[Federal Register: June 1, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 103)]
[Notices]
[Page 26206-26209]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01jn09-36]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket Number: 090306281-9287-01]
Recovery Act Measurement Science and Engineering Research
Fellowship Program
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is
establishing a financial assistance program for awardees to develop and
implement with NIST a measurement science and engineering fellowship
program as part of NIST's activities implementing the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA, or Recovery Act), Pub. L. 111-5,
123 Stat. 115. The fellowship program is intended to promote training
and practical experience in science and engineering, and to advance
NIST's mission to promote U.S. innovation and industrial
competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and
technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our
quality of life.
DATES: All applications must be received no later than 3 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Saving Time on Monday, July 27, 2009. Late applications will
not be reviewed or considered.
ADDRESSES: Proposals may be submitted in hard copy or in electronic
format. Hard copy proposals may be submitted to Dr. Jason Boehm,
National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop
1060, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1060. Electronic proposals may be uploaded
to http://www.Grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at http://www.grants.gov.
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-5718.
Technical questions should be addressed to Dr. Jason Boehm at the
address listed in the ADDRESSES section above, or at Tel: (301) 975-
8678; E-mail: jason.boehm@nist.gov; Fax: (301) 216-0529. Grants
Administration questions should be addressed to Grants and Agreements
Management Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology,
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1650, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1650; Tel: (301)
975-5718; E-mail: grants@nist.gov; Fax: (301) 840-5976. For assistance
with using Grants.gov contact support@grants.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), 15 U.S.C. 278g-1(a),(b), 15
U.S.C. 278(h), Public Law 111-5, 123 Stat. 115.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Name and Number: Measurement
and Engineering Research and Standards--11.609.
Program Description: The primary program objectives of the NIST
Recovery Act Measurement Science and Engineering Fellowship Program
are:
1. To provide opportunities for scientists and engineers in
training to perform research in broad areas of measurement science at
NIST through research fellowships called Research Training Fellowships.
Research Training Fellowships will be offered to qualified
undergraduate students and graduate students at U.S. universities and
colleges, and to postdoctoral researchers, in fields of science and
engineering that contribute to NIST's measurement science programs.
2. To provide opportunities for practicing scientists and engineers
in the public and private sectors to perform research in broad areas of
measurement science at NIST through research fellowships called Senior
Research Fellowships. Senior Research Fellowships will be offered to
qualified scientists and engineers working at U.S. private firms, U.S.
non-profit organizations, U.S. universities and colleges, and other
organizations in fields of science and engineering that contribute to
NIST's measurement science programs.
NIST intends this financial assistance program to address both
types of opportunities listed above through a single cooperative
agreement, or through more than one cooperative agreement.
Through the cooperative agreement(s), the program will advance
purposes established in Section 3 of the Recovery Act by creating jobs,
promoting economic recovery, providing investments needed to increase
economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science, and
by making investments in areas of research that will provide long-term
economic benefits.
NIST performs a broad range of research, measurements, modeling,
and other activities to support its broad measurement science and
engineering programs in ten operating units comprising the NIST
laboratories. Further details about this program may be found in the
Federal Funding Opportunity announcement for this program.
Funding Availability: The funding instrument used in this program
will be a cooperative agreement. Proposals will be considered for
cooperative agreements with durations between one and three years,
subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress, and the
continuing relevance to the objectives of NIST. The anticipated level
of funding is up to $20,000,000 ($20 million) total for the fellowships
program for up to three years. NIST anticipates making one to five
awards. Projects are expected to start by January 2010.
NIST will determine whether to fund one award for the full amount;
to divide available funds into multiple awards of any size, and
negotiate scopes of work and budgets as appropriate; or not to select
any proposal for funding, upon completing the selection process
described below.
Cost Share Requirements: None.
Eligibility: This program is open to U.S. institutions of higher
education; U.S. hospitals; U.S. non-profit organizations; U.S.
commercial organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments.
[[Page 26207]]
Evaluation Criteria
The applications will be evaluated and scored on the basis of the
following evaluation criteria:
1. Technical merit of the proposal: Assesses whether the proposal
accurately addresses the program goals and objectives. (40 pts)
2. Overall qualifications of the applicant: This assesses whether
the applicant possesses the necessary education, experience, training,
facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the project. (30
pts)
3. Project costs: The proposal budget is evaluated to determine if
it is realistic and commensurate with the project needs and time-frame.
(30 pts)
Selection Factors
The Selecting Official shall recommend award based upon the rank
order and recommendations of the reviewers and upon one or more of the
following selection factors:
a. Availability of Federal funds;
b. Redundancy;
c. Balance/distribution of funds to ensure fellowship opportunities
for all types of fellowships and scientific research areas described in
the Federal Funding Opportunity for this program;
d. Logistical concerns that would be detrimental to the success or
timely completion of the proposal objectives; and
e. Applicant's prior award performance.
