Questions from Webex_answers.docx

Questions and Answers from Webex:

1. Will you provide copy of the presentation?

Yes it is uploaded into Fedconnect.

2. Are all proposers required to address ALL of these?

Applicants should review application and submission information starting on page 20 for all submission requirements. Wherever “Mandatory” is mentioned, this means you shall or are required to submit the information.

3. How aligned should the Consortium proposals be to the NNSA? Either solid-line (meaning research that directly impacts programs/projects NNSA has in process), or dotted-line (would develop potential employees that have the right skills and knowledge to be able to impact programs/projects NNSA has now or will have in the future).

Proposals should align to one of the identified topical areas starting on page 9 of the FOA. Proposals may utilize capacity building, collaborative research, and student enrichment programs to address the topical area of choice.

4. Beyond internships what is expected in the interactions with the DOE/NNSA Campuses.

The NNSA Lab/Plant/Sites are consortium partners and can serve as a resource for internships, capacity building, and collaborative research.

5. What is the length of the award? 3, 4, or 5 year. If you can apply for 5years, can all 5 years be up to $1M/year or are you capped at $3M total?

Applicants may request a period of performance of three to five years. As far as the funding is concerned, your estimate should be realistic with what you are capable of doing. While $1M/year gives the appearance that your award is valued higher, this is not the case. Just as under-estimating your budget is not a good practice, over-estimating your budget is equally not a good practice. We do not want to see place-holders for contingency purposes. Your proposed costs must be necessary and reasonable for proper and efficient accomplishment of project or program objectives, and be verifiable from the non-Federal entity's records. Please see page 15 for additional details.

6. Are there any differences in how the 3-year and 5-year proposals will be evaluated or ranked at your office, other than 5-year plans/deliverables just making more progress possible? Are there particular goals you hope 5-year proposals will especially target?

The selected period of performance should align with the goals and objectives of the proposal. Proposal evaluations will not be separated by period of performance durations.

Goals must be determined by the applicant and should be aligned to impact.

7. Are all DOE national labs considered, or just Livermore / Sandia / LANL?

All DOE labs that perform work aligned to this FOA and the mission of NNSA are eligible.

8. Is there a minimum percentage of the budget that need to be allocated to student expenditures?

There is no minimum budget for student support. However as this is a pipeline grant program, allocation for student support in highly encouraged.

9. Are students only to be supported by stipends?

Student support may be budgeted based on the policies and rules of your academic institution and in compliance with 2 CFR 200.

10. Can different minority groups partner in a consortium, say 2 HBCUs and 1 HSI universities?

Proposals may include partnerships between any eligible minority serving institutions.

11. David, is the $12 million award for only year 2020? Or will this be the total amount for both year 2020 and 2021?

The 12 million was based on availability of funds at the time of the FOA release (in FY20). MSIPP intends to award 2-5 award in FY20 and 2-5 awards in FY21.

12. How are reviewers selected and what are their guidelines for evaluating the proposals?

Additional details on the evaluation process may be found on pages 39-40 of the FOA. Reviewers are selected based on their technical expertise and are aligned to FOA topical areas.

13. Are existing consortiums competing in this FOA as well?

Existing consortiums are eligible to compete under this FOA if their awards end in September 2021.

14. Is there a percentage of the budget that need to be allocated for Education & Outreach and Research?

As mentioned above there are no budget minimums listed in the FOA. Applicants should propose a budget that is most aligned with their goals and objectives.

15. Do we have to address all of the evaluation criteria - I think you said that some of them may be blank based on the proposal and timeline?

Yes, please see pages 39-40.

16. Is involvement with K-12 students encouraged?

Yes.

17. Perhaps the FOA has the detailed list of items, but what are some components that can be included in the budget? Also, do you know activities such as hackathon, workshops, tutorials will be considered as deliverables.

Please see the budget justification form. Activities must also align with school policies and the cost principles for allowable costs in 2 CFR 200.

18. The focus of the proposal is on students?

Proposals should have a focus on one or more of the following pathways; collaborative research, capacity building, and student enrichment programs/pipeline development.

19. Should the proposal have a technical part (in a conventional sense)?

Proposals should align to the goals and objectives of your consortium. Some consortia are more research focused and others are focused on education program development or both. All proposals will be evaluated on technical merit. This should be addressed in the Project Narrative.

20. How is the DOE/ NNSA Lab/Plant Site participation funded?

Directly from NNSA through other funding vehicles.

