FY21-NIST-PSIAP-PSRD NOFO AMENDED.pdf

2021-NIST-PSIAP-PSRD-01

Notice of Funding Opportunity

2/5/2021

April 6, 2021

AMENDED NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

for

NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program - Public Safety Radio Data

(PSIAP-PSRD)

NIST is issuing this amendment (Amendment 1) to extend the application deadline.

NEW

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SECTION WHAT DOES

THE

AMENDMENT

DO?

THE NEW TEXT NOW READS:

1 2 Executive Summary

Changes the Announcement Type from “Initial” to “Amendment”.

Announcement Type: Amendment

2 2 and

Executive Summary and IV.4.

Extends the application deadline.

Applications must be received at Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, Tuesday, April 20, 2021.

https://www.grants.gov/

Notice of Funding Opportunity

2/5/2021

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program - Public Safety Radio Data

(PSIAP-PSRD)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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

● Funding Opportunity Title: NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program

– Public Safety Radio Data (PSIAP-PSRD)

• Announcement Type: Amendment

• Funding Opportunity Number: 2021-NIST-PSIAP-PSRD-01

• Assistance Listing (CFDA Number): 11.609, Measurement and Engineering Research and Standards

• Dates: Full Applications must be received at Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m.

Eastern Time, Tuesday, April 20, 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 May 2021. NIST expects the earliest start date for awards under this NOFO to be June 2021.

Applicants are strongly urged to read Section IV.2.b., Attachment of Required 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 and five business days but can take more than three weeks; and (3) 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 https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://grants.gov/

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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: NIST’s Public Safety Radio Data (PSRD) grant program is seeking applications from eligible applicants for activities to collect and publish active Public Safety (PS) radio system transmission data related to the comparison of Land Mobile Radio (LMR) to Long Term Evolution (LTE). The collected data must be made publicly available for the conduct of research relevant to the comparison of LMR to LTE. The applicant must also propose a conduct of research related to the comparison of LMR to LTE.

• Anticipated Amounts: In Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21), NIST anticipates funding 1 award for up to $1,000,000 with a project performance period of up to 2 years.

• Funding Instrument: Grant.

• Eligibility: Eligibility for the program listed in this NOFO is open to all non-Federal entities. Eligible applicants include accredited institutions of higher education; non-profit organizations; for-profit organizations incorporated in the United States; state, local, territorial, and Indian tribal governments; foreign public entities; and foreign organizations. Please note that individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not considered “non-Federal entities” and are not eligible to apply under this NOFO.

Although Federal entities are not eligible to receive funding under this NOFO, they may participate as unfunded collaborators.

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

• Public Website, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Webinar: NIST has a public website (https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr/funding-opportunities/grants-and-cooperative-agreements/psiap-public-safety-radio-data) that provides information pertaining to this Funding Opportunity. NIST anticipates that a “Frequently Asked Questions” section or other resource materials will be maintained and updated on the website as needed to provide additional guidance and clarifying information that may arise related to this Funding Opportunity. Any amendments to this NOFO will be announced through Grants.gov.

• Applicants must submit all questions pertaining to this funding opportunity via e- mail to pscr@nist.gov with ‘PSRD’ in the subject line. Questions submitted to NIST may be posted on pscr.gov. Alternatively, applicants may ask questions during the informational public webinar as described in the next paragraph.

NIST will host a webinar to provide general information regarding this NOFO, offer general guidance on preparing applications, and answer questions. Scheduling details https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr/funding-opportunities/grants-and-cooperative-agreements/psiap-public-safety-radio-data https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr/funding-opportunities/grants-and-cooperative-agreements/psiap-public-safety-radio-data mailto:pscr@nist.gov mailto:pscr@nist.gov http://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr

Notice of Funding Opportunity

2/5/2021 about the webinar will be available at pscr.gov. Proprietary technical discussions about specific project ideas will not be permitted during the webinar and NIST staff will not critique or provide feedback on specific project ideas while they are being developed by an applicant, brought forth during the webinar, or at any time before the deadline for all applications. However, general questions about the PSIAP, eligibility requirements, evaluation and award criteria, selection process, and the general characteristics of a competitive application will be addressed at the webinar and by e-mail to pscr@nist.gov, as described in the previous paragraph. There is no cost to attend the webinar, but participants must register in advance. Participation in the webinar is not required and will not be considered in the application review and selection process.

