FY24 NFRA NOFO_FINAL_Revised 26June2024.pdf

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

National Nuclear Forensics Expertise Development Program (NNFEDP) Fiscal Year 2024 Nuclear Forensics Research Award (NFRA)

All entities wishing to do business with the federal government must have a unique entity identifier (UEI). The UEI number is issued by the System for Award Management (SAM) system.

UEI Updates in Grant Application Forms:

On April 4, 2022, the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number was replaced by a new, non-proprietary identifier requested in, and assigned by, SAM.gov. This new identifier is the UEI. Entities that had a DUNS Number were automatically assigned a UEI. New entities needing a UEI must register in SAM.gov at: https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

Additional Information can be found on Grants.gov:

grants.gov/forms/forms-development/planned-uei-updates

Grants.gov registration information can be found at:

grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-development/planned-uei-updates https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

Contents UEI Updates in Grant Application Forms:

Contents

A. Program Description

1. Issued By

2. Assistance Listing Number

97.130

3. Assistance Listing Title

National Nuclear Forensics Expertise Development Program

4. Funding Opportunity Title

5. Funding Opportunity Number

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

8. Announcement Type

9. Program Category

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

11. Performance Measures

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO

2. Projected number of Awards

3. Maximum Award Amount

4. Period of Performance (PoP)

5. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s)

6. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s)

7. Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

3. Subawards and Beneficiaries

4. Other Eligibility Criteria/Restrictions

5. Cost Share or Match

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

3. Address to Request Application Package

5. Steps Required to Obtain a UEI, Register in SAM.gov, and Submit an Application

6. Electronic Delivery

7. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

8. How to Submit an Application to DHS via Grants.gov

9. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

10. Content and Form of Application Submission

11. Intergovernmental Review

12. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

E. Application Review Information

1. Application Evaluation

2. Review and Selection Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Notice of Award

2. Pass-Through Requirements

3. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

4. Reporting

5. Monitoring and Oversight

6. Program Evaluation

7. Other Requirements

G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

1. Contact and Resource Information

2. Systems Information

H. Other Information

1. Period of Performance Extensions and Continuation Awards

2. Other Information

3. Appendices

A. Program Description

1. Issued By

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Office, Systems Support Directorate (SSD), Research & Development Division

2. Assistance Listing Number

97.130

3. Assistance Listing Title

National Nuclear Forensics Expertise Development Program

4. Funding Opportunity Title

Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Nuclear Forensics Research Award (NFRA)

5. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-24-CWMD-130-NFRA-001

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

Sections 1923(a)(12) and 1926 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107- 296 (codified as amended at 6 U.S.C. §§ 592(a)(12), 596).

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024, Pub. L. No. 118-47, Title IV, Research, Development, Training, and Services, Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, Research and Development.

8. Announcement Type

Initial

9. Program Category

Radiological/Nuclear

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

a. Overview The National Technical Nuclear Forensics Center (NTNFC) was established on October 1, 2006, within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). NTNFC was tasked to provide national-level integration, centralized planning, and stewardship for the National Technical Nuclear Forensics (NTNF) community. Nuclear forensics is an important element in a state's nuclear security architecture and serves to address the threats of nuclear smuggling, nuclear proliferation, and nuclear terrorism. The aim of a nuclear forensic examination is to obtain information on the processing history of the material (including its method and date of production) and on its intended use. A top priority of NTNFC’s stewardship mission is to lead United States Government (USG) pre- and post-detonation efforts by addressing the enduring challenge of sustaining a preeminent Nuclear Forensics (NF) workforce.

The National Nuclear Forensics Expertise Development Program (NNFEDP) works to build a nuclear forensics workforce of recognized technical experts and leaders through fostering scholastic and research collaboration between and among academia, the national and defense laboratories, and the National Technical Nuclear Forensics (NTNF) Interagency, as required by law. The implementation of the NNFEDP fulfills the requirements outlined in Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended. This program also aligns with Goal 1 of the DHS Strategic Plan fiscal years 2020-2024 [Department of Homeland Security's Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2024 | Homeland Security (dhs.gov)]: “Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security Threats” and Objectives 1.2:

“Detect and Disrupt Threats,” and 1.4: “Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction and Emerging Threats.”

To accomplish this mandate, the following initiative has been implemented:

The Nuclear Forensics Research Award (NFRA) supports the establishment of a team of faculty, students, and technical staff at the national or defense laboratories to conduct research in the field of nuclear forensics.

b. Goals, Objectives, and Priorities

1. Recruit and produce a new generation of leaders and technical experts in a wide range of fields relevant to nuclear forensics.

The NFRA is designed to link qualified students with a nuclear forensics-relevant research project, that will serve as the basis of his or her studies and be completed through work at a partner laboratory and the student’s home university. Through faculty and laboratory staff participation, a collaborative research process is established through which this student is jointly mentored, further enhancing his or her understanding of the nuclear forensics field.

The NFRA can sponsor a minimum of two graduate and/or two undergraduate students. The mix of students should be defined by the academic applicants based on the nature of the proposed research. Graduate fellow award includes full tuition and stipend for the three-year period of performance. Awardees may propose at the end of the original period of performance an additional scope for funding for up to two https://www.dhs.gov/publication/department-homeland-securitys-strategic-plan-fiscal-years-2020-2024 https://www.dhs.gov/publication/department-homeland-securitys-strategic-plan-fiscal-years-2020-2024 additional years. Any additional funding beyond the original three-year period of performance would be provided through continuation awards, depending on availability of funds and other requirements for continuation awards. Undergraduate awards support students in their junior/senior year of studies.

To maintain eligibility for the undergraduate scholarship and/or graduate fellowship, all students must meet requirements outlined in the Terms of Appointment (TOA) in Appendix A.

2. Enhance the ability for universities and the national and defense laboratories to work collaboratively on advanced research that increases the body of knowledge in the field of nuclear forensics.

The NFRA is designed to facilitate a multi-year process to build long-term collaborative partnerships among the laboratories, universities, and the next generation of nuclear forensics experts. These partnerships will provide universities opportunities to participate in research that directly supports USG NF strategic goals.

The Faculty Principal Investigator (PI) will directly oversee the university’s participation in the research project and will make joint decisions with the Laboratory PI concerning the path of the project. Multi-university proposals with a collaborative national or defense laboratory partner are allowable under the NFRA structure. The multi-university proposals are intended to allow multiple universities to collaborate with one another and with one national or defense laboratory partner. Thus, universities interested in the multi-university proposals must submit individual proposals and reference other collaborating universities and the national or defense laboratory partner with which they intend to work. As an example, a multi-university proposal may include University A, which proposes undergraduate student scholarship, and University B, which proposes graduate fellowship. Both University A and B submit their individual proposals referencing their collaboration, as well as their collaboration with a national or defense laboratory.

Key Personnel. Key Personnel under the NFRA include the university faculty PI and identified graduate and undergraduate students. All Key Personnel must be U.S. Citizens at the time of application and be able to obtain and maintain a Q security clearance from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Obligations. Upon graduation, the named graduate fellow is obligated to serve for two years in a postdoctoral or staff position at a national or defense laboratory or federal department or agency in the field of nuclear forensics.

In accordance with the Homeland Security Act of 2002, should the undergraduate or graduate student not comply with the TOAs, he or she must repay the scholarship or fellowship in total to the U.S. Government. If the student fails to maintain a high level of academic standing, who is dismissed for disciplinary reasons, or who voluntarily terminates academic training before graduation from the program funded by NFRA, the undergraduate or graduate student must repay the U.S. Government within one year. The scholarship or fellowship total to be repaid includes both the stipend and tuition. Specific to graduate fellows, except in the case of death or disability, should a graduate fellow fail to begin or complete a postdoctoral position at a laboratory or federal agency, the fellow must repay the U.S. Government the total amount of tuition and stipend with interest per the prevailing rate of graduate student loans at the time the student received the award.

More information can be found in Appendix A.

Technical Priorities. NF addresses a diverse set of topics related to the collection, analysis, and evaluation of pre-detonation (intact) and post-detonation (exploded) radiological or nuclear materials, devices, and debris, as well as the immediate effects created by a nuclear detonation. Each application will be evaluated based on the information provided in Evaluation Criteria under the Application Review Information section. Technical Mission Areas (TMAs) included below, reflect the technical priorities of the NNFEDP and NFRA, and should be taken into consideration when developing a research project.

TMA 1. Pre-Detonation Material and Device Signatures Physical, chemical, and isotopic characteristics of a radiological or nuclear material can be used to determine aspects of the material’s history and are therefore important to nuclear forensics. In general, a nuclear forensic signature is a set of measurable characteristics that points to the origin or history of a sample and may specifically include or exclude the sample from a specific class or category of materials. Physical signatures may include morphology, texture, size, and shape of a material or parts of the device.

Chemical signatures may include the elemental or molecular form of the material (e.g., uranium dioxide, plutonium oxalate) and abundances of impurities in the sample. Isotopic signatures reflect the isotopic composition of a sample (indicating its enrichment, burnup, intended or actual use) and may be used to derive the time since the material was last processed chemically. The R&D focus in these areas includes production, acquisition, and/or retrieval of radiological and nuclear materials of historical interest; laboratory analysis of the materials to document their characteristics; development of production and processing models relating processing parameters (chemical, physical, engineering, machining) to observed product characteristics; assessment of which characteristics persist through (or are modified by) various stages of the production, storage, and transport processes; development of libraries of material characteristics; and ultimately evaluation of material characteristics (or combination of characteristics) for their uniqueness or value as nuclear forensics signatures.

TMA 2. Pre-Detonation Analysis Methods and Tools While current methods of sample analysis and data interpretation provide a highly sophisticated level of material characterization and classification, even more advanced methods are required to identify new signatures and enable new insights into material provenance. R&D priorities in this area include development of new laboratory analytical methods for determination of spatially and/or temporally distinct features in radiological and nuclear materials; analytical methods that enable determination of new (i.e., previously unrecognized) characteristics and signatures in radiological/nuclear materials;

mathematical and statistical methods to identify and evaluate correlated material characteristics; modeling and simulation tools to predict forward and inverse relationships between physical/chemical material production processes and measurable characteristics; data visualization methods to enable improved interpretation of data relationships; and data management and knowledge capture tools to enable efficient storage, retrieval, and interpretation of diverse sets of material information.

TMA 3. Post-Detonation Material Collection and Analysis Methods Post-detonation material R&D explores novel methods and advancements in the ability to collect samples of material, analyze radioactive debris, and identify signatures from debris analysis. The overall goal is to obtain accurate debris characterization more rapidly than is currently possible, and to do so in all environments and conditions.

Chronologically, this starts with targeted airborne and ground collection methods that are robust under a wide variety of adverse conditions. Methods with the potential to enable remote characterization and quantification of airborne debris are of interest, as are methods that combine collection and analysis, and field deployable systems, with real-time analysis capability. Following sample collection, improved methods are sought for rapid dissolution and pre-concentration of post-detonation debris using environmentally friendly, potentially field-deployable, techniques on a reasonable time scale. The R&D focus for sample analysis includes non-destructive analytical techniques; innovations that rapidly identify and quantify elemental and isotopic constituents (major, minor, and trace) in fresh radioactive fallout debris; and fundamental phenomenology of laser spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and associated ionization methods. Improvements are also sought in data handling methodologies for compiling, assessing, and interpreting large sets of data; advancing the treatment of data uncertainties; and improving databases of physical constants, such as nuclear cross sections, decay branching ratios, or nuclear energy levels relevant to nuclear forensic analysis.

