Foa_Content_of_FR-6500-N-55.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Policy Development and Research

HBCU Cooperative Research in Housing Technologies

FR-6500-N-55

08/10/2021

Table of Contents Overview

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description

B. Authority

II. Award Information

A. Available Funds

B. Number of Awards

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information

D. Period of Performance

E. Type of Funding Instrument

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Ineligible Applicants

C. Cost Sharing or Matching

D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements

E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility

F. Program-Specific Requirements

G. Criteria for Beneficiaries

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Obtaining an Application Package

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number

D. Application Submission Dates and Times

E. Intergovernmental Review

F. Funding Restrictions

G. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

A. Review Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

B. Statutory and Administrative, National and Department Requirements for HUD Recipients

C. Reporting

D. Debriefing

VII. Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

APPENDIX

Program Office:

Policy Development and Research Funding Opportunity Title:

HBCU Cooperative Research in Housing Technologies Funding Opportunity Number:

FR-6500-N-55

Primary CFDA Number:

14.506,14.536 Due Date for Applications:

08/10/2021 Overview The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to invite applications from eligible applicants for the program and purpose described within this NOFO. Prospective applicants should carefully read all instructions in all sections to avoid sending an incomplete or ineligible application. HUD funding is highly competitive. Failure to respond accurately to any submission requirement could result in an incomplete or noncompetitive proposal.

During the selection process HUD is prohibited from disclosing 1) information regarding any applicant’s relative standing, 2) the amount of assistance requested by an applicant, and 3) any information contained in the application. Prior to the application deadline, HUD may not disclose the identity of any applicant or the number of applicants that have applied for assistance.

For Further Information Regarding this NOFO: Please direct questions regarding the specific requirements of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to the office contact identified in Section VII.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. The information collection requirements in this notice have been approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501- 3520). In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection displays a valid OMB control number. Each NOFO will identify its applicable OMB control number unless its collection of information is excluded from these requirements under 5 CFR part 1320.

OMB Approval Number(s):

2528-0299

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION.

A. Program Description.

1. Purpose The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is interested in receiving applications from Historically Black Colleges and Universities for cooperative agreements for pre-competitive research in homebuilding innovations or research related to housing technology/built environment and social determinants of health and well-being. HUD invites applications from a wide range of academic disciplines, such as engineering, architecture, urban planning, sociology, public policy, law, business, etc. Applications should not include trade secrets or other confidential information. However, the applicant should describe the technology in sufficient detail so that HUD can decide on the strength of the application.

Applicants are invited to submit research proposals on a broad range of topics related to the built environment. The following is not intended to be an exhaustive list of possible topics: building codes, standards, and construction technologies (including factory-built housing and components); land use planning and housing issues related to “green” construction and energy efficiency; disaster preparedness and climate resilient construction; and, housing and community planning addressing the needs of multiple age, income, and accessibility groups. Topics may address retrofit or rehabilitation of existing structures, new construction, or both.

Eligible Activities In support of the objectives listed in the section above, applicants are being asked to undertake a variety of research and evaluation activities, from articulating research questions, establishing appropriate testing and data analysis, data analysis, communicating research findings, and producing informational tools and resources to improve practice and policy.

Deliverables At a minimum, HUD expects the award recipient to produce the following deliverables. The Government Technical Representative (GTR) and/or other HUD staff, as assigned by the GTR, will work closely with the awardee on defining these deliverables. HUD expects to have an opportunity to review and comment on these deliverables to ensure that they meet the project objectives. The deliverables should not include trade secrets or other confidential information as part of the reporting requirements. However, testing data and other results are expected to be reported to help evaluate the effectiveness of any proprietary technologies.

1. Management and Work Plan (MWP): The MWP shall outline the overall strategy for completing the research within the budget and timeframe allotted. It will describe activities to be undertaken, assign staff, and provide a schedule of key tasks. A draft MWP must be submitted with the application. After award, HUD will provide comments to the awardee and a final MWP must be submitted to HUD within two weeks of the receipt of HUD comments. A revised final budget may also be required with the final

MWP.

2. Research Design (RD): The RD will describe the methodology to be used to complete the proposed effort including data collection, management, and analysis. If appropriate, describe the plan for testing and data analysis, specifically relating those actions to the existing codes, standards, and protocols. After award, HUD will provide feedback and a final RD must be submitted to HUD within four weeks of the receipt of HUD comments.

