Texas A&M University-CONACYT Research Grant Program REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) Release Date: November 17, 2014

Transcription

1 Texas A&M University-CONACYT Research Grant Prgram REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) Release Date: Nvember 17, 2014 Deadlines Letter f Intent (Required): January 26, 2015, 5:00 p.m. (CST) Full Prpsal: March 9, 2015, 5:00 p.m. (CST) Intrductin Texas A&M University and the Cnsej Nacinal de Ciencia y Tecnlgía (CONACYT) are pleased t annunce a prgram t encurage research cllabratins between faculty at Texas A&M University and faculty at higher educatin institutins in Mexic r CONACYT research centers. The prgram aims t facilitate faculty-t-faculty cllabratin and t further research ties yielding preliminary results that will enable jint applicatins t varius extramural funding prgrams. Types f Awards Principal investigatrs (PIs) may apply fr a Regular Research Award prviding up t $24,000 in jint funding r a Special Research Prject Award prviding up t $75,000 in jint funding. PIs may nt submit prpsals t bth award prgrams. Regular Research Awards are intended t prvide supprt fr prjects that advance scientific knwledge and will lay the basis fr prpsals t external funding agencies by ne r bth PIs. Up t 10 regular research awards will be made under current funding plans. Special Research Prject Awards are intended t prvide supprt fr prjects that build n existing extramurally funded research activities. PIs will need t demnstrate that a Special Research Prject Award will result in a sustained binatinal research prject supprted by external funding. The immediate result f the award is expected t be a highly cmpetitive prpsal t an external funding agency and cmmercial applicatins, patents, r high-impact publicatins in leading prfessinal jurnals r bks. A maximum f tw special research prject awards will be made under current funding plans. Eligibility A principal investigatr is required frm bth Texas A&M University and a higher educatin institutin r research center frm Mexic. The PI frm the United States must be a tenured r tenure-track faculty member at Texas A&M University. The PI frm Mexic must: (1) be part f the Natinal System fr Researchers (SNI) and (2) be a full-time faculty member frm any institutin f higher educatin r a research center in Mexic r research center that is registered in El Registr Nacinal de Institucines y Empresas Científicas y Tecnlógicas (RENIECYT). Each PI is limited t ne submissin per year. Any individual PI is precluded frm receiving an award in tw successive years. 1

2 Calendar Release f RFP: Nvember 17, 2014 **NEW** CONACYT Prpsal Writing Wrkshp: Nvember 20, 2014, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Rm 3147, Dnald L. Hustn Building Letters f Intent (LOIs) due via (cnacyt@tamu.edu): January 26, 2015 Invitatin t submit full prpsal: February 9, 2015 Full prpsals due in eprpsal system: March 9, 2015, 5:00 p.m. Ntificatins f Awards: June 2015 Award Perid: September 1, 2015-August 31, 2016 Transfer f Funds: June 2015 (all cmpliance dcuments must be in place fr funding t ccur). Terms f the Award This prgram is pen t all areas f research that are mutually supprted by CONACYT and Texas A&M University. The award must invlve a jint research prject directed by tw principal investigatrs ne frm Texas A&M University and ne frm a higher educatin institutin r research center in Mexic. The research award is fr a perid f ne year beginning September 1, PIs may request a six-mnth extensin with satisfactry prgress n the prject. Upn cmpletin f the 12-mnth prject, the principal investigatrs are required t file a reprt n the prgress f the research prject. Additinally, 36 mnths after receipt f the award, PIs must file a final reprt that summarizes the status f the prject and presents evidence that they are seeking additinal funding t cntinue the research prgram. Letter f Intent Instructins T be eligible t submit a full prpsal, a letter f intent (LOI) is required (in English). Only ne LOI is required, and it may be signed by nly ne PI. The LOI must include the fllwing: Type f Award Indicate whether the prpsal will be fr a Regular Research Award r a Special Research Prject Award Abstract A brief, ne-page summary. Title Prpsed title f prject. PI Infrmatin Detailed cntact infrmatin fr the lead PIs, including: Names f the Texas A&M and Mexican principal investigatrs PI titles and psitins, including full name f the higher educatin institutin r research center in Mexic, fllwed by acrnym, and the RENIECYT registratin number f the Mexican institutin. Cntact Infrmatin fr PIs Names f ther investigatrs and institutins The letter f intent must be submitted via t cnacyt@tamu.edu n later than 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time n Mnday, January 26,

