[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10591-10593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5531]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket No. 971222307-7307-01]
RIN: 0693-ZA20


Continuation of Fire Research Grants Program--Availability of 
Funds

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform potential applicants 
that the Fire Research Program, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, is continuing its Fire Research Grants Program. The Fire 
Research Program is limited to innovative ideas generated by the 
proposal writer, who chooses the topic and approach. The issuance of 
awards is contingent upon the availability of funding.

DATES: Proposals must be received no later than the close of business 
September 30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Applicants must submit one signed original and two (2) 
copies of the proposal along with the Application for Federal 
Assistance, Standard Form 424, (Rev. 7-97), as referenced under the 
provisions of OMB Circular A-110 to: Building and Fire Research 
Laboratory (BFRL), Attention: Sonya Parham, Building 226, Room B206, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 
20899-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Technical questions concerning the 
NIST Fire Research Grants Program should be directed to Sonya Parham, 
(301) 975-6854. Administrative questions concerning the NIST Fire 
Research Grants Program may be directed to the NIST Grants Office at 
(301) 975-6329. Additional information can be found in the Extramural 
Fire Research Program: Program Announcement and Preparation Guide. 
Copies may be downloaded from the BFRL web site (http://
www.bfrl.nist.gov) or obtained from Sonya Parham at the above address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Name and Number Measurement 
and Engineering Research and Standards--11.609

Authority

    As authorized by section 16 of the Act of March 3, 1901, as amended 
(15 U.S.C. 278f), the NIST Building and Fire Research Laboratory 
conducts directly and through grants and cooperative agreements, a 
basic and applied fire research program. The annual budget for the Fire 
Research Grants Program is $1.36 million. Because of commitments for 
the support of multi-year programs, only a portion of the budget is 
available to initiate new programs in any one year. Most grants and 
cooperative agreements are in the $10,000 to $100,000 per year range.
    All proposals submitted must be in accordance with the programs and 
objectives listed below.

Program Objectives

A. Fire Modeling and Applications

    To perform research, develop and demonstrate the application of 
analytical models for the quantitative prediction of the consequences 
of fires and the means to assess the accuracy of those models. This 
includes: Developing methods to assess fire hazard and risk; creating 
advanced, usable modelling for the calculation of the effluent from 
building fires; modelling the ignition and burning of furniture, 
contents, and building elements such as walls; developing methods of 
evaluating and predicting the performance of building safety design 
features; developing a protocol for determining the accuracy of 
algorithms and comprehensive models; developing data bases to 
facilitate use of fire models; and developing methodologies to acquire, 
model, and display fire information.

B. Large Fire Research

    To perform research and develop techniques to measure, predict the 
behavior and mitigate large fire events. This includes: Understanding 
the mechanisms of large fires that control gas phase combustion, 
burning rate, thermal and chemical emissions, and transport processes; 
developing field measurement techniques to assess the near- and far-
field impact of large fires and their plumes; performing research on 
the use of combustion for environmental cleanup; predicting the 
performance and environmental impact of fire protection measures and 
fire fighting systems and techniques; and developing and operating the 
Fire Research Program large-scale experimental facility.

C. Advanced Fire Measurements

    To produce the scientific basis and robust measurement methods for 
characterizing fires and their effluents at full- and reduced-scales. 
This includes discrete point, volume-integrated, and time- and space-
resolved measurements for such properties as temperature, smoke 
density, chemical species, and flow velocity. Laboratory and 
computational research are also performed to understand the 
underpinning fire phenomena to ensure the soundness of the developed 
measurement techniques.

