With this Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), the National Science Foundation (NSF) invites proposals to the Operations Engineering program for EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) into operational methods to detect, disrupt, and disable illicit supply networks. Supplemental funding requests to relevant existing NSF awards and responsive to this DCL are also invited. Such requests also must be responsive to this DCL.

EAGER proposals with budgets up to $300,000 or supplemental funding requests to existing awards up to 20 percent of the original award budget (but not exceeding $300,000) will be considered. Proposed budgets must be justified by project scope.

EAGER proposals and supplemental funding requests for supplemental funding will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, but should be submitted to the Operations Engineering program in the Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation Division of the Engineering Directorate by Tuesday, May 15.

Per Illinois Tech policy all grant applications and related documents, regardless of the funding type and amount of the request, must be reviewed, signed, and submitted by the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs. Please contact osrp@iit.edu or call 312.567.3035 for assistance.