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September 15th, 2023

Past DER Weekly Newsletters

Weekly In Progress Report

Proposal Development Milestones and Understanding Technical vs non-Technical docs

As part of this Proposal Development Series, we recently talked about the assignment confirmation email that research faculty receive after a proposal has been assigned to a DER Research Administrator. Those emails nearly always include a timeline designed to help keep you from having your proposal be considered late, or worse, at risk. These deadlines provide milestones in the proposal development process that enable a typical proposal to be reviewed for compliance and submitted on time. Following these timelines helps us proactively reduce unanticipated barriers that could delay or halt the progress of your proposal submission.

Milestone deadlines associated with the proposal development process in College of Engineering:

Business days before sponsor deadline - No later than - Action required as part of the deadline

7 business days before - 5:00 p.m. - Final budget, budget justification, SOW to DER for preview/preapproval
5 business days before - 5:00 p.m. - All FINAL non-technical documents to DER (including signed Subaward documents)
3 business days before - 12:00 noon - Final Proposal (PD) Routed by DER for Submission to avoid LATE status
1 business day before - 12:00 noon - Final Proposal (PD) Routed by DER for Submission to avoid AT RISK status

DER is aware that all proposals have unique characteristics and require varying amounts of time to complete the proposal development process. Clear communication is key—work closely with your DER assigned research administrator to understand when and why your proposal documents are needed, and to maintain a clear timeline for successful submission.

When reviewing these proposal development milestones, many faculty have asked, “What is considered a technical document?” Documents that are considered “technical” may vary based on the specific sponsor and proposal requirements. One quick method to swiftly help you determine which documents fall into the “technical” bucket is to ask yourself, “Will the content information in this specific document require updating if the project science for this proposal changes?” If so, that document is a technical document. All other documents are considered non-technical documents.

Non-technical documents are documents that can and should be completed early in the process. Completing the non-technical documents early on provides more time for faculty to polish the science and technical aspects of their proposal. This also allows your Research Administrator more time to conduct a complete compliance review and to provide feedback.

These documents are always considered non-technical (if applicable):

Budget justification
Vendor quotes
Cost share support
Letter(s) of support or collaboration
Facility or equipment documents
Building planning documents (used for projects working with MSU Office of Planning and Budget - OPB)
All personnel documents (bio, current and pending, COA, etc.)
Scope of work
Data / Sharing plan(s)
Animal or human subject documents
Any agency-based supplemental forms (used for system-to-system submission)
Similar or same documents from subs (receiving pass-through funding)

More specific sponsor information related to these forms/documents can be found at OSP’s Sponsor Information page. Additionally, all sponsor-initiated policy updates related to these documents are published weekly in the DER Newsletter.

As a reminder, DER works in alignment with OSP’s Proposal Deadline Policy to help reduce any unforeseen glitches resulting in last minute proposal submissions. College level and university wide deadline policies have been instituted to provide necessary time to develop a compliant proposal that follows sponsor guidelines. These key dates are applied based on sponsor submission deadlines. Note: MSU’s deadline dates may be moved up if the submission date is requested early by the lead sponsor to comply with prime sponsor submission deadline.

If you have questions regarding other helpful tips to promote success with submitting your proposal, please send an email to proposals@egr.msu.edu.

Article by: Robert Nelsen DER Research Administrator

DER is Here to Help (proposal & proposal development resources geared to promote success)

Save the Date: Thursday, September 27th from 12-1 PM EDT, DER presents DER is Here to Help - proposal & proposal development resources geared to promote success (Seminar Room (3405A EB) & virtually (Zoom)). For newer faculty, it is critical to understand all of the incredible resources that are available to help strengthen each of your future proposals. It is also important to understand the required steps to submit a university-endorsed proposal. For more senior faculty, awareness of new resources may help to streamline your proposal development processes and possibly open new streams of funding. Join the DER team as we present DER is Here to Help. This seminar will focus on services offered within the Division of Engineering Research, and the various ways we can help you increase your sponsored research expenditures. Feel free to share any questions during the session. All faculty and staff are welcome and are encouraged to be prepared with any questions. We hope to see you there!

Lunch will be provided in the Seminar Room!

Spotlight Opportunities & Information

MSU is working to solve range anxiety

Spartans are innovating batteries, electronics, composite materials and more to push electric vehicles farther while training the nation’s future workforce

This July, the United States Army announced a new $9M initiative it’s pursuing with Michigan State University to make electric autonomous vehicles safer, smarter and more dependable.

