MSI SLA NOFO Webinar Questions and Answers.pdf

Minority Serving Institutions Scientific Leadership Award Notice of Funding Opportunity Webinar: 8/27/20 Questions/Answers

Question: Can we download the presentation file? Will it be shared with the attendees?

Answer: Yes. It will be available on grants.gov

Question: From my understanding, we must detail the research conducted (as well as students training) conducted as part of this grant. In terms of the research aspect of this grant, we would like to collaborate with Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) an FFRDC and focus on their specific research questions. Would this collaboration fall within the scope of this grant?

Answer: A strong proposal should demonstrate research in relevant DHS mission areas. Projects must show how they address DHS equities.

Question: Can you expand on the project phases are managed? Maximum funding in the announcement is $470k?

Answer: This information is in the NOFO. The funding ceiling is $3.2M. The Scientific Leadership Award has a maximum of $470K, per award, which amounts to about 7 awards.

Question: Can you participate with more than one COE?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Does participation in DHS summer research team program is preferred?

I believe that the question is, is participation with the DHS summer research team program required?

Answer: Participation in the DHS Summer Research Team is not required.

Question: Can the proposal be multi-institutional?

Answer: Yes.

Question: How many early career faculty members should be involved in the program?

Answer: It’s up to the applicant. Keep the amount of funding in mind.

Question: Are there any other expectations from the COEs when working with the institutions beyond just a letter or coordination?

Answer: No. Initiate those connections and hopefully it will spur on other opportunities.

Question: During the webinar, it was stated that we need to obtain a letter of collaboration with a current Center of Excellence (COE). In the NOFO, it states that we can collaborate with COE and FFRDCs. My question is whether the letter of collaboration must come from COE, or can it also come from an FFRDC.

Answer: Evidence of Collaboration should come from a DHS S&T COE

Question: At our institution, we are creating a Data Science major. With respect to this grant and its workforce training component, would Data Science fall within the scope of “applied quantitative analysis.” I assume yes, but I wanted to confirm the interpretation of that topic area.

Answer: Yes https://www.youtube.com/dhsscitech https://www.linkedin.com/company/dhsscitech/ https://twitter.com/dhsscitech https://www.facebook.com/dhsscitech https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology

Minority Serving Institutions Scientific Leadership Award Notice of Funding Opportunity Webinar: 8/27/20 Questions/Answers

Question: We note that current COEs mostly focus on one topic area. May our research projects span various topic areas? Our faculty have a strong background in Data Science / Big Data and there are problems posed on Maritime Domain Awareness raised by Naval Surface Warfare Center, and other research problems in Interference Detection and Mitigation (relevant to work by JPL and MIT Lincoln Lab).

Answer: A strong proposal should demonstrate research in relevant DHS mission areas. Projects must show how they address DHS equities.

https://www.youtube.com/dhsscitech https://www.linkedin.com/company/dhsscitech/ https://twitter.com/dhsscitech https://www.facebook.com/dhsscitech https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology