[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 33 (Friday, February 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7863-7876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3665]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Docket No.: 0812021541-81547-01]


Measurement, Science and Engineering Research Grants Programs; 
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 2009: (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; (9) the NIST Center for Neutron 
Research Grants Program; and (10) Center for Nanoscale Science and 
Technology 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: For all programs listed in this notice applications will be 
considered on a continuing basis. Applications received after June 1, 
2009 may be processed and considered for funding under this 
solicitation in the current fiscal year or in the next fiscal year, 
subject to the availability of funds. Applications, paper and 
electronic, must be received prior to the publication date in the 
Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation for the NIST Measurement, 
Science and Engineering Research Grants Programs in order to be 
processed under this solicitation.

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 semiconductors, electronic instrumentation, radio-frequency 
technology, optoelectronics, magnetics, superconductors, 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. Financial support may be provided for 
conferences, workshops, or other technical research meetings that are 
relevant to the mission of the Electronics and Electrical Engineering 
Laboratory. Specific information regarding program objectives can be 
found in the corresponding Federal Funding Opportunity for this 
announcement.

DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement, Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

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 http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this 
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read 
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) 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. Grants administration 
questions concerning this program should be addressed to: Christopher 
Hunton, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-5718; 
[email protected]. For assistance with using http://www.grants.gov, contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2008, the EEEL Grants Program 
made 7 new awards, totaling $388,497. The amount available each year 
fluctuates considerably based on programmatic needs and funding 
availability. For FY 2009, 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. 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

[[Page 7864]]

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 sufficient funding is not available to 
consider grant and cooperative agreement proposals in the technical 
area of the proposal, the proposal will not be reviewed for technical 
merit. One copy of any such proposal will be retained for recordkeeping 
purposes for three years and all remaining copies will be destroyed. 
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 addressed by the proposal will conduct a 
technical review 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.
    Reviews will be conducted on a monthly basis, and all proposals 
received on or before the 15th day of the month 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 and the FFO, 
compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, 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 recordkeeping 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:
    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 electronics, electrical engineering, 
and metrology research. Proposals must be relevant to current EEEL 
research and have a relation to the objectives of ongoing EEEL programs 
and activities.
    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 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, Machine Tool and Machining 
Process Metrology, Intelligent Systems, and Information Systems 
Integration for Applications in Manufacturing. Financial support may be 
provided for conferences, workshops, or other technical research 
meetings that are relevant to the mission of the Manufacturing 
Engineering Laboratory. Specific information regarding program 
objectives can be found in the corresponding Federal Funding 
Opportunity for this announcement.

DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement, Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Ms. Alana Glover, 
Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8200, Gaithersburg, Maryland 
20899-8200. Electronic applications and associated proposal information 
should be uploaded to http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this 
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read 
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at http://www.grants.gov. 
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Ms. Alana Glover, 
Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8200, Gaithersburg, Maryland 
20899-8200, Tel: (301) 975-3400, e-mail: [email protected]. Grants 
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed 
to: Christopher Hunton, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, 
(301) 975-5718; [email protected]. For assistance with using 
http://www.grants.gov, contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.

[[Page 7865]]