With support from the Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center, or GVSC, Spartan engineers are working to create every advantage they can for vehicles that will serve our country’s service members. But it doesn’t take long to see how these innovations will benefit civilians, too.

In fact, the team will first demonstrate its new ideas, designs and technologies on a commercially available passenger car before disseminating these advances to other vehicles.

For today’s average driver, perhaps the biggest problem MSU’s researchers are working to solve is related to range anxiety, the fear that electric vehicles, or EVs, will run out of charge before reaching their destination.

“If you were to ask 10 electric vehicle owners what is the single biggest issue they have with their car, I would bet eight out of 10 would say range anxiety,” says Satish Udpa, a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

... Learn more Here.

DOE: Advancing U.S. Thin-Film Solar Photovoltaics, Golden Field Office

Link to Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003058

Description: The Advancing U.S. Thin-Film Solar Photovoltaics FOA will focus on accelerating the capabilities of two thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies: metal-halide perovskite PV and cadmium telluride (CdTe) PV technologies. It will fund innovative industrial research and development (R&D) projects that will enable future commercialization of hybrid tandem perovskite PV, defined as a perovskite PV in combination with another technology such as silicon or CdTe. It will also fund industrial research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects across the materials, equipment, installation, and performance monitoring sectors to improve the competitiveness of the domestic CdTe PV industry. This FOA promotes American leadership in thin-film PV technology by promoting the domestic manufacture of thin-film PV modules. With this goal in mind, only for-profit entities and teams led by for-profit entities may apply to this FOA.

Award Size: $1M up to $20M

Deadline: December 12, 2023

... Learn more Here.

RFP distribution assistance under TPF-5(438) SWZDI

Description: As partner states with us under the TPF-5(438) Smart Work Zone Deployment Initiative (SWZDI) pooled fund, I am requesting your assistance in distributing this call for research proposals to be considered by the SWZDI pooled fund for CY24. If you’re willing, I would appreciate a notification of this opportunity be sent to your research RFP distribution lists focusing on universities and consultant research investigators. This posting does have some restrictions related to the proposing team’s composition as discussed on the first page under Eligibility. The response deadline is October 9^th.

Link to Opportunity

Khyle Clute, P.E., SPR RESEARCH and Pooled Fund Programs Manager
Iowa Department of Transportation - RESEARCH & ANALYTICS BUREAU
Phone (Office): 515-239-1646
Email: khyle.clute@iowadot.us

American Heart Association – 2024 Innovative Project Award

Grant Amount: $200k

Deadline: LOI due December 1, 2023 – 3:00 p.m. CT

Link to Opportunity

Additional Information: The purpose of this award is to support highly innovative, high-impact research that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate the field of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular research. Research deemed innovative may introduce a new paradigm, challenge current paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives, or exhibit other uniquely creative qualities.

The Innovative Project Award (IPA) promotes unexplored ideas; therefore, preliminary data is not required and not accepted as part of the proposal. However, a solid rationale for the work must be provided. If you provide preliminary data, the application will be disqualified.

Proposed work should not be the next logical step of previous work but should have a high probability to revealing new avenues of investigation, if successful. The idea proposed here should not have been submitted in whole or in part in a previous proposal for AHA support.

At the time of application, PI must hold a post-baccalaureate Ph.D. degree or equivalent, or doctoral-level clinical degree, such as MD, DO, DVM, PharmD, or PhD in nursing, public health, or other clinical health science.

... Learn more Here.

BSF - TRAVEL GRANTS PROGRAM FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS

Deadline for submissions: December 18, 2023

Description: BSF is announcing the availability of funds for short scientific trips by young American or Israeli scientists to the other country.

In 2023 the program will have two calls, which will each support 10 trips. Grants will be $6k each. This is the second CALL for 2023.

The program is open to PhD students doing research that requires facilities or expertise that are not available in their home countries.

Applications will be evaluated on the basis of their merit in light of the overall aim of the program, and the qualifications of the applicants. The grant will be awarded through the grantee's institute. As guiding principles, support will be awarded to applications that meet the following criteria:

The applicant is a young American or Israeli researcher, and the visit is to the other country.
The research is in an accredited higher education or scientific institution (including hospitals).
The applicant's research is in any of the scientific fields supported by the BSF (full list is on the BSF website), regardless of the split program.
The purpose of the trip is limited to the use of facilities, or acquiring expertise not available in the applicant's home country.
Application is for travel that has not yet taken place.
Resubmission may sometimes be possible after 12 months and with pre-approval by the BSF office.

