UNOLS: Management of Marine Technical Support

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Texas A&M University proposes to continue the management of the pool of marine technicians that has been operating since 2016 for a further five-year period. Pool members will continue to be employedas independent contractors, paid at rates based on experience as determined by the NSF ProgramManager and UNOLS Technical Services Manager. Coverage for liability and workmen’s’ compensation insurance will be continued through separate contracts as is done at present and issimilar to those used for technicians with the IODP. Included are provisions for training thosepool members who will be working more than 100 days per year, and the proposal containsestimates for travel to and from ships and for the training and the annual RVTEC meeting. Liaison between TAMU, UNOLS and chief scientists will ensure that technicians with the correct skill set will be available for cruises as needed.Broader ImpactsThe principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 19-602). It provides infrastructure support for scientists to use the vessel and its shared-use instrumentation in support of their NSF-funded oceanographic research projects (which individually undergo separate review by the relevant research program of NSF). The acquisition, maintenance and operation of shared-use instrumentation allows NSF-funded researchers from any US university or lab access to working, calibrated instruments for their research, reducing the cost of that research, and expanding the base of potential researchers.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.