CSA Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Cycle 3 General Observers (GO) Projects

3.1 Eligible Recipients

Eligible recipients under this AO are Canadian universities and post-secondary institutions.

3.2 Eligible Projects

Eligible projects for this AO are those that were selected based on JWST open observing time and that were selected as a result of the GO Cycle 3 call for proposals issued by NASA/STScI. Only one application per project will be accepted.

One of the following roles, must be filled by a Canada based astronomer (see section 3.1):

• Category A:
  • Principal Investigator, and/or
  • Co-Principal Investigator(s).
• Category B:
  • Co-Investigator(s) only.

The projects have to be based on the analysis of the GO Cycle 3 data for the purpose of advancing knowledge of the astronomy fields of research enabled by JWST.

All development phases necessary for a project are eligible for funding. Any logical breakdown or combination of these phases can constitute a funded project under this AO. However, breaking down a project into numerous phases submitted as distinct proposals to obtain more than the maximum grant or contribution under this AO is not allowed. Furthermore, the completion of a funded phase does not automatically guarantee future funding of the remaining phases.

3.3 Links to CSA Priorities

To be eligible, projects supported under this AO must contribute to at least one of the following CSA priorities, such as expressed in the Space Strategy (www.asc-csa.gc.ca/pdf/eng/publications/space-strategy-for-canada.pdf [PDF, 1.66 MB]) and the report CSA Departmental Plan:

• Maximize the utilization of the Canadian time on JWST by astronomers and help them perform outstanding research in space astronomy.
• Ensure Canada's leadership in acquiring and using space-based data to support science excellence, innovation, and economic growth.
• Supporting space science to study Earth and beyond.
• To increase the number of astronomers using space telescopes for their research projects.

Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that increase the representation and advancement of women and underrepresented groups in space sciences and engineering as one means to foster excellence in research and training.

3.4 Links to the Class G&C Program Objectives

To be eligible, projects supported under this AO must contribute to the achievement of at least one of the following objectives:

• To support the development of science and technology relevant to the priorities of the Canadian Space Agency.
• To foster the continuing development of a critical mass of researchers and highly qualified people in Canada in areas relevant to the priorities of the Canadian Space Agency.
• To support information gathering, studies and research related to space.

4.1 Required Documentation

Applicants must ensure that their applications include the required documents:

The Application must include the following:

• A completed typed original application form digitally signed by the Duly Authorized Representative of the proposed project as stipulated in section 3.2.
• The proposal:
  • The application form requests a separately attached proposed research and data analysis plan, which must address the evaluation criteria described in section 5.2 and in Annex A.
  • For Category A projects, proposals of maximum 5 pages (excluding figures and bibliography) addressing all of the evaluation criteria will be accepted.
  • For Category B projects, abbreviated proposals of maximum 3 pages (excluding figures and bibliography) addressing all of the evaluation criteria may be accepted when appropriate.
• Proof of incorporation or registration (i.e. Corporation Registry) of the Applicant. Note that the Applicant refers to the Canadian university/post secondary institution (see section 3.1).
• Letters from other funding contributors confirming their grants or contributions, if applicable.
• A CV should at least be included for the collaborators submitting the proposals and any key team members such as the PI, Co-PI(s) and Co-Is associated with Canadian institutes and directly relevant to the CSA proposal (it is not necessary for all team members listed on the proposal submitted to STScI to include CVs).
• For Category B proposals, a letter of support from the Principal Investigator of the approved NASA/STScI Cycle 3 GO proposal confirming the roles and responsibilities of the Canadian Co-I(s).

The documents must be combined in a single PDF formatted file, in the same order as presented above with all security features disabled. The application form and supporting documents must be included in the file as a searchable PDF formatted document (PDF/A-1a format preferred). If there are any accessibility issues with the submitted PDF file, all consequences reside with the applicant.

Any missing supporting document or any incoherence between the requested documents and the information provided within the documents may lead to the rejection of the proposal on that sole basis.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the application complies with all relevant federal, provincial, and territorial legislation and municipal laws and regulations.

The applicant must keep one hard copy of all the original documents above. The CSA may require applicants who successfully passed the evaluation stage to send a hard copy of their complete application with the original documents.

Additional governing documents might be requested in a later phase of the evaluation process.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.

