Attachment A - Registration and Submission Instructions.docx

Attachment A: Registration and Submission Instructions

To apply to DoD for assistance awards you must be registered in the System of Award Management (SAM), Grants.gov and any DoD site(s) listed in this NoFO. Provided here is general information about the processes but they may change at any time during the duration of this NoFO. Please follow directions on each site for registration requirements.

Some aspects of registrations may take several weeks. Therefore, an organization's registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Note: Failure to allow enough time for the systems to complete the registration is not considered a valid explanation for an inability to apply through Grants.gov.

I. SAM Registration

The System for Award Management (SAM) is an official website of the U.S. government. There is no cost to use SAM. You can use this site for FREE to:

· Register to do business with the U.S. government

· Update or renew your entity registration

· Check status of an entity registration

· Search for entity registration and exclusion records

For instructions on how to register, please see https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/generalInfo/samNews.jsf#

For the latest news on updates to registration requirements, see https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/generalInfo/samNews.jsf

II. Obtain a DUNS number

All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Applicants must enter the DUNS number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational DUNS" on the SF-424 form.

For more detailed instructions for obtaining a DUNS number, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html At some point, the DUNS Number will be replaced by a “new, non-proprietary identifier” requested in, and assigned by, the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). This new identifier is being called the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), or the Entity ID. Grants.gov has begun preparing for this transition by educating users about the upcoming changes and updating field labels and references to the DUNS Number (the current identifier) within the Grants.gov system. Users should continue using the DUNS Number in UEI fields until further notice. To learn more about SAM’s rollout of the UEI, please visit gsa.gov/entityid.

III. Grants.gov Registration

Before applying for a funding opportunity, you need to register an account with Grants.gov. Whether you are an applicant for an organization or an individual applying for grants on your own, you only need to register one account on Grants.gov.

Read the instructions below about registering to apply for funds. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this grant funding opportunity, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/individual-registration.html

Organization applicants can find complete instructions here:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

Authorize Grants.gov Roles: After creating an account on Grants.gov, the EBiz POC receives an email notifying them of your registration and request for roles. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online anytime after you have been approved as an AOR.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-4-aor-authorization.html

Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-5-track-aor-status.html

Questions relating to the Grants.gov registration process, system requirements, how an application works, or the proposal submittal process can be answered by email at support@grants.gov, telephone at (800) 518-4726 or (606) 545-5035, or at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html

IV. How to Submit a Proposal to DoD via Grants.gov

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

NOTE: Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The applicant’s EBiz POC must designate users who are able to make legally binding commitments and submit applications on behalf of the organization by providing them the AOR role in Grants.gov; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

V. Submission Practices

Applicants are responsible for submitting their applications in sufficient time to allow them to reach Grants.gov by the date and time specified in this announcement. It is strongly recommended that applications be uploaded at least 2 days before the closing date and time. This will help avoid problems caused by high system usage or any potential technical and/or input problems involving the applicant’s own equipment. It will also allow any application errors detected by Grants.gov to be corrected in time for the application to be resubmitted. If the application is received by Grants.gov after the exact time and date specified as the deadline for receipt, it will be considered “late” and may not be considered for review.

Acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt by Grants.gov includes documentary evidence of receipt maintained by Grants.gov, and Grants.gov e-mails to the applicant confirming receipt. These e-mails will indicate 1) the application was received on time, 2) application was rejected due to errors, 3) application was received after the deadline. Note that this Grants.gov response may occur over several e-mails, e.g., one acknowledging on-time receipt, and a later e-mail rejecting for errors the system detected.

Applicants can also track the status of their applications at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html.

Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS number. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.