2019-NIST-MSE-01 NOFO.pdf

2019 MSE NOFO

2019-NIST-MSE-01

April 26, 2019

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO) 1

Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs 2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

• Federal Agency Name: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 6 United States Department of Commerce (DoC) 7

• Funding Opportunity Title: Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) 9 Research Grant Programs 10

• Announcement Type: Initial 12

• Funding Opportunity Number: 2019-NIST-MSE-01 14

• Assistance Listings (CFDA Numbers): 11.609: Measurement and Engineering 16 Research and Standards, 11.619: Arrangements for Interdisciplinary Research 17 Infrastructure, and 11.620: Science, Technology, Business and/or Education 18 Outreach. 19

• Dates: Applications will be accepted and considered on a rolling basis as they are 21 received. See Section IV.4. in the Full Announcement Text of this NOFO. 22

When developing your submission timeline, please keep in mind that (1) all 24 applicants are required to have current registrations in the System for Award 25 Management (SAM.gov) and Grants.gov; (2) the free annual registration process in 26 the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) (see Section IV.3. and Section 27 IV.7.a.(1).(b). of this NOFO) often takes between three and five business days and 28 may take as long as two weeks; and (3) applicants will receive a series of e-mail 29 messages from Grants.gov over a period of up to two business days before learning 30 whether a Federal agency’s electronic system has received its application. Please 31 note that a federal assistance award cannot be issued if the designated 32 recipient’s registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) is not 33 current at the time of the award. 34

• Application Submission Address: Applications must be submitted using 36 Grants.gov. 37

• Funding Opportunity Description: NIST is soliciting applications for financial 39 assistance for Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) within the following NIST grant programs: 40

(1) the Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services (ADIIS); 42

(2) the Associate Director for Laboratory Programs (ADLP); 43

(3) the Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL); 44

(4) the Engineering Laboratory (EL); 45

(5) Fire Research (FR); 46

(6) the Information Technology Laboratory (ITL); 47

(7) the International and Academic Affairs Office (IAAO); 48

(8) the Material Measurement Laboratory (MML); 49

(9) the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR); 50

(10) the Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML); 51

(11) the Special Programs Office (SPO); and 52

(12) the Standards Coordination Office (SCO). 53

This funding opportunity will result in the award of grants or cooperative agreements. 55 A grant or cooperative agreement is not the correct funding vehicle if the principal 56 purpose is to provide products or services for the direct benefit or use of the federal 57 government. 58

• Anticipated Funding Amounts: See Section II. in the Full Announcement Text of 60 this NOFO. 61

• Funding Instrument: Grant or cooperative agreement, as appropriate. 63

• Who is Eligible: Eligibility for all programs listed in this NOFO is open to all non-65 Federal entities. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, non-66 profit organizations, for-profit organizations, state and local governments, Indian 67 tribes, hospitals, foreign public entities, and foreign governments. Please note that 68 individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not considered “non-Federal 69 entities” and are not eligible to apply under this NOFO. 70

• Cost Sharing or Matching Requirements: The MSE Research Grant Programs do 72 not require cost sharing or matching. 73

Table of Contents 75

I. Program Description ................................................................................................ 3 78

II. Federal Award Information ..................................................................................... 24 79

III. Eligibility Information .............................................................................................. 26 80

IV. Application and Submission Information ................................................................ 26 81

V. Application Review Information .............................................................................. 39 82

VI. Federal Award Administration Information ............................................................. 52 83

VII. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts ........................................................................ 66 84

VIII. Other ...................................................................................................................... 68 85

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT 88

I. Program Description 90

This funding opportunity will result in the award of grants or cooperative agreements. 92

1. Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services (ADIIS) Grant Program 94

The statutory authority for the ADIIS Grant Program is 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c) 96 and 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3). 97

Program Description: The ADIIS Grant Program supports activities that 99 develop, expand, strengthen, or sustain NIST partnership programs within the 100 ADIIS Directorate through measurements, standards, data, industry and 101 technology studies, and technology research and development (R&D). 102 Specifically, the ADIIS Grant Program seeks to support technology innovation 103 and service to American industry in the following fields: bioscience, chemistry, 104 dimensional metrology, electronics, engineering, infrastructure, information 105 technology, manufacturing, manufacturing metrology, materials science and 106 engineering, nanotechnology, neutron research, optics, and physics. 107

The ADIIS Directorate’s current partnership programs include the Baldrige 109

Performance Excellence Program1, the Hollings Manufacturing Extension 110 Partnership (MEP)2, programs within the NIST Office of Advanced 111 Manufacturing3, and programs within the NIST Technology Partnerships Office4. 112 Financial assistance may be provided to bolster measurements, standards, data 113 and technology R&D within these partnership programs, or through new 114 partnerships, to: 115

1 The Baldrige Program oversees the nation's only Presidential award for performance excellence while offering a wide array of award-winning products and services, including the world-renowned Baldrige Excellence Framework.

See https://www.nist.gov/baldrige for more information.

