2018-NIST-PSIAP-UI NOFO.pdf

NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program - User Interface

Notice of Funding Opportunity October 30, 2017

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program – User Interface (PSIAP-UI)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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

• Funding Opportunity Title: NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program

– User Interface

• Announcement Type: Initial

• Funding Opportunity Number: 2018-NIST-PSIAP-UI

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

• Dates: Required Pre-Applications must be received electronically through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday, December 29, 2017.

Pre-Applications received after this date will not be reviewed or considered. NIST will consider the date and time recorded by www.grants.gov as the official submission time. Assessment of Pre-Applications, selection, and notification to applicants is expected to be complete on or about January 26, 2018. Selected applicants will then be invited to submit a Full Application. Full Applications must be received electronically through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Applications received after this deadline will not be reviewed or considered.

Applicants should be aware, and factor in their application submission planning for both Pre- and Full Applications, that the Grants.gov system is expected to be closed for routine maintenance from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time, Saturday, November 18, 2017 until Monday, November 20, 2017 at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time; and from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time, Saturday, December 16, 2017 until Monday, December 18, 2017 at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time; and again from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time, Saturday, February 17, 2018 until Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time; and also from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time, Saturday, March 17, 2018 until Monday, March 19, 2018 at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Pre- and Full Applications cannot be submitted when Grants.gov is closed.

http://www.grants.gov/

NIST expects to complete its review, selection of successful Full Applicants, and award processing by May 2018. NIST expects the earliest start date for awards under this NOFO to be June 1, 2018.

Applicants are strongly urged to read Section IV.2.b. and IV.3.b. Attachment of Required Documents for Pre-Applications and Full Applications of this NOFO with great attention. Applicants should carefully follow the instructions and recommendations regarding attachments and use the Download Submitted Applications feature on www.grants.gov to check that all required attachments were contained in their submission. Pre- Applications and Full Applications submitted without the required documents will not pass the Initial Administrative Review, described in Section V.4.a.(1) of this NOFO for Pre-Applications and Section V.4.b.(1) of this NOFO for Full Applications.

When developing the submission timeline, please keep in mind that: (1) all applicants are required to have a current registration in the electronic System for Award Management (SAM.gov); (2) the free annual registration process in the SAM.gov (see Section IV.4. and Section IV.8.a.(1).(b) of this NOFO) often takes between three and five business days and may take as long as two weeks; (3) electronic applicants are required to have a current registration in Grants.gov;

and (4) applicants using Grants.gov will receive e-mail notifications over a period of up to two business days as the application moves through intermediate systems before the applicant learns via a validation or rejection notification whether NIST has received the application. (See www.grants.gov for full information on application and notification through Grants.gov). Please note that a federal assistance award cannot be issued if the designated recipient’s registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is not current at the time of the award.

• Application Submission Address: Applications must be submitted using Grants.gov.

• Funding Opportunity Description: The NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program – User Interface seeks applications from eligible applicants for activities to accelerate research, development, production, and testing of user interface technologies and capabilities through the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for first responders as described in Section I. of this

NOFO.

• Anticipated Amounts: In FY 2018, NIST anticipates funding up to $5,000,000 in new awards. For awards covering Goal 1 - AR/VR Technology Development and Prototyping, funds are expected to range from $200,000 to $500,000 per year per project. For awards covering Goal 2 – Research on the Effectiveness and

Transferability of AR/VR Simulations, funds are expected to range from $100,000 to $200,000 per year per project. If applicants submit one proposal covering both goals, the combined awards range is expected to be $200,000 to $600,000 per year. Project performance periods may be up to two (2) years, with the exception of proposals submitted by institutions of higher education for the purposes of supporting research by graduate students as part of a doctoral program, for which the period of performance may be up to three (3) years. All awards will be consistent with the multi-year funding policy (see Section II.2. of this NOFO).

• Funding Instrument: Grant or cooperative agreement, as appropriate.

• Eligibility: All programs listed in this NOFO are open to all non-Federal entities.

Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, state and local governments, Indian tribes, hospitals, foreign public entities, and foreign governments. Please note that individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not considered “non-Federal entities” and are not eligible to apply under this NOFO. Although Federal entities are not eligible to receive funding under this NOFO, they may participate as unfunded collaborators.

NIST will consider multiple Pre-Applications and Full Applications per applicant;

however, an individual researcher may only be listed as the principal investigator on one Pre-Application and Full Application. In addition, applicants should refrain from submitting multiple Pre-Applications with related subject matter.

• Cost Sharing Requirements: Matching funds are not required for this NOFO.

