From jb@ncsa.uiuc.edu Fri Feb  7 09:55:36 1997
Date: Fri, 07 Feb 1997 08:38:49 -0600
To: csteams@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu, atteams@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu,
        eotpaci@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu, rp@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu
From: Jim Bottum 
Subject: PACI update 
Cc: ls@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu, jb@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu

Larry and I greatly appreciate your patience during the long period from the
site visit until the recent beginning of negotiations with the NSF.  We have
been in the "conceptual phase" of negotiations with NSF for the last two
weeks.  It now looks as if we will be starting into actual budget disussions
next week. 

About all we can say for sure at this point is that the Alliance proposal is
being recommended for funding by the Division of Advanced Scientific
Computing (DASC) to the first phase of the National Science Board review
process.  DASC will be presenting their recommendations to the NSF
Director's Review Board (DRB) on February 12th next week in preparation for
the NSB recommendation. We will be scheduling another Executive Committee
conference call immediately after we learn the results of the DRB.  The
Executive Committee has been in an ongoing discussion with Larry and me
during this whole procedure and have been invaluable in helping us chart our
course.

We are encouraged by discussions to date and believe that if approved for
funding by the NSB at the levels under discussion, we will be able to
implement a good deal of the program outlined in our proposal.  

The National Science Board meets on March 27-28th, and of course, nothing is
final until the NSB approves.   We will soon begin to look at dates for a
tentative planning meeting sometime in april or may.

We want to thank you all for your efforts, support and patience.  We are
very optimistic about the future and look forward to working with you to
fulfull the PACI vision.