2021-NIST-GMSE-01 NOFO.pdf

Graduate Student Measurement Science and Engineering (GMSE) Fellowship Program Notice of Funding Opportunity

February 4, 2021

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

Graduate Student Measurement Science and Engineering (GMSE) Fellowship

Program

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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

• Funding Opportunity Title: Graduate Student Measurement Science and Engineering (GMSE) Fellowship Program

• Announcement Type: Initial

• Funding Opportunity Number: 2021-NIST-GMSE-01

• Assistance Listing (CFDA Number): 11.620, Science, Technology, Business and/or Education Outreach

• Dates: Full Applications must be received at Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m.

Eastern Time, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Applications received after this deadline will not be reviewed or considered. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants should be aware, and factor in their application submission planning, that the Grants.gov system closes periodically for routine maintenance.

Applicants should visit Grants.gov for information about any scheduled closures.

NIST expects to complete its review, selection of successful applicants, and award processing by June 2021. NIST expects the earliest start date for awards under this NOFO to be June 2021.

Applicants are strongly urged to read Section IV.2.b., Attachment of Required Application Documents, with great attention. Applicants should carefully follow the instructions and recommendations regarding attachments and use the Download Submitted Forms and Applications feature on www.grants.gov to check that all required attachments were contained in their submission.

Applications submitted without the required documents will not pass the Initial Administrative Review.

When developing the submission timeline, please keep in mind that: (1) all applicants are required to have current registrations in the electronic System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and Grants.gov; (2) the free annual registration process in SAM.gov generally takes between three and five business days but https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

February 4, 2021 can take more than three weeks; and (3) applicants 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 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 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’s Graduate Student Measurement Science and Engineering (GMSE) Fellowship Program is seeking applications from eligible applicants for activities to provide master’s and doctoral-level graduate students with opportunities and financial assistance to obtain laboratory experiences within the NIST laboratories in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The recipient will work with NIST to foster collaborative STEM research relationships among NIST, master’s and doctoral-level graduate students, and the students’ academic institutions.

• Anticipated Amounts: Approximately $650,000 may be made available in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 for the first year of multi-year awards to eligible applicants. New awards are expected to range from approximately $200,000 to $650,000 annually, with project performance periods of up to five (5) years, consistent with the multi-year funding policy described in Section II.2. of this NOFO. Thus, NIST may fund up to approximately $3,250,000 for the GMSE Fellowship Program over five (5) years. The specific number of awards will be determined during the selection process, based on the nature and quality of the proposals NIST receives.

• Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement

• Eligibility: Eligibility for the program listed in this NOFO is open to all non-

Federal entities. Eligible applicants include: accredited institutions of higher education; non-profit organizations; commercial organizations; and state, local and Indian tribal governments. The applicant organization must be located in the United States and its territories. 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.

An eligible organization may work individually or include proposed sub-awards or contracts with others in a project proposal, effectively forming a team or http://grants.gov/

February 4, 2021 consortium. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to select underrepresented minorities for participation in the GMSE Fellowship Program.

NIST is not accepting applications from individual graduate-level researchers to conduct work within the NIST laboratories on any NIST campus. This NOFO seeks only applications from institutions with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to develop and manage a GMSE Fellowship Program that will provide master’s-and doctoral-level graduate students with opportunities and financial assistance to obtain laboratory experiences within the NIST laboratories.

• Cost Sharing Requirements: Non-federal cost share is not required for awards issued pursuant to this NOFO.

• Public Website and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

NIST has a public website, https://www.nist.gov/iaao/academic-affairs-office/nist-graduate-student-measurement-science-and-engineering-gmse that provides a “Frequently Asked Questions” page and other information pertaining to this Funding Opportunity1. Any amendments to this NOFO will be announced through

Applicants must submit all questions pertaining to this funding opportunity in writing to jeanita.pritchett@nist.gov with “2021-NIST-GMSE-01” in the subject line.

