nga grants baa amendment 3.pdf

UNCLASSIFIED

NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY ACADEMIC RESEARCH

PROGRAM (NARP)

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

HM0210-14-BAA-0001

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1 Introduction

2 Federal Agency Name

3 Research Opportunity Title

4 Research Opportunity Number

5 Response Date

6 Instrument Type

7 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number and Title

8 Cost Sharing or Matching

9 Research Opportunity Synopsis

10 Amendments

11 Additional Information

II. CATEGORIES AND ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

III. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1 General Application and Submission Process

2 Submission of White Papers

3 White Paper Format and Content

4 Submission of Proposals

4.1 Proposal Content and Format

4.2 Content of Application -SF 424 (R&R) - Mandatory

4.3 Form SF 424 (R&R): Application for Federal Assistance - Mandatory

4.4 Form SF 424 (R&R): Other Project Information - Mandatory

4.5 Form SF 424 (R&R): Abstract (Field 6 on the Form) - Mandatory

4.6 NIP Institutional Letter of Support - Mandatory

4.7 Form SF 424 (R&R): Project Narrative (Field 7 on the Form) - Mandatory ... 12

4.8 Form SF 424 (R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile - Mandatory

4.9 Form SF 424 (R&R): Budget - Mandatory

4.10 Proposal Content for Research Collaboration Forums

5 Proposal Receipt Notices

6 Significant Dates and Times

IV. EVALUATION INFORMATION

1 White Paper Evaluation

2 Evaluation of NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, and NIP Proposals

2.1 Technical Merit Evaluation of NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, and NIP Proposals

3 Selection of NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, and NIP Proposals

4 Evaluation and Selection of NGA Research Collaboration Forum (NRCF) Proposals

V. AWARD INFORMATION

1 Award Amounts

2 Data Rights

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1 Administrative Requirements

2 Annual Reports for NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, and NIP Awards

3 Final Reports for NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, and NIP Awards

4 Report Requirement for Research Collaboration Forum Grants

VII. OTHER INFORMATION

1 Certifications

2 Agreement Articles

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

1 Introduction

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is releasing this solicitation for its sponsored academic research program. This publication constitutes a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) as contemplated in Department of Defense (DoD) Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs) 22.315(a). Grants and cooperative agreements are the anticipated agreements resulting from this BAA; however, other instruments may be considered as appropriate. A formal Request for Proposals (RFP) will not be issued. NGA will not provide funding for direct reimbursement of proposal development costs.

2 Federal Agency Name

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, 7500 GEOINT Drive, Springfield, VA 22150

3 Research Opportunity Title

NGA Academic Research Program (NARP)

4 Research Opportunity Number

BAA # HM0210-14-BAA-0001

5 Response Date

White papers may be submitted at any time before 11:59 p.m. on 31 August 2017. Proposals may be submitted at any time until the closing date of 30 September 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EDT;

Offerors are STRONGLY encouraged to submit white papers before submitting full proposals in order for NGA to determine its level of interest in the proposed research. While White Papers are not required, they will assist both the offeror and NGA in determining interest in the proposed research prior to the commitment of the significant time and effort that goes into the preparation of a full proposal.

Awards will be made subject to availability of funds.

6 Instrument Type

Grants and cooperative agreements are the anticipated agreements resulting from this BAA;

however, other instruments may be considered as appropriate.

7 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number and Title

12.630 – Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering

12.560 - DOD, NDEP, DOTC-STEM Education Outreach Implementation.

8 Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing or matching is not required, but is encouraged for the NGA Research Collaboration Forum (NRCF).

9 Research Opportunity Synopsis

NGA welcomes all innovative ideas for path-breaking research that may advance the GEOINT mission. The NGA mission is to provide timely, relevant, and accurate geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of national security objectives. GEOINT is the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess, and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth. GEOINT consists of imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information. NGA offers a variety of critical GEOINT products in support of U.S. national security objectives and Federal disaster relief, including aeronautical, geodesy, hydrographic, imagery, geospatial and topographical information.

The NGA Academic Research Program (NARP) is focused on innovative, far-reaching basic and applied research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics having the potential to advance the GEOINT mission. The objective of the NARP is to support innovative, high-payoff research that provides the basis for revolutionary progress in areas of science and technology affecting the needs and mission of NGA. This research also supports the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG), which is the combination of technology, systems and organizations that gather, produce, distribute and consume geospatial data and information.

This research is aimed at advancing GEOINT capabilities by improving analytical methods, enhancing and expanding systems capabilities, and leveraging resources for common NSG goals. The NARP also seeks to improve education in scientific, mathematics, and engineering skills necessary to advance GEOINT capabilities.

