Funder template: Federal (generic) · Opportunity: NNH26ZTR001N-26NIAC-A2 · closes no deadline stated

How reviewers read this: Most federal merit review weighs technical merit, alignment with the program’s stated priorities, team qualifications, and budget reasonableness. Find the NOFO’s evaluation criteria and write to them.

Verify: Generic SF-424 R&R conventions. The specific NOFO’s Section IV is the authority for documents and limits — build the real checklist from it.

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Project Narrative

Page limit: per the NOFO — verify against the NOFO.

Purpose and Need

Frame the concept as a Phase II NIAC-worthy follow-on to a successful Phase I idea, showing why it is visionary, technically credible, and relevant to NASA’s long-term technology infusion goals. Emphasize the space/aeronautics challenge, the gap the concept addresses, and why advancing it now could enable future NASA or non-NASA adoption.

• What Phase I concept was demonstrated, and what evidence shows it is one of the “most promising” NIAC concepts?
• What NASA-relevant mission need, capability gap, or future-use scenario does this concept address?
• Why is this idea high-risk/high-payoff and appropriate for NIAC Phase II rather than a more conventional research program?
• How does the project connect to potential infusion options within and beyond NASA?

Approach

Describe the Phase II plan to further develop the concept, including objectives, technical tasks, methods, milestones, and a realistic two-year sequence. Keep the work focused on concept maturation, validation, and infusion-relevant analysis rather than operational deployment.

• What are the specific Phase II objectives for technical maturation, validation, and feasibility reduction?
• What tasks will be completed, in what order, and what are the go/no-go milestones over up to two years?
• What analyses, modeling, prototyping, simulation, or experimental work will be used to advance the concept?
• What infusion pathways, risks, assumptions, and dependencies will be examined as part of the work?

Organizational Capacity and Personnel

Show that the team has the right mix of visionary concept development skills and technical depth to execute a NIAC Phase II study. Identify the PI and any key collaborators, and explain why the institution can support this work.

• Why is this team uniquely qualified to mature this concept from Phase I into Phase II?
• What specific expertise do the PI and key personnel bring to the technical, systems, and infusion aspects of the project?
• What institutional resources, facilities, partnerships, or prior work support successful completion?
• If relevant, what roles will external advisors or collaborators play in concept validation or infusion assessment?

Outcomes and Evaluation

State the measurable outputs of Phase II and how progress will be assessed against technical and infusion-focused criteria. Make clear what “success” means for this NIAC effort and how the work will position the concept for Phase III or other transition opportunities.

• What concrete Phase II deliverables will be produced by the end of the award?
• What technical metrics or evidence will be used to judge progress and credibility?
• How will the project assess whether the concept is ready for further NASA investment or external transition?
• What findings will support future infusion options within NASA, other agencies, or commercial partners?

Budget Justification

Page limit: no page limit.

Budget Justification

Provide a clear, category-by-category explanation of requested costs, aligned with the SF-424A/R&R budget forms and the actual work plan. For NIAC Phase II, justify costs as necessary to mature the concept, perform analyses or experiments, and document infusion pathways.

• What personnel time is needed for concept development, analysis, management, and reporting?
• What travel, subcontract, consultant, or facility costs are necessary, if any, to support Phase II work?
• How do each of the requested budget categories directly support the NIAC Phase II objectives?
• Are there any cost items that need special explanation because they are tied to validation, prototyping, or infusion studies?

CVs / Biographical Sketches

Page limit: per the NOFO — verify against the NOFO.

Biographical Sketches

Use the sponsor’s required format if NASA specifies one in the posted solicitation/appendix. Emphasize the expertise most relevant to visionary concept maturation, advanced technical analysis, and transition planning.

• Which prior experiences best demonstrate the PI’s ability to lead high-risk, high-payoff concept development?
• What credentials support the team’s ability to execute the technical work and assess feasibility?
• Which publications, patents, awards, or prior NASA-relevant projects strengthen the case for this team?
• Are there any collaborators whose backgrounds are especially important for infusion, systems analysis, or advanced concept validation?