2 MEP is a public-private partnership with Centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico dedicated to serving small and medium-sized manufacturers. See https://www.nist.gov/mep for more information 3 The NIST Office of Advanced Manufacturing coordinates the network of Manufacturing USA institutes and leads the interagency Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office. See https://www.nist.gov/oam for more information.

4 Programs within the NIST Technology Partnership Office include the NIST Technology Transfer Program, the Lab to Market Initiative, and the Economic Analysis Program. See https://www.nist.gov/tpo for more information.

https://www.nist.gov/baldrige https://www.nist.gov/mep https://www.nist.gov/oam https://www.nist.gov/tpo

• advance early-stage research and development for industry; 117

• enhance opportunities in manufacturing through innovation; 118

• strengthen supplier programs for small and medium manufacturers; 119

• encourage the transfer and commercialization of research and technology 120 from institutions of higher education, federal laboratories, other federally 121 funded research programs, and nonprofit research institutes; 122

• create jobs or promote workforce development; or 123

• realize or sustain metrology needs in American industry, including through 124 technical metrology training programs for manufacturers. 125

Financial support may be provided for conferences, workshops, studies, or 127 technical R&D meetings that are relevant to advancing NIST partnerships 128 pursuant to technology innovation and service to American industry. However, 129 NIST cannot be an official sponsor or co-sponsor for any event funded through 130 this program. 131

All applications submitted to the ADIIS Grant Program must be in accordance 133 with the program objectives listed above. 134 Financial support will not be provided for the establishment of an MEP Center or 136 to augment capabilities of an MEP Center through an MEP Center applicant. 137 Current MEP Centers may add capabilities to the MEP Program, including the 138 development of projects to solve new or emerging manufacturing problems, 139 through the rolling MEP Competitive Awards Program NOFO (see 140 https://w3auth.nist.gov/mep/rolling-competitive-awards-program). 141 Financial support will not be provided for the NIST Small Business Innovation 143

Research (SBIR) program. The NIST SBIR program solicits research and 144 development proposals from small businesses that respond to specific technical 145 needs described in the annual NIST SBIR Program NOFO. Please visit the NIST 146 SBIR Program webpage for more information: https://www.nist.gov/tpo/small-147 business-innovation-research-program. 148

Additional information about the ADIIS and ADIIS Programs may be obtained at 150 https://www.nist.gov/adiis. The contact person for the ADIIS Grant Program, who 151 may be contacted for clarification of the program objectives, is Michael Molnar 152 and he may be reached at (301) 975-3673 or by e-mail at mike.molnar@nist.gov. 153

2. Associate Director for Laboratory Programs (ADLP) Grant Program 155

The statutory authority for the ADLP Grant Program is 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c) 157 and 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3). 158 https://w3auth.nist.gov/mep/rolling-competitive-awards-program https://www.nist.gov/tpo/small-business-innovation-research-program https://www.nist.gov/tpo/small-business-innovation-research-program https://www.nist.gov/adiis mailto:mike.molnar@nist.gov

Program Description: The ADLP Grant Program provides financial assistance 160 to support the conduct of research or a recipient’s portion of collaborative 161 research consistent with the NIST mission in the following fields: bioscience, 162 chemistry, materials, physics, engineering, infrastructure, information technology, 163 neutron research and nanotechnology. Financial support may be provided for 164 students to attend education and outreach programs, conferences, workshops, or 165 other technical research meetings that are relevant to the mission of the ADLP. 166 Financial support may also be provided to organizations sponsoring conferences, 167 workshops, education and outreach programs, or other technical events that are 168 relevant to the mission of the ADLP. However, NIST cannot be an official 169 sponsor or co-sponsor for any event funded through this program. 170

Additional information about the ADLP and ADLP Programs may be obtained at 172 http://www.nist.gov/director/adlp.cfm. 173 All applications submitted to the ADLP Grant Program must be in accordance 175 with the program objectives listed above. The contact person for the ADLP Grant 176 Program, who may be contacted for clarification of the program objectives, is 177 Jason Boehm and he may be reached at (301) 975-8678 or by e-mail at 178 jason.boehm@nist.gov. 179

3. Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL) Grant Program 181

The statutory authority for the CTL Grant Program is 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c), 183 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 278n-1. 184

Program Description: The CTL Grant Program provides financial assistance to 186 support the conduct of research or a recipient’s portion of collaborative research 187 consistent with the CTL mission in broad areas that support the accelerated 188 development, testing, and deployment of advanced communications 189 technologies in support of both commercial and government applications 190 including: high-speed electronics, wireless systems metrology, antenna and RF 191 capabilities, high-speed and high frequency measurement capabilities, advanced 192 optics, quantum communications, network design and optimization, network 193 modeling, spectrum sharing, and public safety network communications. 194 Additional information about the CTL and CTL Programs may be obtained at 196 www.nist.gov/ctl. All applications submitted must be in accordance with the 197 program objectives listed below for the three CTL divisions. The contact person 198 for the CTL Grant Program, who may be contacted for clarification of program 199 objectives, is Lucy Tedesco and she may be reached at (301) 975-3833 or by e-200 mail at lucy.tedesco@nist.gov. 201 http://www.nist.gov/director/adlp.cfm mailto:jason.boehm@nist.gov http://www.nist.gov/ctl