It is NGA’s intent to solicit fundamental research under this BAA. Fundamental research means basic and applied research in science and engineering, the results of which ordinarily are published and shared broadly within the scientific community, as distinguished from proprietary research and from Industrial development, design, production, and product utilization, the results of which ordinarily are restricted for proprietary or national security reason. (National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 189, National Policy on the Transfer of Scientific, Technical, and Engineering Information)

NGA seeks proposals from eligible U.S. institutions for path-breaking GEOINT research in areas of potential interest to NGA, the DoD, and the Intelligence Community (IC). NGA welcomes any innovative research ideas, including, but not limited to, example areas such as:

Access to GEOINT data and services

Advancing Geolocation and data uncertainty

Anticipatory Analysis

Computer Vision

Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric

Science supporting GEOINT

Exploiting data from new sources and sensors

GEOINT tradecraft

Geolinguistics

Graph methods for geospatial data

Image Science

Massive data

Predictive intelligence

Signature development & discovery

Spatio-temporal analysis

Strategic indications and warning

Understanding human activities

Video Indexing and Search

Video Content Extraction

Visual analytics for GEOINT

10 Amendments

Over the life of this BAA, amendments may be issued through http://www.grants.gov for white papers or proposals calling for specific research efforts or issues identified by NGA.

Amendments to this BAA will be posted to http://www.grants.gov, when they occur. Interested parties are encouraged to periodically check this website for updates and to establish automated alerts notifying them of any amendment postings.

11 Additional Information

For additional information on NGA, the NARP, and this BAA, consult NGA websites:

http://www1.nga.mil for additional information about NGA https://www1.nga.mil/Partners/ResearchandGrants/Pages/AcademicResearchProgram.a spx

12. Point of Contact and Questions

a. The NGA Office of Contract Services (OCS) point of contact can be reached at:

OCS Grants National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency E-Mail: OCSGrants@nga.mil

b. Technical questions regarding white papers for this BAA should be addressed to NARPPO@nga.mil. All administrative inquires, questions, and comments from potential offerors regarding proposals for this BAA shall be addressed to the IC Acquisition Research Center (ARC), here after referred to as the IC ARC. Answers will be posted as they are developed. Potential offerors are encouraged to review all previous questions and answers prior to posting a question/comment to avoid duplication of questions. New users of the ARC must first register (using the “Create New Account” button on the Web page) and obtain a user identifier and password to use for logins at the site. Once registered and logged in at the ARC, a potential applicant can click and select the appropriate link under “Current Efforts” in the “Other/Special” list. Applicants can use the Q&A link on that page to submit a question or comment, and to view NGA’s responses to all questions and comments, including those submitted by other institutions.

II. CATEGORIES AND ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Proposals for research by teams of investigators from different institutions or different departments of the same institution are welcome. Proposals shall name one Principal Investigator (PI) as the responsible technical point of contact and one institution as the primary awardee for the purpose of award execution. The PI shall come from the primary institution.

The relationship among participating institutions and their respective roles, as well as the apportionment of funds, including any sub-awards, shall be described in both the proposal text and the budget.

For this NARP competition, with the exception of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) awards, the following are eligible recipients: public and private accredited institutions of higher education; University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), unless prohibited by their Government UARC contract; public or private hospitals and http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www1.nga.mil/ https://www1.nga.mil/Partners/ResearchandGrants/Pages/AcademicResearchProgram.aspx https://www1.nga.mil/Partners/ResearchandGrants/Pages/AcademicResearchProgram.aspx mailto:OCSGrants@nga.mil mailto:NARPPO@nga.mil private non-profit organizations, such as, but not limited to, community action agencies, educational research institutes, educational associations, and health centers. The recipients may also be consortia comprised of any combination of universities, other nonprofit organizations, not-for-profit organizations, and other entities, to the extent that the consortia are legally incorporated as nonprofit organizations.

The following are not eligible recipients for funding: commercial companies; foreign universities;

Federally run schools and laboratories; Government-owned contractor-operated facilities or research centers providing continued support for mission-oriented, large-scale programs that are Government-owned or controlled; or are designated as Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), to include national laboratories.

The eligibility of a UARC or other University Associated Laboratory (UAL) to submit a proposal does not exempt the proposal from any evaluation factor contained in this Broad Agency Announcement. Ineligible organizations (e.g., industry, Federally run schools and laboratories, FFRDCs, and foreign universities) may collaborate on the research, but may not receive funds directly or via sub-award.

Eligible candidates may submit proposals in any of the following six categories:

NGA University Research Initiatives (NURI) awards. NURI awards focused on fundamental research in Geospatial Intelligence topics such as those listed in paragraph 9 and are open to all eligible institutions.

