This National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Research Announcement (NRA), entitled Engagement Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS) – 2020, solicits proposals for competitive funding opportunities in support of NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM). EONS 2020 is an omnibus announcement that includes a wide range of NASA science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) Engagement opportunities for basic and applied science and technology research and education. Specific opportunities will be issued periodically throughout the year as Appendices to this solicitation with individual requirements and milestones. NASA may elect to support some or none of the proposals submitted under this NRA through the use of non-OSTEM funds if such funds are available from other NASA or Federal Government sources.
NASA’s journeys have propelled technological breakthroughs, pushed the frontiers of scientific research, and expanded our understanding of the universe. These accomplishments, and those to come, share a common genesis: education in STEM. NASA’s OSTEM delivers tools for young Americans and educators to learn and succeed.
We seek to:
To achieve these goals, OSTEM strives to increase K-12 involvement in NASA projects, enhance higher education, support underrepresented/underserved communities, strengthen online education, and boost NASA’s contribution to informal education. The intended outcome is a generation prepared to code, calculate, design, and discover its way to a new era of American innovation.
Closing Date: Aug. 31, 2021
Deadline: Aug. 13, 2020
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM), collaborating closely with the Mission Directorates, and also in cooperation with NASA Headquarters’ Office of Communications and Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, solicits proposals led by Informal Education Institutions (IEIs) to provide inquiry- or experiential-based educational opportunities with direct alignment to major NASA missions for students and the public.
Through TEAM II, 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. TEAM II seeks projects that feature the most current NASA space exploration, missions, engineering, and technologies to support NASA STEM Engagement objectives, strategies, and outcomes.
This one-time TEAM II Remote Opportunity Rapid Response (RORR) competitive solicitation will provide financial support in the range of $100K-$175K for up to one year for IEIs to amplify or create an innovative remote or distance-learning program, opportunity, or platform/project to reach K-12 students using relevant NASA content during the 2020-2021 school year and/or in summer 2021 and continuing beyond.
Organizations submitting a proposal under this Appendix are certifying that they meet the following criteria to propose as the lead or managing IEI organization: • legally recognized by a federal, state or local authority as a non-profit organization; • located in the United States or its Territories; and • provide STEM education programming; identify as or have a component that meets the definition of a museum, youth-serving organization, or library; and can partner with other IEIs, K-12 schools, commercial entities, higher education institutions, and/or other agencies that support Federal STEM education goals.
Eligible non-profit IEIs also include, but are not limited to: amateur astronomy groups, community-based organizations, cultural/historical institutions that focus specifically on populations that are underserved in STEM and have a STEM programming component, libraries, out-of-school-time organizations, youth-serving organizations, scientific and or engineering societies, or associations that include both eligible institutions and ineligible institutions.
Organizations shall submit only one (1) proposal per Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), currently the DUNS number. If an organization submits more than one proposal using the UEI, then none of its proposals will be evaluated.
The EONS NRA is open U.S. Institutions, federal government agencies (other than NASA), Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) (other than NASA JPL), state government agencies, local government agencies, federally recognized tribal government agencies, science museums and planetariums, for-profit companies, and non-U.S. institutions. These entities may participate as a lead or through a partnership with the lead institution as noted by the specific program element guidelines. Note: Specific Appendices may further limit the eligibility of applicants. Refer to each Appendix for more details.
The funds available for awards under each OSTEM program element offered in this NRA can range anywhere from less than $1 million to $5 million. This allows selection of a few to as many as several dozen proposals, depending on the proposed objectives and the submission of proposals of merit. Awards will be made as grants or cooperative agreements, depending on the extent of NASA’s involvement with the award recipient and activities. The typical period of performance for an award is one to three years, although some program elements may specify a shorter or longer (maximum of five years) periods. The Government’s ability to make awards is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment can be made and the receipt of proposals that NASA deems acceptable for award under this NRA. Details of the solicited opportunities and any changes or modifications to any of these guidelines will be specified in the descriptions of the relevant program element in the Appendices of this solicitation.