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

1 Refer to Section VII. of this NOFO, Federal Awarding Agency Contacts, Programmatic and Technical Questions, if more information is needed.

https://www.nist.gov/iaao/academic-affairs-office/nist-graduate-student-measurement-science-and-engineering-gmse https://www.nist.gov/iaao/academic-affairs-office/nist-graduate-student-measurement-science-and-engineering-gmse mailto:jeanita.pritchett@nist.gov

February 4, 2021

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Program Description

The statutory authorities for the NIST Graduate Student Measurement Science and Engineering (GMSE) Fellowship Program are 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(a) and (e); 15 U.S.C. §272(b) and (c).

Program Description. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is one of the nation's premiere research institutions for the physical and engineering sciences and, as the lead Federal agency for technology transfer, it provides a strong interface between government, industry and academia. NIST embodies a science culture, developed from a large and well-equipped research staff that enthusiastically blends programs that address the immediate needs of industry with longer-term research that anticipates future needs. In this context, NIST is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants to provide administrative support for the NIST Graduate Student Measurement Science and Engineering (GMSE) Fellowship Program. The awardee(s) in this program will enable graduate students accepted for the program to obtain laboratory experiences within the NIST laboratories in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines that are pertinent to research priorities at NIST and support the students' work towards their graduate degrees.

The recipient will work with NIST to foster collaborative research relationships among NIST, master’s and doctoral-level graduate students, and the students’ academic institutions in STEM disciplines that are pertinent to research priorities at NIST. The recipient may cooperate with any accredited U.S. institution(s) of higher learning and/or other organization(s) in planning and implementing the GMSE Fellowship Program. The awardee(s) will administer the application process for potential graduate student participants and facilitate distribution of funds to students selected to participate in the GMSE program through their graduate institutions. The funding will be delivered to recipient institutions on behalf of participating students. The awardee(s) will also be responsible for collecting information related to the technical progress of the selected students during their tenure in the GMSE program. The awardee(s) will coordinate with the NIST International and Academic Affairs Office (IAAO) and NIST Technical Advisors (designated laboratory personnel) to identify potential collaborative research opportunities for students applying for the program.

Specifically, the recipient will work cooperatively with NIST to:

February 4, 2021

1) identify (with NIST) and financially support master’s and doctoral-level graduate students to conduct on-site collaborative research with NIST staff at NIST laboratories in Gaithersburg, Maryland; Charleston, South Carolina; and/or Boulder, Colorado; 2) promote the development of a diverse, educated, and skilled pool of scientists and engineers in measurement science and engineering, 3) enable the establishment of collaborative relationships between NIST scientists and engineers and academic institution faculty and students in the area of measurement science and engineering; and 4) conduct outreach to enhance student participation from underrepresented communities in the GMSE Fellowship Program in an effort to increase diversity in the STEM workforce.

The recipient will collaborate with the NIST IAAO in selecting graduate-level researchers to participate in the GMSE Fellowship Program. In accordance with the procedures proposed by the recipient and included in the cooperative agreement, IAAO anticipates working with staff from the NIST Laboratories within the NIST Laboratory Directorate to review candidate graduate-level researchers in the GMSE Fellowship Program managed by the recipient. All six of NIST's Laboratories – Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL), Engineering Laboratory (EL), Information Technology Laboratory (ITL), Material Measurement Laboratory (MML), Center for Neutron Research (NCNR), and Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) – are expected to participate in the GMSE program and have graduate-level researchers participate in their respective research programs. Please refer to http://www.nist.gov for more information about NIST and the areas of research collaboration available to the GMSE Fellowship Program graduate student participants. The graduate-level researchers selected to be part of the GMSE Fellowship Program managed by the recipient will require a moderate amount of guidance and training from NIST staff as part of the collaboration.

1) Background Information

The NIST GMSE fellowship program provides master’s and doctoral-level graduate students with opportunities to obtain laboratory experience within the NIST laboratories in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines related to NIST measurement science and engineering research. The program provides financial assistance to recipient institutions for participating students to receive annual scholarships for graduate school tuition, stipends and allows the students to participate in NIST research during internship periods.

