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International Life Sciences Research
Announcement 2004-1
The Canadian Space Agency is pleased to announce opportunities for Canadian researchers to participate in the international program of spaceflight research. It is expected that these spaceflight experiments will be performed between 2006 and 2010.
This is one of a continuing series of annual announcements released simultaneously by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the European Space Agency (ESA), the French Space Agency (CNES) and the German Space Agency (DLR), as well as the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Each agency is responsible for the support of successful proposals within its jurisdiction.
- Program Objectives
- Areas of Interest
- Types of Studies
- Eligibility
- Budgetary Guidelines and Resulting Contracts
- Deliverables
- Flight Experimental Hardware
- Research Subjects
- Intellectual Property
- Letter of Intent
- Submission Guidelines
- Submission Addresses and Deadlines
- Evaluation
- Relevant Web Site Addresses
1. Program Objectives
The Canadian Space Agency is soliciting research that addresses the objectives of the Life Sciences program, which are:
- to use the space environment to better understand life,
- to better understand how biological systems and whole organisms, including humans, function and adapt to the environment of space and readapt to the conditions on Earth,
- to obtain knowledge and develop technology to produce safer space travel and improve life on Earth.
Questions addressed by the CSA's Space Life Sciences program include:
- What are the mechanisms whereby bone loss occurs in space and are these mechanisms similar to those underlying osteoporosis? How can this bone loss be reduced or halted?
- What are the mechanisms whereby muscle mass decreases during space flight? What can be done to militate against or mitigate this?
- What are the greatest psychological risks to long-duration space travel? What can be done to militate against or mitigate this?
- What is the nature of space radiation and how do we measure it?
- What are the biological implications of exposure to the various types of space radiation?
- How does human perception change in a microgravity environment?
- How do we determine which way is up when there is no up?
- How do motor skills adjust to a microgravity environment and readjust upon return to Earth?
- What happens to the control of posture and locomotion when there is no need for either one?
- What is the influence of gravity on nerve growth or regeneration?
- Does a microgravity environment facilitate tissue engineering?
- What adaptations does the cardiovascular system undergo in a microgravity environment and how does it readapt upon return to Earth?
- What effect do exposure to microgravity and the space environment have on the reproduction and development of organisms?
2. Areas of Interest
The Canadian Space Agency will accept proposals only in the following areas of interest:
- Bone Demineralization
- Muscle Loss
- Cardiovascular Physiology or Metabolism
- Developmental Biology
- Radiation Biology or Dosimetry
- Neurophysiology
- Isolation or Multicultural Psychology
- Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering
- Plant Biology*
* Please note that the CSA will only consider plant biology proposals that use Arabidopsis thaliana or Brassica rapa in accordance with the 'plant model specimens in space' program described in detail in the Space Life Sciences Flight Experiments Information Package (FEIP) found at the website listed below (para 15).
*Scientists from disciplines other than those listed above are welcome to apply if their expertise and proposal are relevant to any of those 13 questions listed in 1. Program Objectives.
3. Types of Studies
All studies must require the environment of space to address or support critical scientific questions. While space flight experiments may include a ground component that complements or supports the flight experiment, studies relying solely on ground experimentation are not within the scope of this announcement. Ground-only studies should be submitted in response to the CSA Announcement of Opportunity for Concept and Feasibility Studies.
The CSA will support a range of research models from eukaryotic cells to research requiring human subjects. In the case of radiation dosimetry experiments, it may be possible that there is no requirement for a subject or organism. Proposals requiring rodents, primates and other large organisms with little or no existing hardware and severe upmass restrictions for their flight support will suffer in the technical feasibility evaluation.
3.1 Model organism program for Caenorhabditis elegans, and the plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica rapa
To address the frequent lack of flight and reflight opportunities for experiments, a model organism program has being initiated whereby multiple flight opportunities are planned for the following model organisms: the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the plants Arabidopsis thaliana or Brassica rapa and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Investigators with successful proposals will attend workshops where research teams will be assembled to maximize the science yield of flight experiments centred on these organisms. The Canadian Space Agency will support proposals using either C. elegans or the plants Arabidopsis and Brassica. No microbiological research including proposals using Saccharomyces will be considered at this time. Details of the model organism program can be found in the FEIP (Section 2.2 Research Involving Nonhuman Subjects) at the website listed below.
4. Eligibility
Proposals will only be accepted from Canadian citizens and landed immigrants. Proposals from individuals who are not Canadian citizens or landed immigrants, and proposals from non-Canadian institutions should be directed to the appropriate agency. NASA will accept proposals from other countries not represented above. Please refer to the FEIP, at the website listed below, for further details.
Each agency is responsible for the direct costs associated with co-investigators from their country who participate in international science teams. Canadian investigators who wish to participate as a co-investigator for a proposal submitted to another agency are required to submit a copy of the proposal including budget information forms that identify clearly both the overall costs for the proposed project, and those costs to be incurred specifically by the Canadian co-investigator.