3. Quality Control Plan (QCP): A draft QCP, which addresses all potential points of a Quality Control lapse, shall be delivered within two weeks after the grant award and the final QCP shall be submitted for GTR approval within six weeks of grant award. A comprehensive QCP shall be submitted to the GTR within five working days when changes are made thereafter. The awardee shall receive the GTR's acceptance in writing of any proposed change to the QCP.

4. Quarterly Progress Reports: Quarterly Progress Reports will document activities completed in the most recent reporting period, planned activities for the upcoming reporting period, and budget expenditures by line item (including hours worked for specific staff). Progress reports must be submitted quarterly and shall be aligned with the submission of draw down requests.

5. Draft Final Report - Applicants will also be required to submit a draft final report which summarizes the entire work, achievements, and findings conducted under the award. The report format and style requirements are provided at https://www.huduser.gov/porta l/About/style-guide-for-reports.pdf. HUD will have 4 weeks to review the draft final report and return comments to the grantee.

6. Final Report - Applicants shall submit a final report that adequately addresses the HUD comments. This report is expected to be submitted just before the conclusion of the grant.

2. Changes from Previous NOFO.

The scope has been broadened to include social impacts of the built environment such as housing and community planning addressing the needs of multiple age, income, and accessibility groups.

Rating Factor 1 has been changed to increase the maximum number of points. Language was adjusted in Rating Factor 3 and Rating Factor 5. The maximum award has been changed to $300,000 and the minimum award has been changed to $150,000.

3. Definitions.

a. Standard Definitions

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH). Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) means taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics. Specifically, affirmatively furthering fair housing means taking meaningful actions that, taken together, address significant disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunity, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity, and fostering and maintaining compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws. The duty to affirmatively further fair housing extends to all of a program participant’s activities and programs relating to housing and urban development.

Assistance Listings means a unique number assigned to identify a Federal Assistance Listing, formerly known as the CFDA Number.

Federal Financial Assistance means assistance that entities received or administer in the form of:

1) Grant;

2. Cooperative agreements (which does not include a cooperative research and development agreement pursuant to the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986, as amended (15 U.S.C. 3710a));

3. Loans;

4. Loan guarantees;

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5. Subsidies;

6. Insurance;

7. Food commodities;

8. Direct appropriations;

9. Assessed or voluntary contributions; or

10. Any other financial assistance transaction that authorizes the non-Federal entity's expenditure of Federal funds.

b. Federal Financial Assistancedoes not include:

1. Technical assistance, which provides services in lieu of money; and

2. A transfer of title to federally owned property provided in lieu of money, even if the award is called a grant.

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is the person authorized to submit applications on behalf of the organization via Grants.gov. The AOR is authorized by the E-Biz point of contact in the System for Award Management. The AOR is listed in item 21 on the SF- 424.

Consolidated Plan is a document developed by states and local jurisdictions. This plan is completed by engaging in a participatory process to assess their affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions, and to make data-driven, place-based investment decisions with funding from formula grant programs. (See 24 CFR part 91 HUD’s requirements regarding the Consolidated Plan and related Action Plan).

Contract means, for the purpose of Federal financial assistance, a legal instrument by which a recipient or subrecipient purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a Federal award. For additional information on contractor and subrecipient determinations see 2 CFR 200.331.

Contractor means an entity that receives a contract as defined in 2 CFR 200.1.

Deficiency is information missing or omitted within a submitted application. Examples of deficiencies include missing documents, information on a form, or some other type of unsatisfied information requirement (e.g., an unsigned form, unchecked box.). Depending on specific criteria, deficiencies may be either curable or non-curable.

Curable Deficiencies may be corrected by the applicant with timely action. To be curable the deficiency must:

Not be a threshold requirement, except for documentation of applicant eligibility;

Not influence how an applicant is ranked or scored versus other applicants; and

Be remedied within the time frame specified in the notice of deficiency.

Non-Curable Deficiencies cannot be corrected by an applicant after the submission deadline.

Non-curable deficiencies are deficiencies that, if corrected, would change an applicant’s score or rank versus other applicants. Non-curable deficiencies may result in an application being marked ineligible, or otherwise adversely affect an application’s score and final determination.

DUNS Number is the nine-digit Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Number

System identification number assigned to a business or organization by Dun & Bradstreet and provides a means of identifying business entities on a location-specific basis. OMB removed duplicate recipients based on recipient Data Universal Number System (DUNS) numbers, from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). At this time all Federal financial assistance recipients are required to register for DUNS numbers.