2) Requirement to Comply with NIST Policies http://www.nist.gov/

February 4, 2021

In addition to adhering to the Administrative and National Policy Requirements in Section VI.2. of this NOFO, Applicants should be aware that participating graduate students will be required to comply with the following NIST policies:

a. The requirement that any research data2 generated from NIST research or

NIST funding be made accessible to the public. This requirement results from NIST’s response to the Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act, Title II of Public Law 115-435, and the Office of Science and Technology Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies of February 22, 2013, Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research3, as implemented through NIST Policy 5700.00, Managing Public Access to Results of Federally Funded Research4, and NIST Order 5701.00 Managing Public Access to Results of Federally Funded Research5.

b. The requirement that all research involving human subjects conducted or supported by NIST shall be carried out in accordance with 15 C.F.R. Part 27, the Department of Commerce’s implementation of the Common Rule for Protection of Human Subjects. The NIST Research Protections Office (RPO) reviews any NIST research that potentially involves human subjects. If a NIST employee proposes to include a GSME participant in such research, the NIST RPO would review the proposal and consult with the GMSE participant’s employing institution, as appropriate. The GMSE participant will be required to complete the applicable NIST training, before being approved to participate in the research. For more information regarding research projects involving human subjects, contact Anne Andrews, Director, NIST Research Protections Office (e-mail: anne.andrews@nist.gov; phone: (301) 975-5445).

c. The requirement that all testing, research, and training conducted or supported by NIST involving live vertebrate animals, including the custom collection of materials from live vertebrate animals for NIST, shall be carried out in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act, its implementing regulations, and if appropriate, the Good Laboratory Practice for Nonclinical Laboratory Studies (21 C.F.R. Part 58). In addition, such research activities should be in compliance with the “U.S. Government Principles for Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research, and Training” (Principles).

The NIST RPO also reviews any NIST research that potentially involves live vertebrate animals. If a NIST employee proposes to include a GSME

2 NIST adopted the definition of “research data” at 2 C.F.R. § 200.315(e)(3) (available at http://go.usa.gov/3sZvQ).

3 https://www.science.gov/docs/ostp_public_access_memo_2013.pdf.

4 https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2018/06/19/final_p_5700.pdf.

5 https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2019/11/08/final_o_5701_ver_2.pdf.

mailto:anne.andrews@nist.gov http://go.usa.gov/3sZvQ https://www.science.gov/docs/ostp_public_access_memo_2013.pdf https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2018/06/19/final_p_5700.pdf https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2019/11/08/final_o_5701_ver_2.pdf

February 4, 2021 participant in such research, the NIST RPO would review the proposal and consult with the GMSE participant’s employing institution, as appropriate.

The GMSE participant will be required to complete the applicable NIST training before being approved to participate in the research. For more information regarding research projects involving live vertebrate animals, contact Linda Beth Schilling, Senior Analyst (e-mail: linda.schilling@nist.gov;

phone: 301-975-2887).

II. Federal Award Information

1. Funding Instrument The funding instrument that will be used is a cooperative agreement. The nature of NIST’s “substantial involvement” will generally be collaboration between NIST and the recipient organization(s) on conducting the approved scope of work.

2. Multi-Year Funding Policy. When a proposal for a multi-year award is approved, funding will usually be provided for only the first year of the program. 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 GMSE Fellowship Program, and the availability of funds.

3. Funding Availability.

Approximately $650,000 may be made available in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 for the first year of multi-year awards to eligible applicants. New awards are expected to range from approximately $200,000 to $650,000 annually, with project performance periods of up to five (5) years, consistent with the multi-year funding policy described in Section II.2. of this NOFO. Thus, NIST may fund up to approximately $3,250,000 for the GMSE Fellowship Program over five (5) years. The specific number of awards will be determined during the selection process, based on the nature and quality of the proposals NIST receives.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligibility for the program listed in this NOFO is open to any U.S.-located non- Federal entities. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, state and local governments, Indian tribes, hospitals, and foreign organizations. The applicant organization must be located in the mailto:linda.schilling@nist.gov

February 4, 2021

United States and its territories. 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.

An eligible organization may work individually or include proposed sub-awards or contracts with others in a project proposal, effectively forming a team or consortium. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to select underrepresented minorities for participation in the GMSE Fellowship Program.

NIST is not accepting applications from individual graduate-level researchers to conduct work within the NIST laboratories on any NIST campus. This NOFO seeks only applications from institutions with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to develop and manage a GMSE Fellowship Program that will provide master’s and doctoral-level graduate students with opportunities and financial assistance to obtain laboratory experiences within the NIST laboratories.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Matching funds are not required.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

The application package is available at Grants.gov under Funding Opportunity Number 2021-NIST-GMSE-01.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Required Forms and Documents. The 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.

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

For SF-424, Item 12, should list the NOFO number 2021-NIST-GMSE- 01.

SF-424, Item 18, should list the total budget information for the

February 4, 2021 duration of the project.

The list of certifications and assurances referenced in Item 21 of the SF-424 is contained in the SF-424B.

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

The budget should reflect anticipated expenses for the entire project, considering all potential cost increases, including cost of living adjustments.

a) The applicant should reflect each year of the project, up to the first four (4) years, on the SF-424A form that appears as part of the mandatory forms in the Grants.gov application package. The second SF-424A form should be submitted to cover year five (5) of the project, and its submission details are found in Section IV.2.a.(9). of this NOFO.

b) In Section A, the Grant Program Function or Activity on Line 1 under Column (a) should be entered as Science, Technology, Business and/or Education Outreach (CFDA Number), or an abbreviation thereof. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number in on Line 1 under Column (b) should be entered as “11.620”. The total budget amount for the term of the award should be listed in Section A, Line 1, Column (e).

c) 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. Section B, Column (3) of the SF-424A should reflect funds for the third year of the award. Section B, Column (4) of the SF-424A should reflect funds for the fourth year of the award.

d) Section D requires a breakdown of the first year’s budget by quarter.

e) Section E requires the budget estimate of federal funds needed for each year of the project. The budget estimate for the first year of the award should be entered in Section E, Line 16, Column (b). The budget estimate for the second year of the award should be entered in Section E, Line 16, Column (c). The budget estimate for the third year of the award should be entered in Section E, Line 16, Column (d). And the budget estimate for the fourth year of the award should be entered in Section E, Line 16, Column (e).

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

The SF-424B is required for all applicants that have not updated their System for Award Management (SAM.gov) entity registration since February 2, 2019 to include the Federal financial assistance certifications and representations (certs and reps). If an applicant has updated their SAM.gov entity registration since February 2, 2019 to include the certifications and representations, then the SF-424B is not required.

(4) CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying. Enter

“2021-NIST-GMSE-01” in the Award Number field. Enter the title of the application, or an abbreviation of that title, in the Project Name field.

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

(6) Project Narrative. The Project Narrative is a word-processed document of no more than twenty (20) pages (double-spaced between lines), which is responsive to the program description and the evaluation criteria.

The projective narrative should contain the following information:

a. Executive Summary. The Executive Summary should briefly describe the proposed project and how the applicant will plan and implement the GMSE Fellowship Program (see Section I. of this NOFO), consistent with the evaluation criteria (see Section V.1. of this NOFO). The executive summary should not exceed one (1) single-sided page.

b. Project Approach. A detailed description of the proposed approach to plan and implement the GMSE Fellowship Program (see Section I. of this NOFO), sufficient to permit evaluation of the proposal, in accordance with the Project Approach/Methodology and Program Management Plan evaluation criterion (see Section V.1.a. of this NOFO).

c. Statement of Work. A description of the applicant’s staff, as demonstrated by resumes, and a description of how the applicant plans to utilize their staff to effectively administer the GMSE Fellowship Program. The applicant’s plans to coordinate with the GMSE Fellowship Program Coordinator in IAAO and the NIST Technical Advisors in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Boulder, Colorado, and/or Charleston, South Carolina, as applicable, should also be described. This section should be sufficient to permit evaluation of the proposal, in accordance with the Staff and Institution Capability

February 4, 2021 to Perform the Work evaluation criterion (see Section V.1.c. of this

NOFO).

d. Qualifications. A description of the applicant's qualifications for conducting the proposed project, sufficient to permit evaluation of the proposal in accordance with the Qualifications and Experience evaluation criterion (see Section V.1. b. of this NOFO). Examples of key personnel’s current and/or past experiences should include experiences with encouraging and assisting underrepresented students in STEM. Additionally, the applicant should describe success with placement of students at national laboratories or research institutions.

e. Resumes of Key Personnel must be included. Resumes are not included in the page count of the Project Narrative. Resumes included as part of the application must be a maximum of two pages each. Additional pages beyond the two pages per resume will not be considered during the evaluation of the application.

f. Connections to academic institutions. A description of the proposed approach to create and maintain connections to U.S.

academic institutions, sufficient to permit evaluation of the proposal, in accordance with the Connections to Academic Institutions evaluation criterion (see Section V.1.d. of this NOFO).

(7) Budget Narrative and Justification.

Eligible costs are:

i. Necessary costs to provide direct oversight and implementation of the GMSE Fellowship Program,

ii. Travel for summer or other limited terms of on-site work at the appropriate NIST campus,

iii. Student stipends (minimum $20,000 per year, per fellow),

iv. Full tuition assistance for students calculated at the in-state rate, and

v. Indirect Costs.

There is no set format for the Budget Narrative and Justification; however, the written justification should include the necessity and the basis for the cost, as described below. 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

February 4, 2021

Federal Awards at 2 C.F.R. Part 200 (http://go.usa.gov/SBYh), which apply to awards in this program.

This section will be evaluated in accordance with the Budget Narrative and Justification evaluation criteria (see Section V.1.e. of this NOFO). It will also be reviewed to determine if all costs are reasonable, allocable, and allowable under 2 C.F.R. Part 200 Subpart E, Cost Principles.

Information needed for each category is as follows:

a) Personnel- At a minimum, the budget justification should include the following: 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 personnel charges for each identified position 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 for each position 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) Travel- For travel costs relating to summer or other limited terms of on-site work at the appropriate NIST campus, the budget justification should include the following: destination; number of people traveling; dates and/or duration; mode of transportation, lodging and subsistence rates; and description of how the travel is directly related to the proposed project. For travel that is yet to be determined, please provide best estimates based on prior experience. If a destination is not known, an approximate amount may be used with the assumptions given for the location of travel.

d) 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.) that is charged directly to the award should be allocated to the award according to expected usage on the project.

http://go.usa.gov/SBYh

e) Supplies – Provide a list of each supply, and the breakdown of the total costs by quantity or unit of cost. Include detailed information on the necessity of the supplies for the completion of the proposed project.

f) Contractual (i.e. Contracts or Subawards) – Each contract or subaward should be treated as a separate item. Identify the cost and describe the services to be provided and the necessity of the subaward or contract to the successful performance of the proposed project. Contracts are for obtaining normal goods and services. Subawardees perform part of the project scope of work.

h) Other Direct Costs– For costs that do not easily fit into the other cost categories, please list the cost, and the breakdown of the total costs by quantity or unit of cost. Include the necessity of the cost for the completion of the proposed project. Only allowable costs can be charged to the award.

(8) Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. If indirect costs are included in the proposed budget, provide a copy of the approved negotiated agreement if this rate was negotiated with a cognizant Federal audit agency. If the rate was not established by a cognizant Federal audit agency, provide a statement to this effect. If the successful applicant includes indirect costs in the budget and has not established an indirect cost rate with a cognizant Federal audit agency, the applicant will be required to obtain such a rate in accordance with Section B.06 of the Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions, dated November 12, 2020.

Alternatively, in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f), applicants that do not have a current negotiated rate may elect to charge indirect costs to an award pursuant to a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (MTDC), in which case a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement is not required. Applicants proposing a 10 percent de minimis rate pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f) should note this election as part of the budget portion of the application. Please be aware that Foreign applicants will be limited to use of the de minimis rate and will not have the opportunity to negotiate an indirect cost rate with NIST.

