Franci:

There is a 90 day pre-award window that you can have allowable purchases
before the start date of the grant.  If you need a bigger window, you need
to get NSF's permission in advance.

This shouldn't be a problem if you have a good reason. . .

the alternative is to lease a piece of equipment which you then purchase
when the award comes through.

TB

>This is probably a fairly basic question but I can't seem to see a clear
>answer in the NSF GPM:
>
>If we've submitted a proposal to NSF for a piece of equipment which has a
>long ordering time can we place the order before we find out whether we're
>getting the grant (and accept the consequences if we don't get the grant)?
>Or must we wait before placing an order until we actually know that we're
>getting the grant?
>
>Thanks.
>
>Frances Vinal Farnsworth
>Coordinator of Sponsored Research
>MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE
>Forest Hall
>Middlebury, VT 05753
>802-443-5889
>xxxxxx@middlebury.edu
>fax: 802-443-2081

*****************
Anthony M. Boccanfuso, Ph.D.
Associate Provost for Research and Federal Relations
Bowling Green State University
106 University Hall
Bowling Green, Ohio 43403
419-372-2481; 419-372-0304 (fax)
xxxxxx@bgnet.bgsu.edu
http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/spar/HomePage.html