Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2 | 21 537

Opportunity Information: Apply for 21 537

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2 (Mid-scale RI-2) program is a government grant opportunity designed to fund the implementation of major shared research infrastructure projects that are too large for NSF's Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program but below the cost level of NSF Major Facilities projects. It sits within NSF's broader "Big Ideas" framework, which aims to push the frontiers of science and engineering through convergence research and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Although proposals are submitted through NSF's Office of Integrative Activities, they are reviewed and managed by a cross-disciplinary team of NSF program directors, reflecting the program's Foundation-wide, multi-field scope.

At its core, Mid-scale RI-2 supports the build-out or acquisition of unique, compelling, and broadly enabling research infrastructure. NSF uses "research infrastructure" in a broad sense, meaning not just physical facilities and instruments, but also computational hardware and software, cyberinfrastructure, widely used large-scale datasets, and the people needed to commission and successfully complete the infrastructure effort. Funded projects are expected to serve a research community-defined scientific need or respond to a clearly identified national research priority, with the explicit goal of keeping U.S. researchers and the STEM workforce globally competitive. The program is open to projects that advance any research domain supported by NSF, including STEM education research, and it also allows upgrades to existing infrastructure when those upgrades substantially expand capability and impact.

A defining feature of Mid-scale RI-2 is its budget and scale. Projects must have a total cost of at least $20 million and less than the current Major Facilities threshold, which is stated as $100 million. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $100,000,000 and anticipated approximately six awards for the referenced cycle. This places Mid-scale RI-2 squarely in the "mid-scale" space: large enough to require formal project planning and serious management capacity, but intended to remain more agile than the largest facility programs.

The solicitation emphasizes readiness and execution rather than early development. Mid-scale RI-2 funds only the implementation stage of a project, typically construction or acquisition, with only a limited allowance for final development or production design work that is immediately preparatory to implementation. The expectation is that proposed projects have already matured through prior investments and are in a high state of technical and project readiness. Just as importantly, the program does not fund pre-implementation activities like early-stage design or technology development, and it also does not fund post-implementation research activities, routine operations, or maintenance. Instead, proposals are expected to explain how operations and long-term support will be sustained after the award, including the anticipated sources of those funds.

Strong project management and planning are central to competitiveness. The solicitation directs applicants to NSF's Major Facilities Guide (NSF 19-068), which defines key terms and provides guidance tailored to mid-scale infrastructure, including direction on developing a Project Execution Plan (PEP). In practice, that means applicants need to demonstrate credible technical plans, realistic schedules, cost and risk management approaches, governance and decision-making structures, and clear evidence that the team can execute a complex infrastructure effort on time and within budget.

Beyond the infrastructure itself, Mid-scale RI-2 places special weight on workforce development and broad participation. Proposals are expected to include a robust training plan for students specifically focused on the design and implementation of mid-scale research infrastructure, not merely training students to use the finished system for research. The program also explicitly seeks a diverse award portfolio and encourages proposals that reflect broad geographic representation (including EPSCoR jurisdictions) and participation by women, early-career researchers, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities. For investigators with disabilities, the solicitation highlights the option of including Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) requests as part of a submission, provided the total request remains within the program's budget limits.

Key administrative details from the source listing include the opportunity title "Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2," funding opportunity number NSF 21-537, grant as the funding instrument, and a creation date of December 3, 2020, with an original closing date of September 20, 2021. The activity category is science and technology and other research and development, and multiple NSF CFDA numbers are associated with the program, reflecting its cross-directorate reach. The solicitation also clarifies the broader NSF mid-scale landscape by noting that projects in the cost range above MRI but below the Mid-scale RI-2 threshold are targeted under a separate solicitation, Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 (NSF 21-505), and that Mid-scale RI solicitations are expected to recur on an approximately biennial cycle.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-2" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 03, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 20, 2021. (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 $100,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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