• Public Website, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Webinar: NIST has a public website (www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr or www.pscr.gov) that provides information pertaining to this Funding Opportunity1. NIST anticipates that a “Frequently Asked Questions” section or other resource materials will be maintained and updated on the website as needed to provide additional guidance and clarifying information that may arise related to this Funding Opportunity. Any amendments to this NOFO will be announced through Grants.gov.

Applicants must submit all questions pertaining to this funding opportunity in writing to pscr@nist.gov with “PSIAP-UI” in the subject line. Questions submitted to NIST may be posted on www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr. Alternatively, applicants may ask questions during the informational public webinar as described in the next paragraph.

1 Refer to Section VII. of this NOFO, Federal Awarding Agency Contacts, Programmatic and Technical Questions, if this link is no longer working or more information is needed.

https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr http://www.pscr.gov/ mailto:pscr@nist.gov https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr

NIST will host a webinar to provide general information regarding this NOFO, offer general guidance on preparing applications, and answer questions.

Scheduling details about the webinar will be available at www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr.

Proprietary technical discussions about specific project ideas will not be permitted and NIST staff will not critique or provide feedback on specific project ideas while the competition is in progress. However, questions about the PSIAP- UI, eligibility requirements, evaluation and award criteria, selection process, and the general characteristics of a competitive application can be addressed at the webinar and by e-mail to pscr@nist.gov as described in the previous paragraph.

There is no cost to attend the webinar, but participants must register in advance.

Participation in the webinar is not required, and will not be considered in the application review and selection process. Additional information on the PSIAP-UI and webinar is available at www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr.

Table of Contents

I. Program Description

II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Application and Submission Information

V. Application Review Information

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

VII. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Program Description

The statutory authority for the NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program is 15 U.S.C. § 3706 and 47 U.S.C. § 1443.

The NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program – User Interface (PSIAP-UI) is seeking applications to accelerate research and development (R&D) around the use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) for improving public safety user interfaces.

http://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr

Specifically, PSIAP-UI is seeking applications within two goal areas: (1) AR/VR Technology Development and Prototyping and (2) Research on the Effectiveness and Transferability of AR/VR Simulations. These goals, and specific technical areas of research in the PSIAP-UI program, are discussed in detail in Section I.D. of this

A. PSCR Background

The Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) division, housed within NIST’s Communications Technology Laboratory, conducts research for the first responder community.

The PSIAP-UI is one of several initiatives within PSCR. The goal of the PSIAP-UI is to accelerate R&D in AR/VR that directly impacts first responder operations through improved user interfaces.

The purpose of this NOFO is to implement technology that will enable researchers to test user interfaces to enhance public safety. Award recipients will help achieve this by creating new technology or applying current technology to a specific public safety use case. Recipients will also conduct research to support testing user interfaces within the AV/VR environment and ensure the results are transferable to real-world implementations. PSCR intends to build an AR/VR test bed for the public safety communications research community. The R&D produced from the awards made under this NOFO will aide in the future development of this test bed.

In 2013, PSCR initiated a strategy planning effort to identify potential R&D focus areas2.

First responders, government officials, industry leaders and academics who participated in that effort identified Enhanced User Interface/User Experience (UI/UX) as one of three key portfolios for R&D investment.

A UI/UX working group was formed and their inputs along with industry forecasts were incorporated into a 20-year technology roadmap to benefit the entire public safety community3. As a follow-up, a UI/UX R&D Summit was held to further discuss and prioritize the scope of work identified in the technology roadmap, focusing on twelve operational objectives that included AR interfaces and VR systems. Attendees were instructed to identify the most pressing technology gaps currently limiting the use of

2 Location-Based Services R&D Roadmap; NIST Technical Note 1883;

http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/TechnicalNotes/NIST.TN.1883.pdf 3Public Safety User Interface R&D Roadmap; NIST Technical Note 1961;

http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/TechnicalNotes/NIST.TN.1961.pdf http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/TechnicalNotes/NIST.TN.1883.pdf http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/TechnicalNotes/NIST.TN.1961.pdf

UI/UX in the public safety arena, and then to prioritize these challenges based on five investment criteria – leverage, feasibility, impact on public safety processes, rewards/results, and uniqueness to public safety.

More information about PSCR, as well as technology roadmaps and summit reports, may be found at www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr.

AR/VR and Public Safety

Simulation systems have been used for years to train personnel in a variety of industries. Pilots have clocked hours in flight simulators, the military have trained personnel through war games, and teachers have inspired students through immersive experiences. Similar systems have recently emerged that leveraged VR to provide training for fire fighters (e.g., FLAIM) and law enforcement personnel (e.g., UCF E2i Creative Studio). These systems are beneficial tools for developing skills for new recruits and veterans alike and afford the opportunity to test new technologies before they are implemented in the real world.

