FAST Final Instruction - final.docx

U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

ON GRANTS.GOV

INSTRUCTION PACKAGE

Office of Innovation and Technology Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (FAST) Funding Opportunity Numbers: FAST-2017-R-0011; FAST-2017-R-0011A

IMPORTANT

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY via GRANTS.GOV.

If your organization hasn't already done so, it must register with Grants.gov before Applying for this funding opportunity.

THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, WHICH MAY TAKE UP TO 1 - 2 WEEKS, MUST BE COMPLETED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ELECTRONICALLY.

IT IS STRONGLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU START THE REGISTRATION PROCESS IMMEDIATELY.

If you experience any problems registering with Grants.gov, call the Grants.gov Support Line at 1-800-518-4726.

The hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.

1. Registering with Grants.gov SBA requires the use of the Grants.gov website for submission of all grant application packages. If your organization hasn't already done so, it must register with Grants.gov before it can apply for this funding opportunity.

Registration creates a profile of basic information about your organization including the staff members who are authorized to submit applications on its behalf. These steps take a number of days, so please don't wait until the last minute if you have a deadline approaching! If you have problems registering with Grants.gov, call the help desk at 1-800-518-4726.

The checklist below has been designed to help guide you through the Grants.gov registration process. Complete instructions for registering with Grants.gov are located at www.Grants.gov.

A glossary of terms and links to important online resources follow the checklist.

2. List of Required Forms To apply for this funding opportunity, you must provide the forms listed below on through Grants.gov. Also, you must download the full Program Announcement for other mandatory requirements.

1. Find out your institution's DUNS number All institutions applying for federal grants are required to provide a DUNS number. The federal government has adopted the use of DUNS numbers to keep track of how federal grant money is dispersed.

Ask your grant administrator or chief financial officer to provide your institution's DUNS number. Research universities and most colleges, independent libraries, and large organizations already have DUNS numbers.

If your institution doesn't have a DUNS number, call the special Dun & Bradstreet hotline at 1-866-705-5711 to receive one free of charge.

More information about DUNS numbers is available at http://www.dnb.com/get-a-duns-number.html.

You will receive a DUNS number at the conclusion of the phone call.

Record and protect your DUNS number and have it available for quick reference in the following steps.

2. Register your institution with System for Award Management(SAM) SAM is a government-wide registry for organizations that seek grants from or otherwise do business with the federal government. SAM will house your organizational information, allowing Grants.gov to verify your identity and to pre-fill organizational information on your grant applications. Ask your chief financial officer, grant administrator, or authorizing official if your organization is already registered with SAM.

Remember that registration with the System for Award Management must be confirmed each year for your Grants.gov registration to remain valid.

If your organization is not registered, you can register online at www.SAM.gov or apply by phone (1-866-606-8220).

When your organization registers with SAM, you must designate:

1) SAM Point of Contact (SAM POC). This individual is responsible for maintaining the accuracy and timeliness of the information in SAM's registry. Upon successful registration, SAM POC will receive a T-PIN (Trading Partner Identification Number) that will enable him or her to update your organization's SAM information as necessary.

2) An Ebiz Point of Contact (Ebiz POC). This individual will have sole authority to designate the staff member(s) who can submit grant applications on your organization's behalf through Grants.gov. The same individual may serve as both SAM POC and as Ebiz POC.

During registration, you also will be asked to designate a special password called a Marketing Partner ID or "M-PIN." This password will be used in Step 4 below.

This is the most cumbersome step. We recommend that you allow up to 3 days to gather information and prepare the application. After you submit your registration information, SAM will send an e-mail confirmation, generally on the same day.

The SAM site uses terminology that is more appropriate for profit-making organizations than for non-profits. Do not be confused by terms such as vendor, contractor, etc; just provide the requested information.

Record and protect your T-PIN and M-PIN. Keep track of the staff designated as Points of Contact.

3. Register with Grants.gov credential provider Each staff member who will be submitting applications on your organization's behalf must first register with Grants.gov's credential provider. These staff members are called Authorized Organization Representatives (AORs). Before starting on this step, your SAM registration (Step 2 above) must be complete. Grants.gov recommends that you wait one business day between registering with SAM and registering with Grants.gov's credential provider.

