2018-NIST-MEP-AK-01 NOFO.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

2018-NIST-MEP- AK-01

August 24, 2018

NOTICE OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

Award Competition for a Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

Center in the State of Alaska.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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

• Funding Opportunity Title: Award Competition for a Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center in the State of Alaska.

• Announcement Type: Initial

• Funding Opportunity Number: 2018-NIST-MEP-AK-01

• Assistance Listing (CFDA Number): 11.611, Manufacturing Extension

Partnership

• Dates: Applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 23, 2018. Paper applications will not be accepted. Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed or considered.

The approximate start date for the award made under this NOFO is expected to be January 1, 2019.

Applicants should be aware, and factor in their application submission planning, that the Grants.gov system is expected to be closed for routine maintenance at these times: from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time, Saturday, September 17, 2018 until 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time Monday, September 17, 2018;

and again from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time, Saturday, October 20, 2018 until 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time Monday, October 22, 2018. Applications cannot be submitted when Grants.gov is closed.

Applicants are strongly urged to read Section IV.2.b., Attachment of Required Application Documents, found on page 19 of this NOFO, with great attention.

Applicants should carefully follow the instructions and recommendations regarding attachments and use the “Download Submitted Forms and Applications” feature to check that all required attachments are contained in their submission. Applications submitted without the required documents will not pass the Initial Administrative Review, described in Section V.2.a. of this

NOFO.

When developing the submission timeline, please keep in mind that (1) all applicants are required to have a current registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov); (2) the free annual registration process in the electronic System for Award Management (SAM.gov) (see Section IV.3. and Section IV.7.a.(1).(b) of this NOFO) often takes between three and five business days, and may take as long as two weeks; (3) applicants submitting applications are required to have a current registration in Grants.gov; and (4) applicants will receive a series of e-mail messages from Grants.gov over a period of up to two business days before learning whether a Federal agency’s electronic system has received its application. Please note that a Federal assistance award cannot be issued if the designated recipient’s registration in the SAM.gov is not current at the time of the award.

• Application Submission: Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov . NIST will not accept applications submitted by mail, facsimile, or by e-mail. See Sections IV.2.c.(1)., IV.2.c.(2)., and IV.2.c.(7). in the full announcement text of this NOFO.

• Funding Opportunity Description: NIST invites applications from eligible applicants for NIST cooperative agreement funding for one (1) MEP Center to provide manufacturing extension services to primarily small and medium-sized manufacturers in the State of Alaska. The MEP center will become part of the MEP National Network™ of extension service providers, currently comprised of more than 51 Centers and approximately 425 field offices located throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

• Anticipated Amounts: NIST anticipates funding one (1) award at a funding level of up to $500,000 per year of operation for an MEP Center in the State of Alaska. The project awarded under this NOFO will have a budget and performance period of up to five (5) years. As discussed in the multi-year funding policy described in Section II.3. of this NOFO, obligated funding amounts may be adjusted higher or lower from year-to-year of the award. In addition, as set forth in Section II.4. of this NOFO, awards issued pursuant to this NOFO may be renewed by NIST on a non-competitive basis for an additional period of two (2) years at the end of the initial award period. The final time frame will be based upon maintaining the Alaska MEP Center on the same cycle with an existing group of MEP Centers, which will require a full competition in 2025, based upon the recipient’s satisfactory performance, continued relevance of the project to the mission, priorities of the MEP Program, and the availability of appropriated funds.

http://www.grants.gov/

• Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement. See Section II.1. of this NOFO for additional information concerning the funding instrument for this award.

• Who Is Eligible: The eligibility requirements set forth in 15 U.S.C. § 278k(a)(5) and in Section III.1. of this NOFO will be used in lieu of and to the extent they are inconsistent with will supersede the eligibility requirements provided in the MEP regulations found at 15 CFR part 290, specifically 15 CFR § 290.5(a)(1). Each applicant for and recipient of an MEP award must be a United States-based nonprofit institution, or consortium thereof, an institution of higher education, or a State, United States territory, local, or tribal government. Existing MEP awardees and new applicants that meet the eligibility criteria set forth in Section III.1. of this NOFO may apply. An eligible organization may work individually or may include proposed subawards to eligible organizations or proposed contracts with any other organization as part of the applicant’s proposal, effectively forming a team.

However, as discussed in Section I.4. of this NOFO, NIST generally will not fund applications that propose an organizational or operational structure that, in whole or in part, delegates or transfers to another person, institution, or organization the applicant’s responsibility for core MEP Center management and Oversight functions.

In addition, the applicant must have or propose an Oversight Board or Advisory Committee and Governance structure or plan for establishing a board structure within 90 calendar days from the award start date (Refer to Section I.3. of this

NOFO).

