[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76241-76252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-24424]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Docket No.: 051202321-5335-02]


Small Grants Programs and Precision Measurement Grants Program; 
Availability of Funds

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
announces that the following programs are soliciting applications for 
financial assistance for FY 2006: (1) The Electronics and Electrical 
Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (2) the Manufacturing 
Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (3) the Chemical Science and 
Technology Laboratory Grants Program; (4) the Physics Laboratory Grants 
Program; (5) the Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory Grants 
Program; (6) the Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements 
Program; (7) the Fire Research Grants Program; (8) the Information 
Technology Laboratory Grants Program; and (9) the Precision Measurement 
Grants Program. Each program will only consider applications that are 
within the scientific scope of the program as described in this notice 
and in the detailed program descriptions found in the Federal Funding 
Opportunity (FFO) announcement for these programs. Prior to preparation 
of a proposal, it is strongly suggested that potential applicants 
contact the Program Manager for the appropriate field of research, as 
specified in the FFO announcement found at http://www.grants.gov, for 
clarification of the program objectives and to determine whether their 
proposal is responsive to this notice.

DATES: See below.

ADDRESSES: See below.

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

Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory (EEEL) Grants Program

    Program Description: The Electronics and Electrical Engineering 
Laboratory (EEEL) Grants Program will provide grants and cooperative 
agreements for the development of fundamental electrical metrology and 
of metrology supporting industry and government agencies in the broad 
areas of

[[Page 76242]]

semiconductors, electronic instrumentation, radio-frequency technology, 
optoelectronics, magnetics, video, electronic commerce as applied to 
electronic products and devices, the transmission and distribution of 
electrical power, national electrical standards (fundamental, generally 
quantum-based physical standards), and law enforcement standards.

DATES: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on June 30, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Sheilda Bryner, 
Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory, National Institute 
of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8100, Gaithersburg, 
MD 20899-8100. Electronic applications and associated proposal 
information should be uploaded to 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) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Sheilda Bryner, Electronics 
and Electrical Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-
8100, Tel.: (301) 975-2220, Fax: (301) 975-4091. All grants related 
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed 
to: Joyce Brigham, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, 
(301) 975-6328; [email protected]. For assistance with using 
Grants.gov contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2005, the EEEL Grants Program 
made 13 new awards, totaling $866,613. The amount available each year 
fluctuates considerably based on programmatic needs. Individual awards 
are expected to range between $5,000 and $150,000.
    For the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Grants 
Program, proposals will be considered for research projects from one to 
three years. When a proposal for a multi-year award is approved, 
funding will generally be provided for only the first year of the 
program. If an application is selected for funding, NIST has no 
obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that 
award. Continuation of an award to increase funding or extend the 
period of performance is at the total discretion of NIST. Funding for 
each subsequent year of a multi-year proposal will be contingent upon 
satisfactory progress, continued relevance to the mission of the 
Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Grants Program, and 
the availability of funds. The multi-year awards must have scopes of 
work that can be easily separated into annual increments of meaningful 
work that represent solid accomplishments if prospective funding is not 
made available to the applicant, (i.e., the scopes of work for each 
funding period must produce identifiable and meaningful results in and 
of themselves).

    Statutory Authority: As authorized by 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), 
the NIST Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory conducts 
a basic and applied research program directly and through grants and 
cooperative agreements to eligible recipients.

    Eligibility: The Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory 
Grants Program is open to institutions of higher education; hospitals; 
non-profit organizations; commercial organizations; state, local, and 
Indian tribal governments; foreign governments; organizations under the 
jurisdiction of foreign governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the Electronics and Electrical 
Engineering Laboratory Grants Program, proposals will be reviewed in a 
three-step process. First, the EEEL Grants Coordinator, or the Deputy 
Director of EEEL, will determine the compatibility of the applicant's 
proposal with EEEL Program Areas and the relevance to the objectives of 
the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Grants Program, 
described in the Program Description section above. If it is determined 
that the proposal is incomplete or non-responsive to the scope of the 
stated objectives, the proposal will not be reviewed for technical 
merit. If it is determined that all funds available for the EEEL Grants 
Program for the given fiscal year have been exhausted, the proposal 
will not be reviewed for technical merit. Proposers may contact EEEL at 
(301) 975-2220 to find out if funds have been exhausted for the fiscal 
year. EEEL will also post a notice on its Web site, http://www.eeel.nist.gov/eeel_grants, when funds are exhausted for the fiscal 
year. EEEL will notify proposers in writing if their proposals are not 
reviewed for technical merit.
    Second, proposals will be distributed for technical review by the 
EEEL Grants Coordinator, or other technical professionals familiar with 
the programs of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory, 
to the appropriate Division or Office based on technical area. At least 
three independent, objective individuals knowledgeable about the 
particular scientific area described in the Program Description section 
above that the proposal addresses will conduct a technical review of 
each proposal, based on the evaluation criteria described above. If 
non-Federal reviewers are used, the reviewers may discuss the proposals 
with each other, but scores will be determined on an individual basis, 
not as a consensus.
    Reviews will be conducted on a quarterly basis, and all proposals 
received during the quarter will be ranked based on the reviewers' 
scores.
    Third, the Division Chief or Office Director will make application 
selections. In making application selections, the Division Chief or 
Office Director will take into consideration the results of the 
reviewers' evaluations, the availability of funding, and relevance to 
the objectives of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory 
Grants Program, as described in the Program Description section above. 
The final approval of selected applications and award of financial 
assistance will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on compliance 
with application requirements as published in this notice, compliance 
with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, compliance with 
Federal policies that best further the objectives of the Department of 
Commerce, and whether the recommended applicants appear to be 
responsible. 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.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the Electronics and Electrical Engineering 
Laboratory Grants Program, the evaluation criteria and weights to be 
used by the technical reviewers in evaluating the proposals are as 
follows:

Proposal addresses specific program objectives as described in this 
notice (25%)
Proposal provides evidence of applicant's expertise in relevant 
technical area (20%)
Proposal offers innovative approach (20%)
Proposal provides realistic schedule with defined milestones (20%)

[[Page 76243]]

Proposal provides adequate rationale for budget (15%)

    Cost Share Requirements: The Electronics and Electrical Engineering 
Laboratory Grants Program does not require any matching funds.

Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory (MEL) Grants Program

    Program Description: The Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory (MEL) 
Grants Program will provide grants and cooperative agreements in the 
following fields of research: Dimensional Metrology for Manufacturing, 
Mechanical Metrology for Manufacturing, Intelligent Systems, and 
Information Systems Integration for Applications in Manufacturing.

DATES: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on September 30, 2006. 
Proposals received between July 1, 2006 and September 30, 2006 may be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation in the 
next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Mrs. Mary Lou 
Norris, Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8200, Building 220, 
Room B322, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8200. Electronic applications 
and associated proposal information should be uploaded to 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) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Mrs. Mary Lou Norris, 
Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8200, Building 220, Room B322, 
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8200, Tel: (301) 975-3400, E-mail: 
[email protected]. All grants related administration questions 
concerning this program should be addressed to: Joyce Brigham, NIST 
Grants and Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-6328; 
[email protected]. For assistance with using Grants.gov contact 
grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2005, the MEL Grants Program 
funded 11 new awards, totaling $834,342. In fiscal year 2006 the MEL 
Grants Program anticipates funding of approximately $500,000, including 
new awards and continuing projects. Individual awards are expected to 
range from approximately $25,000 to $300,000.
    For the MEL Grants Program, proposals will be considered for 
research projects from one to five years. When a proposal for a multi-
year award is approved, funding will generally be provided for only the 
first year of the program. If an application is selected for funding, 
NIST has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection 
with that award. Continuation of an award to increase funding or extend 
the period of performance is at the total discretion of NIST. Funding 
for each subsequent year of a multi-year proposal will be contingent 
upon satisfactory progress, continued relevance to the mission of the 
MEL program, and the availability of funds. The multi-year awards must 
have scopes of work that can be easily separated into annual increments 
of meaningful work that represent solid accomplishments if prospective 
funding is not made available to the applicant, (i.e., the scopes of 
work for each funding period must produce identifiable and meaningful 
results in and of themselves).

    Statutory Authority:  As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and 
(c), the MEL conducts a basic and applied research program directly 
and through grants and cooperative agreements to eligible 
recipients.

    Eligibility: The MEL Grants Program is open to institutions of 
higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial 
organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; foreign 
governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the MEL Grants Program responsive 
proposals will be assigned, as received on a rolling basis, to the most 
appropriate area for review. At least three independent, objective 
individuals knowledgeable about the particular scientific area 
described in the Program Description section above that the proposal 
addresses will conduct a technical review of proposals based on the 
evaluation criteria. If non-Federal reviewers are used, the reviewers 
may discuss the proposals with each other, but scores will be 
determined on an individual basis, not as a consensus. The Division 
Chief or Laboratory Director will make application selections. In 
making application selections, the Division Chief or Laboratory 
Director will take into consideration the results of the reviewers' 
evaluations, the availability of funds, and relevance to the objectives 
of the MEL Grants Program. These objectives are described above in the 
Program Description section above. The final approval of selected 
applications and award of financial assistance will be made by the NIST 
Grants Officer based on compliance with application requirements as 
published in this notice, compliance with applicable legal and 
regulatory requirements, compliance with Federal policies that best 
further the objectives of the Department of Commerce, and whether the 
recommended applicants appear to be responsible. 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.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The original application will be returned 
to the applicant.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the MEL Grants Program, the evaluation 
criteria the technical reviewers will use in evaluating the proposals 
are as follows:
    1. Rationality. Reviewers will consider the coherence of the 
applicant's approach and the extent to which the proposal effectively 
addresses scientific and technical issues.
    2. Technical Merit of Contribution. Reviewers will consider the 
potential technical effectiveness of the proposal and the value it 
would contribute to the field of manufacturing engineering and 
metrology research.
    3. Qualifications of Technical Personnel. Reviewers will consider 
the professional accomplishments, skills, and training of the proposed 
personnel to perform the work in the project.
    4. Resources Availability. Reviewers will consider the extent to 
which the proposer has access to the necessary facilities and overall 
support to accomplish project objectives.
    Each of these factors will be given equal weight in the evaluation 
process.
    Cost Share Requirements: The MEL Grants Program does not require 
any matching funds.

Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grants Program

    Program Description: The Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory 
(CSTL) Grants Program will provide grants and cooperative agreements in 
the following fields of measurement science research, focused on 
reference methods, reference materials and reference data: 
Biotechnology, Process Measurements, Surface and

[[Page 76244]]

Microanalysis Science, Physical and Chemical Properties, and Analytical 
Chemistry.

DATES: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on September 30, 2006. 
Proposals received between July 1, 2006 and September 30, 2006 may be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation in the 
next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Dr. William F. 
Koch, Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8300, Gaithersburg, MD 
20899-8300. Electronic applications and associated proposal information 
should be uploaded to 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) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Dr. William F. Koch, Chemical 
Science and Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8300, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8300, 
Tel (301) 975-8301, E-Mail: [email protected]. All grants related 
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed 
to: Joyce Brigham, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, 
(301) 975-6328; [email protected]. For assistance with using 
Grants.gov contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: No funds have been set aside specifically for 
support of the CSTL Grants Program. The availability of funds depends 
upon actual authorization of funds and other costs expected to be 
incurred by individual divisions within the laboratory. Where funds are 
identified as available for grants, those funds will be awarded to 
highly ranked proposals as determined by the process described in this 
notice.
    In fiscal year 2005, the CSTL Grants Program funded 10 new awards, 
totaling $830,254. In fiscal year 2006, the CSTL Grants Program 
anticipates funding of approximately $500,000. Individual awards are 
expected to range from approximately $5,000 to $100,000.
    For the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grant Program, 
proposals will be considered for research projects from one to three 
years. When a proposal for a multi-year award is approved, funding will 
generally be provided for only the first year of the program. If an 
application is selected for funding, NIST has no obligation to provide 
any additional funding in connection with that award. Continuation of 
an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at 
the total discretion of NIST. Funding for each subsequent year of a 
multi-year proposal will be contingent upon satisfactory progress, 
continued relevance to the mission of the Chemical Science and 
Technology Laboratory program, and the availability of funds. The 
multi-year awards must have scopes of work that can be easily separated 
into annual increments of meaningful work that represent solid 
accomplishments if prospective funding is not made available to the 
applicant, (i.e. the scopes of work for each funding period must 
produce identifiable and meaningful results in and of themselves).

    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and 
(c), the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory conducts a basic 
and applied research program directly and through grants and 
cooperative agreements to eligible recipients.

    Eligibility: The Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grants 
Program is open to institutions of higher education; hospitals; non-
profit organizations; commercial organizations; state, local, and 
Indian tribal governments; foreign governments; organizations under the 
jurisdiction of foreign governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the Chemical Science and 
Technology Laboratory Grants Program, proposals will be reviewed in a 
three-step process. First, the Deputy Director of CSTL, or appropriate 
CSTL Division Chief, will determine the compatibility of the 
applicant's proposal with CSTL Program Areas and the relevance to the 
objectives of the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grants 
Program, described in the Program Description section above. If it is 
determined that the proposal is incomplete or non-responsive to the 
scope of the stated objectives, the proposal will not be reviewed for 
technical merit.
    Second, at least three independent, objective individuals 
knowledgeable about the particular measurement science area described 
in the section above that the proposal addresses will conduct a 
technical review of each proposal, based on the evaluation criteria 
described below. Reviews will be conducted on a quarterly basis, 
subject to the availability of funds, and all responsive, complete 
proposals received and reviewed since the last quarter will be ranked 
based on the reviewers' scores. If non-Federal reviewers are used, the 
reviewers may discuss the proposals with each other, but scores will be 
determined on an individual basis, not as a consensus.
    Third, the Division Chief will make application selections, taking 
into consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, the 
availability of funds, and the relevance of the proposal to the program 
objectives described in the Program Description section above.
    The final approval of selected applications and award of financial 
assistance will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on compliance 
with application requirements as published in this notice, compliance 
with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, compliance with 
Federal policies that best further the objectives of the Department of 
Commerce, and whether the recommended applicants appear to be 
responsible. Applicants may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, 
or budgets and provide supplemental information required by the agency 
prior to award. The decisions of the Grants Officer are final.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the Chemical Science and Technology 
Laboratory Grants Program, the evaluation criteria the technical 
reviewers will use in evaluating the proposals are as follows:
    1. Rationality. Reviewers will consider the coherence of the 
applicant's approach and the extent to which the proposal effectively 
addresses scientific and technical issues.
    2. Qualifications of Technical Personnel. Reviewers will consider 
the professional accomplishments, skills, and training of the proposed 
personnel to perform the work in the project.
    3. Resources Availability. Reviewers will consider the extent to 
which the proposer has access to the necessary facilities and overall 
support to accomplish project objectives.
    4. Technical Merit of Contribution. Reviewers will consider the 
potential technical effectiveness of the proposal and the value it 
would contribute to the field of measurement science, especially as it 
pertains to reference methods, reference materials and reference data 
in Chemical Science and Technology.
    Each of these factors will be given equal weight in the evaluation 
process.

[[Page 76245]]

    Cost Share Requirements: The Chemical Science and Technology 
Laboratory Grants Program does not require any matching funds.

Physics Laboratory Grants Program

    Program Description: The Physics Laboratory (PL) Grants Program 
will provide grants and cooperative agreements in the following fields 
of research: Electron and Optical Physics, Atomic Physics, Optical 
Technology, Ionizing Radiation, Time and Frequency, and Quantum 
Physics.

DATES: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on September 30, 2006. 
Proposals received between July 1, 2006 and September 30, 2006 may be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation in the 
next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Ms. Anita Sweigert, 
Physics Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 
Bureau Drive, Stop 8400, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8400. Electronic 
applications and associated proposal information should be uploaded to 
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) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Ms. Anita Sweigert, Physics 
Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau 
Drive, Stop 8400, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8400, Tel (301) 975-4200, E-
Mail: [email protected]. It is strongly suggested to first 
confirm the program objectives with the Program Manager prior to 
preparing a detailed proposal. All grants related administration 
questions concerning this program should be addressed to: Joyce 
Brigham, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-
6328; [email protected]. For assistance with using Grants.gov 
contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2005, the PL Grants Program 
funded 21 new awards, totaling $2,274,427. In fiscal year 2006, the PL 
Grants Program anticipates funding of approximately $1,700,000, 
including new awards and continuing projects. Funding availability will 
be apportioned by quarter. Individual awards are expected to range from 
approximately $5,000 to $300,000.
    For the Physics Laboratory Grants Program, proposals will be 
considered for research projects from one to five years. When a 
proposal for a multi-year project is approved, funding will generally 
be provided for only the first year of the program. If an application 
is selected for funding, NIST has no obligation to provide any 
additional funding in connection with that award. Continuation of an 
award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the 
total discretion of NIST. Funding for each subsequent year of a multi-
year proposal will be contingent upon satisfactory progress, continued 
relevance to the mission of the Physics Laboratory program, and the 
availability of funds. The multi-year awards must have scopes of work 
that can be easily separated into annual increments of meaningful work 
that represent solid accomplishments if prospective funding is not made 
available to the applicant (i.e., the scopes of work for each funding 
period must produce identifiable and meaningful results in and of 
themselves).

    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and 
(c), the Physics Laboratory conducts a basic and applied research 
program directly and through grants and cooperative agreements to 
eligible recipients.

    Eligibility: The Physics Laboratory Grants Program is open to 
institutions of higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; 
commercial organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; 
foreign governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the Physics Laboratory Grants 
Program, responsive proposals will be considered as follows: First, at 
least three independent, objective individuals knowledgeable about the 
particular scientific area described in the proposal will conduct a 
technical review of each proposal, based on the evaluation criteria 
described below. Reviews will be conducted on a monthly basis within 
each division of the Physics Laboratory, and all proposals received 
during the month will be ranked based on the reviewers' scores. If non-
Federal reviewers are used, reviewers may discuss the proposals with 
each other, but scores will be determined on an individual basis, not 
as a consensus.
    Next, the Division Chief will make final application selections, 
taking into consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, 
including rank; the compilation of a slate that, when taken as a whole, 
is likely to best further the program interests described in the 
Program Description section above; and the availability of funds.
    The final approval of selected applications and award of financial 
assistance will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on compliance 
with application requirements as published in this notice, compliance 
with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, compliance with 
Federal policies that best further the objectives of the Department of 
Commerce, and whether the recommended applicants appear to be 
responsible.
    Applicants may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, or 
budgets and provide supplemental information required by the agency 
prior to award.
    The decisions of the Grants Officer are final.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the Physics Laboratory Grants Program, the 
evaluation criteria the technical reviewers will use in evaluating the 
proposals are as follows:
    1. Rationality. Reviewers will consider the coherence of the 
applicant's approach and the extent to which the proposal effectively 
addresses scientific and technical issues.
    2. Qualifications of Technical Personnel. Reviewers will consider 
the professional accomplishments, skills, and training of the proposed 
personnel to perform the work in the project.
    3. Resources Availability. Reviewers will consider the extent to 
which the proposer has access to the necessary facilities and overall 
support to accomplish project objectives.
    4. Technical Merit of Contribution. Reviewers will consider the 
potential technical effectiveness of the proposal and the value it 
would contribute to the field of physics.
    Each of these factors will be given equal weight in the evaluation 
process.
    Cost Share Requirements: The Physics Laboratory Grants Program does 
not require any matching funds.

MSEL Grants Program

    Program Description: The Materials Science and Engineering 
Laboratory (MSEL) Grants Program will provide grants and cooperative 
agreements in the following fields of research: Ceramics; Metallurgy; 
Polymer Sciences; Materials Reliability; and Neutron Scattering 
Research and Spectroscopy.

[[Page 76246]]


DATES: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on September 30, 2006. 
Proposals received between July 1, 2006 and September 30, 2006 may be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation in the 
next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Dr. Stephen W. 
Freiman, Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory, National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8500, 
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8500. Electronic applications and 
associated proposal information should be uploaded to 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) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Dr. Stephen W. Freiman, 
Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8500, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland 20899-8500, Tel: (301) 975-5658, E-mail: 
[email protected]. All grants related administration questions 
concerning this program should be addressed to: Joyce Brigham, NIST 
Grants and Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-6328; 
[email protected]. For assistance with using Grants.gov contact 
[email protected].
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2005, the MSEL Grants Program 
funded 36 new awards, totaling $4,966,802. In fiscal year 2006, the 
MSEL Grants Program anticipates funding of approximately $4,500,000, 
including new awards and continuing projects. Most grants and 
cooperative agreements are expected to be in the $25,000 to $100,000 
per year range.
    For the MSEL Grants Program, proposals will be considered for 
research projects from one to three years. When a proposal for a multi-
year award is approved, funding will generally be provided for only the 
first year of the program. If an application is selected for funding, 
NIST has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection 
with that award. Continuation of an award to increase funding or extend 
the period of performance is at the total discretion of NIST. Funding 
for each subsequent year of a multi-year proposal will be contingent 
upon satisfactory progress, continued relevance to the mission of the 
MSEL program, and the availability of funds. The multi-year awards must 
have scopes of work that can be easily separated into annual increments 
of meaningful work that represent solid accomplishments if prospective 
funding is not made available to the applicant, (i.e., the scopes of 
work for each funding period must produce identifiable and meaningful 
results in and of themselves).

    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272 (b) and 
(c), the MSEL conducts a basic and applied research program directly 
and through grants and cooperative agreements to eligible 
recipients.

    Eligibility: The MSEL Grants Program is open to institutions of 
higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial 
organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; foreign 
governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the MSEL Grants Program proposals 
will be reviewed in a two-step process. First, at least three 
independent, objective individuals knowledgeable about the particular 
scientific area described in the Program Description section above that 
the proposal addresses will conduct a technical review of proposals, as 
they are received on a rolling basis, based on the evaluation criteria. 
If non-Federal reviewers are used, the reviewers may discuss the 
proposals with each other, but scores will be determined on an 
individual basis, not as a consensus. Second, the Division Chief or 
Center Director or Laboratory Deputy Director will make application 
selections. In making application selections, the Division Chief or 
Center Director or Laboratory Deputy Director will take into 
consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, the 
availability of funds, and relevance to the objectives of the MSEL 
Grants Program, described above in the Program Description section. The 
final approval of selected applications and award of financial 
assistance will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on compliance 
with application requirements as published in this notice, compliance 
with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, compliance with 
Federal policies that best further the objectives of the Department of 
Commerce, and whether the recommended applicants appear to be 
responsible. 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.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the MSEL Grants Program, the evaluation 
criteria the technical reviewers will use in evaluating the proposals 
are as follows:
    1. Rationality. Reviewers will consider the coherence of the 
applicant's approach and the extent to which the proposal effectively 
addresses scientific and technical issues.
    2. Qualifications of Technical Personnel. Reviewers will consider 
the professional accomplishments, skills, and training of the proposed 
personnel to perform the work in the project.
    3. Resources Availability. Reviewers will consider the extent to 
which the proposer has access to the necessary facilities and overall 
support to accomplish project objectives.
    4. Technical Merit of Contribution. Reviewers will consider the 
potential technical effectiveness of the proposal and the value it 
would contribute to the field of materials science and engineering and 
neutron research.
    Each of these factors will be given equal weight in the evaluation 
process.
    Cost Share Requirements: The MSEL Grants Program does not require 
any matching funds.

Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program

    Program Description: The Building Research Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements Program will provide grants and cooperative agreements in 
the following fields of research: Structures, Construction Metrology 
and Automation, Inorganic Materials, Polymeric Materials, HVAC & R 
Equipment Performance, Mechanical Systems and Controls, Heat Transfer 
and Alternative Energy Systems, Computer Integrated Building Processes, 
and Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation.

DATES: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on September 30, 2006. 
Proposals received between July 1, 2006 and September 30, 2006 may be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation in the 
next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Karen Perry, 
Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8602,

[[Page 76247]]

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8602. Electronic applications and associated 
proposal information should be uploaded to 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) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Karen Perry, Building and Fire 
Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8602, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8602, Tel.: (301) 
975-5910, Fax: (301) 975-4032, http://www.bfrl.nist.gov. All grants 
related administration questions concerning this program should be 
addressed to: Joyce Brigham, NIST Grants and Agreements Management 
Division, (301) 975-6328; [email protected]. For assistance with 
using Grants.gov contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2005, the Building Research 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program funded 4 new awards, totaling 
$603,964. No funds have been set aside specifically for support of the 
Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program. The 
availability of funds depends upon actual authorization of funds and 
other costs expected to be incurred by the individual divisions. The 
amount available each year fluctuates considerably based on 
programmatic needs. Individual awards are expected to range between 
$5,000 and $150,000.
    For the Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements 
Program, proposals will be considered for research projects from one to 
three years. When a proposal for a multi-year award is approved, 
funding will generally be provided for only the first year of the 
program. If an application is selected for funding, NIST has no 
obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that 
award. Continuation of an award to increase funding or extend the 
period of performance is at the total discretion of NIST. Funding for 
each subsequent year of a multi-year proposal will be contingent upon 
satisfactory progress, continued relevance to the mission of the 
Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program, and the 
availability of funds. The multi-year awards must have scopes of work 
that can be easily separated into annual increments of meaningful work 
that represent solid accomplishments if prospective funding is not made 
available to the applicant (i.e., the scopes of work for each funding 
period must produce identifiable and meaningful results in and of 
themselves).

    Statutory Authority: As authorized by 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), 
the NIST Building and Fire Research Laboratory conducts a basic and 
applied research program directly and through grants and cooperative 
agreements to eligible recipients.

    Eligibility: The Building Research Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements Program is open to institutions of higher education; 
hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial organizations; state, 
local, and Indian tribal governments; foreign governments; 
organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign governments; and 
international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: All applications received in response 
to this announcement will be reviewed to determine whether or not they 
are complete and responsive. Incomplete or non-responsive applications 
will not be reviewed for technical merit. The Program will retain one 
copy of each non-responsive application for three years for 
recordkeeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Responsive proposals will be forwarded to the appropriate Division 
Chief, who will assign them to appropriate reviewers. At least three 
independent, objective individuals knowledgeable about the particular 
scientific area described in the Program Description section above that 
the proposal addresses will conduct a technical review of each 
proposal, based on the evaluation criteria described below. When non-
Federal reviewers are used, reviewers may discuss the proposals with 
each other, but scores will be determined on an individual basis, not 
as a consensus.
    Reviews will be conducted no less than once per quarter, and all 
proposals since the last review session will be ranked based on the 
reviewers' scores.
    Next, the Division Chief, Laboratory Deputy Director, or Laboratory 
Director will make application selections. In making application 
selections, the Division Chief, Laboratory Deputy Director, or 
Laboratory Director will take into consideration the results of the 
evaluations, the scores of the reviewers, the availability of funds, 
and relevance to the objectives of the Building Research Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements Program, as described in the Program Description 
section above.
    The final approval of selected applications and award of financial 
assistance will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on compliance 
with application requirements as published in this notice, compliance 
with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, compliance with 
Federal policies that best further the objectives of the Department of 
Commerce, and whether the recommended applicants appear to be 
responsible. Applicants may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, 
or budgets and provide supplemental information required by the agency 
prior to award. The award decision of the Grants Officer is final. 
Applicants should allow up to 90 days processing time.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: The Divisions will score proposals based on 
the following criteria and weights:
    1. Technical quality of the research. Reviewers will assess the 
rationality, innovation and imagination of the proposal and the fit to 
NIST's in-house building research programs. (0-35 points)
    2. Potential impact of the results. Reviewers will assess the 
potential impact and the technical application of the results to our 
in-house programs and the building industry. (0-25 points)
    3. Staff and institution capability to do the work. Reviewers will 
evaluate the quality of the facilities and experience of the staff to 
assess the likelihood of achieving the objective of the proposal. (0-20 
points)
    4. Match of budget to proposed work. Reviewers will assess the 
budget against the proposed work to ascertain the reasonableness of the 
request. (0-20 points)
    Cost Share Requirements: The Building Research Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements Program does not require any matching funds.

Fire Research Grants Program

    Program Description: The Fire Research Grants Program will provide 
funding for innovative ideas in the fire research area generated by the 
proposal writer, who chooses the topic and approach.

DATES: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on September 30, 2006. 
Proposals received between May 1, 2006 and September 30, 2006 will be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation, but if 
selected, proposals may be funded in

[[Page 76248]]

the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Ms. Wanda Duffin-
Ricks, Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL), National Institute 
of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8660, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland 20899-8660. Electronic applications and associated proposal 
information should be uploaded to 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) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Ms. Wanda Duffin-Ricks, 
Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL), National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8660, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland 20899-8660, Tel: (301) 975-6863, E-mail: 
[email protected], Web site: http://www.bfrl.nist.gov. All grants 
related administration questions concerning this program should be 
addressed to: Joyce Brigham, NIST Grants and Agreements Management 
Division, (301) 975-6328; [email protected]. For assistance with 
using Grants.gov contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: For the Fire Research Grants Program, the 
annual budget is approximately $1.0 to $1.5 million. Because of 
commitments for the support of multi-year projects and because 
proposals may have been deferred from the previous year's competition, 
only a portion of the budget is available to fund applications received 
in response to this notice. Most grants and cooperative agreements are 
in the $25,000 to $125,000 per year range, with a maximum requested 
duration of three years. In fiscal year 2005, the Fire Research Grants 
Program funded 8 new awards, totaling $620,224.
    For the Fire Research Grants Program, proposals will be considered 
for research projects from one to three years. When a proposal for a 
multi-year project is approved, funding will normally 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. Funding for each subsequent year of a 
multi-year proposal will be contingent on satisfactory progress, 
continuing relevance to the mission of the NIST Fire Research Program, 
and the availability of funds.

    Statutory Authority: As authorized by 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.

    Eligibility: The Fire Research Grants Program is open to 
institutions of higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; 
commercial organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; 
foreign governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: Prospective proposers are encouraged 
to contact the group leaders listed in the FFO announcement to 
determine the responsiveness of the proposal and compliance with 
program objectives prior to preparation of a detailed proposal. 
Responsive proposals will be assigned, as received on a rolling basis, 
to the most appropriate group. Proposals are evaluated for technical 
merit based on the evaluation criteria described above 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. When non-Federal reviewers are used, 
reviewers may discuss the proposals with each other, but scores will be 
determined on an individual basis, not as a consensus. The group 
leaders will make funding recommendations to the Division Chief based 
on the technical evaluation score and the relationship of the work 
proposed to the objectives of the program.
    In making application selections, the Division Chief will take into 
consideration the results of the evaluations, the scores of the 
reviewers, the group leader's recommendation, the availability of 
funds, and relevance to the objectives of the Fire Research Grants 
Program, as described in the Program Description section above. The 
final approval of selected applications and award of financial 
assistance will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on compliance 
with application requirements as published in this notice, compliance 
with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, compliance with 
Federal policies that best further the objectives of the Department of 
Commerce, and whether the recommended applicants appear to be 
responsible. Applicants may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, 
or budgets and provide supplemental information required by the agency 
prior to award. The award decision of the Grants Officer is final. 
Applicants should allow up to 90 days processing time.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the Fire Research Grants Program, the 
technical evaluation criteria are as follows:
    1. Technical quality of the research. Reviewers will assess the 
rationality, innovation and imagination of the proposal. (0-35 points).
    2. Potential impact of the results. Reviewers will assess the 
potential impact and the technical application of the results to the 
fire safety community. (0-25 points)
    3. Staff and institution capability to do the work. Reviewers will 
evaluate the quality of the facilities and experience of the staff to 
assess the likelihood of achieving the objective of the proposal. (0-20 
points)
    4. Match of budget to proposed work. Reviewers will assess the 
budget against the proposed work to ascertain the reasonableness of the 
request. (0-20 points)
    Cost Share Requirements: The Fire Research Grants Program does not 
require any matching funds.

Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) Grants Program

    Program Description: The Information Technology Laboratory Grants 
Program will provide grants and cooperative agreements in the broad 
areas of mathematical and computational sciences, advanced network 
technologies, and information access. Specific objectives of interest 
in these areas of research include: Quantum information theory, 
computational materials science, computational nanotechnology, 
mathematical knowledge management, visual data analysis, verification 
and validation of computer models, software testing, human-robot 
interaction, human factors in voting systems, security for the IPv6 
transition from and coexistence with IPv6, and device mobility among 
heterogeneous networks. For details on these various activities, please 
see the Information Technology Laboratory Web site at http://www.itl.nist.gov. Additionally, the ITL Grant Program will provide 
grants and cooperative agreements in support of conferences, workshops, 
and other technical research groups that focus on trends and future 
focus areas of information technology.

DATES: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on September 30, 2006. 
Proposals received between July 1, 2006 and September 30,

[[Page 76249]]

2006 will be processed and considered for funding under this 
solicitation, but if selected, proposals may be funded in the next 
fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Kirk Dohne, 
Information Technology Laboratory (ITL), National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8900, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland 20899-8900. Electronic applications and associated proposal 
information should be uploaded to 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) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Kirk Dohne, Information 
Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8900, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8200, Tel: 
(301) 975-8480, E-mail: [email protected]; Fax: (301) 975-2378, Web 
site: http://www.itl.nist.gov. It is strongly suggested to first 
confirm the program objectives with the Program Manager prior to 
preparing a detailed proposal. All grants related administration 
questions concerning this program should be addressed to: Joyce 
Brigham, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-
6328; [email protected]. For assistance with using Grants.gov 
contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2005, the Information 
Technology Laboratory did not participate in the grants program, 
therefore no historical data is available for that period. No funds 
have been set aside specifically for support of the Information 
Technology Laboratory Grants Program. The availability of funds depends 
upon actual authorization of funds and other costs expected to be 
incurred by the individual divisions. The amount available each year 
fluctuates considerably based on programmatic needs. Individual awards 
are expected to range between $10,000 and $150,000.
    For the Information Technology Laboratory Grants Program, proposals 
will be considered for research projects from one to three years. When 
a proposal for a multi-year award is approved, funding will generally 
be provided for only the first year of the program. If an application 
is selected for funding, NIST has no obligation to provide any 
additional funding in connection with that award. Continuation of an 
award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the 
total discretion of NIST. Funding for each subsequent year of a multi-
year proposal will be contingent upon satisfactory progress, continued 
relevance to the mission of the Information Technology Laboratory 
Grants Program, and the availability of funds. The multi-year awards 
must have scopes of work that can be easily separated into annual 
increments of meaningful work that represent solid accomplishments if 
prospective funding is not made available to the applicant (i.e., the 
scopes of work for each funding period must produce identifiable and 
meaningful results in and of themselves).

