[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 103 (Monday, June 1, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26213-26217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12664]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket No.: 090306286-9288-01]
Recovery Act National Institute of Standards and Technology
Construction Grant Program
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
announces that it will hold a NIST Construction Grant Program
competition under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
and is soliciting proposals for financial assistance.
DATES: A Letter of Intent is required and must be received no later
than 3 p.m. Eastern Time, Thursday, June 25, 2009. A corresponding full
proposal must be received no later than 3 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday,
August 10, 2009. Review, selection, and grant award processing is
expected to be completed in February 2010.
ADDRESSES: Letters of Intent may only be submitted by paper to:
National Institute of Standards and Technology; 100 Bureau Drive, Stop
4701; Gaithersburg, MD 20899-4701. Full proposals may be submitted by
paper and electronically. Paper Submissions: National Institute of
Standards and Technology; 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 4701; Gaithersburg, MD
20899-4701. Electronic submissions: www.grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Lambis at 301-975-4447 or by
e-mail at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Additional Information. The full Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO)
announcement for this request for proposals contains detailed
information and requirements for the program. Proposers are strongly
encouraged to read the FFO in developing proposals. The full FFO
announcement text is available at http://www.grants.gov and on the NIST
Recovery Act Web site at http://www.nist.gov/recovery.
Statutory Authority. The statutory authority for this program is
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) (Pub.
L. 111-5, 123 Stat. 115).
CFDA 11.618, NIST Construction Grant Program
Program Description. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009 (Recovery Act) (Pub. L. 111-5, 123 Stat. 115) appropriated $180
million to NIST ``for a competitive construction grant program for
research science buildings.'' Additional information on the program was
provided on page 418 of the Conference Report to accompany House Report
111-16 (Feb. 12, 2009), which indicated that ``* * * $180,000,000 shall
be for the competitive construction grant program for research science
buildings, including fiscal year 2008 and 2009 competitions.''
Consistent with the Conference Report language NIST intends to
issue grant awards for approximately $60 million to unfunded
meritorious proposals submitted under the fiscal year 2008 competition
and issue grant awards for approximately $120 million under a new
fiscal year 2009 competition.
The goals and objectives of the program are to provide
competitively awarded grant funds for research science buildings
through the construction of new buildings or expansion of existing
buildings. For purposes of this program, ``research science building''
means a building or facility whose purpose is to conduct scientific
research, including laboratories, test facilities, measurement
facilities, research computing facilities, and observatories. In
addition, ``expansion of existing buildings'' means that space to
conduct scientific research is being expanded from what is currently
available for the supported research activities.
Consistent with Section 3 of the Recovery Act, the projects
undertaken through this program will result in the preservation of jobs
and the promotion of economic recovery; the provision of investments
needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological
advances; and the investment in infrastructure that will provide long-
term economic benefits. Activities will be commenced as quickly as
possible while ensuring prudent management.
Unallowable/Ineligible Projects
The following projects are unallowable/ineligible under this
program:
a. Projects to construct or expand a building not intended for
performing research or that will predominately be equipped with routine
office equipment and/or lecture/classroom furnishings.
b. Projects to construct facilities that will primarily benefit
undergraduate research training programs, rather than the creation of
new graduate level research programs, or expanding existing graduate
level research programs.
c. Projects to construct facilities that will primarily benefit the
education of the general public rather than support research
activities.
d. Projects that include tasks for constructing shell space that
will not be completed into research space within the grant will have
these tasks removed.
Unallowable/Ineligible Costs
The following items, regardless of whether they are allowable under
the Federal cost principles, are unallowable under this program:
a. Any equipment used for research or otherwise that is not an
integral part of the building's structure, e.g., MRI, portable air
conditioners, etc.
b. Costs or charges associated with routine maintenance, operation,
interior decorating, or landscaping of any building.
c. Purchase of land.
d. Costs incurred prior to award are not eligible for reimbursement
or as cost share.
Limit on Proposals per Applicant. Proposals are limited to one per
applicant organization. Distinct academic campuses (that award their
own degrees, have independent administrative structures, admission
policies, alumni associations, etc.) within multi-campus systems
qualify as separate institutions.
