2013-nist-surf-g-01 ffo.docx.pdf

12/20/12

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (FFO)

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) NIST Gaithersburg Programs

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Federal Agency Name: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), United States

Department of Commerce (DoC)

• Funding Opportunity Title: Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) NIST

Gaithersburg Programs

• Announcement Type: Initial

• Funding Opportunity Number: 2013-NIST-SURF-G-01

• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.609, Measurement and

Engineering Research and Standards

• Dates: Electronic applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday, February 15, 2013. Paper applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday, February 15, 2013. Applications received after the respective deadline will not be reviewed or considered. Review, selection, and award processing is expected to be completed in April 2013.

The earliest anticipated start date for awards made under this FFO is expected to be May 1, 2013.

The SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs are anticipated to run from May 23, 2013 to August 9, 2013;

adjustments may be made to accommodate specific academic schedules (e.g., a limited number of 9-week programs with the schedule shifted to begin after the regular start, i.e., June 6, 2013 to August 9, 2013, in order to accommodate colleges or universities operating on quarter systems).

• Application Submission Address: See Section IV in the Full Announcement Text of this FFO.

• Funding Opportunity Description: NIST Gaithersburg is soliciting applications from eligible colleges and universities in the U.S. and its territories, nominating undergraduate students to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) NIST Gaithersburg Programs (SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs). The SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs will provide research opportunities for undergraduate students to work with internationally known NIST scientists, to expose them to cutting-edge research, and to promote the pursuit of graduate degrees in science and engineering.

• Total Amount to be Awarded: Approximately $820,000 for new awards.

• Anticipated Amounts: NIST anticipates that individual awards to institutions will range from approximately $9,000-$72,000 and will support approximately 90 undergraduate students in total.

The total number of awards will depend upon the number of undergraduate students selected per institution to attend the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program.

• Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement.

• Who is Eligible: Colleges and universities in the U.S. and its territories with degree-granting programs in nanoscale science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, chemistry, biology, materials science, neutron research, and/or physics. Each undergraduate student nominated to participate in the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs from the applicant college or university must meet the eligibility requirements in Section III.1. of this FFO.

• Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost sharing is not required.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents Page I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Application and Submission Information

V. Application Review Information

VII. Agency Contacts

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

The statutory authority for the SURF NIST Gaithersburg programs is 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(a).

NIST is one of the nation's premiere research institutions for the physical and engineering sciences and, as the lead Federal agency for technology transfer, it provides a strong interface between government, industry and academia. NIST embodies a science culture, developed from a large and well-equipped research staff that enthusiastically blends programs that address the immediate needs of industry with longer-term research that anticipates future needs. This occurs in few other places and enables the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST), Engineering Laboratory (EL), Information Technology Laboratory (ITL), Material Measurement Laboratory (MML), NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR), and Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML), to offer unique research and training opportunities for undergraduates, providing them a research-rich environment and exposure to state-of-the-art equipment.

Substantially supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs will provide an opportunity for the NIST laboratories and NSF to encourage outstanding undergraduate students to pursue careers in science and engineering. The objective of the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs is to build a mutually beneficial relationship among the student, the institution, and NIST. The SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs are conducted in English and will provide research opportunities for students to work with internationally known NIST scientists, to expose them to cutting-edge research, and to promote the pursuit of graduate degrees in science and engineering. It is expected that the students in the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs will have a proficiency in writing and speaking English, the ability to live and work with others, a commitment to honesty, and an interest in learning measurement metrology and using their own innovativeness to develop new science.

SURF students will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with our nation's top scientists and engineers. It is anticipated that successful SURF students will move from a position of reliance on guidance from their NIST research advisors to one of research independence during the 11-week period.

One goal of these programs is to provide opportunities for our nation's next generation of scientists and engineers to engage in world-class scientific research at NIST, especially in ground-breaking areas of emerging technologies. This carries with it the hope of motivating individuals to pursue Ph.D.s in nanoscale science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, materials science, chemistry, biology, neutron research, and/or physics, and to consider research careers.

The SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs are soliciting applications in the areas of nanoscale science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, materials science, chemistry, biology, neutron research, and/or physics.

The SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program Directors will answer questions regarding the application process and encourage the appropriate department chairs, outreach coordinators, and directors of multi-disciplinary academic organizations to advertise the program and solicit their best students (including graduating seniors) who would benefit from off-campus summer research in a world-class scientific environment to apply.

NIST’s Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) endeavors to provide science and industry with the necessary measurement methods, standards, and technology to facilitate the development and productive use of nanotechnology from discovery to production. CNST projects are focused on three broad program areas: 1) Measurements for Future Electronics, 2) Measurements for Nanofabrication and Nanomanufacturing, and 3) Measurements for Energy Storage, Conversion, and Transport. Examples of projects currently underway within these program areas are nanomagnetics, atomic scale characterization and fabrication of graphene, nanoscale measurement and fabrication using laser-controlled atoms, advanced Focused Ion Beam (FIB) development, modeling nanostructures in mesoscopic environments, characterization of nanophotonic devices, transport in nanoscale devices, scanned force microscopy, diblock copolymers, nanoparticle assembly, metrology for electron-beam lithography, advanced electron-beam resist development, and metrology for directed assembly. Much of this work is done in CNST’s state-of-the-art nanofabrication clean room facility. Student research projects will be theoretical or experimental.

NIST’s Engineering Laboratory (EL) investigates the use of intelligent machines, precision control of machine tools, and information technology for the integration of all elements of a product's life cycle.

Much of this applied research is devoted to overcoming barriers to the next technological revolution, in which manufacturing facilities are spread across the globe. EL's research and development leads to standards, test methods and data that are crucial to industry's success in exploiting advanced manufacturing technology. Critical components of manufacturing at any level are measurement and measurement-related standards, not just of products, but increasingly of information about products and processes. Thus, EL programs enhance both physical and information-based measurements and standards. Research projects can be theoretical or experimental, and will range in focus from intelligent machine control, characterizing a manufacturing process, and improving product data exchange in manufacturing. EL also provides technical leadership and participates in developing the measurement and standards infrastructure related to materials critical to U.S. industry, academia, government, and the public. Building and Fire Research programs at NIST cover a full range of materials issues from design to processing to performance. Separate research initiatives address concrete, coating, earthquake resistance of structures, fire science and engineering, the theory and modeling of materials, and materials reliability. Through laboratory-organized consortia and one-on-one collaborations, EL's scientists and engineers work closely with industrial researchers, manufacturers of high-technology products, and the major users of advanced materials.

NIST’s Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) responds to industry and user needs for objective, neutral tests for information technology. These enabling tools help companies produce the next generation of products and services, and help industries and individuals use these complex products and services. ITL works with industry, research and government organizations to develop and demonstrate tests, test methods, reference data, proof of concept implementations and other infrastructural technologies. Program activities include: high performance computing and communication systems;

emerging network technologies; access to, exchange, and retrieval of complex information; computational and statistical methods; information security; and testing tools and methods to improve the quality of software.

NIST's Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) and the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) combine the strengths and facilities of two Operating Units to conduct joint SURF activities. MML serves as the national reference laboratory for measurement research, standards, and data in the chemical, biological, and material sciences. MML research supports areas of national importance such as advanced materials (from nanomaterials to structural steels to complex fluids), electronics (from http://www.nist.gov/mat-sci-advanced-materials-portal.cfm http://www.nist.gov/electronics-and-telecommunications-portal.cfm semiconductors to organic electronics), energy (from characterization and performance of fossil and alternative fuels to next-generation renewable sources of energy), the environment (from the measurement of automotive exhaust emissions and other pollutants to assessment of climate change and the health and safety aspects of man-made nanomaterials), food safety and nutrition (from contaminant monitoring to ensuring the accuracy of nutritional labels), health care (from clinical diagnostics to tissue engineering and more efficient manufacturing of biologic drugs), infrastructure (from assessing the country's aging bridges and pipelines to the quality of our drinking water), manufacturing (from lightweight alloys for fuel-efficient automobiles to biomanufacturing and data for chemical manufacturing), and safety, security and forensics (from gunshot and explosive residue detection, to ensuring the performance of body armor materials, to DNA-based human identity testing). MML conducts research in analytical chemistry, biochemical science, ceramics, chemical and biochemical reference data, materials reliability, metallurgy, polymers, surface and microanalysis science, and thermophysical properties of materials.

The activities of the NCNR, a national resource for industry, universities, and government agencies, focus on providing neutron-measurement capabilities to the U.S. research community. Neutrons are powerful probes of the structure and dynamics of materials ranging from molecules inserted into membranes mimicking cell walls to protons migrating through fuel cells. The unique properties of neutrons can be exploited by a variety of measurement techniques to provide information not available by other means.

