FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

NSF - 1569 - Proposal Review Panel for Earth Sciences - Agency Authority

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Proposal Review Panel for Earth Sciences	Agency Name	National Science Foundation
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	1569
Original Establishment Date	8/23/1985	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	Unlimited
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Director, Division of Earth Sciences
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Dr.
Current Charter Date	6/27/2025	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Dena
Date Of Renewal Charter	6/27/2027	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Smith-Nufio
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(703) 292-7431
Establishment Authority*	Agency Authority	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	(703) 292-8246
Specific Establishment Authority*	ADM IV-100	Designated Federal Officer Email*	dmsmith@nsf.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	3/30/1984
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Grant Review Committee

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	No
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	Twenty-five panel committee meetings were held this year to review over 986 proposals submitted for funding by the Division of Earth Sciences. These committees advise program officers on the merits of these proposals, using the explicit merit review criteria defined by NSF in the grant proposal guide. The expertise of these many committee members is needed to help program officers make informed decisions on the awards to be supported by the Division in any one year. The yearly budget of the Division of Earth Sciences is approximately $196 million dollars.
How is membership balanced?*	The Division of Earth Sciences selects members that have the necessary scientific expertise to cover the many disciplines under review in any one year. The selection of committee members is also balanced in terms of geography and institutional types, demographic characteristics of the panelists, and stage in their academic careers.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The number of panel committee meetings varies according to the requirements of each solicited competition. Most of the research programs in the Division of Earth Sciences require one or two panel meetings per year, accounting for most of the 25 committee meetings listed in this report. Additional meetings associated with special competitions for federal dollars are added on a need basis. The vast majority of the proposals in the Division of Earth Sciences undergo evaluation of their merits using these panel meetings.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The range of scientific expertise comprised in these panels greatly expands the knowledge base available internally. Also, active scientists in the field have the state-of-the-art expertise needed to help program officers narrow down the awards to be recommended for funding, and balance the needs of the scientific community represented by each program. The advice provided by these panel committees is essential to make sure that the health of the scientific community stays strong
Why close or partially close meetings?	The proposals contain confidential information and proprietary intellectual content that belong to the investigators and their institutions. As such, proposals submitted to NSF are treated confidentially throughout the merit review process.
Recommendation Remarks	None

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	No	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	Yes	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	Yes
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	No	Action Comment	NA
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	Yes
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	986
Outcome Comment	NA	Number Of Grants Recommended	337
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$141,276,887.00
Cost Savings Comment	The use of panelists to review proposals for the Agency is an invaluable asset. The cost of obtaining the expertise, insight, and information received by the Division using alternative methods, such as hiring the expertise as full or part-time employees, would be extermely high.	Grants Review Comment	The panelist/advisory committee members provided information on the merit of the proposal, which includes an overall rating. The number of the proposals above include pre-proposals submitted to NSF for review. The pre-proposals are not included in the number of grants recommend or dollar value of grants recommended for approval.
Number Of Recommendations*	986	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	This is an ongoing committee. Therefore, the number of recommendations produced by the committee is for the fiscal year.	Access Agency Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	100.00%	Access Committee Website	No
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	The word implement is not applicable to grant review panels. All recommendations are considered by the agency.	Access GSA FACA Website	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	Not applicable	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	Although panelist may not receive direct feedback, each committee member may use the NSF Fastlane, a public web-base program which provide information on awards made by the agency to determine the outcome of proposals reviewed by the panel.	Narrative Description*	The NSF mission is set out in the NSF Act of 1950 authorizes and directs the agency to initiate and support; basic scientific research and research fundamental to the engineering process; and sciences and engineering education programs at all levels and in all fields science and enginnering. The involvement of knowledgeable peers from outside the Foundation in the review of proposals is the keystone of NSF''s proposal review system. Their judgements of the extent to which proposals address the merit review criteria are vital for informing NSF staff and influencing recommendations.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*		1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*
2. Payments to Federal Members*		2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*
3. Payments to Federal Staff*		3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*
4. Payments to Consultants*		4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*		5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*		6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*		7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*		8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*
10. Other Costs		10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*
11. Total Costs	$0.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	2/19/2025 11:02 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*		Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Environment Earth Sciences

Custom Links

Committee Level Reports