(a)(1) Many scientists, engineers, and educators interrupt active research and teaching careers to spend a year or two at NSF and then return to research and teaching, usually at the same institution from which they came. Many such visiting scientists, engineers, and educators (and a few permanent employees) who have been principal investigators under NSF awards before coming to NSF, retain some interest or association with the work. If an individual is a principal investigator under an NSF award, the individual is not precluded from retaining ties to the work after becoming an NSF employee. The employee may stay in contact with those who are continuing the work in the employee's laboratory or on his or her project. The employee may continue to supervise graduate students. And the employee may visit and work in the laboratory on his or her own time for these and related purposes.

(2) Before a prospective employee comes to NSF, the prospective employee and the grantee institution must designate, subject to NSF approval, a “substitute principal investigator”—i.e., another scientist who will be responsible for the work and equipment and will represent the institution in any dealings with NSF officials while the prospective employee is at NSF.

(3) Appointment of a substitute principal investigator is unnecessary if all work under an award is to be completely suspended while the employee is at NSF. If the work is to be suspended, the employee and the grantee institution must inform the NSF in writing before the employee's employment begins. Work under the award may be resumed when the employee completes his or her NSF employment, and its term may be extended to account for the time lost during the employee's NSF employment.

(b)(1) NSF will entertain no proposal on which a current NSF employee would be a senior investigator or equivalent, unless it is a proposal for continuation or extension of support for work on which the employee served in that capacity before coming to NSF. Any proposal for continuation of NSF support at essentially the same level (with reasonable allowance for inflation) will normally be considered a proposal for continuation or extension if it would support the work of the same investigator and his or her laboratory or group (if any) in the same general field of science, engineering, or education, notwithstanding that the focus of the work may change in response to research opportunities or educational needs.

(2) Someone other than the current NSF employee must submit any such proposal for continuation or extension of work NSF previously supported and handle all negotiations with NSF, but the capacity in which the current NSF employee will serve should be clearly spelled out in the proposal.

(c) In accordance with 5 CFR 5301.103(a)(1), an NSF employee may not receive, directly or indirectly, any salary, consulting fee, honorarium, or other form of compensation for services, or reimbursement of expenses, from an NSF award.