3 Online Submissin Prcess All prpsals submitted fr Texas A&M University-CONACYT Research Grant Prgram must be submitted in English using the nline applicatin system at: This site is passwrd prtected. Once lgged in, PIs shuld select which type f applicatin is being submitted: CONACYT Regular Research Award r CONACYT Special Research Prject Award. Texas A&M University tenured r tenure-track faculty PIs may use their NetID t access the system. PIs frm Mexic will be given instructins n hw t create a lgn ID and passwrd nce a letter f intent is submitted and accepted. The PI frm Mexic must set up an accunt in the nline system. Mexican PIs wh have previusly submitted a prpsal thrugh this system will be able t use the same username and passwrd. Only ne jint prpsal shuld be submitted. The prpsal can be created in the eprpsal system by either the TAMU r Mexican PI. The PI wh creates the prpsal will need t add the ther PI t the prpsal in the system. Bth PIs can review, edit, and uplad dcuments. Full Prpsal Instructins The abstract, and prject narrative shuld be prepared using Times New Rman 12-pint fnt, single spaced, with ne-inch margins. Please insert the page number as a fter ne-half inch frm the bttm f the page. General Infrmatin (nline): Cntact infrmatin fr each investigatr (limit six), cmpliance reprting, key wrds fr prject, and reprt cdes must be included. Type f Award Indicate whether the prpsal will be fr a Regular Research Award r a Special Research Prject Award Abstract (uplad): A brief, ne-page summary describing the prject s bjectives, methdlgy, and anticipated results in layman s terms is t be included. Please include the title f the prpsal. Prject Descriptin (uplad): The prject narrative is limited t eight pages. (Nte: the average submissin is five t six pages.) The narrative shuld include any illustratins, figures, data, r ther infrmatin and shuld address the fllwing details in the rder listed. Cited literature r references are nt included within the eight-page limit. Use the fllwing bld headings within the prpsal text: 1. Prject Overview a. Scientific r Schlarly Merit and Impact. State the specific bjectives f the prject. Explain the scientific r technlgical significance f the wrk and its pssible imprtance in ecnmic, scial, r ther terms. b. Binatinal Prblems. Prvide evidence that the prject has direct applicatin t slving binatinal prblems. As apprpriate, describe the prject s imprtance t slving industrial, gvernmental, r scietal prblems. c. Anticipated Results. Describe the anticipated results f the prject. 3

4 2. Qualificatins and Balance f PIs and Research Team/Existing Inter- Institutinal Relatinships. Identify the rle f bth PIs and any ther members f the research teams invlved in the prject. If applicable, the PIs shuld demnstrate evidence f an existing inter-institutinal relatinship. If graduate r pst-dctral students are invlved, list their names and university/prgram affiliatins. Als describe hw the prject is relevant t their graduate study and what prvisins have been made t supervise their participatin. Students already funded by CONACYT are nt eligible fr additinal funding thrugh this prgram. 3. Methds. Describe the wrk t be perfrmed, the tasks f each persn, and the timeline fr the prject. 4. Future Funding Ptential. Fr Regular Research Award prpsals include a plan fr cntinued cperatin fr research and plans t seek additinal funding frm ther surces. Fr Special Research Prject Award prpsals, PIs must prvide detailed discussins f related extramurally funded research and cntacts between funding agency persnnel and the PIs, explain hw the award will enhance the cmpetitiveness f a subsequent prpsal, and what extramural prgrams will be the targets fr subsequent funding prpsals. References Cited: Please list publicatins r literature cited. This is nt included within the prject narrative eight-page limit. Investigatr Resumes (uplad): Resumes (tw-page maximum) fr all investigatrs shuld be attached t the applicatin. Resumes shuld nt exceed the tw-page limit. NOTE: Please ensure that the CV in the eprpsal system is current. If yu require assistance in updating yur vita please cntact Mnica Hlder, m-hlder@tamu.edu. Funding: Current and Pending (uplad): Fr all investigatrs, list the surce, title, date, and amunt f internal and external funding supprt relevant t the prject received r pending during the previus three years. Industry r Gvernment Agency Partner (nline): If industry r gvernment agency partners are t be invlved with the prject, please include a descriptin f the partner s rle and supprt fr the prject. A letter f supprt frm the prpsed partner must be included in the submissin. TAMU/Mexican PI Budgets (nline): Nt t exceed $24,000 fr Regular Research Awards and $75,000 fr Special Research Prject Awards (see budget infrmatin belw). Budget Justificatins (nline): Specifically itemize each budgeted item. If there are matching funds, please include details in this sectin. Financial Cntacts (nline): Include the cntact name, phne number, and address fr financial cntacts at Texas A&M (departmental business administratr) and the Mexican higher educatin institutin r research center. Mexican investigatrs must prvide wire transfer infrmatin befre transfer f funds can ccur. It is helpful fr Mexican investigatrs t have their financial infrmatin ready t submit prir t learning whether their prpsal is funded. If we d nt receive this infrmatin when requested, we cannt guarantee funds will be transferred by psted date. 4