Funding Availability. Approximately $120 million is available for
new grants for the FY 2009 competition. NIST anticipates funding 8-12
projects with Federal shares in the $10 million-$15 million range with
a project period of performance of up to five (5) years, although there
is an expectation that most of the projects will be completed prior to
five years. The anticipated start date will be one month after the
award is made. The period of performance depends on the construction
schedule proposed.
Eligibility Criteria. U.S. institutions of higher education and
non-profit organizations are eligible to apply.
[[Page 26214]]
Cost-Sharing Requirements. Although cost sharing is not required,
NIST encourages cost sharing in order for a proposal to be competitive,
and it will be considered as part of the Selection Factors. A cost
share of 25% would be viewed favorably, 50% even more favorably.
The purchase of land cannot be used as cost sharing. See also
section IV.6. Funding Restrictions of the Federal Funding Opportunity.
Evaluation Criteria. The evaluation criteria that will be used in
evaluating proposals are as follows:
a. Scientific and technical merit of the proposed use of the
facility and the need for Federal funding (50 percent).
This criterion addresses the intellectual merit and broader impacts
of the proposed use of the facility; the strategic research directions
planned with the facility and how well the plan is conceived and
organized; what the facility will enable in terms of the advancement of
knowledge and understanding within a specific field(s) or across
different fields; the qualifications of the proposed key researchers
(individuals or teams) which will use the facility, as well as the
management team that will lead them; the potential for targeted impacts
resulting from the use of the facility that are unlikely to be achieved
with the current infrastructure, such as what transformative or
creative concepts may expand the science and technology knowledge base;
the extent to which the facility will enhance collaborations within and
outside of the institution; and the need for Federal funding due to a
lack of alternative funding sources, specifically what other sources
were pursued.
b. The quality of the design of the research science building (25
percent).
This criterion addresses the quality of the design information
provided for the building/facility to establish that the design has the
ability to meet the safety, physical, environmental, experimental/
research (e.g. unique environmental controls--vibration, humidity,
temperature, etc.), and operational (e.g. utilities and circulation of
people) requirements of the science and technology activities the
building/facility is expected to support. It also addresses whether or
not preliminary drawings and plans, together with appropriate
estimates, of in-house or vendor costs, are complete, in progress, or
planned. Furthermore, it addresses the rationale for and summary
specifications of the building/facility, including location, size,
configuration, environmental controls for research space, utility
needs, gross and/or assignable square footage, assignments of square
footage to research- and non-research-related activities (e.g. routine
administrative office space, conference rooms, classrooms etc.), and
the assigned purpose by areas.
c. Adequacy of the detailed Project Management Plan for
construction of the research science building/facility (25 percent).
The program will evaluate the following four aspects of the Project
Management Plan:
(1) Project Scope and Requirements:
This criterion addresses the description and organization of
project work packages (project tasks/elements) in a clear and complete
Work/Task Breakdown Structure (WBS) approach that comprises the total
scope of the building/facility project from inception through
commissioning of the facility, including descriptions of each work
package and its associated subtasks, the relationship between the work
packages and their associated subtasks, consolidated into a unified
project scope description that will be used by project management key
personnel throughout the project management life-cycle to identify and
monitor project progress, as well as link and track work packages and
subtasks to the budget and schedule plans addressed in c.(2) below. In
addition, this criterion addresses which work packages are proposed to
be within, before or after the project period. The project period
covers only the Federal and the allowable auditable cost share portion
of the project.
(2) Adequacy of the Proposed Project Time Schedule and Linkage to
the Budget, including the Clarity of the Budget and the Budget
Narrative:
This criterion addresses the time schedule for implementing the
work packages and associated subtasks described within the WBS
addressed in c.(1) above, and how the budget costs associated with the
work packages correctly sum up to each of the cost categories of the
SF-424C by project year.
(3) Capability to Manage the Project:
This criterion addresses the approach planned for project
management monitoring and risk control during the life of the award,
from kick-off through close-out, which may include tools, techniques
and processes (manual and automated systems). It also addresses an
analysis of potential project risks (e.g. timing, cost and/or scope
changes), where in the schedule risk(s) may be expected, and how the
risk(s) may be mitigated through specific control mechanisms, and the
planning/control decisionmaking process to implement the control
mechanisms. Finally, it addresses the management plan for direction and
implementation of the project, including capability descriptions of the
performing organizations and experience summaries for the manager with
fiduciary project responsibility, the project manager, and other key
project personnel as appropriate.
