Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Microsoft Corporation and NSF, Microsoft will provide NSF-supported researchers access to Microsoft's Azure services platform, complementing the computational platforms that NSF has made available to the research community to date.

CISE and OCI will offer funding for researchers to explore the use of the Microsoft Azure services platform via three mechanisms:

- Supplemental funding to existing awards;
- Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER); and
- A forthcoming new program solicitation.

All of these mechanisms will be used to support any kind of computing research and software development for any type of application associated with the Azure services platform, perhaps in combination with the use of other platforms.

Researchers may immediately submit a request for supplemental funding to any existing NSF award to the Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF) division or to OCI, prefixing the title with "ASP: Supplement: ."
Supplemental funding requests may request extension of an existing NSF award for an additional year. Supplemental funding requests should be submitted via FastLane no later than Thursday, 15 April 2010 to ensure consideration in the current fiscal year. Awards that have concluded before the supplement is awarded will not be reopened. Additional information about requesting supplemental support is contained in Part II of the NSF Proposal and Award Policy and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) available at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=papp.

Researchers may also immediately submit EAGER proposals to the CCF division or to OCI and prefix the title with "ASP: EAGER: ." Proposals must conform to the guidelines for preparation of EAGER proposals as specified in Part I of the PAPPG. Please note that an EAGER submission should satisfy the EAGER submission guidelines and is limited to a total budget of $300K for a maximum of two years. Such proposals should be submitted no later than Thursday, 15 April 2010 to ensure consideration in the current fiscal year.

CISE and OCI (and possibly other NSF Directorates and Offices) also anticipate releasing a new program solicitation to support larger, longer duration projects that will exploit the Azure services platform.
NSF is hopeful that this solicitation will be released shortly and posted on NSF's web site. PIs will have 90 days to respond.

Submission Deadline: Thursday, 15 April 2010

For additional information, please go to:
http://www.nsf.gov/cise/news/2010_microsoft.jsp.