They are particularly well suited to investigate all forms of magnetic materials such as those used in computer memory storage and retrieval. Atomic motion, especially that of hydrogen, can be measured and monitored, like that of water during the setting of cement. Residual stresses such as those inside stamped steel automobile parts can be mapped. Neutron-based research covers a broad spectrum of disciplines, including engineering, biology, materials science, polymers, chemistry, and physics. The MML/NCNR SURF Program offers students two different programmatic choices, Chemical/Biochemical Sciences and Materials Science.

NIST’s Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) attends to the long-term needs of many U.S. high-technology industries. NIST's PML conducts basic research in the areas of quantum, electron, optical, atomic, molecular, and radiation physics. To achieve these goals, PML staff develops and utilizes highly specialized equipment, such as polarized electron microscopes, scanning tunneling microscopes, lasers, and x-ray and synchrotron radiation sources. Research projects can be theoretical or experimental and will range in focus from computer modeling of fundamental processes through trapping atoms and choreographing molecular collisions, to standards for radiation therapy. PML also conducts theoretical and experimental research in length, mass, force, vibration, acoustics, and ultrasonics. In addition, NIST’s PML strives to be the world's best source of fundamental and industrial-reference measurement methods and physical standards for electrotechnology. To be a world-class resource for semiconductor measurements, data, models, and standards focused on enhancing U.S. technological competitiveness in the world market, research is conducted in semiconductor materials, processing, devices, and integrated circuits to provide, through both experimental and theoretical work, the necessary basis for understanding measurement-related requirements in semiconductor technology. To provide the world's most technically advanced and fundamentally sound basis for all electrical measurements in the United States, the PML's research projects include maintaining and disseminating the national electrical standards, developing the measurement methods and services needed to support electrical materials, components, instruments, and systems used for the generation, transmission, and application of conducted electrical power, and related activities in support of the electronics industry including research on video technology and electronic product data exchange. PML offers students two different programmatic choices: Physics for students interested in Physics topics and Electrical Engineering for students interested in semiconductor and nano-electronics, systems and control engineering, and cross-disciplinary electronics.

II. Award Information

1. Funding Instrument

The funding instrument that will be used is a cooperative agreement. The nature of NIST’s “substantial involvement” will generally be collaboration with the recipients in the scope of work and working jointly with an undergraduate student in carrying out the scope of work. Additional forms of substantial involvement that may arise are described in the DoC Grants and Cooperative Agreements Interim http://www.nist.gov/energy-portal.cfm http://www.nist.gov/environment-climate-portal.cfm http://www.nist.gov/food-safety-nutrition-cosmetics-portal.cfm http://www.nist.gov/bioscience-and-health-portal.cfm http://www.nist.gov/materials-performance.cfm http://www.nist.gov/manufacturing-portal.cfm http://www.nist.gov/public-safety-security-portal.cfm http://www.nist.gov/public-safety-security-portal.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/analytical/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/analytical/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/biochemical/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/ceramics/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/chemical_properties/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/materials_reliability/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/metallurgy/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/polymers/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/surface/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/mml/properties/index.cfm

Manual, which is available at http://www.osec.doc.gov/oam/grants_management/policy/doc_grants_manual/default.htm.

2. Funding Availability. Funds budgeted for payments to students under this program are stipends, not salaries. The stipend is an amount that is expected to be provided to the participating student to help defray the cost of living, for the duration of the program, in the Washington National Capital Region. The table below summarizes the anticipated FY 2013 funding levels to operate the SURF programs, subject to the availability of funds. Program funding will be available to provide for the costs of stipends ($500 per week per student), plus transportation and lodging (up to $5,000 per student).

Program Total Program

Funding

Anticipated No. of Awards

CNST ~$ 36,400 ~4

EL ~$182,000 ~20

ITL ~$ 91,000 ~10

MML/NCNR-Materials ~$145,600 ~16 MML/NCNR-Chemical/Biochemical Sciences ~$136,500 ~15 PML-Physics ~$100,100 ~11 PML-Electrical Engineering ~$127,400 ~14

The actual number of awards made under this FFO will depend on the proposed budgets and the availability of funding.

NIST anticipates that individual awards to institutions will range from approximately $9,000 to $72,000 and will support approximately 90 undergraduate students in total. The total number of awards will depend on the number of undergraduate students selected per institution to attend the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program.

Funding for student housing will be included in the awards under this FFO.

The SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs are anticipated to run from May 23, 2013 to August 9, 2013;

adjustments may be made to accommodate specific academic schedules (e.g., a limited number of 9-week programs with the schedule shifted to begin after the regular start, i.e., June 6, 2013 to August 9, 2013, in order to accommodate colleges or universities operating on quarter systems).