(4) Soundness of the Financial Commitments to Implement the Project
Management Plan:
This criterion addresses the current and any pending commitments
required for the building/facility to be constructed, commissioned and
become fully operational, including any risk(s) associated with
finalizing funding commitments and the organizational name/contact that
has the fiduciary authority over the funding commitments.
Letters of Intent
Each eligible organization can submit only one Letter of Intent in
response to this solicitation. A Letter of Intent, in paper form only,
is mandatory and must be received by NIST no later than 3 p.m. Eastern
Time, Thursday, June 25, 2009. If a full proposal is submitted to NIST
from an applicant who did not submit the required Letter of Intent, the
full proposal will be rejected and not reviewed. It is expected that
the Letter of Intent, which is to provide an overview of responsible
personnel and estimated costs, will be reviewed for eligibility, and
whether or not the project complements one or more of the program
priorities. NIST will send an acknowledgement of the Letter of Intent
to all applicants who timely submit a Letter of Intent. The information
required in a Letter of Intent is provided in the full FFO announcement
for this request for proposals.
Each applicant organization may only submit one Letter of Intent.
Submission of multiple Letters of Intent from one applicant
organization is not allowed. If more than one Letter of Intent is
received from the same applicant organization, NIST will acknowledge
each Letter of Intent received from the same applicant organization and
provide notice that if more than one full proposal is received from the
same applicant organization at the time of full proposal submission,
all full proposals from that same applicant organization will be
rejected without review.
Selection Process
An initial administrative review of timely received full proposals
will be conducted to determine compliance with requirements and
completeness. Responsive and complete proposals will be considered
further. Proposals that are
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nonresponsive and/or incomplete will be eliminated. Each of the
remaining proposals will receive a minimum of three independent
reviews, which will include written evaluations and scores, based on
the evaluation criteria. Reviews concerning evaluation criteria b. and
c. above may be performed by non-Federal Engineers or Architects. No
consensus advice will be given by the reviewers. The individual
proposal evaluations and scores will be considered by an Evaluation
Board(s) (a committee made up of Federal employees). This Board(s) will
present rankings in numerical order and funding recommendations based
on the evaluation criteria to a Selecting Official for further
consideration. In making final selections, the Selecting Official
(Chief Facilities Management Officer, NIST) will select funding
recipients based upon the Evaluation Board's rank order of the
proposals and the selection factors. The selection of proposals by the
Selecting Official is final and cannot be appealed. NIST reserves the
right to negotiate the cost and scope of the proposed work with the
applicants that have been selected to receive awards. This may include
requesting that the applicant delete from the scope of work a
particular task that is deemed by NIST to be inappropriate for support
(or of a lower priority compared with competing uses of funds) against
the evaluation criteria or selection factors. NIST also reserves the
right to reject a proposal where information is uncovered that raises a
reasonable doubt as to the responsibility of the applicant. The final
approval of selected proposals and award of grants will be made by the
NIST Grants Officer. The award decision of the NIST Grants Officer is
final and cannot be appealed.
Applicants may not submit replacement and/or revised pages and/or
documents for any portion of a proposal once that portion has been
submitted unless specifically requested by NIST.
One copy of each incomplete, nonresponsive, or non-selected
proposal will be retained for three (3) years for record keeping
purposes and the other two (2) copies will be destroyed. After three
(3) years the remaining copy will be destroyed.
Selection Factors. The Selecting Official shall recommend proposals
for award based upon the Evaluation Board's rank order of the
proposals, and may select a proposal out of rank based on one or more
of the following selecting factors: a. Degree to which the project
complements one or more programs of DoC's three science organizations'
science and technology program priorities (see Program Priorities
below), including the amount and quality of experience that the
institution that will use the facility has had with novel research.
b. Ability of a project to fulfill objectives of the Recovery Act,
as described in the Program Description above: preservation of jobs and
the promotion of economic recovery; provision of investments needed to
increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances; and
investing in infrastructure that will provide long-term economic
benefits, through activities that will commence as quickly as possible
while ensuring prudent management.
c. Degree to which the applicant proposes an early construction
start date and/or is close to or has awarded a construction contract
for the facility. For example, an early start date for construction of
a ready to proceed project may be considered more favorably than a
project that requires a longer time to complete design requirements.
