The Gemini instruments that are currently under construction are all part of the initial complement of instruments---they were assigned to the partner countries on the basis of interest, expertise, and equity among the partners. The process by which future Gemini instruments will be procured is different; several of the decisions take place in the Gemini Instrument Forum. The Gemini Instrument Forum is a committee that meets twice a year to address instrumentation issues. Its membership includes two representatives from each partner country; the two US members are Todd Boroson and Richard Green. The Instrument Forum is chaired by Fred Gillett (Gemini Project Scientist).
The long term Gemini instrument plan is put together with scientific input from the communities of the partner countries, through national and international workshops and through the activities of the Gemini Science Committee. Using cost estimates generated by the national Gemini offices, the Instrument Forum develops a plan that combines the scientific goals with the realities of the funding opportunities. As the time comes for each instrument to be started, Gemini issues an Announcement of Opportunity for a conceptual design study to the national Gemini offices. The offices (through a different process in each country) develop a proposal to bring to the Forum. Because each country advocates its own proposal, it is necessary that the USGP undertake a pre-selection process to identify the group or groups that will write the US proposal. We have chosen to do this by holding open, informal meetings where potential proposers discuss their approaches with an unbiased expert committee. This committee makes a recommendation to the USGP, and we work with the selected group or groups to produce the US proposal. We believe that the opportunity to discuss all the approaches, their strengths and their weaknesses will allow the chosen group to write a stronger proposal.
This process is repeated after the conceptual design stage, with a new opportunity to propose to produce a complete design and build the instrument. Again, the national Gemini offices will bring proposals to the Instrument Forum, and we envision a similar open, informal meeting in front of an unbaised expert committee to pre-select a proposer. Obviously a group that has done a conceptual design study, and had feedback on that study will have an advantage. For that reason, we urge any group that is not funded in the conceptual design stage to consider doing an unfunded design study to improve their chances in the next stage.
The USGP will continue to make these opportunities known to all US groups that are interested. We maintain a list (currently about 350 individuals) that we use for circulating this information. If you are not on this list, but wish to have your name added, please contact us.
Todd Boroson