NGA Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants. These awards are open to faculty employed by eligible institutions in order to support the research of a Postdoctoral Fellow. The Principal Investigator (PI)/mentor is NOT required to be a U.S. citizen. The Postdoctoral Fellow MUST be a U.S. citizen. Applicants may submit a research proposal without having a Postdoctoral Fellow identified. If a grant is awarded as a result of the research proposal submitted, the PI has one year from the award date of the grant to recommend a Postdoctoral candidate, who must be approved by the Program Manager prior to starting the NGA Postdoctoral Fellowship. Each Fellow must have completed and have been awarded a doctorate degree before starting the NGA Fellowship and the degree must have been conferred within the last five years prior to the submission of this proposal. At least 50 percent of the total annual cost proposed must be allocated for direct support of one full-time Postdoctoral Fellow, including salary and fringe benefits. The remaining funds can be allocated to a fraction of the Principal Investigator’s time, unique equipment needed to conduct the proposed research, and other direct costs. Exceptions to this allocation will need to be approved by the Program Manager and Grants Officer. Funding is limited until a Postdoctoral Fellow is identified and approved.

NGA Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) research awards. The applicant institution (i.e., the lead institution that will be the primary awardee for purposes of award execution) must be a U.S. accredited college, university, or other four-year degree-granting institution that provides post-secondary school courses of study; be classified as a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and Minority Serving Institutions, such as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), a Tribal College or University (TCU), or an Asian American and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AAPI-SI), individually or as a member of a proposed team.

The Minority Serving Institution shall provide a U.S. Department of Education issued Designation Letter for the current year of the grant or cooperative agreement application.

NGA will consider proposals in this category for (1) research to improve GEOINT analysis, (2) educational GEOINT research, and (3) research to strengthen GEOINT academic programs, which may include curriculum development research, and faculty development research. A proposal may include one or more of these areas, as well as any other topic specific to GEOINT program objectives and the NGA mission.

NGA Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Research awards. The applicant institution (i.e., the lead institution that will be the primary awardee for purposes of award execution) must be a U.S. accredited college, university, or other four-year degree-granting institution that provides post-secondary school courses of study. A consortium of accredited institutions is encouraged to include a minimum of one HBCU/MI institution as a member. NGA will consider proposals in this category to (1) expand, upgrade, enrich, or integrate undergraduate and graduate course offerings in geospatial sciences; (2) conduct focused mentoring of undergraduate or graduate student research in geospatial related areas; (3) present geospatial science related workshops in the institution’s geographic area that includes, to the maximum extent practicable, other colleges/universities, community colleges, and/or high schools annually; (4) conduct research designed to increase innovation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs for students in grades K – 12; and (5) STEM-related faculty development research.

NGA New Investigator Program (NIP) Grants. These awards are open to faculty employed by eligible institutions who are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent U.S.

residents who have held their doctorate degrees (PhD or equivalent) for less than five years at the time of application. These grants are awarded to the institutions and are intended to support outstanding faculty members to conduct innovative research on NGA initiatives and to further encourage their research and academic careers. If awarded, strong institution support for the applicant throughout the grant period is required. This support may include time released from teaching or administrative responsibilities, the purchase of equipment, support for the applicant's graduate students, and departmental cost sharing. It must be evident that the institution views the applicant as a truly outstanding, potential leading faculty member, and is making a long-term commitment to his/her application and research.

NGA Research Collaboration Forum (NRCF) Grants. NRCF awards are open to private and public educational institutions that carry out science and engineering research and/or related science and engineering education. An eligible lead institution will be the primary awardee for purposes of award execution. These awards are intended to encourage collaboration forums in the United States for the systematic exploration and advancement of greater scientific breakthroughs or understanding in one or more GEOINT research issues.

III. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1 General Application and Submission Process

Offerors are encouraged to submit white papers before submitting full proposals in order for NGA to determine its level of interest in the proposed research. While white papers are not required, they will assist both the offeror and NGA in determining interest in the proposed research prior to the commitment of the significant time and effort that goes into the preparation of a full proposal. White papers and proposals will be protected from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with applicable law and DoD regulations. NGA will treat all proposals as competition sensitive and disclose their contents only for the purposes of evaluation. Offerors are expected to appropriately mark each page of their submission containing proprietary information. Any materials submitted in response to this BAA will not be returned.

The costs of preparing white papers and/or complete proposals in response to this BAA are not considered allowable direct charges to any award resulting from this BAA or any other award.

Offerors submitting proposals are cautioned that only a Grants Officer may obligate the Government to any expenditure of Government funds.

2 Submission of White Papers

To be accepted for evaluation, a research white paper or proposal must be received in complete form by the Government in accordance with the following paragraphs.

Submission of a white paper does not obligate the institution to submit a proposal or the Government to invite the submission of a proposal. Upon receipt, NGA will review a white paper and advise the offeror of the results of the review in approximately 75 days following receipt of the white paper. The Government may contact the offeror for additional discussions and clarifications. Offerors whose white papers receive a favorable review will be invited to prepare a full proposal in accordance with instructions contained in Sections III. 4 and 5 below.