Therefore, the highest scoring proposals may not necessarily be
selected for an award. If an award is made to an applicant that
deviates from the scores of the reviewers, the Selecting Official will
justify the selection in writing based on selection factors described
above.
Review and Selection Process
Initial Screening of all Applications: All timely submitted
applications received in response to this announcement will be reviewed
to determine whether they are complete and responsive to the scope of
the stated objectives of the Program. Incomplete or non-responsive
applications will not be reviewed for technical merit. NIST will retain
one copy of each incomplete or non-responsive application for three
years for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be
destroyed.
Each complete and responsive application will be reviewed by at
least three independent, objective NIST employee reviewers, who are
knowledgeable in the subject matter of this announcement and its
objectives and who are able to conduct a review based on the evaluation
criteria as described in this notice. The reviewers will reach a
consensus score resulting in a rank order of applications and make
recommendations for funding to the Selecting Official. In making final
selections, the Selecting Official (Chief Scientist, NIST) will select
funding recipients based upon the rank order of the proposals and the
selection factors. The final award of cooperative agreements will be
made by the NIST Grants Officer in Gaithersburg, Maryland, based on
compliance with application requirements as published in this notice,
compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, and
whether the recommended applicants are determined to be responsible.
Unsatisfactory performance on any previous Federal award may result in
an application not being considered for funding. Applicants may be
asked to modify objectives, work plans, or budgets, and provide
supplemental information required by the agency prior to award. The
decision of the Grants Officer is final.
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements: 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), are applicable to this solicitation. On the form SF-424, the
applicant's 9-digit Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number must be entered in item 8.c. Organizational DUNS. The
DUNS number provided MUST be the DUNS number for the entity within the
applying institution that will be responsible for drawing down funds
from the Automated Standard Application for Payment System (ASAP).
Institutions that provide incorrect DUNS numbers may experience
significant delays in receiving funds.
Collaborations with NIST Employees: All applications should include
a description of any work proposed to be performed by an entity other
than the applicant, and the cost of such work should ordinarily be
included in the budget.
If an applicant proposes collaboration with NIST, the statement of
work should include a statement of this intention, a description of the
collaboration, and prominently identify the NIST employee(s) involved.
Any collaboration by a NIST employee must be approved by appropriate
NIST management and is at the sole discretion of NIST. Prior to
beginning the merit review process, NIST will verify the approval of
the proposed collaboration. Any unapproved collaboration will be
stricken from the proposal prior to the merit review.
Use of NIST Intellectual Property: If the applicant anticipates
using any NIST-owned intellectual property to carry out the work
proposed, the applicant should identify such intellectual property.
This information will be used to ensure that no NIST employee involved
in the development of the intellectual property will participate in the
review process for that competition. In addition, if the applicant
intends to use NIST-owned intellectual property, the applicant must
comply with all statutes and regulations governing the licensing of
Federal government patents and inventions, described at 35 U.S.C. 200-
212, 37 CFR part 401, 15 CFR 14.36, and in Section B.21 of the
Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements 73 FR 7696
(February 11, 2008). Questions about these requirements may be directed
to the Office of the Chief Counsel for NIST, 301-975-2803.
Any use of NIST-owned intellectual property by a proposer is at the
sole discretion of NIST and will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis
if a project is deemed meritorious. The applicant should indicate
within the statement of work whether it already has a license to use
such intellectual property or whether it intends to seek one.
If any inventions made in whole or in part by a NIST employee arise
in the course of an award made pursuant to this notice, the United
States government, acting through NIST, may retain its ownership rights
in any such inventions. Disposition of NIST's retained rights in such
inventions will be determined solely by NIST, and may include, but is
not limited to, the grant of a license(s) to parties other than the
applicant to practice such inventions, or placing NIST's retained
rights into the public domain.
Collaborations Making Use of Federal Facilities: All applications
should include a description of any work proposed to be performed using
Federal facilities. If an applicant proposes use of NIST facilities,
the statement of work should include a statement of this intention and
a description of the facilities. Any use of NIST facilities must be
approved by appropriate NIST management and is at the sole discretion
of NIST. Prior to beginning the merit review process, NIST will verify
the availability of the facilities and approval of the proposed usage.
[[Page 26208]]
Any unapproved facility use will be stricken from the proposal prior to
the merit review. Examples of some facilities that may be available for
collaborations are listed on the NIST Technology Services Web site,
http://ts.nist.gov/.
Paperwork Reduction Act: The standard forms in the application kit
involve a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction
Act. The use of Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, SF-LLL, and CD-346 have
been approved by OMB under the respective Control Numbers 0348-0043,
0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with, a collection subject to the requirements of
the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.
Research Projects Involving Human Subjects, Human Tissue, Data or
Recordings Involving Human Subjects: Any proposal that includes
research involving human subjects, human tissue, data or recordings
involving human subjects must meet the requirements of the Common Rule
for the Protection of Human Subjects, codified for the Department of
Commerce at 15 CFR part 27. In addition, any proposal that includes
research on these topics must be in compliance with any statutory
requirements imposed upon the Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS) and other federal agencies regarding these topics, all
regulatory policies and guidance adopted by DHHS, the Food and Drug
Administration, and other Federal agencies on these topics, and all
Presidential statements of policy on these topics.
NIST will accept the submission of proposals containing research
activities involving human subjects. The human subjects research
activities in a proposal will require approval by Institutional Review
Boards (IRBs) possessing a current registration filed with DHHS and to
be performed by institutions possessing a current, valid Federal-wide
Assurance (FWA) from DHHS that is linked to the cognizant IRB. In
addition, NIST as an institution requires that IRB approval
documentation go through a NIST administrative review; therefore,
research activities involving human subjects are not authorized to
start within an award until approval for the activity is issued in
writing from the NIST Grants Officer. NIST will not issue a single
project assurance (SPA) for any IRB reviewing any human subjects
protocol proposed to NIST.
President Obama has issued Executive Order No. 13,505, (74 FR
10667, March 9, 2009), revoking previous Executive Orders and
Presidential statements regarding the use of human embryonic stem cells
in research. NIST will follow any guidance issued by the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) pursuant to the Executive Order and will
develop its own procedures based on the NIH guidance before funding
research using human embryonic stem cells. NIST will follow any
additional polices or guidance issued by the current Administration on
this topic.
Research Projects Involving Vertebrate Animals: Any proposal that
includes research involving vertebrate animals must be in compliance
with the National Research Council's ``Guide for the Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals'' which can be obtained from National Academy Press,
2101 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20055. In addition, such
proposals must meet the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act (7
U.S.C. 2131 et seq.), 9 CFR parts 1, 2, and 3, and if appropriate, 21
CFR part 58. These regulations do not apply to proposed research using
pre-existing images of animals or to research plans that do not include
live animals that are being cared for, euthanized, or used by the
project participants to accomplish research goals, teaching, or
testing. These regulations also do not apply to obtaining animal
materials from commercial processors of animal products or to animal
cell lines or tissues from tissue banks.
Notification of Recovery Act Requirements: Recovery Act limitations
are applicable to the projects funded in 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.
Buy American Provisions of the Recovery Act: Unless waived by DOC,
none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the
Recovery Act 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.
Davis Bacon Act: Under Section 1606 of the Recovery Act, projects
using Recovery Act 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.''
False Claims Act: Each recipient or sub-recipient awarded funds
under the Recovery Act shall promptly refer to an appropriate inspector
general any 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
expects programs under this notice to be implemented in general
compliance with any guidance issued by the Office of Management and
Budget regarding 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).
Best Practices to Promote Equality of Opportunity. Pursuant to OMB
Guidance (see, ``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 Requirements: 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 in Sections A.01 and B.01 of the Department of
Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions, dated
March, 2008, to ``Financial Status Report (SF-269)'' and ``SF-269'' are
hereby replaced with ``Federal Financial Report (SF-425)'' and ``SF-
425,'' respectively, 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-
[[Page 26209]]
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.
Programmatic Requirements-Performance (Technical) Reports: Unless
otherwise specified in the award provisions, each research or senior
fellow shall submit a brief report on his or her experiences and
accomplishments during their fellowship within 30 days after the end of
the work at NIST.
In addition, 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:
a. The total amount of Recovery Act funds received from NIST;
b. The amount of Recovery Act funds received that were expended or
obligated to projects or activities;
c. A detailed list of all projects or activities for which Recovery
Act funds were expended or obligated; and
d. 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.
Recipients that must report information in accordance with
paragraph (d) above must register with the Central Contractor
Registration database (http://www.ccr.gov/) or complete other
registration requirements as determined by the Director of the Office
of Management and Budget. 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.
Funding Availability and Limitation of Liability: The funding
periods and funding amounts referenced in this notice and request for
applications are subject to the availability of funds, as well as to
Department of Commerce and NIST priorities at the time of award. The
Department of Commerce and NIST will not be held responsible for
application preparation costs. Publication of this notice does not
obligate the Department of Commerce or NIST to award any specific grant
or cooperative agreement or to obligate all or any part of available
funds. No funding is anticipated at this time to provide further
support beyond the award period to any project that may receive funds
under this program.
Executive Order 12866: This funding notice was determined to be not
significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 13132 (Federalism): It has been determined that
this notice does not contain policies with federalism implications as
that term is defined in Executive Order 13132.
Executive Order 12372: Applications under this program are not
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.''
Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act: Notice and
comment are not required under the Administrative Procedure Act (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 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)), a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not required
and has not been prepared for this notice, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.
Dated: May 26, 2009.
Patrick D. Gallagher,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E9-12665 Filed 5-29-09; 8:45 am]
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