a. CTL Office. Financial support may be provided for conferences, workshops, 203 or other technical research meetings that are relevant to the mission of the 204 CTL, as well as the development and deployment of spectrum-efficient and 205 spectrum-sharing technologies, including support of the National Advanced 206 Spectrum and Communications Test Network (NASCTN). However, NIST 207 cannot be an official sponsor or co-sponsor for any event funded through this 208 program. Applications for other purposes may be considered. 209

b. RF Technologies Division. Specific objectives of interest include but are not 211 limited to researching, developing, promoting, measuring, and deploying 212 emerging technologies and standards in fundamental microwave quantities, 213 high-speed microelectronics, electromagnetic compatibility, electromagnetic 214 field characterization, antenna metrology, electromagnetic properties of 215 materials, spectrum sharing, and radio-frequency communications systems. 216

c. Wireless Networks Division. Specific objectives of interest include but are 218 not limited to researching, developing, promoting, measuring, and deploying 219 emerging technologies and standards that revolutionize how wireless 220 networks are operated and used; conducting theoretical and experimental 221 research in communication networks, protocols, digital communication 222 systems, and components; utilizing analytical and empirical approaches, 223 developing simulation models, experimental test beds, and building proof of 224 concept prototypes to evaluate new technologies and refine standard 225 specifications for wireless networks and systems; and developing metrics and 226 measurement methods to assess the performance of wireless systems. 227

4. Engineering Laboratory (EL) Grant Program 229

The statutory authorities for the EL Grant Program are 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and 231 (c), 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3), 15 U.S.C. § 278n-1, 15 U.S.C. § 278n-2, 232 42 U.S.C. § 7701 et seq., 42 U.S.C. § 15701 et seq., and section 1305 of the 233 Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-140). 234

Program Description: The EL Grant Program provides financial assistance to 236 support the conduct of research or a recipient’s portion of collaborative research 237 consistent with the EL’s mission to support research in the following fields: 238 advanced manufacturing; additive manufacturing; robotics; intelligent systems 239 and information systems integration for applications in manufacturing; polymeric 240 materials; heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC & R) 241 equipment performance; mechanical systems and controls; heat transfer and 242 alternative energy systems; indoor air quality and ventilation; cyber-physical 243 systems; smart grid; Internet of Things; applied economics; and fire research. 244 Financial support may be provided for conferences, workshops, or other 245 technical research meetings that are relevant to the mission of EL. However, 246

NIST cannot be an official sponsor or co-sponsor for any event funded through 247 this program. Additional information about the EL and EL Programs may be 248 obtained at www.nist.gov/el. 249

The EL Grant Program supports the EL mission to promote U.S. innovation and 251 industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and 252 technology for engineered systems in ways that enhance economic security and 253 improve quality of life. Typical funded activities may include measurement 254 science research; development of performance metrics, tools, and 255 methodologies for engineering technologies and applications; and critical 256 technical contributions to standards and codes development. 257

All applications submitted must be in accordance with the program objectives 259 listed below. The appropriate EL Program Manager for each EL field of research 260 described in this Section may be contacted for clarification of the program 261 objectives. The contact person for the EL Grant Program is Millie Glick and she 262 may be reached at (301) 975-5962 or by e-mail at millie.glick@nist.gov. 263

a. Applied Economics Office. The primary objective is to provide standardized 265 methods, economic models, training programs and materials and expert 266 technical consulting in support of resource allocation decisions and uses 267 techniques such as benefit-cost analysis, life-cycle costing, multi-criteria 268 decision analysis and econometrics to evaluate new technologies. The 269 contact person is David Butry and he may be reached at (301) 975-6136 or 270 by e-mail at david.butry@nist.gov 271

b. Smart Grid and Cyber-Physical Systems Program Office. The primary 273 objective is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness in 274 areas of critical national priority by anticipating and meeting the measurement 275 science and standards needs for cyber-physical systems, such as smart grid, 276 and Internet of Things, in ways that enhance economic prosperity and 277 improve the quality of life. The contact person is David Wollman and he may 278 be reached at (301) 975-2433 or by e-mail at david.wollman@nist.gov. 279

c. Materials and Structural Systems Division. The primary objective is to 281 collaborate with or conduct research consistent with the division’s programs in 282 the area of construction materials and infrastructural systems (including 283 safety, security, and sustainability of building and physical infrastructure, 284 service-life performance of engineered materials and nanomaterials, and 285 construction cycle time reductions). In particular, applications for financial 286 assistance are sought that would address the following specific subject areas: 287

