CaRCC is often asked to collaborate on funding proposals or other work where the nature of collaboration may or must be documented via Letters of Collaboration, an MOU, or some other means. This page provides information that we hope is helpful to those seeking such collaboration and/or documented agreement.
Jump to specific content:
- Timely Announcements
- Standard CaRCC Resources and Engagement Model – No Formalized Collaboration Required
- Deeper Collaboration – Requiring a Letter of Collaboration or Other Agreement
Timely Announcements
Writing an NSF 26-513 Proposal?
NSF 26-513 names CaRCC in its workforce development element, one of five elements of an AI Infrastructure Hub proposal:
4. Development of an AI infrastructure workforce
NSF will fund AI infrastructure professionals to support the Hubs’ infrastructure, including systems administrators, system and storage architects, cybersecurity specialists, network, performance and software engineers, and training and user support experts. The workforce development will prioritize AI for science facilitators who work closely with researchers to accelerate research on computational systems by providing expert advice and training on software and tools for AI-enabled science research, while gaining experience with both domain scientists and AI infrastructure.
Proposers are encouraged to leverage student employees and interns from across a variety of institutions in the consortia for hands-on experiences using AI infrastructure for science, creating a pipeline of expertise from universities into industry. Hubs are also encouraged to engage relevant NSF AI initiatives and existing national structures such as CARCC for workforce development.
In accordance with CaRCC’s community-driven and open participation model, our Standard CaRCC Resources and Engagement (see further below) extend to all proposed and/or funded AI Infrastructure Hubs, including competing consortia in the same state or region, with no preference. We do not evaluate or rank proposals. Except where specified for NSF 26-513 proposals, the content on this webpage applies equally to any externally-funded project, including thresholds of CaRCC engagement requiring a Letter of Collaboration.
Referencing CaRCC in an NSF 26-513 Proposal
To reference CaRCC in an NSF 26-513 proposal, adapt the Suggested Proposal Language below in your own words. You do not need a Letter of Collaboration or Letter of Support from CaRCC, and we do not provide them for this program. CaRCC engages openly with every state and regional consortium, with no preference, so referencing us this way is all that’s needed.
Please Notify Us if You Reference CaRCC in Your NSF 26-513 Proposal
Email us at collaboration@carcc.org with the name of your Hub, lead institution, and PI name. While we do not require permission for referencing standard CaRCC resources and engagement in your proposal, we are interested to know how many Hubs are planning to engage so that we can prepare.
We are also happy to review whatever language you include to ensure compliance with CaRCC’s engagement model and policies. Please send your request for review at least 10 business days ahead of submitting your proposal.
Suggested CaRCC Resources for NSF 26-513 Proposals
In addition to the full set of flagship People Network Tracks (e.g. Researcher-Facing, Data-Facing, Systems-Facing, etc.), the AI Infrastructure Hubs may find the following communities and resources to be of particular relevance:
Standard CaRCC Resources and Engagement Model – No Formalized Collaboration Required
CaRCC’s support for research computing and data (RCD) professionals and RCD-providing organizations includes open-participation in CaRCC-associated community groups (People Network Tracks, Interest Groups and Working Groups) as well as publicly-available Products and Resources. Any individual, from any project or organization may participate in these (see Getting Started and Getting Involved) at any time, in accordance with our Code of Conduct, and without requiring formalized collaboration or a notice to CaRCC (or a Letter of Collaboration, in the context of grant proposals).
CaRCC Commits to:
- Support the formation and operation of RCD-relevant affinity-based Tracks and topic-centric Interest Groups, with open communication channels (e.g. email lists, chat via Slack workspace and channels, etc.) and synchronous community gatherings (e.g. virtual meetings via Zoom).
- Topics and/or presenters at community gatherings for each group are coordinated in response to regularly solicited and community-articulated desires from among participants.
- Support the formation and operation of Working Groups for developing tools and resources for RCD professionals and organizations.
- Promote the activities and products of CaRCC-associated groups and activities.
- Maintain internally documented and standard processes by which the above are more easily executed in accordance with both CaRCC’s mission and our Code of Conduct.
CaRCC Does Not:
- Commit staff effort, deliverables, or named personnel without that work being included via a funded collaboration. (See Deeper Collaboration, below.)
- Appear as a participant or sub-awardee on funding proposals, unless separately negotiated. (See Deeper Collaboration, below.)
- Guarantee presentations by non-CaRCC groups via CaRCC community gatherings. CaRCC participants are welcome to suggest topics among other community input on discussion priorities. Non-CaRCC groups may be invited to present and/or facilitate discussion, only in light of articulated community desires.
- Guarantee CaRCC promotion of non-CaRCC activities and organizations. Members of CaRCC communication channels are welcome to promote RCD-relevant events, presentations, and other activities in accordance with our Code of Conduct.
- Guarantee leadership roles or CaRCC Working Group membership. Those are each decided by CaRCC’s established selection processes that leverage collective input from defined sets of participants (e.g., among the group’s present members or via a committee or other governance body, where one exists). Working Groups generally welcome new members, but may have expectations of participation, including meeting attendance.
- Guarantee the creation or longevity of new CaRCC groups. Proposals for new CaRCC-associated groups follow a documented process that requires approval by the CaRCC Chairs to ensure relevance and the completion of other startup requirements. All groups are also reviewed periodically for ongoing relevance, process alignment, and minimal activity.
Suggested Proposal Language Referencing Standard Resources
Feel free to adapt the below for funding proposals or other documentation of your project or organization’s intent and actual engagement with CaRCC, without seeking permission.
[Members of the relevant team] will engage with CaRCC’s open communities of practice and public products in support of RCD workforce development, in accordance with CaRCC’s standard engagement model [cite this page: carcc.org/collaborate]. CaRCC will be engaged as an open resource, is not a participant in this proposal, and receives no funds under the proposed project.
Note: Though not required, we are happy to review any alternative or additional language you’d like to include. Please email us at collaboration@carcc.org at least 10 business days prior to proposal submission or other document due date to ensure our timely review.
Deeper Collaboration – Requiring a Letter of Collaboration or Other Agreement
Some funding programs have their own guidance on letters and collaboration. Please check the Timely Announcements section above or with your program officers before requesting a letter.
If you would like to discuss your ideas and potential options for collaboration beyond CaRCC’s standard resources and engagement options, or would otherwise like to strengthen the assertion of standard CaRCC engagement via a Letter of Collaboration or other agreement, please email us at collaboration@carcc.org with ample time ahead of any due date, proportionate to the extent of desired collaboration.
We’re happy to provide Letters of Collaboration that assert standard CaRCC resources in a funding proposal (not requiring funded engagement). In that specific case, please email at least 10 business days out with your project title, funding program, lead institution, Principal Investigator (named and in CC), deadline, and all proposal text (and other necessary context) that describes activities implicating CaRCC or its resources. We will not ask to see your entire proposal.
If for a competitive funding proposal, CaRCC will do its best to ensure confidentiality. Proposal language will be reviewed among internally-identified members of CaRCC’s Transitional Board chosen to minimize known institutional, competing, or direct conflicts of interest. Agreements involving collaboration beyond standard CaRCC resources may require additional review by leaders of relevant CaRCC groups, pursued with permission from the proposer and with our best attempts to transparently acknowledge and navigate any potential conflicts of interest. Following the review, a Letter of Collaboration or other agreement will be signed by the Chair of CaRCC’s Transitional Board, regardless of any involvement they may have in related proposals or projects.
Questions?
Email us at collaboration@carcc.org as soon as you have them!