Proposal Types

All beam time at the APS (either non-proprietary or proprietary) must be requested each cycle through the Universal Proposal System. A proposal describes an experiment and identifies the experimental team. An Experiment Time Request (ETR) on a proposal identifies where and when the researchers want beam time. A proposal can have several ETRs. Each use of beam is associated with a proposal, an ETR, and an Experiment Safety Assessment Form (ESAF).

For further details, please see Concepts, Definitions, and Help.

General User – Regular Proposals

The General User Program allows researchers to use the APS through a competitive access process.

Submission Deadlines: New proposals and requests for experiment time on existing proposals are generally accepted three times a year, typically in March, July, and October.
Review and Allocation: Proposals are peer-reviewed and scored according to a set of review criteria. Time is allocated by a committee based on scores and feasibility. The scores of unallocated proposals are aged (i.e., improved) at each cycle as part of the allocation process. A user may appeal the outcome of a review.
Lifetime: Proposals expire in two years or when the number of lifetime shifts recommended in the peer review have been used, whichever comes first.
Beamlines: 1-BM-B,C; 1-ID-B,C,E; 2-BM-A,B; 2-ID-D; 2-ID-E; 3-ID-B,C,D; 4-ID-B,G,H; 5-BM-B; 5-ID-B,C,D; 6-BM-A,B; 6-ID-B,C; 6-ID-D; 7-BM-B; 7-ID-B,C,D; 8-BM-B; 8-ID-E,I; 9-BM-B,C; 9-ID-D; 10-BM-B; 10-ID-B; 11-BM-B; 11-ID-B; 11-ID-C; 11-ID-D; 12-BM-B; 12-ID-B; 12-ID-C,D,E; 13-BM-C; 13-BM-D; 13-ID-C; 13-ID-D; 13-ID-E; 14-ID-B; 15-ID-B,E; 15-ID-C,D; 16-BM-B; 16-BM-D; 16-ID-B; 16-ID-D; 16-ID-E; 17-BM-B; 18-ID-D; 20-BM-B; 20-ID-D,E; 25-ID-C; 25-ID-D; 25-ID-E; 26-ID-C; 27-ID-B; 28-ID-B,C; 28-ID-D,E; 28-ID-F; 28-ID-G; 29-ID-C,D; 30-ID-B,C; 32-ID-B,C; 33-BM-C; 33-ID-C; 34-ID-E; 34-ID-F; 35-ID-B,C,D,E

General User - Macromolecular Crystallography (MX) Proposals

A general user proposal specific to the field of macromolecular crystallography.

Submission Deadlines: New proposals and requests for experiment time on existing active proposals are accepted during a standard proposal call (typically in March, July, and October) and on a rolling basis during an active run cycle.
Review and Allocation: Proposals are peer-reviewed and scored according to a set of review criteria. Time is allocated by a committee based on scores and feasibility. The scores of unallocated proposals are aged (i.e., improved) at each cycle as part of the allocation process. A user may appeal the outcome of a review.
Lifetime: Proposals expire in two years regardless of the number of shifts on the proposal.
Beamlines: 14-ID-B; 17-ID-B; 19-BM-D; 21-ID-D; 21-ID-F; 21-ID-G; 22-ID-D; 22-ID-E; 23-ID-B; 23-ID-D; 24-ID-C; 24-ID-E; 31-ID-D

General User - Rapid Access Proposals

General user proposals that are submitted after the submission deadline that are valid for only one cycle.

Submission Deadlines: Rapid access proposals are accepted outside of the standard proposal submission timeline; rapid access experiment time requests can be submitted at any time during an active call.
Review and Allocation: Proposals and experiment time requests are reviewed by the beamline to which they are submitted. If the beamline considers the proposed experiment acceptable and time is available, staff will contact the proposal spokesperson to schedule the experiment.
Lifetime: Rapid Access Proposals are valid for one cycle.
Beamlines: 1-BM-B,C; 1-ID-B,C,E; 2-BM-A,B; 2-ID-D; 2-ID-E; 3-ID-B,C,D; 4-ID-B,G,H; 5-BM-B; 5-ID-B,C,D; 6-BM-A,B; 6-ID-B,C; 6-ID-D; 7-BM-B; 7-ID-B,C,D; 8-BM-B; 8-ID-E,I; 9-BM-B,C; 9-ID-D; 10-BM-B; 10-ID-B; 11-BM-B; 11-ID-B; 11-ID-C; 11-ID-D; 12-BM-B; 12-ID-B; 12-ID-C,D,E; 13-BM-C; 13-BM-D; 13-ID-C; 13-ID-D; 13-ID-E; 14-ID-B; 15-ID-B,E; 15-ID-C,D; 16-BM-B; 16-BM-D; 16-ID-B; 16-ID-D; 16-ID-E; 17-BM-B; 18-ID-D; 20-BM-B; 20-ID-D,E; 25-ID-C; 25-ID-D; 25-ID-E; 26-ID-C; 27-ID-B; 28-ID-B,C; 28-ID-D,E; 28-ID-F; 28-ID-G; 29-ID-C,D; 30-ID-B,C; 32-ID-B,C; 33-BM-C; 33-ID-C; 34-ID-E; 34-ID-F; 35-ID-B,C,D,E

General User - Rapid Access Mail-in Powder Diffraction or PDF (11-BM, 11-ID, 17-BM) Proposals

General user proposals dedicated to mail-in total scattering, rapid acquisition, and high-resolution powder diffraction.

Submission Deadlines: Proposals can be submitted at any time during an active call.
Review and Allocation: Proposals and experiment time requests are reviewed by the beamline to which they are submitted. If the beamline considers the proposed experiment acceptable, staff will contact the proposal spokesperson to schedule the experiment.
Lifetime: Proposals are valid for one cycle.
Beamlines: 11-BM-B; 11-ID-B; 17-BM-B

Resource Staff Proposals

Proposals for any resource (beamline) staff, whether APS or Collaborative Access Teams (CATs).

Submission Deadlines: Staff proposals can be submitted at any time during an active call.
Review and Allocation: Determined by APS beamline and CAT staff.
Lifetime: Proposals expire in five years.
Beamlines: 1-BM-B,C; 1-ID-B,C,E; 2-BM-A,B; 2-ID-D; 2-ID-E; 3-ID-B,C,D; 4-ID-B,G,H; 5-BM-B; 5-ID-B,C,D; 6-BM-A,B; 6-ID-B,C; 6-ID-D; 7-BM-B; 7-ID-B,C,D; 8-BM-B; 8-ID-E,I; 9-BM-B,C; 9-ID-D; 10-BM-B; 10-ID-B; 11-BM-B; 11-ID-B; 11-ID-C; 11-ID-D; 12-BM-B; 12-ID-B; 12-ID-C,D,E; 13-BM-C; 13-BM-D; 13-ID-C; 13-ID-D; 13-ID-E; 14-ID-B; 15-ID-B,E; 15-ID-C,D; 16-BM-B; 16-BM-D; 16-ID-B; 16-ID-D; 16-ID-E; 17-BM-B; 17-ID-B; 18-ID-D; 19-BM-D; 20-BM-B; 20-ID-D,E; 21-ID-D; 21-ID-F; 21-ID-G; 22-ID-D; 22-ID-E; 23-ID-B; 23-ID-D; 24-ID-C; 24-ID-E; 25-ID-C; 25-ID-D; 25-ID-E; 26-ID-C; 27-ID-B; 28-ID-B,C; 28-ID-D,E; 28-ID-F; 28-ID-G; 29-ID-C,D; 30-ID-B,C; 31-ID-D; 32-ID-B,C; 33-BM-C; 33-ID-C; 34-ID-E; 34-ID-F; 35-ID-B,C,D,E

CAT Member Proposals

Proposals from members of a Collaborative Access Team (CAT), reviewed by processes developed by individual CATs. For CAT websites, see the Beamline Directory.

Submission Deadlines: CAT Member proposals can be submitted at any time during an active call.
Review and Allocation: Determined by CAT staff.
Lifetime: Proposals expire in five years.
Beamlines: 5-BM-B; 5-ID-B,C,D; 10-BM-B; 10-ID-B; 16-BM-B; 16-BM-D; 16-ID-B; 16-ID-D; 16-ID-E; 17-ID-B; 18-ID-D; 21-ID-D; 21-ID-F; 21-ID-G; 22-ID-D; 22-ID-E; 23-ID-B; 23-ID-D; 24-ID-C; 24-ID-E; 31-ID-D; 35-ID-B,C,D,E

Partnership Access Mode (PAM)

Note: This proposal type is not available at this time and will be announced in future cycles.

Partner users contribute to the development of the facility and benefit the general user community (e.g., provide new instrumentation or capabilities that will be available to all users or by creating or expanding a user community) in exchange for reliable beam time over multiple cycles. Details of the Partner User Program can be found in the Comprehensive APS Beam Time Access Policy (APS_1700813).

Submission Deadlines: New proposals and requests for experiment time on existing active proposals are generally accepted three times a year, typically in March, July, and October.
Review and Allocation: Proposals are peer-reviewed and scored according to a set of review criteria. Time is allocated by a committee based on scores and feasibility. A user may appeal the outcome of a review. A Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) sub-committee determines if it qualifies for PAM status.
Lifetime: Determined by the SAC sub-committee, with a maximum of three years.
Beamlines: Any operational XSD beamline.

Block Allocation Group (BAG)