    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2008, the MEL Grants Program 
funded six new awards, totaling $386,846. In fiscal year 2009 
individual awards are expected to range from approximately $25,000 to 
$250,000.
    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 Grants Program, and the availability of funds. 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. Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling 
basis in a three-step process. First, the MEL Deputy Director or the 
appropriate MEL Division Chief will determine the applicability of the 
proposal with regard to MEL programs and the relevance of the 
proposal's objectives to current MEL research. 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. One 
copy of any such proposal will be retained for recordkeeping purposes 
for three years and all remaining copies will be destroyed. Second, the 
appropriate MEL Division Chief or MEL Program Manager will determine 
the possibility for funding availability within the MEL technical 
program area most relevant to the objectives of the proposal. If it is 
determined that sufficient funding is not available to consider grant 
and cooperative agreement proposals in the technical area of the 
proposal, the proposal will not be reviewed for technical merit. One 
copy of any such proposal will be retained for recordkeeping purposes 
for three years and all remaining copies will be destroyed. Proposers 
may contact MEL at 301-975-3400 to find out if funds have been 
exhausted for the fiscal year. MEL will also post a notice on its Web 
site, http://www.mel.nist.gov when funds are exhausted for the fiscal 
year. MEL will notify proposers in writing if their proposals are not 
reviewed for technical merit. Third, if the proposal passes the first 
two steps, at least three independent, objective individuals 
knowledgeable about the particular scientific area addressed by the 
proposal will conduct a technical review based on the evaluation 
criteria. If non-Federal reviewers are used, the reviewers may discuss 
the proposal with each other, but scores will be determined on an 
individual basis, not as a consensus.
    The MEL Director or appropriate MEL Division Chief will make 
application selections from the grants proposals submitted. In making 
the application selections, the Laboratory Director or Division Chief 
will take into consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, 
the availability of funds, and relevance to the objectives or research 
areas of the MEL Grants Program. These objectives are 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 and the FFO, 
compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, 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 recordkeeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    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. Proposals must be relevant to current MEL research 
and have a relation to the objectives of ongoing MEL programs and 
activities.
    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 
consistent with the CSTL mission in the following fields of measurement 
science research, focused on reference methods, reference materials and 
reference data: Biochemical Science, Chemical and Biochemical Reference 
Data, Process Measurements, Surface and Microanalysis Science, 
Thermophysical Properties, and Analytical Chemistry. Financial support 
may be provided for conferences, workshops, or other technical research 
meetings that are relevant to the mission of the CSTL. Specific 
information regarding program objectives can be found in the 
corresponding Federal Funding Opportunity for this announcement.
    The Programs are structured to support CSTL's three objectives:
    1. Provide the national traceability and international 
comparability structure for measurements in chemistry, chemical 
engineering, and biochemical sciences.
    2. Assure that U.S. industry has access to accurate and reliable 
data and predictive models to determine the chemical and physical 
properties of materials and processes.
    3. Anticipate and address next-generation measurement needs of the 
Nation.

[[Page 7866]]


DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement, Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Ms. Donna Kimball, 
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 http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this 
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read 
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at http://www.grants.gov. 
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Ms. Donna Kimball, Chemical 
Science and Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8300, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8300, 
Tel: (301) 975-8300, e-mail: [email protected]. Grants 
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed 
to: Christopher Hunton, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, 
(301) 975-5718; [email protected]. For assistance with using 
http://www.grants.gov, contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: No funds have been set aside specifically for 
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 2008, the CSTL Grants Program funded 5 new awards, 
totaling $374,349. In fiscal year 2009, the CSTL Grants Program 
anticipates funding of approximately $1,000,000. Individual awards are 
expected to range from approximately $5,000 to $200,000.
    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 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 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 CSTL Grants Coordinator, the Deputy 
Director of CSTL or the corresponding 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. One 
copy of any such proposal will be retained for recordkeeping purposes 
for three years and all remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Second, at least three independent, objective individuals 
knowledgeable about the particular measurement science area addressed 
by the proposal will conduct a technical review based on the evaluation 
criteria. 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 or the CSTL Deputy Director, generally 
after collaboration, will make application selections, taking into 
consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, the 
availability of funds, and the relevance to the objectives or research 
areas 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 and the FFO, 
compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, whether 
the application furthers 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.

[[Page 7867]]

    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.
    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. Specific information regarding program objectives can be found 
in the corresponding Federal Funding Opportunity for this announcement. 
Financial support may be provided for conferences, workshops, or other 
technical research meetings that are relevant to the mission of the 
Physics Laboratory.

DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

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 
http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this 
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read 
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at http://www.grants.gov. 
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-6328. 
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. Grants administration questions 
concerning this program should be addressed to: Christopher Hunton, 
NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-5718; 
[email protected]. For assistance with using http://www.grants.gov contact, grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2008, the PL Grants Program 
funded 17 new awards, totaling $1,035,295. In fiscal year 2009, the PL 
Grants Program anticipates funding of approximately $1,500,000, 
including new awards and continuing projects. Funding availability will 
be apportioned by quarter. Individual awards are expected to range from 
approximately $5,000 to $500,000 per year.
    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 Grants Program, and 
the availability of funds. 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: If a 
preliminary review determines that the proposal is incomplete or non-
responsive to the scope of the stated objectives, the proposal will not 
be reviewed for technical merit. One copy of any such proposal will be 
retained for recordkeeping purposes for three years and all remaining 
copies will be destroyed. All applications that are complete and 
responsive to the solicitation will be reviewed for technical merit.
    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 in the Evaluation Criteria section 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, 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 recordkeeping 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:

[[Page 7868]]

    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 that are relevant to Physics 
Laboratory programs.
    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; 
Polymers; and Materials Reliability. Specific information regarding 
program objectives can be found in the corresponding Federal Funding 
Opportunity for this announcement. Financial support may be provided 
for conferences, workshops, or other technical research may be provided 
for conferences, workshops, or other technical research meetings that 
are relevant to the mission of the MSEL.

DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement, Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Ms. Nancy Selepak, 
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 http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this 
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read 
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at http://www.grants.gov. 
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Ms. Nancy Selepak, Materials 
Science and Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8500, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-
8500, Tel: (301) 975-2047, e-mail: [email protected]. Grants 
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed 
to: Christopher Hunton, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, 
(301) 975-5718; [email protected]. For assistance with using 
http://www.grants.gov, contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2008, the MSEL Grants Program 
funded 16 new awards, totaling $1,563,502. In fiscal year 2009, the 
MSEL Grants Program anticipates funding of approximately $3,500,000, 
including new awards and continuing projects. Most grants and 
cooperative agreements are expected to be in the $2,000 to $500,000 per 
year range.
    For the MSEL 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 
MSEL 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 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. If a preliminary review 
determines that the proposal is incomplete or non-responsive to the 
scope of the stated objectives, the proposal will not be reviewed for 
technical merit. One copy of any such proposal will be retained for 
recordkeeping purposes for three years and all remaining copies will be 
destroyed. All applications that are complete and responsive to the 
solicitation will be reviewed for technical merit.
    First, at least three independent, objective individuals 
knowledgeable in the particular scientific area addressed by the 
proposal will conduct a technical review. Proposals are received and 
will be reviewed 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 
Laboratory Deputy Director will make application selections. In making 
application selections, the Division Chief or Laboratory Deputy 
Director will take into consideration the results of the reviewers' 
evaluations, the availability of funds, and relevance to the objectives 
or research areas of the MSEL Grants Program, described in the Program 
Description section of the FFO. For applications for funding for 
conferences, workshops, or other technical research meetings, the 
Division Chief or Laboratory Deputy Director will also take into 
consideration whether they align with ongoing MSEL programmatic 
activities. 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 
and the FFO, compliance with applicable legal and regulatory 
requirements, 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

[[Page 7869]]

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. 
Proposals must be relevant to current MSEL research and have a relation 
to the objectives of ongoing MSEL programs and activities.
    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, 
Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation, and Building Economics. Financial 
support may be provided for conferences, workshops, or other technical 
research meetings that are relevant to the mission of the Building and 
Fire Research Laboratory.
    The Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program 
supports the formal mission of the Building and Fire Research 
Laboratory, which is to promote U.S. innovation and competitiveness by 
anticipating and meeting the measurement science, standards and 
technology needs of the U.S. building and fire safety industries in 
ways that enhance economic security and improve the quality of life. 
All proposals submitted must be in accordance with the program 
objectives found in the corresponding Federal Funding Opportunity for 
this announcement.

DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

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, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-
8602. Electronic applications and associated proposal information 
should be uploaded to http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this 
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read 
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at http://www.grants.gov. 
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-6328. 
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, [email protected], Fax: (301) 975-4032, and Web site 
http://www.bfrl.nist.gov. Grants administration questions concerning 
this program should be addressed to: Christopher Hunton, NIST Grants 
and Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-5718; 
[email protected]. For assistance with using http://www.grants.gov, contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2008, the Building Research 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program funded 7 new awards, totaling 
$601,467. No funds have been set aside specifically for 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 
$500,000.
    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. 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: For the Building Research Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements Program proposals will be reviewed in a two-step 
process. If a preliminary review determines that the proposal is 
incomplete or non-responsive to the scope of the stated objectives, the 
proposal will not be reviewed for technical merit. One copy of each 
such proposal will be retained for recordkeeping purposes for three 
years and all remaining copies will be destroyed. All applications that 
are complete and responsive to the solicitation will be reviewed for 
technical merit.
    First, at least three independent, objective individuals 
knowledgeable

[[Page 7870]]

about the particular scientific area addressed by the proposal will 
conduct a technical review. Proposals are received and will be reviewed 
on a rolling basis based on the evaluation criteria listed in the 
Evaluation Criteria section below. 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. Second, the 
Division Chief or Laboratory Director or Deputy Director will take into 
consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluation, the 
availability of funds, and relevance to the objectives described in the 
Program Description section of the FFO.
    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, 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 recordkeeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: The Divisions of the Building and Fire 
Research Laboratory 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 NIST's 
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. Specific 
information regarding program objectives can be found in the 
corresponding Federal Funding Opportunity for this announcement. 
Financial support may be provided for conferences, workshops, or other 
technical meetings that are relevant to the objectives of the Fire 
Research Grants Program.

DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

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 http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this 
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read 
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at http://www.grants.gov. 
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-6328. 
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. Grants 
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed 
to: Christopher Hunton, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, 
(301) 975-5718; [email protected]. For assistance with using 
http://www.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 2008, the Fire Research Grants 
Program funded 7 new awards, totaling $693,598.
    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, NIST 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 Fire Research Grants 
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; 
however, written pre-proposals and white papers are not solicited and 
will not be reviewed for other than informational purposes. Responsive 
proposals will be assigned to the most appropriate group and reviewed 
as received on a rolling basis. 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. One copy of any 
such proposal will be retained for recordkeeping purpose for three 
years and all remaining copies will be destroyed. Proposals are 
evaluated for technical merit based on the evaluation criteria 
described below by at least three

[[Page 7871]]

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. Proposals submitted to another agency will 
be considered for possible joint-funding if approved by the other 
agency.
    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 or research areas 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, 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, information access, and software testing. Specific 
objectives of interest in these areas of research include: quantum 
information theory, computational materials science, network science, 
mathematical foundations of measurement science for information 
systems, mathematical knowledge management, visual data analysis, 
verification and validation of computer models, computational biology, 
semantic data integration, software testing, biometrics, human language 
technology, interactive systems, multimedia technology, human factors/
security/core requirements/testing of voting systems, information 
visualization, systems biology, grid computing, service oriented 
architecture and complex systems, security for the IPv6 transition from 
and coexistence with IPv4, 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. Specific information regarding program 
objectives can be found in the corresponding Federal Funding 
Opportunity for this announcement. Financial support may be provided 
for conferences, workshops, or other technical research meetings that 
are relevant to the mission of the Information Technology Laboratory.

DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement, Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Gerlinde Harr, 
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 http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this 
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read 
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at http://www.grants.gov. 
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Gerilinde Harr, Information 
Technology Laboratory (ITL), National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8900, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8900, 
Tel.: (301) 975-2901, [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. Grants administration questions concerning this 
program should be addressed to: Christopher Hunton, NIST Grants and 
Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-5718; 
[email protected]. For assistance with using http://www.grants.gov, contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2008, the Information 
Technology Laboratory funded 2 new awards, totaling $220,549. No funds 
have been set aside specifically for 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 $500,000.
    For the Information Technology Laboratory 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

[[Page 7872]]

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 ITL Grants Coordinator, the Deputy Director of 
ITL, or the corresponding Division Chief 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. 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 301-975-2901 to find out 
if funds have been exhausted for the fiscal year. ITL will also post a 
notice on its Web site, http://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. One copy of any 
such proposal will be retained for record keeping purposes for three 
years and all remaining copies will be destroyed.
    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. 
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 to the objectives or research areas 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 and the FFO, 
compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, 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 information technology 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 ITL Grants Program does not require 
any matching funds.
    NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) Grants Program:
    Program Description: The NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) 
Grants Program will provide grants and cooperative agreements for 
research involving neutron scattering, for the development of 
innovative technologies that advance the state-of-the-art in neutron 
research, and for the support of conferences and/or workshops that 
advance these objectives. Specific information regarding program 
objectives can be found in the corresponding Federal Funding 
Opportunity to this announcement. Financial support may be provided for 
conferences, workshops, or other technical research meetings that are 
relevant to the mission of the NCNR.
    All proposals submitted to the NCNR Grants Program must be in 
accordance with the program objectives. These are to create novel 
approaches to advance high resolution cold and thermal neutron 
scattering research; to develop new applications of neutron scattering 
to physics, chemistry, and macromolecular and materials research; and 
to support the development of innovative technologies relevant to 
neutron research, including, for example, high resolution two-
dimensional neutron detectors, neutron monochromators, and neutron 
focusing and polarizing devices. Awards to universities to help to 
promote research by university students at the NIST/NSF Center for High 
Resolution Scattering are also funded under this program.

DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement, Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Ms. Tanya Burke, 
NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 6100, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-
6100. Electronic applications and associated proposal information 
should be uploaded to http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this 
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read 
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at http://www.grants.gov. 
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-6328. 
Program questions should be addressed to Dr.