AR/VR offer new opportunities to develop and test technology for public safety operations and communications, and the user interface is an ideal technology to test within an AR/VR environment. While AR/VR do not replace the need for real-life training, they allow for repeatable and measurable testing in a safe and controlled environment. Developing a new product for first responders requires complex and resource-intensive testing. AR/VR shifts this paradigm by leveraging realistic simulations within a VR/AR environment, reducing the time to bring a product to market and helping ensure that new public safety devices have a positive impact on first responder operations.

First responders will have a greater dependency on user interfaces as new technology and systems are developed to support their operations. An AR/VR environment that offers public safety-specific content, including scenarios, equipment, and tasks, will provide a safe and effective means for testing and developing these enhanced user interfaces.

B. Research Opportunities under this NOFO

Awardees will create VR/AR content including: the design and development of virtual environments (e.g., subway, roadway), programming tasks (e.g., extinguish fire, medical assessment), and implementing user interfaces (e.g., heads-up display). Awardees may also conduct research to enhance traditional AR/VR systems to become more modular and adaptable to various scenarios, create objects to be used as tools or equipment, develop additional user interfaces through haptic feedback (e.g., sound, tactile), and prototype innovative technology that may be used when interacting within an AR/VR experience.

Awardees may also address specific research areas around the effectiveness and transferability of testing within an AR/VR environment. Potential areas of research include cognitive load, physical strain, content, user interface attributes and delivery, measurement capabilities, and testing methodologies.

C. Basic Competition Information

Applicants may address both goals described below in Section I.D. of this NOFO within one application or focus on one of the two goals. Applicants also have the option of submitting multiple applications provided that the subject matter and principal investigator are not listed in another application under this NOFO.

PSCR is requiring Pre-Applications for the PSIAP-UI NOFO. The Pre-Application will contain an abbreviated narrative, resumes of key personnel, a quad chart and a budget estimate for the proposed project.

Successful pre-applicants will be invited to submit a Full Application. Applicants will be limited to submitting Full Applications for the goals specified in their successful Pre- Applications.

Applicants are required to develop partnerships with PSOs. Potential applicants are responsible for contacting the organizations and arranging partnerships. NIST will not assist potential applicants with finding partners. For purposes of this NOFO, PSOs include U.S. federal, state, and local emergency medical services (EMS), fire services, law enforcement, and public safety communications/911 centers.

Applicants should propose projects that include active and sustained engagement with first responders. This engagement ensures that the R&D outputs of each PSIAP-UI project are highly relevant and will have a meaningful impact on the public safety community. Applicants are encouraged to include funding in their proposed budget for non-federal first responders and public safety personnel to actively participate within their projects, and to budget significant time and sufficient travel for this interaction.

Federal entities are not eligible to receive funding under this NOFO, though they may participate as unfunded collaborators. Potential applicants who are proposing work that would benefit from the involvement of public safety personnel, but who have not yet identified suitable partners, are encouraged to submit Pre-Applications. Pre-applicants invited to submit Full Application will be required to have letters of commitment from PSOs as part of their Full Applications.

Applicants should also ensure that their R&D projects are tailored to disseminate their ideas and technology to the public safety stakeholder community. Dissemination may be achieved through publications and technology transfer including: commercialization, training, or the release of tools, designs, and/or data sets. Applicants may include costs to support the dissemination of the results and lessons of their PSIAP-UI R&D efforts to the public safety stakeholder community in their project budgets.

D. Technical Program Goals

Recipients will rapidly accelerate the objectives of the PSIAP-UI through innovative R&D projects addressing one or both program goals: Goal 1 - AR/VR Technology Development and Prototyping and Goal 2 - Research on the Effectiveness and Transferability of AR/VR Simulations.

1. Goal 1 - AR/VR Technology Development and Prototyping The wide array of public safety operations present a development opportunity within the user interface technology area. First responders are seeing an increase in both the amount and types of data presented to them (e.g., location-based sensors, video streaming content). To benefit from these data sources, user interfaces need to be developed that allow first responders to interact effectively with the systems, without inducing cognitive overload. AR/VR afford the unique opportunity to develop, test, and measure the effectiveness of these user interfaces in a controlled environment without putting a public safety user in danger.

AR/VR is a rapidly growing technology. Despite this momentum, currently the products in the AR/VR marketplace that meet the requirements of public safety users are limited.

Accordingly, PSCR seeks applications under this NOFO for R&D projects to stimulate commercial and technical organizations to create and support a market for public safety user interfaces. This market would improve the current state of AR/VR technologies specifically for fire fighter, EMS, and law enforcement operations and tasks. PSCR intends to use the technology developed from these grants to create a testbed environment in AR/VR for testing, measuring and developing future user interfaces.