Additional information about the Prof. R. Rahamimoff program can be found at: https://www.bsf.org.il/funding..., and must be submitted using the form and the instructions that can be downloaded from the BSF website.

... Learn more Here.

Water Research Foundation – Funding Announcements

Quantifying the Performance of Source Water Protection Measures to Improve Utilities’ Decision Making

Grant Amount: Up to $200k - Deadline: November 14, 2023 (3 pm MT)

Additional Information: Source water protection (SWP) provides the first critical barrier against contamination of water that is used as a potable source. Key SWP activities, such as conservation of sensitive riverine areas and direct intervention to control the generation of contaminants, form an integral part of a catchment-to-consumer protection strategy for assuring drinking water safety in a holistic fashion. As an example, according to AWWA’s 2021 report, “Source Water Evaluation Guide for PFAS,” understanding and controlling exposure to PFAS in drinking water begins with source water protection. SWP is a strategy that provides a utility or a water resource manager with an opportunity to avoid or reduce treatments that require chemical, energy, and human resources, by minimizing or eliminating contaminants to the source water to maintain a higher quality of water that can be treated and used to provide potable water. These strategies can provide long-term protection of source water to promote and maintain sustainable and resilient water supplies for utilities and municipalities. “ it is crucial to implement robust and quantitative “performance-based monitoring and evaluation” (P-M&E) to determine whether SWP protection measures have met their goal. There is a strong need to build from the current state-of-the-practice and develop an enhanced approach for incorporating effectiveness metrics of P-M&E into source water protection measures (on an individual measure and integrated basis) that can directly link to water utility operational needs, improved overall utility performance, and increase accountability in spending funds on SWP programs by utilities and municipalities.

This research will:

Advance source water protection and watershed-level point and non-point source pollution prevention, interception, and remediation strategies, and quantify the costs and benefits of each;
Develop a robust approach for integrating P-M&E metrics with cost/benefit analysis, life-cycle assessment, triple-bottom-line framework, and other relevant approaches to quantify the value of SWP strategies to reduce or prevent source water contamination (e.g., PFAS and nutrients). This includes perspectives from diverse utilities (e.g., based on land uses, weather patterns, geography, source of raw water such as riverine, lake/reservoir, and/or groundwater, and other criteria);
Prioritize meaningful performance measurements such as water quality improvement data, environmental/ecological service value, and overall utility operational performance.

Case Studies for Successful Watershed and Sewershed Monitoring and Decision Making

Grant Amount: Up to $150k - Deadline: November 14, 2023 (3 pm MT)

Additional Information: Despite the differences in monitoring infrastructure, locations, and testing endpoints in watershed systems and even between combined sewer systems (CSS) and separate sewer systems (SSS), this project aims to identify sensing technologies, analysis and modeling solutions/tools, and successful case studies that incorporate both watershed and sewershed systems into the One Water context for monitoring and decision making. Such “One Water” or “Three Waters” integrated water cycle management plans and strategies are undertaken in some jurisdictions as part of their strategic business planning.

There are three main topics to review as part of the case studies:

Of interest are approaches and successful case studies that have demonstrated the fusing of sensing infrastructure data and analytics with modeling approaches (including AI/ML methods) that provide the scientific basis for quantifying the feedbacks and impacts of wastewater discharges on watersheds and that connect the sewershed and watershed monitoring, modelling, and management into one integrated package.
Also of interest is identifying approaches and cases where information gleaned from these analyses have been used to inform policy or long-term control planning efforts. Of special interest is the use of real-time sensing data to develop real-time decision support tools that guide utility operators and watershed managers on how best to operate their respective systems to mitigate adverse impacts.
A final question relates to optimal allocation of resources, where integration of sewershed and watershed monitoring and management planning programs has provided evidence to develop least-community-cost solutions to pollution control challenges. This may include informing decisions on the best and most efficient relative allocation of resources between options to mitigate sewershed contamination, discharges and overflows from sewerage systems, sewage treatment, water resources management, and water treatment.