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants. The SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program is open to colleges and universities in the United States and its territories with degree-granting programs in nanoscale science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, materials science, chemistry, biology, neutron research, and/or physics.

Each undergraduate student nominated to participate in the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs from the applicant college or university must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

1) Be a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident.

2) Commit eleven (11) full continuous weeks, or nine (9) full continuous weeks for the nine (9) week program, (Monday through Friday) from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., during the summer of 2013, to participate in the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program.

3) Be a currently registered undergraduate at the applicant university or college in the U.S. or its territories with a scientific major at the time of application.

http://www.osec.doc.gov/oam/grants_management/policy/doc_grants_manual/default.htm

4) Are considering pursuing a graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.). Students with nanoscale science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, materials science, chemistry, biology, neutron research, and/or physics majors are always encouraged to apply. There may also be research opportunities for students with other majors. Refer to the evaluation criteria and selection factors for additional recommendations.

Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to nominate students who have a G.P.A. of 3.0/4.0 or better.

Applicants are encouraged, but are not required, to nominate eligible underrepresented minority undergraduate students.

2. Cost Sharing. Cost sharing is not required.

3. Other

Pre-Applications. NIST is not accepting pre-applications or white papers under the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs listed in this FFO.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package. The standard application package, consisting of the standard forms, i.e., SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-LLL, and the CD-511, is available at www.grants.gov. The full application package, consisting of all of the required forms, i.e., the standard forms plus the SURFing checklist and NIST SURF Program Student Application Information Form, is available at http://www.nist.gov/surfgaithersburg/app.cfm.

The standard application package may also be requested by contacting the research grant program office personnel listed below.

Ms. Anita Sweigert, National Institute of Standards and Technology, SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8400, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8400 (Phone: 301-975-4200)

2. Content and Format of Application Submission

a. Required Forms and Documents

(1) SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. The SF-424 must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant organization. The FFO number 2013-NIST-SURF-G-01 must be identified in item 12 of the SF-424. The list of certifications and assurances referenced in item 21 of the SF-424 is contained in the SF-424B.

(2) SF-424A, Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs

(3) SF-424B, Assurances – Non-Construction Programs

(4) CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying

(5) SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable)

(6) Applicant Information. This is a word-processed document written by the applying college or university and must contain the following information:

(a) Description of the institution's education and research programs

(b) A summary list of the student(s) being nominated.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.nist.gov/surfgaithersburg/app.cfm

(7) SURFing Application Checklist (http://www.nist.gov/surfgaithersburg/app.cfm)

(8) NIST SURF Program Student Application Information Form (http://www.nist.gov/surfgaithersburg/app.cfm), including required documents listed on the form, from each student nominated to participate in the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program. The student’s name and college/university must appear on all of the documents. NOTE: It is recommended that students have a G.P.A. of 3.0 or better, out of a possible 4.0.

If submitting the application electronically via Grants.gov, items IV.2.a.(1) through IV.2.a.(5) above are part of the standard application package in Grants.gov and can be completed through the download application process. Items IV.2.a.(6) through IV.2.a.(8) must be completed and attached by clicking on “Add Attachments” found in item 15 of the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance.

This will create a zip file that allows for transmittal of the documents electronically via Grants.gov.

Applicants should carefully follow specific Grants.gov instructions at www.grants.gov to ensure the attachments will be accepted by the Grants.gov system. A receipt from Grants.gov indicating an application is received does not provide information about whether attachments have been received.

If submitting an application by paper, all of the required application documents should be submitted in the order listed above.

b. Application Format

(1) Application language. English.

(2) Double-sided copy. For paper submissions, print on both sides of the paper.

(3) E-mail submissions. Will not be accepted.

(4) Facsimile submissions (fax). Will not be accepted.

(5) Font. Easy to read font (10-point minimum). Smaller type may be used in figures and tables but must be clearly legible.

(6) Line spacing. Single.

(7) Margins. One (1) inch top, bottom, left, and right.

(8) Number of paper copies. For paper submissions, one (1) signed stapled original and two (2) stapled copies. If the original application is in color, the two (2) copies must also be in color. If submitting electronically via Grants.gov, paper copies are not required.

(9) Page layout. Portrait orientation only.

(10) Page numbering. Number pages sequentially.

(11) Paper size. 21.6 by 27.9 centimeters (8 ½ by 11 inches).

(12) Staple paper submission. For paper submissions, staple the original signed application and each of the two (2) copies securely with one (1) staple in the upper left-hand corner.

(13) Typed document. All applications, including forms, must be typed.

3. Submission Dates and Times. Electronic applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m.

Eastern Time, Friday, February 15, 2013. Paper applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday, February 15, 2013.

Applications not received by the specified due date and time will not be considered and will be returned without review. NIST determines whether applications submitted by paper have been timely received by the deadline by the date and time receipt they are physically received by NIST at its Gaithersburg, Maryland campus. For electronic submissions, NIST will consider the date and time stamped on the validation generated by www.grants.gov as the official submission time.

NIST strongly recommends that applicants do not wait until the last minute to submit an application.

NIST will not make any allowances for late submissions, including but not limited to incomplete Grants.gov registration, delays in mail delivery caused by Federal Government security screening for U.S. Postal Service mail, or for delays by guaranteed express mailing and/or couriers. To avoid any potential processing backlogs due to last minute Grants.gov registrations, applicants are highly encouraged to start their Grants.gov registration process at least four (4) weeks prior to the application due date.

Important: All applicants, both electronic and paper submitters, should be aware that adequate time must be factored into applicants’ schedules for delivery of their application. Submitters of electronic applications are advised that volume on Grants.gov may be extremely heavy on the deadline date, and if Grants.gov is unable to accept applications electronically in a timely fashion, applicants are encouraged to exercise their option to submit applications in paper format. Submitters of paper applications should allow adequate time to ensure a paper application will be received on time, taking into account that Federal Government security screening for U.S. Postal Service mail may delay receipt of mail for up to two (2) weeks and that guaranteed express mailings and/or couriers are not always able to fulfill their guarantees.

NIST SURF Directors may consider an appeal of an application rejected for untimely submission in the two following situations only: (1) carrier failure to deliver by the submission deadline, when the carrier accepted the package with a guarantee for delivery by the deadline or (2) significant weather delays or natural disasters. In these cases an applicant must request the waiver and present the compelling circumstances in writing received by the NIST programmatic and technical questions point of contact as listed in Section VII by 5:00 pm Eastern Time, Tuesday, February 19, 2013.

4. Intergovernmental Review. Proposals under this Program are not subject to Executive Order

12372

5. Funding Restrictions. The SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs will not authorize funds for indirect costs or fringe benefits.

6. Other Submission Requirements

a. Applications may be submitted by paper or electronically.

(1) Paper proposals must be submitted in triplicate (an original and two copies) and submitted to the appropriate NIST personnel (see Section IV.1. of this FFO).

(2) Electronic proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov at www.grants.gov, under announcement

2013-NIST-SURF-G-01.

a) Submitters of electronic proposals should carefully follow specific Grants.gov instructions to ensure the attachments will be accepted by the Grants.gov system. A receipt from Grants.gov indicating a proposal is received does not provide information about whether attachments have been received. For further information or questions regarding applying electronically for the 2013-NIST- SURF-G-01 announcement, contact Christopher Hunton by phone at 301-975- 5718 or by e-mail at christopher.hunton@nist.gov.

mailto:christopher.hunton@nist.gov

b) Applicants are strongly encouraged to start early and not wait until the approaching due date before logging on and reviewing the instructions for submitting a proposal through Grants.gov. The Grants.gov registration process must be completed before a new registrant can apply electronically. If all goes well, the registration process takes three (3) to five (5) business days. If problems are encountered, the registration process can take up to two (2) weeks or more. Applicants must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number (See Section VI.2.b) and must maintain a current registration in the Federal government’s primary registrant database, the System for Award Management (https://www.sam.gov/), as explained on the Grants.gov Web site. After registering, it may take several days or longer from the initial log-on before a new Grants.gov system user can submit a proposal. Only authorized individual(s) will be able to submit the proposal, and the system may need time to process a submitted proposal. Applicants should save and print the proof of submission they receive from Grants.gov. If problems occur while using Grants.gov, the applicant is advised to (a) print any error message received and

(b) call Grants.gov directly for immediate assistance. If calling from within the United States or from a U. S. territory, please call 800-518-4726. If calling from a place other than the United States or a U. S. territory, please call 606-545- 5035. Assistance from the Grants.gov Help Desk will be available around the clock every day, with the exception of Federal holidays. Help Desk service will resume at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time the day after Federal holidays. For assistance using Grants.gov, you may also contact support@grants.gov.

c) Information essential to successful submission of proposals on the Grants.gov system is detailed in the For Applicants section found in red on the left side of the www.grants.gov home page, and all potential applicants should pay close attention to the information contained therein. The All About Grants, Applicant FAQs, and Submit Application FAQs sections found under the Applicant Resources option are particularly important.

Refer to important information in Section IV.3. Submission Dates and Times, to help ensure your proposal is received on time.

b. Amendments. Any amendments to this FFO will be announced through Grants.gov. Applicants can sign up for Grants.gov FFO amendments, or alternatively may call Ms. Anita Sweigert at 301-975- 4200 to request copies.

V. Application Review Information

1. Evaluation Criteria. The evaluation criteria that will be used in evaluating applications and assigned equal weights are as follows:

a. Student's Interest in Participating in the Program, Academic Ability, Laboratory Experience, and Advanced Degree Interest. Evaluation of GPA (grade point average) in courses relevant to the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs, career goals, honors and awards, commitment of the student to working in a laboratory environment, and interest in pursuing graduate school.

b. Applicant's Commitment to Program Goals. Evaluation of the institution's academic department(s) relevant to the discipline(s) of the student(s), as demonstrated by accrediting organizations, course offerings in the relevant departments, and extensive publications in nanoscale science, engineering, computer science, mathematics, materials science, chemistry, biology, neutron research, and/or physics.

2. Selection Factors. The Selecting Official shall select applications for award based upon the rank https://www.sam.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov order of the applications (see Section V.4.b), and may select an application out of rank based on one or more of the following selection factors:

a. Fit of the undergraduate student’s stated interest and commitment to the program priorities of

NIST (see Section V.3. of this FFO) and goals of the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program;

b. Fit of the undergraduate student’s interests and abilities to the available projects and when appropriate, to NIST scientists in that laboratory program;

c. Relevance of the student’s course of study to the program objectives of the NIST laboratory in which that SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program resides as described in Section I., Funding Opportunity Description, of this FFO;

d. Assessment of whether the laboratory experience is a new opportunity for the student which may encourage future postgraduate training; and

e. The availability of Federal funds.

3. Program Priorities. All applicable fields of science that promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. More information about those programs can be found at www.nist.gov.

4. Review and Selection Process

a. Initial Administrative Review of Applications. An initial review of timely received applications will be conducted to determine applicant and undergraduate student eligibility and application completeness and responsiveness to this FFO and the scope of the stated program objectives.

Applications determined to be ineligible, incomplete, and/or non-responsive based on this FFO may be eliminated from further review.

b. Full Review of Eligible, Complete, and Responsive Applications. Applications that are determined to be eligible, complete, and responsive will proceed for full reviews in accordance with the review and selection process below:

(1) Applications will be separated into student/applicant packets and directed to the SURF NIST

Gaithersburg Program designated by the student as his/her first choice. For the purposes of the selection process, each student selectable program choice on the Student Applicant Information Cover Sheet (which means each of the subprograms designated by a subject area) is considered a separate SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program.

(2) The review and selection process occurs in three (3) rounds as follows:

(a) First round: Each SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program will conduct three (3) independent, objective reviews of each student/applicant packet, which will include scores and comments, based on the evaluation criteria (see Section V.1. of this FFO). The independent reviewers will be NIST employees who are knowledgeable in the scientific areas of the program. Based on the average of the reviewers’ scores, a separate rank order of the student/applicant packets will be prepared within each SURF NIST Gaithersburg program and provided to the Selecting Official for further consideration.

The Selecting Official, who is the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program Director for each SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program, will select funding recipients based upon the rank order of the student/applicant packets and may select proposals out of rank order based on the selection factors (see Section V.2. of this FFO).

http://www.nist.gov/

Based on these results, the Selecting Official for each SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program will divide the rank ordered student/applicant packets into three categories: Priority Funding;

Fund if Possible; and Do Not Fund. Student/applicant packets placed in the Priority Funding category will be selected for funding in that SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program, contingent upon availability of funds. Student/applicant packets placed in the Do Not Fund category will not be considered for funding by any other SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program.

(b) Second round: Student/applicant packets placed in the Fund if Possible Category may be considered for funding at a later time by the category-designating SURF program. The “category-designating” program is the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program whose Selecting Official first categorized the student/applicant packet as “Priority Funding,” “Fund if Possible,” or “Do Not Fund.” This is the same SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program that was designated by the student on his/her NIST SURF Program Student Application Information Form as his/her first choice. In the interim period these student/applicant packets (along with those for unfunded “Priority Funding” applicants) will be released for consideration for funding by the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program which was designated by the student on his/her NIST SURF Program Student Application Information Form as his/her second choice.