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 PSIAP is 15 U.S.C. § 3706 and 47 U.S.C. § 1443.

The NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program: Public Safety Radio Data (PSIAP-PSRD) Grant Program is seeking applications from eligible applicants for activities to collect digital and/or analog radio system usage data and make it available for LMR-to-LTE research. These goals, and specific technical areas of research in the PSIAP-PSRD program, are discussed in detail in Section I.4. of this NOFO.

1. Background Information

The Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) division, housed within the NIST Communications Technology Laboratory, conducts research for the first responder community. In 2012, NIST was mandated by Congress to, among other things, “accelerate the development of mission critical voice for the nationwide public safety broadband network”. PSCR conducted extensive stakeholder engagement starting in 2013 to address the requirements of the legislation, including hosting two roundtable events in 2016 and 2017 focused on Mission Critical Voice (MCV) with stakeholders from public safety, government, and industry. In addition to funding internal research addressing these areas, the PSIAP in 2017 awarded $14M for nine grants and cooperative agreements to http://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr about:blank about:blank

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2/5/2021 address aspects related to the MCV portfolio goals. More information about the MCV portfolio, PSIAP, and PSCR can be found at pscr.gov.

Land mobile radio (LMR) to Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a primary focus of the MCV portfolio. To begin a transition from LMR to LTE, current LMR usage needs to be characterized. Characterization of current LMR usage will allow for the production of traffic models, which may be used for future telecommunications system deployments, ensuring appropriate placement and allocation of telecommunications resources.

PS LMR transmission data is currently only publicly available in small, disparate datasets. The collection of, and access to, larger PS LMR usage datasets will facilitate research related to a transition from LMR to LTE.

2. Overview

The intent of this NOFO is for the award recipient to collect PS LMR usage data and make the datasets available for research related to the comparison of LMR to LTE.

The award recipient will help achieve this by partnering with no less than two (2) public safety organizations (PSOs) located within the United States, of varying size or geographic location, for the collection of data necessary for conducting research relevant to the comparison of LMR to LTE. The award recipient will make the collected data publicly available for the conduct of such research. Applicants must also propose their own research related to the comparison of LMR to LTE as part of their application.

3. Basic Competition Information

Applicants must address all goals defined in Section I.4.

The recipient’s Principal Investigator (PI) will be required to participate in the PSCR Public Safety Broadband Stakeholder Meetings (approximately five days) each calendar year during the term of the award to present research and meet with stakeholders from public safety, government, industry, and academia. Other essential project staff are encouraged to attend. Attendance at this event should be reflected in the project schedule and budget.

4. Technical Program Goals

A. Goal 1 – Collection and Publication of LMR Usage Data

To conduct relevant and useful research related to the comparison of LMR to LTE, specific signal characteristics of PS radio transmissions, from varying geographic locations, as well as from governments and departments of varying sizes, must be collected and made publicly available for research purposes.

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The PS radio usage datasets, obtained through partnerships with no less than two (2) PSOs within the United States of varying sizes or geographic location, must include, but are not limited to, transmit time and duration, frequency or channel, association of frequency or channel with operating unit type (e.g., fire, police, ems, etc.) (could be in the form of a frequency plan), and location of transmitting device. Data must be collected for at least two (2) weeks of uninterrupted system transmissions for all end-user/end-device transmissions of the LMR system. Only transmissions from end-user devices (i.e., handheld, mobile, and station devices) are required. Transmissions from other devices (e.g., repeater or relay) must be clearly identified as non-user transmissions.

The removal of any personally identifiable information (PII) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), such as law enforcement sensitive information, must be completed by the award recipient or the PSO, provided all necessary data (mentioned in previous paragraph) are not altered or modified in any way. Only signal characteristics and device location information should be captured in the dataset. No data from or about people should be included in the dataset.

The award recipient must provide a detailed schematic, or other appropriate design document, of the radio systems, including a description of each component as it is relevant to the required data.

If a partnering PSO is not the radio system owner, the PSO must obtain authorization to collect and provide the required dataset to the award recipient. For example, if a state or local government is the owner of the radio system, either the PSO must obtain authorization to collect and use the data, or the award recipient may also partner with the radio owner. In the latter scenario, the partnering PSO and partnering radio system owner will be considered a single PSO partner for the purposes of geography and size diversity.