TMA 4. Post-Detonation Prompt Signal Analysis Post-detonation prompt signal analysis explores R&D that may enable accurate knowledge of the specifics of a nuclear device (e.g., special nuclear material type and mass, device sophistication, etc.) after a detonation. Ideally this knowledge would be available in as short a time as possible with a high degree of confidence. This topic investigates basic physical research on the prompt signatures of nuclear explosive events, such as novel methods for yield determination, device reaction history, or the radiation outputs of these nuclear explosions. Research could focus on the understanding of unique identifiers of these explosions, measurements of these identifiers, or other topics. In this context, prompt signatures indicate those which can be measured instantaneously to within a few days after the event. These signatures are generally separate from radiochemical signatures.

c. Alignment to Program Purpose and DHS Strategic Plan

The Program aligns to the DHS Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2020-2024 [Department of Homeland Security's Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2024 | Homeland Security (dhs.gov)]; Goal 1: Counter terrorism and homeland security threats; Objective 1.4:

Counter weapons of mass destruction and emerging threats. In addition, the Program https://www.dhs.gov/publication/department-homeland-securitys-strategic-plan-fiscal-years-2020-2024 aligns to the following: Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2022-2026; Goal 3: Employ and improve a robust, enduring, and flexible capability to conduct Technical Nuclear Forensics (TNF) measurements and analyses to communicate timely results with uncertainties; Objective 3.6: Sustain and improve capabilities for the current and next generation of nuclear forensics experts to perform effective TNF analyses; Goal 4: Sustain and improve an enduring and flexible capability to evaluate TNF analysis results and convey discriminating, defensible findings in assessments reports; Objective 4.6: Sustain and improve the evaluation capabilities of current nuclear forensics evaluation experts and train next generation of evaluators.

11. Performance Measures

The NNFEDP adheres to program measurement and evaluation standards in accordance with CWMD and other Government policies and guidance.

Government Program Managers and staff will monitor progress toward goal achievement through periodic program reviews and reviews of required reports (template provided post award). Proposal submissions must clearly define immediate project targets and year end project milestones for which performance can be qualitatively and quantitatively measured. Progress toward project milestones, cost, and schedule will be considered during project reviews in determining project continuances.

Information from proposal submissions and required reports may also be used for DHS-led NNFEDP evaluation, which may be carried out by a third-party on behalf of the Program Office or DHS.

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO

$1,800,000

Section 1923(a)(12)(B)(i)-(ii) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. § 592(a)(12)(B)(i)-(ii)) requires DHS make available funding for undergraduate study student scholarships for up to 4 years per student and doctoral study student fellowships (graduate) for up to 5 years. DHS is making funding available under this NOFO for these categories up to the amount indicated above per award.

2. Projected number of Awards

Up to 6 awards

3. Maximum Award Amount

$300,000 per year for 3 years ($900,000)

4. Period of Performance (PoP)

3 Years; funded annually.

a. For awards solely for undergraduate scholarships, the default PoP is up to three years, but if the undergraduate student graduates before the end of the three full years, the PoP will be considered to have ended at the time of graduation, and any closeout requirements will begin at the time of graduation, unless the university introduces another undergraduate student to complete the research project. The undergraduate who is to replace the departed student in the project, is subject to the same requirement (i.e., junior/senior level of their undergraduate studies).

5. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s)

09/30/2024

6. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s)

09/29/2027

a. Continuations to the period of performance for this program are allowed.

Recipients may request to continue their project a maximum of two additional years.

If the PoP is continued, DHS will provide additional funding to cover each additional year. Any additional funding for a possible continuation award, which would extend the overall PoP, would be similarly limited to $300,000 per year for up to 2 additional years (totaling $600,000 in possible continuation funding). See Section H.

b. No-cost extensions (NCE)s to the period of performance for this program are allowed. Recipients may request a NCE to complete all project activities. The request must be submitted 60 days prior to the expiration of the performance period. Requests for NCEs are subject to approval by DHS. See Section H.