4.2 Submit the Completed Application Electronically

The applicant is encouraged to submit their application electronically by following the steps below:

• Submit an account creation request using the Electronic Proposal Portal. Note that Google Chrome is the browser of choice for submissions. Supported browsers are Google Chrome and MS Edge.
• In the "Proposal title" field of the Electronic Proposal Portal, use the following formatting standard: Name of the AO_NameOfOrganization_ShortProjectName (for example, JWSTCycle3AO _UniversityofX_ObservationOfTargetY).
• The "Applicant" section should contain the information for contact person listed in the application form.
• After the request has been submitted, the applicant will receive an email confirming the account creation. Applicants should expect three business days to receive the confirmation which will also include instructions (user guide) on how to access the platform. It is strongly recommended that the account creation request be submitted as early as possible.
• Using the temporary password assigned by the CSA, login to the secured portal to upload application documents.
• Please refer to the user guide for instructions on how to securely upload documents.

Please note:

• If technical issues related to account creation or to electronic submission cannot be resolved, applicants must submit their application by mail. Applicants are strongly encouraged to upload their complete application well before the submission deadline.
• Applications must be submitted (successfully uploaded) by the applicants no later than August 9th, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT).
• The onus is on the applicant to ensure that their application is complete and that all documents are uploaded on the Electronic Proposal Portal before the prescribed deadline.
• The CSA is not responsible for any delays under any circumstances and will reject any applications that are uploaded after the stipulated deadline.
• Applications hand-delivered to CSA will not be accepted.
• Applications sent by e-mail will not be accepted.
• Applicants are asked not to send their application both electronically and by mail or courier service. If multiple applications are submitted, only the latest valid version received will be considered.

4.3 How to submit an application by mail or using a recognized courier service

Applicants are encouraged to submit their application electronically following the instructions provided in Section 4.2 of the AO. However, if the applicant is unable to submit their application electronically, please communicate with csa_jwst_cycle3@asc-csa.gc.ca as soon as possible but no later than August 5th, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. (EDT) to obtain instructions on how to submit a paper application by mail or using a recognized courier service.

Applications submitted by mail or using a recognized courier service must be received at the CSA no later than August 9th, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT).

The onus is on the applicant to ensure that their application is complete and that all required documents are received by the CSA before the prescribed deadline. The CSA is not responsible for any delays under any circumstances and will reject any applications that are received after the stipulated deadline.

4.4 Service Standards – Complete Applications

Applicants will be notified in writing of decisions regarding their application. Selected applications will be announced on the CSA website. The CSA has set the following service standards for processing times, acknowledgement of receipt, funding decisions and payment procedures.

• Acknowledgement: The CSA's goal is to acknowledge receipt of proposals within 2 weeks of receiving the completed application package.
• Decision: The CSA's goal is to respond to the proposal within 20 weeks of the AO's closing date and to send a grant agreement for signature within 8 weeks after formal approval of the proposal.
• Payment: The CSA's goal is to issue payment within 4 weeks of the successful fulfillment of the requirements outlined in the grant agreement but is under no obligation to meet this deadline.

Compliance with these service standards is a shared responsibility. Applicants must submit all required documentation in a timely fashion. Service standards may vary by Announcement of Opportunity.

5.1 Eligibility Criteria

• Represents an eligible recipient as defined in Section 3.1.
• Represents an eligible project as defined in Sections 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4, and
• Meets program funding provisions in Section 6.1.

5.2 Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

Specific evaluation of the criteria is detailed under Annex A "Evaluation Criteria". The annex defines each criterion, and the scale rating of each criterion. A minimum score of 60 is required for a proposal to be selected for funding. If a proposal receives a score below the minimum score for any individual criteria, the application fails the evaluation and is not eligible for funding.

5.3 Evaluation Process

Only applications that have passed the eligibility assessment listed in Section 5.1 will be given further consideration.

Once the eligibility criteria are confirmed, evaluators will assess the screened applications according to the criteria listed in Section 5.2. Applicants are encouraged to provide a detailed and clear description of how they meet each criterion.

Evaluators shall be experts in the fields relevant to the applications and may include representatives of Canada and other countries, and representatives of other government and non-government agencies and organizations.

Before a final decision is made, the CSA may conduct any consultation and seek advice or comments, including, but not limited to, from suppliers, researchers, financial institutions, accounting firms, financing organizations, credit rating organizations, government agencies and organizations, as it deems necessary in order to obtain any information useful for the evaluation of this application.

The results obtained in this AO could take into account certain factors in the final decision to grant funding, such as, but not limited to, the representativeness of the four designated groups (woman, Aboriginal person, disabled person or member of a visible minority), regional distribution, academic level, distribution between universities and post-secondary educational institutions, etc. For more information on GBA +.