(1) Polymeric Materials: Provide the measurement science needed to 289 support standards used to classify and specify materials used in 290 http://www.nist.gov/el mailto:millie.glick@nist.gov mailto:David.butry@nist.gov mailto:avid.wollman@nist.gov infrastructure, construction, and manufacturing to ensure sustainable 291 performance. This materials program approaches the solution of this 292 problem from the perspective of service life prediction, a crucial 293 sustainability metric, and applies this concept to multifunctional polymers 294 and nano-composites. These two material thrusts will support the 295 development of measurement science composed of a combination of 296 characterization, performance measurement, accelerated durability tests, 297 and modeling to develop standards that will be used by industry and 298 specified by end-users in these broad application areas to enable service 299 life prediction and thus help to ensure sustainable materials performance. 300 The contact person for this division is Jason Averill and he may be 301 reached at (301) 975-2585 or by e-mail at jason.averill@nist.gov. 302

d. Energy and Environment Division. The primary objective is to collaborate 304 with or conduct research consistent with the laboratory programs in areas 305 related to measurement science needed to enable net zero energy high 306 performance green buildings. The breadth of this area includes measurement 307 science associated with the building envelope, HVAC equipment, renewable 308 and alternative energy systems, building controls/building automation 309 systems, and strategies to improve indoor air quality. In particular, 310 applications for financial assistance are sought that would: 311

(1) Provide measurement science for net-zero energy, high-performance 313 buildings. Measurement systems, approaches, and predictive models are 314 required that can help to enable net-zero energy, high-performance 315 buildings. A primary objective is to develop measurement methods and 316 approaches, data, and predictive models to assess the effectiveness of 317 building enclosures from a thermal and airtightness perspective, the 318 performance of indoor space conditioning systems, the performance of 319 photovoltaics and other renewable and alternative energy systems, and 320 indoor air quality. Additionally, an objective is to develop techniques to 321 assess buildings on a whole-building scale. These techniques could 322 involve standards, system interactions, and factors beyond energy use. 323 The contact person is William Healy and he may be reached at (301) 975-324 4922 or by e-mail at william.healy@nist.gov. 325

(2) Enable energy-use reduction through embedded intelligence in 327 building controls. Next-generation metrics and tools are needed that 328 enable the development and deployment of building automation and 329 control systems with embedded intelligence that reduce energy 330 consumption through improvements to building system operation. A 331 primary objective is to develop measurement methods, models, and 332 algorithms/tools suitable for embedding in building control system 333 products that enable better or more automated system commissioning, 334 mailto:jason.averill@nist.gov mailto:william.healy@nist.gov automated fault detection and diagnostics, improved system-level 335 optimization, and integration of building systems with a smart electrical 336 grid. Additionally, an objective is to conduct research that provides a basis 337 for new industry standards for embedded intelligence systems. The 338 contact person is Steven Bushby and he may be reached at (301) 975-339 5873 or by e-mail at steve.bushby@nist.gov. 340

(3) Develop metrics/tools for building sustainability evaluation. Next-342 generation metrics and tools enabling rigorous sustainability assessment 343 over the building service life are needed to link sustainable building 344 technology innovation to environmental/economic benefits. A primary 345 objective is the development of databases and/or models for estimating 346 component and system costs for existing and emerging energy-related 347 technologies in new buildings. Additionally, an objective is to develop 348 techniques for performing life-cycle impact assessments of emerging 349 technologies for achieving low energy and/or net zero energy performance 350 in new buildings. The contact person is David Butry and he may be 351 reached at (301) 975-6136 or by e-mail at david.butry@nist.gov. 352

e. Systems Integration Division. Measurement science and standards are 354 important to facilitate smart manufacturing solutions to systems integration 355 problems. A primary objective is the development of mathematically sound, 356 model-based, integration standards and new science-based methods and 357 tools for validating compliance to those standards. Topical areas supporting 358 this objective include system architectures; systems engineering; production 359 network integration; service-based manufacturing; manufacturing simulation; 360 methods and tools for assessing material and energy efficiency; data 361 analytics; machine learning; uncertainty quantification; systems assurance 362 methods and tools; model-based engineering, including multi-physics 363 modeling, process modeling, requirements modeling, information modeling, 364 material modeling, assembly modeling, sustainability modeling, and model 365 composability and compositionality. The contact person is Vijay Srinivasan 366 and he may be reached at (301) 975-3508 or by e-mail at 367 vijay.srinivasan@nist.gov. 368

f. Intelligent Systems Division. The primary objective is to collaborate with or 370 conduct research consistent with Division programs and research in 371 measurement science for intelligent systems. Areas of particular interest 372 include performance metrics, measurement methods and tools, test artifacts, 373 and associated reference data and software for: 374

(1) Robotic systems for smart manufacturing (including measurement science 376 for perception, dexterous manipulation and grasping, mobility, human-377 robot and robot-robot collaboration, agility, robot system integration, and 378 mailto:steve.bushby@nist.gov mailto:david.butry@nist.gov mailto:vijay.srinivasan@nist.gov

Artificial Intelligence (AI) for manufacturing robotic applications); 379

(2) Additive manufacturing (including characterization of additive 380 manufacturing materials; modeling, monitoring, and real-time control of 381 additive manufacturing processes; and measurement science supporting 382 the qualification of additive manufacturing materials, machines and 383 processes, and parts); 384

(3) Sensing, prognostics, and health management (PHM) for smart 385 manufacturing, including AI applications for PHM; 386

(4) Industrial wireless networking in factory environments; 387

(5) Industrial control system cybersecurity; and 388

(6) Emergency response robot performance metrics and standards. 389

Additional information regarding Intelligent Systems Division research programs 391 and projects can be found at www.nist.gov/el/isd. The contact person for this 392 division is Albert Wavering and he may be reached at (301) 975-3418 or by e-393 mail at albert.wavering@nist.gov. 394

5. Fire Research (FR) Grant Program 396

The statutory authority for the FR Grant Program is 15 U.S.C. § 272(b)(4), 15 398 U.S.C. § 278f, 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 278n-1. 399

Program Description: The FR Grant Program provides financial assistance to 401 support the conduct of research or a recipient’s portion of collaborative research 402 in areas of current interest to the Fire Research Division. The Fire Research 403 Division develops, verifies, and utilizes measurements and predictive methods to 404 quantify the behavior of fire and means to reduce the impact of fire on people, 405 property, and the environment. This work involves integration of laboratory 406 measurements, verified methods of prediction, and large-scale fire experiments 407 to demonstrate the use and value of the research products. Details on current 408 Division research activities are available at 409 http://www.nist.gov/el/fire_research/index.cfm. Also, NIST SP 1130 “Reducing 410 the Risk of Fire in Buildings and Communities: A Strategic Roadmap to Guide 411 and Prioritize Research” provides an overview of current research interests: 412 http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=909653. The 413 contact person for the FR Grant Program is Dr. Jiann Yang and he may be 414 reached at (301) 975-6662 or by e-mail at jiann.yang@nist.gov. 415

All applications submitted must be in accordance with the program objectives 417 listed below. The appropriate FR Program Manager for each FR field of research 418 described in this Section may be contacted for clarification of the program 419 objectives. 420

(1) Fire Fighting Technology Group. Develops, advances, and deploys 422 http://www.nist.gov/el/isd mailto:albert.wavering@nist.gov http://www.nist.gov/el/fire_research/index.cfm http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-search.cfm?pub_id=909653 mailto:millie.glick@nist.gov measurement science to improve fire fighting safety and effectiveness, and 423 provide a science-based understanding of fire phenomena. Carries out 424 mission-related measurement science research and services to advance 425 cyber-physically-based (smart) fire fighting, technology integration into fire-426 fighting equipment, and physics-based training tools that predict fire 427 phenomena and their effects on structures and occupants and conducts 428 disaster and failure studies to reduce the risk of fire hazard to buildings and 429 fire fighters. The contact person for this group is Anthony Putorti and he 430 may be reached at (301)-975-8615 or by e-mail at 431 anthony.putorti@nist.gov. 432

(2) Engineered Fire Safety Group. Develops, advances, and deploys 434 measurement science for cost-effective fire protection of structures. 435 Carries out mission-related measurement science research and services 436 to predict the fire performance of structures with respect to ignition fire 437 growth and spread, detection, suppression, toxicity, and egress; develops 438 cost-effective performance-based codes, standards, and practices used 439 for fire prevention and control; and conducts disaster and failure studies to 440 reduce the risk of fire hazard to buildings and occupants. The contact 441 person for this group is Thomas Cleary and he may be reached at (301) 442 975-6858 or by e-mail at Thomas.cleary@nist.gov 443

(3) Flammability Reduction Group. Develops, advances, and deploys 445 measurement science to reduce the fire hazard of building contents and 446 construction materials. Carries out mission-related measurement science 447 research and services to reduce material ignition probability, fire growth 448 and spread, and environmental impacts; and supports development of 449 codes and standards for cost-effective, fire-safe building contents and 450 construction materials. The contact person for this group is Rick Davis 451 and he may be reached at (301) 975-5901 or by email at 452 rick.davis@nist.gov. 453

(4) Wildland Urban Interface Fire Group. Develops, advances, and deploys 455 measurement science to reduce the risk of fire spread in wildland-urban 456 interface (WUI) communities. Carries out mission-related measurement 457 science research and services to develop risk exposure metrics, predict 458 the spread of fires in WUI communities, assess fire performance of 459 structures and communities, mitigate the impact of WUI fires on structures 460 and communities, and conduct disaster and failure studies to reduce the 461 risk of fire hazard in WUI communities. The contact person for this group 462 is Jiann Yang and he may be reached at (301) 975-6662 or by e-mail at 463 jiann.yang@nist.gov. 464

6. Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) Grant Program 466 mailto:anthony.putorti@nist.gov mailto:Thomas.cleary@nist.gov mailto:rick.davis@nist.gov mailto:jiann.yang@nist.gov

The statutory authority for the ITL Grant Program is 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c), 468 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3), and 15 U.S.C. § 278n-1. 469