7. Projected Budget Period(s)

Federal awards under this NOFO are anticipated to have multiple budget periods under the period of performance. This NOFO only provides funding for the first budget period and any subsequent funding for additional budget periods will be provided through renewal awards. Funding for renewal awards beyond the initial budget period is subject to the availability of funding, program authority, satisfactory performance, compliance with the terms and conditions of the federal award, and a CWMD determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the federal government. A recipient may only carry forward unobligated balances from one budget period to a subsequent budget period with prior written approval of CWMD.

a. Projected Number of Budget Periods

b. Projected Budget Period Length

One Year

c. Projected First Budget Period Start Date

09/30/2024

d. Projected First Budget Period End Date

09/29/2025

8. Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement

The regulation at 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 defines a cooperative agreement as, in relevant part, a legal instrument of financial assistance between a federal awarding agency and a recipient that, consistent with 31 U.S.C. §§ 6302-6305, is used to enter into a relationship the principal purpose of which is to transfer anything of value from the federal awarding agency to the recipient to carry out a public purpose authorized by a law of the United States (see 31 U.S.C. § 6101(3)) and not to acquire property or services for the Federal Government’s direct benefit or use.

The Program Office will have substantial involvement in the administration of the award, including tracking of faculty and student participants, publications, patents, and research progress. The tracking involved here is above and beyond routine oversight responsibilities during the performance period to ensure that the objective as well as terms of conditions of the award are accomplished. Specifically, the Program Office provides technical guidance and reviews the substantive research development and progress on an ongoing basis. The Program Office is also substantially involved in establishing research partnership between faculty and student participants with defense and national laboratories, as well as directing and facilitating the selection of research partnership with national and defense laboratories. The Program Office closely manages and monitors the substantive research development, collaboration with national and defense laboratories, and may direct or redirect because of interrelationship with other research projects or national or defense laboratories. The recipient will be required to maintain close and regular interaction with the Program Office, including a) quarterly and annual reports providing updates on the research, undergraduate and/or graduate student progress, and any issues related to students, universities, or laboratories involved in the program, and b) virtual meetings, as requested to discuss award progress.

Note: Cooperative agreements fall under the umbrella of grants (i.e., they are grants with more sponsor involvement). For the purposes of this NOFO the term “grant” is used throughout for brevity instead of “cooperative agreement.”

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

The following entities below are eligible to apply for this NOFO:

• Private institutions of higher education

• Public & State controlled institutions of higher education

IMPORTANT: Academic recipients will be required to collaborate with national or defense laboratories for this award. DHS will assist academic recipients with establishing partnership with a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory or Department of Defense laboratory, if such partnership between the entities does not currently exist. Laboratory partners will be sponsored directly by DHS separately.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions are strongly encouraged to apply for this NOFO.

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

The following listed below are organizations that are eligible and encouraged to submit a proposal:

• Universities. Universities accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency, and having a campus located in the United States or U.S.

territories.

• Organizations are referred to as academic institutions for the purposes of this NOFO.

• All non-academic institutions regardless of profit or non-profit status are ineligible to apply.

• For applicants solely sponsoring graduate students: Universities must have doctorate-level programs in related chemistry fields (such as, analytical, geo- or radiochemistry); nuclear physics or engineering; computer science, physics, mathematics, geology, or materials science. Applications must include active participation from these doctoral programs. Applications must propose a minimum of two graduate students for funding.

• For applicants sponsoring graduate and undergraduate students: Universities must have doctorate-level programs in related chemistry fields such as, analytical, geo- or radiochemistry; nuclear physics or engineering; computer science, physics, mathematics, geology, or materials science. Applications must include active participation from these doctoral programs. Applications must propose a minimum of two graduate students for funding and a minimum of two undergraduate students who are in their junior/senior year for funding.

• For applicants solely sponsoring undergraduate students: Universities must have undergraduate programs in related chemistry fields such as, analytical, geo- or radiochemistry; nuclear physics or engineering; computer science, physics, mathematics, geology, or materials science. Applications must include active participation from these undergraduate programs. Applications must propose a minimum of two undergraduate students who are in their junior/senior year for funding.

DHS will not consider applications that do not adhere to one or more of the following requirements:

• Citizenship. All Key Personnel must be U.S. citizens at the time of proposal submission.

• Clearance Eligibility. All Key Personnel must be eligible to obtain and/or maintain a Q clearance if requested by the Program Office.

3. Subawards and Beneficiaries

a. Subaward allowability

Subawards are not allowed.

b. Subrecipient Eligibility

N/A

c. Beneficiaries or Participants

This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any participant or beneficiary.

4. Other Eligibility Criteria/Restrictions

DHS will not consider applications that do not adhere to one or more of the following requirements:

A. Deadlines. DHS will not accept late applications. Without exception, applications must be received by Grants.gov on or before the deadline in this announcement or they will not be considered.

B. Application relevance. Applications that do not address the purpose of this announcement will not be considered. This NOFO contains four TMAs as stated in section A.10.b. Applications that are determined noncompliant with these TMAs will not be considered for technical evaluation.

C. Compliance and completeness. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements in this announcement, or they will not be considered.

D. Funding Limits. Applications exceeding the funding limits for a given topic will not be considered.

E. Period of Performance. Applications must propose an initial PoP not to exceed 3 years. Applications that propose an initial PoP exceeding 3 years will not be considered.

F. Principal Investigator (PI) Limit. None specified.

G. Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization. None specified.

H. Limit on Number of Proposals per PI. One (1). Furthermore, an individual researcher may not be named as a participant on more than one proposal submitted to this NOFO. This limitation includes participation as a PI, co-PI, senior researcher, student, consultant, or any other role for which financial remuneration is requested.

I. Terms of Appointment (TOAs). Applications that do not identify the required number of undergraduate and/or graduate students for participation will not be considered. Applications for only graduate student fellowships must propose at least two graduate students for funding; applications for graduate fellowships and undergraduate scholarships must propose at least two graduate students for funding and at least two undergraduate students in their junior/senior year for funding; and applications for only undergraduate scholarships must propose at least two undergraduate students in their junior/senior year for funding.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants (i.e., academic institutions) are allowed to have students sign the TOA at the time of award, instead of at the time of application.

5. Cost Share or Match

There is no cost share or match for awards issued under this NOFO.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

a. Application Start Date 06/14/2024

b. Application Submission Deadline 08/14/2024 at 5:00PM EDT

All applications must be received by the established deadline.

c. Anticipated Funding Selection Date No later than 09/09/2024

d. Anticipated Award Date No later than 09/30/2024

e. Other Key Dates

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award By submitting an application, applicants agree to comply with the requirements of this NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award, should they receive an award.

3. Address to Request Application Package Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov.

For a hardcopy of the full NOFO, please write a request to:

Shareef Prater Grants Officer Grants and Financial Assistance Division Department of Homeland Security Email: Shareef.Prater@hq.dhs.gov Phone: 202.770.4776

Applications will be processed through the Grants.gov portal.

4. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

Each applicant, unless they have a valid exception under 2 C.F.R. § 25.110, must:

a. Be registered in SAM.gov before application submission.

b. Provide a valid UEI in its application.

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion Obtaining a valid EIN Four weeks before actual submission deadline Creating an account with login.gov Four weeks before actual submission deadline Registering in the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov and obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier or renewing SAM registration

Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Starting application in Grants.gov Two weeks before actual submission deadline http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:Shareef.Prater@hq.dhs.gov

c. Always maintain an active SAM registration with current information during the federal award process.

Note: Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.300, subrecipients are NOT required to go through the full SAM registration process. First-tier subrecipients (meaning entities receiving funds directly from the recipient) are only required to obtain a UEI through SAM, but they are not required to complete the full SAM registration to obtain a UEI. Recipients may not make subawards unless the subrecipient has obtained and provided the UEI.

Lower-tier subrecipients (meaning entities receiving funds passed through by a higher-tier subrecipient) are not required to have a UEI and are not required to register in SAM.

Applicants are also not permitted to require subrecipients to register in SAM.

5. Steps Required to Obtain a UEI, Register in SAM.gov, and Submit an Application

To apply for a federal award under this funding opportunity, all applicants must:

a. Apply for or verify their Employer ID Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue

Service

b. Have an account with https://www.login.gov/

c. Register for, update, or verify their SAM account and UEI and make sure the account is active.

d. Create a Grants.gov account.

e. Add a profile to a Grants.gov account.

f. Establish an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in Grants.gov.

g. Submit application in Grants.gov.

h. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information, including information on a recipient’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well on all predecessors that have been awarded a federal contract or grant within the last 3 years, if applicable, at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency.

