UNOLS: Management of Marine Technical Support

德克萨斯农工大学提议，继续对自2016年以来一直在运营的海洋技术员队伍进行为期5年的管理。人才库成员将继续作为独立承包人受雇，按国家科学基金会方案经理和联合国后勤服务组织技术服务经理根据经验确定的费率支付。责任保险和工人补偿保险将继续通过单独的合同继续进行，就像目前所做的那样，类似于有IODP的技术员所使用的合同。其中包括对每年工作超过100天的池成员进行培训的规定，该提案包含往返船只的旅行和培训以及RVTEC年度会议的时限。TAMU、UNLS和首席科学家之间的联系将确保具有正确技能集的技术人员将在需要时可用于巡航。广泛影响本提案的主要影响是根据提案指南(NSF 19-602)的优点审查标准2。它为科学家提供基础设施支持，以使用该船及其共享仪器，以支持他们由NSF资助的海洋研究项目(这些项目单独接受NSF相关研究计划的单独审查)。共享仪器的获取、维护和操作允许美国国家科学基金会资助的任何美国大学或实验室的研究人员获得用于其研究的工作、校准的仪器，从而降低研究成本，并扩大潜在研究人员的基础。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.