July 22, 2024

NSF funds operations of open ocean, coastal, near-shore and Great Lakes platforms, used for research and educational programs that are designated University-National Oceanographic Laboratory Systems (UNOLS) operators and vessels in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet (ARF). Any proposal submitted to NSF requesting support for research ship time must include a UNOLS Ship-time & Marine Equipment Request Form (SME).

The SME serves several purposes:

1. Identifies sea-going field work projects requiring research vessel support.
2. Enables OCE to predict and plan for vessel usage.
3. Assists ship operators and program managers in preparing ship schedules and cruise logistics.

The ship time request form (Ship-time & Marine Equipment Request Form - SME) can be obtained from the UNOLS web site (https://www.mfp.us). Any investigator who needs assistance in requesting ship time should contact the UNOLS Office at office@unols.org.

PIs must allow for sufficient lead time between proposal submission and the expedition itself. For research requesting Global or Ocean class ARF vessels and especially those needing National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF) assets, the proposal and SME should be submitted at least 18 months before the anticipated time of the first expedition. The timing of the cruise needs to consider many factors to align the work with the study region along with the necessary ancillary components to enable efficient scheduling. For Intermediate, Regional and Local-class vessels: the proposal with SME should be submitted with as much lead time as is practical, but we recommend doing so at least 12 months before the anticipated time of the first cruise.

While it is impossible to foresee every possible situation or research opportunity that might occur, as a rule ship time will only rarely be scheduled within 12-months from proposal submission. In general, most ship schedules are finalized by September of the previous year. Highly meritorious RAPID proposals are notable exceptions that would be handled on a case-by-case basis by the cognizant science, ship operations, and facilities program officers in dialog with the ship operator and the principal investigator.

Once the scientific scope of the research is defined, prospective PIs should carefully and realistically consider the technological and logistical requirements of the expedition and then align the request for a specific ship and the amount of ship time accordingly. Principal investigators should educate themselves regarding potential scheduling opportunities by either contacting ship operating institutions, calling the UNOLS Office and/or logging onto the UNOLS scheduling website (accessible with password provided by UNOLS). Remember to include a copy of your ship time request as a supplementary document in your proposal.

All funding status updates (i.e., funded, pending, or declined) need to be updated in the MFP system by the PI. However, due to restrictions regarding Controlled Unclassified Information, NSF cannot provide proposal status updates to UNOLS. Therefore, if you want to be scheduled, be proactive in updating your SME. We encourage early engagement with your cognizant program officer at NSF, the ship operators, and UNOLS office – even before the proposal writing is begun — is always wise, especially if the project is logistically complex and carries a significant cost.

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The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

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