Making the Case for Climate Resilient Water Infrastructure & Supporting Strategies

Grant Amount: Up to $100k - Deadline: Proposals due by November 14, 2023 (3 pm MT)

Additional Information: Without better understanding and sector‐specific guidance, water utilities may remain underprepared for future climate disasters. To address these challenges, we seek to develop a user-friendly decision-support tool to assist water sector leaders in evaluating budget decisions related to climate-resilient drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater investments.Given the obstacles facing water utilities today, the audience for this effort are water utility leaders, as well as utility staff and managers involved in relevant areas such as climate change adaptation planning, capital improvement planning, and budget planning.

The desired outcomes of this project are:

Develop a comprehensive framework to maximize the effectiveness of water utilities’ limited resources and ratepayer funds, ensure the long-term sustainability of water services, and promote climate-resilient, multi-beneficial solutions;
Advance quantitative approaches to promoting climate-resilient infrastructure and approaches in concert with competing utility objectives; and
Enhance utilities’ ability to communicate with and engage stakeholders about climate adaptation investments and approaches.

Project Objectives:

To develop water sector‐specific guidance, including a decision-support tool on how to make a case for investments in climate‐resilient stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water infrastructure, considering both structural approaches (i.e., physical assets) and non‐ structural approaches (e.g., codes and standards).
To advance quantitative approaches to utility decision-making about climate resilient capital projects, as well as other approaches within the web of complex challenges facing water utilities today.
To enhance stakeholder engagement and education by incorporating a collaborative component in the decision-support tool, enabling utilities to engage community members, utility staff, and peer agencies around climate-resilient water investments.

National Fish & Wildlife Foundation-Electronic Monitoring & Reporting Program - Fisheries

Grant Amount: Between $200-$500k

Deadline: October 16, 2023

Category: Agriculture & Natural Resources; Science; Technology; AI; Data Science; Computer Science

Link to Opportunity

Additional Information: The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) will award grants that catalyze the voluntary implementation of electronic technologies (ET) for fisheries catch, effort, and/or compliance monitoring, and improvements to fishery information systems in U.S. fisheries. The Electronic Monitoring and Reporting (EMR) Grant Program will advance the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) sustainable fisheries goals to partner with fishermen and other stakeholders, state agencies, and Fishery Information Networks to systematically integrate technology into fisheries data collection and observations as well as streamline data management and use for fisheries management. NFWF’s priority fisheries include the Gulf of Mexico reef fish fishery, the New England groundfish fishery, the West Coast groundfish fishery, and the Alaska halibut and groundfish fisheries, but other fisheries are fully eligible and have a strong history of receiving funding. Proposals should address one or more of the program priorities listed below:

E-technology in fisheries data collection.
Modernize data management systems.

Matching contributions from non-federal sources (both cash and in-kind) must equal or exceed a 1:1 ratio (100% of the requested amount). NFWF recognizes that it may be a challenge to meet the required 1:1 match ratio. NFWF has a limited funds available to assist with meeting the match requirement for some applicants, especially those working with underserved communities.

... Learn more Here.

DoE: Enabling a Reduced Carbon Footprint for Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (CO2-EOR)/Storage Field Test Sites in Unconventional Reservoirs, National Energy Technology Laboratory

Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003017

Link to Opportunity

Description: The objective of this FOA is to competitively solicit cost-shared research proposals for pilot-scale field deployment and validation of efficient, cost-effective solutions ready for pre-commercialization that can eliminate flaring and non-safety related venting of natural gas at the well site.

Projects sought under this FOA include the use of innovative technologies for processing and separating oil and associated gas at the well site designed to eliminate flaring, as well as new technologies designed to convert the associated natural gas into value-added solid or liquid products. Proposals can also develop technologies that use both processing and conversion, provided the applicant demonstrates that the overall process is technically feasible, economically feasible and ready for pilot-scale field testing at the well site.

Proposals must include information on the performance of the technology to date and clearly illustrate pre-commercial status of the system in terms of its potential economic viability. Adequate consideration must also be given on how the proposed system will be deployed at the specific wellsite selected as part of the project. This should include details on any required construction and include consideration for existing infrastructure and the topology of the field site. Detailed discussion should also be included on the planned operation of the system at the well site that clearly establishes the daily target volume of natural gas that will be processed and/or converted, the required utilities, and the volume per day of any product and/or waste streams.

