(Updated November 27, 2024)
The U.S. National Science Foundation issued Dear Colleague Letter (NSF 25-011) to notify the research community about the mandatory use of multifactor authentication (MFA) for Research.gov sign-in effective on October 27, 2024. For information on completing the one-time MFA enrollment process, signing into Research.gov with MFA, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please see the About Signing Into Research.gov page. Ad hoc reviewers are strongly urged to follow the step-by-step instructions in the How Ad Hoc Reviewers Access Assigned Proposals for Review guide.
Background
The Account Management System in Research.gov supports a centralized account registration and profile management process for the research community so that researchers can use a single unique identifier (NSF ID) across all NSF business applications throughout their research careers and self-manage profile information such as demographics. Principal Investigators (PIs), Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Applicants and Fellows, and Administrative and Coordinating Officials are already integrated into Account Management. This functionality was expanded to include participants added to NSF panel, site visit, advisory committee, subcommittee, and committee of visitors meetings in March 2023 and now includes ad hoc reviewers as of April 20, 2024.
Benefits of Reviewer Integration into Account Management
- Reduces administrative burden for the research community and NSF staff
- Enhances analytics and reporting to support NSF’s Agency Priority Goal to improve representation in the scientific enterprise from underrepresented and underserved communities
- Improves data quality through use of self-managed accounts and profiles
- Bolsters merit review and post-award processes
Reviewers Assigned for Ad Hoc Proposal Review and Participants Added to Meetings Created by NSF Staff
- The first iteration of reviewer integration in March 2023 included all participants added to an NSF panel, site visit, advisory committee, subcommittee, or committee of visitors meeting created by NSF staff. As of April 20, 2024, the functionality was expanded to include reviewers assigned for ad hoc proposal review.
- After being assigned for ad hoc proposal review or added to a meeting by NSF staff, reviewers will receive an email with details required to initiate the reviewer account process.
- All ad hoc reviewers and meeting participants are required to have an NSF account in Research.gov and complete a simple one-time process to provide their reviewer profile information.
- Ad hoc reviewers must complete this process before they can access assigned proposals.
- Meeting participants must complete this process before they can access meeting registration in the Travel & Reimbursement System.
- Participants in meetings and events not part of merit review and/or under Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) procedures which are organized outside of NSF grants management systems are not required to complete this process.
- Currently, individuals cannot volunteer to review or provide reviewer profile information in Research.gov without first being added to a meeting or assigned for ad hoc review by NSF staff. However, NSF is planning to release a new volunteer to review feature later this year. This exciting new feature will expand NSF's reviewer pool by enabling researchers to volunteer to review for NSF and complete their reviewer profile in Research.gov without being added to a meeting or assigned to review a proposal by program staff. To be informed about the release of this new feature as well as other Research.gov updates, we invite you to join the NSF System Updates listserv by sending a blank email to system_updates-subscribe-request@listserv.nsf.gov.
Reviewer Self-managed Profile
- After completing the account registration process in Account Management, reviewers will self-manage their profile information going forward, including contact information; demographic, academic, and professional information; organizational affiliations; and areas of expertise.
Overview of Account Management Reviewer Integration Process
- Reviewer receives email with unique invitation code or email with instructions to complete their reviewer profile in Research.gov.
- Reviewer opens Research.gov and selects the Register function at the top of the Research.gov screen to create a new NSF account and to obtain an assigned NSF ID. (Note: Reviewers with an existing NSF account in Research.gov will skip this step. Each individual user of NSF system, (e.g., Research.gov) should not have more than one NSF ID per Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide Chapter I.G.3.).
- Reviewer signs into Research.gov with their credentials.
- Reviewer accesses the Provide Reviewer Profile Information link under Reviews & Meetings on the Research.gov homepage, enters the unique invitation code or enters the email address where they received their reviewer profile completion instructions and follows the five-step wizard to provide reviewer profile information. Once this simple one-time process has been completed, the reviewer can proceed with all other meeting or review activities.
Accessing Assigned Reviews, Panels, and Meetings
- Reviewers will now access their assigned Reviews, Panels, and Meetings from the Reviews, Panels, and Other Meetings landing page. This will provide ad hoc reviewers, panelists, and other meeting participants with Single Sign On access from Research.gov to PES, Meeting Sign-In, Travel and Reimbursement and Ad Hoc Proposal Review.
- To access the landing page, click Reviews, Panels, and Other Meetings link under Reviews & Meetings on the Research.gov desktop.
- The Reviewer must have a self-managed profile to be able to view their assigned Reviews, Panels, and Meetings.
Training Resources
Questions? For IT systems-related questions, please contact the NSF IT Service Desk at 1-800-381-1532 (7:00 AM - 9:00 PM ET; Monday - Friday except federal holidays) or via rgov@nsf.gov. Policy-related questions should be directed to policy@nsf.gov.