[[Page 7873]]

Dan Neumann, NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 6102, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland 20899-6102, Tel: (301) 975-5252, E-mail: [email protected]. 
Grants administration questions concerning this program should be 
addressed to: Christopher Hunton, NIST Grants and Agreements Management 
Division, (301) 975-5718; [email protected]. For assistance 
with using www.grants.gov, contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2008, the NCNR Grants Program 
made three awards in the amount of $296,840. In fiscal year 2009, the 
Program anticipates funding of approximately $300,000, including new 
awards and continuing projects. Individual awards are expected to range 
from approximately $25,000 to $100,000 per year.
    The NCNR Grants Program will consider proposals lasting 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 NCNR 
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 NCNR conducts a basic and applied research program directly and 
through grants and cooperative agreements to eligible recipients.
    Eligibility: The NCNR 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: Proposals submitted to the NCNR 
Grants Program will be reviewed in a two-step process. If a preliminary 
review determines that the proposal is incomplete or non-responsive to 
the scope of the stated objectives, the proposal will not be reviewed 
for technical merit. One copy of any such proposal will be retained for 
record keeping purposes for three years and all remaining copies will 
be destroyed. All applications that are complete and responsive to the 
solicitation will be reviewed for technical merit.
    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 Center Director will make application selections. In 
making application selections, the Center Director will take into 
consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, the 
availability of funds, and the relevance to the objectives or research 
areas of the NCNR Grants Program, described 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 
and the FFO, compliance with applicable legal and regulatory 
requirements, 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: The NCNR Grants Program evaluation criteria 
that the technical reviewers will use in evaluating the proposals are 
as follows:
    1. Rationality. Reviewers will assess the innovation, rationality, 
and coherence of the applicant's approach and the extent to which the 
proposal effectively addresses important scientific and technical 
issues using neutron methods and/or the development of innovative 
devices for neutron research. (0 to 35 points)
    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. (0 to 20 points)
    3. Resources. Reviewers will consider the extent to which the 
proposer has access to the necessary resources, facilities, and overall 
support to accomplish project objectives, and will assess the budget 
against the proposed work to ascertain the reasonableness of the 
request. (0 to 20 points)
    4. Technical Merit of Contribution. Reviewers will consider the 
potential technical effectiveness of the proposal and the value it 
would contribute to neutron research. (0 to 25 points)
    Cost Share Requirements: The NCNR Grants Program does not require 
any matching funds.
    Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements Program:
    Program Description: The Center for Nanoscale Science and 
Technology (CNST) Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program will offer 
financial assistance in the field of nanotechnology specifically aimed 
at developing essential measurement methods, instrumentation, and 
standards to support nanotechnology development, from discovery to 
production, conducting collaborative research with NIST scientists 
including research at the CNST Nanofab, a national facility for 
nanofabrication and measurement, and assisting visiting researchers at 
the CNST. Financial support may be provided for conferences, workshops, 
or other technical research meetings that are relevant to the mission 
of the CNST.
    The primary program objectives of the financial assistance program 
in CNST are to develop new measurement methods, instrumentation, and 
standards for nanotechnology; and explore new areas of nanoscale 
science and technology in a variety of areas. Areas of interest include 
nanofabrication, nanomagnetics, theory and modeling, post complementary 
metal oxide semiconductor electronics, nano electro mechanical systems, 
nanomotion and nanomanipulation, merging length scales, 2-D and 3-D 
structural and chemical imaging, electrical and magnetic dynamical 
response of nanostructures, electrical characterization of 
nanostructures, nanoscale properties of soft matter. Additional 
objectives of this program are to assist and train CNST collaborators 
and nanofabrication facility users in their research; and to conduct 
other outreach and educational

[[Page 7874]]

activities that advance the development of nanotechnology by U.S. 
university and industrial scientists. These objectives will entail 
collaborative research among the selected financial assistance 
recipients and CNST. Specific information regarding program objectives 
can be found in the corresponding Federal Funding Opportunity to this 
announcement.

DATES: Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. 
Applications received after June 1, 2009 may be processed and 
considered for funding under this solicitation in the current fiscal 
year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. 
All applications, paper and electronic, must be received prior to the 
publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2010 solicitation 
for the NIST Measurement, Science and Engineering Research Grants 
Programs in order to be processed under this solicitation.