• Cost Sharing Requirements: In accordance with 15 U.S.C. § 278k(e)(2), the minimum non-Federal cost share for MEP Center cooperative agreements is 50 percent of the total approved project budget, which is determined on an annual basis. The MEP statute requires that minimum cost share requirements must be met annually; there can be no carryover of excess cost share from one year to the next.

See Section III.2. of this NOFO for more information on the non-Federal cost sharing requirements under MEP awards.

• Alaska Information Forum: The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) held an information session, June 7th, 2018 in Anchorage, Alaska for organizations that are considering applying for the funding opportunity. NIST MEP staff provided general information regarding MEP and offered general guidance on preparing proposals. NIST MEP staff provided information about the MEP eligibility and cost sharing requirements, the evaluation criteria, the selection factors and process, and the general characteristics of a competitive MEP proposal during the Regional Forum. Details of the Regional Forum are posted on the MEP website: https://www.nist.gov/mep/manufacturing-extension-partnership-center-alaska.

https://www.nist.gov/mep/manufacturing-extension-partnership-center-alaska

• Webinar Information Session: NIST MEP will host a webinar information session for organizations that are considering applying for this funding opportunity. This webinar will provide general information regarding MEP and offer general guidance on preparing proposals. NIST MEP staff will be available at the webinar to answer general questions. During the webinar, proprietary technical discussions about specific project ideas will not be permitted. Also, NIST MEP staff will not critique or provide feedback on any specific project ideas during the webinar or at any time before submission of a proposal to Grants.gov. However, NIST MEP staff will provide information about the MEP eligibility and cost sharing requirements, the evaluation criteria, the selection factors and process, and the general characteristics of a competitive MEP proposal during this webinar. The webinar will be held approximately fifteen (15) to thirty (30) business days after posting of this NOFO.

The exact date and time of the webinar will be posted on the MEP website at https://www.nist.gov/mep/manufacturing-extension-partnership-center-alaska. The webinar will be recorded, and a link to the recording will be posted on the NIST MEP website. In addition, the webinar presentations will be available on the MEP website. Organizations wishing to participate in the webinar must register in advance by contacting NIST MEP by e-mail at mepnofo@nist.gov. Participation in the webinar is not required in order for an organization to submit an application pursuant to this NOFO.

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Questions from applicants pertaining to MEP eligibility, cost sharing requirements, evaluation criteria and selection factors, the selection process, and the general characteristics of a competitive MEP proposal will not be considered on an informal basis. Applicants must submit all such questions in writing to mepnofo@nist.gov. Questions submitted to NIST/MEP may be made available to the public as part of an FAQ document, which will be periodically updated on the MEP website at https://www.nist.gov/mep/regional-forum-competition-select-operator-alaska-mep-center.

Table of Contents

I. Program Description II. Federal Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Application and Submission Information https://www.nist.gov/mep/manufacturing-extension-partnership-center-alaska mailto:mepnofo@nist.gov mailto:mepnofo@nist.gov https://www.nist.gov/mep/regional-forum-competition-select-operator-alaska-mep-center https://www.nist.gov/mep/regional-forum-competition-select-operator-alaska-mep-center

V. Application Review Information VI. Federal Award Administration Information VII. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) VIII. Other Information

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Program Description

The statutory authority for the MEP program is 15 U.S.C. § 278k, as implemented in 15 C.F.R. part 290. In the event of any inconsistency between this NOFO and the notice published in the Federal Register, the notice published in the Federal Register controls.

1. About the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership

The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is based at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The National Program Office (aka NIST MEP) which provides the federal government funding for the MEP National Network™ is located in Gaithersburg, MD.

2. The MEP National Network

The MEP National Network is a unique public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions to U.S. manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing.

Focused on helping small and medium-sized manufacturers generate business results and thrive in today’s technology-driven economy, the MEP National Network comprises NIST MEP, the 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, and over 1,300 trusted advisors and experts at more than 400 MEP service locations, providing any U.S. manufacturer with access to resources they need to succeed.

The MEP National Network's strength is in its partnerships. Through its collaborations at the federal, state and local level, MEP Centers work with manufacturers to develop new products and customers, expand and diversify markets, adopt new technology, and enhance value within supply chains. The MEP Program serves as a bridge to other organizations and federal research labs that share a passion for enhancing the manufacturing community.

In 2017, the MEP National Network connected with 26,313 manufacturers, leading to $12.6 billion in sales, $1.7 billion in cost savings, $3.5 billion in new client investments, and helping to create and retain more than 100,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs.

3. Oversight Board and/or Advisory Committee Governance

a. Oversight Board

15 U.S.C. § 278(k) requires MEP Centers to establish boards to oversee the operations of the Center (Oversight Board) as a condition of receiving a federal financial assistance award. The Oversight Board shall be representative of State service area stakeholders with a majority of the Oversight Board members drawn from small and medium-sized manufacturing firms. Members of the Oversight Board may not concurrently serve on more than one MEP Center Oversight Board or serve as a vendor or provide contractual services to the Recipient or to a Subrecipient.

Additionally, recipients shall adopt bylaws or equivalent governance documents setting forth the roles, responsibilities, and procedures of their Oversight Boards, including a conflict of interest policy to ensure relevant relationships are disclosed and appropriate recusal procedures are in place. As a condition of receiving an MEP Center cooperative agreement, an applicant may be required to provide the NIST Grants Officer with copies of the ratified bylaws and conflict of interest policies for its Oversight Board.

b. Advisory Committee

A recipient of an MEP Center cooperative agreement that is an institution of higher education, State, local or Tribal governmental entity, where state law or policy prohibits compliance with the Oversight Board requirement, may establish an Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee shall be broadly representative of State service area stakeholders with a majority of its members drawn from small-and medium-sized manufacturing firms and provide regular strategic, policy, and programmatic input directly to the designated representative of the applicant. A recipient that is a nonprofit organization with multiple programs and MEP Center program activities are not a primary activity of the applicant may establish an Advisory Committee, instead of an Oversight Board, that conforms to membership requirements as set forth above.

In determining whether the MEP Center is a primary activity of a recipient, MEP will consider unique factors and circumstances such as, but not limited to, (1) the proportion of MEP Center funding (both Federal dollars and non-Federal match) relative to the applicant’s funding [or budget] for its other programs and activities, or

(2) the duration of other funding sources over time.

Advisory Committee members may not concurrently serve on more than one MEP Center Advisory Committee or serve as a vendor or provide contractual services to the applicant or to a Subrecipient. Recipients shall have bylaws or equivalent governance documents setting forth the roles, responsibilities, and procedures of its Advisory Committee, including a conflict of interest policy to ensure relevant relationships are disclosed and appropriate recusal procedures are in place. As a condition to receiving an MEP Center cooperative agreement, an applicant may be required to provide the NIST Grants Officer with copies of its ratified by-laws and conflict of interest policies for its Advisory Committee.

c. New/Proposed Oversight Board and/or Advisory Committee

If an Oversight Board or Advisory Committee meeting the requirements of this section is not in place at the time an application is submitted, the applicant must submit a plan for establishing such structure, including Oversight Board or Advisory Committee membership criteria. As a condition to receiving an MEP Center cooperative agreement, an applicant may be required to provide the NIST Grants Officer with copies of the organizational documents for its proposed Oversight or Advisory Committee and Governance, including draft bylaws and conflict of interest policies. An awardee will have up to 90 calendar days from award start date (expected to be January 1, 2019) to establish its Oversight Board or the Advisory Committee. The sufficiency of the proposed Oversight or Advisory Committee Board and Governance will be evaluated against the applicable evaluation criterion (see Section V.1.b.ii. of this NOFO).

No Federal award funds will be released to an awardee until the NIST Grants Officer, in consultation with the MEP Program Office, determines that its Oversight Board or Advisory Committee and Governance is in conformance with the requirements set forth in this section.

4. MEP Core Management and Oversight Functions

An MEP Center, as a direct recipient of Federal financial assistance funds under an MEP cooperative agreement, must possess and maintain, at all times during an MEP award period, accountability to directly manage and execute all functions material and inherent to the successful operation of a Center, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Budget execution, including the responsibility for determining and executing budget policy, guidance and strategy, and the determination of program priorities and associated budget or funding requests;

b. Policy implementation, including the responsibility for determining the content and implementation of financial and program policies and procedures impacting the recipient’s MEP project;

c. Human resources management, including the responsibility for selecting individuals for Center employment and for selecting contractors and the direction, control, and performance management of Center employees and oversight of contractors; and

d. Strategic planning and project execution and management, including the responsibility for:

i. Strategic planning functions such as the following: determination of project requirements, approval of a project implementation strategy, and the development and monitoring of agreements and statements of work with subrecipients, vendors, third-party contributors and other strategic partners; and

ii. Project execution and management functions such as submission of required financial and technical reports, maintenance of a functioning financial management system that satisfies the requirements found in 2 CFR Section 200.302, in order to ensure that costs charged against an MEP award are reasonable, allocable, and allowable under applicable Federal cost principles;

and adherence to the terms and conditions of the MEP award.

In extraordinary situations, the NIST Grants Officer may allow a recipient to temporarily outsource certain or all its management and oversight responsibilities under an MEP award. If an applicant is proposing such a structure, the applicant must include with its application a detailed explanation and accompanying documentation (e.g., copies of draft contracts or other agreements) supporting its outsourcing request.

The sufficiency of the proposed Core Management and Oversight Functions will be evaluated against an evaluation criterion (see Section V.1.b.i. and ii. of this NOFO).

5. Resources

The following competition-related resources are currently available on the MEP website at:https://www.nist.gov/mep/manufacturing-extension-partnership-center-alaska:

• MEP National Network Strategic Plan;

• Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Operating Outcome Plan

Guidelines located within the NIST MEP Renewal Guidelines, August 2017

• Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership General Terms and Conditions, August 2017 (see also Section VI.2.e. of this NOFO);

• Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership Reporting Guidelines;

• Budget Summary Table and Narrative Template;

• 5 Year Summary Table Template;

• Alaska State Technology Extension Planning Study Final Report from September

2014; and

• 2017 Annual Report.

The MEP program is not a Federal research and development program. It is not the intent of this program that awardees will perform systematic research.

To learn more about the MEP program, please go to http://www.nist.gov/mep/.

Refer to Section VII. of this NOFO, Federal Awarding Agency Contacts, Grant Rules and Regulations, if you seek the information at this link and it is no longer working, or if you seek information at any link in this NOFO and it is no longer working, or if you need more information.

http://www.nist.gov/mep/

II. Federal Award Information

1. Funding Instrument. The funding instrument that will be used for the awards issued pursuant to this NOFO is a cooperative agreement. The nature of NIST’s “substantial involvement” will generally be collaboration between NIST MEP and the recipient organizations. This includes NIST MEP collaboration with a recipient in developing and delivering program services to small and medium sized manufacturers. Additional forms of substantial involvement that may arise are described in Final Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidance Implementing the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act, 43 Fed. Reg. 36860-65 (Aug. 18, 1978) and in Chapter 5.C of the Department of Commerce Grants and Cooperative Agreements Manual, as may be periodically amended, which is available at https://go.usa.gov/x5grC.

Examples of NIST involvement in cooperative agreements awarded pursuant to this NOFO may include activities such as, but not limited to:

• Guidelines and assistance in developing required plans;

• Guidance for evaluation of performance and collection of data and information from the Recipient organization;

• Approval of key personnel;

• Assistance, where possible, in accessing solutions to technical and managerial problems; and

• Assistance to the Recipient organization to define, understand, and resolve issues pertaining to the successful implementation of the MEP project.

• Such other substantial involvement by NIST as determined by the NIST Grants

Officer, in consultation with the NIST MEP Program Office.

For further information related to NIST’s substantial involvement in this award, please refer to the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership General Terms and Conditions to which a link is located in Section VI.2.e. of this NOFO.

2. Funding Availability. NIST anticipates funding one (1) Center award for the State of Alaska with an initial five-year period of performance in accordance with the multi-year funding policy described in Section II.3. of this NOFO. Funding for the award listed below is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds. The table below lists the state identified for funding as part of this NOFO and the estimated amount of funding available:

https://go.usa.gov/x5grC

MEP Center Location and Assigned

Geographical Service Area (by State)

Anticipated Annual Federal Funding for Each

Year of the Award

Total Federal Funding for 5 Year Award Period

Alaska $500,000 $2,500,000

Applicants may propose annual Federal funding amounts that are different from the anticipated annual Federal funding amount set forth in the above table, provided that the total amount of Federal funding being requested by an applicant does not exceed the total amount of Federal funding for the five-year award period as set forth in the above table. For example, if the anticipated annual Federal funding amount for an MEP Center is $500,000 and the total Federal funding amount for the five-year award period is $2,500,000, an applicant may propose Federal funding amounts greater, less than, or equal to $500,000 for any year or years of the award, so long as the total amount of Federal funding being requested by the applicant for the entire five-year award period does not exceed $2,500,000.

3. Multi-Year Funding Policy. When an application for a multi-year award is approved, funding will usually be provided for only the first year of the project. Recipients will be required to submit detailed budgets and budget narratives prior to the award of any continued funding. Continued funding for the remaining years of the project will be awarded by NIST on a non-competitive basis, and may be adjusted higher or lower from year-to-year of the award, contingent upon satisfactory performance, continued relevance to the mission and priorities of the program, and the availability of Federal funds. Continuation of an award to extend the period of performance and/or to increase or decrease funding is at the sole discretion of NIST.

4. Potential for Additional Years. Initial awards issued pursuant to this NOFO are expected to be for up to five (5) years with the possibility for NIST to renew the award, on a non-competitive basis, for an additional two (2) year period at the end of the initial award period (i.e., up to a total of seven (7) years). As discussed in Section VI.3.d. of this NOFO, renewal funding for MEP Centers is contingent, in part, upon successful annual and panel reviews, and Secretarial evaluations in accordance with 15 U.S.C. § 278k(g) and 15 CFR Section 290.8.