To register, each AOR must apply for a User ID and password from Operational Research Consultants (ORC) at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html AORs will need to know your organization's DUNS number in order to complete the process. We recommend that each AOR print out the ORC eAuthentication Account Confirmation and keep it for his/her records.

AOR User IDs and passwords serve as "electronic signatures" when your organization submits applications through Grants.gov.

It is possible for the individual who serves as your organization's SAM POC and/or Ebiz POC to also serve as the AOR (or as one of the AORs).

Same day.

AORs will receive usernames and passwords when they submit their information.

An organization does not need more than one AOR. While the AOR is the only one who can submit applications, others (e.g., project director, development director) can work on the proposal prior to submission.

AORs should record and protect their UserIDs and passwords, and have them available for quick reference.

4. Register with Grants.gov Finally, your organization's AOR(s) must register with Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html using their User IDs and passwords obtained in Step 3.

Registration creates an account on Grants.gov that enables your organization to name and confirm authorization for one or more AORs and then allows the AOR(s) to submit applications on your organization's behalf.

When an AOR registers with Grants.gov, the Ebiz POC for your organization will receive an e-mail notification. Your Ebiz POC must then log on to Grants.gov (using the DUNS number from Step 1 and the MPIN password from Step 2) and approve the AOR, thereby giving him or her permission to submit applications. When an Ebiz POC approves an AOR, Grants.gov will notify the AOR via e-mail.

AORs can also log in to the Applicant home page at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html using their username and password (obtained in Step 3) to check if they have been approved.

Same day.

Registration will be complete when the AOR submits his or her information. Registration approval depends on the time it takes your Ebiz POC to log on and approve the AOR.

If you are uncertain about your organization's AORs, contact Grants.gov with your DUNS number and they can check for you.

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR): A person authorized by your E-Business POC to submit applications to Grants.gov.

System for Award Management(SAM): Institutions receiving any type of award from the federal government must register with SAM.

DUNS Number: DUNS stands for "data universal numbering system." DUNS numbers are issued by Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) and consist of nine digits. If your institution does not have one, call 1-866-705-5711 to receive one free of charge.

E-Business Point of Contact (Ebiz POC): Person who will designate which staff members can submit applications through Grants.gov. When you register with SAM, your institution will be asked to designate an Ebiz POC.

M-PIN: Password used by your Ebiz POC to designate which staff members can submit applications to Grants.gov.

DUNS Number information: http://www.dnb.com/get-a-duns-number.html System for Award Management(SAM): http://www.SAM.gov Register with the Credential Provider: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html Grants.gov website: http://www.grants.gov Contact Grants.gov via e-mail: support@grants.gov Grants.gov Customer Support Tutorials and Manuals: http://www.grants.gov/eb/grants/support.html Grant.gov Support Line: 1-800-518-GRANTS (4726)

SBA on GRANTS.GOV Grant Forms - Instructions and Guidelines

This section provides the guidelines and instructions for the forms that are required for the grant program to which you are applying. These forms must be completed to submit your application. They are the:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) -- this form asks for basic information about your organization. Instructions how to complete this form are located in Attachment B of the program announcement. Note: Block 15 should reflect total funding for the upcoming program year of this proposal. Do not include program income. If submitting the first year of a multiyear proposal include 424s for subsequent budget years in SBA Attachment Form attachment 15.

2. Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) -- this form is the applicant's estimate of the total cost of performing the project or activity for the upcoming program year of this proposal. Individual center budgets should be entered in SBA Attachment Form attachment 5.

All proposed costs reflected in the budget must be necessary to the project, reasonable and otherwise allowable under applicable cost principles and Agency policies.

3. Assurances - Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) -- this form is for certification that the organization will comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal laws, executive orders, regulations, and policies governing the grant program.

4. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) -- this form requests disclosure of any lobbying activities pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1352.

Please attach the proper file to the buttons listed below:

NOTE: To save your documents as PDFs, you will need to use PDF generator software.