Program Description: The ITL Grant Program provides financial assistance to 471 support the conduct of research or a recipient’s portion of collaborative research 472 in the broad areas of Advanced Network Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Big 473 Data, Biometrics, Cloud Computing, Cyber-Physical Systems, Cybersecurity, 474 Forensic Science, Health Information Technology, Human Factors and Usability, 475 Information Access, Information Processing and Understanding, Internet of 476 Things (IoT), Metrology Infrastructure for Modeling and Simulation, Privacy 477 Engineering, Quantum Information Science, and Statistics for Metrology. 478 Specific objectives of interest in these areas of research include: Acoustic Scene 480 Understanding; Advanced Distributed Denial of Service Detection and Mitigation 481 Techniques; Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning & Digital Forensics; 482 Biometrics for Search, Verification and Clustering of Identity; Computational 483 Biology; Computational Materials Science; Computer Vision/Video Analytics; 484 Cryptography and Cryptographic Test Methods; Cybersecurity Awareness, 485 Training, Education, and Workforce Development; Cybersecurity Risk 486 Management and Measurement Techniques; Data Analytics; Data Storage, 487 Preservation, Query, Indexing, and Access Technology; Device Identity and 488 Authentication for People, Devices, and Processes; Distributed File Systems; 489 Human Language Technology; Image Analysis; Information Centric Networking; 490 IoT for Health Applications; Internet Inter-Domain Routing Robustness; Light 491 Weight Cryptography; Measurement Science for Complex Networked Information 492 Systems; Medical Device Interoperability; Mobile Platform and Application 493 Security; Mobility and Mobile App Security; Network Anomaly 494 Detection/Evaluation; Network Function Virtualization/Software Defined 495 Networking; Network Programming; Next Generation Internet Architectures; Post 496 Quantum Cryptography; Privacy Engineering and Risk Management; Privacy 497 Enhancing Cryptography, Entropy Assessment, Cybersecurity Conformance 498 Testing, Security Automation, and Security Engineering; Quantum Algorithms 499 and Complexity Theory; Quantum Communications; Scientific Visualization; 500 Search and Retrieval Algorithms; Secure Communications for Cloud; Secure 501 Distributed Computation; Secure Domain Name System Technologies; Security 502 Testing Tools and Metrics; Semantics; Service Oriented Architecture; Software 503 Assurance for Small Applications and Devices; Statistical Methods in Forensic 504 Science, Graph Theory and Network Science; Systems Biology; Systems 505 Interoperability; Trusted Ad Hoc Networks; and Voting Systems Standards. 506 Additional information about the ITL and ITL Programs may be obtained at 508 www.nist.gov/itl. 509 http://www.nist.gov/itl

Financial support may be provided to attend education and outreach programs, 511 conferences, workshops, or other technical research meetings that are relevant 512 to the mission of the ITL. Financial support may also be provided to organizations 513 sponsoring conferences, workshops, or other technical events that are relevant 514 to the mission of the ITL. However, NIST cannot be an official sponsor or co-515 sponsor for any event funded through this program. 516 All applications submitted to the ITL Grant Program must be in accordance with 518 the program objectives listed above. The contact person for the ITL Grant 519 Program, who may be contacted for clarification of program objectives, is Carol 520 Clark and she may be reached at (301) 975-2239 or by e-mail at 521 carol.clark@nist.gov. 522

7. International and Academic Affairs Office (IAAO) Grant Program 524 The statutory authority for the IAAO Grant Program is 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c). 526

Program Description: The IAAO Grant Program has been designed to support 528 activities that strengthen and enhance the international metrology community, 529 and promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness in support of the 530 NIST mission. NIST seeks to promote the efforts of International Organizations 531 with a metrology mission, Regional Metrology Organizations, National Metrology 532 Institutes and Designated Institutes to bolster the global metrology system and 533 regional metrology cooperation and enhance quality infrastructure. The IAAO 534 Grant Program will support scientific, industrial and/or legal metrology activities 535 and related quality infrastructure endeavors with an emphasis on the Western 536 Hemisphere, Asia Pacific and Africa. Financial support may be provided for 537 conferences, workshops, or other technical meetings that are relevant to the 538 mission of the IAAO. However, NIST cannot be an official sponsor or co-sponsor 539 for any event funded through this program. Additional information about the IAAO 540 and IAAO Programs may be obtained at http://nist.gov/iaao/. All applications 541 submitted to the IAAO Grant Program must be in accordance with the program 542 objectives listed above. The contact person for the IAAO Grant Program, who 543 may be contacted for clarification of the program objectives, is Claire Saundry 544 and she may be reached at (301) 975-2386 or by e-mail at csaundry@nist.gov. 545

8. Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) Grant Program 547

The statutory authority for the MML Grant Program is 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c) 549 and 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3). 550

Program Description: 552

The MML supports the NIST mission by serving as the national reference 554 mailto:carol.clark@nist.gov http://nist.gov/iaao/ mailto:csaundry@nist.gov laboratory for measurements in the chemical, biological, and material 555 sciences. The MML is entrusted with developing, maintaining, advancing, and 556 enabling measurement systems in these areas for the nation. The MML’s 557 activities range from fundamental and applied research on the composition, 558 structure, and properties of industrial, biological, and environmental materials 559 and processes to the development and dissemination of certified reference 560 materials, critically evaluated data and other programs that help assure 561 measurement quality. 562 The MML Grant Program provides financial assistance to support the 564 conduct of research or a recipient’s portion of collaborative research in the 565 following fields: materials science and engineering, materials 566 measurement science, biosystems and biomaterials, biomolecular 567 measurements, chemical sciences, and applied chemicals and materials. 568 All applications submitted to the MML Grant Program must be in accordance with 570 the program objectives set forth below. The appropriate MML Program Manager 571 for each MML field of research described in this section may be contacted for 572 clarification of the program objectives. The MML Grant Program contact person 573 is Bill Clark and he may be reached at (303) 497-3268 or by e-mail at 574 william.clark@nist.gov. 575

a. MML Office. Financial support may be provided for education and outreach 577 programs, conferences, workshops, or other technical research meetings that 578 are relevant to the mission of the MML. Financial support may also be 579 provided to organizations sponsoring conferences, workshops, or other 580 technical events that are relevant to the mission of the MML. However, NIST 581 cannot be an official sponsor or co-sponsor for any event funded through this 582 program. The contact person for this office is Bill Clark and he may be 583 reached at (303) 497-3268 or by e-mail at william.clark@nist.gov. 584

b. Office of Data and Informatics. The primary objective is to support 586 researchers and institutions in the biological, chemical, and materials 587 sciences who need to leverage both large and information-rich data sets now 588 common in many disciplines. The division supports National needs such as 589 the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) and biological and chemical data 590 integration, as well as the modernization of current Standard Reference Data 591 for use in state-of-the-art computer paradigms (i.e., virtual computing, parallel 592 analysis, interoperability, semantic web, etc.) and the development of next 593 generation NIST reference data services. The division also facilitates the 594 MML's adherence to the government open-data policy by providing guidance 595 and assistance in the best practices for archiving and annotating research 596 and data outputs. The Office of Data and Informatics (ODI) identifies, 597 coordinates, integrates, and builds the capabilities needed to meet data 598 mailto:william.clark@nist.gov mailto:william.clark@nist.gov challenges and leverage data-driven research opportunities (including Big 599 Data and data.gov), particularly those that relate to the biological, chemical, 600 and materials science communities within the MML. As a service-oriented 601 organization, the ODI adds value to data activities by providing guidance, 602 assistance, and resources for optimizing the discoverability, usability, and 603 interoperability of data products in ways that support NIST scientists and 604 stakeholders. In addition, by fostering collaboration and coordination among 605 MML domain experts and other data specialists at NIST, the ODI supports 606 MML research programs where advanced manipulation, visualization, and 607 analysis of large data sets are needed to advance knowledge. The contact 608 person for this division is Robert Hanisch; he may be reached at (301) 975-609 3463 or by e-mail at robert.hanisch@nist.gov. 610

c. Materials Science and Engineering Division. The primary objective is to 612 collaborate or conduct research consistent with division programs that provide 613 the measurement science, standards, technology, instrumentation, and data 614 required to support the Nation’s need to design, develop, manufacture, and 615 use materials. Division programs include the following: measurement 616 methods, data, standards, and science that support the development of 617 synthetic polymeric materials with controlled molecular structures; polymeric 618 materials in energy, water, and electronics applications; the development of 619 complex fluids, formulations, emulsions, and dispersions; thin films and 620 nanostructures processing of metals and electronic materials; advanced 621 magnetic materials and devices; the mechanical properties of advanced 622 materials, such as high strength steel and aluminum alloys, under extreme 623 environmental and operating conditions; the development of thermodynamic 624 and kinetic models, density functional theory calculations, measurements and 625 data to predict phase transformations, microstructure evolution, and 626 properties of advanced materials; the development of additive manufacturing 627 processes for metallic and polymeric materials; and foster the development 628 and use of infrastructure and tools to support the production, availability, and 629 discovery of materials data. The contact person for this division is Mark 630 VanLandingham and he may be reached at (301) 975-8795 or by e-mail at 631 mark.vanlandingham@nist.gov . 632

d. Materials Measurement Science Division. The primary objective is to 634 collaborate or conduct research consistent with division programs in support 635 of measurement science, measurement standards, and measurement 636 technology required to enable world-leading characterization of advanced 637 materials in support of the nation’s needs for determining the composition, 638 structure, and properties of materials. The division develops state-of-the-art 639 instrumentation, methods, models and software to accurately and precisely 640 measure materials over a range of length and time scales. The division 641 provides benchmarking and validation of emerging materials analysis 642 mailto:robert.hanisch@nist.gov mailto:mark.vanlandingham@nist.gov methods, and disseminates reference materials, standards and scientific data 643 to foster innovation and advance a wide range of technologies. Division 644 programs include: advanced microscopies, microanalysis and imaging; 645 nanomaterials and nanodevice research; solid sorbents characterization; 646 nanocalorimetry; high throughput materials science; energy conversion 647 materials; nanomechanical properties; synchrotron science for materials 648 characterization; materials structure and dynamics; modeling and predicting 649 materials structure and properties; chemical detection technologies and 650 standards for forensics and homeland security applications; and materials 651 science and standards for law enforcement equipment and technologies. 652 The contact person for this division is Dave Holbrook and he may be reached 653 at (301) 975-5202 or by email at dave.holbrook@nist.gov . 654

e. Biosystems and Biomaterials Division. The primary objective is to 656 collaborate with or conduct research consistent with division projects in 657 measurement science, standards, and technology to build confidence in 658 quantitative biology and foster responsible biotechnology innovation. The 659 Division supports quantitative measurement and standardization for methods 660 such as bioimaging, flow cytometry, genomic and metagenomic 661 measurements, as well as the design and validation of bioassays. The 662 Division further supports the development of advanced measurement 663 capabilities and integration of AI/ML to accelerate quantitative and/or 664 predictive biology. Current priorities include precision measurements and 665 predictive engineering of biological systems to support precision medicine, 666 cell-based manufacturing, and other new technologies enabled by genome 667 editing. This includes measurements pertinent to method validation for 668 bioassays, genome sequencing measurements of complex cellular systems 669 and other biological entities via genomic, transcriptomics, proteomic, cell 670 identification, cell enumeration, biological activity/function, as well as 671 measurement assurance strategies for these measurements, cell 672 enumeration, function, as well as assurance strategies. The contact person 673 for this division is Sheng Lin-Gibson and she may be reached at (301) 975-674 6765 or by email at sheng.lin-gibson@nist.gov. 675

f. Biomolecular Measurement Division. The primary objective is to 677 collaborate with or conduct research consistent with the division activities in 678 measurement science, standards, technology, and data required to support 679 the nation’s needs in determining the composition, structure, quantity, and 680 function of biomolecules. In partnership with U.S. industry, government 681 agencies, and scientific institutions, the division performs fundamental and 682 applied research on the measurement of macromolecules such as proteins 683 and nucleic acids, as well as peptides, glycans, metabolites, lipids, and 684 natural products. Specific areas of interest include development of 685 measurement methods, standards, reference data, and technologies for 686 mailto:dave.holbrook@nist.gov mailto:sheng.lin-gibson@nist.gov applications involving clinical diagnostics for healthcare; characterization, 687 development, and manufacturing of biotherapeutics; proteomics, 688 metabolomics, and drug discovery; and genetic testing in agriculture, law 689 enforcement, and clinical diagnostics. The contact person for this division is 690 Michael Tarlov and he may be reached at (301) 975-2058 or by email at 691 michael.tarlov@nist.gov. 692

g. Chemical Sciences Division. The primary objective is to collaborate with or 694 conduct research consistent with the division activities in support of the 695 measurement science, reference standards, technology, data and chemical 696 informatics required to support the nation’s needs in the determination of 697 chemical composition and chemical structure of organic, and inorganic 698 species in the gas and condensed phases, and in the measurement of a wide 699 variety of physicochemical properties and processes, including chemical 700 reactivity and mechanisms, as well as thermochemical and kinetics 701 properties. In partnership with U.S. industry, government agencies, and 702 academic scientific institutions, the division performs fundamental and applied 703 research to advance and create state-of-the-art chemical measurement 704 capabilities, theory and computational methods for quantitative 705 measurements, and sensing of solids, liquids, gases, plasmas, transient 706 species, and multicomponent matrices. The division also formulates and 707 disseminates reference materials and measurement standards, and critically 708 evaluates reference data. These activities support the chemical science, 709 technology, and engineering enterprise with the intent of fostering innovation 710 and confidence in measurements and technologies used in a wide range of 711 applications, including chemical analysis, environmental and greenhouse gas 712 emissions, clinical health assessment, food and nutritional assessment, 713 sensing, manufacturing, and energy transformation. The contact person for 714 this division is Carlos Gonzalez and he may be reached at (301) 975-2483 or 715 by e-mail at carlos.gonzalez@nist.gov. 716

h. Applied Chemicals and Materials Division. The primary objective is to 718 collaborate with or conduct research consistent with division programs in the 719 measurement science, standards, technology, instrumentation, models and 720 data required to support the nation’s needs for design, production, and 721 assessment of chemical and material products. In partnership with U.S. 722 industry, other government agencies and other scientific institutions, the 723 division provides thermophysical and mechanical properties; analysis of 724 reliability and performance of materials and structures; and information 725 systems for chemical and materials engineering, with the intent of fostering 726 innovation and confidence in the nation’s physical and energy infrastructures, 727 enabling advances in chemical manufacturing and in electronics, and 728 promoting sustainability. The contact person for this division is Dan Friend 729 and he may be reached at (303) 497-5424 or by e-mail at 730 mailto:michael.tarlov@nist.gov mailto:carlos.gonzalez@nist.gov daniel.friend@nist.gov. 731

9. NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) Grant Program 733

The statutory authority for the NCNR Grant Program is 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and 735

(c) and 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3). 736

Program Description: The NCNR Grant Program provides financial assistance 738 to support the conduct of research or a recipient’s portion of collaborative 739 research involving neutron scattering and the development of innovative 740 technologies that advance the state-of-the-art in neutron research. Additional 741 information about the NCNR and NCNR Programs may be obtained at 742 www.nist.gov/ncnr.