5. Kick-Off Conference. A recipient will be required to attend a kick-off conference, which will be held within 30 days post start date of award, to help ensure that the MEP Center operator has a clear understanding of the program and its components. The kick-off conference will take place at NIST MEP headquarters in Gaithersburg, MD, during which time NIST will: (1) orient MEP Center key personnel to the MEP program; (2) explain program and financial reporting requirements and procedures; (3) identify available resources that can enhance the capabilities of the MEP Center; and

(4) negotiate and develop a detailed three-year operating plan with the recipient.

NIST MEP anticipates an additional set of site visits at the MEP Center and/or telephonic meetings with the recipient to finalize the three-year operating plan.

The kick-off conference will take up to approximately three days and must be attended by the MEP Center Director, along with up to two additional MEP Center employees.

Applicants must include travel and related costs for the kick-off conference as part of the budget for year one (1), and these costs should be reflected in the SF-424A form.

(See Section IV.2.a.(2). of this NOFO). These costs must also be reflected in the budget table and budget narrative for Year 1, which is submitted as part of the budget summary tables and budget narratives section of the Technical Proposal. (See Section IV.2.a.(6).(e). of this NOFO) Representatives from key subrecipients and other key strategic partners may attend the kick-off conference with the prior written approval of the Grants Officer. Applicants proposing to have key subrecipients and/or other key strategic partners attend the kick-off conference should clearly indicate that fact as part of the budget narrative for year one of the project.

6. MEP Network-Wide Meetings. NIST MEP typically organizes network-wide meetings several times a year to share best practices, new and emerging trends, and additional topics of interest. These meetings are rotated throughout the United States and typically involve 3-4 days of resource time and associated travel costs for each meeting.

Applicants must include travel and related costs for approximately two (2) MEP network-wide meetings in each of the five (5) project years (2 meetings per year; 10 total meetings over five-year award period). These costs must be reflected in the MEP Budget Summary form (see Section IV.2.a.(2). of this NOFO. These costs must be reflected in the budget summary tables and budget narratives for each of the project’s five (5) years, which are submitted in the budget summary tables and budget narratives section of the Technical Proposal. (See Section IV.2.a.(6).(e). of this NOFO). A budget summary table and narrative template for Year 1 and budget summary table for Years 2-5 is available on the MEP website, https://www.nist.gov/mep/manufacturing-extension-partnership-center-alaska.

7. Indirect (F&A) Costs. NIST will reimburse applicants for proposed indirect (F&A) costs in accordance with 2 CFR 200.414. Applicants proposing indirect (F&A) costs must follow the application requirements set forth in Section IV.2.a.(8). of this NOFO.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants. The eligibility requirements set forth in 15 U.S.C. § 278k(a)(5) and in this NOFO will be used in lieu of and to the extent they are inconsistent with will supersede those given in the MEP regulations found at 15 CFR part 290, specifically

15 CFR 290.5(a)(1). Each applicant for and recipient of an MEP award must be a United States-based nonprofit institution, or consortium thereof, an institution of higher education, or a State, United States territory, local, or tribal government. Existing MEP awardees and new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria set forth in this section may apply. An eligible organization may work individually or may include proposed subawards to eligible organizations or proposed contracts with any other organization as part of the applicant’s proposal, effectively forming a team. However, as discussed in Section I.4. of this NOFO, NIST generally will not fund applications that propose an organizational or operational structure that, in whole or in part, delegates or transfers to another person, institution, or organization the applicant’s responsibility for MEP Center Core Management and Oversight functions. In addition, the applicant must have or propose an Oversight Board or Advisory Committee and Governance structure or plan for establishing a board structure within 90 days from the award start date (Refer to Section I.3. of this NOFO). See also Section IV.6. of this NOFO for funding restrictions under the MEP program.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement. In accordance with 15 U.S.C. § 278k(e)(2), the minimum non-Federal cost share for MEP Center cooperative agreements is 50 percent of the total approved project budget, which is determined on an annual basis.

The MEP statute requires that minimum cost share requirements must be met annually;

there can be no carryover of excess cost share from one year to the next.

Non-Federal cost sharing is that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal Government. The applicant’s share of the MEP Center expenses may include cash, services, and third party in-kind contributions, as described at 2 CFR 200.306. The source and detailed rationale of the cost share, including cash, full- and part-time personnel, and in-kind donations, must be documented in the budget tables and budget narratives submitted with the application and will be considered as part of the review under the evaluation criterion found in Section V.1.c.ii. of this NOFO.

