Measurement, Science and Engineering Grants Programs; Availability of Funds, 3783-3794 [E7-1285]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 17 (Friday, January 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3783-3794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1285]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Docket No.: 061222340-6340-01]


Measurement, Science and Engineering Grants Programs; 
Availability of Funds

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
announces that the following programs are soliciting applications for 
financial assistance for FY 2007: (1) The Electronics and Electrical 
Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (2) the Manufacturing 
Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (3) the Chemical Science and 
Technology Laboratory Grants Program; (4) the Physics Laboratory Grants 
Program; (5) the Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory Grants 
Program; (6) the Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements 
Program; (7) the Fire Research Grants Program; (8) the Information 
Technology Laboratory Grants Program; and (9) the NIST Center for 
Neutron Research 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 https://www.grants.gov, for clarification of the program 
objectives and to determine whether their proposal is responsive to 
this notice.

[[Page 3784]]


DATES: See below.

ADDRESSES: See below.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory (EEEL) Grants Program

    Program Description: The Electronics and Electrical Engineering 
Laboratory (EEEL) Grants Program will provide grants and cooperative 
agreements for the development of fundamental electrical metrology and 
of metrology supporting industry and government agencies in the broad 
areas of 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.
    Dates: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Daylight Savings Time on June 15, 2007.
    Addresses: Paper applications must be submitted to: Sheilda Bryner, 
Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory, National Institute 
of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8100, Gaithersburg, 
MD 20899-8100. Electronic applications and associated proposal 
information should be uploaded to grants.gov.
    For Further Information Contact: For complete information about 
this program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, 
read the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at https://
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: Marilyn Goldstein, NIST Grants and Agreements Management 
Division, (301) 975-6359; marilyn.goldstein@nist.gov. For assistance 
with using Grants.gov contact support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2006, the EEEL Grants Program 
made 12 new awards, totaling $657,871. The amount available each year 
fluctuates considerably based on programmatic needs and funding 
availability. Individual awards are expected to range between $5,000 
and $150,000.
    For the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Grants 
Program, proposals will be considered for research projects from one to 
three years. When a proposal for a multi-year award is approved, 
funding will generally be provided for only the first year of the 
program. If an application is selected for funding, NIST has no 
obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that 
award. Continuation of an award to increase funding or extend the 
period of performance is at the total discretion of NIST. Funding for 
each subsequent year of a multi-year proposal will be contingent upon 
satisfactory progress, continued relevance to the mission of the 
Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Grants Program, and 
the availability of funds. The multi-year awards must have scopes of 
work that can be easily separated into annual increments of meaningful 
work that represent solid accomplishments if prospective funding is not 
made available to the applicant, (i.e., the scopes of work for each 
funding period must produce identifiable and meaningful results in and 
of themselves).
    Statutory Authority: As authorized by 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), the 
NIST Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory conducts a basic 
and applied research program directly and through grants and 
cooperative agreements to eligible recipients.
    Eligibility: The Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory 
Grants Program is open to institutions of higher education; hospitals; 
non-profit organizations; commercial organizations; state, local, and 
Indian tribal governments; foreign governments; organizations under the 
jurisdiction of foreign governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the Electronics and Electrical 
Engineering Laboratory Grants Program, proposals will be reviewed in a 
three-step process. First, the EEEL Grants Coordinator, or the Deputy 
Director of EEEL, will determine the compatibility of the applicant's 
proposal with EEEL Program Areas and the relevance to the objectives of 
the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Grants Program, 
described in the Program Description section above. If it is determined 
that the proposal is incomplete or non-responsive to the scope of the 
stated objectives, the proposal will not be reviewed for technical 
merit. If it is determined that all funds available for the EEEL Grants 
Program for the given fiscal year have been exhausted, the proposal 
will not be reviewed for technical merit. Proposers may contact EEEL at 
(301) 975-2220 to find out if funds have been exhausted for the fiscal 
year. EEEL will also post a notice on its Web site, https://
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 described above. If 
non-Federal reviewers are used, the reviewers may discuss the proposals 
with each other, but scores will be determined on an individual basis, 
not as a consensus.
    Reviews will be conducted on a 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, 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 
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