5. Budgetary Guidelines and Resulting Contracts
Financial support is available in the form of contracts of up to $350,000 [CDN] per study over a three year period (including overhead, benefits, etc., but excluding GST). The number of contracts awarded as a result of this solicitation will depend on the merit of the proposals and the availability of funds.
The proposed budget and schedule/milestones for the full duration of the study must be provided.
All required forms, including the relevant budget forms, are available in both .rtf and .pdf format at the FEIP website listed below.
When completing the budget forms, include:
- All resources to be supported by the Canadian Space Agency (Form C). The "1st Budget Period" and "Additional Years of Support Requested" should correspond to the Canadian government fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).
- A breakdown of all costs, including salary, rate, and estimated time per person (Form D). Please include a Form D sheet for each Canadian government fiscal year of the project's duration.
- All resources being supported from other sources (Form E), if applicable.
NOTE: Proposals submitted by Canadian investigators with non-Canadian co-investigators should provide separate budget pages for the non-Canadian co-investigator.
This procurement is limited to Canadian goods and Canadian services and it is mandatory that the Canadian content represents a minimum of 80% of the total value.
Due to the research and development nature of the proposed work, any resultant contract that may result from this AO will be subject to the most recent Research and Development General Conditions (DSS-MAS 9624). Note that Employment Equity Regulations apply to contracts over $200,000. Submission of a proposal confirms the Bidder's agreement with the application of the Research and Development General Conditions (DSS-MAS 9624) to the contract work. Any resultant contract will be negotiated and issued through Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).
Any contract resulting from this AO will contain a clause pertaining to communications/public affairs defining contractor responsibilities and authorities. The CSA retains the right to make primary contract announcements. Any subsequent contract-related announcements will be undertaken in cooperation with and subject to the approval of the CSA.
6. Deliverables
All contracts resulting from this Announcement of Opportunity will include at least the following deliverables:
- Three quarterly reports and one Annual Progress Report per year (5 paper copies).
- Final report (5 paper copies and one electronic copy in MS Word format).
In addition, although the following cannot logistically be included as contract deliverables, the Canadian Space Agency requests the receipt of the following, whether they occur during the term of the contract, or after its completion:
- Copy of scientific papers subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals that may result in whole or in part from work done under the contract.
- Description of awards resulting in whole or in part from work conducted under the contract.
- Names of persons receiving post-graduate degrees using results in whole or in part conducted under the contract, and type of degree.
7. Flight Experimental Hardware
A complete list of existing space flight experimental hardware is available in the FEIP found at the website listed below. When possible, researchers are encouraged to use this hardware; however, the design and production of experiment-unique hardware will also be considered. Costs of building flight-qualified hardware need not be included in the proposal budget.
8. Research Subjects
8.1 Human Subjects:
Proposals involving human subjects are required to include proof of the approval of the review board of the researcher's institution. All such proposals should be in accordance with the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans. 1998 (Updated 2000, 2002). If approval cannot be obtained from the review board by the submission deadline then a letter from the review board stating receipt of the proposal and their intent to review it must accompany the proposal. No proposal will be funded until all research reviews have been successfully completed and formal notification has been received by the CSA.
8.2 Vertebrate Animals:
Proposals involving vertebrate animals are discouraged for this announcement of opportunity due to the difficulty in obtaining flight opportunities at this time. However, any proposals that do require the use of vertebrate animals are required to include the approval of the review board of the researcher's institution. All such proposals should be in accordance with the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) Guidelines. If approval cannot be obtained from the review board by the submission deadline then a letter from the review board confirming their receipt of the proposal and their intent to review it must accompany the proposal. No proposal will be funded until all research reviews have been successfully completed and formal notification has been received by the CSA.
9. Intellectual Property
If requested by the submitting investigator, the proposal will be considered commercially sensitive. Proposals must clearly identify any proprietary information that should not be released other than to internal and external reviewers. Any background intellectual property must be declared at the time of the proposal, but this will not be taken into account in the evaluation process.
10. Letter of Intent
To facilitate processing, potential Principal Investigators are requested to send a Letter of Intent, indicating their plans to submit a proposal. Please note that this Letter of Intent should be received by March 18, 2004. For those projects whose Principal Investigator is non-Canadian, please forward to us a copy of the Principal Investigator's Letter of Intent. Although the Letter of Intent is not essential or binding, it is to the investigator's benefit, as the information will be used in the organization of peer review panels.
The Letter of Intent, which should be no more than two pages, should contain:
- The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of a single Principal Investigator and all co-investigators.
- A descriptive title of the research.
- A brief summary describing the proposed research.
- The major participating institutions.
- Up to six (6) keywords that best describe the research area of the pending proposal.
Letters of Intent should be submitted electronically to the following address: lifesciences@space.gc.ca and please cc to this address: noi@hq.nasa.gov. The subject heading of the e-mail message should read "Space Life Sciences ILSRA 04-1".
11. Submission Guidelines
An international standard proposal format has been established for this Announcement of Opportunity. Guidelines and forms are included in the FEIP found at the website listed below.
11.1 Proposal Elements
The proposal should include the following material, in this order. These items are described in more detail in the FEIP.
- International Proposal Cover Page form: Solicited Proposal Application (one copy must contain originals of all required signatures)
- International Proposal Abstract (300 words maximum)
- Proposal Title Page
- Project Description (no more than 20 pages)
- Management Approach
- Biographical Sketches (Form B)
- Special Matters (information on animal and/or human subjects protocol approval, if applicable)
- Facilities and Equipment
- Detailed Budget and Supporting Budgetary Information (Forms C, D and E)
- Letter of Assurance of Foreign Support (for non-Canadian co-investigators)
- Space Flight Experiment Requirements Summary (Form F)
- Facilities and Equipment
- Checklist for International Proposers
- 25 paper copies of the proposal including one containing original signatures, plus an electronic copy of the proposal in MS Word format on either a 3.5 inch computer diskette (PC format) or compact disc (CD).
The Project Description is limited to 20 pages. Any pages in this section beyond 20 will not be reviewed. There is no specific page limitation on other sections of submitted proposals. However, every effort should be made to keep proposals as brief as possible. The name of the Principal Investigator should appear in the upper right hand corner of each page of the proposal, except on the Forms where special places are provided for this information. Note that the proposal must specify the period of performance for the work described; periods of performance may be for any duration up to three (3) years but should be suitable for the project proposed.
25 paper copies of the proposal including one containing original signatures, plus the electronic version, must be submitted.
11.2 Language
As an international panel will perform the review of all proposals, the language of review will be English. Investigators wishing to submit a proposal to the Canadian Space Agency in French must indicate their intention at the time of submitting their letter of intent, and the CSA will undertake translation.
12. Submission Addresses and Deadlines
12.1 Letter of Intent
Deadline - March 18, 2004
Submit your Letter of Intent electronically by email to lifesciences@space.gc.ca and copied to noi@hq.nasa.gov.
The subject heading of the e-mail message should read "Space Life Sciences ILSRA 04-1".
12.2 Proposals
Deadline - May 5, 2004
25 paper copies and one electronic copy on 3.5 inch diskette or compact disc (CD) of your proposal should be submitted to:
Mr. Ron Wilkinson
A/Director, Life and Physical Sciences
Space Science Program
Canadian Space Agency
6767 route de l'Aéroport
Saint-Hubert, Québec J3Y 8Y9
CANADA
REF: Space Life Sciences ILSRA 04-1
NOTE:
- Proposals will not be accepted after the May 5, 2004 closing date.
- Proposals will not be accepted by facsimile transmission.
- Courier packages must be received in our office by 14:00 May 5, 2004 (courier date stamps are not acceptable).
- Proposals received late will be returned unopened.
- Proposals with Canadian researchers as principal or co-investigators submitted only through agencies other than the CSA will not be considered for funding under any circumstances.
13. Evaluation
Proposals will be evaluated in the sequence listed below. A proposal that does not meet the basic requirements at any step will not be recommended for further consideration in subsequent steps.
1. Initial Screening
Each research proposal submitted to the CSA will be reviewed to ensure that it is complete as per the guidelines above. Proposals that do not meet the guidelines will be immediately returned to the proposer. Therefore it is recommended to communicate with the CSA before submitting a proposal if there are any questions regarding its acceptability.
2. Scientific Merit Review
An international peer review panel with members nominated by all space agencies will evaluate the scientific merit of each proposal. All panels will utilize the same factors in their evaluation and all panel meetings will be conducted using the same review guidelines. The scientific merit review panel will assign a numerical score from 0-100, or a score of "not recommended for further consideration" based upon the intrinsic scientific and technical merit of the proposal. Details of the evaluation process are contained in the FEIP.
3. Flight Feasibility Review
For flight experiment proposals there will be an evaluation of the feasibility of implementation of the proposed work on a space platform. An international team qualified to determine the feasibility of implementing the proposed projects using available flight and ground facilities will conduct this review. Details of the evaluation process are contained in the FEIP.
4. Evaluation of Programmatic Relevance and Cost
Finally, the CSA will determine the relevance of each competitive proposal to its program. This will be done by evaluating the proposal's contribution to the development of a sound Agency program having the appropriate balance required by the CSA's goals and objectives. Evaluation of the cost of a proposed effort includes consideration of the realism and reasonableness of the proposed cost and the relationship of the proposed cost to available funds.
To determine that proposals funded provide maximum benefit to the Canadian population, each proposal will be evaluated for the following, in addition to scientific merit:
- Science team strength,
- Use of space environment,
- Terrestrial and space applications and benefits,
- Efficiency and effectiveness,
- Opportunities for students and young researchers,
- Multidisciplinary approach to research.
14. Relevant Web Site Addresses
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