Award Size: up to $12.5M

Deadline: November 27, 2023

... Learn more Here.

Halo - Current Opportunities

Deadline September 31:

Bayer Consumer Health - Novel nutritional ingredients or experts in prenatal nutrition - Bayer Consumer Health is seeking novel nutritional ingredients and/or experts in the field of prenatal nutrition.

Under Armour - Novel cushioning and thermal comfort solutions for athletic footwear - Under Armour is seeking technologies that can deliver increased thermal comfort through better airflow across the foot while maintaining key properties in athletic footwear (energy return, compression set, weight).

Bayer Consumer Health - Moisture resistant technologies and formulations for solid effervescent tablets - Bayer Consumer Health is seeking alternative effervescent components and/or moisture barrier coatings for tablets used to deliver drugs or nutritional supplements.

Unilever - Nutritional interventions for telomere defense - Unilever is seeking novel nutritional interventions, specifically ingredients or blends of ingredients suitable for dietary supplements, to help maintain optimal telomere length.

Private Company - Antibodies for food safety lateral flow assays - The company is seeking collaborators with expertise in developing highly sensitive, specific, and robust antibodies for use in lateral flow assays. They are also looking for opportunities to buy or license antibodies that are already developed.

Unilever - Screening system to identify SGLT1, GLUT5 inhibitors and activators - Unilever is seeking tools and screening capabilities to help understand the impact of different dietary ingredients on SGLT1 and GLUT5.

Altium Packaging - Recyclable materials, additives, or coatings for monolayer barriers - Altium is seeking a monolayer barrier solution that is compatible with their manufacturing assets (specifically the reciprocating screw blow molding machines used for EBM).

Altium Packaging - Improvements to lightweight plastic bottle packaging - Altium is seeking solutions for dramatically lighter-weight packaging for customers, especially plastic bottles.

Altium Packaging - Bio-based resins for rigid plastic packaging applications - Altium is seeking to identify bio-based resins that the company can effectively leverage in its various manufacturing platforms.

Altium Packaging - Mechanically recycled polymers that perform like virgin polymers - Altium is seeking to identify methods, additives, and technologies for PCR resins that offer dramatically improved performance characteristics.

General Mills - Making ice cream more resilient towards fluctuations in temperature - General Mills is seeking technologies to make ice cream more resilient towards temperature fluctuations in terms of textural and physical stability, without compromising the sensory experience. Potential solutions can include ingredients, processing, distribution, and storage.

... Learn more Here.

DER's Proposal Volume

DER's Week (at-a-glance) as of 9/15/2023

In Progress

100

Open tickets

Just-in-Time activities

Research proposals in progress*

Fee For Service proposals

Gift proposals

Bonus Statistic: Research proposals submitted in the last week

DER Seminars

DER Seminar Catalog Now Available On Demand!

Description: DER has a catalog of research and funding seminars available on demand. Seminar topics range from critical instruction for new faculty through advanced training for senior research faculty. These presentations include instruction from experts regarding themes that include best practices in research, MSU policy, sponsor compliance, industry specific seminars, and more. Check them out today and utilize this incredible resource to help streamline your proposal development and promote success in your research. Watch now on demand!!!

Recent seminar presentations include:

DER is Here to Help (proposal & proposal development resources geared to promote success)
Tips for Writing a Persuasive Grant Proposal (grant writing to ‘sell’ a project to funders)
Finding Funding (tips for finding funding to support your research)
Roles and Responsibilities (tips for understanding roles and responsibilities at each stage of the project)
CAREER Award Workshop - Session 1 (best practices and strategies for producing successful NSF Career proposals)
And many more…

DER Seminar Website

Internal Funding Notifications & News

Funding Opportunities Database

International Funding Opportunities Update 09/14/2023

OIRC becomes Global IDEAS - Register for regular notifications.

Spring 2023 Newsletter

May 2023 Newsletter

The Engaged Scholar e-Newsletter

09/06/2023

Burgess E&I Weekly

Helpful Resource: Effort Reporting FAQs

Does effort reporting for your grants and contracts seem more cumbersome than it should be? CGA has compiled a very helpful list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Topics range from reporting deadlines, to resolving errors, and everything in between!

As you peruse this list, you might notice that there is a dedicated email address for any questions or issues you may have when submitting effort reporting. Please use effortreporting@cga.msu.edu to expedite service.