NIST will emphasize the selection of projects that are ready to
proceed and will thereby stimulate local economies through the creation
or retention of jobs in U.S. jurisdictions, as well as yield
significant program benefits. Projects that are ready to proceed are
generally those where feasibility studies and/or other baseline
information required for a design to commence are completed, where
required consultations and permits, if not in-hand, are either in
progress or where there is reasonable assurance provided that they can
be attained quickly, and where National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
or equivalent analysis and any environmental permits and authorizations
are finished or can be expeditiously completed, so that projects can be
implemented shortly after funding is made available. The adequacy of
information needed to assess compliance with and to make a
determination under NEPA, as described below, may be considered.
d. Assuring a balance/distribution of projects across the program
priorities (see Program Priorities below).
e. Availability of Federal funds.
f. Experience or potential of promoting national impacts through
research outcomes, training, cooperation with Federal programs, and/or
opportunities for visiting researchers.
g. Credibility of plans to transition to operational status (i.e.,
staffing and equipping the research science building, and operational
readiness).
h. Degree to which the project considers and incorporates green/
sustainable design practices.
i. Although cost sharing is not required, the degree to which the
applicant is proposing cost share will be considered. (A cost share of
25% would be viewed favorably; 50% even more favorably.)
j. Whether this project duplicates other projects funded by DoC or
other Federal agencies.
k. Applicant's prior Federal award performance.
Program Priorities
All applicable fields of science that complement one or more
programs of DoC's three science organizations: NIST, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Specifically,
these include science related to measurements, oceans and atmosphere,
and telecommunications. More information about those programs can be
found on the agencies' Web sites (www.nist.gov, www.noaa.gov, and
www.ntia.doc.gov).
Proposals are only required to link to the program priorities of
one of the three DoC science organizations. Proposals that address
program priorities of more than one organization are not considered to
be more competitive.
Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs). Proposals under this program are not subject to Executive
Order 12372.
Administrative Procedure Act and Regulatory Flexibility Act. Prior
notice and comment are not required under 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other
law, for rules relating to public property, loans, grants, benefits or
contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)). Because prior notice and an opportunity
for public comment are not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any
other law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (5 U.S.C. et seq.) are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory
flexibility analysis is not required and has not been prepared.
E.O. 13132 (Federalism). This notice does not contain policies with
Federalism implications as defined in Executive Order 13132.
E.O. 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review). This notice is
determined to be not significant under Executive Order 12866.
Paperwork Reduction Act. Notwithstanding any other provision of the
law, no person is required to, nor shall any person be subject to a
penalty for failure to, comply with a collection of information subject
to the
[[Page 26216]]
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), unless that
collection of information displays a currently valid Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number. This notice contains
collection-of-information requirements subject to the PRA. The use of
Form S NIST-1101, NIST Construction Grant Program Budget Narrative,
NIST-1101A, NIST Construction Grant Program Budget Narrative, and NIST-
1101B, NIST Construction Grant Program Details on Unallowable Project
Costs, has been approved under OMB Control No. 0693-0055; and SF-424,
Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424C, Budget Information--
Construction Programs, SF-424D, Assurances--Construction Programs, and
SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, have been approved by OMB
under the respective control numbers 4040-0004, 4040-0008, 4040-0009,
and 0348-0046.
Security Interest. Grant recipients will be required to execute a
security interest or other statement of NIST's interest in the property
(building), acceptable to NIST, which must be perfected and placed on
record in accordance with local law. This security interest will
provide that, for the estimated useful life of the building (20 years),
the recipient will not sell, transfer, convey, or mortgage any interest
in the real property improved in whole or in part with Federal funds
made available under the award, nor shall the recipient use the
property for purposes other than the purposes for which the award was
made, without the prior written approval of the Grants Officer. Such
approval may be withheld until such time as the recipient first pays to
NIST the Federal share of the property as provided in 15 CFR Part 14.
DoC Pre-Award Notification Requirements. The Department of Commerce
Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative
Agreements, which are contained in the Federal Register Notice of
February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696-01), are applicable to this solicitation.
Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number and Dun and Bradstreet Data
Universal Numbering System
On the form SF-424 items 8.b. and 8.c., the applicant's 9-digit
Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN) and 9-digit Dun and
Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number must be
consistent with the information on the Central Contractor Registration
(CCR) (www.ccr.gov) and Automated Standard Application for Payment
System (ASAP). For complex organizations with multiple EIN/TIN and DUNS
numbers, the EIN/TIN and DUNS numbers MUST be the numbers for the
applying organization. Organizations that provide incorrect/
inconsistent EIN/TIN and DUNS numbers may experience significant delays
in receiving funds if their proposal is selected for funding. Please
confirm that the EIN/TIN and DUNS number are consistent with the
information on the CCR and ASAP.
National Environmental Policy Act. The Department must analyze the
potential environmental impacts, as required by the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects or proposals
which are seeking Recovery Act funding. General information on
compliance with NEPA can be found at the following Web sites: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov, and the Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ)
NEPAnet, http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/nepa/nepanet.htm.
Consequently, as part of an applicant's proposal, and under their
description of their program activities, applicants are required to
provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, safety
concerns, locations, site characteristics, surrounding environment,
species and habitat that might be affected, construction activities,
and any environmental concerns that may exist (e.g., the use and
disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, impacts to endangered and
threatened species, or any social, economic or cultural impacts to the
surrounding environment) in accordance with the required NIST-1101B,
NIST Construction Grant Program Environmental Compliance Questionnaire.
It is the applicant's responsibility to obtain all necessary
Federal, state, and local government permits and approvals where
necessary for the proposed work to be conducted. Applicants are
expected to design their projects so that they minimize the potential
for adverse impacts to the environment. Applicants will also be
required to cooperate with the Department in identifying feasible
measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental
impacts of their proposed project. The failure to do so will be grounds
for not awarding a grant.
Documentation of requests/completion of required environmental
authorizations and permits, including the Endangered Species Act, if
applicable, should be included in the proposal. Applications will be
reviewed to ensure that they contain sufficient information to allow
Department staff to conduct a NEPA analysis so that appropriate NEPA
documentation, required as part of the proposal, can be submitted to
the NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division along with the
recommendation for funding for selected applications.
Applicants proposing activities that cannot be covered by a Program
Environmental Assessment (PEA) and Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) or whose activities are not covered under another agency's NEPA
compliance procedures that can be analyzed and adopted for use by the
Department, will be informed after the technical review stage to
determine if NEPA compliance and other requirements can otherwise be
expeditiously met so that a project can proceed within the timeframes
anticipated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
If additional information is required after an application is
accepted, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer under a special
award condition requiring the recipient to submit additional
environmental law compliance information sufficient to enable the
Department to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have
on the environment.
Notification of Recovery Act Requirements. Recovery Act limitations
are applicable to the projects funded under this Notice. Recipients
must comply with the following three provisions of the Recovery Act, as
applicable, and any other terms required by the Act or that may be
added to the recipient's award pursuant to guidance implemented by the
Office of Management and Budget.
a. Buy American Recovery Act Provision. Unless waived by DoC, none
of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by ARRA, may be
used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or
repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron,
steel, and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the
United States. This provision shall be applied in a manner consistent
with United States obligations under international agreements.
b. Davis-Bacon Act. Under Section 1606 of the ARRA, projects using
ARRA funds require the payment of not less than the prevailing wages
under the Davis-Bacon Act to ``all laborers and mechanics employed by
contractors and subcontractors on projects funded directly by or
assisted in whole or in part by and through the Federal Government.''
c. False Claims Act. Each recipient or sub-recipient awarded funds
under the ARRA shall promptly refer to an appropriate inspector general
any
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credible evidence that a principal, employee, agent, contractor, sub-
grantee, subcontractor, or other person has submitted a false claim
under the False Claims Act or has committed a criminal or civil
violation of laws pertaining to fraud, conflict of interest, bribery,
gratuity, or similar misconduct involving those funds.
Ensuring Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds. The agency
intends to implement this program in compliance with Office of
Management and Budget guidance on the President's Memorandum for the
Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies of March 20, 2009. Ensuring
Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds, 74 FR 12531 (Mar. 25,
2009), when such guidance becomes available.
