oversight

                                                    NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
                                                     OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
                                                       OFFICE OF INVESTIGATIONS

                                              CLOSEOUT MEMORANDUM

Case Number: Al3010002                                                                         Page 1 of 1



                We received an allegation that a PI 1 submitted altered letters of support with several NSF
         proposals, misrepresenting the content and/or purpose of the letters. We determined that there
         were no alterations and no misrepresentations in the letters. Some of the letters did not pertain to
         the specific proposals for which they were submitted, but that fact was facially apparent.

                 Furthermore, the letters were irrelevant, because NSF policy is that, "unless required by a
         specific program solicitation, letters of support should not be submitted as they are not a standard
         component of an NSF proposal, and, if included, a reviewer is under no obligation to review
         these materials .... NSF may return without review proposals that are not consistent with these
         instructions."2 Since the solicitations to which this PI's proposals were submitted did not require
         the submission of letters of support, the letters should not have been submitted. The remedy
         available to the program when such letters are submitted is to return the proposal.

                   Accordingly, this case is closed with no further action taken.




         2
             NSF Grant Proposal Guide, January 2011, pdf page 47, available at goo.glNEFZie.




NSF OIG Form 2 (11102)