5 Budget Infrmatin The budget shuld clearly indicate hw the funds will be distributed between Texas A&M University and the Mexican higher educatin institutin r research center in the budget justificatin sectin. Eligible csts are limited t: Travel: This includes travel-related expenses fr PIs and/r ther members f the research teams t visit partner institutins r ptential funding surces and registratin fees fr prfessinal cnferences and meetings. Each hme institutin is respnsible fr prviding medical insurance during travel. Graduate student supprt: The award mney can be used t fund graduate students salaries and tuitin payments; hwever, this prject will nt fund salaries fr investigatrs r undergraduate students, r pstdctral students. The funds fr these grants are nt fringe-bearing. Fringe benefits must be included fr all U.S. graduate student salaries listed in the budget. Sympsia/Wrkshps: Expenses related t hsting fcused sympsia and wrkshps n tpics fall within the scpe f this initiative. Scientific equipment and supplies: Persnal cmputers cannt be purchased with this award. Facilities and Administrative Csts: F&A Csts/Indirect Csts are nt allwed. Matching supprt: Matching supprt is nt required, but is strngly encuraged. Research Cmpliance and Bisafety If the prpsed research activities require review by institutinal review bards fr human subjects, animals, r bihazards (see, fr example, the Texas A&M website fr research cmpliance and bisafety), applicants must check the apprpriate bx in the general infrmatin sectin f the nline applicatin t signify that versight is needed fr their research. Principal investigatrs are encuraged t cntact research cmpliance r bisafety in advance f submitting their prpsals t determine if such versight is necessary befre submitting their prpsals. The apprpriate cmpliance frms must be submitted and apprved, and cpies f apprval dcuments must be frwarded t Ms. Mnica Hlder, CONACYT prgram crdinatr, at m-hlder@tamu.edu, upn receipt. N CONACYT funds can be disbursed t the departmental accunts f grantees until research cmpliance and bisafety apprval letter(s) have been received by this ffice. Please nte: All awarded prpsal will be reviewed by staff in Research Cmpliance and Bisafety t ensure that the prpsed research meets research cmpliance and bisafety standards. Evaluatin f Prpsals The peer-review panel will cnsist f faculty frm bth Texas A&M University and CONACYT. Prpsals will be reviewed based n (a) scientific r schlarly merit and impact (50%); (b) qualificatins f and balance between the PIs and/r research teams, including graduate student participatin (25%); and (c) Plans fr and the likelihd fr sustained extramural funding after receipt f the Texas A&M CONACYT award (25%). Fllwing the evaluatin f the prpsals by Texas A&M and Mexican reviewers, the respnsible fficials (r their designees) at CONACYT and Texas A&M will recncile the tw sets f reviews. The Review Cmmittee is scheduled t meet in May/June

6 Ntificatin f Award Recipients will be ntified via June Transfer f Funds The transfer f funds, awarded in U.S. dllars, will be made in September 2015, if all financial infrmatin is prvided by the PIs and all cmpliance issues have been apprved by the apprpriate cmpliance cmmittee(s). Failure t prvide timely and accurate financial cntact infrmatin will result in delayed transfer f funds. Reprting Requirements Upn cmpletin f the 12-mnth prject, the principal investigatrs are required t file a reprt n the prgress f the research prject. Additinally, 36 mnths after receipt f the award, PIs must file a final reprt that summarizes the status f the prject and presents evidence that they are seeking additinal funding t cntinue the research prgram. The first reprt is due after the 12-mnth funding perid and shuld address the fllwing: Describe accmplishments, findings, r discveries that may be f interest t decisin makers and the general public Identify additinal funding that has been received r requested as a result f this grant Identify the granting agencies, industry spnsrs, r end users t which a future prpsal has been r will be submitted and the date f submissin Identify any publicatins that have resulted frm this grant Prgram Cntacts Questins cncerning the Texas A&M University-CONACYT Research Grant Prgram shuld be directed t: Texas A&M University: Ms. Mnica Hlder, MS (m-hlder@tamu.edu r cnacyt@tamu.edu; ) CONACYT: Dr. Luis Humbert Fabila Castill (lfabila@cnacyt.mx (55) Ext. 6100) Infrmatin n Internet: Infrmatin abut the Texas A&M-CONACYT agreement and the Research Grant Prgram is available n the Web at: CONACYT s website: Texas A&M University s website: 6