(9) SF-424A, Budget Information- Non-Construction Programs (for applications with five-year projects). The SF-424A form that appears as part of the mandatory forms in the Grants.gov application package covers the first four (4) years of the project. For projects covering five years, a https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/DOC%20Standard%20Terms%20and%20Conditions%20-%2012%20November%202020%20PDF_0.pdf https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/DOC%20Standard%20Terms%20and%20Conditions%20-%2012%20November%202020%20PDF_0.pdf

February 4, 2021 second SF-424A form should be submitted to cover year five (5) of the project. A fillable SF-424A form can be found at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html near the top of the screen and labeled “Budget Information – Non-Construction Program SF-424A”. Applicants should download the fillable SF-424A form, complete the information for year five (5) of the project and submit the completed form as an attachment, using the procedure described in Section IV.2.b., Attachment of Required Application Documents.

b. Attachment of Required Documents

Items IV.2.a.(1) through IV.2.a.(5) above are part of the standard application package in Grants.gov and can be completed through the download application process.

Items IV.2.a.(6) through IV.2.a.(9) should be attached to field 15 of the SF- 424 form by clicking on “Add Attachment”.

Following these directions will create zip files which permit 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 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.

Applicants are strongly advised to use Grants.gov’s “Download Submitted Forms and Applications” option, found at https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/Applicants/CheckApplicationStatus/ DownloadSubmittedFormsAndApplications.htm to check that their application’s required attachments were contained in their submission.

After submitting the application, check the status of your application here:

CHECK APPLICATION STATUS. If any, or all, of the required attachments are absent from the submission, follow the attachment directions found above, resubmit the application, and check again for the presence of the required attachments.

If the directions found at https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t=GetStarted%2FGetStar ted.htm are not effective, please contact the Grants.gov Help Desk immediately. If calling from within the United States or from a U.S.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/Applicants/CheckApplicationStatus/DownloadSubmittedFormsAndApplications.htm https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/Applicants/CheckApplicationStatus/DownloadSubmittedFormsAndApplications.htm https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t=Applicants%2FCheckApplicationStatus%2FCheckApplicationStatus.htm https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t=GetStarted%2FGetStarted.htm https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t=GetStarted%2FGetStarted.htm

February 4, 2021 territory, please call 800-518-4726. If calling from a place outside the United States or a U.S. territory, please call 606-545-5035. E-mails should be addressed to support@grants.gov.Assistance from the Grants.gov Help Desk will be available around the clock every day, with the exception of Federal holidays. Help Desk service will resume at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time the day after Federal holidays.

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.

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

c. Application Format

(1) Paper, Email, 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 displayed in landscape orientation. Any figures, graphs, images, or pictures will count toward the page limits for the Project Narrative.

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

(4) Page Limit. The Project Narrative is limited to twenty (20) pages double spaced, noting the limit of one (1) page for the Executive Summary.

Resumes are not included in the page count of the Project Narrative.

However, resumes must be a maximum of two (2) pages each.

(5) Page Limit Exclusions:

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance;

SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs;

SF-424B, Assurances – Non-Construction Programs;

CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying;

SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities;

Resumes of Key Personnel;

Budget Narrative and Justification;

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement;

SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs for fifth year budget (if applicable).

mailto:support@grants.gov http://go.usa.gov/cjamz

(6) Page Layout. The Proposal must be in portrait orientation.

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

(8) Page numbering. Number pages sequentially.

(9) Application language. English. All documents must be in English, including but not limited to the initial application, any additional documents submitted in response to a NIST request, all reports, and any correspondence with NIST.

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

handwritten forms will not be accepted.

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

e. Pre-Applications. Pre-applications will not be accepted under this NOFO.

f. Certifications Regarding Federal Felony and Federal Criminal Tax

Convictions, Unpaid Federal Tax Assessments and Delinquent Federal Tax Returns. In accordance with Federal appropriations law, an authorized representative of the selected applicant(s) may be required to provide certain pre-award certifications regarding federal felony and federal criminal tax convictions, unpaid federal tax assessments, and delinquent federal tax returns.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM).

Pursuant to 2 C.F.R. part 25, applicants and recipients are required to: (i) be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (iii) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency, unless otherwise excepted from these requirements pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 25.110. NIST will not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time that NIST is ready to make a Federal award pursuant to this NOFO, NIST may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

February 4, 2021

4. Submission Dates and Times Applications must be received at Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. NIST will consider the date and time recorded by Grants.gov as the official submission time. Applications received after this deadline will not be reviewed or considered. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants should be aware, and factor in their application submission planning, that the Grants.gov system closes periodically for routine maintenance.

Applicants should visit Grants.gov for information about any scheduled closures.

When developing the submission timeline, please keep in mind that: (1) all applicants are required to have current registrations in the electronic System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and Grants.gov; (2) the free annual registration process in the SAM.gov generally takes between three and five business days but can take more than three weeks; and applicants 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 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.

5. Intergovernmental Review Applications under this Program are not subject to Executive Order 12372.

6. Funding Restrictions

Profit or fee is not an allowable cost.

7. Other Submission Requirements

a. Applications must be submitted electronically.

(1) Applications must be submitted at Grants.gov.

(a) Applicants should carefully follow specific Grants.gov instructions to ensure that all attachments will be accepted by the Grants.gov system. A receipt from Grants.gov indicating an application is received does not provide information about whether attachments have been received. For further information or questions regarding applying electronically for the 2021-NIST-GMSE-01 announcement, contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at 800-518-4726.

https://www.grants.gov/

February 4, 2021

(b) Applicants are strongly encouraged to start early and not wait until the approaching due date before logging on and reviewing the instructions for submitting an application through Grants.gov. The Grants.gov registration process must be completed before a new registrant can apply electronically. The typical registration process takes three to five business days. If problems are encountered, the registration process can take two weeks or more. Applicants must have a valid unique entity identifier number and must maintain a current registration in the Federal government’s primary registrant database, the System for Award Management (https://www.sam.gov/), as explained on the Grants.gov website.

After registering, it may take several days or longer from the initial log-on before a new Grants.gov system user can submit an application. Only individuals authorized as organization representatives will be able to submit the application, and the system may need time to process a submitted application.

Applicants should save and print the proof of submission they receive from Grants.gov. If problems occur while using Grants.gov, the applicant is advised to (a) print any error message received and

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

(c) To find instructions for submitting an application on Grants.gov, applicants should refer to the “Applicants” tab in the banner just below the top of the Grants.gov home page. Clicking on the “Applicants” tab produces two exceptionally useful sources of information, Applicant Actions and Applicant Resources, which applicants are advised to review.

Applicants 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.

Applicants should pay close attention to the guidance under Grants.gov’s “Applicant FAQs”, as it contains information important to successful submission, including essential details on the naming conventions for attachments to applications.

https://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html

All applicants should be aware that adequate time must be factored into applicants’ schedules for delivery of their application.

Applicants are advised that volume on Grants.gov may be extremely heavy leading up to the deadline.

The application must be both received and validated by Grants.gov.

The application is “received” when Grants.gov provides the applicant a confirmation of receipt and an application tracking number. If an applicant does not see this confirmation and tracking number, the application has not been received. After the application has been received, it must still be validated. During this process, it may be “validated” or “rejected with errors”. To ascertain whether the application was rejected with errors and the reasons for the rejection, the applicant must log in to Grants.gov, select “Applicants” from the top navigation, and select “Track my application” from the drop-down list. If the status is “rejected with errors,” the applicant may still seek to correct the errors and resubmit the application before the deadline. If the applicant does not correct the errors, the application will not be forwarded to NIST by Grants.gov.

Refer to important information in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times, to help ensure the application is received on time.

b. Amendments. Any amendments to this NOFO will be announced through

Grants.gov. Applicants may sign up on Grants.gov to receive amendments by e-mail or may request copies by e-mail from Dr. Jeanita S. Pritchett, jeanita.pritchett@nist.gov.

