The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Education, in cooperation with the International Space Station (ISS) Research Office, NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate  (HEOMD), Science Mission Directorates (SMD), Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), and NASA’s ten centers (including JPL), solicits proposals for the NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) International Space Station (ISS) Flight Opportunity. Each funded NASA EPSCoR proposal is expected to establish research activities that will make significant contributions to the strategic research and technology development priorities of one or more of the Mission Directorates, and contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, higher education, and economic development of the jurisdiction receiving funding.

This Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN or solicitation) is for current or previously funded EPSCoR projects that are mature enough to design a research experiment or develop research experimental hardware to the point that it can be safely flown on the International Space Station (ISS).  Each funded NASA EPSCoR proposal is expected to perform scientific and/or technical research in areas that support NASA’s strategic research and technology development priorities and contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, higher education, and economic development of the jurisdiction receiving funding.

NASA EPSCoR is moving to a two year procurement cycle.  As a result, jurisdictions responding to this Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) may submit up to two proposals.  It is anticipated that three (3) to five (5) awards for FY 2017 and three (3) to five (5) awards for FY 2018 of up to $100,000 to be expended over a three-year period of performance may be made under this CAN in accordance with regulatory guidance found at Title 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards as adopted and supplemented by NASA through Title 2 CFR Part 1800: Federal Agency Regulations for Grants and Agreements – NASA.  The exact number of awards depends on the available EPSCoR Research Budget.