Best Practices to Promote Equality of Opportunity. Pursuant to OMB
Guidance (see, e.g., ``Updated Implementing Guidance for the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,'' April 3, 2009) and consistent
with the Recovery Act and other applicable laws, DoC encourages
recipients to implement best practices to promote equality of
opportunity, to provide opportunities for small and disadvantaged
businesses, including veteran-owned small businesses and service
disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and to follow sound labor
practices.
Reporting. Award Recipients shall provide access to information
that is required to assess the project's progress throughout the
project life cycle. The following reports are required:
a. Technical Performance Reports. Award Recipients shall submit a
technical performance report in triplicate (an original and two copies)
on a calendar quarter basis for the periods ending March 31, June 30,
September 30, and December 31, or any portion thereof. Reports are due
no later than 30 days following the end of each reporting period. A
final technical performance report shall be submitted within 90 days
after the expiration date of the award. Two copies of the technical
performance reports shall be submitted to the Project Manager and the
original report to the NIST Grants Officer. Technical performance
reports shall contain information as prescribed in 15 CFR 14.51.
b. Financial Reports. For recipients under this program, Article
A.01 of the DoC Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions
dated March 2008 is revised as follows:
Award Recipients shall submit a Federal Financial Report (SF-425)
in triplicate (an original and two copies) on a calendar quarter basis
for the periods ending March 31, June 30, September 30, and December
31, or any portion thereof. Reports are due no later than 30 days
following the end of each reporting period. A final SF-425 shall be
submitted within 90 days after the expiration date of the award. All
SF-425s shall be submitted to the NIST Grants Officer.
c. Recovery Act Reports--Job Creation and Retention. As set out in
Sec. 1512(c) of the Recovery Act, no later than ten (10) days after the
end of each calendar quarter, any recipient that received funds under
the Recovery Act from NIST must submit a report to NIST that contains
the following four items:
(1) The total amount of Recovery Act funds received from NIST.
(2) The amount of Recovery Act funds received that were obligated
and expended to projects or activities. This reporting will also
include unobligated allotment balances to facilitate reconciliations.
(3) A detailed list of all projects or activities for which
recovery funds were obligated and expended, including:
(a) The name of the project or activity;
(b) A description of the project or activity;
(c) An evaluation of the completion status of the project or
activity;
(d) An estimate of the number of jobs created and the number of
jobs retained by the project or activity; and
(e) For infrastructure investments made by State and local
governments, the purpose, total cost, and rationale of the agency for
funding the infrastructure investment with funds made available under
this Act, and name of the person to contact at the agency if there are
concerns with the infrastructure investment.
(4) Detailed information on any subcontracts or subgrants awarded
by the recipient to include the data elements required to comply with
the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub.
L. 109-282), allowing aggregate reporting on awards below $25,000 or to
individuals, as prescribed by the Director of the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB).
Recipients that must report information in accordance with
paragraph (4) above must register with the Central Contractor
Registration database (http://www.ccr.gov/) or complete other
registration requirements as determined by the Director of OMB. Section
1512(d) further requires that no later than thirty (30) days after the
end of each calendar quarter, NIST must make the information in reports
submitted under section 1512(c) of the Recovery Act as outlined above
publicly available by posting the information on a Web site. OMB Memo
M-09-10, ``Initial Implementing Guidance for the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009,'' which can be accessed at http://www.recovery.gov/, provides information on requirements for Federal
agencies under the Recovery Act. Additional guidance may be forthcoming
related to responsibilities of recipients of grants and cooperative
agreements under the Recovery Act.
Reporting requirements are described in the Department of Commerce
Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions dated March, 2008,
found on the Internet at: http://oamweb.osec.doc.gov/docs/GRANTS/DOC%20STCsMAR08Rev.pdf.
The references to Financial Reporting Form SF-269 in the DoC
Standard Terms & Conditions, A.01 and B.01, are hereby replaced with
the SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report,'' as required by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) (73 FR 61175, October 15, 2008). As
authorized under 15 CFR 14.52 and 24.41, the OMB approved SF-425 shall
be used in the place of the SF-269 and SF-272 under the uniform
administrative requirements and elsewhere under awards in this program
where such forms are referenced.
Dated: May 26, 2009.
Patrick Gallagher,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E9-12664 Filed 5-29-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P