HERO Appendix D: NASA Human Research Program Omnibus Opportunity | 80JSC019N0001 OMNIBUS2

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the HERO Appendix D opportunity?

HERO Appendix D is part of NASA's Human Exploration Research Opportunities (HERO) umbrella and is formally titled the NASA Human Research Program Omnibus Opportunity (NRA 80JSC019N0001-OMNIBUS2). It is a NASA Johnson Space Center solicitation focused on funding short, applied research projects that support the NASA Human Research Program (HRP).

What is the main purpose of this solicitation?

The goal is to fund practical, near-term investigations that can produce usable findings quickly and that directly support HRP by addressing human health and performance challenges associated with spaceflight.

What kind of projects is NASA looking for under Appendix D?

NASA is looking for short, applied research projects that propose innovative approaches to reduce or close documented HRP risks and research gaps. The emphasis is on work that can be completed quickly, rather than long multi-year research efforts.

How long can a project last?

Projects proposed under this appendix are expected to last no more than one year.

What is meant by "applied" and "near-term" research in this context?

Within the information provided, "applied" and "near-term" indicates projects designed to produce practical outcomes and usable findings quickly, as opposed to long-duration, multi-year basic research programs.

How should applicants identify HRP risks and research gaps to address?

Applicants are pointed to the HRP Integrated Research Plan housed in the Human Research Roadmap (https://humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov) as the primary reference for identifying HRP risks and research gaps and aligning proposals to recognized needs.

Is alignment with the Human Research Roadmap required?

The solicitation emphasizes Roadmap alignment as the main organizing framework for problem selection and relevance, but it also explicitly leaves room for proposals that do not map cleanly onto current HRP identified risks, as long as they are novel and potentially valuable.

Can new or unconventional ideas be proposed even if they do not match a listed HRP risk?

Yes. NASA explicitly invites new and unconventional ideas, including those that may not map cleanly onto HRP's current list of identified risks, provided the ideas are novel and potentially valuable.

What is the "new investigator" pathway described in the opportunity?

This opportunity includes a pathway aimed at bringing fresh perspectives from investigators who are new to HRP funding. It is intended to broaden the research community contributing to HRP by encouraging proposals from researchers who have not recently been supported by certain space health funding programs.

Who qualifies as "new to HRP funding" for this solicitation?

Based on the information provided, this pathway targets researchers who have not received funding from NASA HRP, the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI), or the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) within the last ten years.

What award instruments might NASA use for selected projects?

The solicitation lists cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts as possible mechanisms. This reflects NASA's ability to choose an instrument that matches the nature of the work and the expected level of agency involvement.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The posted award ceiling is $150,000.

How many awards did NASA anticipate making?

NASA anticipated making around five awards.

What is the CFDA number associated with this program?

The CFDA number listed is 43.003.

What program area/category does this opportunity fall under?

It is categorized under science and technology and other research and development.

When was the solicitation created?

The solicitation was created on November 27, 2019.

What are the proposal deadlines and is there a multi-step process?

Yes, there is a two-step downselect process. Step-1 proposals were due January 3, 2020, and Step-2 proposals (by invitation) were due April 6, 2020. The structure indicates an initial submission is screened before full proposals are invited.

What does the two-step downselect process mean for applicants?

Based on the description, applicants first submit a Step-1 proposal that is reviewed/screened. Only proposers invited after that screening proceed to submit a more complete Step-2 proposal by the later deadline.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as broadly open across U.S. institution types and "unrestricted" in the notice. That implies universities, non-profits, companies, and other U.S.-based organizations can apply, subject to any additional clarifications contained in the full announcement.

Can the principal investigator (PI) include partners or collaborators?

Yes. The PI may assemble collaborations that include universities, federal laboratories, private sector partners, and state or local government labs.

Which organization is responsible for managing the award and project execution?

Regardless of partnership structure, the submitting organization is expected to take primary responsibility for administering the project and executing the management plan described in the application.

Is international participation allowed?

NASA notes that research with non-U.S. organizations can occur on a cooperative basis, but with no exchange of funds.

What does "no exchange of funds" mean for international partners?

It means international partners may contribute expertise, data, or in-kind resources, but NASA funding awarded through this opportunity is not intended to be transferred to non-U.S. entities.

Where can applicants find the HRP risks, gaps, and planning context NASA references?

NASA points proposers to the HRP Integrated Research Plan housed in the Human Research Roadmap at https://humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov.

Where are the full solicitation materials hosted?

Additional details, including Appendix D documentation, were provided through NASA's NSPIRES-linked materials and the HERO program pages referenced in the notice.

Was there a pre-proposers conference for this opportunity?

Yes. NASA scheduled a virtual pre-proposers conference for December 10, 2019 to help prospective applicants understand the solicitation and submission expectations.

What is the NASA center associated with this solicitation?

The solicitation is identified as a NASA Johnson Space Center opportunity.

What distinguishes this opportunity from longer research solicitations?

The provided description emphasizes short duration (no more than one year), applied focus, and quick delivery of usable findings, rather than long multi-year research efforts.