Checklist for Connected Project BPC Plan

The following checklist contains information on Document Structure, PI Engagement, and Activity Descriptions, for your Connected Project BPC Plan.

Different solicitations have different page requirements for Connected Project BPC Plans. In common, all solicitations that support Connected Project BPC Plans require:

  • One or more pages (number varies by solicitation. See below for details) identifying which activity from their institutions’ Verified Departmental BPC Plan each PI is engaged in and the PI’s role in that activity.
    • Each activity has its own section with a brief descriptive title.
  • 2 pages per institution: A copy of the full Verified Departmental BPC Plan
    • See the Departmental BPC Plan page for details on Departmental BPC Plans.
    • The Verified Departmental BPC Plan should be exactly the same as the document verified by BPCnet, in the same format with no edits or markup.
  • Follows the NSF’s current guidelines on formatting in the Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG)

The organization and page count varies by solicitation:

  • Core (as of the solicitation NSF 23-561 dated September 16, 2022) and SaTC (as of solicitation NSF 24-504 dated October 31 2023)
    • 2 pages shared by all PIs
    • Followed by all Verified Departmental BPC Plans (in any order)
    • Total pages: 2 + Verified Departmental BPC Plan from each institution
  • CPS (as of the solicitation NSF 24-581 dated June 4, 2024)
    • Does not allow Connected Project BPC Plans; use a Standalone Project BPC Plan instead.
  • Each PI and co-PI must be listed as a participant in at least one activity from the Verified Departmental BPC Plan from their institution.
  • Several PIs/co-PIs may engage in the same activity and PIs/co-PIs may engage in multiple activities.
  • Exactly one Verified Departmental BPC Plan is submitted per institution; PIs and co-PIs engage in activities from that Plan even if it is not from their department of that institution.
  • The role and preparation for each participating PI and co-PI must be described.
  • The activity identifier or other information should uniquely specify the relevant activity from a Departmental BPC Plan. To facilitate the review, we recommended leading with a sentence like:
    • This is [activity identifier] from the Verified Departmental BPC Plan for [institution name]. The (1) goal and context, (2) intended population, (3) strategy, and (4) measurement are addressed in that Plan.
  • Any required information that is missing from the Departmental BPC Plan should be provided: (1) goal and context, (2) intended population, (3) strategy, or (4) measurement for a selected activity. See the Standalone Project BPC Plan page for guidance on addressing them.

Still unsure if a Connected Project BPC Plan is for you? Please see this decision flowchart for details on which type of Project BPC Plan you can use.

Resources to Create Effective Plans

Below are resources to create an effective Connected Project BPC Plan. The resources include a downloadable template to create your Connected Project BPC Plan and a sample plan from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Download Template
View Sample Plan

NSF Reporting Requirements

Always refer to the solicitation you are responding to in order to find out about BPC Plan reporting requirements. Currently, CISE Core and SATC Medium awards are required to report about the results of the implementation of their BPC Plan in the Special Reporting Requirements sections of their NSF Annual Report.

According to the program solicitations NSF 23-561 (CISE Core)  and NSF 24-504 (SATC) Section VII. Award Administration Information Subsection C. Reporting Requirements, the Special Reporting Requirements section of the annual report should include: