2021-NIST-SSCD-CAP-01 NOFO.pdf

NIST Standards Services Curricula Development Cooperative Agreement

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31, 2021

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

Program

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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

• Funding Opportunity Title: NIST Standards Services Curricula Development Cooperative Agreement Program (SSCD CAP)

• Announcement Type: Initial

• Funding Opportunity Number: 2021-NIST-SSCD-CAP-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, June 1, 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 September 2021. NIST expects the earliest start date for awards under this NOFO to be September 15, 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 (3) and five (5) business days but can take more than two weeks; and (3) applicants will receive e-mail https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31, 2021 notifications over a period of up to two (2) 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 Standards Services Curricula Development Cooperative Agreement Program (SSCD CAP) is seeking applications from eligible applicants to develop undergraduate and/or graduate level curricula to incorporate documentary standards1, standards development, and standardization information and content into seminars, modules, courses, and learning resources. The recipients will work with NIST to strengthen education and learning about documentary standards, standards development, and standardization.

• Anticipated Amounts: In Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21), NIST anticipates funding up to eight (8) awards in the range of $25,000 to $75,000, with a project performance period of up to two (2) years. The awards will be fully funded in the first year.

• Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement

• Eligibility: Accredited institutions of higher education (IHEs) located in the

United States or its territories. An eligible IHE applicant may work individually or include proposed sub-awards or contracts with others, such as non-profits or commercial organizations, in a project application, effectively forming a team or consortium. Although Federal entities are not eligible to receive funding under this NOFO, they may participate as unfunded collaborators.

1 The term “standard” includes all of the following: (i) common and repeated use of rules, conditions, guidelines or characteristics for products or related processes and production methods, and related management systems practices; (ii) the definition of terms; classification of components; delineation of procedures; specification of dimensions, materials, performance, designs, or operations; measurement of quality and quantity in describing materials, processes, products, systems, services, or practices; test methods and sampling procedures; formats for information and communication exchange; or descriptions of fit and measurements of size or strength; and (iii) terminology, symbols, packaging, marking or labeling requirements as they apply to a product, process, or production method. For the purposes of this NOFO, the term “standard” does not include metrological standards (e.g., physical measurement standards, standard reference materials, etc.).

http://grants.gov/

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March 31, 2021

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

• Public Website: NIST SSCD CAP has a public website, https://www.nist.gov/curricula-grants, that provides information pertaining to this Funding Opportunity. Any amendments to this NOFO will be announced through Grants.gov. Refer to Section VII. of this NOFO, Federal Awarding Agency Contacts, Programmatic and Technical Questions, if more information is needed.

Table of Contents I. Program Description II. Federal Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Application and Submission Information V. Application Review Information VI. Federal Award Administration Information VII. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts VIII. Other Information

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Program Description

The statutory authority for the NIST Standards Services Curricula Development Cooperative Agreement Program (SSCD CAP) is 15 U.S.C. §§ 272(b) and (c).

1) Background Information

The Standards Coordination Office (SCO) Standards Services introduced the “Education Challenge Grants” program in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 to support the development of new learning resources and course modules integrating standards into the formal curriculum in business and engineering programs. The following year, the program was changed from a grants program to a cooperative agreement program, allowing SCO to work more closely with award recipients and to provide greater support to strengthen education and learning about standards and standardization.

2) Overview

The NIST SSCD CAP is seeking applications from eligible applicants for activities to develop undergraduate and/or graduate level curricula to incorporate https://www.nist.gov/curricula-grants

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March 31, 2021 documentary standards, standards development, and standardization information and content into seminars, modules, courses, and learning resources.

The recipients will work with NIST to strengthen education and learning about documentary standards, standards development, and standardization. Recipients are expected to:

a. develop curriculum to educate undergraduate and/or graduate students about the impact and nature of documentary standards and standardization so that they enter the workforce and/or continue their academic studies with a strong understanding and appreciation for the value and benefits of standards and standardization;

b. develop sustainable approaches, methods, and models that can be replicated and/or built upon by the participating accredited IHE and other U.S. colleges and universities to support the integration of documentary standards and standardization content into undergraduate and/or graduate level curricula;

c. develop a Communication Plan to share project information, results, and outcomes within the participating accredited IHE and with other U.S. colleges and universities, including an action plan for internal and external outreach that will effectively demonstrate how the project outcomes may be replicated and/or built upon by the applicant and other educational programs at U.S. colleges and universities;

d. broadly disseminate project information, results, and outcomes for public release with the applicant and other educational programs at U.S. colleges and universities, and relevant educational communities or fields of practice through presentations, papers, news releases, newsletters, professional journals, exhibits, conferences, workshops, seminars, exhibits and trade shows, websites, and other appropriate media and forums that serve the academic community;

e. participate in two (2) one-day workshops, of which one (1) will be held virtually in the fall of 2021 and the other will tentatively be held in person at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland in the fall of 2022 or 2023. Applicants should include travel-related expenses to participate in an in-person event in their proposed budgets (see Sections IV.2.a.(2). and IV.2.a.(7).c). of this NOFO);

and

f. write a Final Summary Paper of major accomplishments and conclusions, of approximately 10 pages in length that will describe the project and its importance, explain the original project goal, describe the project outcomes, describe how the work was evaluated, and report the findings and lessons

