Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
NSF DEPLOYMENT POOL (DP)
- What is the NSF Deployment Pool and what expenses can be charged to the DP?
- What NSF LAOF are eligible for support from the NSF Deployment Pool?
- Does the NSF Deployment Pool fund campaigns led by NCAR investigators?
FACILITY REQUEST PROCESS & FARE/LAOF ACCESS
NSF DEPLOYMENT POOL QUESTIONS
What is the NSF Deployment Pool, and what expenses can be charged to it?
The NSF Deployment Pool supports expenses directly associated with the deployment of assets that are part of the FARE LAOF Program. Allowable expenses include extraordinary salaries (e.g., overtime) and benefits, aircraft/field system operations, travel, materials, and supplies, and purchased services including equipment rental. Non-allowable expenses include regular salaries and benefits, operation and maintenance, research and development costs, purchase of new instrumentation in excess of $5,000, PI expenses, non-NSF supported instruments and observing systems.
What NSF LAOF are eligible for support from the NSF Deployment Pool?
The following facilities are currently funded by the deployment pool:
- Aircraft: NSF/NCAR EC-130Q Hercules, NSF/NCAR GV (HIAPER), and University of Wyoming King Air
- Airborne Instrumentation: Airborne Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS), Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR), HIAPER Cloud Radar (HCR), Wyoming Cloud Lidar (WCL), High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL)
- Ground-based Systems: NCAR MicroPulse DIAL, NCAR Integrated Sounding System (ISS), NCAR Integrated Surface Flux System (ISFS), NCAR S-Band Dual Polarization Doppler Radar (S-Pol)
Does the NSF Deployment Pool fund campaigns led by NCAR investigators?
Yes. Since NSF NCAR is funded through the NSF/UCAR Cooperative Agreement, requests by NCAR-led investigators are considered NSF-funded.
FACILITY REQUEST PROCESS & FARE/LAOF ACCESS QUESTIONS
I receive my funding from another government agency (such as NASA or NOAA.) Do I still have access to NSF facilities such as the NSF/NCAR GV?
Yes. PIs from other funding agencies do have access to NSF facilities on a non-interference basis. Like NSF and NCAR-funded investigators, PIs have to go through the standard request process. Programs funded entirely by government agencies other than NSF (i.e., NASA, NOAA, DOD) or non-governmental organizations will be charged on a full cost-recovery basis. Costs include all operational expenses, maintenance, and UCAR/NCAR overhead. Maintenance and overhead are charged through the application of overhead and facility use rates approved on an annual basis by NSF. Currently approved rates are available from EOL.