E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) A user registered as an organization applicant who is responsible for the administration and management of grant activities for his or her organization.

The E-Biz POC is likely to be an organization's chief financial officer or authorizing official. The E-Biz POC authorizes representatives of their organization to apply on behalf of the organization (see Standard AOR and Expanded AOR). There can only be one E-Biz POC per DUNS Number.)

Eligibility requirements are mandatory requirements for an application to be eligible for funding.

Federal award, has the meaning, depending on the context, in either paragraph (1) or (2) of this definition:

(1)(i) The Federal financial assistance that a recipient receives directly from a Federal awarding agency or a subrecipient receives indirectly from a pass-through entity, as described in 2 CFR §200.101; or

ii. The cost-reimbursement contract under the Federal Acquisition Regulations that a non- Federal entity receives directly from a Federal awarding agency or indirectly from a pass-through entity, as described in 2 CFR §200.101.

2. The instrument setting forth the terms and conditions. The instrument is the grant agreement, cooperative agreement, other agreement for assistance covered in paragraph

(2) of the definitions of Federal financial assistance in 2 CFR §200.1, or the cost-reimbursement contract awarded under the Federal Acquisition Regulations.

3. Federal award does not include other contracts that a Federal agency uses to buy goods or services from a contractor or a contract to operate Federal Government owned, contractor operated facilities (GOCOs).

4. See also definitions of Federal financial assistance, grant agreement, and cooperative agreement.

Grants.gov is the website serving as the Federal government’s central portal for searching and applying for Federal financial assistance throughout the Federal government. Registration on Grants.gov is required for submission of applications to prospective agencies unless otherwise specified in this NOFO.

Non-Federal Entity (NFE) means a state, local government, Indian tribe, Institution of Higher Education (IHE), or non-profit organization that carries out a Federal award as a recipient or subrecipient.

Point of Contact (POC) is the person who may be contacted with questions about the application submitted by the AOR. The POC is listed in item 8F on the SF-424.

Recipient means an entity, usually but not limited to non-Federal entities, that receives a Federal award directly from HUD. The term recipient does not include subrecipients or individuals that are beneficiaries of the award.

Small business is defined as a privately-owned corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship that has fewer employees and less annual revenue than a corporation or regular-sized business.

The definition of "small"—in terms of being able to apply for government support and qualify for preferential tax policy—varies by country and industry. The U.S. Small Business Administration defines a small business according to a set of standards based on specific industries.{e-CFR Title 13-Chapter I – Part 121}

Subaward means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a Federal program. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that pass-through entity considers a contract.

Subrecipient means an entity, usually but not limited to non-Federal entities, that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a Federal award but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such award. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other Federal awards directly for a Federal awarding agency.

System for Award Management (SAM) means the Federal Repository into which an entity must provide information required for the conduct of business as a recipient. Registration with SAM is required for submission of applications via Grants.gov. You can access the website athttps://www.sam.gov/SAM/. There is no cost to use SAM.

Threshold Requirements are an eligibility requirement that must be met for an application to be reviewed. Threshold requirements are not curable, except for documentation of applicant eligibility and are listed in Section III.D Threshold Eligibility Requirements. Similarly, there are eligibility requirements under Section III.E, Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility.

Unique Entity Identifier means the identifier required for SAM registration to uniquely identify business entities.

4. Program Definitions Built environment: The human-made environment, in this case, related to housing.

Factory-built housing and components: This term refers to a range of residential building products that are produced in a factory at a location other than the location of final installation. These products include but are not limited to manufactured housing, modules, panels, etc.

Homebuilding: The design and construction of housing. In this NOFO, we are primarily interested in homebuilding of single-family attached or detached homes and multifamily homes with three stories or less (homes of this type generally use similar design approaches, products, and trades).

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=0ff5f0839abff4eec707b4478ed733c6&mc=true&node=pt13.1.121&rgn=div5&se13.1.121_1101 https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

Innovation: The introduction of something new that results in an improvement of function or performance. For the purposes of this announcement, homebuilding innovations can include new construction methods, materials, techniques, processes or products, that greatly improve the function of homes. The terms "innovation" and "technology" are used interchangeably in this

NOFO.

