NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I | 80HQTR23NOA01 24NIAC A1

Opportunity Information: Apply for 80HQTR23NOA01 24NIAC A1

NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I is a competitive NASA Headquarters funding opportunity released as an appendix under the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) NASA Research Announcement called "Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion - 2023 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2023)." The NIAC program is meant to nurture highly innovative, far-reaching aerospace and space exploration ideas that are still early in their development but could be transformative if proven feasible. Phase I specifically focuses on the earliest stage of formal study, where the goal is to test the basic feasibility and overall credibility of a visionary concept rather than to deliver a flight-ready system.

Phase I awards are typically structured as a nine-month research effort. The work at this stage is generally about exploring whether the concept can work in principle, identifying the major technical risks, outlining possible architectures or design approaches, and building an evidence-based case that the idea is viable enough to justify further investment. NIAC describes its broader program as spanning Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III, with Phase I serving as the entry point and the foundation for later, more mature development efforts.

The proposal process for NIAC Phase I uses a two-step structure. Step A is a shorter, brief proposal that is open to all eligible applicants, and it serves as the initial screen. Applicants whose Step A submissions are judged strong enough are then invited to submit Step B, which is a more detailed, expanded proposal. This staged approach is designed to reduce the up-front burden on applicants while still allowing NASA to request full details from the most promising concepts.

Eligibility is broadly open. All categories of U.S. organizations may apply, meaning the opportunity is effectively unrestricted across entity types as long as the applicant meets the requirements spelled out in the appendix and the parent NRA. Principal Investigators (PIs), referred to in NIAC as NIAC Fellows, and their team members may come from any type of U.S. organization. Non-U.S. organizations are allowed to participate as partners or even lead NIAC studies only on a no-exchange-of-funds basis, and only in accordance with NASA policy on foreign participation as referenced in Section 3.3 of SpaceTech-REDDI-2023. In practical terms, that means international collaborators can contribute, but NASA funding is not exchanged with the non-U.S. entity, and additional policy constraints may apply.

All submissions must be made electronically through NSPIRES (NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System), and the final submission must be transmitted by an authorized organizational representative (AOR). The solicitation directs applicants to follow the detailed instructions in the SpaceTech-REDDI-2023 NRA and NASA's Guidebook for Proposers (effective February 18, 2022). Because NSPIRES submission depends on organizational registrations, applicants are urged to prepare early and not wait until the deadline window. A key administrative requirement is that organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before NSPIRES registration can be completed, which can take time and can become a bottleneck if left to the last minute.

Key logistics included in the posting indicate the opportunity was created around June 1, 2023, with an original closing date of June 28, 2023. The funding instrument is a grant, categorized as discretionary, and aligned to science and technology research and development (CFDA 43.012). The listed award ceiling is $175,000, with an expectation of roughly 12 awards, which signals a relatively small, competitive cohort consistent with NIAC's role as an early-stage concept incubator.

NASA also scheduled a virtual forum to walk potential applicants through important aspects of the Phase I appendix. The forum was planned for June 8, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern Time, with agenda materials and access information posted to the NSPIRES page for the appendix. Applicants were encouraged to submit questions by close of business on June 7, 2023 to hq-niac@mail.nasa.gov. That same email address is also the primary point of contact for technical, programmatic, and procurement questions. NASA noted that responses may be provided by email and may also be added to an FAQ document on the NSPIRES page, with anonymity preserved for those submitting questions.

To find the full solicitation package, applicants are directed to NSPIRES and to navigate through the open solicitations list to the SpaceTech-REDDI-2023 NRA, then to the list of open program elements, and finally to the specific appendix labeled "NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), Phase I" (Program Element 80HQTR23NOA01-24NIACA1). The actual solicitation document is posted in the "Announcement Documents" section for that appendix, and applicants are advised to monitor NSPIRES or subscribe to notifications for updates, amendments, and posted clarifications.

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.012.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 01, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 28, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $175,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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