B. Goal 2 – Research Relevant to the Comparison of LMR to LTE

To advance the migration from LMR to LTE, the awardee must propose and conduct research relevant to the comparison of LMR to LTE. Characterization of current LMR usage will be accepted. No research with human subjects will be funded.

II. Federal Award Information

1. Funding Instrument The funding instrument used in this program will be a grant.

2. Multi-Year Funding Policy When an application for a multi-year award is approved, funding will usually be provided for only the first year of the project. If a project is selected for funding, NIST has no obligation to provide any additional funding with that award. Continuation of

Notice of Funding Opportunity

2/5/2021 an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the sole discretion of NIST. Continued funding will be contingent upon satisfactory performance, continued relevance to the mission and priorities of the Public Safety Communications Research Division, and the availability of funds. Under this NOFO, NIST may elect to fully fund awards or to fund awards in accordance with the Multi- Year Funding policy.

3. Funding Availability In FY21, NIST anticipates funding 1 award for up to $1,000,000 with a project performance period of up to 2 years.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants Eligibility for the program listed in this NOFO is open to all non-Federal entities.

Eligible applicants include accredited institutions of higher education; non-profit organizations; for-profit organizations incorporated in the United States; state, local, territorial, and Indian tribal governments; foreign public entities; and foreign organizations. Please note that individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not considered “non-Federal entities” and are not eligible to apply under this NOFO.

Although Federal entities are not eligible to receive funding under this NOFO, they may participate as unfunded collaborators.

NIST will only consider one application per applicant; however, an applicant entity may be proposed as a sub-recipient, contractor, or unfunded collaborator within applications submitted by other entities.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Matching funds are not required. However, voluntary committed cost-share (e.g., in-kind contributions from partners) may be included in project budgets and will be considered as part of the selection factors in Section V.2. of this NOFO.

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-PSIAP-PSRD-01.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Required Forms and Documents. The Application must contain the following:

(1) SF-424 (R&R), Application for Federal Assistance. The SF-424 (R&R) must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant organization.

http://www.grants.gov/

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2/5/2021

For SF-424 (R&R), Items 5, 14, and 19, use the Zip Code + 4 format (##### - ####) when addresses are called for.

For SF-424 (R&R), Item 17, the list of certifications and assurances is contained in the SF-424B (item (3) below).

SF-424 (R&R), Item 18. If the SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form (item (6) below) is applicable, attach it to field 18.

(2) Research & Related Budget (Total Fed + Non-Fed). The budget should reflect anticipated expenses for the full term of the project, considering all potential cost increases, including cost of living adjustments.

The budget should be detailed in these categories:

A. Senior/Key Person;

B. Other Personnel;

C. Equipment Description;

D. Travel;

E. Participant/Trainee Support Costs F. Other Direct Costs;

G. Direct Costs (automatically generated);

H. Indirect Costs;

I. Total Direct and Indirect Costs (automatically generated);

J. Fee (not relevant to this competition);

K. Total Costs and Fee (automatically generated);

L. Budget Narrative and Justification document (item (8) below) should be attached to field L.

A separate detailed R&R Budget must be completed for each budget period during the proposed award (e.g., annual basis). To add additional budget periods (e.g., year 2), click “Add Period” embedded at the end of the form.

Information regarding the Research & Related Budget (Total Fed + Non-Fed) is available in the R&R Family Section of Grants.gov.

(3) SF-424B, Assurances – Non-Construction Programs (if applicable). The SF-424B is required for all applicants that have not updated their System for Award Management (SAM.gov) entity registration since February 2, 2019 to include the Federal financial assistance certifications and representations (certs and reps). If an applicant has updated their SAM.gov entity registration since February 2, 2019 to include the certifications and representations, then the SF-424B is not required.

(4) CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying. Enter “2021-NIST-PSIAP-

PSRD-01” in the Award Number field. Enter the title of the application, or an abbreviation of that title, in the Project Name field.

https://www.grants.gov/forms/r-r-family.html

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

(6) Project Narrative. The Project Narrative is a word-processed document of no more than twenty (20) pages (double-spaced between lines), which is responsive to the program description and the evaluation criteria.