On occasion, this notice may contain feedback. An invitation to prepare a proposal does not obligate the offeror to submit a full proposal, or the Government to make an award if the offeror submits a proposal.

All white papers shall be e-mailed to the NGA Academic Research Program at NARPPO@nga.mil as attachments. Submissions should include "(NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, NIP, or NRCF as appropriate) WHITE PAPER” in the e-mail subject line. Hard copy white papers will not be accepted. The NGA Academic Research Program will provide a response acknowledging receipt of each paper in approximately five (5) business days of receipt. Late white papers will not be evaluated or considered.

3 White Paper Format and Content

White paper format should be as follows:

Paper Size: 8.5 x 11 inch paper

Margins: 1 inch (Top, bottom, left, and right)

Spacing: Single-spaced

Font: Arial, 12 point

Number of Pages: No more than four (4) single-sided pages (excluding cover letter, cover page, estimated cost, and curriculum vitae). White papers exceeding the page limit may not be evaluated.

White paper content should be as follows:

A one page cover letter (optional)

A cover page, labeled "(NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, NIP, or NRCF, as appropriate) WHITE PAPER," that includes the BAA number, proposed title, and proposer's technical point of contact, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address.

Paper titles should indicate the focus of the proposed basic research.

Identification of the problems and issues

Proposed research and technical approaches

Potential impact on and contributions to NGA capabilities

Team and management plan

Summary of estimated costs

Abbreviated curriculum vitae of key investigators

The cost portion of the proposed research identified in the white paper shall contain a brief summary of the estimated costs, including labor, material and supply costs, travel, and burden.

Any proprietary data must be identified. The offeror must also identify any technical data contained in the white paper that is to be treated by the Government as limited rights data. In the absence of such identification, the Government will assume unlimited rights to all technical data in the white paper. Records or data bearing a restrictive legend may be included in the white paper. However, offerors are cautioned that portions of white papers may be subject to release under terms of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, as amended.

4 Submission of Proposals

Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Several one-time actions must be completed in order to submit an application through Grants.gov, i.e., registering with the System for Award Management (SAM), obtaining a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and providing a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). See www.SAM.gov to begin this process. Use the Grants.gov “SAM Quick Start Guide for New Grantee Registration” at http://www.grants.gov/documents/19/18243/SAM_New_Grantee_Registration.pdf for registration process guidelines. For any questions or concerns about your SAM registration, please contact the Federal Support desk at https://www.fsd.gov.

Please give yourself plenty of time before your application submission deadline. Allow up to 10 business days after you submit an application before your registration is active in SAM, and then wait an additional 24 hours for Grants.gov to recognize your information.

Information regarding registering on Grants.gov, applying for grants or cooperative agreements and tracking your applications should be referenced under Grants.gov Applicant Resources at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html. Direct questions to Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726, or support@grants.gov.

4.1 Proposal Content and Format

Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials go to http://www.grants.gov, Applicant Resources and select "Apply for Grants” and then select "Download Application Package.” Enter either CFDA 12.63 or 12.56 as applicable and the funding opportunity number (designated as "research opportunity number" on page four of this announcement).

http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/documents/19/18243/SAM_New_Grantee_Registration.pdf https://www.fsd.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/

To qualify for evaluation, the submission package must be complete with all forms specified by Grants.gov for this BAA and all parts specified in this announcement for the proposal, including the Abstract and the Research Proposal. Each research proposal must provide a cover page and adequately describe the problems or issues the research intends to address, technical approach, research plan, anticipated outcomes, potential impact to the NGA mission or capabilities if successful, research team resumes, and budgeted expenditure requested.

Documented success in previous related research may not exceed two pages. Additional items and attachments, such as institutional brochures or reprints of research papers, will not be considered when the proposal is evaluated.

4.2 Content of Application -SF 424 (R&R) - Mandatory

The offeror must complete the mandatory forms in accordance with the instructions on the forms and the additional instructions below. Files attached to the forms must be in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) and searchable, unless otherwise specified in this announcement.

4.3 Form SF 424 (R&R): Application for Federal Assistance - Mandatory

Complete this form first to populate data in other forms. Complete all the required fields in accordance with the pop-up instructions on the form. To activate the instructions, turn on the "Help Mode" (icon with the pointer and question mark at the top of the form). (See also Attachment 1 of this BAA, Guidance for Completion of Mandatory and Optional Forms.)

4.4 Form SF 424 (R&R): Other Project Information - Mandatory

Complete questions 1 through 5. (Attachment 1 of this BAA, Guidance for Completion of Mandatory and Optional Forms.)