V. Application Review Information

1. Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria that will be used in evaluating these proposals and assigned weights (note sub-criteria will be equally weighted in each) are as follows:

a. Project Approach/Methodology and Program Management Plan (0 – 25 points). Reviewers will evaluate the applicant's proposal based on:

• The responsiveness to and quality of the plan to provide qualified graduate students with the opportunity to obtain master’s and doctoral-level research experience within the NIST laboratories.

mailto:jeanita.pritchett@nist.gov

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• A demonstrated ability to ensure the availability of graduate students for on-site work at one of the NIST campuses (Gaithersburg, Maryland, Boulder Colorado, or Charleston, South Carolina) during their tenure as students. If this will be a new or developing activity for an applicant, reviewers will evaluate the sufficiency and reasonableness of the applicant's plan to implement the new program.

• The responsiveness to and quality of the plan that establishes the ability to collaborate with the GMSE Program Coordinator in IAAO in the selection of graduate-level researchers.

• The quality of and extent to which the stated expectations regarding the outcomes and benefits to the applicant and to the participating student(s) are expressed in measurable terms.

b. Qualifications and Experience (0 – 30 points). Reviewers will evaluate the applicant's proposal based on:

• The applicant’s demonstrated experience in placing graduate students in research laboratories, or other appropriate settings, consistent with furthering the students’ education and research experiences. This includes the extent to which the applicant demonstrates a commitment to encouraging and assisting underrepresented students in NIST fields of research.

• If this will be a new or developing activity for an applicant, reviewers will assess the applicant's qualifications to plan and implement the new program.

c. Staff and Institution Capability to Perform the Work (0 – 10 points). Reviewers will evaluate:

• The extent to which the resumes of the applicant’s key personnel demonstrate the necessary qualifications and experience to administer the GMSE Fellowship Program.

• The reasonableness and sufficiency of the plans for utilizing the applicant’s staff to effectively administer the GMSE Fellowship Program, including the extent of the applicant’s ability to coordinate with the GMSE Fellowship Program Coordinator and the NIST Technical Advisors in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Boulder, Colorado, and Charleston, South Carolina.

d. Connections to Academic Institutions (0 – 25 points). Reviewers will evaluate the degree to which the applicant demonstrates current relationships to U.S.

academic institutions that grant master’s and doctoral degrees in STEM fields, including any plans to maintain such established relationships. In cases where current connections do not exist, the reviewers will assess the

February 4, 2021 reasonableness of and extent to which the applicant proposes to develop and maintain such connections.

e. Budget Narrative and Justification (0 – 10 points). An assessment of the budget against the proposed activities (proposed fellowships and other proposed costs the applicant will incur) will be conducted to determine the reasonableness and practicality of the proposed budget with respect to developing and implementing the GMSE Program as described in Section I.

of this NOFO.

2. Selection Factors: The Selection Factors for this competition are:

a. results of the reviewers’ evaluations,

b. alignment with the objectives as set forth in the Funding Opportunity description (see Section I. of this NOFO), and

c. the availability of Federal funds.

3. Review and Selection Process

Proposals, reports, documents, and other information related to applications submitted to NIST and/or relating to financial assistance awards issued by NIST will be reviewed and considered by Federal employees, or non-Federal personnel who have entered into conflict of interest and confidentiality agreements covering such information, when applicable.

a. Initial Administrative Review of Applications

Applications received by the deadline will be reviewed to determine eligibility, completeness, and responsiveness to this NOFO and to the scope of the stated program objectives. Applications determined to be ineligible, incomplete, and/or nonresponsive may be eliminated from further review. However, NIST, in its sole discretion, may continue the review process for an application that is missing non-substantive information, the absence of which may easily be rectified during the review process.

b. Full Review of Eligible, Complete, and Responsive Applications.

(1) Merit Review. Applications that are determined to be eligible, complete, and responsive will proceed for full reviews in accordance with the review and selection process below:

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Each application will be reviewed by at least three (3) independent, objective merit reviewers who are knowledgeable in the subject matter of this NOFO and its objectives and who are able to conduct a review based on the evaluation criteria (see Section V.1. of this NOFO).