Integrated Data Systems & Services (IDSS)

The U.S. National Science Foundation, through the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering and its Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure, administers the Integrated Data Systems and Services program. The program supports operations-level, national-scale cyberinfrastructure systems and services that broadly advance open, data-intensive, and artificial intelligence-driven science and engineering research, innovation, and education. Its primary goal is to establish national-scale foundational data cyberinfrastructure that enables data- and artificial intelligence-driven research across many communities. Projects are expected to have transdisciplinary and demonstrably multidisciplinary impact rather than primarily benefiting a single science discipline, domain, project, or application. The program accepts three categories of proposals. Category I supports the development, deployment, and operation of novel national-scale integrated data systems and services and provides between $10 million and $30 million for up to five years. Category II supports the transition of established smaller-scale, regional, pilot, or prototype data-focused systems and services to national-scale production or operational quality, as well as targeted enhancement and expansion of existing national-scale systems, with awards of up to $9 million for up to three years. Category III provides planning grants of up to $500,000 for up to two years to prepare for potential future Category I or Category II projects. Category III projects cannot include technical development or operational activities. Category I and II projects are potentially renewable subject to specified reviews, availability of funds, and NSF merit review, while Category III awards are not renewable. Supported projects should contribute to an integrated, federated, and accessible advanced research cyberinfrastructure ecosystem and may address data acquisition, transfer, management, exploration, analysis, curation, sharing, synthesis, discovery, archiving, and related scientific workflows. Projects are expected to leverage and interconnect with existing operational cyberinfrastructure, data sources, facilities, and services when appropriate. The program does not support permanent long-term hosting, storage, archival, or curation costs for research data. It also does not support renovation of buildings or laboratories to accommodate infrastructure or individual research enabled by the infrastructure. Software developed under an IDSS project must have its source code made publicly available under an identified open-source software license. Voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Eligible lead applicants include accredited two- and four-year U.S. institutions of higher education, including community colleges, with a campus located in the United States; U.S.-located nonprofit, non-academic organizations directly associated with educational or research activities, including independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar organizations; and other Federal Agencies and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers subject to applicable PAPPG eligibility limitations. There are no restrictions on who may serve as PI. For Categories I and II, an organization may submit only one proposal as lead institution in each category for each solicitation deadline, and an individual may participate as PI, co-PI, or other Senior Personnel on at most one proposal across Categories I and II for each deadline. These restrictions do not apply to Category III. Collaborative efforts must be submitted as a single proposal requesting a single award, with partner organizations supported through subawards. Full proposals may be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov and must follow the applicable NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide or NSF Grants.gov Application Guide. Letters of Intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Proposal titles must begin with the applicable Category I, Category II, or Category III designation. Category I and II Project Descriptions are limited to 20 pages and must address vision, goals and driving requirements, project definition and specification, operations, performance objectives and measures, project management, and budget estimation. Category III Project Descriptions are limited to 10 pages and must explain the proposed cyberinfrastructure concept, its vision and goals, anticipated impact, and planned activities. Category I and II proposals must also include a detailed cost estimate as a supplementary document, while all categories require Project Personnel and Partner Organizations information. Required proposal components and supplementary documents must be included or the proposal may be returned without review. NSF evaluates proposals under the National Science Board-approved Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts criteria as well as solicitation-specific criteria. For Categories I and II, reviewers consider evidence of national-scale need, the definition and technical specifications of the proposed systems and services, readiness to transition to full operations by the end of the first award year, the adequacy of continuous operations and security plans, performance objectives, project management, risk management, and budget. Category III review considers the potential stature and impact of the eventual Category I or II project, its relevance to transdisciplinary and AI-driven data infrastructure needs, and the quality of the planning and community engagement process. Review may include ad hoc review, panel review, and potentially a Reverse Site Visit. The solicitation establishes recurring annual deadlines. Category II proposals were due July 28, 2026, with submissions due on the fourth Tuesday in July annually thereafter. The next Category II deadline is July 27, 2027. Category I and Category III submissions begin with a July 27, 2027 deadline and are likewise due on the fourth Tuesday in July annually thereafter. Full proposals are due by 5 p.m. in the submitting organization's local time. Prospective PIs are encouraged to contact the cognizant program officers regarding program alignment and appropriate project scope and budget. The listed officers are Andrey Kanaev at 703-292-2841, Kevin L. Thompson at 703-292-4220, and Marlon Pierce at 703-292-7743; the program email is idss@nsf.gov. Awardees are expected to participate in an annual PI meeting or major cyberinfrastructure conference, and NSF requires annual project reports and a project outcomes report, with additional reporting and oversight requirements potentially incorporated into individual awards.

Demonstrate a compelling national-scale and multidisciplinary need rather than benefit to a single discipline or application; show how the project complements and interconnects with existing cyberinfrastructure; for Category I and II provide a convincing path to full operations by the end of the first award year; define measurable performance objectives and methods for assessing user satisfaction and scientific impact; provide strong project management, risk management, security, operations, and budget plans; ensure Category II proposals quantitatively demonstrate the demand, user base, and performance of the existing system; Category III proposals should use meaningful community engagement to build a competitive future Category I or II concept