Applicants have the opportunity to develop key components of this testbed, as well as user interfaces that will potentially be used by PSOs.

a. Scenarios from NISTIR 8181 - Incident Scenarios Collection for Public Safety Communications Research: Framing the Context of Use:

http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2017/NIST.IR.8181.pdf

Multiple vendors now offer unique hardware and software platforms that support several graphic engines and development tools. To obtain the greatest benefit for public safety, PSCR strives to have open solutions that allow for future integration. Developers should take into consideration the ease of access, development and integration for the hardware, software, and engines selected for their solutions. PSCR has not identified specific AR/VR hardware (e.g., HTC Vive, Microsoft HoloLens) or software solutions (i.e., Unreal, Unity graphic engines) for development, but is requiring that the technology selected be unmodified (i.e., default versions). Applicants must clearly identify in their proposals any additional dependencies (e.g., plug-ins) their solution will require.

Due to this variety of hardware and software platforms available, PSCR is requiring applicants to develop at least one incident scenario. This provides a comparative baseline across the solutions and minimizes the resources necessary for integrating additional technologies (e.g., prototypes, user interfaces). Three scenarios have been selected from the NISTIR 8181 - Incident Scenarios Collection for Public Safety Communications Research: Framing the Context of Use and are listed below in I.1.a.i-

iii. Applicants must use at least one of the following scenarios in their proposals, but may use more than one scenario and may also develop additional scenarios as part of their proposal.

These scenarios were selected to provide PSCR with a broad range of public safety operations and to supplement current AR/VR environments PSCR has already developed. Developers should reference the NISTIR 8181 - Incident Scenarios Collection for Public Safety Communications Research: Framing the Context of Use for additional details related to each scenario, including the consideration factors for each, and other example incident scenarios. Applicants are encouraged to go beyond these descriptions and add specific tasks or operations that would benefit testing of user interfaces.

i. NISTIR 8181 – Scenario 3, Subway Fire - At 15:14, an Office of Unified Communications (OUC) operator received a call from a subway supervisor about a debris fire on the tracks near a major subway station. Additional 9-1-1 calls were received reporting heavy smoke at and near the station. A train stopped after encountering an accumulation of heavy smoke while traveling southbound in a subway tunnel. After stopping, the rear car of the train was about 386 feet from the south end of the subway station platform. Ten minutes later, the OUC operator received a call for medics at the station because people could barely breathe due to the smoke. OUC dispatched a Rail Station Box Alarm to the subway station.

ii. NISTIR 8181 – Incident Scenario 22, Traffic Stop –– At 18:17, while on routine traffic patrol, an officer observed a car that ran through a red light at an intersection. No wants/warrants were associated with the vehicle. The officer approached the pulled-over vehicle and the officer’s on-person video camera scanned the driver’s face. The driver did not provide documentation, but the facial recognition results showed that http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2017/NIST.IR.8181.pdf http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/ir/2017/NIST.IR.8181.pdf the driver did not match the registered owner and had a record with previous drug possession and assault charges. Backup officers arrived and a vehicle search was conducted after officers noticed marijuana remains in the ashtray. Several bags of a white substance that appeared to be cocaine were found and the driver was placed under arrest.

iii. NISTIR 8181 – Incident Scenario 24, EMS-Heart Attack - At 16:19, dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from the relative of a man who returned home from playing tennis and reported having chest pains. At 16:23, paramedics entered the home to find the patient barely conscious on the living room couch. Paramedics performed a preliminary medical assessment and transferred the patient to the ambulance. The cardiologist at the nearest hospital recommended transport to a different hospital for cardiac catheterization.

VR/AR users sometimes experience negative effects due to poor framerate, framerate drops, removing control of movement (e.g., cut scenes, cinematics), intense light and imagery, poor calibration, and non-voluntary movement (e.g., falling). The developed scenarios should limit these effects to minimize the potential for motion sickness, disorientation, and confusion by AR/VR participants. In addition to the scenario development described above, PSCR encourages applicants to produce additional capabilities that support the use of AR/VR for improved user interface testing and development.

b. Anticipated PSIAP-UI R&D Projects for Goal 1:

The following are possible R&D projects that the PSCR hopes to fund through this

i. Develop modular capabilities for AR and/or VR platforms that offer ease of manipulation when creating new environments or scenarios. Examples include, but are not limited to, movable foam blocks with sensors that create virtual objects, physical dummies depicting virtual humans, or environmental elements that induce heat that are associated with a virtual fire.