The student’s second choice SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program’s Selecting Official will take into consideration the comments and scores of the reviewers who conducted the technical reviews for the student’s first choice SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program, apply the selection factors (see Section V.2. of this FFO) as applied to that second choice SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program, and arrive at a final rank order of the students available for the second round of selections and placements. Any Selecting Official may look at any student application in advance of the second or subsequent round. Any Selecting Official may choose not to participate in the second round if he/she does not see suitable students in the second round appropriate for the available projects within his/her laboratory and/or there are no slots available.

(c) Third round: Student/applicant packets not selected for funding by their first or second choice SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program, and students who did not designate a second choice, will then be considered for selection and placement by all Selecting Officials that still have slots available in a third round, using the same process as the second round. In making selections for the third round, each Selecting Official will take into consideration the comments and scores of the reviewers who conducted the technical reviews for the student’s first choice SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program, apply the selection factors (see Section V.2.

of this FFO) as applied to that presently evaluating SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program, and arrive at a final rank order of the students available for the third round of selections and placements. Any Selecting Official may choose not to participate in the third round if he/she does not see suitable students in the third round appropriate for the available projects within his/her laboratory and/or there are no slots available.

In accordance with the Federal appropriations law expected to be in effect at the time of project funding, NIST anticipates that the selected applicant will be provided a form and asked to make a representation regarding any unpaid delinquent tax liability or felony conviction under any Federal law.

NIST reserves the right to negotiate the budget costs with the applicants that have been selected to receive awards, which may include requesting that the applicant remove certain costs. Additionally, NIST may request that the applicant modify objectives or work plans and provide supplemental information required by the agency prior to award. Substitutions for students who decline offers will be made from the remaining pool of ranked students consistent with the review and selection process (see Section V.4. of this FFO). NIST also reserves the right to reject an application where information is uncovered that raises a reasonable doubt as to the responsibility of the applicant. NIST may select part, some, all, or none of the applications. The final approval of selected applications and issuance of awards will be by the NIST Grants Officer. The award decisions of the NIST Grants Officer are final.

5. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates. Review, selection, and award processing is expected to be completed in April 2013. The earliest anticipated start date for awards made under this FFO is expected to be May 1, 2013.

6. Additional Information

a. Safety. Safety is a top priority at NIST. Undergraduate students participating in the NIST SURF

Gaithersburg Program will be expected to be safety-conscious, to attend NIST safety training, and to comply with all NIST safety policies and procedures, and with all applicable NIST visitor policies.

b. Application Replacement Pages. Applicants may not submit replacement pages and/or missing documents once an application has been submitted. Any revisions must be made by submission of a new application that must be received by NIST by the submission deadline.

c. Notification to Unsuccessful Applicants. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing.

d. Retention of Unsuccessful Applications. One (1) copy of each non-selected application will be retained for three (3) years for record keeping purposes and the other two (2) copies will be destroyed. After three (3) years, the remaining copy will be destroyed.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices. Successful applicants will receive an award from the NIST Grants Officer. The award cover page, i.e., CD-450, Financial Assistance Award is available at http://ocio.os.doc.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@os/@ocio/@oitpp/documents/content/dev01_002513.p df and the DoC Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions (March 2008), which may be updated by the time of award, are available at http://www.osec.doc.gov/oam/archive/docs/GRANTS/DOC%20STCsMAR08Rev.pdf.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

a. DoC Pre-Award Notification Requirements. The DoC Pre-Award Notification Requirements for

Grants and Cooperative Agreements, which are contained in the Federal Register notice of December 17, 2012 (77 FR 74634), are applicable to this FFO and are available at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/12/17/2012-30228/department-of-commerce-pre-award-notification-requirements-for-grants-and-cooperative-agreements. These requirements may be updated after publication of this FFO.

a. Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN), Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS), and System for Award Management (SAM) All applicants for Federal financial assistance are required to obtain a universal identifier in the form of DUNS number and maintain a current registration in the Federal government’s primary registrant database, SAM.

On the form SF-424 items 8.b. and 8.c., the applicant’s 9-digit EIN/TIN and 9-digit DUNS number must be consistent with the information in SAM (https://www.sam.gov/ ) and Automated Standard Application for Payment System (ASAP). For complex organizations with multiple EIN/TIN and DUNS numbers, the EIN/TIN and DUNS numbers MUST be the numbers for the applying organization. Organizations that provide incorrect/inconsistent EIN/TIN and DUNS numbers may experience significant delays in receiving funds if their proposal is selected for funding. Confirm that the EIN/TIN and DUNS number are consistent with the information on the SAM and ASAP.

