[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 250 (Tuesday, December 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79814-79817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Docket Number 0812021543-81546-01]


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 Precision Measurement Grants Program is soliciting 
applications for financial assistance for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. The 
Precision Measurement Grants Program is seeking proposals for 
significant research in the field of fundamental measurement or the 
determination of fundamental constants.

DATES: Abbreviated proposals must be received at the address listed 
below no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 6, 2009. 
Proposals received after this deadline will be returned with no further 
consideration. Finalists will be selected by approximately March 27, 
2009, 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 Daylight Time on May 8, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Abbreviated proposals and paper final applications must be

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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; E-mail: 
[email protected]. Web site: http://physics.nist.gov/pmg. Electronic final 
proposals may be sent by e-mail to [email protected] or uploaded to http://www.Grants.gov.
    A completed SF-424 (R&R) form is required to be submitted with the 
abbreviated proposal. Abbreviated proposals may not be submitted 
through the Grants.gov Web site. However, abbreviated proposals may be 
submitted on paper by mail or delivery service or as an electronic file 
(SF-424 must be scanned signed form) by e-mail to [email protected]. The 
SF-424 (R&R) form can be found at http://www.grants.gov/agencies/aapproved_standard_forms.jsp#1.

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]; Web site: http://physics.nist.gov/pmg. 
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 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    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.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Name and Number: Measurement 
and Engineering Research and Standards--11.609.
    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 
2009. 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 is consistent with NIST's ongoing work in the field of 
basic measurement science.
    Funding Availability: NIST anticipates spending $100,000 this year 
for two new grants at $50,000 each. Funding for the program listed in 
this notice is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2009 
appropriations. NIST issues this notice subject to the appropriations 
made available under the current continuing resolution, H.R. 2638, 
``Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2009,'' Public Law 110-329. 
NIST anticipates making awards for the program listed in this notice 
provided that funding for the program is continued beyond March 6, 
2009, the expiration of the current continuing resolution.
    Award start dates for new grants are expected to be October 1, 
2009. 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.
    NIST plans to fund the awards as grants. If collaboration by NIST 
scientists in the scope of work is appropriate for any award, a 
cooperative agreement will be issued instead.
    Cost Share Requirements: The Precision Measurement Grants Program 
does not require any matching funds.
    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.
    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.
    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.
    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 
(excluding SF-424), to the

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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. Each reviewer will 
evaluate and rank the proposals. 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 Description described above. 
Applicants not selected as finalists will be notified in writing.
    Finalists will then be asked in writing to submit full proposals up 
to ten (10) pages in accordance with the requirements set forth in the 
Content and Form of Application Submission section of this Notice. 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 same selecting 
official will take into consideration the results of the reviewers' 
evaluations, including rank and relevance to the program objectives 
described in the Funding Opportunity 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.
    Applicants may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, or 
budgets and provide supplemental information required by the agency 
prior to award.
    The decision of the Grants Officer is final.
    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements: The Department of Commerce Pre-Award 
Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements, which 
are contained in the Federal Register Notice of February 11, 2008 (73 
FR 7696), are applicable to this solicitation. On the form SF-424, the 
applicant's 9-digit Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System 
(DUNS) number must be entered in item 8.c. Organizational DUNS. The 
DUNS number provided MUST be the DUNS number for the entity within the 
applying institution that will be responsible for drawing down funds 
from the Automated Standard Application for Payment System (ASAP). 
Institutions that provide incorrect DUNS numbers may experience 
significant delays in receiving funds.
    Collaborations with NIST Employees: All applications should include 
a description of any work proposed to be performed by an entity other 
than the applicant, and the cost of such work should ordinarily be 
included in the budget.
    If an applicant proposes collaboration with NIST, the statement of 
work should include a statement of this intention, a description of the 
collaboration, and prominently identify the NIST employee(s) involved, 
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. 200-
212, 37 CFR Part 401, 15 CFR 14.36, and in Section B.21 of the 
Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements 73 FR 7696 
(February 11, 2008). Questions about these requirements may be directed 
to the Office of the Chief Counsel for NIST, 301-975-2803.
    Any use of NIST-owned intellectual property by a proposer is at the 
sole discretion of NIST and will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis 
if a project is deemed meritorious. The applicant should indicate 
within the statement of work whether it already has a license to use 
such intellectual property or whether it intends to seek one.
    If any inventions made in whole or in part by a NIST employee arise 
in the course of an award made pursuant to this notice, the United 
States government 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.
    Collaborations Making Use of Federal Facilities: All applications 
should include a description of any work proposed to be performed using 
Federal Facilities. If an applicant proposes use of NIST facilities, 
the statement of work should include a statement of this intention and 
a description of the facilities. Any use of NIST facilities must be 
approved by appropriate NIST management and is at the sole discretion 
of NIST. Prior to beginning the merit review process, NIST will verify 
the availability of the facilities and approval of the proposed usage. 
Any unapproved facility use will be stricken from the proposal prior to 
the merit review. Examples of some facilities that may be available for 
collaborations are listed on the NIST Technology Services Web site, 
http://ts.nist.gov/.
    Paperwork Reduction Act: The standard forms in the application kit 
involve a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act. The use of Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, SF-LLL, and CD-346 have 
been approved by OMB under the respective Control Numbers 0348-0043, 
0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is 
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty 
for failure to comply with, a collection subject to the requirements of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information 
displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

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    Research Projects Involving Human Subjects, Human Tissue, Data or 
Recordings Involving Human Subjects: Any proposal that includes 
research involving human subjects, human tissue, data or recordings 
involving human subjects must meet the requirements of the Common Rule 
for the Protection of Human Subjects, codified for the Department of 
Commerce at 15 CFR Part 27. In addition, any proposal that includes 
research on these topics must be in compliance with any statutory 
requirements imposed upon the Department of Health and Human Services 
(DHHS) and other federal agencies regarding these topics, all 
regulatory policies and guidance adopted by DHHS, the Food and Drug 
Administration, and other Federal agencies on these topics, and all 
Presidential statements of policy on these topics.
    NIST will accept the submission of human subjects protocols that 
have been approved by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) possessing a 
current registration filed with DHHS and to be performed by 
institutions possessing a current, valid Federal-wide Assurance (FWA) 
from DHHS. NIST will not issue a single project assurance (SPA) for 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 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: Funding for the program listed in this 
notice is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2009 
appropriations. NIST issues this notice subject to the appropriations 
made available under the current continuing resolution continuing 
resolution, H.R. 2638, ``Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2009,'' 
Public Law 110-329. NIST anticipates making awards for the program 
listed in this notice provided that funding for the program is 
continued beyond March 6, 2009, the expiration of the current 
continuing resolution. In no event will NIST or the Department of 
Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if the NIST 
programs fail to receive funding or are cancelled because of Department 
of Commerce or NIST priorities. Publication of this announcement does 
not oblige NIST or the Department of Commerce to award any specific 
project or to obligate any available 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 22, 2008.
Patrick D. Gallagher,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E8-30994 Filed 12-29-08; 8:45 am]
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