Pre-competitive Research: Pre-competitive research is research that is sufficiently in the early stages such that competitors are working collaboratively. It is research that is jointly conducted by competitors for the purpose of developing new innovations for commercial use.

Quality Control Lapse: A quality control lapse is a failure to meet deadlines, or accomplish quality or quantity goals, because of a failure of communication, collaboration, coordination, or supervision among the human beings involved in the project.

Quality Control Plan: A quality control plan is a schedule or practice of meetings, reviews, or inspections to ensure that quality control lapses do not occur.

Resilience: The ability to withstand natural and man-made hazards, shocks or stresses, including those associated with climate change, without compromising long-term prospects for the structure. For this NOFO, resilience will also include durability, adaptability for future requirements, and maintainability of the interior, exterior, and structure of the home.

Technology: The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes. The terms "innovation" and "technology" are used interchangeably in this NOFO.

B. Authority.

This program is authorized by Sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. §1701z-1 and 2) and funding is provided by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-94, approved December 20, 2019) and by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260, approved December 27, 2020).

II. Award Information.

A. Available Funds Funding of approximately $ 1,125,000 is available through this NOFO.

Additional funds may become available for award under this NOFO, because of HUD's efforts to recapture funds, use carryover funds, or because of the availability of additional appropriated funds. Use of these funds is subject to statutory constraints. All awards are subject to the funding restrictions contained in this NOFO.

B. Number of Awards.

HUD expects to make approximately 4 awards from the funds available under this NOFO.

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information Estimated Total Funding:

$ 1,125,000 Minimum Award Amount:

$ 150,000 Per Project Period

Maximum Award Amount:

$ 300,000 Per Project Period

D. Period of Performance Estimated Project Start Date:

10/04/2021 Estimated Project End Date:

10/04/2024 Length of Project Periods:

Other

Length of Periods Explanation of Other:

36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods

E. Type of Funding Instrument.

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) III. Eligibility Information.

A. Eligible Applicants.

25 (Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification))

Additional Information on Eligibility Only Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) are eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as: “.…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary (of Education) to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.”

B. Ineligible Applicants.

Any applicant other than an HBCU is not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement. HUD will not evaluate applications from ineligible applicants.

C. Cost Sharing or Matching.

This Program does not require cost sharing or matching.

D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements.

Applicants who fail to meet any of the following threshold eligibility requirements will be deemed ineligible. Applications from ineligible applicants will not be evaluated.

1. Resolution of Civil Rights Matters. Outstanding civil rights matters must be resolved before the application deadline. Applicants, who after review are confirmed to have civil rights matters unresolved at the application deadline, will be deemed ineligible. Their applications will receive no further review, will not be rated and ranked, and they will not receive funding.

a. Applicants having any of the charges, cause determinations, lawsuits, or letters of findings referenced in subparagraphs (1) – (5) that have not been resolved to HUD’s satisfaction before or on the application deadline date are ineligible for funding. Such matters include:

1. Charges from HUD concerning a systemic violation of the Fair Housing Act or receipt of a cause determination from a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing agency concerning a systemic violation of a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing law proscribing discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or familial status;

2. Status as a defendant in a Fair Housing Act lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice alleging a pattern or practice of discrimination or denial of rights to a group of persons raising an issue of general public importance under 42 U.S.C. 3614(a);

3. Status as a defendant in any other lawsuit filed or joined by the Department of Justice, or in which the Department of Justice has intervened, or filed an amicus brief or statement of interest, alleging a pattern or practice or systemic violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, the Americans with Disabilities Act or a claim under the False Claims Act related to fair housing, non-discrimination, or civil rights generally including an alleged failure to affirmatively further fair housing;

4. Receipt of a letter of findings identifying systemic non-compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; or the Americans with Disabilities Act; or

5. Receipt of a cause determination from a substantially equivalent state or local fair housing agency concerning a systemic violation of provisions of a state or local law prohibiting discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or lawful source of income.

b. HUD will determine if actions to resolve the charge, cause determination, lawsuit, or letter of findings taken before the application deadline date will resolve the matter.

Examples of actions that may be sufficient to resolve the matter include, but are not limited to:

1. Current compliance with a voluntary compliance agreement signed by all the parties;

2. Current compliance with a HUD-approved conciliation agreement signed by all the parties;

3. Current compliance with a conciliation agreement signed by all the parties and approved by the state governmental or local administrative agency with jurisdiction over the matter;

4. Current compliance with a consent order or consent decree;

5. Current compliance with a final judicial ruling or administrative ruling or decision; or

6. Dismissal of charges.

2. Timely Submission of Applications. Applications submitted after the deadline stated within this NOFO that do not meet the requirements of the grace period policy will be marked late. Late applications are ineligible and will not be considered for funding. See Section IV. D. Application Submission Dates and Times.