A review panel will then make an overall selection based on the evaluation scores and other priorities of the Government of Canada and CSA such as, but not limited to, regional distribution, distribution between universities and post-secondary institutions, implication of HQP and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students. Because of a limited availability of funds, we plan on prioritizing projects during the JWST Cycle 3 call for proposals (NASA/STScI) with Canadian based PIs and Co-PIs selected (category A) but an effort will be made to fund Canadian based Co-Is (Category B).

6.1 Available Funding and Duration

Over a maximum period of 2 years, the maximum grant that a recipient can receive for each project from the CSA under this AO is as follows:

Category A Maximum Funding: up to $100,000

Projects with Canada based PI/Co-PI.

Category B Maximum Funding: up to $50,000

Projects with only Canada based Co-I.

The number of projects under this AO will depend on funding availability.

To determine the amount of funding to be allocated, consideration will be given to the availability of CSA funds, the total cost of the project, and the other confirmed sources of funds provided by other stakeholders and the applicant.

The CSA reserves the right to reject any proposals or reduce the amount of the grants at its entire discretion.

6.2 Eligible Costs

Eligible costs are direct expenses that are associated with the delivery of the approved project and that are required to achieve the expected results of the project. Expenses will be covered subject to the applicant signing a funding agreement, in the form of a grant, with the CSA.

Eligible costs for grants under this AO are the following:

• Salaries and benefits.
• Publication and communication services.
• Registration fees.
• Travel.
• Accommodation and meal allowances.
• Acquisition, development, and printing of materials.
• Acquisition or rental of equipment.
• Bursaries.
• Consultant services.
• Data acquisition.
• Data management.
• License and permit fees.
• Marketing and printing services.
• Materials and supplies.
• Overhead (administrative) costs (not to exceed 10% of eligible costs for universities).
• Participation fees at conferences, committees, and events.
• PST, HST and GST net of any rebate to which the recipient is entitled and the reimbursement of any taxes for goods and services acquired in a foreign country net of any rebate or reimbursement received in the foreign country.
• Training.
• Translation services.

7.1 Agreement

Upon favorable review of the applications, CSA will send a Grant agreement to the successful applicant. The Grant agreement will outline the rights, roles, and obligations of each respective party. In the event of any discrepancies between this AO and a Grant agreement between CSA and the recipient, the latter document will take precedence.

For greater clarity, no liability and no commitment or obligation exist on the part of the CSA to issue a Grant payment to the applicant until a Grant agreement is signed by both parties. Furthermore, any costs or expenses incurred or paid by the recipient prior to the execution of a written Grant agreement by both parties are the sole responsibility of the applicant, and no liability exists on the part of the CSA.

7.2 Payments

Payments will be made in a lump sum or instalments as described in the signed agreement. Grant funding agreements will include a clause stipulating the recipient's obligation to confirm—once a year in the case of multi-year agreements—their eligibility for the G&C Program – Research Component and inform the CSA in writing of any changes to the conditions used in determining their eligibility for this component.

7.3 Audit

The recipient of a funding agreement shall keep proper records of all documentation related to the funded project, for the duration of the project and for three (3) years after the completion date of the project, in the event of an audit. This documentation shall be available upon request.

7.4 Intellectual Property

All intellectual property developed by the recipient over the course of the project shall vest in the recipient. The recipient will undertake to protect all intellectual property itwill possess, acquire, or develop during the project.

7.5 Organizations in Quebec

7.6 Performance Measurement

The CSA will ask the recipients to report on various performance measurement indicators throughout the execution of the project. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Knowledge Creation
  • Knowledge production (including publications)
  • Presentations
  • Intellectual property (including patents)
• Capacity Building
  • Project's research team (including highly qualified personnel supported)
• Collaboration
  • Partners' contributions
  • Partnerships
  • Multidisciplinarity

7.7 Open Access Publications

In the event that publications result from the project, the CSA wishes to promote the dissemination of findings that results from the projects it funds as quickly and to the greatest number of people as possible. Improved access to scientific results not only allows scientists to use a broader range of resources and knowledge, but also improves research collaboration and coordination, strengthens citizen engagement, and supports the economy.

Thus, the CSA promotes the use of open access publication and archiving by recipients in order to facilitate the widest dissemination of findings that results from its funded projects. Thus, recipients are invited to publish, in a timely matter, their articles by using one of the following methods:

1. Accessible online repository (institutional or disciplinary) so that the publication is freely accessible.
2. Journal offering open access to articles.

It should be noted that these two methods are not mutually exclusive and that recipients are encouraged to use both.

Finally, the CSA wishes to receive, as a courtesy, a copy of the publications (if not freely accessible) or the hyperlink (if freely accessible) and its digital object identifier (DOI). These will be used to improve accessibility by including them in the CSA publications directory.

Scoring and weights

A numerical weight is associated with each criterion. Each criterion will be rated on a letter scale from A to E, with A being the highest score. It is strongly recommended that applicants write their proposals by providing information related to each highest score.

There is an overall minimum score of 60 to pass, as well individual minimum requirements on all criteria individually. If a proposal receives a score below the minimum score for any individual criteria, the application is not eligible for funding. The Applicant is advised to read Evaluation Criteria carefully when preparing the proposal.

1. Benefits to Canada

Scoring:

• Maximum: 20
• Minimum: 10

The significance and potential for advancement of scientific knowledge in astronomy relevant to JWST science objectives and how the work is anticipated to enhance Canada's reputation in space astronomy will be assessed on the following:

• How significant an advance would be made?
• If the work were disseminated, would it significantly enhance the reputation of Canada in space astronomy?
• Is the project providing leadership opportunities for Canadian HQP in the context of JWST?

Criterion not
addressed

The investigation does not address science objectives of the JWST mission and/or will not contribute to the advancement of new knowledge. (Score: E=0)

Poor

The investigation poorly addresses science objectives of the JWST mission and/or will most likely contribute very little to the advancement of new knowledge. (Score: D=5)

Average

The investigation addresses science objectives of the JWST mission in a general way and could advance knowledge but is largely derivative of previous work. (Score: C=10)

Good

The investigation addresses science objectives of the JWST mission, and the probable results are likely to advance knowledge central to those objectives. The investigation involves novel or original concepts or methods, and/or builds on recent Space Astronomy research advances and offers opportunities for Canadian HQPs leadership. (Score: B=15)

Excellent

The investigation fully addresses science objectives of the JWST mission, and the probable results have a wide-ranging, long-term impact beyond the immediate field of study. The proposal is distinguished by highly novel or original concepts or methods, builds on recent Space Astronomy research advances, and is likely to significantly enhance the reputation of Canada in Space Astronomy. It offers many opportunities for Canadian HQPs to take on leadership roles. (Score: A=20)

2. Project Feasibility

Scoring:

• Maximum: 30
• Minimum: 21

3. Resources: Qualification and experience of the PI, Co-PI or Co-I (applicant) applying for the grant as well as the investigation team, and budget justification.

Scoring:

• Maximum: 25
• Minimum: 16

4. Results: Publication and science dissemination plan

Scoring:

• Maximum: 20
• Minimum: 10

This criterion evaluates the applicant's commitment to sharing data and disseminating results from the proposed investigation based on their JWST data.

• Does the proposal include a plan to share reduced JWST data with a broader science community and/or with the public?
• Does the proposal include a plan to disseminate results (articles, conference presentations, seminars, public talks, websites, etc.)?

Criterion not
addressed

This criterion is not addressed in the proposal (Score: E=0)

Poor

The proposal only includes minimal reference to data sharing or science dissemination. (Score: D=5)

Average

The proposal indicates some science analysis results dissemination, but few details are provided. (Score: C=10)

Good

The proposal includes a plan to disseminate results from the science analysis results and for science dissemination targeting the scientific community. (Score: B=15)

Excellent

The proposal includes an explicit plan to disseminate results from the science analysis results and a well-thought-out and structured scientific publications and science dissemination plan that is likely to raise Canada's profile in Space Astronomy considerably. (Score: A=20)

5. Risk and mitigation strategies – Project risks (financial, managerial, scientific and/or technical) and mitigation strategies.

Scoring:

• Maximum: 5
• Minimum: 3

This criterion evaluates key risks associated with the project and the mitigation strategies for each risk. It includes a thorough analysis of the project's financial, scientific and/or technical, and managerial risks.

• Has the applicant identified and described in detail the risks associated with the project, including, but not limited to, financial, scientific and/or technical, and managerial?
• Are the mitigation strategies for each risk correctly addressed and realistic? What is the probability that such risks would occur?

Criterion not
addressed

This criterion is not addressed in the proposal. (Score: E=0)

Poor

The proposal does not identify any key risks or mitigation strategies, or some risks are identified but related mitigation strategies are missing. (Score: D=2)

Average

Some, but not all, key risks and their mitigation strategies are defined. (Score: C=3)

Good

Key financial, scientific and/or technical, managerial risks and their mitigation strategies are defined, but there are few details on the risk evaluation occurrence probability presented. (Score: B=4)

Excellent

Key financial, scientific and/or technical, managerial, and their mitigation strategies are well described. The risk evaluation occurrence probability and severity are deemed realistic. (Score: A=5)