ADDRESSES: Paper applications must be submitted to: Donna Lauren, 
Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 6200, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland 20899-6200. 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 Donna Lauren, Center for 
Nanoscale Science and Technology, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 6200, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-
6200. Tel (301) 975-3729, E-Mail: [email protected]. Grants 
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed 
to: Christopher Hunton, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, 
(301) 975-5718; [email protected]. For assistance with using 
Grants.gov contact grants.gov">support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2008, the CNST Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements Program made three awards in the amount of 
$252,802. In fiscal year 2009, the CNST Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements Program anticipates funding of approximately $1,800,000, 
including new awards and continuing projects. Individual awards are 
expected to range from approximately $40,000 to $150,000 per year.
    For the Center for Nanoscale and Science and Technology, 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 Center for Nanoscale Science and 
Technology Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program, and the 
availability of funds.
    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), 
the NCNR conducts a basic and applied research program directly and 
through grants and cooperative agreements to eligible recipients.
    Eligibility: The Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology 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: For the Center for Nanoscale Science 
and Technology (CNST) Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program, 
responsive proposals will be assigned, as received on a rolling basis, 
to the most appropriate area for review. Proposals will be reviewed on 
a rolling basis in a two-step process. First, the CNST Deputy Director 
will determine the applicability of the proposal with regard to CNST 
programs and the relevance of the proposal's objectives to current CNST 
research. 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. One copy of any such proposal will be 
retained for record keeping purposes for three years and all remaining 
copies will be destroyed. CNST will notify proposers in writing if 
their proposals are not reviewed for technical merit. Second, if the 
proposal passes the first step, at least three independent, objective 
individuals knowledgeable about the particular scientific area 
addressed by the proposal will conduct a technical review based on the 
evaluation criteria. If non-Federal reviewers are used, the reviewers 
may discuss the proposal with each other, but scores will be determined 
on an individual basis, not as a consensus.
    The CNST Director will make application selections from the grants 
and cooperative agreement proposals submitted. In making the 
application selections, the Laboratory Director will take into 
consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, the 
availability of funds, and relevance to the objectives or research 
areas of the CNST Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program. These 
objectives are 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 and the FFO, 
compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, 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 Center for Nanoscale Science and 
Technology (CNST) Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program, the 
technical reviewers will use the following evaluation criteria in 
evaluating the proposals:
    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 this 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 nanotechnology.
    Each of these factors will be given equal weight in the evaluation 
process.
    Cost Share Requirements: The Center for Nanoscale Science and 
Technology (CNST) Grants and Cooperative

[[Page 7875]]

Agreements Program does not require any matching funds.
    The following information applies to all programs announced in this 
notice:
    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.
    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 73 FR 7696 (February 11, 2008) apply to this notice. 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 
(Feb. 11, 2008). Questions about these requirements may be directed to 
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.
    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 
IRB reviewing any human subjects protocol proposed to NIST.
    On August 9, 2001, President Bush 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. NIST 
will follow any further policy or guidance issued by the current 
Administration on this topic.
    Research Projects Involving Vertebrate Animals: Any proposal that 
includes research involving vertebrate animals

[[Page 7876]]

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 programs 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, 
``Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing 
Appropriations Act, 2009'' (Pub. L. 110-329). NIST anticipates making 
award for the programs listed in this notice provided that funding for 
the programs are continued beyond March 6, 2009, the expiration of the 
current continuing resolution. In no event will 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 the agency to award any specific project or to obligate any 
available funds.
    Additional Consideration of Applications: NIST programs are often 
cross-cutting and multi-disciplinary. If a NIST program official 
believes an application that is not selected for funding may be of 
interest to another NIST program(s), the official may forward the 
application to any other NIST program(s) that the program official 
believes may have an interest in the project, for potential 
consideration under the other NIST program(s) procedures. If, upon 
initial screening, the other NIST program(s) finds the application may 
be of programmatic interest, the application will proceed through the 
review and selection procedures described in this Notice for the 
program(s). If not, the application will be returned to the original 
program for final processing. Any applicant that does not wish for its 
application to be considered by other NIST programs should indicate on 
its application that it would like consideration of the project to be 
limited to the program to which it originally submitted the 
application. Applicants will be notified if their applications have 
been forwarded to another NIST program(s) for potential consideration.
    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: February 17, 2009.
Richard Kayser,
Chief Scientist, NIST.
[FR Doc. E9-3665 Filed 2-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P