(1) Proposals must be responsive to this Announcement. - Applications that do not clearly respond to the research objectives of this announcement will be ineligible and will not be considered for funding.

(2) No person may be listed as a principal investigator on more than one application.

E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility.

Eligibility Requirements for Applicants of HUD’s Grants Programs The following requirements affect applicant eligibility. Detailed information on each requirement is posted on HUD’s Funding Opportunities Page.

Active Prime and Sub Recipient registration with SAM.gov Outstanding Delinquent Federal Debts Debarments and/or Suspensions Pre-selection Review of Performance Sufficiency of Financial Management System False Statements Mandatory Disclosure Requirement Prohibition Against Lobbying Activities Equal Participation of Faith-Based Organizations in HUD Programs and Activities

F. Program-Specific Requirements.

None

G. Criteria for Beneficiaries.

None

IV. Application and Submission Information.

A. Obtaining an Application Package.

Instructions for Applicants.

You must download both the Application Instructions and the Application Package from Grants.gov. You must verify that the Assistance Listing Number and Assistance Listing Description on the first page of the Application Package, and the Funding Opportunity Title and the Funding Opportunity Number match the Program and NOFO to which you are applying.

The Application Package contains the portable document forms (PDFs) available on Grants.gov, such as the SF-424 Family. The Instruction Download contains official copies of the NOFO and https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/spm/gmomgmt/grantsinfo/fundingopps forms necessary for a complete application. The Instruction Download may include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and additional documents.

An applicant demonstrating good cause may request a waiver from the requirement for electronic submission, for example, a lack of available Internet access in the geographic area in which your business offices are located. Lack of SAM registration or valid DUNS Number is not good cause. If you cannot submit your application electronically, you must ask in writing for a waiver of the electronic grant submission requirements. HUD will not grant a waiver if HUD does not receive your written mailed, shipped, or emailed request at least 15 calendar days before the application deadline and if you do not demonstrate good cause. If HUD waives the requirement, HUD must receive your paper application before the deadline of this NOFO. To request a waiver, you must contact:

Name:

Katina Jordan Email:

Katina.L.Jordan@hud.gov HUD Organization:

PDR

Street:

451 Seventh Street SW Room 8226 City:

DC

State:

DC DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Zip:

20410 B. Content and Form of Application Submission.

You must verify that boxes 11, 12, and 13 on the SF-424 match the NOFO for which you are applying. If they do not match, you have downloaded the wrong Application Instruction and Application Package.

Submission of an application that is otherwise sufficient, under the wrong Assistance Listing and Funding Opportunity Number is non curable unless otherwise stated in Threshold requirements.

1. Content.

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description

Application for Federal Assistance

(SF424)

Submission is required for all applicants by the

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description application due date.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SFLLL), if applicable

HUD will provide instructions to grantees on how the form is to be submitted.

If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the applicant shall complete and submit the SF-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions. Applicants must furnish an executed copy of the Certification Regarding Lobbying prior to award.

HUD Applicant Recipient Disclosure Report (HUD) 2880 Applicant/Recipient Disclosure/Update Report

HUD will provide instructions to grantees on how the form is to be submitted.

HUD instructions to grantees are provided by webcast, To view the webcast, click here.

Grant Application Detailed Budget Worksheet (HUD-424-CBW)

Applications must include a completed grant application detailed budget worksheet (HUD-424-CBW)

Additionally, your complete application must include the following narratives and non-form attachments.

2. Format and Form.

Narratives and other attachments to your application must follow the following format guidelines.

