A virtual organization is a group of individuals whose members and resources may be dispersed geographically, but who function as a coherent unit through the use of cyberinfrastructure. Virtual organizations are increasingly central to the science and engineering projects funded by NSF. The VOSS program supports scientific research directed at advancing the understanding of what constitutes effective virtual organizations and under what conditions virtual organizations can enable and enhance scientific, engineering, and education production and innovation.

Levels of analysis may include (but are not limited to) individuals, groups, organizations, and institutional arrangements. Disciplinary perspectives may include (but are not limited to) anthropology, complexity sciences, computer and information sciences, decision and management sciences, economics, engineering, organization theory, organizational behavior, social and industrial psychology, public administration, and sociology. Research methods may span a broad variety of qualitative and quantitative methods, including (but not limited to): ethnographies, surveys, simulation studies, experiments, comparative case studies, and network analyses. 

VOSS-funded research must be grounded in theory and rooted in empirical methods. It must produce broadly applicable and transferable results that augment knowledge and practice of virtual organizations as a modality. VOSS does not support proposals that aim to implement or evaluate individual virtual organizations.

An investigator may participate as a PI, co-PI, or other senior personnel in no more than two proposals submitted in FY 2008 in response to this program solicitation. This limitation includes proposals submitted by a lead organization, any sub-award submitted as part of a proposal, or any non-lead collaborative proposal. This restriction applies to this solicitation only and is not meant to inhibit submissions of proposals by investigators to other NSF activities or programs.

For the purposes of this VOSS solicitation, senior personnel include the PI, any co-PIs, and any other researchers actively involved in the scientific or technical management of the project, including sub-awardees. It does not include students, postdoctoral researchers, or consultants who provide specific expertise on a limited portion of the project.