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A Message from the Acting Assistant Director for NSF’s Biological Sciences Directorate
Dear Colleagues,
Happy new year everyone! With a new year comes new things and I am happy to send out this first newsletter as Acting Assistant Director.
Other new things include our first set of awards under the Partnership to Advance Conservation Science and Practice (PACSP) program in partnership with the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, a new Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that will go into effect at the end of this month, and new solicitations for the core programs across BIO (and the Directorate for Geosciences).
In the new core solicitations, you will note that BIO and GEO are piloting an effort on safe and inclusive fieldwork. This also applies to the new Biodiversity on a Changing Planet (BoCP) solicitation.
By requiring advanced planning and attention to maintaining an inclusive environment, NSF is working to ensure that fieldwork is safe and successful for all participants. Across NSF, per the new PAPPG, on each proposal an institution's Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must certify that the institution proposing to conduct research off-campus or off-site has a plan in place for the proposal regarding safe and inclusive working environments.
For core solicitations, for the period between January 30, 2023 (when the new PAPPG becomes effective) and 90 days from when the solicitations cleared (i.e., through April 18, 2023), submissions must include this certification. After that period, in lieu of that certification by the AOR, all proposals submitted to BIO with any work considered off-campus or off-site must include a plan for ensuring the work environment is safe and inclusive for all participants.
For BoCP, given the requirement was listed in the solicitation when it was posted, the plan is required for all proposals submitted to the program (reminder, the deadline for BoCP submissions is March 29, 2023).
The no-longer-than two-page plan must include a description of where the work will take place, challenges in that location for personnel and challenges to team dynamics, and pre-fieldwork approaches to manage these challenges. These plans will be submitted as supplemental documents and reviewed as part of the Broader Impacts merit review criterion.
NSF program directors will be holding a Virtual Office Hours Listening Session specifically on this new requirement on February 7 from 3:30 to 4:30 PM eastern. Further information, including registration details, will be sent to those receiving this message shortly. You can also watch the NSF events list for details.
We at NSF look forward to engaging with and supporting you over the coming year!
Sincerely,
 Simon T. Malcomber
NSF Assistant Director for Biological Sciences
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