Request for Proposals Frequently Asked Questions

Should the themes and activities proposed be focused on supercomputing?
Cyberinfrastructure, high performance networks, massive data storage, etc., will all be relevant, and it is not necessary to narrow a proposal to address only "supercomputing."

Could you address the issue of breadth of themes?
It is important for the themes to be enduring. Projects within a theme may be replaced every few years, but we want the themes to last for decades. If you feel that your theme is broad, you may want to consider proposing a theme that includes subthemes.

Can you give us a little more information about the difference between "development activities" and "research themes"?
The RFP specifies that a Research Theme would involve a team of six or more individuals and is expected to have a certain level of maturity. A Theme Development Activity is more preliminary in nature and likely includes fewer people, although the RFP did not specify how many people could be involved in a TDA.

May a theme development activity request allocation of NCSA staff time?
Yes.

I am not sure whether my idea is better suited to be a Research Theme proposal or a Theme Development Activity proposal. Which type of proposal should I submit?
Please submit a proposal that is appropriate for the current state of the Research Theme you will be proposing. If the Theme is reasonably mature, submit a Research Theme proposal. If it is a great idea, but not yet well developed, then submit a Research Theme Development proposal.

What is the recommended length of a pre-proposal?
Pre-proposals should not exceed four pages in length.

Does the four page limit of the pre-proposal include budget and hiring plans?
The total length of the pre-proposal, including budget, hiring plans, and references, should not exceed four pages. Information can be expanded in a full proposal at a later date.

Given that January 15 is Martin Luther King Day, when are pre-proposals due?
Pre-proposals will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16.

Is there a set start date for funded projects?
No. This will be determined as projects are more fully defined.

For a theme proposal, the RFP states "six or more individuals drawn from university faculty and from NCSA". Is this a total of six individuals, not six from faculty and six from NCSA, correct?
It is a total of six or more, which can include both faculty and NCSA staff.

May IACAT themes include participants from other institutions?
Yes, but seed funding will not be provided to individuals from other institutions, and individuals from other institutions will not be counted in the total number of team members (6).

Is it necessary for current teams in the NCSA Cyberapplications and Cybercommunities Directorate submit pre-proposals for their activities in order to continue their current projects?
No. Projects in the Cyberapplications and Cybercommunities Directorate are funded independently of the IACAT. That funding is managed under NCSA's current investment strategy.

May members of current NCSA teams submit or participate in proposals for new themes and theme related activities?
Yes.

If faculty hiring is proposed, is a commitment from the unit executive officer for the matching 50% salary required at the pre-proposal stage?
A firm commitment is not required, but an expression of interest and support from the UEO would be helpful. Hiring commitments will be required for any positions identified in the final proposal.

Would NCSA staff salaries come out of the budget I must submit, or do they remain funded under their current scenario?
NCSA staff salaries should not be included in your budget, but please estimate the amount of NCSA staff effort that would be needed. Funding for NCSA staff involved in the research teams will come from a different source, and is not counted against the $100,000 and $500,000 limits.

Should indirect costs be included in the budget?
No.

Should we include graduate tuition and benefits in our budget?
No. More detailed budget information will be requested at the full proposal stage.

Are the number of individuals limited in a development activity? No.
Is there a minimum? A minimum was not specified, but we would expect the number to be greater than one (3-4 would be reasonable). Do post-docs count? Post-docs do not count as team members but they may be included in the team.

If we already have some initial federal funding are we at a disadvantage?
No. Prior funding is not a disadvantage for a theme.

The suggested budget seems small. Is it a realistic level for the size team we are thinking of?
In general, this funding is expected to cover graduate RAs, postdoctoral research associates, extra travel, workshops, and will not be used for faculty salaries (except limited release time or summer salary). Funding for NCSA staff involved in the research teams will come from a different source, and is not counted against the $100,000 and $500,000 limits.

What should we do if a team or thematic group in an existing campus center or institute applies to be an IACAT thematic team or activity?
We don't want to prohibit this, because the activities could be synergistic. Communication with the existing center or institute will be key to avoiding conflicts and misunderstandings. We would appreciate it if pre-proposals would list current center and institute affiliations.

Is it correct that we will be phasing teams in slowly?
Yes, this is correct. Computing and information technology is, or soon will be, integral to many scholarly activities. Nonetheless, not all groups within the University may be ready to immediately take advantage of the opportunities offered by IACAT. To ensure maximum opportunities for participation in IACAT, we will phase in the research themes over a period of 3-4 years.

May we recommend potential reviewers, both internal and external (outside UIUC), for the preliminary proposal and final proposal?
Yes. You may also identify individuals who you do not wish to review the proposal.