Some NSF-EAR programs require PIs to obtain a "support commitment" letter from IRIS to document that we have reviewed and are able to fulfill your proposed request to utilize IRIS-managed SAGE-facility seismic or magnetotelluric instruments. PIs must include this letter with their proposal as a Supplementary Document. If you are unsure if your particular solicitation requires this support letter, then please contact your relevant NSF Program Officer.
To request a letter of support from the IRIS facility, complete the relevant instrument request forms linked here:
Each makes a preliminary instrument request along with marking the need for a letter of support. If you are requesting seismic and magnetotelluric instruments, please complete both forms.
IRIS staff will review incoming requests and provide support commitment letters to PIs as appropriate. If there are some items in your request that are not directly supportable from the standard instrument pools, we will work with you on clarifying what we can and cannot support. It is very important that PIs return to update their request if/when your proposal is funded, as this is actually what we use to schedule projects. We ask that PIs request letters at least two weeks before they plan to submit their proposal to allow adequate time for us to prepare letters.
For those experiments that require Polar rated equipment, we are required by NSF-PLR to submit a budget of potential supplemental costs for supporting polar deployment windows. Therefore, please ensure you meet the request deadline as these budget estimates can take time to develop.
Please contact Kent Anderson (IRIS Portable Seismic Program Manager) or Andy Frassetto (IRIS Magnetotelluric Project Lead) if you have any further questions.
