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What is a white paper, and do I have to submit one?
White papers are not an absolute requirement, but are very strongly recommended. If you're considering submitting a full proposal outside the white paper process (already complete), we suggest you write a few paragraphs (not a full white paper) on what you plan to do and send it to the appropriate topic chief. There is no guarantee with all of the white papers to be reviewed that he or she will be able to give feedback, but if so it could potentially be a time saver for all involved to verify that the proposal is within the scope of Minerva and would be competitive for award.
What if a project could fit under more than one topic heading -- how should I apply?
In addition to providing early feedback, the white paper stage is also a good opportunity for Minerva program managers to suggest that a proposal would fit better into a different topic category, if applicable.
One topic per white paper is preferable but not necessary. If you submit a single white paper to more than one topic/topic chief, please make clear in each submission that you have done so.
Should investigators interact with the research topic chiefs before submitting the white paper, or after they've received the evaluation?
Interactions with research topic chiefs generally take place only after receiving white paper evaluation. If investigators wish to clarify whether or not their ideas fit within the framework of the solicitation then contacting the topic chief is valid, but the topic chiefs will not be able to give further feedback (e.g. funding level appropriateness or how to shape the proposal to improve chances of success) until the formal evaluation.
Please note that questions on white papers should be submitted by September 5 to get responses for the September 14 deadline.
How many institutions should be part of a proposed project to warrant a large team application?
There is no set rule, but in general the higher category should involve several distinct disciplines (2 or more) and at least 3 key investigators. The research questions addressed should extend across a fairly broad range of (linked) issues, where there is clear potential synergy among the contributions of the disciplines represented on the team. If the proposal does not meet most of these criteria, it should be assigned to the other category.
Who will make funding decisions and on the basis of what criteria? How does the Pentagon evaluate applications for funding?
Future solicitations for both single investigator and large consortia awards will be conducted through the Department of Defense Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The BAA is a well-established process that has been used to build strong relationships between the Department and the basic research community through programs such as the University Research Initiative (URI) with a long-standing, well-established reputation with the academic community for making funding decisions based on objective merit evaluation of proposals against the published criteria.
The five criteria for Minerva, specified in the BAAs and including scientific merit and relevance and potential contributions, form the basis for source selection. The applications received in full compliance with the requirements of the BAA will undergo a multi-stage evaluation procedure. The respective evaluation panels composed of government subject matter experts and members of the academic community will assess proposals first. Findings of the evaluation panels will then be forwarded to senior DoD officials who will make funding recommendations to the awarding officials standard criteria plus program balance and the availability of funds.
Are references to cited work included in the four page White Paper limit?
No, references to cited work are not a part of the page limits for either white paper or full proposal submissions.
For the white paper submission, what is meant by a described management plan?
The "management plan" can be fairly high level but might generally look something like:
Dr. ** (PI) will be responsible for the overall technical and financial direction and management of the project. ** will identify, track and manage project progress, and disseminate project information to all personnel. ** will also generate detailed analyses of ___. Dr. *** (Co-PI) will __[research effort]. Finally, Dr. **** will examine ___.
Just who's involved, who's in charge, and what is everyone's high level contribution.
When are full proposal submissions due?
The deadline for proposals has been delayed until Monday, December 12. The new last date for questions regarding full proposals, in turn, will now be Wednesday, November 30. As the grants.gov submission system sometimes experiences technical difficulties, we encourage you to submit well ahead of the 12/12 deadline.
How many Minerva proposals are expected to be funded from the current BAA?
Until Congress passes a final budget it is hard to say. Assuming that Congress appropriates the full $7M for new projects requested in the President's budget, the expectation is that we'll aim to fund roughly 3-4 large consortium projects and another 5-6 smaller projects.
As many know, the funding landscape is currently precarious at best. We are working hard to appeal proposed Congressional cuts but likely will not know the final numbers until the review process of full proposals is already underway or complete. Whatever happens, we will work to optimize our resources over the proposals received and get some new high quality work in the pipeline.
Are the budget and justification part of the 25 page limit on the project narrative?
No, these are separate and should be uploaded at field 12 of the grants.gov submission form. Be sure that the budget estimates assume a June 1, 2012 start rather than an April 15, 2012 start.
Is there a specific required format or page limit for CVs or biographical sketches?
There is not a format or page limit required for biographical sketches attached to the "Research and Related - Senior/Key Person Profile Form".
Does being a "past or current DoD Contractor or Grantee" include being a subcontractor?
As a subcontractor you still had to be evaluated and approved just like the prime, and should answer yes. If there is a place to annotate on the form you should say you performed work as a subcontractor, but still check yes.
When is the next opportunity to apply for a grant?
The 2011 Broad Agency Announcement for the Minerva Research Initiative is currently open – see Research Solicitation for details.
Is the Minerva Initiative open to all faculty and students regardless of nationality?
As outgoing Secretary of Defense Robert Gates indicated in his April 14, 2008 speech to the Association of American Universities, one of the key components of the Minerva Initiative is its commitment to complete openness and rigid adherence to academic freedom and integrity. As such, there are no restrictions on the nationality of faculty or students who are eligible to participate in any of the components of the Minerva Initiative.
Are non-US scholars eligible to submit proposals?
The Minerva BAA is open to foreign scholars. Non-US universities are eligible to compete and receive funds in this competition, both with US partners and without.
Are non-profit institutions and commercial entities eligible to submit proposals to the Minerva BAA?
The Minerva Research Initiative was initiated by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates as a university-based social science research program, and university research remains the program’s emphasis. However, for the 2011 BAA non-profit institutions and commercial entities are now eligible to compete and receive Minerva basic research funding as a collaborator in a university-led team proposal.
Can a single higher education institution submit more than white paper if they are interested in more than one topic area? Can a commercial subcontractor be on more than one higher education team -- e.g., different teams dealing with different topic areas?
Investigators may submit multiple proposals to the Minerva BAA, though the concepts presented must be distinct and the differences clear.
What if a Minerva grant has already been funded at my organization?
Groups otherwise eligible to propose to Minerva remain eligible even if they or their peers already receive Minerva funding. Again, proposed concepts should be clearly distinct from other Minerva efforts.
Can graduate students submit research proposals?
Policies on who can be a principal investigator on a grant vary by the military service executing the Minerva grant, but in general the university PI must be a professor or research staff at minimum. We encourage students with Minerva research ideas to work with their advisors or other faculty to submit a proposal.
Are current Minerva researchers are eligible to submit white papers/full proposals in this solicitation?
Current Minerva researchers are eligible to submit new proposals both as lead PIs and as collaborators for both small team and large consortium proposals. These proposals are NOT intended to be renewal proposals to augment existing work and will be competed on equal footing with other research proposals. It is expected that the proposals will be clearly distinct from ongoing work.
How can I get more information on the specific projects funded under Minerva?
Follow the links under the Funded Activities page or send your contact information and request for additional information to Minerva@osd.mil.
Why has the Pentagon singled out these topics as important areas of research?
Minerva is a basic research effort. It is not expected that basic research will pay any immediate dividends to the Department of Defense (DoD). These specific topics were picked less for their immediate utility than for the likelihood that they would constitute significant areas of interest over the long term for the United States.
Are there any publication restrictions that would apply to someone with a Minerva award?
The Minerva program funds only unclassified basic research. Federal policy ensures that such research not be subjected to any restrictions on publication or participation by foreign nationals, and in the case of Minerva this point is especially emphasized as it's considered essential to the nature of the research.
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