20 Pages maximum length of narratives

Double spaced 12-point (minimum) Times Roman font on letter sized paper (8 1/2 x 11 inches) with at least 1-inch margins on all sides

a. Narrative addressing rating factors should not exceed 20 pages. The narrative page limits do http://media.gss.hud.gov:8080/WC/2011/02/11/HUDForm2880.wmv not include required forms, assurances and certifications, the appendix of participating firms and contractors, the appendix of resumes, the appendix of reference letters, the budget narrative, and the one-page abstract. The narrative must be one continuous file formatted to fit an 8 1/2 by 11-inch page, double-spaced (information requirements), with one-inch margins, using standard Times New Roman 12-point font. Resumes are subject to a separate 20-page limit as follows:

i. the application shall include resumes for no more than 5 key personnel; and

ii. no individual resume shall exceed 4 pages. Submitting pages in excess of page limits will not disqualify an applicant; however, HUD will not consider the information on any excess pages. This exclusion may result in a lower score.

b. Abstract - One-page application summary needs to include:

i. A brief description of the proposed research and/or evaluation project; and

ii. Provide funding request in whole dollar amount. The amount requested should be based on the scope of the project, personnel costs, other direct costs, as well as administrative costs, etc.

C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number.

1. SAM Registration Requirement.

Applicants must be registered with https://www.sam.gov/ before submitting their application.

Applicants must maintain current information in SAM on immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all predecessors that have been awarded a Federal contract or grant within the last three years, if applicable. Information in SAM must be current for all times during which the applicant has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by HUD.

2. DUNS Number Requirement.

Applicants must provide a valid DUNS number, registered and active at https://www.sam.gov/ in the application. DUNS numbers may be obtained for free from Dun & Bradstreet.

3. Requirement to Register with Grants.gov.

Anyone planning to submit applications on behalf of an organization must register at grants.gov and be approved by the E-Biz POC in SAM to submit applications for the organization.

Registration for SAM and grants.gov is a multi-step process and can take four (4) weeks or longer to complete if data issues arise. Applicants without a valid registration cannot apply through grants.gov. Complete registration instructions and guidance are provided on grants.gov.

D. Application Submission Dates and Times.

Application Due Date Explanation The application deadline is 11:59:59 PM Eastern Standard time on

08/10/2021 Applications must be received no later than the deadline, or, if HUD has issued you a waiver allowing you to submit your application in paper form, by HUD no later than the deadline.

Submit your application to Grants.gov unless a waiver has been issued allowing you to submit your application in paper form. Instructions for submitting your paper application will be http://www.sam.gov/ contained in the waiver of electronic submission.

"Received by Grants.gov" means the applicant received a confirmation of receipt and an application tracking number from Grants.gov. Grants.gov then assigns an application tracking number and date-and timestamps each application upon successful receipt by the Grants.gov system. A submission attempt not resulting in confirmation of receipt and an application tracking number is not considered received by Grants.gov.

Applications received by Grants.gov must be validated by Grants.gov to be received by HUD.

"Validated by Grants.gov" means the application has been accepted and was not rejected with errors. You can track the status of your application by logging into Grants.gov, selecting "Applicants" from the top navigation, and selecting “Track my application” from the dropdown list. If the application status is "rejected with errors,” you must correct the error(s) and resubmit the application before the 24-hour grace period ends. Applications in “rejected with errors” status after the 24-hour grace period expires will not be received by HUD. Visit Grants.gov for a complete description of processing steps after applying.

HUD strongly recommends you submit your applications at least 48 hours before the deadline and during regular business hours to allow enough time to correct errors or overcome other problems.

Grants.gov Customer Support. Grants.gov provides customer support information on its website at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html . Applicants having difficulty accessing the application and instructions or having technical problems can receive customer support from Grants.gov by calling (800) 518-GRANTS (this is a toll-free number) or by sending an email to support@grants.gov. The customer support center is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week, except Federal holidays. The phone number above may also be reached by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who have speech disabilities, through the Federal Relay Service’s teletype service at 800-877-8339.

You can verify the contents of your submitted application to confirm Grants.gov received everything you intended to submit. To verify the contents of your submitted application:

Log in to Grants.gov.

Click the Check Application Status link, which appears under the Grant Applications heading in the Applicant Center page. This will take you to the Check Application Status page.

Enter search criteria and a date range to narrow your search results.

Click the Search button. To review your search results in Microsoft Excel, click the

Export Data button.

Review the Status column, to view more detailed submission information, click the

Details link in the Actions column.

To download the submitted application, click the Download link in the Actions column.

Please make note of the Grants.gov tracking number as it will be needed by the Grants.gov Help Desk if you seek their assistance.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov.

HUD may extend the application deadline for any program if Grants.gov is offline or not available to applicants for at least 24 hours immediately prior to the deadline date, or the system is down for 24 hours or longer and impacts the ability of applicants to cure a submission deficiency within the grace period.