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31, 2021 learned through the activity, including a summary of the project’s suitability and potential for adoption in other educational organizations, communities, or fields of practice. The Final Summary Paper must be in a publicly releasable format and must not contain any personal or proprietary information. See Section V.1.b.ii. and Section VI.3.a.(3) of this NOFO for more information about the Final Summary Paper.

Wherever possible, the results of the project should be published in such a way as to be generally available to the public. The NIST Standards Coordination Office may collaborate with recipients by reviewing any proposed publication prior to release and assisting in dissemination of the publication. See also Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions, dated November 12, 2020, Section C.03., Intellectual Property Rights, and G.05.k.3., Publications, Videos and Acknowledgment of Sponsorship, available at: Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions.

Funds can be used for the design, testing, and evaluation of undergraduate and/or graduate curricula, course content and materials, courses or course modules, seminars, class assignments, and/or student projects. Funds can also help cover the cost of students who assist instructors. Funds can be used for travel to implement elements of the Communication Plan and dissemination of project information and results (see Section IV.2.a.(6).c. and Section V.1.b. of this NOFO). Standards curriculum activities in any area that support science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and/or other related disciplines such as law, public policy, business, and/or multi-disciplinary approaches will be considered. Activities involving researching an idea for a project, and the evaluation of the viability, necessity, or usefulness of a project are not within the scope of the NIST SSCD CAP and will not be funded; ideas for projects should be fully developed prior to submitting an application for consideration. No projects involving the conduct of research, including research involving human subjects or live vertebrate animals, will be funded under this NOFO. Individuals proposed to participate in projects, as detailed in the project budget, must already have the necessary knowledge and expertise to successfully complete the project at the time the proposal for funding is submitted. Activities involving K-12 education or workforce/industry education will not be funded under this program. Applicants may not request funding for food/beverage or catering. The total budget for the equipment and supplies categories may not exceed $2,000 combined.

NIST anticipates that most costs will be incurred within the first twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months of the project to support project milestones but funding will remain available for twenty-four (24) months to complete milestones and to support summarizing and reporting what was accomplished during the first twelve

(12) to eighteen (18) months, including writing and disseminating a Final Summary 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

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Paper as described in Section I., Section V.1.b.ii. and Section VI.3.a.(3). of this NOFO. Applicants may propose a start date anytime between September 15, 2021 and March 31, 2022.

The most successful proposals: 1) are complete, meet all the criteria, and provide specific and detailed information where requested; 2) demonstrate a commitment from the applicant IHE to implement the curricula developed into coursework over the longer term; 3) include a well-qualified team to successfully implement the proposal, as needed (e.g. curricula development specialists; evaluation expertise;

online/distance learning specialists; video/editing services; communications/public relations/marketing personnel to advise on developing and implementing communication plans, dissemination efforts, and potential partnerships with other IHEs; and 4) demonstrate a commitment from other IHEs who plan to incorporate the curricula into their classrooms. Industry support/partnerships that directly benefits undergraduate and/or graduate students is encouraged. A list of all prior awardees and their projects is available at https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/nist-standards-services-curricula-development-cooperative-agreement-program-awardees.

II. Federal Award Information

1. Funding Instrument The funding instrument that will be used is a Cooperative Agreement.

2. Funding Availability.

In FY21, NIST anticipates funding up to 8 awards in the $25,000 to $75,000 range with a project performance period of up to 2 years. The awards will be fully funded in the first year.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Accredited institutions of higher education (IHEs) located in the United States or its territories. An eligible IHE applicant may work individually or include proposed sub-awards or contracts with others, such as non-profits or commercial organizations, in a project application, effectively forming a team or consortium. Although Federal entities are not eligible to receive funding under this NOFO, they may participate as unfunded collaborators.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/nist-standards-services-curricula-development-cooperative-agreement-program-awardees https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/nist-standards-services-curricula-development-cooperative-agreement-program-awardees https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/nist-standards-services-curricula-development-cooperative-agreement-program-awardees

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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-SSCD-CAP-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-SSCD-

CAP-01.

