“The FAIROS RCN program seeks to create three-year Research Coordination Networks (RCNs) which will foster catalytic improvements in scientific communities focusing on the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse, see Program Description for more information) guiding principles and Open Science best practices (inclusively summarized by the combined phrase FAIROS for purposes of this program). This program will support a broad range of activities by these new RCNs to advance the means by which investigators can share information and ideas, coordinate ongoing or planned research activities, foster synthesis and new collaborations, develop community standards, and in other ways advance science and education through communication and sharing of research products through FAIROS strategies.

FAIROS RCN proposals must select one of two tracks to focus on, either: 1) Disciplinary Improvements to targeted scientific communities, or 2) Cross-Cutting Improvements that apply to many or most scientific disciplines. In the case of proposals focused on Disciplinary Improvements, it is strongly recommended that prospective PIs contact a program officer from the list of Cognizant Program Officers in the directorate closest to the major disciplinary impact of the proposed work to ascertain that the scientific focus and budget of the proposed work are appropriate for this solicitation. In the case of proposals focused on Cross-Cutting Improvements, it is strongly recommended that prospective PIs contact a program officer from the list of Cognizant Program Officers from the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure. For more on the NSF Public Access Initiative and Office of Integrative Activities, see the Program Description section below.

This program is undertaken in support of the NSF Public Access Initiative as described in the 2015 NSF Public Access Plan entitled “Today’s Data, Tomorrow’s Discoveries”, an agency-wide response to the need for publicly funded research products to be made publicly accessible. This national priority was first broadly articulated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy in 2013, and is of ongoing importance to NSF as a whole. In addition, this program advances the priorities of NSF’s Office of Integrative Activities, which supports work across disciplinary boundaries that: advances research excellence and innovation; develops human and infrastructure capacity critical to the U.S. science and engineering enterprise; and promotes engagement of scientists and engineers at all career stages.”