HUD may also extend the application deadline upon request if there is a presidentially declared disaster in the applicant’s area.

If these events occur, HUD will post a notice on its website establishing the new, extended deadline for the affected applicants. HUD will also include the fact of the extension in the program’s Notice of Funding Awards required to be published in the Federal Register.

In determining whether to grant a request for an extension based on a presidentially-declared disaster, HUD will consider the totality of the circumstances including the date of an applicant’s extension request (how closely it followed the basis for the extension), whether other applicants in the geographic area are similarly affected by the disaster, and how quickly power or services are restored to enable the applicant to submit its application.

PLEASE NOTE: Busy servers, slow processing, large file sizes, improper registration or password issues are not valid circumstances to extend the deadline dates or the grace period.

1. Amending or Resubmitting an Application.

Before the submission deadline, you may amend a validated application through Grants.gov by resubmitting a revised application containing the new or changed material. The resubmitted application must be received and validated by Grants.gov by the applicable deadline.

If HUD receives an original and a revised application for a single proposal, HUD will evaluate only the last submission received by Grants.gov before the deadline.

2. Grace Period for Grants.gov Submissions.

If your application is received by Grants.gov before the deadline, but is rejected with errors, you have a grace period of 24 hours after the application deadline to submit a corrected, received, and validated application through Grants.gov. The date and time stamp on the Grants.gov system determines the application receipt time. Any application submitted during the grace period not received and validated by Grants.gov will not be considered for funding. There is no grace period for paper applications.

3. Late Applications.

An application received after the NOFO deadline date that does not meet the Grace Period requirements will be marked late and will not be received by HUD for funding consideration.

Improper or expired registration and password issues are not causes that allow HUD to accept applications after the deadline.

4. Corrections to Deficient Applications.

HUD will not consider information from applicants after the application deadline.

HUD will uniformly notify applicants of each curable deficiency. See curable deficiency in the definitions section (Section I.A.3). Examples of curable (correctable) deficiencies include inconsistencies in the funding request and failure to submit required certifications. These examples are non-exhaustive.

When HUD identifies a curable deficiency, HUD will notify the authorized organization representative identified on the SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance via email. This email is the official notification of a curable deficiency.

Applicants must email corrections of curable deficiencies to applicationsupport@hud.gov within the time limits specified in the notification. The time allowed to correct deficiencies will be no less than 48 hours and no more than 14 calendar days from the date of the email notification. The start of the cure period will be the date stamp on the email sent from HUD. If the deficiency cure deadline date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, Federal holiday, or on a day when HUD’s Headquarters are closed, then the applicant’s correction must be received on the next business day HUD Headquarters offices in Washington, DC are open.

The subject line of the email sent to applicationsupport@hud.gov must state: Technical Cure and include the Grants.gov application tracking number or the GrantSolutions application number (e.g., Subject: Technical Cure - GRANT123456 or Technical Cure - XXXXXXXXXXX). If this information is not included, HUD cannot match the response with the application under review and the application may be rejected due to the deficiency.

Corrections to a paper application must be sent in accordance with and to the address indicated in the notification of deficiency. HUD will treat a paper application submitted in accordance with a waiver of electronic application containing the wrong DUNS number as having a curable deficiency. Failure to correct the deficiency and meet the requirement to have a DUNS number and active registration in SAM will render the application ineligible for funding.

5. Authoritative Versions of HUD NOFOs. The version of these NOFOs as posted on Grants.gov are the official documents HUD uses to solicit applications.

6. Exemptions. Parties that believe the requirements of the NOFO would impose a substantial burden on the exercise of their religion should seek an exemption under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

E. Intergovernmental Review.

This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

F. Funding Restrictions.

An organization may not conduct research or an evaluation of itself.

HUD will determine whether the salary rates are reasonable, customary for the skill set provided and the tasks to be conducted, and in accordance with federal legal requirements.

No person may be listed as a principal investigator on more than one application under this announcement.

mailto:applicationsupport@hud.gov mailto:applicationsupport@hud.gov

Indirect Cost Rate.

Normal indirect cost rules under 2 CFR part 200, subpart E apply. If you intend to charge indirect costs to your award, your application must clearly state the rate and distribution base you intend to use. If you have a Federally negotiated indirect cost rate, your application must also include a letter or other documentation from the cognizant agency showing the approved rate.

Successful applicants whose rate changes after the application deadline must submit new rate and documentation.