ii. Develop user interfaces for public safety tasks that are able to present data to the user in an intuitive and non-invasive manner. Examples of potential user interfaces include, but are not limited to, physical gestures, heads-up display, audio cues, visual cues, vocal commands, eye-tracking, or vibration. The user interface should inform the user of data important to their task, such as waypoint or map indicators, utility information, temperature readings, etc. User Interfaces should integrate with sensors, mobile devices, or other peripherals used by the participant.

iii. Create public safety equipment prototypes that offer ideal interaction for use within an AR/VR environment. Examples of equipment include, but are not limited to, a handgun, fire hose, or defibrillator. Feedback should address any of these four human senses; touch (vibrations, texture, temperature, etc.), smell (e.g., smoke), sight, and hearing. Prototypes should also include objects that induce physiological effects such as increases in stress, adrenaline, heart rate, blood pressure, etc.

iv. Develop methods beyond traditional wands or controllers to improve interactions within an AR/VR. Examples include, but are not limited to, the physical touch of an object and visualizing the participant’s hands to enhance the scenario and tasks being assessed.

Research areas beyond those described above in Section I.D.1.b. may be beneficial.

Applicants may propose additional projects they believe useful in achieving Goal 1.

2. Goal 2 - Research on the Effectiveness and Transferability of AR/VR Simulations

AR/VR will enable new ways of testing and developing technology. For public safety to benefit from these innovations, research must be conducted around the effectiveness and transferability of testing user interfaces in an AR/VR environment to real world implementations.

The PSCR-UI anticipates funding proposals in the following R&D areas for researching the effectiveness and the transferability of AR/VR user interface testing. Applicants are encouraged to identify additional R&D areas that support testing user interfaces in an AR/VR environment and ensure that the impacts are transferable to real-world operations.

a. Anticipated PSIAP-UI R&D Projects for Goal 2:

i. Develop and test methods to induce cognitive load and physical strain in a safe and repeatable manner. Examples include, but are not limited to, VR treadmills, warm-up exercises before entering simulation, physical navigation of a room with AR, or the use of noise or visual elements to load sensory receptors.

ii. Identify characteristics and tasks (e.g., duration, location) for ideal public safety scenarios and environments. Examples include, but are not limited to, evaluating whether CPR is an effective simulation that transfers to real-world tasks, testing whether extinguishing a fire or navigating a structure is effective for measuring impacts of user interfaces, or determining if a 10-minute simulation can capture sufficient test results or if 30 minutes is required.

iii. Determine what public safety equipment is most applicable for testing user interfaces within AR/VR environments. Examples include, but are not limited to, testing the appropriateness of using objects, whether simulator or real, such as fire hoses, defibrillators, hand guns, Tasers, vehicles, axes, or oxygen tanks.

iv. Determine what attributes can be measured within an AR/VR environment, how the attributes are measured, and what attributes indicate a positive or negative impact of a user interface for a specific task or scenario. Examples include, but are not limited to, determining whether a participant completing a task in a shorter duration, avoiding hazards and risks, or completing objectives translates to a more effective user interface.

v. Test the ability to reuse environments for multiple tests without biasing measurements. Examples include, but are not limited to, determining what elements of an environment must be changed for the participant to complete another test of a user interface or test if multiple scenarios (e.g., extinguish fire in a kitchen, rescue victim in bedroom) can be conducted in the same environment by the same participant without impacting the effectiveness of the user interface because the user becomes more familiar with the content.

vi. Explore methods to improve the immersive experience or the presence of participants and determine whether such methods translate to more effective testing.

Examples include, but are not limited to, warm-up or training exercises prior to the simulations uses for testing user interfaces, determining whether there is a certain time range as to when the participant becomes more immersed, testing if an upper time limit impacts the participant’s presence in an experience due to fatigue or discomfort, or testing for the ideal field-of-view ranges.

vii. Identify means to interact and complete tasks that are likely to transfer to real-world implementations. Examples include, but are not limited to, testing the use of an object that replicates a gun being fired or a fire hose spraying water, benefit of using a treadmill for navigating within a VR simulation, testing if gloves that display virtual hands are more efficient than controllers or wands.

viii. Determine the ideal amount and method of delivering content to user through the user interface. Examples include, but are not limited to, measuring cognitive load and the participant’s response to heads-up display displaying multiple indicators, audio cues at various decibel levels, or tactile feedback.

ix. Testing user interfaces to determine if a specific one is better than others for aiding the various public safety disciplines (e.g., EMS, fire service, and law enforcement) in conducting tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, determining if heads-up displays are more effective then audio cues when navigating a structure fire, measuring the ability of EMS to alert to a patient from a tactile indicator, or testing law enforcement’s ability to process input on a suspect from a AR visual display while conducting a traffic stop.

x. Explore techniques to measure the situational awareness of participant. Examples include, but are not limited to, creating content with multiple events and measuring participant’s response to various aspects of the scenario or research user interfaces that highlight areas of a simulation that may be out of the norm.