SF-424, Item 18, should list the total budget information for the duration of the project.

The list of certifications and assurances referenced in Item 21 of the SF-424 is contained in the Federal Financial Assistance Certifications and Representations (Certs and Reps) as part of the SAM.gov entity registration.

(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 on the SF-

424A form that appears as part of the mandatory forms in the Grants.gov application package.

b) In Section A, the Grant Program Function or Activity on Line 1 under Column (a) should be entered as 11.620 Science, Technology, Business and/or Education Outreach or an abbreviation thereof. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

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March 31, 2021

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.

d) Section C should be blank. Non-Federal cost sharing is not required for awards issued pursuant to this NOFO.

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

f) 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).

(3) CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying. Enter “2021-NIST- SSCD-CAP-01” in the Award Number field. Enter the title of the application, or an abbreviation of that title, in the Project Name field.

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

(5) Technical Proposal. The Technical Proposal is a word-processed document of no more than eleven (11) pages (single- or double-spaced between lines), which is responsive to the program description and the evaluation criteria.

The technical proposal should contain the following information:

a) Cover Page and Executive Summary. The Cover Page and

Executive Summary should be a single page which (a) lists the title of the project, the applicant institution’s name and addressal information; (b) lists the name(s), title(s), mailing address(es), and e-mail address(es) of the principal investigator(s); and (c) includes an executive summary of the project.

b) Technical Project Approach and Methodology. A detailed description of the project and approach to support, advance, Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31, 2021 and/or integrate content on documentary standards and standardization processes into undergraduate and/or graduate courses, modules, seminars, and learning resources. The description must include sustainable approaches, methods, and models that can be replicated and/or built upon by the participating accredited IHE and by other educational programs at U.S. colleges and universities. A complete Statement of Work (SOW) covering all aspects of the project must include: a plan to manage the project tasks and work of all project staff; final deliverables and measurable performance objectives; key interim outputs reflecting the performance objectives; milestones and timelines; short-term and potential long-term impacts; the intended audience; and an evaluation plan for the new curricula developed under this award.

This section should address all the elements described in the Technical Project Approach and Methodology Evaluation Criterion (see Section V.1.a. of this NOFO).

c) Communication Plan. A detailed Communication Plan to include sharing project information, results, and outcomes, and how the proposed sustainable approaches, methods, and models can be replicated and/or built upon by the participating accredited IHE and by other educational programs at U.S. colleges and universities, including details on how and when the plan will be implemented. The Communication Plan should also include the applicant’s action plan for compiling and disseminating project results for public release, including a summary of major conclusions, in the form of a Final Summary Paper, as described in Section I., Section V.1.b.ii. and Section VI.3.a.(3). of this NOFO.

This section should address all the elements described in the Communication Plan Evaluation Criterion (see Section V.1.b. of this NOFO).

d) Qualifications and Experience of Key Personnel. A description of the relevant qualifications and experience of at least two key personnel who will be assigned to carry out the objectives of the project.

Resumes of Key Personnel must be included. Resumes are not included in the page count of the Technical Proposal. Resumes included as part of the application must be a maximum of two pages

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31, 2021 each. Additional pages beyond the two (2) pages per resume will not be considered during the evaluation of the application.

This section should address all the elements in the Qualifications and Experience of Key Personnel Evaluation Criterion (see Section V.1.c. of this NOFO).

e) Resources Availability. A detailed description and demonstration of appropriate use of funds and cost effectiveness of the proposal, including overall support to accomplish project objectives; access to necessary infrastructure and expertise to provide in person and/or distance learning, as applicable; and the applicant’s intent to incorporate the project results into curriculum.

Resources Availability should also be demonstrated through letter(s) of support, as described in Section IV.2.a.(6).f. of this NOFO, and a complete and detailed Budget Narrative as described in Section IV.2.a.(7). of this NOFO.

This section should address all the elements in the Resources Availability Evaluation Criterion (see Section V.1.d. of this NOFO), including Letters of Support.

f) Letters of Support Up to three (3) letters of support of no more than one (1) page each for the project should be submitted. A letter from leadership within the applicant’s organization, which, if submitted, will count as one of the three (3) letters permitted, is strongly encouraged to demonstrate the extent to which the applicant has the overall support necessary to accomplish project objectives and the organization’s intent to incorporate the project results into undergraduate and/or graduate curriculum, consistent with the Resource Availability Evaluation Criterion (see Section V.1.d. of this NOFO). Letters of support from other organizations who will collaborate on the project, especially industry and/or IHEs who plan to integrate the proposed curricula into a program(s) that will benefit undergraduate and/or graduate students, may also be submitted.

