Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP)

The Facility and Instrumentation Request Process (FIRP) solicitation describes the mechanism by which the research community can propose projects that require access to instrumentation and facilities sponsored by the Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) Program in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS). FARE provides funding to a variety of organizations to make specialized instrumentation and facilities available to the atmospheric science research community through the Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF) and the Community Instruments and Facilities (CIF) programs. FIRP allows for parallel evaluation of intellectual merit and broader impacts along with the feasibility of the proposed project. The FIRP solicitation offers three proposal submission tracks based on the type and purpose of the request: Track 1 - Education and Outreach (limited field or laboratory activities targeting education and outreach with total proposal cost under $75,000); Track 2 - Single Facility Request (primarily for U.S.-based research projects requiring a single CIF or single instrument system within LAOF); and Track 3 - Field Campaigns (deployment of major LAOF such as aircraft, multiple CIF, or combination of facilities for multi-year research campaigns). All proposals to AGS that require the use of FARE-sponsored assets must be submitted through this solicitation.