A Safe and Harassment-Free Fieldwork (SAHF) Plan, previously known as a Safe and Inclusive Fieldwork (SAIF) Plan, is a two-page supplementary document required by NSF grant and fellowship proposals with field components. The requirements of the plan will differ by grant call, but the general structure should include
A description of the field setting and unique challenges for the team
Steps that will be taken to nurture an inclusive off-campus or off-site working environment
Communication processes
Organizational mechanisms for reporting, responding to, and resolving issues of harassment should they arrive
It is considered under the Broader Impacts review criterion. You can learn more on the NSF website.
It is NSF policy (see Chapter XI.A.1.g.) to foster safe and harassment-free environments wherever science is conducted. NSF’s policy recognizes that a community effort is essential to eliminate sexual and other forms of harassment in science and to build inclusive scientific climates where people can learn, grow, and thrive. Accordingly, for each proposal that proposes to conduct research off-campus or off site[1], the AOR must complete a certification[2] that the organization has a plan in place for that proposal that describes how the following types of behavior will be addressed:
a. Abuse of any person, including, but not limited to, harassment, stalking, bullying, or hazing of any kind, whether the behavior is carried out verbally, physically, electronically, or in written form; or
b. Conduct that is unwelcome, offensive, indecent, obscene, or disorderly.
This plan should also identify steps the proposing organization will take to nurture an inclusive off-campus or off-site working environment, e.g., trainings; processes to establish shared team definitions of roles, responsibilities, and culture, e.g., codes of conduct; and field support, such as mentor/mentee support mechanisms, regular check-ins, and/or developmental events.
Communications within team and to the organization should be considered in the plan, minimizing singular points within the communications pathway (e.g., a single person overseeing access to a single satellite phone), and any special circumstances such as the involvement of multiple organizations or the presence of third parties in the working environment should be taken into account. The process or method for making incident reports as well as how any reports received will be resolved should also be accounted for.
The organization's plan for the proposal must be disseminated to individuals participating in the off-campus or off-site research prior to departure. Proposers should not submit the plan to NSF for review.
Note that simultaneously submitted collaborative proposals and proposals that include subawards are a single unified project and, as such, only one combined plan for the project should be developed, regardless of the number of non-lead collaborative proposals or subawards included. The lead organization is responsible for checking the "Off-Campus or Off-Site Research" box on the Cover Sheet, if applicable.
Does the SAHF Plan differ from the plan required by the organization as explained in the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide?
All proposals submitted to the NSF with off-campus or off-site research (as of 30 January 2023) must certify that the organization has a project-specific plan in place for Safe and Harassment-free research. The organizational plan that is certified by the AOR is not identical in content to that requested in the SAHF Plans. SAHF Plans are required only in specific solicitations participating in the BIO/GEO pilot.
Does the SAHF Plan replace the certification required by PAPPG Chapter II.E.9?
Yes. If you are submitting a proposal with off-campus or off-site research in response to a solicitation participating in the BIO/GEO pilot, you must submit the SAHF Plan as a 2-page Supplementary Document, and that SAHF Plan is in lieu of the organizational plan required by PAPPG Chapter II.E.9.
Is safety from snake bites, heat stroke, or similar physical safety issues a part of the SAHF Plan?
The SAHF Plan must focus on how to ensure harassment-free working environments.
How is off-campus or off-site research defined?
Off-campus or off-site research is defined as data/information/samples being collected off-campus or off-site, such as fieldwork, and research activities on vessels and aircraft. Each proposing organization must determine whether the proposed work is considered off-campus or off-site. Please contact your organization’s Sponsored Projects Office (or equivalent) for assistance in this determination.
What if off-campus or off-site research is being done for education or outreach as part of a proposal, but not research components of a proposal submitted to a solicitation participating in the BIO/GEO pilot?
At this time, the SAHF Plan is only required if off-campus or off-site “research” is being proposed, which means "…data/information/samples" being collected off-campus or off-site.
Are university field stations considered off-campus or off-site?
The proposing organization is responsible for making the determination regarding whether the proposed work is considered off-campus or off-site.
Can funds be allocated to help offset costs with necessary training associated with a SAHF Plan?
Yes, assuming the costs are allowed under Uniform Guidance.
What if the PIs submitting a proposal will not be collecting the data, only using the data? Does this still require a SAHF Plan?
If no personnel associated with a submission is gathering data/information/samples from off-campus or off-site, then a SAHF Plan is not required. Downloading previously collected data does not require a SAHF Plan.
How will the SAHF Plan be reviewed?
The SAHF Plan is considered as part of the Broader Impacts review criterion. Reviewers will also be asked to evaluate the following:
Is there a compelling plan (including the procedures, trainings, and communication processes) to establish, nurture, and maintain harassment-free off-campus or off-site working environment(s)?
Does the proposed plan identify and adequately address the unique challenges for the team and the specific off-campus or off-site setting(s)?
Are the organizational mechanisms to be used for reporting, responding to, and resolving issues of harassment, should they occur, clearly outlined?
Why is the SAHF Plan considered as part of the Broader Impacts criterion?
The required submission and review of the SAHF Plan is one more way that the NSF aims to ensure that all people engaged in science, wherever science is conducted, are safe, and that the working environment is harassment free for all.
Questions and answers were retrieved from here.