    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and 
(c), the ITL conducts a basic and applied research program directly 
and through grants and cooperative agreements to eligible 
recipients.

    Eligibility: The ITL Grants Program is open to institutions of 
higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial 
organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; foreign 
governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the Information Technology 
Laboratory (ITL) Grants Program, proposals will be reviewed in a three-
step process. First, the Deputy Director of ITL, or appropriate 
designee, will determine the compatibility of the applicant's proposal 
with ITL Program Areas and the relevance to the objectives of the ITL 
Grants Program, described in the Program Description section above. If 
it is determined that the proposal is incomplete or non-responsive to 
the scope of the stated objectives, the proposal will not be reviewed 
for technical merit. If a proposal is determined to be incomplete or 
non-responsive, or if it is determined that all available funds have 
been exhausted, the proposal will not be reviewed for technical merit. 
Proposers may contact ITL at (301) 975-8480 to find out if funds have 
been exhausted for the fiscal year. ITL will also post a notice on its 
Web site, www.itl.nist.gov, when funds are exhausted for the fiscal 
year. ITL will notify proposers in writing if their proposals are not 
reviewed for technical merit.
    Second, at least three independent, objective individuals 
knowledgeable about the particular measurement science area described 
in the section above that the proposal addresses will conduct a 
technical review of each proposal, based on the evaluation criteria 
described above. Reviews will be conducted on a quarterly basis, and 
all responsive, complete proposals received and reviewed since the last 
quarter will be ranked based on the reviewers' scores. If non-Federal 
reviewers are used, the reviewers may discuss the proposals with each 
other, but scores will be determined on an individual basis, not as a 
consensus.
    Third, the Division Chief, in accord with the Director of ITL, will 
make application selections, taking into consideration the results of 
the reviewers' evaluations, the availability of funds, and the 
relevance of the proposal to the program objectives described in the 
Program Description section above.
    The final approval of selected applications and award of financial 
assistance will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on compliance 
with application requirements as published in this notice, compliance 
with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, compliance with 
Federal policies that best further the objectives of the Department of 
Commerce, and whether the recommended applicants appear to be 
responsible. Applicants may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, 
or budgets and provide supplemental information required by the agency 
prior to award. The decisions of the Grants Officer are final.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the ITL Grants Program, the evaluation 
criteria the technical reviewers will use in evaluating the proposals 
are as follows:
    1. Rationality. Reviewers will consider the coherence of the 
applicant's approach and the extent to which the proposal effectively 
addresses scientific and technical issues.
    2. Technical Merit of Contribution. Reviewers will consider the 
potential technical effectiveness of the proposal and the value it 
would contribute to the field of manufacturing engineering and 
metrology research.
    3. Qualifications of Technical Personnel. Reviewers will consider 
the professional accomplishments, skills, and training of the proposed 
personnel to perform the work in the project.
    4. Resources Availability. Reviewers will consider the extent to 
which the proposer has access to the necessary facilities and overall 
support to accomplish project objectives.

[[Page 76250]]

    Each of these factors will be given equal weight in the evaluation 
process.

Precision Measurement Grants Program

    Program Description: The National Institute of Standards and 
Technology (NIST) announces that the Precision Measurement Grants 
Program is soliciting applications for financial assistance for FY 
2005. The Precision Measurement Grants Program is seeking proposals for 
significant research in the field of fundamental measurement or the 
determination of fundamental constants. As part of its research 
program, since 1970 NIST has awarded Precision Measurement Grants 
primarily to universities and colleges so that faculty may conduct 
significant research in the field of fundamental measurement or the 
determination of fundamental constants. NIST sponsors these grants and 
cooperative agreements primarily to encourage basic, measurement-
related research in universities and colleges and other research 
laboratories and to foster contacts between NIST scientists and those 
faculty members of academic institutions and other researchers who are 
actively engaged in such work. The Precision Measurement Grants are 
also intended to make it possible for researchers to pursue new ideas 
for which other sources of support may be difficult to find. There is 
some latitude in research topics that will be considered under the 
Precision Measurement Grants Program. The key requirement is that the 
proposed project support NIST's ongoing work in the field of basic 
measurement science.

DATES: Abbreviated proposals must be received at the address listed 
below no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 3, 2006. 
Proposals received after this deadline will be returned with no further 
consideration. Finalists will be selected by approximately March 23, 
2006, and will be requested to submit full proposals to NIST. All full 
proposals, paper and electronic, must be received no later than 5 p.m. 
Eastern Standard Time on May 5, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Abbreviated proposals and paper applications must be 
submitted to: Dr. Peter J. Mohr; Manager, NIST Precision Measurement 
Grants Program; National Institute of Standards and Technology; 100 
Bureau Drive, Stop 8420; Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8420. Electronic final 
proposals should be uploaded to 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) 975-6328. 
Technical questions should be addressed to: Dr. Peter J. Mohr at the 
address listed in the Addresses section above, or at Tel: (301) 975-
3217; E-mail: [email protected]. 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) 975-6328. For assistance with 
using Grants.gov contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: Applicants should propose multi-year projects 
for up to three years at no more than $50,000 per year. NIST 
anticipates spending $100,000 this year for two new grants at $50,000 
each for the first year of the research projects. NIST may award both, 
one, or neither of these new awards. Second and third year funding will 
be at the discretion of NIST, based on satisfactory performance, 
continuing relevance to program objectives, and the availability of 
funds.

    Statutory Authority: The authority for the Precision Measurement 
Grants Program is as follows: As authorized by 15 U.S.C. 272 (b) and 
(c), NIST conducts directly, and supports through grants, a basic 
and applied research program in the general area of fundamental 
measurement and the determination of fundamental constants of 
nature.

    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial 
organizations; state, local and Indian tribal governments; foreign 
governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; international organizations; and Federal agencies with 
appropriate legal authority.
    Review and Selection Process: All abbreviated proposals and full 
applications received in response to this announcement will be reviewed 
to determine whether or not they are complete and responsive to the 
scope of the stated objectives for each program. Incomplete or non-
responsive abbreviated proposals and full applications will not be 
reviewed for technical merit.
    The Program will retain one copy of each non-responsive abbreviated 
proposal and full application for three years for record keeping 
purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    To simplify the proposal writing and evaluation process, the 
following selection procedure will be used:
    All applicants must submit an abbreviated proposal (original and 
two signed copies), containing a description of the proposed project, 
including sufficient information to address the evaluation criteria, 
with a total length of no more than five (5) double spaced pages, to 
the mailing address given above in the ``Addresses'' section. These 
proposals will be screened to determine whether they address the 
requirements outlined in this notice. Proposals that do not meet those 
requirements will not be considered further. Eight independent, 
objective individuals, at least half of whom are NIST employees, and 
who are knowledgeable about the scientific areas that the program 
addresses will conduct a technical review of each abbreviated proposal, 
based on the evaluation criteria described in the Evaluation Criteria 
section for this program. The proposals will then be ranked based on 
the average of the reviewers' rankings. If non-Federal reviewers are 
used, the reviewers may discuss the proposals with each other, but the 
ranking will be determined on an individual basis, not as a consensus.
    The Chief of the Atomic Physics Division of the Physics Laboratory, 
the selecting official, will then select approximately four to eight 
finalists. In selecting finalists, the selecting official will take 
into consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, including 
rank, and relevance to the program objectives described above in the 
Program Description section. Applicants not selected as finalists will 
be notified in writing.
    Finalists will then be asked in writing to submit full proposals in 
accordance with the requirements set forth in the Content and Form of 
Application Submission section of the FFO. The same independent 
reviewers that reviewed the abbreviated proposals will then evaluate 
the full proposals based on the same evaluation criteria, and the 
proposals will be ranked as previously described. In selecting 
proposals that will be recommended for funding, the selecting official 
will take into consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, 
including rank and relevance to the program objectives described in the 
Program Description section of this notice.
    The final approval of selected applications and award of grants 
will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on compliance with 
application requirements as published in this notice, compliance with 
applicable legal and regulatory requirements, compliance with Federal 
policies that best further the objectives of the Department of 
Commerce, and whether the recommended applicants appear to be 
responsible.

[[Page 76251]]

    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.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: The evaluation criteria to be used in 
evaluating the abbreviated application proposals and full proposals 
are:
    1. The importance of the proposed research--Does it have the 
potential of answering some currently pressing question or of opening 
up a whole new area of activity?
    2. The relationship of the proposed research to NIST's ongoing 
work--Will it support one of NIST's current efforts to develop a new or 
improved fundamental measurement method or physical standard, test the 
basic laws of physics, or provide an improved value for a fundamental 
constant?
    3. The feasibility of the research and the potential impact of the 
grant--Is it likely that significant progress can be made in a three 
year time period with the funds and personnel available and that the 
funding will enable work that would otherwise not be done with existing 
or potential funding?
    4. The qualifications of the applicant--Does the educational and 
employment background and the quality of the research, based on recent 
publications, of the applicant indicate that there is a high 
probability that the proposed research will be carried out 
successfully?
    Each of these factors is given equal weight in the evaluation 
process.
    Cost Share Requirements: The Precision Measurement Grants Program 
does not require any matching funds.
    The following information applies to all programs announced in this 
notice:
    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 
contained in the Federal Register notice of December 30, 2004 (69 FR 
78389). On the form SF-424, the applicant's 9-digit Dun and Bradstreet 
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number must be entered in the 
Applicant Identifier block (68 FR 38402).
    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, 
if known. 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. sec. 
200-212, 37 CFR part 401, 15 CFR 14.36, and in section 20 of the 
Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements published on 
December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389). Questions about these requirements may 
be directed to the 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 may retain its ownership rights in any such 
invention. Licensing or other disposition of NIST's rights in such 
inventions will be determined solely by NIST, and include the 
possibility of NIST putting the intellectual property into the public 
domain.
    Initial Screening of all Applications: All applications received in 
response to this announcement will be reviewed to determine whether or 
not they are complete and responsive to the scope of the stated 
objectives for each program. Incomplete or non-responsive applications 
will not be reviewed for technical merit. The Program will retain one 
copy of each non-responsive application for three years for record 
keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    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, FDA, and other 
Federal agencies on these topics, and all Presidential statements of 
policy on these topics.
    NIST will accept the submission of human subjects protocols that 
have been approved by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) possessing a 
current, valid Federal-wide Assurance (FWA) from DHHS. NIST will not 
issue a single project assurance (SPA) for any IRB reviewing any human 
subjects protocol proposed to NIST.
    On August 9, 2001, the President announced his decision to allow 
Federal funds to be used for research on existing human embryonic stem 
cell lines as long as prior to his announcement (1) the derivation 
process (which commences with the removal of the inner cell mass from 
the blastocyst) had already been initiated and (2) the

[[Page 76252]]

embryo from which the stem cell line was derived no longer had the 
possibility of development as a human being. NIST will follow guidance 
issued by the National Institutes of Health at http://ohrp.osophs.dhhs.gov/humansubjects/guidance/stemcell.pdf for funding 
such research.
    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.
    Limitation of Liability: In no event will the Department of 
Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if these 
programs fail to receive funding or are cancelled because of other 
agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige the 
agency to award any specific project or to obligate any available 
funds. Funding of any award under any program announced in this notice 
is subject to the availability of funds.
    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: December 15, 2005.
William Jeffrey,
Director, NIST.
[FR Doc. 05-24424 Filed 12-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P