Measurement and Engineering Research and Standards (11.609)

Program

11.609 Measurement and Engineering Research and Standards

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Commerce
Office: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Authorization

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Act, 15 U.S.C 271 - 282a; Trade Act, 19 U.S.C 2343 - 45.

Program Number

11.609

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To provide scientific research and technology transfer for measurement and engineering research and standards.

Types of Assistance

Cooperative Agreements; Project Grants

Uses and Use Restrictions

Grant money will be used to further scientific research and technology transfer, in areas of fire research, building research, precision measurement, automation manufacturing, materials science, chemistry, physics, biotechnology, electronics, optical technologies, mathematics, neutron research, nanoscale science and technology, manufacturing engineering, communications and information science and technology and other areas of specific research. Under the Recovery Act, research grants and cooperative agreements will be used to support measurement science and engineering research proposals in the following six focus areas: energy, environment and climate change, information technology/cybersecurity, biosciences/healthcare, manufacturing, and physical infrastructure.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Institutions of higher education (e.g. universities and colleges), professional institutes and associations, nonprofit organizations, State and local governments, laboratories, and commercial organizations.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Universities, colleges, professional institutes and associations, nonprofit organizations, State and local governments, and commercial organizations.

Credentials/Documentation

Applicants must have and demonstrate scientific competence in areas of research for which grants are requested. Costs will be determined in accordance with applicable cost principles found at 2 CFR Part 220, Cost Principles for Education Institutions (OMB Circular A-21), 2 CFR Part 225, Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments (OMB Circular A-87), 2 CFR Part 230, Cost Principles for Non-profit Organizations (OMB Circular A-122), 48 CFR 31 for Commercial Organizations, 45 CFR 74, Appendix E for Hospitals. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applicants should reply to notices published as Federal funding opportunities at www.grants.gov.

Award Procedure

Award process based upon published selection criteria.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Regular programs approval times are from 6 to 9 months. Recovery Act programs approval/disapproval times are approximately 3 months.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Future or continued funding will be at the discretion of NIST, based on such factors as satisfactory performance and the availability of funds. Renewals are competed whereas continuations of multi-year agreements are not subject to further competition.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Usually one to five years in length. Recovery Act awards are from one to three years. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Automated Standard Application for Payment System (ASAP).

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Semi-annual and final program and financial status reports are required; unless specified in award document. For Recovery Act, reporting requirements are quarterly. Semi-annual and final program and financial status reports are required; unless specified in award document. For Recovery Act, reporting requirements are quarterly. Semi-annual and final program and financial status reports are required; unless specified in award document. For Recovery Act, reporting requirements are quarterly. Semi-annual and final program and financial status reports are required; unless specified in award document.For Recovery Act, reporting requirements are quarterly. Semi-annual and final program and financial status reports are required; unless specified in award document. For Recovery Act, reporting requirements are quarterly.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), recipients that are States, Local Governments, Nonprofit Organizations (to include hospitals), and Institutions of Higher Learning shall be subject to the audit requirements contained in the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 7501-7507). Commercial organizations shall be subject to the audit requirements as stipulated in the award document. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal Awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for the year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

All records of accounts and supporting documents will be retained by recipient and subcontractors for a period of three years from the date of submission of final expenditure report.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: Five hundred forty nine grants, cooperative agreements, and amendments were funded in fiscal year 2008. Fiscal Year 2009: It is estimated that approximately the same level will be funded in fiscal year 2009. Fiscal Year 2010: Approximately the same level will be funded in fiscal years 2010 under the regular program, and approximately 20-60 awards under the Recovery Act in fiscal year 2010.

Financial Information

Account Identification

13-0525-0-1-376; 13-0500-0-1-376; 13-4650-0-4-376; 13-0515-0-1-376 - American Recovery Act; 13-0549-0-1-376 - American Recovery Act.

Obligations

(Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $39,043,000; FY 09 est $118,048,000; FY 10 est $9,897,000 - Assistance Type also includes PROJECT GRANTS/Project Grants. (Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $0; FY 09 est $0; FY 10 est $35,000,000 - American Recovery Act. Assistance Type also includes PROJECT GRANTS/Project Grants.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Dependent upon nature and type of grant.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

This program is subject to the provisions of 15 CFR 24 and 15 CFR 14.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

National Institute of Standards and Technology Regular program - 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 1650
Recovery Act program -100 Bureau Drive, Bldg.101, Room A1001, Mail Stop 1060, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 Phone: 301-975-2667;ARRA 301-975-4455

Web Site Address

http://www.nist.gov

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Examples of funded projects include: Development and Study of Strong and Ductile Magnesium Alloys; Experimental Investigation of Vitiated Flame Behavior and Self-Extinction in Fires; Interaction of Laser and Synchrotron Radiation with Semiconductor Photodetectors; Measurements of Molecular Assemblies on Surfaces; and Ultra-Thin Oxide Metrology and Reliability. Fiscal Year 2009: Development of an Indoor Intelligent and Automated Construction Job Site Testbed; Metal/Oxide Catalytic Effects on Mg-Based Metal Hydride Hydrogen Storage; NanoParticle Characterization for NanoMedicine Applications; Ambient, Dry State Preservation of Therapeutic Macromolecules � Materials Dynamics and Protein Stability Studies; The Development of Next Generation Simulation Tools to Evaluate Cementitious Barriers and Materials Used in Nuclear Applications. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria vary with competition. Specific criteria listed in the Federal Funding Opportunities posted at www.grants.gov.