Research areas beyond those described above in Section I.D.2.a. may be beneficial.

Applicants may propose additional projects they believe useful in achieving Goal-2.

E. PSCR Public Safety Stakeholder Yearly Meetings

PSCR hosts an annual stakeholders meeting with public safety, industry, and academia.

The meeting provides the opportunity to share project updates and identify new endeavors. Awardees will be required to send a minimum of one team member to the meetings to meet with stakeholders and present key plans and findings of their work to date. Awardees may be given the opportunity to present materials through plenary, demonstration tables, or poster sessions. These meetings should be included in project timelines and budgets. Costs for attending this meeting and any other travel must be included in the budget form SF-424A (see Section IV.3.a.(2) of this NOFO) and described in the budget narrative (see Section IV.3.a.(9)(d) of this NOFO).

II. Federal Award Information

1. Funding Instrument The funding instrument for these awards will be grants or cooperative agreements, as appropriate. Where cooperative agreements are used, the nature of NIST’s “substantial involvement” will generally include collaboration with the recipients in the scope of work.

2. 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. If a project is selected for funding, NIST has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that award. Continuation of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the sole discretion of NIST. Continued funding will be contingent upon satisfactory performance, continued relevance to the mission and priorities of the PSIAP-UI, and the availability of funds. Under this NOFO, NIST may elect to fully fund awards or to fund awards in accordance with the Multi-Year Funding policy.

3. Anticipated Amounts In FY 2018, NIST anticipates funding up to $5,000,000 in new awards. For awards covering Goal 1 - AR/VR Technology Development and Prototyping, funds are expected to range from $200,000 to $500,000 per year per project. For awards covering Goal 2 – Research on the Effectiveness and Transferability of AR/VR Simulations, funds are expected to range from $100,000 to $200,000 per year per project. If applicants submit one proposal covering both goals, the combined fund awards range is expected to be $200,000 to $600,000 per year. Project performance periods may be up to two (2) years, with the exception of proposals submitted by institutions of higher education for the purposes of supporting research by graduate students as part of a doctoral program, for which the period of performance may be up to 3 (three) years. All awards will be consistent with the multi-year funding policy (see Section II.2. of this NOFO).

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants All programs listed in this NOFO are open to all non-Federal entities. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, state and local governments, Indian tribes, hospitals, foreign public entities, and foreign governments. Please note that individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not considered “non-Federal entities” and are not eligible to apply under this NOFO.

Although Federal entities are not eligible to receive funding under this NOFO, they may participate as unfunded collaborators.

NIST will consider multiple Pre-Applications and Full Applications per applicant;

however, an individual researcher may only be listed as the principal investigator on one Pre-Application and Full Application. In addition, applicants should refrain from submitting multiple Pre-Applications with related subject matter.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Matching funds are not required for this NOFO.

IV. Pre-Application / Full Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package The Pre-Application package is available at www.grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Number 2018-NIST-PSIAP-UI. The Full Application package can be obtained by requesting it via an e-mail message to pscr@nist.gov.

2. Content and Form of Pre-Application Submission

a. Required Forms and Documents. The Pre-Application must contain the following:

(1) SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. The SF-424 must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant organization.

• SF-424, Item 8.d. Zip/Postal Code field, should reflect the Zip Code + 4 (#####-####) format.

• SF-424, Item 12, should list the NOFO number 2018-NIST-PSIAP-UI.

• SF-424, Item 18, should list the total Federal budget amount requested for the entire project.

• For SF-424, Item 21, the list of certifications and assurances is contained in the SF-424B.

(2) SF-424A, Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs. A preliminary budget estimate that reflects the anticipated expenses for the entire project, considering all potential cost increases, including cost of living adjustments.

(3) Executive Summary and Quad Chart. (This does not count toward the page limit.) The executive summary must explicitly state the objectives and approaches to meet those objectives, anticipated challenges, and benefits and impacts of the proposed project. The summary must state which goal(s) the applicant is addressing (i.e., Goal 1, Goal 2, or both). The quad chart must contain a summary of the proposed project, the potential impact of the project, key milestones and/or deliverables, and applicant background. The executive summary and the quad chart must not exceed one (1) page each. Any materials provided beyond the one (1) page limit for the executive summary and the one (1) page limit for the quad chart will not be redacted and not provided to the reviewers.

