2020.

To assist the UF community, we have highlighted some of the key changes HERE, and have included a few of these policy changes below for reference. You are encouraged to review the by-chapter summary of changes provided in the Introduction section of the PAPPG.

NSF has provided a useful table in support of the changes. See: NSF Pre-award and Post-award Disclosures Relating to the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support

  • ALL domestic or foreign professional appointments outside of the individual’s academic, professional, or institutional appointments at the proposing organization, should be listed on the senior personnel’s biographical sketch regardless of remuneration.
  • If in-kind contributions are not intended for use on the project/proposal being proposed, they must be reported on the individual’s Current and Pending Support. If the time commitment or dollar value is not readily ascertainable, reasonable estimates should be provided.
  • If in-kind contributions are intended for use on the project/proposal being proposed to NSF, the information must be included as part of the Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources section of the proposal.

Effective October 5, 2020, NSF-approved formats must be used for the biographical sketch and current and pending support sections of all NSF proposal submissions. The two approved formats are:

  1. Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv) module
  2. NSF fillable pdf for both biographical sketches and current and pending documents

Effective October 5, 2020, the NSF-approved formats outlined above must be used for the following post award actions:

  • A Change of PI and an Add/Change Co-PI request in FastLane when uploading Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support documentation
  • A PI or Co-PI submitting a Current and Pending Support document notifying NSF that active other support has changed since the award was made or since the most recent annual report. 

Effective October 5, 2020, the following questions will be required on the RPPR:

  • Has there been a change in the active other support of the PI/PD(s) since the last reporting period? (Edit Participants screen)
    • A positive answer will then require updated forms in the new NSF approved format
  • What was the impact on teaching and educational experiences? (Impact tab);
  • What percentage of the award’s budget was spent in a foreign country? (Impact tab); and
  • Has there been a change in primary performance site location from that originally proposed? (Changes/Problems tab).
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Please note that the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) will soon require the use of Research.gov for the preparation and submission of proposals in response to its core programs that do not have deadline dates. NSF funding opportunities will clearly specify whether submission via Research.gov is available or required.

Helpful Resources: