SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS
- Notice Date
- 7/14/2011
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771
- ZIP Code
- 20771
- Solicitation Number
- NNH11ZTT001N
- Response Due
- 11/4/2011
- Archive Date
- 7/14/2012
- Point of Contact
- Francis Chiaramonte, Program Executive, Phone 202-385-0693, Fax 202-834-7348, Email francis.p.chiaramonte@nasa.gov - Ulf Isrealsson, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Phone 818-354-9255, Fax 000-000-0000, Email ulf.e.israelsson@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Francis Chiaramonte
(francis.p.chiaramonte@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- DescriptionThis NRA solicits fundamental physics research proposals from U.S. investigators toparticipate in planned European Space Agency (ESA) research activities on theInternational Space Station (ISS). These ESA activities are the Space Optical Clock (SOC)project, the Quantum Weak Equivalence Principle (QWEP) project, and the Atomic ClockEnsemble in Space (ACES) project. This solicitation (NRA NNH11ZTT001N), entitled,'Research Opportunities in Fundamental Physics,' will be available on or about August 1,2011. This solicitation will be found by opening the NASA Research Opportunities homepageat http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ and then linking through the menu listings 'Solicitations'to 'Open Solicitations.' Fundamental physics is standing at the precipice of dramatic discoveries. Last centurysmajor scientific insights represented by the theories of general relativity and quantummechanics are known to be mutually incompatible. The lack of a theory to unify allnatural forces including gravity indicates the incompleteness of the Standard Model andGeneral Relativity. In addition, there is clear evidence for dark energy and dark matterfrom astrophysical observations. While NASAs Science Mission Directorate plans to studydark matter and dark energy through observational means, and to seek clues to whenGeneral Relativity might fail through studies of physics in the strong gravityenvironment near black holes, the establishment of new physical understanding beyondcurrent known theories remains elusive. Nonetheless, the new physics is expected to leadto breakdowns of the well-established theories with verifiable experimental consequences.Recent technology advancement in optical clocks, atom interferometers and Bose EinsteinCondensates has demonstrated a radical improvement in measurement precision, puttingexperimentalists within striking range of reaching the experimental sensitivity wherebreakdown of these theories may occur and important new discoveries made. It is clearthat laboratory physics can contribute greatly to this quest for new physics in the 21stcentury by utilizing carefully conceived experiments with unprecedented resolution on theISS, such as the planned ESA SOC, QWEP and ACES projects.Proposers must show a clear connection between their proposed activities to the plannedESA SOC, QWEP and ACES ISS projects. Proposals, including Step-1 proposals that do notprovide this clear connection will be evaluated as not relevantProposals submitted in response to this NRA will use a two-step process. Only PIssubmitting Step-1 proposals determined to be relevant to the solicited research of thisNRA will be invited to submit full Step-2 proposals. Step-1 proposals will be due on oraround September 7, 2011, and Step-2 proposals will be due on or around November 4, 2011.Proposals must be submitted by an authorized official of the proposing organization. Proposals must be submitted electronically. Step-1 Proposers can use either NSPIRES (seeURL above) or Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov ) for proposal submission. Invited Step-2Proposals must be submitted electronically via the NSPIRES proposal data system. All categories of U.S. institutions are eligible to submit proposals in response to thisNRA. Principal Investigators (PIs) may collaborate with investigators from universities,Federal Government laboratories, the private sector, state and local governmentlaboratories and other countries. Every organization that intends to submit a proposal in response to this NRA must beregistered with NSPIRES, and such registration must identify the authorizedorganizational representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal. Instructions onhow to register in NSPIRES is described in the NRA. Each electronic proposal systemplaces requirements on the registration of principal investigators and other participants(e.g. co-investigators). Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged toaccess the system(s) well in advance of the proposal due date(s) of interest tofamiliarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information. Questionsin regards to responding to this NRA may be addressed to the contacts referenced in thefull solicitation document. This is a broad agency announcement as specified in FAR 6.102 (d)(2). Notwithstanding theposting of this opportunity at FedBizOpps.gov, nspires.nasaprs.com, or Grants.gov, NASAreserves the right to determine the appropriate award instrument for each proposalselected pursuant to this announcement. Points of ContactFor programmatic information for the NASA Fundamental Physics NRA:Dr. Francis ChiaramonteProgram ExecutiveNASA HeadquartersEmail:francis.p.chiaramonte@nasa.govPhone:202-358-0693For technical information for the NASA Fundamental Physics NRA:Dr. Ulf IsraelssonNASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryEmail: ulf.e.israelsson@nasa.govPhone: 818-354-9255For contract information for the Fundamental Physics NRAMargaret EasterContracting Officer818-354-5354margaret.b.easter@jpl.nasa.gov
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