Recipients must meet the minimum non-Federal cost share requirements for each year of the award, with each such year being distinct and unique for cost-share purposes. Cost-share cannot be “carried” forward from one year to the next under this program. For purposes of the MEP program, “program income” (as defined in 2 CFR 200.80, as applicable) generated by an MEP Center may be used by a recipient towards the required non-Federal cost share under an MEP award.

As with the Federal share, any proposed costs included as non-Federal cost sharing must be an allowable/eligible cost under this program and under the Federal cost principles set forth in 2 CFR part 200, Subpart E. Non-Federal cost sharing incorporated into the budget of an approved MEP cooperative agreement is subject to audit in the same general manner as Federal award funds. See 2 CFR part 200, Subpart F.

As set forth in Section IV.2.a.(7) of this NOFO, a letter of commitment is required from an authorized representative of the applicant, stating the total amount of cost share to be contributed by the applicant towards the proposed MEP Center. Letters of commitment for all other third-party sources of non-Federal cost sharing identified in a proposal are not required, but are strongly encouraged.

3. Oversight Board or Advisory Committee Governance. The applicant must include in their application a proposed board structure including the type of board, board member names, organization and roles of such board members. If such a board is not in place, or is not expected to meet these requirements at the time of the MEP award, the applicant must provide a plan for establishing such a board within 90 days of award start date (expected to be January 1, 2019). See Section I.3. of this NOFO for additional information concerning the Oversight Board or Advisory Board Governance requirements for this program.

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-424B, SF-LLL, and the CD-511, is available at www.grants.gov under 2018-NIST-MEP-AK-01. MEP Budget Summary templates for single and multi-years are available at https://www.nist.gov/mep/manufacturing-extension-partnership-center-alaska.

Applicants may also request an application package by contacting the point of contact for administrative, budget, cost sharing, eligibility questions and other programmatic questions listed in Section VII. of this NOFO.

2. Content and Form of Application/Submission. The requirements given in this section of the NOFO will be used in lieu of and to the extent they are inconsistent with will supersede those given in the MEP regulations found at 15 CFR part 290, specifically 15 CFR 290.5.

a. Required Forms and Documents

(1) SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. Applicants must indicate the state in which they are seeking to establish an MEP Center in field 4, Applicant Identifier, of the SF-424. The SF-424 must be certified through www.grants.gov by an authorized representative of the applicant organization.

SF-424, Item 12, should list the NOFO number as 2018-NIST-MEP-AK-01.

http://www.grants.gov/

SF-424, Item 18, should list the total budget information for the full five (5) years of the project.

SF-424, Item 21, should list the certifications and assurances contained in the

SF-424B.

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

The Grant Program Function or Activity on Line 1 under Column (a) should be entered as Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

The Assistance Listing (CFDA Number) on Line 1 under Column (b) should be 11.611.

In addition to the SF424A, applicants must submit detailed budget and financial plans as part of the Technical Proposal. See Section IV.2.a.(6).(e).

below. Applicants must provide a detailed budget summary table and budget narrative for year one (1) of the project, fully explaining and justifying all proposed project funding (both revenue and expenses) in accordance with applicable Federal cost principles. Additionally, The multi-year budgets should reflect anticipated expenses for all five (5) years of the project, considering all potential cost increases, including cost of living adjustments. Recipients must meet the minimum cost share and matching requirements set forth in this NOFO. Please refer to Section III.2. of this NOFO for the Cost Share and Matching Requirement over the life of the award.

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

(4) CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying. Enter “2018-NIST-MEP-AK- 01” in the Award Number field. Enter the title of the application used in field 15 of the SF-424, or an abbreviation of that title, in the Project Name field.

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

(6) Technical Proposal. The five (5) year Technical Proposal is a word-processed document not exceeding 40 pages that is responsive to the program description (see Section I. of this NOFO) and the evaluation criteria (see Section V.1. of this NOFO). The following is a suggested format that applicants may use for the technical proposal.

a) Table of Contents. (Does not count toward the page limit).

b) Executive Summary. (Does not count towards page limit). The executive summary should briefly (usually no longer than two pages) describe the proposed project, consistent with the evaluation criteria (see Section V.1. of this NOFO). Applicants should name the state in which they are seeking to establish an MEP Center in the first sentence of the Executive Summary.

Please note, if an applicant’s proposal is selected for funding, NIST may use all or a portion of the Executive Summary as part of a press release issued by NIST, or for other public information and outreach purposes. Applicants are advised not to incorporate information that concerns business trade secrets or other confidential commercial or financial information as part of the Executive Summary. See also 15 CFR 4.9(c) concerning the designation of business information by the applicant.

c) Project Narrative. A description of the proposed approach to establish an MEP Center. The project narrative must also identify tasks, measurable milestones and outcomes in providing manufacturing extension services to primarily small and medium-sized manufacturers separately for each of the five years in the designated State (see Section II.2. of this NOFO), sufficient to permit evaluation of the application, in accordance with the Executive Summary and Project Narrative evaluation sub-criteria (see Section V.1.a. of this NOFO). If relevant, an applicant should provide information that helps the reviewers understand the past experience of the applicant in serving small and mid-sized manufacturers.

d) Qualifications of the Applicant; Key Personnel, Organizational Structure and Oversight Board or Advisory Committee Governance. A description of the qualifications and proposed Center operational or management activities of key personnel who will be assigned to work on the proposed project, and a description of program management plans, sufficient to permit evaluation of the application, in accordance with the Qualifications of the Applicant subcriteria (see Section V.1.b.i. and ii. of this NOFO). The applicant must include a description of its proposed structure for executing the MEP Core Management and Oversight Functions as described in Section I.4. of this NOFO. The applicant must provide enough information for NIST to determine whether the proposed structure meets the requirements of Section I.4.

The applicant must also provide a description of its established or proposed MEP Center Oversight Board or Advisory Committee, as the case may be, and Governance, including a listing of the members or intended members and a discussion of the governing documents (e.g., bylaws, policies or procedures and conflict of interest policies) with enough information for NIST to determine whether the proposed Oversight Board or Advisory Committee and Governance meets the requirements of Section I.3. of this NOFO. If an applicant’s Oversight Board or Advisory Committee and Governance does not currently meet the requirements set forth in Section I.3. of this NOFO or is not expected to meet these requirements at the time of the MEP award, the applicant must provide a feasible plan to bring its Oversight Board or Advisory Committee and Governance into compliance with Section I.3.

of the NOFO within 90 calendar days of award start date (expected to be January 1, 2019).

e) Budget and Financial Plan. (Does not count toward the page limit).

Applicants must provide a detailed budget summary table and budget narrative for year one (1) of the project, fully explaining and justifying all proposed project funding (both revenue and expenses) in accordance with applicable Federal cost principles being committed to the project.

In addition, applicants must also provide a budget summary table for years two (2) through five (5) of the project; however, a budget narrative for these years is not required as part of an application.

A suggested budget summary table and narrative template for year 1 and budget summary table for Years 2-5 is available on the MEP website, https://www.nist.gov/mep/manufacturing-extension-partnership-center-alaska .

In the year one budget narrative, the recipient should provide a detailed description to support the costs identified in each category of the budget table. For example, providing the annual salary and the percentage of time dedicated to the project by personnel to demonstrate the total cost of that individual; providing the airfare, lodging, per diem, number of days and number of travelers for each proposed trip; and identifying anticipated subaward/contract amounts, the subawardees/contractors, if known at the time of application, and a detailed description of the purpose of each subaward/contract. Applicants must also include staff, travel and related expenses for the required NIST MEP kick-off conference and meetings described in Sections II.5. and II.6. of this NOFO in the budget tables and budget narratives.

This budget information submitted by an applicant will be evaluated in accordance with the Budget Narrative and Financial Plan evaluation sub-criteria (see Section V.1.c.i. and ii. of this NOFO).

(7) Letters of Commitment or Support. (Do not count toward the page limit).

The letters of commitment or support identified below do not count toward the overall application page limit. In obtaining letters of commitment, please note that it is inappropriate for Federal employees to critique or provide feedback on project ideas, etc., and it is also inappropriate for Federal employees to provide a letter of support.

a) Non-profit applicants: A resolution from the fiduciary board authorizing submission of the MEP Center application to NIST supporting the activities described therein is required.

b) Applicant and Third-Party Non-Federal Cost Sharing: With the exception of a commitment letter from the applicant, letters of commitment for all other third-party sources of non-Federal cost sharing identified in a proposal are not required, but are strongly encouraged. Applications without commitment letters for each item of third-party, non-Federal cost sharing may be considered less favorably during the application review process. Applicants may submit a summary listing of non-Federal cost share, which will not be counted toward the page limit.

(i) Applicant Non-Federal Cost Sharing (Cash and In-kind): A letter of commitment is required from an authorized representative of the applicant, stating the total amount of cost share to be contributed by the applicant towards the proposed MEP Center project separate and apart from the submission of the proposal. This stand-alone letter must cover all five (5) years of the proposed MEP Center project and include a per year break-out of the applicant’s contribution of non-Federal cost share, as well as a per year break-out of cash cost share (including anticipated program income) and in-kind (non-cash) contributions.

