Message from the NSF:
This is an important opportunity for your members to provide the NSF with feedback. We will be sending individual emails to PIs asking that they participate in the survey; the emails will likely go out on 17 April 2013. Please spread the word about this survey. We need your help to reach those whose current email addresses may not be in our records and to encourage those who do receive the email to click the link and complete the survey. We are requesting potential respondents complete the survey by Wednesday, 1 May 2013.
Survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DEB_IOS_program_feedback
In brief, the Divisions of Environmental Biology (DEB) and Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) in the Biological Sciences Directorate (BIO) at the NSF made significant changes to the core program review process that began in 2012. These changes (including the new preliminary proposal requirement, a switch to an annual deadline, and a cap on the number of proposals that PIs can submit per cycle) were made to protect the integrity of the merit review system, which was increasingly compromised by steep increases in proposal submissions, diminished participation of the community in the proposal review process, and flat budgets. This survey is an important mechanism that the NSF is using to obtain quantitative feedback about the new review process. Our target audience is investigators who have had funding from DEB or IOS or who are likely to submit a proposal to DEB and/or IOS in the next 1-2 years. We will use the results of the survey, which will be anonymous, to assess the level of satisfaction with various aspects of the new review process. All answers are confidential, and will have no bearing on future interactions with the NSF. The survey should require 10-20 minutes to complete.