4.5 Form SF 424 (R&R): Abstract (Field 6 on the Form) - Mandatory

The Abstract is a single page that identifies the research problem; technical approaches;

anticipated outcome of the research, if successful; and impact on NGA’s capabilities. It identifies the Principal Investigator, the institution and other institutions involved in the team, if any, and the proposal title. The abstract should be taken from the Research Plan and Research Team descriptions described below. The project summary must not exceed one page when printed using standard 8.5" by 11" paper with 1" margins (top, bottom, left and right) with 12 point Arial font. To attach a Project Summary/Abstract, click "Add Attachment." (Attachment 1 of this BAA: Guidance for Completion of Mandatory and Optional Forms.) The abstract must clearly identify the award category (NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, NIP, or NRCF as appropriate) that the proposal is addressing.

4.6 NIP Institutional Letter of Support - Mandatory

For NIP proposals, the supporting letter must be from the applicant's Department or Office Chairperson, Dean, or other official who represents the institution regarding support for and commitment to the applicant. This letter should be attached in Field 6. Strong institution support for the applicant throughout the grant period, if awarded, is required. This support can include time released from teaching or administrative responsibilities, the purchase of equipment, support for the applicant's graduate students, waiver of indirect costs, departmental cost sharing, and start-up funding. It must be clear that the institution views the applicant as a truly outstanding, potential leading faculty member and is making a long-term commitment to his/her application and research.

4.7 Form SF 424 (R&R): Project Narrative (Field 7 on the Form) - Mandatory

The cover page and research plan for this effort must be attached to Field 7 of the SF 424 (R & R) - Other Project Information Form. (See also Attachment 1 of this BAA, Guidance for Completion of Mandatory and Optional Forms.) Proposal format should be as follows:

Paper Size: 8.5 x 11 inch paper

Margins: 1 inch (Top, bottom, left, and right)

Spacing: Single-spaced

Font: Arial, 12 point

File Type: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) searchable file with copy permission allowed

Number of pages: No more than ten single-sided pages (excluding Cover Page).

Tables of contents, lists of references, letters of support, and resumes are excluded from this page limitation. Proposals exceeding the page limit may not be evaluated.

III.4.7.1 Cover Page – Mandatory

The cover page must include the following ten points of information items in the order listed here:

Program Name: “NGA Academic Research Program (NARP)”

Proposal Category: NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, NIP, or NRCF

BAA Number: “BAA # HM0210-14-BAA-0001”

Proposal Title: Limit this to no more than one line. Proposal titles should indicate the focus of the proposed basic research.

Research Area: A proposal should address a research area that is relevant to NGA’s mission.

Principal Investigator (PI): Provide PI contact information, including at least

(1) full legal name and title, (2) telephone number, (3) fax number, (4) postal mailing address, and (5) e-mail address. (The PI must be an employee of the applicant institution.) Also provide the name and title of the alternate contact(s), their telephone number(s), and their e-mail address(es).

Signature of Principal Investigator: Including date of signature.

Applicant Institution: Including at least (1) full legal name of institution, (2) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, and (3) U.S. Tax Identification Number (TIN).

Administrative Officer of the Proposing Institution: Contact information, including at least (1) full legal name and institutional rank or title, (2) telephone number, (3) fax number, (4) postal mailing address, and (5) e-mail address. Also provide the name and title of the alternate contact(s), their telephone number(s), and their e-mail address(es).

Signature of Administrative Officer: Include date of signature.

III.4.7.2 Research Plan for NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, and NIP Proposals

Offerors shall provide a research plan. The plan must be concise yet include enough detail to enable NGA to evaluate the proposal using the criteria stated in Section IV of this BAA. For these reasons, the plan must contain the following eleven parts in the order listed here:

1. Objectives. State the specific problem to be solved and scientific objectives of the research. This part should include a description of the state of knowledge or state of the art in the proposed research area and also a description of any closely related research that is known to have been done, successfully or unsuccessfully, or is ongoing. If a literature review is provided, the review should be selective, critical, and confined to one page or less.

2. Anticipated Results. Describe the anticipated results of the research and the form or manner in which those results are expected to be developed and reported, e.g., a paper, a mathematical model, a computer algorithm, a data analysis method or other analytical tool, or a hardware design principle.

3. Applicability. Describe the significance of the research, especially how the anticipated research results are expected to address NGA research needs. If the proposal is a successor to a previous grant award, describe how the proposed research is expected to build on previous accomplishments.

4. Approach. Describe in a systematic manner the proposed approach to accomplishing the objectives. This must include both the scientific and the management aspects of the research.

5. Science. Describe the proposed research path in enough detail to enable evaluation of the proposal’s technical merit and its realism in terms of the probability of success in meeting the stated objectives. State the criteria that will be used to judge the success of the research effort.

6. Management. Describe the steps necessary to implement the proposed research. Define semi-annual milestones at a minimum, and ideally for quarterly intervals, to track the progress of the work.