Applicants other than state and local governments. If you have a Federally negotiated indirect cost rate, your application must clearly state the approved rate and distribution base and must include a letter or other documentation from the cognizant agency showing the approved rate. If your agency does not have a current negotiated rate (including provisional) rate and elects to use the de minimis rate, your application must clearly state you intend to use the de minimis rate of 10% of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC). As described in 2 CFR 200.403, costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. Once elected, the de minimis rate must be applied consistently for all Federal awards until you choose to negotiate for a rate, which you may apply to do at any time. Documentation of the decision to use the de minimis rate must be retained on file for audit.

G. Other Submission Requirements.

1. Application, Assurances and Certifications.

Standard Form 424 (SF-424) Application for Federal Assistance Programs is the government-wide form required to apply for Application for Federal Assistance Programs, discretionary Federal grants and other forms of financial assistance programs. Applicants for this Federal assistance program must submit all required forms in the SF-424 Family of forms, including SF- 424B (Assurances of Non construction Programs) or SF424D (Assurances for Construction Programs).Applications receiving funds for both non-construction programs and construction programs must submit both the SF-424B and SF-424D.

By signing the forms in the SF-424 either through electronic submission or in paper copy submission (for those granted a waiver), the applicant and the signing authorized organization representative affirm that they have reviewed the certifications and assurances associated with the application for Federal assistance and (1) are aware the submission of the SF-424 is an assertion that the relevant certifications and assurances are established and (2) acknowledge that the truthfulness of the certifications and assurances are material representations upon which HUD will rely when making an award to the applicant. If it is later determined the signing authorized organization representative to the application made a false certification or assurance, caused the submission of a false certification or assurance, or did not have the authority to make a legally binding commitment for the applicant, the applicant and the individual who signed the application may be subject to administrative, civil, or criminal action. Additionally, HUD may terminate the award to the applicant organization or pursue other available remedies. Each applicant is responsible for including the correct certifications and assurances with its application submission, including those applicable to all applicants, those applicable only to Federally recognized Indian tribes, or Alaska native villages and those applicable to applicants other than federally recognized Indian tribes or Alaska native villages.

Assurances. By submitting your application, you provide assurances that, if selected to receive an award, you will comply with U.S. statutory and public policy requirements, including, but not limited to civil rights requirements. Applicants and recipients are required to submit assurances of compliance with federal civil rights requirements. See, e.g., Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; see also 24 C.F.R. §§ 1.5; 3.115; 8.50; and

146.25. HUD accepts these assurances in the form of the SF-424B and SF-424D, which also require compliance with all general federal nondiscrimination requirements in the administration of the grant.

V. Application Review Information.

A. Review Criteria.

1. Rating Factors.

The maximum number of points that can be awarded to any application is 100. The minimum score for an application to be considered for funding is 75 with individual minimum scores of 10 points for Factor 1, 10 points for Factor 2, and 20 points for Factor 3.

Rating Factor 1: Need for the Effort (Maximum 25 Points).

Minimum points needed for funding consideration is 10 of 25 possible maximum points for this rating factor.

This factor addresses the extent to which there is a need for the proposed effort to improve the built environment. Applicants shall describe why HUD funding is required and how it will help both the Department and industry improve the quality and performance of housing. In reviewing this factor, HUD will determine the extent to which the applicant’s proposal clearly addresses the following:

a. The scope of the proposed project. (10 points)

b. The significance of the work including its relationship to past efforts. Clearly describe how the work builds on existing knowledge and how it will foster innovation in homebuilding in the future. Reviewers will consider the extent to which the proposal makes a clear and compelling case for the project. (5 points)

c. How this effort will improve the built environment, including the broader impact expected, practical implications, and why the information will be accepted by relevant stakeholders. (10 points)

Rating Factor 2: Experience of Key Personnel (Maximum 25 Points).

Minimum points needed for funding consideration is 10 of 25 possible maximum points for this rating factor.

In reviewing this factor, HUD will determine the extent to which the applicant demonstrates adequate qualifications of the key personnel conducting the work. The applicant must clearly address the following:

a. Qualifications of Staff (15 points). The applicant shall provide a narrative detailing the background, skills and expertise of KEY staff involved in carrying out the proposed research.

Applicants shall demonstrate that they either have sufficient personnel or the ability to procure qualified experts or professionals with the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities to prepare and deliver the products the proposed research is expected to produce.