(4) Pre-Application Narrative. A word-processed document of no more than seven

(7) pages. The Pre-Application Narrative should describe the proposed project and degree of alignment with objectives detailed in the goals of this NOFO.

Sufficient information should be provided to address the Pre-Application evaluation criteria (see Section V.1. of this NOFO), specifically: strategic alignment with the program’s objectives (see Section I. of this NOFO);

qualifications and resources availability; project execution; and public safety mission.

(5) Resume(s). Resumes are required for all key personnel, including the principal investigator. Resumes are limited to two (2) pages per individual and do not count toward the seven (7) page limit of the Pre-Application Narrative.

b. Attachment of Required Documents for the Pre-Application

Items IV.2.a.(1) and IV.2.a.(2) above are part of the standard application package in Grants.gov for 2018-NIST-PSIAP-UI Pre-Applications and can be completed through the download application process.

Items IV.2.a.(3) through IV.2.a.(5) 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 indicates only that an application was transferred to a system. It does not provide details concerning whether all attachments (or how many attachments) transferred successfully. Applicants using Grants.gov will receive a series of e-mail messages over a period of up to two business days before learning whether a Federal agency’s electronic system has received its application.

The Grants.gov Online Users Guide available at the Grants.gov site (http://go.usa.gov/cjaEh) provides vital information on checking the status of applications. See especially the “Check My Application Status” option, found by clicking first on Applicants, and then by clicking on Applicant Actions.

Applicants can track their submission in the Grants.gov system by following the procedures at the Grants.gov site (http://go.usa.gov/cjamz). It can take up to two business days for an application to fully move through the Grants.gov system to NIST, however, applicants can immediately check that they properly submitted the application in Grants.gov by following the Grants.gov tracking procedures cited above.

NIST uses the Tracking Numbers assigned by Grants.gov, and does not issue Agency Tracking Numbers.

c. Pre-Application Format

(1) Paper, E-mail and Facsimile (fax) Submissions. Will not be accepted.

(2) Figures, Graphs, Images, and Pictures. Should be of a size that is easily readable or viewable and may be landscape orientation.

(3) Font. Easy to read font (12-point minimum). Smaller type may be used in figures and tables but must be clearly legible.

http://go.usa.gov/cjaEh http://go.usa.gov/cjamz

(4) Page Limit. The Pre-Application Executive Summary is limited to one (1) page;

the Pre-Application Quad Chart is limited to one (1) page; and the Pre- Application Narrative is limited to seven (7) pages.

(5) Page Limit Excludes: SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance; SF-424A, Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs; and Resumes of key personnel (although resumes are limited to two (2) pages per individual).

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

(7) Application language. English.

d. Pre-Application Replacement Pages. Applicants may not submit replacement pages and/or missing documents once an application has been submitted. Revisions can only be made by submitting a complete new Pre-Application that is received by NIST before the submission deadline.

3. Content and Form of Full Application Submission (only for Applicants who submitted Pre-Applications and are invited to submit Full Applications)

a. Required Forms and Documents. The Full Application must contain the following:

(1) SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. The SF-424 must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant organization.

SF-424, Item 8.d. Zip/Postal Code field, should reflect the Zip Code + 4 (#####- ####) format.

• SF-424, Item 12, should list the NOFO number supplied by NIST to the applicants invited to submit Full Applications.

• SF-424, Item 18, should list the total Federal budget amount requested for the entire project.

• For SF-424, Item 21, the list of certifications and assurances is contained in the SF-424B.

(2) SF-424A, Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs. The budget should reflect anticipated expenses for the project, considering all potential cost increases, including cost of living adjustments.

The Grant Program Function or Activity on Section A, line 1 under Column (a) should be entered as “Public Safety Communications Research Grant Program”.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number on Line 1 under Column

(b) should be entered as “11.609”. Line 1, column (e) should reflect the anticipated expenses for the full term of the project.

Section B, column (1) of the SF-424A should reflect funds for the first year of the award. Section B, column (2) of the SF-424A should reflect funds for the second year of the award. If the application includes a third year, use Section B, column

(3) for the third year’s budget. Section D requires a breakdown of the first year’s budget by quarter. The budget estimate for the second year of the award should be entered in Section E, field 16, column (b). If the project includes a third year, the budget estimate for the third year should be entered in Section E, field 16, column (c).

Further details about this form can be can be found at:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/form-instructions/sf-424a-instructions.html.

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

(4) CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying. Enter “2018-NIST-PSIAP-UI” 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) Executive Summary and Quad Chart. (This does not count toward the page limit.) The executive summary must explicitly state the objectives and approaches to meet those objectives, anticipated challenges, and benefits and impacts of the proposed project. The summary must state which goal(s) the applicant is addressing (i.e., Goal 1, Goal 2, or both). The quad chart must contain a problem statement, the concept of the proposed project, the potential impact of the project, and key milestones and/or deliverables. The executive summary and the quad chart must not exceed one (1) page each. Any materials provided beyond the one (1) page limit for the executive summary and the one (1) page limit for the quad chart will be redacted and not provided to the reviewers.