Per 2 C.F.R. Part 25, each applicant must:

(1) Be registered in the CCR before submitting a proposal noting the CCR now resides in

SAM;

http://ocio.os.doc.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@os/@ocio/@oitpp/documents/content/dev01_002513.pdf http://ocio.os.doc.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@os/@ocio/@oitpp/documents/content/dev01_002513.pdf http://www.osec.doc.gov/oam/archive/docs/GRANTS/DOC%20STCsMAR08Rev.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/12/17/2012-30228/department-of-commerce-pre-award-notification-requirements-for-grants-and-cooperative-agreements https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/12/17/2012-30228/department-of-commerce-pre-award-notification-requirements-for-grants-and-cooperative-agreements https://www.sam.gov/

(2) Maintain an active CCR registration, noting the CCR now resides in SAM, with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or a proposal under consideration by an agency; and

(3) Provide its DUNS number in each application or proposal it submits to the agency.

The applicant can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number can be created within one business day. The CCR or SAM registration process may take five or more business days to complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not need to make any changes.

However, please make certain that the TIN associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update your CCR registration annually. This may take three or more business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at SAM.gov. See also 2 C.F.R. Part 25 and the Federal Register notice published on September 14, 2010, at 75 FR 55671

c. Use of NIST Intellectual Property. If the applicant or student anticipates using any NIST-owned intellectual property to carry out the work proposed, the applicant should identify such intellectual property. This information will be used to ensure that no NIST employee involved in the development of the intellectual property will participate in the review process for that competition. In addition, if the applicant intends to use NIST-owned intellectual property, the applicant must comply with all statutes and regulations governing the licensing of Federal government patents and inventions, described in 35 U.S.C. §§ 200-212, 37 C.F.R. Part 401, 15 C.F.R. § 14.36, and in Section B.21 of the DoC Pre- Award Notification Requirements, 73 FR 7696 (February 11, 2008). Questions about these requirements may be directed to the Chief Counsel for NIST, 301-975-2803.

Any use of NIST-owned intellectual property by an applicant is at the sole discretion of NIST and will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis if a project is deemed meritorious. The applicant should indicate within the statement of work whether it already has a license to use such intellectual property or whether it intends to seek one.

If any inventions made in whole or in part by a NIST employee arise in the course of an award made pursuant to this FFO, the United States government may retain its ownership rights in any such invention. Licensing or other disposition of NIST's rights in such inventions will be determined solely by NIST, and include the possibility of NIST putting the intellectual property into the public domain.

b. Research Projects Involving Human Subjects, Human Tissue, Data or Recordings Involving

Human Subjects Including Software Testing. Any proposal that includes research involving human subjects, human tissue/cells, data or recordings involving human subjects, including software testing, must meet the requirements of the Common Rule for the Protection of Human Subjects (“Common Rule”), codified for the Department of Commerce (DoC) at 15 C.F.R. Part 27. In addition, any such application that includes research on these topics must be in compliance with any statutory requirements imposed upon the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and other Federal agencies regarding these topics, all regulatory policies and guidance adopted by DHHS, the Food and Drug Administration, and other Federal agencies on these topics, and all Executive Orders and Presidential statements of policy on these topics.

NIST reserves the right to make an independent determination of whether an applicant’s research involves human subjects. If NIST determines that your research project involves human subjects, you will be required to provide additional information for review and approval. If an award is issued, no research activities involving human subjects shall be initiated or costs incurred under the award until the NIST Grants Officer issues written approval. Retroactive approvals are not permitted.

NIST will accept applications that include exempt and non-exempt human subjects research activities. Non-exempt human subjects research activities will be required to have protocols approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) currently registered with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) within the DHHS and that will be performed by entities possessing a currently valid Federal-wide Assurance (FWA) on file from OHRP that is appropriately linked to the cognizant IRB for the protocol. Information regarding how to apply for an FWA and register and IRB with OHRP can be found at http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/assurances/index.html. The applicant should clearly indicate in the proposal, by separable task, all research activities believed to be exempt or non-exempt research involving human subjects and the expected institution(s) where the research activities involving human subjects may be conducted.

Generally, NIST does not fund research involving human subjects in foreign countries. NIST will consider, however, the use of preexisting tissue, cells, or data from a foreign source on a limited basis if all of the following criteria are satisfied:

(1) the scientific source is considered unique,

(2) an equivalent source is unavailable within the United States,

(3) an alternative approach is not scientifically of equivalent merit, and

(4) the specific use qualifies for an exemption under the Common Rule.

Any award issued by NIST for the program announced in this FFO is required to adhere to all Presidential policies, statutes, guidelines, and regulations regarding the use of human embryonic stem cells.