This document is an October 2012 presentation by Jean Feldman, Head of the Policy Office in the Division of Institution & Award Support at the National Science Foundation (NSF), outlining significant updates to NSF policies and procedures for the research and grantee community. Key topics include an update on the process and status of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) waiver requests, extensive revisions to the NSF's merit review criteria, upcoming changes to the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), cost sharing policies, and the implementation of the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR).
The revised merit review criteria center on refining the evaluation of proposals with updated guiding principles, a clearer distinction between ‘Intellectual Merit’ and ‘Broader Impacts’, and the introduction of five explicit review elements. The updates aim to improve consistency and clarity for reviewers and proposers, including requirements for more structured project summaries, expanded biographical sketches, new organizational support certifications, and detailed descriptions of institutional resources. The cost sharing policy prohibits voluntary committed cost sharing except for a limited set of approved programs, with new guidelines for reporting resources within proposals. The phased rollout of a standardized RPPR format, managed via Research.gov, is intended to streamline reporting, reduce administrative burden, and harmonize data collection across federal agencies. Additional procedural clarifications cover topics such as proposals involving vertebrate animals, conflict of interest management, and the use of indirect costs. The document underscores ongoing efforts by the NSF to modernize and standardize its policies, enhance administrative transparency, and align proposal evaluation and reporting practices with evolving federal mandates and strategic organizational goals.