List of Attachments

( ) SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

( ) SF-424B, Budget Information

( ) A-9 – A-12 Budget Detailed Worksheet and Narrative Any category of expense not applicable to your budget may be deleted by the SBA. The Worksheet and narrative must provide a clear correlation between the costs and activities to be performed under the grant. Narratives must support all costs shown on the Budget Detailed Worksheet.

( ) Match _______% Certification and documentation on portion. (If match is required)

( ) List of Contractors/Consultants

( ) Copy of Contractual/Consultant Agreements (Over $25,000)

( ) Technical Proposal The Technical Proposal should be prepared in double spaced format and when read separately from the rest of the application, serve as succinct and accurate description of the proposed work. Applicants should concisely describe the goals and objectives and methods for achieving. And provide a clear measurable "end result" to be achieved. Summaries of past accomplishments should be avoided.

( ) Chart of Project Milestones Applicants must provide a chart of monthly projections for all activities to be performed under the grant project. Monthly projections must be measurable.

( ) Governor’s Letter of Endorsement

( ) Organizational Chart and List of Board of Directors

( ) Tax Identification Documentation issued by the Internal Revenue Service (W-9 form is a temporary form until final notification is received from the IRS-usually within 30 days)

( ) SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Instructions for completing this form are provided on reverse side of form Federal funds under this award may not be used for lobbying activities

( ) SF-3881, ACH Vendor /Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form Applicants are to complete the Payee/Company Information and Financial Institution sections of this form only. The Agency Information section will be completed by SBA. Click on the following link: https://www.sba.gov/content/standard-form-3881-ach-vendormiscellaneous-payment-enrollment-form .

( ) Debarment and Suspension – SBA Form 1623. Click on the following link: https://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/ovbd/resources/758162 .

( ) Indirect Cost Rate Proposal from Cognizant Agency (Applicant must submit a current approved rate. If the Applicant does not have such an agreement, the applicant may negotiate a proposed indirect cost rate in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable cost principles set forth in the New Omnibus Super Circular, or may accept the 10 percent de Minimis rate)

( ) Cost Policy Statement. Click on link for SAMPLE: https://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/ovbd/resources/758162 .

( ) CFO Certification (All applications must include a written statement from a certified public accountant or person of comparable expertise to verify that it has an established organizational infrastructure with an internal financial management system that meets the standards prescribed in 2 C.F.R.200.302)

( ) Copy of Organization’s most recent Audit Report (2015, no older than 1 year form current date) or link to website where it can be located

( ) Drug-free Workplace Agreement (Click on the following link https://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/ovbd/resources/758162 .

After you submit your electronic application to Grants.gov, you will be assigned a Grants.gov tracking number on the screen. It will also be e-mailed to your AOR.

For additional help on how to use Grants.gov, please see the help screens on the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html. You can also send an e-mail to the Grants.gov helpdesk at support@grants.gov or call them at 1-800-518-4726.

Copies of the documents mentioned above can be found at www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html.

Portable Document Format (.pdf) Applicants may submit the required attachments to Grants.gov as a portable document format (.pdf). Using PDFs allows you to preserve the formatting of your document.

In order to save your documents as PDFs, you will need to use PDF generator software. There are a number of programs available for both PCs and Macs, along with websites that will do the conversion for you.

Below is a sampling of some of the PDF generators on the market, many of which are free or very low-cost. The descriptions were accurate as of July 2004. Please consult vendor websites for additional information. SBA does not endorse any particular software. The websites are listed in alphabetical order.

Adobe: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer.html Print driver that will work with any application. For PC or Mac.

Create Adobe PDF Online: http://createpdf.adobe.com/ Web-based converter. Can be used by PC or Mac. Vendor e-mails PDF back to you.

Go2PDF: http://www.go2pdf.com Print driver that will work with any application. For PC.

Win2PDF: http://www.win2pdf.com/ Print driver that will work with any application. For PC.

Zeon Corporation: http://www.pdfwizard.com/ Print driver that will work with any application. For PC.

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