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 BottumSubject: 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.