Letters of Support are not included in the page count of the Technical Proposal.

This section should address the relevant element on Letters of Support in the Resources Availability Evaluation Criterion (see Section V.1.d.ii of this NOFO).

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Note that the Technical Proposal should be provided as a separate attachment instead of being combined in one (1) PDF with other required documents.

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

The Budget Narrative does not count against the eleven (11) page limit of the Technical Proposal.

This section will be evaluated in accordance with the Budget Narrative evaluation criteria. 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 for all personnel should include the following: job title, commitment of effort on the 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 project, description of the role of the individual on the 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 all travel costs, the budget justification for travel should include the following: destination; names or 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 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 http://go.usa.gov/SBYh

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March 31, 2021 may be used with the assumptions given for the location of the meeting.

Applicants should include travel-related expenses to participate in a one-day workshop to be tentatively held in person at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland in the fall of 2022 or 2023 in their proposed budgets (see Section I.2.f. of this NOFO).

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 project. Please note that any general use equipment (computers, etc.) charged directly to the award should be allocated to the award according to expected usage on the project. The total budget for the equipment and/or supplies categories may not exceed $2,000 combined.

e) Supplies– Supplies are defined as all tangible personal property other than that described as equipment. Provide a list of each supply, and the breakdown of the total costs by quantity or unit of cost. Include the necessity of the cost for the completion of the project. The total budget for the equipment and/or supplies categories may not exceed $2,000 combined.

f) Contractual (i.e. Contracts or Subawards)– Each contract or subaward should be treated as a separate item. Include a detailed breakdown and describe the services to be provided and the necessity of the proposed costs and tasks for each contract or subaward. Contracts are for obtaining normal goods and services.

Subawardees perform part of the project scope of work.

g) Construction– Not an allowable cost under this NOFO.

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 project. Only allowable costs can be charged to the award.

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Note that the Budget Narrative and Justification should be provided as a separate attachment instead of being combined in one (1) PDF with other required documents.

(7) 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 indirect cost 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.

Note that the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement should be provided as a separate attachment instead of being combined in one (1) PDF with other required documents.

(8) Current and Pending Support Form. Any application that includes investigators, researchers, and key personnel must identify all sources of current and potential funding, including this proposal. Any current project support (e.g., Federal, state, local, public or private foundations, etc.) must be listed on this form. The proposed project and all other projects or activities requiring a portion of time of the Principal Investigator (PI), co-PI, and key personnel must be included, even if no salary support is received.

The total award amount for the entire award period covered, including indirect costs, must be shown as well as the number of person-months per year to be devoted to the project, regardless of the source of support.

Similar information must be provided for all proposals already submitted or that are being submitted concurrently to other potential funders.

Applicants must complete the Current and Pending Support Form, using multiple forms as necessary to account for all activity for each individual identified in the PI, co-PI and key personnel roles. A separate form should be used for each identified individual.

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

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

Applicants must download the Current and Pending Support Form from the NIST website at https://www.nist.gov/oaam/grants-management-division/current-and-pending-support and reference the guidance provided as it contains information to assist with accurately completing the form.

b. Attachment of Required Documents

Items IV.2.a.(1) through IV.2.a.(4) above are part of the standard application package in Grants.gov and can be completed through the download application process.

Items IV.2.a.(5) through IV.2.a.(8) 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 pay close attention to the guidance under “Applicant FAQs,” as it contains information important to successful submission on Grants.gov, including essential details on the naming conventions for attachments to Grants.gov applications.

Note that each document (e.g. Technical Proposal, Budget Narrative and Justification, Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, etc.) should be provided as a separate attachment instead of as one (1) combined

PDF.

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 https://www.nist.gov/oaam/grants-management-division/current-and-pending-support https://www.nist.gov/oaam/grants-management-division/current-and-pending-support 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

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31, 2021 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.

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 Technical Proposal.

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

(4) Page Limit. The Technical Proposal is limited to eleven (11) pages single or double spaced, including the limit of one (1) page for the Cover Letter and Executive Summary. The Budget Narrative and Justification, resumes, and Letters of Support are not included in the page count of the Technical Proposal.

However, individual resumes must not exceed two (2) pages each, and individual Letters of Support are limited to one (1) page each.

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

Program (SSCD CAP)

(5) Page Limit Exclusions. The following forms and documents are not included in the eleven (11) page limit for the Technical Proposal and the Cover Page and Executive Summary:

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance;

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

CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying;

SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities;

Budget Narrative and Justification;

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement;

Resumes of Key Personnel;

Letters of Support; and Current and Pending Support Form.