D. Materials Fire Research

    To perform research enabling the confident development by industry 
of new, less-flammable materials and products. This capability is based 
on understanding fundamentally the mechanisms that control the 
ignition, flame spread and burning rate of materials, as well as and 
the chemical and physical characteristics that affect these aspects of 
flammability. This includes: Developing methods of measuring the 
response of a material to fire conditions that enable assured 
prediction of the full-scale performance of the final product; 
developing computational molecular dynamics and other mechanistic 
approaches to understand flame retardant mechanisms and the effects of 
polymer chemical structure on flammability; characterizing the burning 
rates of charring and non-charring polymers and composites; and 
delineating and modeling the enthalpy and mass transfer mechanisms of 
materials combustion.

E. Fire Sensing and Extinguishment

    To develop understanding, metrology and predictive methods to 
enable high-performance fire sensing and extinguishment systems; and 
devising new approaches to minimize the impact of unwanted fires and 
the suppression process. This includes: performing research for the 
identification and in-situ measurement of the symptoms of pending and 
nascent fires and the consequences of suppression; devising or adapting 
monitors for these variables and the intelligence for timely

[[Page 10592]]

interpretation of the data; developing methods to characterize the 
performance of new approaches to fire detection and suppression; 
determining mechanisms for deflagration and detonation suppression by 
advanced agents and principles for their optimal use; and modeling the 
extinguishment process.

Award Period

    Proposals will be considered for research projects from one to 
three years. When a proposal for a multi-year is approved, funding will 
initially be provided for only the first year of the program. If an 
application is selected for funding, DoC has no obligation to provide 
any additional future funding in connection with that award. Renewal of 
an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at 
the total discretion of DoC. Funding for each subsequent year of a 
multi-year proposal will be contingent on satisfactory progress, fit to 
the NIST Fire Research Program and the availability of funds.

Matching Requirements

    The Fire Research Grants Program does not involve the payment of 
any matching funds and does not directly affect any state or local 
government.

Eligibility

    Academic institutions, non-Federal agencies, independent and 
industrial laboratories, and research organizations.

Proposal Review Process

    All proposals are assigned to the appropriate group leader of the 
five programs listed above. Both technical value of the proposal and 
the relationship of the work proposed to the needs of the specific 
program are taken into consideration in the group leader's 
recommendation to the Division Chief. Applicants should allow up to 90 
days processing time. Proposals are evaluated for technical merit by at 
least three reviewers chosen from NIST professionals, technical experts 
from other interested government agencies and experts from the fire 
research community at large.

Evaluation Criteria

a. Technical quality of the research: 0-35
b. Potential impact of the results: 0-25
c. Staff and institution capability to do the work: 0-20
d. Match of budget to proposed work: 0-20

Selection Procedures

    The results of these technical evaluations are transmitted to the 
Group Leader of the appropriate unit in the Building and Fire Research 
Laboratory. He/She combines the above results with consideration of (a) 
Fit to the program objectives listed above and (b) program balance, and 
then prepares a Recommendation for Funding Memo. This is then approved 
or disapproved by the Division Chief and Deputy Director.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, and LLL mentioned in this 
notice are subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
and have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, (OMB), 
under Control Numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, and 0348-0046. 
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.

Application Kit

    An application kit, containing all required application forms and 
certifications is available by calling Sonya Parham, NIST Fire Research 
Grants Program (301) 975-6854. An application kit includes the 
following:

SF-424 (Rev. 7/97)--APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
SF-424A (Rev. 7/97)--BUDGET INFORMATION--Non-Construction Programs
SF-424B (Rev. 7/97)--ASSURANCES--Non-Construction Programs
CD-511 (7/91)--CERTIFICATIONS REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, AND 
OTHER RESPONSIBILITY MATTERS; DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE REQUIREMENTS AND 
LOBBYING
CD-512 (7/91)--CERTIFICATIONS REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, 
INELIGIBILITY AND VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION--LOWER TIER COVERED TRANSACTIONS 
AND LOBBYING
SF-LLL--DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

Additional Requirements

Past Performance

    Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal awards may result in 
an application not being considered for funding.

Preaward Activities

    Applicants who incur any costs prior to an award being made do so 
solely at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the Government. 
Notwithstanding any verbal assurance that may have been provided, there 
is no obligation on the part of NIST to cover preaward costs.

Primary Application Certifications

    All primary applicants must submit a completed Form CD-511, 
``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other 
Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and 
Lobbying,'' and the following explanations are hereby provided:
    1. Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension. Prospective 
participants (as defined at 15 CFR part 26, section 605) are subject to 
15 CFR part 26, subpart F., ``Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension'' 
and the related section of the certification form prescribed above 
applies;
    2. Drug-Free Workplace. Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR part 26, 
section 605) are subject to 15 CFR part 26, subpart F., 
``Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and 
the related section of the certification form prescribed above applies;
    3. Anti-Lobbying. Persons (as defined at 15 CFR part 28, section 
105) are subject to the lobbying provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352, 
``Limitation on use of appropriated funds to influence certain Federal 
contracting and financial transactions,'' and the lobbying section of 
the certification form prescribed above applies to applications/bids 
for grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts for more than 
$100,000, and loans and loan guarantees for more than $150,000, or the 
single family maximum mortgage limit for affected programs, whichever 
is greater, and;
    4. Anti-Lobbying Disclosure. Any applicant that has been paid or 
will pay for lobbying using any funds must submit an SF-LLL, 
``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' as required under 15 CFR part 
28, appendix B.
    5. Lower-Tier Certifications. Recipients shall require applicants/
bidders for subgrants, contracts, subcontracts, or other lower tier 
covered transactions at any tier under the award to submit, if 
applicable, a completed Form CD-512, ``Certification Regarding 
Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier 
Covered Transactions and Lobbying'' and disclosure form, SF-LLL, 
``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.'' Form CD-512 is intended for the 
use of recipients and should not be transmitted to NIST. SF-LLL 
submitted by any tier recipient or subrecipient should be submitted to 
NIST in accordance with

[[Page 10593]]

the instructions contained in the award document.

Name Check Reviews

    All for-profit and non-profit applicants will be subject to a name 
check review process. Name checks are intended to reveal if any key 
individuals associated with the applicant have been convicted of or are 
presently facing, criminal charges such as fraud, theft, perjury, or 
other matters which significantly reflect on the applicant's management 
honesty or financial integrity.

False Statements

    Applicants are reminded that a false statement may be grounds for 
denial or termination of funds and grounds for possible punishment by 
fine or imprisonment.

Delinquent Federal Debts

    No award of Federal funds shall be made to an applicant who has an 
outstanding delinquent Federal debt until either:
    1. The delinquent account is paid in full;
    2. A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one 
payment is received; or
    3. Other arrangements satisfactory to DoC are made.

No Obligation for Future Funding

    If an application is accepted for funding, DoC has no obligation to 
provide any additional future funding in connection with that award. 
Renewal of an award, increased funding, or extending the period of 
performance is at the total discretion of NIST.

Federal Policies and Procedures

    Recipients and subrecipients under the Fire Research Grants Program 
are subject to all applicable Federal laws and Federal and Departmental 
policies, regulations and procedures applicable to Federal financial 
assistance awards. The Fire Research Grant Program does not directly 
affect any state or local government. Applications under this program 
are not subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of 
Federal Programs.''

Purchase of American-Made Equipment and Products

    Applicants are hereby notified that they are encouraged, to the 
greatest extent practicable, to purchase American-made equipment and 
products with funding provided under this program.

Indirect Costs

    The total dollar amount of the indirect costs proposed in an 
application under this program must not exceed the indirect cost rate 
negotiated and approved by a cognizant Federal agency prior to the 
proposed effective date of the award or 100 percent of the total 
proposed direct cost dollar amount in the application, whichever is 
less.

Executive Order Statement

    This funding notice was determined to be ``not significant'' for 
purposes of E.O. 12866.

    Dated: February 26, 1998.
Robert E. Hebner,
Acting Deputy Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
[FR Doc. 98-5531 Filed 3-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-M