(ii) Third Party Cost Sharing (Cash and In-kind): The applicant is strongly encouraged to include in its application a letter of commitment from an authorized representative of each third-party organization providing cash or in-kind contributions that are to be used as cost share under the proposed MEP Center project. Any such letter(s) should clearly state: whether the third-party contribution will consist of cash contributions, in-kind contributions, or a combination thereof; the total amount of the contribution, including a break-out of cash versus in-kind contributions (as applicable); the time period over which the third-party contribution will be made; and any interim performance requirements for phased contributions.

c) Subrecipients: Letters of commitment from subrecipients who are key to the technical plan’s success are useful for verifying the availability of resources, but are not required. Applications without commitment letters from all identified, proposed key subrecipients may be considered less favorably during the application review process. The applicant should include information regarding any planned cost share contribution from a subrecipient in their letter of commitment. If an award is issued, the recipient is ultimately the entity that is committing to the cost share being obtained from the subrecipient.

If a subrecipient fails to meet the cost share expectations, the award recipient is required to meet the shortfall. In addition, applicants planning to use subawards are responsible for evaluating the financial viability of subrecipients to meet proposed cost share levels.

d) Prospective Key Employees: Letters of commitment to join the proposing organization’s team are useful for verifying the availability of key employees, who are not yet employed at a proposing organization, to participate in the project if the project is funded.

These letters are not required, but they can play an important role in conveying the qualifications of key employees, especially for projects involving small companies or startups. Applications without commitment letters from all prospective key employees may be considered less favorably during the application review process.

e) Contractors: Letters of commitment from contractors who are key to the technical plan’s success are useful for verifying the availability of resources, but are not required. Applications without commitment letters from all identified, proposed key contractors may be considered less favorably during the application review process.

Contractors may not contribute cost share towards the project.

f) General Letters of Support: General letters of support are not required, but may be useful for illustrating broad-based support for the applicant’s proposal.

(8) Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. (Does not count toward page limit). If indirect costs are included in the proposed budget, provide a copy of the approved negotiated agreement if this rate was negotiated with a cognizant Federal audit agency. If the rate was not established by a cognizant Federal audit agency, provide a statement to this effect. If the successful applicant includes indirect costs in the budget and has not established an indirect cost rate with a cognizant Federal audit agency, the applicant will be required to obtain such a rate in accordance with the Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions available at:

https://go.usa.gov/xXRxK. This does not count toward the page limit.

Alternatively, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.414(f), applicants that have never received a negotiated indirect cost rate may elect to charge indirect costs to an MEP award pursuant to a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (MTDC), in which case a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement is not required. Applicants proposing a 10 percent de minimis rate pursuant to 2 CFR 200.414(f) should note this election as part of the budget portion of the application.

(9) Resumes. (Do not count toward page limit). One-page resumes of no more than five key personnel may be included. Any information beyond one page for each resume and any additional resumes submitted will not be considered.

(10) Intellectual Property (IP) Plan for the Allocation of Legal Rights. (Does not count toward the page limit). Applicants must include as part of the application a plan for the allocation of the legal rights associated with any intellectual property, which may result from activities of the Center. The proposed IP plan must be consistent with the IP provisions set forth in 2 C.F.R. § 200.315 and the Department of Commerce Standard Terms and Conditions (see Section C.04 at https://go.usa.gov/xXRxK). There is no required format for the IP plan. Applicants not expecting to acquire or generate any IP pursuant to the proposed project must explain as part of its application why the allocation of legal rights associated with IP is not within the scope of the proposed project. The IP plan or explanation in lieu of an IP plan will not be evaluated against any evaluation criteria and will not count towards the overall page count of an application. Notwithstanding, the sufficiency of the IP plan or an explanation in lieu of an IP plan will be considered by NIST as part of the administrative review of the application (see Section V.2.a. of this NOFO) and applicants may be required to make certain revisions to its IP plan as part of pre-award negotiations or pursuant to a post-award Specific Award Condition (see Section V.2.b.(2) of this NOFO). Necessary, reasonable and allocable costs associated with implementation of the IP plan may be proposed as part of the overall budget for the proposed project.

(11) Oversight Board or Advisory Committee Governance. The applicant must include in their application a proposed board structure including the https://go.usa.gov/xXRxK https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.usa.gov%2FxXRxK&data=02%7C01%7Cchristopher.hunton%40nist.gov%7C78e7242ed2d1486d61b008d5ca33793b%7C2ab5d82fd8fa4797a93e054655c61dec%7C1%7C0%7C636637245808233494&sdata=rzZQw0nV5cV7oxj0MRty6mhc78tFYkKQqGVqceO4vzs%3D&reserved=0 type of board, board member names, organization and roles of such board members. If such a board is not in place, or is not expected to meet these requirements at the time of the MEP award, the applicant must provide a plan for establishing such a board within 90 days of award start date (expected to be January 1, 2019). See Section I.3. of this NOFO for additional information concerning the Oversight Board or Advisory Board Governance requirements for this program.

b. Attachment of Required Documents

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.(11). 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.