NSF-51, https://www.nsf.gov/privacy/NSF-51 Reviewer Proposal File and Associated Records

NSF -51

System Name:
Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records.
Security Classification:
None.
System Location:
National Science Foundation Headquarters, Virginia.
Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:
Reviewers who evaluate proposals submitted to the Foundation, either by submitting individual
comments, or by serving on review panels or site visit teams, or both.
Categories of Records in the System:
The “Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records” system is a subsystem of the “Principal
Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records” system (NSF-50), and contains the
reviewer's name, title of proposal(s) reviewed and identifying number, and other related material.
Information supplied by reviewers or potential reviewers includes their affiliation, contact
information, educational degrees and possibly other background information about the reviewer,
and reviewer demographic information, if voluntarily provided.
Authority for Maintenance of the System:
42 U.S.C. 1870; 44 U.S.C. 3101.
Purpose(s) of the System:
The system enables program offices to reference specific reviewers and maintain appropriate
files for use in evaluating applications for grants or other support. NSF employees may access
the system to help select reviewers as part of the merit review process, and to carry out other
authorized duties.
Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories of Users and the
Purposes of Such Uses:
NSF standard routine uses apply. In addition, information may be disclosed to:

(1) Qualified reviewers (the names of other reviewers and related review material only)
as part of the NSF application review process.
(2) Other Government agencies or other entities as part of a joint application review
process, or in order to coordinate programs or policy.
(3) Federal government agencies needing names of potential reviewers and specialists in
particular fields.
(4) Other entities when merging records with other computer files to carry out statistical
studies for or otherwise assist NSF with program management, evaluation, or reporting.
Disclosure may be made for this purpose to NSF contractors and collaborating researchers, and
other government agencies and qualified research institutions and their staffs. Disclosures are
made only after scrutiny of research protocols and with appropriate controls. The results of such
studies are statistical in nature and do not identify individuals.
(5) Contractors, grantees, volunteers, experts, consultants, advisors, and other individuals
who perform a service to or work on or under a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, advisory
committee, committee of visitors, or other arrangement with or for the Federal government, as
necessary to carry out their duties in pursuit of the purposes described above. The contractors are
subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act.
Policies and Practices for Storing Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining and Disposing of Records
in the System:
Storage:
Records are stored in paper and/or on electronic digital media.
Retrievability:
Records are retrieved by a reviewer’s name or identification number, if any.
Safeguards:
Records are protected by administrative, technical, and physical safeguards administered by
NSF.
Retention and Disposal:
Reviewer records are cumulative and maintained indefinitely.
System Manager(s) and Address:
Director/Head or designee of particular Division or Office maintaining such records, NSF
headquarters, Virginia.

Notification Procedure:
Follow the Requesting Access to Records procedures found at 45 CFR Part 613.
Record Access Procedures:
Follow the Requesting Access to Records procedures found at 45 CFR Part 613.
Contesting Record Procedures:
Follow the procedures found at 45 CFR Part 613.
Record Source Categories:
Information is obtained from the individual reviewers, suggestions from other reviewers, the
“Principal Investigator/Proposal File” (NSF-50), other applicants for NSF funding or other
members of the research community, public sources, and from NSF program officials.
Exemptions Claimed for the System:
The portions of this system consisting of data that would identify reviewers or other persons
supplying evaluations of NSF proposals have been exempted at 45 CFR Part 613.5, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 552a(k)(5).