21. Is forming an advisory board composed of at least 5 people required for the proposal?

Advisory Boards are encouraged and expected but are “required” based on the FOA.

22. If national laboratory employees are involved, are they allowed to draw salary? They are a lot more expensive due to overheads than academic folks and students.

National laboratory employees are not allowed to draw salary under the grant. Lab/Plant/Site partners are funded through a different mechanism and should not be factored into your budget submissions.

23. Is Partnership with other MSIs mandatory?

Applicants are encouraged to partner with other MSIs (HSIs, HBCUs, TCUs) to form a consortium.

24. Can you please comment on the evenly distribution of the funds and can we spend more in the first year for capability building for example?

Budget requests should be aligned to the goals and objectives of the proposal. Applicants may request more in the first year if necessary up to the ceiling amount.

25. What is the funding cap on this program, $5M?

DOE/NNSA anticipates that awards will be in the following ranges: $1,500,000 to $3,000,000 for a three year project period, $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 for a four year project period, $2,500,000 to $5,000,000 for a five year project period

26. Are industry partners allowed?

NNSA Lab/Plant/Site contractors are eligible to collaborate and partner but not receive funding from this award.

27. How do we include the base level budget and justification for our lab partners? Where does that go in the proposal given it is not part of our budget?

Since the FOA did not address the submission requirements for the lab partners’ budget under Section IV – Application and Submission Information and Sub-Section E. Summary of Required Forms and Files, the base level budget shall be included in the collaboration letters so that it is just one document.

As indicated in Section III – Eligibility Information, Sub-Section D. Other Eligibility Requirements of the FOA, the collaboration letter shall include a statement that no grant funds will be provided to the lab and/or site/complex from the awarded grant. However, the collaboration letter shall also include a brief scope of work and the related cost by year from the respective lab and/or site/complex. This, for example, could be broken out by the type of assistance to be given on a particular topic area and a cumulative cost roll-up of all topical research areas where collaboration may be provided.

28. What if you're a branch campus with mostly 2 year programs but are seeking funding to establish a four-year degree program in engineering?

Two-year degree institutions are eligible to participate.

29. Can a college that is already part of an existing consortium participate in a new consortium as a non-lead?

Yes. If personnel from the existing award will be involved in the new proposal please keep in mind requirements for not exceeding time commitments.

30. What are the limits for senior personnel compensation? Summer months, or academic?

This FOA does not have any limits for senior personnel as long as the compensation is reasonable in accordance to 2 CFR § 200, does not exceed the personnel’s Institutional Base Salary (IBS), and is in accordance with their institution’s policies and rules of the academic institution. Please refer to the policies and rules of your academic institution.

According to 2 CFR § 200.430 Compensation - personal services, under section “(2) Salary basis. Charges for work performed on Federal awards by faculty members during the academic year are allowable at the IBS rate. Except as noted in paragraph (h)(1)(ii) of this section, in no event will charges to Federal awards, irrespective of the basis of computation, exceed the proportionate share of the IBS for that period. This principle applies to all members of faculty at an institution. IBS is defined as the annual compensation paid by an IHE for an individual's appointment, whether that individual's time is spent on research, instruction, administration, or other activities. IBS excludes any income that an individual earns outside of duties performed for the IHE. Unless there is prior approval by the Federal awarding agency, charges of a faculty member's salary to a Federal award must not exceed the proportionate share of the IBS for the period during which the faculty member worked on the award.”

31. Does the required program manager need to be funded full time under the proposal?

Administrative program manager (or administrator) not the PI or PD.

The program manager does not need to be funded full time under the proposal. It is dependent upon the time that you believe is needed. However, the proposed time must be reasonable in accordance to 2 CFR § 200 and your institution’s policies and rules of your academic institution.

Please refer to the policies and rules of your academic institution. Also reference 2 CFR § 200.430 Compensation - personal services, https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/200.430, for additional information.

32. Can we do a PH.D program?

Yes.

33. Will student travel to DOE Labs be fully covered in the proposal and not from DOE Lab?

Unless it is a requirement of the lab/plant/site partner to pay for students’ travel to their site, all travel costs for students included under Other Personnel (Postdoctoral Associates, Graduate Students, and Graduate Students) should be included with Senior/Key Personnel travel costs under section D. Travel in the university budget. Travel for students classified as Participant/Trainee Support Costs should be included under Section E. Participant/Trainee Support Costs, 3. Travel.