Applicants are advised that DHS may not make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable SAM requirements. Therefore, an applicant’s SAM registration must be active not only at the time of application, but also during the application review period and when DHS is ready to make a federal award. If an applicant’s SAM registration is expired at the time of application, expires during application review, or expires any other time before the federal award, DHS 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.

Further, following a federal award, a recipient’s SAM registration must remain active for the duration of the federal award. If a recipient’s SAM registration expires during the federal award period of performance, DHS may take a remedy for noncompliance at 2 C.F.R. § 200.339, which could include terminating the federal award.

https://www.login.gov/

Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.110(c)(2)(iii), if an applicant is experiencing exigent circumstances that prevent it from receiving a UEI number and completing SAM registration before receiving a federal award, the applicant must notify DHS as soon as possible by contacting the DHS Grants and Financial Assistance Division (GFAD) and providing the details of the circumstances that prevent completion of these requirements. If DHS GFAD determines that there are exigent circumstances and DHS GFAD has decided to make a federal award, the applicant will be required to obtain a UEI number, if applicable, and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the federal award date.

The Standard Language for Using Grants.gov to Apply is provided to aid in fulfilling these requirements (if applicable), based off of grants.gov/grantors/grantor-standard-language.

6. Electronic Delivery

DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DHS encourages or requires applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov, depending on the funding opportunity.

For this funding opportunity, the Program Office requires applicants to submit applications through Grants.gov.

7. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

General Instructions: Registering in Grants.gov is a multi-step process and the following provides instructions about how to register. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the necessary information before beginning the Grants.gov registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to make sure it does not impact an applicant’s ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

Organizations must have a UEI Number with an active SAM registration, and Grants.gov account to apply for a federal award under this funding opportunity.

Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed online in minutes, but UEI SAM registrations may take several weeks. Therefore, an applicant should complete its registration in sufficient time to make sure it does not impact its ability to meet required application submission deadlines. Complete organization instructions can be found on Grants.gov here:

grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration.

https://grants.gov/grantors/grantor-standard-language https://grants.gov/grantors/grantor-standard-language https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

a. Obtain Employer Identification Number: All entities applying for funding must provide an Employer Identification Number (EIN). The EIN can be obtained from the IRS by visiting: “Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov).”

b. Create a login.gov account: Applicants must have a login.gov account to register with SAM or update their SAM registration. Applicants can create a login.gov account at the “Create Account” page. Applicants with existing SAM accounts can use the same email address for the login.gov account as with SAM.gov so that the two accounts can be linked. Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page on SAM.gov for more information on the login.gov requirements for SAM registration.

c. Register with SAM: All applicants applying online through Grants.gov must register with SAM. Failure to register with SAM will prevent an applicant from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually. Organizations will be issued a UEI number with the completed SAM registration.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration.

Note: The regulation at 2 C.F.R. § 25.200 requires that, in maintaining an active SAM registration with current information, an applicant must provide information on the applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the last three years, if applicable.

d. Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step is to register an account with Grants.gov. Follow the on-screen instructions or refer to the detailed instructions here: grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration.

e. Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant). If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all your grant applications. Enter the UEI Number for the organization in the UEI field while adding a profile to add an Organization Applicant Profile to your Grants.gov account.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#t=Register %2FAddProfile.htm&callingApp=custom.

f. EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After users register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant’s request for Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) role, thereby giving users permission to https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#t=Register%2FAddProfile.htm&callingApp=custom https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#t=Register%2FAddProfile.htm&callingApp=custom complete and submit applications on behalf of the applicant. Users will be able to apply online for an applicant any time after they have been assigned an AOR role.

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

https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#callingApp=c ustom&t=Applicants%2FManagement%2FManageOrganizationRoles.htm.

