2019 NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II)

Working in collaboration with other Federal agencies, NASA supports evidence-based, effective, NASA-unique activities that increase STEM capabilities at formal and informal educational institutions and organizations by incorporating content based on NASA’s missions.  Through this solicitation,NASA seeks to enhance the ability of IEIs and partners to deliver and participate in NASA-based activities, and increase the capacity of institutions to utilize NASA resources and to provide students the opportunity to contribute to NASA’s mission.

This NRA solicits proposals for submitters to uniquely perform NASA education or research for inquiry- or experiential-based educational opportunities that directly align with major NASA missions for students and the public.  The proposed projects shall utilize partnerships with major networks of other IEIs,youth-serving organizations, libraries, and/or K-12 schools along with commercial entities, higher education institutions, and/or other agencies that support Federal STEM education goals.

Subject to Congressional appropriation of sufficient funds in Fiscal Years 2020-2021, and also pending NASA’s receipt of proposals of adequate merit, NASA currently plans to select between one (1) and eight (8) proposals for award. NASA reserves the right to make a full or partial selection of any proposal. Successful proposals typically will be funded as cooperative agreements. An individual award will not exceed $1,000,000.  The lowest amount that may be proposed is $500,000.  All proposals submitted shall have a performance period with a minimum of two years and a maximum of four years.

Funding Opportunity Additional Description

NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, collaborating closely with the Mission Directorates,and also in cooperation with NASA Headquarters’ Office of Communications and Mission Support Directorate, solicits proposals led by Informal Education Institutions (IEIs) to provide inquiry- or experiential-based educational opportunities with direct alignment with major NASA missions for students and the public.  These opportunities shall utilize partnerships with major networks of other IEIs, youth-serving organizations, libraries, and/or K-12 schools along with commercial entities,higher education institutions, and/or other agencies that support Federal STEM education goals. NASA’s work in STEM Engagement is focused on ultimately serving students. It is recognized that providing support and resources to educators and educational institutions are vital vehicles through which to effectively engage students. Through this solicitation, NASA seeks to enhance the ability of IEIs and partners to deliver and participate in NASA-based activities, and to increase the capacity of institutions to utilize NASA resources and to provide students with the opportunity to contribute to NASA’s mission using innovative tools and platforms.  In particular, this solicitation seeks projects that feature the most current NASA space exploration, missions,engineering, and technologies to support NASA STEM Engagement objectives, strategies, and outcomes. 

NASA TEAM II seeks to provide authentic STEM engagement opportunities for students and for their learning support systems of informal and formal educators that also support NASA STEM Engagement Core Principles, Objectives, and Strategies:

• Provide STEM engagement activities aligned with NASA mission-driven needs and priorities;
• Leverage NASA missions, content, people, and facilities to provide experiential authentic STEM opportunities that encourage innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills; 
• Use or develop evidenced-based educational strategies in designing and implementing the project and address state and local needs;
• Provide a measurable impact on learner interest in and positive attitudes towards STEM topics and improve self-perception of the learner’s ability to participate in STEM;
• Enhance diversity and inclusion by better serving groups historically underrepresented and under served in STEM fields; and 
• Utilize partnerships and regional and national networks of STEM- and STEM education-related IEIs to magnify and maximize reach and impact;

For this solicitation, informal education projects shall target STEM engagement for youth (particularly those of upper elementary and middle school age, in grades 4-8), and their support systems of families and informal and formal educators and institutions. 

Organizations submitting a proposal under this NRA are certifying that they meet the following criteria to propose as the lead or managing organization: 

•        legally recognized by a federal, state or local authority as a non-profit; 

•        located in the United States or its Territories; and 

•        provide STEM education programming, (such as but not limited to exhibits) through leadership of or partnerships with major networks of other IEIs, youth-serving organizations, libraries, and/or K-12 schools along with commercial entities, higher education institutions, and/or other agencies that support Federal STEM education goals.

An eligible institution is not required to have the words museum, visitor center, science, planetarium, youth, or library in its legal name. All types of NASA Visitor Centers (e.g., private, state or federal entities) are eligible to propose.

A Principal Investigator (PI) shall be the President, Vice President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chairman of the Board,Superintendent of Schools, Planetarium Director, Director of Sponsored Research, or similarly ranked executive from an eligible institution.  PI status is a key indicator that the proposal has sufficient institutional engagement to be successfully implemented.

Not later than the due date for proposals, proposers to this NRA shall have: 

1) a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)number, 

2) a valid registration with the System for Award Management (SAM), 

3) a valid Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) Code, 

4) a valid registration with NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) (this also applies to all entities that are proposed for sub-awards or subcontracts.) 

Every institution that intends to submit a proposal to this NRA, including the proposed lead institution or any partner whether an IEI, other non-profit institution, state and local Government agency, and any other organization that will serve as a sub-awardee or contractor, shall be registered in NSPIRES.  In order to submit a proposal, all team members and their institutions shall first be registered in the NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com) system.  Proposers submitting through Grants.gov shall also register on Grants.gov.

WARNING:  The required NSPIRES Program Specific Data Form is not available via grants.gov.  Be sure to include your answers to the program specific data sheet (PSD) in grants.gov as an appendix.

Additional programmatic information for this NRA may develop before the proposal due date.  Such information will be added as a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) or formal amendment to this NRA and posted at NSPIRES homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select “Solicitations” then “Open Solicitations” then “NNH19ZHA002N”. Prospective proposers shall regularly check this NRA’s homepage for updates concerning the activity(s) of interest. FAQs may be updated until the proposal due date. 

When new FAQs are posted, a notice will be sent via the NASA Education Express listserv.  To subscribe to NASA Express, go to: http://www.nasa.gov/education/express.