7. Facilities and Equipment. Describe the proposing institution’s physical resources that are available for performing the research. Describe any material and equipment proposed for acquisition or fabrication under this program and how it will be used to achieve the research objectives. Government-Furnished Information (GFI) may be provided upon request depending on the nature of the proposal research.

Any anticipated requirements for GFI should be stated in this section.

8. Sub-awards and Collaboration. Describe any proposed sub-awards or related collaborations (planned or in place) with other schools, government laboratories, or other appropriate organizations. If sub-awards are proposed, state the division of research activities and provide detailed budgets for the proposed sub-awards.

Describe how each of these collaborations can be expected to facilitate the transition of research results to application.

9. Research Related Opportunities and Institutional Improvement. Describe how the project will provide research-related opportunities for students (and the number of graduate and undergraduate students in STEM involved in the research) or how the research will enhance the institution’s research infrastructure and the institution’s ability to perform other scientific research now or in the future.

10. Current and Pending Support. Identify any other sources of funding or other support to which the same proposal has been, or will be, submitted while this NARP solicitation and award process is ongoing. Identify other parties to whom the proposal has been or will be sent, including agency contact information.

11. Research Team Description. Designate and identify one person on the team as the Principal Investigator (PI) for purposes of technical responsibility and contact with NGA. Briefly summarize the PI’s qualifications. The PI must be an employee of the applicant institution. Also, provide a summary table of (1) the names of all persons for whom financial support is proposed; (2) planned commitments (in units of a percentage of a nominal full-time work year) per individual to (2a) the proposed research and (2b) other work, professional, and/or academic activities; (3) the relationships of other work to this proposal; and (4) whether the PI or other co-investigators are PI on these other activities.

For proposals involving multi-institution teaming, the designated PI acts as the PI for the team as a whole. NGA will consider the research to be under the technical direction of the designated PI, and NGA expects the PI to be available for the full award period and have major involvement in the pursuit of the research objectives.

Replacement of the PI is subject to approval from the NGA Academic Research Program Manager.

For the NGA Postdoctoral Fellowship Category: Applicants may submit a proposal under this Research Solicitation without having a Postdoctoral Fellow identified.

If a grant is awarded under this category as a result of the proposal submitted, the PI has one year from the award date of the grant to recommend a postdoctoral research candidate, who must be approved by both the Program Manager and Technical Monitor prior to starting the Postdoctoral Fellowship. Funding is limited until a Postdoctoral Fellow is identified and approved.

4.8 Form SF 424 (R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile - Mandatory

The research team resumes should be attached to the R&R Senior/Key Person form under the “biographical sketch” section. (See Attachment 1)

The offeror shall provide a resume of no more than two pages for each of the key researchers who plan to contribute to the project, regardless of whether they will charge time to the project.

Each resume should contain at least the following information:

Qualifications. Provide typical curriculum vitae information.

Relevant Accomplishments. Provide a summary of accomplishments (“track record”) in the same research topic area, or a closely related area, as the proposed research.

4.9 Form SF 424 (R&R): Budget - Mandatory

SF 424 (R&R) Budget shall include all financial aspects of the proposed research. (See also Attachment 1 of this BAA, Guidance for Completion of Mandatory and Optional Forms.)

There is no page limit for the Research Costs (Itemized Budget) section of the proposal. Cost estimates should include sufficient detail for meaningful evaluation, including cost details for proposed sub-awards. For proposal purposes, the offeror should propose a start date. The cost proposal must include the total cost of the project as well as a breakdown of the amount(s) by source(s) of funding, e.g., funds requested from NGA, other Government funding, and institutional funds to be provided as cost sharing. Costs should be broken down for each year of the program and shown by cost element for each year. Cost elements, total costs for each year of the base period and each cost element, and totals for each proposed optional follow-on year, if any, shall be provided. Costs for entertainment, amusement, diversion and social activities and any costs directly associated with such activities are unallowable in accordance with OMB 2CFR Part 220 (formerly Circular A-21). NGA will not provide funding for direct reimbursement of proposal development costs.

The annual budget should be driven by program requirements and the funding breakdown shall correspond to the proposed research plan that was provided as part of the Research and Related Other Project Information Form. For the NGA Postdoctoral Fellowship Category, a budget summary table that clearly identifies the Postdoctoral Fellow’s salary and benefits total (must be 50% or greater of total proposed cost per year), the total amount for each proposed year, as well as any other cost elements identified by the Principal Investigator. This section shall include statements as to the basis of estimate for all proposed costs. Cost elements should include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Direct labor. Individual labor categories or persons, with associated labor hours and unburdened direct labor rates. Provide escalation rates for out years. Include all personnel who will charge time to the project (i.e., the Principal Investigator, other faculty, institutional staff, graduate and undergraduate students) as well as their commensurate salaries and benefits. Salaries of administrative and clerical staff are normally indirect costs included in indirect cost rates, but direct charging of these costs may be appropriate when a major project requires administrative or clerical support significantly greater than normal, routine levels of support. Budgets proposing direct charging of administrative or clerical salaries must be supported by budget justifications that adequately describe the major projects and the administrative and/or clerical work to be performed.

