General Instructions

2.3 General Instructions

When you first bring up APT, you will have to convert the information in your Phase I proposal, which is an XML file, into a Phase II program format using the “Phase I->Phase II” conversion button on the APT User Interface.

Note the following general instructions and conventions when entering your Phase II information:

•	After converting your Phase I Proposal into Phase II information, please verify that all the general information is correct and readable.

•	Entries in text must precisely conform to the formats specified in this document. If you have decided to use the Text Proposal File, the order of the entries must be correct as well (see Section 2.5 on page 20).

•	Proposal data text may contain only standard ASCII characters. All other symbols must be spelled out. Greek letters must be spelled out (e.g. BETA-LYR, H-ALPHA). The degree sign should be replaced with “D” (e.g. BD+16D516). Subscripts and superscripts are not allowed.

•	Additional information not covered by the keywords and values already provided may be entered in the “Additional Comments” or “Comments” boxes.

•	When providing a Target “Description” please use the target keywords and syntax presented in Tables 3.2 to 3.10 and Table 4.2.

If you are unable to use the APT software, please contact your PC (listed in your notification letter) to make other arrangements.

2.3.1 Proposal Information [Proposal_Information]

This block contains basic information about the proposal including the Title, Abstract, Category, and Cycle. After converting your proposal from Phase I to Phase II, your Phase II program will have the program information filled out based on your Phase I submission.

Proposal Title

The title from your Phase I submission will be used.

Abstract

The abstract from your Phase I submission will be used. Please check this since you may need to update this text based on your final TAC allocation.

If a Phase II submission is not based on a Phase I proposal, please fill in missing information.

Phase II ID

This ID will be provided to you by your Program Coordinator.

STScI Edit Numbe r

This field holds a counter for an operational version number of the proposal and cannot be edited by the user. If you are connected to the internet, the version number in your proposal file is compared to the one in the STScI proposal database when a proposal is opened or submitted. In either case, if your file’s version number is less than the database’s number for that proposal, you will get a pop up warning that a more recent version is available (via APT’s Retrieve from STScI). This prevents you from doing an update with an old copy of the proposal, or making edits to a version that does not include changes your PC has made to the proposal.The STScI software increments this number whenever the Phase II file is edited by STScI staff.

Proposal Cycle

Unless you have been told otherwise, the Cycle should be 20. Multiple values of Cycle are not permitted.

Proposal Category

For those Phase II submissions that are not based on a Phase I proposal, the Category should be selected from one of the following:


GO (General Observer)	GO/DD (Director’s Discretionary time)
GO/SURVEY (GO Survey Programs)
SNAP (snapshot proposals)	GTO (Guaranteed Time Observer)

A Category of SNAP is used for “snapshot” programs. By their nature these programs take advantage of otherwise-unused blocks of telescope time for relatively short exposures. SNAP exposures therefore must carry as few restrictions as possible. In particular, Special Requirements should not ordinarily be used with SNAP programs (consult with your Program Coordinator if you feel you need to do so). Some special policies apply to SNAP programs: in particular, STScI will not repeat failed SNAP exposures.

Pure Parallels

For pure parallel proposals (see Section 6.2), check the “Parallel” checkbox next to the Proposal Category in the Proposal Information form. Please note that SNAP/PAR is not a valid proposal type.

Availability

You must choose supported. If the observing modes normally offered by STScI to GOs do not meet the needs of your program, please contact your Program Coordinator.

2.3.2 Proposal Description

Proposal Text Sections

These four sections are needed for STScI to execute your program properly. Not all questions will need to be answered by every observer, and note that the answers to these questions will be made public. As with the Abstract, please review this text to make certain the information is correct.

Description of Observations [Observing_Description]

Provide a detailed description of your observing plans. Text from your Phase I proposal will need updating based on your final TAC allocation and on details to be worked out in Phase II.

Justification of Real-time observations and Special Scheduling Requirements [Realtime_Justification]

Provide an explanation for any real-time or special scheduling requirements, if they have been requested. Information from your Phase I proposal has been inserted, but it is possible that the text will need updating based on your final TAC allocation, to include the details worked out in Phase II, and to remove any special calibration requirements (see below).

Justification of Special Calibration Requirements [Calibration_Justification]

Provide a justification for any special calibrations required for your program, if requested.

Additional Comments [Additional_Comments]

Provide any additional comments that you feel STScI needs to know in order to properly implement your program.

2.3.3 Investigators

These section contains the names of the Principal Investigator (PI), all Co-Investigators¹ (CoI), and their institute affiliations. This information comes from your Phase I proposal submission.

Phase II Contact

If an Investigator is to serve as the contact for a program, then the Phase II Contact keyword box should be checked. More than one investigator may be designated as a contact. The Contact(s) will receive all (non-budgetary) questions/information on the program.

If any of the Investigators have changed addresses between the Phase I and Phase II submissions (or any time after the Phase I submission), please contact your Program Coordinator with the updated address. You cannot use the Phase II submission to implement address changes.

For Phase II submissions that are not based on a Phase I proposal, please fill in the information accordingly.

2.3.4 Target Information [Fixed_Targets, Solar_System_Targets, Generic_Targets]

Chapter 3: Fixed and Generic Targets on page 25 and Chapter 4: Solar System Targets on page 59 describe how to fill out the Target Lists.

2.3.5 Visit Information [Visits]

Chapter 5: Visits, Exposures and Exposure Groups on page 89 of this document describes how to fill out the Visit and Exposure Specifications. Instructions for submitting parallel observations are given in Chapter 6: Parallel Science Exposures on page 103, and the detailed, instrument-specific parameters are described in Part II: Supported Science Instruments on page 169.

The number of CoIs is limited to 99.