(7) Technical Proposal. The Technical Proposal is a document of no more than twenty (20) pages total that is responsive to the goal(s) in the program description (see Section I. of this NOFO) and the Full Application evaluation criteria (see Section V.2. of this NOFO). The Technical Proposal must contain the following information:

(a) Project Description. This is a detailed description of the proposed project and should include:

i. A clear problem statement and well-defined objectives;

ii. A description of how the proposed R&D aligns with and meets the relevant goal(s) described in Section I. of this NOFO;

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/form-instructions/sf-424a-instructions.html

iii. A technology assessment that reflects the current state of the technology and the projected state of the technology as a direct result of successful project completion;

iv. Technology-specific key performance indicators and goals, as well as measurement techniques;

v. Hardware platform(s) and software engine(s) to be used to achieve objectives;

vi. Drawings, renderings, or diagrams and an explicit description of standards-based vs. non-standards-based interfaces, if applicable;

vii. Identification of anticipated outputs with a discussion of how the research and technology developed will be disseminated or made available; and

viii. Discussion of potential impacts to first responder communications and operations.

This section will be evaluated in accordance with the following three evaluation criteria: Technical, Performance, and Price (see Sections V.2.a.-c., of this NOFO).

(b) Project Execution. This section should provide clear and quantifiable milestones, timelines, and outputs that support the goals in the technical proposal. Technology transfer activities should not be included in this section, but rather in the Project Description, Section IV.3.a.(7)(a)vii (Identification of anticipated outputs with a discussion of how the research and technology developed will be disseminated or made available).

This section will be evaluated in accordance with the Performance evaluation criteria (see Section V.2.b.) of this NOFO).

(c) Qualifications and Resources Availability. This section should provide a detailed description of the qualifications of key personnel, both technical and managerial, who will be assigned to work on the proposed project. In addition, the applicant’s experience with technology development and production should be described, as well as the applicant’s access to the necessary staff, equipment, facilities, and overall support and resources required to accomplish the proposed objectives. Examples of the applicant’s demonstrated success on projects that are similar in scope and magnitude to the proposed project should be included in this section, if applicable. In addition, the applicant’s plans to sustain and manage work related to or in support of the proposed project once the project is complete should be included.

This section will be evaluated in accordance with the Performance evaluation criteria (see Section V.2.b.) of this NOFO.

(8) Resume(s). Resumes are required for all key personnel, including the principal investigator. Resumes are limited to two (2) pages per individual and do not count toward the twenty (20) page limit.

This section will be evaluated in accordance with the Performance evaluation criterion (see Section V.2.b. of this NOFO).

(9) Budget Narrative. (This does not count toward the page limit). The Budget Narrative must provide a detailed breakdown of each of the object class categories as reflected on the SF-424A. The budget justification should address all the budget categories (personnel, fringe benefits, equipment, travel, supplies, other direct costs and indirect costs) for which Federal funds are requested. The written justification should include the necessity and the basis for the cost.

Proposed funding levels must be consistent with the project scope, and only allowable costs should be included in the budget. Information on cost allowability is available in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 C.F.R. Part 200 (http://go.usa.gov/SBYh), which apply to awards in this program. Information needed for each category is as follows:

(a) Personnel. At a minimum, the budget justification for all personnel should include the following: name, job title, commitment of effort on the proposed project in terms of average number of hours per week or percentage of time, salary rate, total direct charges on the proposed project, description of the role of the individual on the proposed project and the work to be performed.

(b) Fringe Benefits. Fringe benefits should be identified separately from salaries and wages and based on rates determined by organizational policy. The items included in the fringe benefit rate (e.g. health insurance, parking, etc.)

should not be charged under another cost category.

(c) Equipment. Equipment is defined as an item of property that has an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more (unless the organization has established lower levels) and an expected service life of more than one year. Any items that do not meet the threshold for equipment can be included under the supplies line item. The budget justification should list each piece of equipment, the cost, and a description of how it will be used and why it is necessary to the successful completion of the proposed project. Please note that any general use equipment (computers, etc.) charged directly to the award should be allocated to the award according to expected usage on the project.

(d) Travel. For travel costs required by the recipient to complete the project, the budget justification for travel should include the following: destination; names and number of people traveling; dates and/or duration; mode of http://go.usa.gov/SBYh transportation, lodging and subsistence rates;…