For more detailed information about the EBiz POC login, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#t=LoginAndM yAccount%2FEBizPOCLogin.htm&callingApp=custom.

g. Track Role Status: To track a user’s role request, refer to:

grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration.

h. Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the AOR’s name who submitted the application on behalf of an applicant is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the applicant as a user with the AOR role; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

8. How to Submit an Application to DHS via Grants.gov

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. Users can create individual instances of a workspace for each NOFO.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. Complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities using Workspace can be found at: grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview/.

a. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows users to complete it online and route it through an organization for review before submitting.

b. Complete a Workspace: Completing a workspace includes adding participants to the workspace to work on the application together, completing all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and checking for errors before submission.

The Workspace progress bar will display the state of the application process as users apply. Users may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

c. Adobe Reader: If users decide not to apply for an applicant by filling out webforms, users can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#callingApp=custom&t=Applicants%2FManagement%2FManageOrganizationRoles.htm https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#callingApp=custom&t=Applicants%2FManagement%2FManageOrganizationRoles.htm https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#t=LoginAndMyAccount%2FEBizPOCLogin.htm&callingApp=custom https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#t=LoginAndMyAccount%2FEBizPOCLogin.htm&callingApp=custom https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview/ https://grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview/ can be downloaded and saved to a local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.

d. Mandatory Fields in Forms: Users will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit an application.

e. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant’s name, address, and UEI number.

Applicants must complete the SF-424 information first to trigger this feature. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

f. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting an application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

g. Track a Workspace Submission: A Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application after successfully submitting a workspace application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Use the tracking number to access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

Additional training resources, including video tutorials, can be found at:

grants.gov/applicants/applicant-training.

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. Contact the number listed in the application package for questions related to the specific grant opportunity.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist DHS with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

9. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

All applications must be received by 5:00PM Eastern time on the due date established for each program. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. Users with the AOR role who submitted the https://grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-training mailto:support@grants.gov application will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of the application. The AOR will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of timely submission. Applications received by Grants.gov after the deadline will be considered late and will not be considered for funding.

When DHS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application via email to the AOR who submitted the application.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives an application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission via email to the AOR attempting to submit the application. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some users end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

10. Content and Form of Application Submission

Mandatory forms must be completed for this announcement, including the SF-424 Research & Related (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424A Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs, and other forms or information in accordance with the application instructions on Grants.gov and additional instructions below. If submitting any information that is deemed proprietary, please denote the beginning and ending of such information with asterisks (***).

a. MANDATORY FORMS OR INFORMATION o SF-424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424-V5.0) (available at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/r-r-family.html) Please complete this form in its entirety. If you fill this form out first, other required forms will populate with basic data such as name, address, etc. Signature and date will auto-fill when you submit the application package through Grants.gov.

a. Block 1, Type of Submission – Please check “Application.”

b. Block 8, Type of Application – Please check “New.”

c. Block 12, Proposed Project – Enter Dates of Entire Project Period

d. Block 15a, Estimated Project Funding – Please check $900,000

e. Block 16, E.O. 12372 review question – Please check “No.”

f. Block 17 - By submitting this application, your organization is providing certifications and assurances regarding:

i. Drug-Free Workplace Requirement

ii. Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters Primary Covered Transactions

iii. Assurance that your organization is not delinquent on any Federal debt.

o SF-424A Research & Related (R&R) Budget

An R&R Budget is required for ALL applications. Please ensure that the total amount requested corresponds to Block 15.a on the SF 424 R&R form.

Include one budget for the three-year base period. A detailed budget justification (up to three pages) should document proposed expenses. Multi-university proposals should use the collaborative mechanism outline in paragraph A.10.b.2. Attach an expanded equipment list (see item C on R&R Budget Form) if necessary.

Funds must be included in each year of the proposal budget for attendance at professional meetings or program reviews as required by the Program Office, as described under Funding Restrictions. For budgetary purposes, the professional meetings may be assumed to be in the United States and be up to five days duration.

o Budget Justification

A Budget Justification is required for all applications. Please ensure that items listed in the budget justification…