(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.

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

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31, 2021 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.

4. Submission Dates and Times Applications must be received at Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time Tuesday, June 1, 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 (3) and five (5) business days but can take more than two (2) 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

Applications for product development and/or commercialization are not considered responsive to this NOFO. Profit or fee is not an allowable cost.

Activities involving researching an idea for a project, and the evaluation of the viability, necessity, or usefulness of a project are not within the scope of the NIST SSCD CAP and will not be funded; ideas for projects should be fully developed prior to submitting an application for consideration. Individuals proposed to participate in projects, as detailed in the project budget, must already have the necessary knowledge and expertise to successfully complete the project at the time the proposal for funding is submitted; coursework, training, certifications, etc.

https://www.grants.gov/

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31, 2021 will not be funded under this program. Activities involving K-12 education or workforce/industry education will not be funded under this program. Applicants may not request funding for food/beverage or catering. The total budget for the equipment and supplies categories may not exceed $2,000 combined.

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-SSCD-CAP-01 announcement, contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at 800-518- 4726.

(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, https://www.sam.gov/

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31, 2021 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 (2) 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.

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.

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

Program (SSCD CAP)

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

Grants.gov. Applicants must subscribe to this program announcement on Grants.gov in order to receive e-mail notices of changes to the program, including amendments.

V. Application Review Information

1. Evaluation Criteria

The evaluation criteria that will be used in evaluating applications and their assigned weights are as follows:

a. Technical Project Approach and Methodology. Reviewers will evaluate the following subcategories for a total of 0-50 points:

i. The technical merit of the project and the extent to which the project and approach supports, advances, or integrates content on standards and standardization processes into undergraduate and/or graduate courses, modules, seminars, and learning resources, including sustainable approaches, methods, and models that can be replicated and/or built upon by the applicant and by other educational programs at U.S.

colleges and universities. This also includes assessing the usefulness and effectiveness of the project with regard to educating undergraduate and/or graduate students about standards and standardization. (See Section I.2.a of this NOFO) (0-25 points)

ii. The completeness, appropriateness, quality, and reasonableness of the detailed Statement of Work (SOW) to implement the project, including a plan to manage the project tasks and work of all project staff; final deliverables and measurable performance objectives; key interim outputs reflecting the performance objectives; milestones and timelines; short-term and potential long-term impacts; the intended audience; and an evaluation plan for the new curricula developed under this award. This also includes the extent to which the proposed methodology of program management is likely to ensure effective operations and oversight and meet program goals and objectives. (See Section IV.2.a.(6) b. of this NOFO) (0-25 points)

The extent to which the material developed encompasses the role of standards in competitiveness and innovation, if applicable, will be considered.

b. Communication Plan. Reviewers will evaluate the following

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity subcategories for a total of 0-15 points:

i. The extent to which the proposed Communication Plan demonstrates how the proposed sustainable approaches, methods, and models can be replicated and/or built upon by the participating accredited IHE and by other educational programs at U.S. colleges and universities. (0-5 points)

ii. The extent to which the proposed Communication Plan enables broadly sharing project information and outcomes with relevant organizations, communities, or fields of practice through presentations, papers, news releases, newsletters, professional journals, exhibits, conferences, workshops, seminars, exhibits and trade shows, websites, and other appropriate media and forums that serve the academic community; this includes plans for composing and disseminating a summary of major accomplishments and conclusions in the form of a Final Summary Paper as described in Section I. and Section VI.3.a.(3). of this NOFO.

(0-5 points)

iii. The quality and completeness of the approach to implement the

Communication Plan (see Section I.2.b.- d of this NOFO). (0-5 points)

c. Qualifications and Experience of Key Personnel. Reviewers will evaluate the following subcategories for a total of 0-15 points:

i. Relevant qualifications and experience of key personnel and their knowledge of the current state, impact, and nature of standards and standardization activities. (0-5 points)

ii. The demonstrated ability of the key personnel to collaborate with diverse stakeholders (e.g., subject matter experts, curricula development professionals, university public affairs personnel, industry, etc.) to successfully complete the project. Staff with different experience and expertise may be responsible for different aspects of the project. (0-5 points)

iii. Experience in curricula development. (0-5 points).

d. Resources Availability. Reviewers will evaluate the following for a total of 0-

20 points:

i. The extent to which the applicant has demonstrated overall support necessary to successfully achieve the project objectives, including the applicant’s intent to incorporate the proposed project results

Program (SSCD CAP) Notice of Funding Opportunity

March 31,…