The projective narrative should contain the following information:

a. Cover Page. The cover page should include:

i. The name, address and contact information of the applicant institution, partner organizations, and the principal investigator;

ii. The project title;

iii. Any statements regarding confidentiality; and

iv. A summary of the project in approximately three to five sentences using plain language that can be understood by a general, lay audience.

b. Table of Contents.

c. Project Description. This is a detailed description of the proposed project and its potential impacts. This section should include for each participating PSO a detailed description of the:

i. Deployed digital radio system, including all relevant hardware (HW) and software (SW) components;

ii. Additional digital radio system HW and/or SW, not currently owned and deployed by the partner PSOs, needed to accomplish the goals of this NOFO. Costs of additional HW and SW must be included in the Research & Related Budget (Total Fed + Non-Fed), budget narrative and justification; and

iii. Proposed research project relevant to the comparison of LMR to

LTE.

d. Project Execution. This is a detailed description of the plan to execute the project. Applicants should note that all information regarding costs are to be addressed in the Budget Narrative and Justification (see Section IV.3.a(8) of this NOFO). This section should include:

i. A summary of the overall approach to executing the award and how the schedule, deliverables, milestones, and risk management will maximize the applicant's chances of achieving the goals of this

NOFO;

ii. A detailed project schedule (Gantt chart or similar) for the entire award period;

iii. A deliverable summary table identifying all deliverables, a description of each, and due dates;

iv. A milestone summary table identifying all milestones, a description of each, due dates, and clear, measurable criteria to verify milestone completion; and

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v. A risk summary table identifying major risks during each phase of the award and mitigation strategies.

e. Qualifications. This is a detailed description of the applicant's relevant qualifications, experience, and resources for successfully completing the requirements of this NOFO. This section should include:

i. Qualifications of the individuals, teams, and organizations that will be executing or supporting the proposed project relative to the program goals; and

ii. Access to the necessary staff, equipment, facilities, support, and resources to accomplish the proposed objectives.

f. Resumes of Key Personnel must be included. Resumes are not included in the page count of the Project Narrative. Resumes included as part of the application must be a maximum of two pages each. Additional pages beyond the two pages per resume will not be considered during the evaluation of the application.

g. IP Ownership. If applicable, include any disclosures required pursuant to

Section VI.2.f. of this NOFO.

(7) Budget Narrative and Justification.

There is no set format for the Budget Narrative and Justification. The

Budget Narrative and Justification must be attached to the Research & Related Budget (Total Fed + Non-Fed). The written justification should include the necessity and the basis for the cost. 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 twenty (20) page limit of the Project Narrative.

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. Senior/Key Person – At a minimum, the budget justification should include the following: name, job title, commitment of effort on the proposed project in terms of average number of hours per week or percentage of time, salary rate, total direct charges on the proposed project, description http://go.usa.gov/SBYh

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2/5/2021 of the role of the individual on the proposed project and the work to be performed.

Fringe benefits 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.

B. Other Personnel - Data is requested at the project role level, and not at the individual level for Other Personnel. The budget justification should include the following: job title, commitment of effort on the proposed project in terms of average number of hours per week or percentage of time, salary rate, total direct charges on the proposed project, description of the role of the position on the proposed project and the work to be performed.

Fringe benefits 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. Equipment Description – 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. 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 proposed 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. Applicants should provide at least two (2) quotes, if available, for equipment costing $25,000 or more. If two (2) quotes are not available, please provide a statement as to why two (2) quotes are not available. Any items that do not meet the threshold for equipment can be included under the Materials and Supplies line item in Section F, Other Direct Costs.

D. Travel - For all travel costs, required by the recipient to complete the project, including attendance at any relevant conferences, 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 proposed 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 may be used with the assumptions given for the location of the meeting.

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E. Participant/Trainee Support Costs – Participant support costs are stipends, subsistence allowances, travel, and registration fees paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees, who are not employees of your organization, for conferences or training projects. The budget justification should indicate the names or number of participants or trainees, a description and calculation of costs per person, a description and date of the event, and a description of why the cost is necessary for the successful completion of the proposed project.

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

Each subaward or contractual cost should be treated as a separate item in the Other Direct Costs category. Describe the services to be provided and the necessity of the subaward or contract to the successful performance of the proposed project. Contracts are for obtaining goods and services.

Subawardees perform part of the project scope of work. For each subaward, applicants must provide budget detail justifying the cost of the work performed on the project.