2. Equipment. Equipment is normally furnished by the Recipient. Allowable equipment will ordinarily be limited to specialized equipment that is not already available for the conduct of the work. If acquisition of equipment is proposed, a justification for the purchase of the items must be provided and the costs of equipment must be broken down in sufficient detail for evaluation. Provide an itemized list of all equipment costs and the basis for the estimate, e.g., quotes, prior purchases, catalog price lists. General purpose equipment (i.e., equipment not used exclusively for research, scientific or other technical activities, such as personal computers, office equipment and furnishings) is not eligible for support and should not be requested unless it will be used primarily or exclusively for the project. For computer/laptop purchases and other general purpose equipment, if proposed, include a statement indicating how each item of equipment will be integrated into the program or used as an integral part of the research effort.

Equipment costs should be budgeted primarily during the first year. (See Attachment 1 of this BAA, Guidance for Completion of Mandatory and Optional Forms, Block C of the SF 424 (R & R) Budget for additional details on equipment.)

3. Travel. The proposed travel cost should include the following for each trip: the purpose of the trip, origin and destination if known, approximate duration, and the number of travelers. The estimated cost per trip must be justified based on the organization’s historical average cost per trip or another reasonable basis. Such estimates and the resultant costs claimed must conform to the applicable federal cost principles. NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, and NIP proposals will include travel for required attendance at (1) the annual, three-day NGA Academic Research Program Symposium and Workshops held in the Washington, D.C., area and (2) a one-day research review meeting separate from the NGA Academic Research Program Symposium and Workshops, in the Washington, D.C., area during each year of the award. (See Attachment 1 of this BAA, Guidance for Completion of Mandatory and Optional Forms, Block D of the SF 424 (R & R) Budget for additional details on travel.)

4. Other direct costs. Provide an itemized list of all other proposed other direct costs, such as Graduate Assistant tuition; materials and supplies; publication, documentation and dissemination costs; computer services; and communication costs not included in overhead; and provide the basis for the estimate, e.g., quotes, prior purchases, catalog price lists. For consultant services, provide a breakdown of the consultant's hours, the hourly rate proposed, any other proposed consultant costs, a copy of the signed Consulting Agreement or other documentation supporting the proposed consultant rate/cost and a copy of the consultant's proposed statement of work if it is not already separately identified in the prime contractor's proposal. (See Attachment 1 of this BAA, Guidance for Completion of Mandatory and Optional Forms, Block F of the SF 424 (R & R) Budget for additional details on direct costs.)

5. Sub-awards. Provide a description of the work to be performed by the sub-recipients.

For each sub-award, a detailed cost proposal is required to be included in the principal investigator's cost proposal. Fee/profit is unallowable. (SF 424 (R & R) Sub-award Budget Attachment(s) shall be completed.)

6. Fringe benefits and indirect costs (i.e., Facilities and Administrative Costs, Overhead, G&A). The proposal should show the rates and calculation of the costs for each rate category. If the rates have been approved or negotiated by a Government agency, provide a copy of the memorandum/agreement. If the rates have not been approved or negotiated, provide sufficient detail to determine whether the costs are allowable, allocated to the proper cost pool, and reasonable based on their allocation.

Also include documentation describing how the rates were calculated. Additional information may be requested, if needed. If composite rates are used, provide the calculations used in deriving the composite rates. (See Attachment 1 of this BAA- Guidance for Completion of Mandatory and Optional Forms, Block H of the SF 424 (R & R) Budget for additional details on indirect costs.)

7. Fee/Profit. Fee/profit is unallowable.

4.10 Proposal Content for Research Collaboration Forums

Each proposal for an NRCF grant should be submitted a minimum of four (4) months prior to the date of the event. NRCF grants are subject to several considerations and restrictions:

The subject matter of the forum must be one or more scientific or technical areas that are relevant to NGA’s basic research program.

Funds provided cannot be used to pay any federal government employee for support, subsistence, or services in connection with the proposed collaboration forum.

NGA Research support for a collaboration forum does not constitute an endorsement of any for-profit or nonprofit co-sponsoring organization.

NRCF proposals shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

A summary indicating the objective(s) of the forum

The topic(s) to be covered and how they are relevant to NGA’s GEOINT research mission

The title, location, and date(s) of the forum

An explanation of how the forum will advance the scientific knowledge or understanding of the research interests of NGA or the National System for Geospatial Intelligence

(NSG)

The event chairperson or principal investigator and his/her biographical information

A list of proposed participants and their potential contribution and value to the collaboration forum

Announcement or invitation methods (or copies of the relevant documents)

A note indicating whether foreign nationals will be present

Total project costs by major cost elements

Anticipated sources of forum income and amounts from each source

Anticipated use of funds requested from NGA; and

A summary of how the results and recommendations will be captured, disseminated, and reported to NGA.

5 Proposal Receipt Notices

After a proposal is submitted through Grants.gov, the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) will receive a series of three e-mails:

1. The applicant will receive a confirmation e-mail upon completing the submission to Grants.gov. This e-mail will contain a Submission Receipt Number required to track the submission.

2. The applicant will receive an e-mail indicating that the proposal has been validated by Grants.gov within two days of submission. (This means that all of the required fields have been completed.)

3. The third notice is an acknowledgment of receipt by the designated agency and provides the assigned tracking number.

It is extremely important that the AOR watch for and save each of the e-mails.

6 Significant Dates and Times

White papers will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. EDT on 31 August 2017. Late white papers will not be evaluated or considered. NGA will evaluate white papers on a continuing basis and will make every effort to respond to white paper submissions in approximately 75 days. White paper PI should be available for clarifications and discussions during this period if needed.

Proposals may be submitted at any time until the closing date of 30 September 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Proposal Notifications:

NGA will evaluate proposals on a quarterly basis. However, proposals for research collaboration forums will be evaluated throughout the term of the BAA and notifications of awards for forums will be provided within approximately 75 days of receipt.

Proposals shall remain valid for 180 days to allow time for the evaluation, selection, and award.

Proposal notifications shall consist of three types of notifications:

1) Selected for award. The Grants Officer will notify the offeror regarding the amount of funding available, negotiate as necessary, and continue to award.

2) Not selected this cycle.

Note: If the offeror would like the proposal kept for consideration for six months, unless a different time frame is requested by the University, the University official who originally submitted the proposal must provide notice to the Grants Officer within 20 business days from the date of the notification; otherwise, the proposal will be removed from consideration. Extending the validity of the proposal provides no guarantee that the proposal will be funded.

3) Not selected. The Grants Officer will notify the offeror that there will be no further consideration of this proposal.

IV. EVALUATION INFORMATION

1 White Paper Evaluation

White paper assessment will focus on the scientific and technical merits of the proposed research, its potential to produce path-breaking results and innovation, and its potential contribution and applicability to NGA’s mission. The Government, at its discretion, may conduct clarifications or technical discussions with the white paper author(s). Some Government contractors who are subject-matter experts may provide technical advice to assist these evaluations and the Government will ensure that no conflict of interest may arise. Government scientists will evaluate white papers to assess if the proposed research meets the research needs of the Agency, and if the Government will recommend the submission of a full proposal.

White papers will be assessed using the same criteria as for proposal submissions (See IV.2 below).

2 Evaluation of NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, and NIP Proposals

NGA will evaluate proposals submitted in response to this BAA for selection using the following four (4) criteria:

C1. Technical Merit assessment of the scientific soundness of the research proposal (see Section 2.1 TF1-TF5).

C2. Potential relationship, contribution and relevance of the proposed research to the overall NGA Academic Research Program and impact on the NGA mission.

C3. Program balance to NGA Academic Research Program mission, with respect to past and current research including those efforts funded by the Government, IC mission priorities, and overall budget limitations. Program balance considerations include how the proposal, when taken as a whole, meets the objectives of the NGA Research Program.

C4. Resource Allocation and cost evaluation. The realism and reasonableness of expected costs. Postdoc Fellowship proposals must have 50% or greater of annual proposed budget going directly to Postdoc salary and benefits.

The first three criteria, C1-C3, are of equal importance, while criterion C4 is of lesser importance.

2.1 Technical Merit Evaluation of NURI, POSTDOC, HBCU/MI, STEM, and NIP

Proposals

Technical Merit evaluation will be performed by a technical evaluation team using the following five factors of equal importance:

TF1. State of the Problem. Each proposal will be evaluated for how well it identifies the problem(s) to be researched and whether the problem is a hard scientific, technical, or operational problem that affects NGA’s capability to produce timely, relevant, and accurate GEOINT. The proposal should present a statement regarding the GEOINT mission risks to NGA if this problem is not solved.

TF2. State of the Solution. Each proposal will be evaluated for how well it describes/discusses current scientific, technical, and operational solutions that might exist for this problem. It should identify issues with existing solutions and describe their relative efficacy. It should clearly describe what research is necessary to resolve these issues or improve the efficacy of the current solutions.

TF3. State of the Proposed Research. Each proposal should demonstrate that adequate understanding already exists regarding past or current historical research, if any, concerning the problem. It should identify what elements of the proposed research are new and/or innovative, and what risks must be addressed to achieve a successful research result.