G. Total Direct Costs – (automatically generated)

H. Indirect Costs – Commonly referred to as Facilities & Administrative Costs, Indirect Costs are defined as costs incurred by the applicant organization that cannot otherwise be directly assigned or attributed to a specific project. For more details, see Section IV.2.b.(9) of this NOFO.

I. Total Direct and Indirect Costs - (automatically generated)

J. Fee – Not relevant to this competition.

K. Total Costs and Fee (automatically generated)

(8) 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.

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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Alternatively, in accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f), applicants that have never received a 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. Please be aware that Foreign applicants will be limited to use of the de minimis rate and will not have the opportunity to negotiate an indirect cost rate with NIST.

(9) Subaward Budget Form. The Research & Related Subaward Budget

Attachment Form is required if sub-recipients and contractors are included in the application budget.

Instructions for completing subaward budget forms are available by visiting the R & R Family section of the Grants.gov Forms Repository and scrolling down to the R & R Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form and selecting “Instructions.”

(10) Letters of Commitment. (if applicable)

Letters of Commitment must be submitted by all funded and unfunded entities that will have an active role in executing the activities outlined in the Technical Proposal, including all partnering PSOs. If a PSO does not own their radio system then a Letter of Commitment must also be submitted by the radio system owners. Letters of Commitment must address the specific services and/or products to be used in the project; the level of participation, qualifications of the personnel who will be actively involved; and how successful completion of this project would positively impact their profession or community. Letters of Commitment must also specify any voluntary committed cost-share, if applicable. Letters of Commitment must be signed by an individual with sufficient authority to legally bind the organization to its commitment.

Letters of Commitment will be evaluated in accordance with the Qualifications evaluation criteria (see Section V.1.c.) of this NOFO). Letters of commitment do not count against the twenty (20) page limit of the Technical Proposal.

(11) Data Management Plan.

Consistent with NIST Policy 5700.001, Managing Public Access to Results of Federally Funded Research, and NIST Order 5701.002, Managing Public Access to Results of Federally Funded Research,” applicants proposing

1 https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2018/06/19/final_p_5700.pdf 2 https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2019/11/08/final_o_5701_ver_2.pdf https://www.grants.gov/forms/r-r-family.html

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2/5/2021 projects that include the conduct of research must include a Data Management Plan (DMP).

All applications for activities that will generate scientific data using NIST funding are required to adhere to a DMP or explain why data sharing and/or preservation are not within the scope of the project. For the purposes of the DMP, NIST adopted the definition of “research data” at 2 C.F.R. § 200.315(e)(3).

The DMP must include, at a minimum, a summary of proposed activities that are expected to generate data; a summary of the types of data expected to be generated by the identified activities; a plan for storage and maintenance of the data expected to be generated by the identified activities, including after the end of the award’s period of performance; and a plan describing whether and how data generated by the identified activities will be reviewed and made available to the public.

A template for the DMP, an example DMP, and the rubric against which the DMP will be evaluated for sufficiency is available at https://www.nist.gov/open. An applicant is not required to use the template as long as the DMP contains the required information.

If an application stands a reasonable chance of being funded and the DMP is determined during the review process to be insufficient, the program office may reach out to the applicant to resolve deficiencies in the DMP. If an award is issued prior to the deficiencies being fully rectified, the award will include a Specific Award Condition (SAC) stating that no research activities shall be initiated or costs incurred for those activities under the award until the NIST Grants Officer amends the award to indicate the SAC has been satisfied.

Reasonable costs for data preservation and access may be included in the application.

(12) 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.

https://www.nist.gov/open

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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.

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.

(13) Research and Related Other Project Information. Answer the highlighted questions and use this form to attach the Project Narrative (item (5) above), the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (item (7) above), the Data Management Plan (item (10) above), and the Current and Pending

Support Form (item (11 above). Instructions for completing the Research and Related Other Project Information can be found at Instructions R&R Other Project Information.

Please note that the Project Summary/Abstract is not relevant to this competition. However, Grants.gov requires an attachment to field 7 of the Research and Related Other Project Information form to successfully pass through Grants.gov. Please attach a document to field 7 stating, “A Project Summary/Abstract is not relevant to this competition”.

There are no separate documents required for field 9, “Bibliography &

References Cited’; or for field 10, “Facilities & Other Resources;” or for field 11, “Equipment”. Any details relating to these topics should be included in other documents and forms, if and as specified in this NOFO.

(14) 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.

Item IV.2.a.(5), the SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form, is an optional application form which is part of the standard application package in Grants.gov. If item IV.2.a.(5), the SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form is applicable to this proposal, attach it to field 18 of the SF-424 (R&R), Application for Federal Assistance.

Item IV.2.a.(6), the Project Narrative, should be attached to field 8 (Project Narrative) of the Research and Related Other Project Information form by clicking on “Add Attachment”.

Item IV.2.a.(7), the Budget Narrative and Justification, should be attached to https://www.nist.gov/oaam/grants-management-division/current-and-pending-support https://www.nist.gov/oaam/grants-management-division/current-and-pending-support https://go.usa.gov/xd2ab

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2/5/2021 field L (Budget Justification) of the Research and Related Budget (Total Fed + Total Non-Fed) form by clicking on “Add Attachment”.

Items IV.2.a.(8), the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, IV.2.a.(11), the Data Management Plan, and IV.2.a.(12), the Current and Pending Support Form, must be completed and attached by clicking on “Add Attachments” found in item 12 (Other Attachments) of the Research and Related Other Project Information form.

Item IV.2.a.(9), Letters of Commitment, should be attached by clicking on “Add Attachments” found in item 12 (Other Attachments) of the Research and Related Other Project Information form.

Item IV.2.a.(10), the Subaward Budget Form(s), if applicable to the submission, should be attached to the Research & Related Subaward Budget (Total Fed + Non-Fed) Attachment(s) Form in the application package.

Following these directions will create zip files which permit transmittal of the documents electronically via Grants.gov.

Applicants should carefully follow specific Grants.gov instructions 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 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 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%2FGetStarted .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 https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t=Applicants%2FCheckApplicationStatus%2FCheckApplicationStatus.htm 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

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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.

b. 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 Project Narrative.

(3) Font. Easy to read font (10-point minimum). Smaller type may be used in figures and tables but must be clearly legible.

(4) Page Limit. See the table below:

Section Page Limit Required or Optional

Cover Page 1 Required

Table of Contents 1 Optional

Project Narrative 20 Required

Data Management Plan 2 Required

Letter of Commitment from Partnering PSOs (2 or more)

1 (per

PSO)

Required

Proposed Project Timeline with PSOs 3 Required

(5) Page Limit Exclusions:

SF-424 (R&R), Application for Federal Assistance;

SF-424B, Assurances – Non-Construction Programs;

CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying;

SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities;

Budget Narrative and Justification;

Research & Related Budget (Total Fed + Non-Fed);

Research and Related Other Project Information;

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement;

Letters of Commitment;

Data Management Plan;

Subaward Budget Form;

Current and Pending Support Form

(6) Page Layout. The Project Narrative 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.

c. 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.

d. Pre-Applications. Pre-applications will not be accepted under this NOFO.

e. Certifications Regarding Federal Felony and Federal Criminal Tax Convictions, Unpaid Federal Tax Assessments and Delinquent Federal Tax

Returns. In accordance with Federal appropriations law, an authorized representative of the selected applicant(s) may be required to provide certain pre-award certifications regarding federal felony and federal criminal tax convictions, unpaid federal tax assessments, and delinquent federal tax returns.

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 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, April 20, 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 and five business days but can take more than three 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

Profit or fee is not an allowable cost.

7. Other Submission Requirements

a) Applications must be submitted at Grants.gov.

i) 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-PSIAP-PSRD-01 announcement, contact the Grants.gov Help Desk at 800-518-4726.

ii) 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 Web site. After registering, it may take several days or longer from the initial log-on before a new Grants.gov system user can submit an https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/

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2/5/2021 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, 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.

iii) 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 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 “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.

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

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2/5/2021

Refer to important information in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times, to help ensure the application is received on time.

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

Grants.gov. Applicants may sign up on Grants.gov to receive amendments by e-mail or may request copies by e-mail from pscr@nist.gov.

V. Application Review Information

1. Evaluation Criteria The evaluation criteria that will be used in evaluating applications and their assigned weights are as follows (subcriteria will be weighted approximately evenly in all categories):

Criteria Basis Points Weight Total Points / 100

Technical Merit Project Description…