[[Page 3785]]

keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the Electronics and Electrical Engineering 
Laboratory Grants Program, the evaluation criteria and weights to be 
used by the technical reviewers in evaluating the proposals are as 
follows:

Proposal addresses specific program objectives as described in this 
notice (25%.)
Proposal provides evidence of applicant's expertise in relevant 
technical area (20%).
Proposal offers innovative approach (20%).
Proposal provides realistic schedule with defined milestones (20%).
Proposal provides adequate rationale for budget (15%).

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

Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory (MEL) Grants Program

    Program Description: The Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory (MEL) 
Grants Program will provide grants and cooperative agreements in the 
following fields of research: Dimensional Metrology for Manufacturing, 
Mechanical Metrology for Manufacturing, Machine Tool and Machining 
Process Metrology, Intelligent Systems, and Information Systems 
Integration for Applications in Manufacturing.
    Dates: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Daylight Savings Time on September 30, 2007. 
Proposals received between June 1, 2007 and September 30, 2007 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.
    Addresses: Paper applications must be submitted to: Mrs. Mary Lou 
Norris, Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8200, Building 220, 
Room B322, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8200. Electronic applications 
and associated proposal information should be uploaded to grants.gov.
    For Further Information Contact: For complete information about 
this program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, 
read the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at https://
www.grants.gov. A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling 
(301) 975-6328. Program questions should be addressed to Mrs. Mary Lou 
Norris, Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8200, Building 220, 
Room B322, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8200, Tel: (301) 975-3400, E-
mail: mnorris@nist.gov. Grants administration questions concerning this 
program should be addressed to: Marilyn Goldstein, NIST Grants and 
Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-6359; 
marilyn.goldstein@nist.gov. For assistance with using Grants.gov 
contact support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2006, the MEL Grants Program 
funded 14 new awards, totaling $1,180,222. In fiscal year 2007 the MEL 
Grants Program anticipates funding of approximately $500,000, including 
new awards and continuing projects. Individual awards are expected to 
range from approximately $25,000 to $300,000.
    For the MEL Grants Program, proposals will be considered for 
research projects from one to five years. When a proposal for a multi-
year award is approved, funding will generally be provided for only the 
first year of the program. If an application is selected for funding, 
NIST has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection 
with that award. Continuation of an award to increase funding or extend 
the period of performance is at the total discretion of NIST. Funding 
for each subsequent year of a multi-year proposal will be contingent 
upon satisfactory progress, continued relevance to the mission of the 
MEL program, and the availability of funds. The multi-year awards must 
have scopes of work that can be easily separated into annual increments 
of meaningful work that represent solid accomplishments if prospective 
funding is not made available to the applicant, (i.e., the scopes of 
work for each funding period must produce identifiable and meaningful 
results in and of themselves).
    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), 
the MEL conducts a basic and applied research program directly and 
through grants and cooperative agreements to eligible recipients.
    Eligibility: The MEL Grants Program is open to institutions of 
higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial 
organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; foreign 
governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the MEL Grants Program responsive 
proposals will be assigned, as received on a rolling basis, to the most 
appropriate area for review. Proposals will be reviewed 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. Second, the appropriate MEL 
Division Chief or the 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 grants 
proposals in the technical area of the proposal, the proposal will not 
be 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 in 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 
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 of the MEL 
Grants Program. These objectives are described above 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, 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 
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.

[[Page 3786]]

    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 Process Measurements, Surface and 
Microanalysis Science, Physical and Chemical Properties, and Analytical 
Chemistry.
    Dates: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Daylight Savings Time on September 30, 2007. 
Proposals received between July 1, 2007 and September 30, 2007 may be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation in the 
next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.
    Addresses: Paper applications must be submitted to: Dr. William F. 
Koch, Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8300, Gaithersburg, MD 
20899-8300. Electronic applications and associated proposal information 
should be uploaded to grants.gov.
    For Further Information Contact: For complete information about 
this program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, 
read the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at https://
www.grants.gov. A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling 
(301) 975-6328.
    Program questions should be addressed to Dr. William F. Koch, 
Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8300, Gaithersburg, MD 
20899-8300, Tel (301) 975-8301, E-mail: william.koch@nist.gov. Grants 
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed 
to: Marilyn Goldstein, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, 
(301) 975-6359; marilyn.goldstein@nist.gov. For assistance with using 
Grants.gov contact support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: No funds have been set aside specifically for 
support of the CSTL Grants Program. The availability of funds depends 
upon actual authorization of funds and other costs expected to be 
incurred by individual divisions within the laboratory. Where funds are 
identified as available for grants, those funds will be awarded to 
highly ranked proposals as determined by the process described in this 
notice.
    In fiscal year 2006, the CSTL Grants Program funded 7 new awards, 
totaling $766,486. In fiscal year 2007, the CSTL Grants Program 
anticipates funding of approximately $2,000,000. Individual awards are 
expected to range from approximately $5,000 to $100,000.
    For the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grant Program, 
proposals will be considered for research projects from one to three 
years. When a proposal for a multi-year award is approved, funding will 
generally be provided for only the first year of the program. If an 
application is selected for funding, NIST has no obligation to provide 
any additional funding in connection with that award. Continuation of 
an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at 
the total discretion of NIST. Funding for each subsequent year of a 
multi-year proposal will be contingent upon satisfactory progress, 
continued relevance to the mission of the Chemical Science and 
Technology Laboratory program, and the availability of funds. The 
multi-year awards must have scopes of work that can be easily separated 
into annual increments of meaningful work that represent solid 
accomplishments if prospective funding is not made available to the 
applicant, (i.e., the scopes of work for each funding period must 
produce identifiable and meaningful results in and of themselves).
    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), 
the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory conducts a basic and 
applied research program directly and through grants and cooperative 
agreements to eligible recipients.
    Eligibility: The Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grants 
Program is open to institutions of higher education; hospitals; non-
profit organizations; commercial organizations; state, local, and 
Indian tribal governments; foreign governments; organizations under the 
jurisdiction of foreign governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the Chemical Science and 
Technology Laboratory Grants Program, proposals will be reviewed in a 
three-step process. First, the Deputy Director of CSTL, or appropriate 
CSTL Division Chief, will determine the compatibility of the 
applicant's proposal with CSTL Program Areas and the relevance to the 
objectives of the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grants 
Program, described in the Program Description section of the FFO. If it 
is determined that the proposal is incomplete or non-responsive to the 
scope of the stated objectives, the proposal will not be reviewed for 
technical merit.
    Second, at least three independent, objective individuals 
knowledgeable about the particular measurement science area addressed 
by the proposal will conduct a technical review based on the evaluation 
criteria described below. Reviews will be conducted on a quarterly 
basis, subject to the availability of funds, and all responsive, 
complete proposals received and reviewed since the last quarter will be 
ranked based on the reviewers' scores. If non-Federal reviewers are 
used, the reviewers may discuss the proposals with each other, but 
scores will be determined on an individual basis, not as a consensus.
    Third, the Division Chief will make application selections, taking 
into consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, the 
availability of funds, and the relevance of the proposal to the program 
objectives described in the Program Description section 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, whether the 
application

[[Page 3787]]

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.
    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.
    Dates: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Daylight Savings Time on September 30, 2007. 
Proposals received between July 1, 2007 and September 30, 2007 may be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation in the 
next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.
    Addresses: Paper applications must be submitted to: Ms. Anita 
Sweigert, Physics Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8400, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8400. 
Electronic applications and associated proposal information should be 
uploaded to grants.gov.
    For Further Information Contact: For complete information about 
this program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, 
read the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at https://
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: anita.sweigert@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: Marilyn 
Goldstein, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-
6359; marilyn.goldstein@nist.gov. For assistance with using Grants.gov 
contact support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2006, the PL Grants Program 
funded 13 new awards, totaling $2,532,314.16. In fiscal year 2007, 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.
    For the Physics Laboratory Grants Program, proposals will be 
considered for research projects from one to five years. When a 
proposal for a multi-year project is approved, funding will generally 
be provided for only the first year of the program. If an application 
is selected for funding, NIST has no obligation to provide any 
additional funding in connection with that award. Continuation of an 
award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the 
total discretion of NIST. Funding for each subsequent year of a multi-
year proposal will be contingent upon satisfactory progress, continued 
relevance to the mission of the Physics Laboratory program, and the 
availability of funds. The multi-year awards must have scopes of work 
that can be easily separated into annual increments of meaningful work 
that represent solid accomplishments if prospective funding is not made 
available to the applicant (i.e., the scopes of work for each funding 
period must produce identifiable and meaningful results in and of 
themselves).
    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272 (b) and (c), 
the Physics Laboratory conducts a basic and applied research program 
directly and through grants and cooperative agreements to eligible 
recipients.
    Eligibility: The Physics Laboratory Grants Program is open to 
institutions of higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; 
commercial organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; 
foreign governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the Physics Laboratory Grants 
Program, responsive proposals will be considered as follows: First, at 
least three independent, objective individuals knowledgeable about the 
particular scientific area described in the proposal will conduct a 
technical review of each proposal based on the evaluation criteria 
described below. Reviews will be conducted on a monthly basis within 
each division of the Physics Laboratory, and all proposals received 
during the month will be ranked based on the reviewers' scores. If non-
Federal reviewers are used, reviewers may discuss the proposals with 
each other, but scores will be determined on an individual basis, not 
as a consensus.
    Next, the Division Chief will make final application selections, 
taking into consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, 
including rank; the compilation of a slate that, when taken as a whole, 
is likely to best further the program interests described in the 
Program Description section in the FFO; 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, 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

[[Page 3788]]

application for three years for record keeping purposes. The remaining 
copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the Physics Laboratory Grants Program, the 
evaluation criteria the technical reviewers will use in evaluating the 
proposals are as follows:
    1. Rationality. Reviewers will consider the coherence of the 
applicant's approach and the extent to which the proposal effectively 
addresses scientific and technical issues.
    2. Qualifications of Technical Personnel. Reviewers will consider 
the professional accomplishments, skills, and training of the proposed 
personnel to perform the work in the project.
    3. Resources Availability. Reviewers will consider the extent to 
which the proposer has access to the necessary facilities and overall 
support to accomplish project objectives.
    4. Technical Merit of Contribution. Reviewers will consider the 
potential technical effectiveness of the proposal and the value it 
would contribute to the field of physics.
    Each of these factors will be given equal weight in the evaluation 
process.
    Cost Share Requirements: The Physics Laboratory Grants Program does 
not require any matching funds.

MSEL Grants Program

    Program Description: The Materials Science and Engineering 
Laboratory (MSEL) Grants Program will provide grants and cooperative 
agreements in the following fields of research: Ceramics; Metallurgy; 
Polymers; and Materials Reliability.
    Dates: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received 
prior to the publication date in the Federal Register of the FY 2008 
solicitation for the MSEL Grants Program in order to be processed under 
this solicitation. Applications received after June 1, 2007 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.
    Addresses: Paper applications must be submitted to: Ms. Michele A. 
Cooley, Senior Management Advisor, Materials Science and Engineering 
Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau 
Drive, Stop 8500, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8500. Electronic 
applications and associated proposal information should be uploaded to 
grants.gov.
    For Further Information Contact: For complete information about 
this program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, 
read the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at https://
www.grants.gov. A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling 
(301) 975-6328. Program questions should be addressed to Ms. Michele 
Cooley, Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory, National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8500, 
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8500, Tel: (301) 975-5653, E-mail: 
michele.cooley@nist.gov. Grants administration questions concerning 
this program should be addressed to: Marilyn Goldstein, NIST Grants and 
Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-6359; 
marilyn.goldstein@nist.gov. For assistance with using Grants.gov 
contact support@nist.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2006, the MSEL Grants Program 
funded 25 new awards, totaling $1,856,948.37. In fiscal year 2007, the 
MSEL Grants Program anticipates funding of approximately $4,500,000, 
including new awards and continuing projects. Most grants and 
cooperative agreements are expected to be in the $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 program, and the availability of funds. The multi-year awards must 
have scopes of work that can be easily separated into annual increments 
of meaningful work that represent solid accomplishments if prospective 
funding is not made available to the applicant, (i.e., the scopes of 
work for each funding period must produce identifiable and meaningful 
results in and of themselves).
    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), 
the MSEL conducts a basic and applied research program directly and 
through grants and cooperative agreements to eligible recipients.
    Eligibility: The MSEL Grants Program is open to institutions of 
higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial 
organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; foreign 
governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the MSEL Grants Program proposals 
will be reviewed in a two-step process. First, at least three 
independent, objective individuals knowledgeable in the particular 
scientific area addressed by the proposal will conduct a technical 
review. Proposals are received on a rolling basis and will be reviewed 
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, alignment with 
MSEL programmatic priorities, and relevance to the objectives of the 
MSEL Grants Program, described in the Program Description section of 
the FFO. For conferences, workshops, or other technical research 
meetings, the Division Chief or Laboratory Deputy Director will also 
take into consideration whether they directly support 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: (1) Compliance with application requirements as 
published in this notice; (2) compliance with applicable legal and 
regulatory requirements; (3) whether the application furthers the 
objectives of the Department of Commerce; (4) and whether the 
recommended applicants appear to be responsible. Applicants may be 
asked to modify objectives, work plans, or budgets and provide 
supplemental information required by the agency prior to award. The 
decision of the Grants Officer is final.
    Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing. The Program 
will retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years 
for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Evaluation Criteria: For the MSEL Grants Program, the evaluation 
criteria the technical reviewers will use in evaluating the proposals 
are as follows:
    1. Rationality. Reviewers will consider the coherence of the 
applicant's approach and the extent to which the proposal effectively 
addresses scientific and technical issues.
    2. Qualifications of Technical Personnel. Reviewers will consider 
the professional accomplishments, skills,

[[Page 3789]]

and training of the proposed personnel to perform the work in the 
project.
    3. Resources Availability. Reviewers will consider the extent to 
which the proposer has access to the necessary facilities and overall 
support to accomplish project objectives.
    4. Technical Merit of Contribution. Reviewers will consider the 
potential technical effectiveness of the proposal and the value it 
would contribute to the field of materials science and engineering and 
neutron research. 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, 
and Indoor Air Quality and Ventilation.
    Dates: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Daylight Savings Time on September 30, 2007. 
Proposals received between July 1, 2007 and September 30, 2007 may be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation in the 
next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.
    Addresses: Paper applications must be submitted to: Karen Perry, 
Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8602, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-
8602. Electronic applications and associated proposal information 
should be uploaded to grants.gov.
    For Further Information Contact: For complete information about 
this program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, 
read the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at https://
www.grants.gov. A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling 
(301) 975-6328. Program questions should be addressed to Karen Perry, 
Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards 
and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8602, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-
8602, Tel.: (301) 975-5910, Fax: (301) 975-4032, https://
www.bfrl.nist.gov. Grants administration questions concerning this 
program should be addressed to: Marilyn Goldstein, NIST Grants and 
Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-6359; 
marilyn.goldstein@nist.gov. For assistance with using grants.gov 
contact support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2006, the Building Research 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program funded 11 new awards, 
totaling $859,014. 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 $150,000.
    For the Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements 
Program, proposals will be considered for research projects from one to 
three years. When a proposal for a multi-year award is approved, 
funding will generally be provided for only the first year of the 
program. If an application is selected for funding, NIST has no 
obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that 
award. Continuation of an award to increase funding or extend the 
period of performance is at the total discretion of NIST. Funding for 
each subsequent year of a multi-year proposal will be contingent upon 
satisfactory progress, continued relevance to the mission of the 
Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program, and the 
availability of funds. The multi-year awards must have scopes of work 
that can be easily separated into annual increments of meaningful work 
that represent solid accomplishments if prospective funding is not made 
available to the applicant, (i.e., the scopes of work for each funding 
period must produce identifiable and meaningful results in and of 
themselves).
    Statutory Authority: As authorized by 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), the 
NIST Building and Fire Research Laboratory conducts a basic and applied 
research program directly and through grants and cooperative agreements 
to eligible recipients.
    Eligibility: The Building Research Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements Program is open to institutions of higher education; 
hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial organizations; state, 
local, and Indian tribal governments; foreign governments; 
organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign governments; and 
international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: All applications received in response 
to this announcement will be reviewed to determine whether or not they 
are complete and responsive. Incomplete or non-responsive applications 
will not be reviewed for technical merit. The Program will retain one 
copy of each non-responsive application for three years for 
recordkeeping purposes. The remaining copies will be destroyed.
    Responsive proposals will be forwarded to the appropriate Division 
Chief, who will assign them to appropriate reviewers. At least three 
independent, objective individuals knowledgeable about the particular 
scientific area addressed by the proposal will conduct a technical 
review of each proposal based on the evaluation criteria described 
below. When non-Federal reviewers are used, reviewers may discuss the 
proposals with each other, but scores will be determined on an 
individual basis, not as a consensus. Reviews will be conducted no less 
than once per quarter, and all proposals since the last review session 
will be ranked based on the reviewers' scores.
    Next, the Division Chief, Laboratory Deputy Director, or Laboratory 
Director will make application selections. In making application 
selections, the Division Chief, Laboratory Deputy Director, or 
Laboratory Director will take into consideration the results of the 
evaluations, the scores of the reviewers, the availability of funds, 
and relevance to the objectives of the Building Research Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements Program, as described in the Program Description 
section 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, 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 
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

[[Page 3790]]

retain one copy of each unsuccessful application for three years for 
record keeping 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 our 
in-house programs and the building industry. (0-25 points)
    3. Staff and institution capability to do the work. Reviewers will 
evaluate the quality of the facilities and experience of the staff to 
assess the likelihood of achieving the objective of the proposal. (0-20 
points)
    4. Match of budget to proposed work. Reviewers will assess the 
budget against the proposed work to ascertain the reasonableness of the 
request. (0-20 points)
    Cost Share Requirements: The Building Research Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements Program does not require any matching funds.

Fire Research Grants Program

    Program Description: The Fire Research Grants Program will provide 
funding for innovative ideas in the fire research area generated by the 
proposal writer, who chooses the topic and approach.
    Dates: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Daylight Savings Time on September 30, 2007. 
Proposals received between May 1, 2007 and September 30, 2007 will be 
processed and considered for funding under this solicitation, but if 
selected, proposals may be funded in the next fiscal year, subject to 
the availability of funds.
    Addresses: Paper applications must be submitted to: Ms. Wanda 
Duffin-Ricks, Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL), National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8660, 
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8660. Electronic applications and 
associated proposal information should be uploaded to grants.gov.
    For Further Information Contact: For complete information about 
this program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, 
read the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at https://
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: 
wanda.duffin@nist.gov, Web site: https://www.bfrl.nist.gov. Grants 
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed 
to: Marilyn Goldstein, NIST Grants and Agreements Management Division, 
(301) 975-6359; marilyn.goldstein@nist.gov. For assistance with using 
Grants.gov contact 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 2006, the Fire Research Grants 
Program funded 6 new awards, totaling $464,571.84.
    For the Fire Research Grants Program, proposals will be considered 
for research projects from one to three years. When a proposal for a 
multi-year project is approved, funding will normally be provided for 
only the first year of the program. If an application is selected for 
funding, DoC has no obligation to provide any additional future funding 
in connection with that award. Funding for each subsequent year of a 
multi-year proposal will be contingent on satisfactory progress, 
continuing relevance to the mission of the NIST Fire Research Program, 
and the availability of funds.
    Statutory Authority: As authorized by 15 U.S.C. 278f, the NIST 
Building and Fire Research Laboratory conducts directly and through 
grants and cooperative agreements, a basic and applied fire research 
program.
    Eligibility: The Fire Research Grants Program is open to 
institutions of higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; 
commercial organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; 
foreign governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: Prospective proposers are encouraged 
to contact the group leaders listed in the FFO announcement to 
determine the responsiveness of the proposal and compliance with 
program objectives prior to preparation of a detailed proposal. 
Responsive proposals will be assigned, as received on a rolling basis, 
to the most appropriate group. Proposals are evaluated for technical 
merit based on the evaluation criteria described above by at least 
three reviewers chosen from NIST professionals, technical experts from 
other interested government agencies, and experts from the fire 
research community at large. When non-Federal reviewers are used, 
reviewers may discuss the proposals with each other, but scores will be 
determined on an individual basis, not as a consensus. The group 
leaders will make funding recommendations to the Division Chief based 
on the technical evaluation score and the relationship of the work 
proposed to the objectives of the program.
    In making application selections, the Division Chief will take into 
consideration the results of the evaluations, the scores of the 
reviewers, the group leader's recommendation, the availability of 
funds, and relevance to the objectives of the Fire Research Grants 
Program, as described in the Program Description section 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, 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 
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)

[[Page 3791]]

    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, computational 
nanotechnology, mathematical knowledge management, visual data 
analysis, verification and validation of computer models, software 
testing, human-robot interaction, 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 IPv6, and device mobility among heterogeneous networks. For 
details on these various activities, please see the Information 
Technology Laboratory Web site at https://www.itl.nist.gov. 
Additionally, the ITL Grant Program will provide grants and cooperative 
agreements in support of conferences, workshops, and other technical 
research groups that focus on trends and future focus areas of 
information technology.
    Dates: All applications, paper and electronic, must be received no 
later than 5 p.m. Daylight Savings Time on June 29, 2007.
    Addresses: Paper applications must be submitted to: Kirk Dohne, 
Information Technology Laboratory (ITL), National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8900, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland 20899-8900. Electronic applications and associated proposal 
information should be uploaded to grants.gov.
    For Further Information Contact: For complete information about 
this program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, 
read the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at https://
www.grants.gov. A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling 
(301) 975-6328. Program questions should be addressed to Kirk Dohne, 
Information Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8900, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-
8200, Tel: (301) 975-8480, E-mail: kirk.dohne@nist.gov; Fax: (301) 975-
2378, Web site: https://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: Marilyn Goldstein, NIST 
Grants and Agreements Management Division, (301) 975-6359; 
marilyn.goldstein@nist.gov. For assistance with using Grants.gov 
contact support@grants.gov.
    Funding Availability: In fiscal year 2006, the Information 
Technology Laboratory funded 4 new awards, totaling $266,366. The 
availability of funds depends upon actual authorization of funds and 
other costs expected to be incurred by the individual divisions. The 
amount available each year fluctuates considerably based on 
programmatic needs. Individual awards are expected to range between 
$10,000 and $150,000.
    For the Information Technology Laboratory Grants Program, proposals 
will be considered for research projects from one to three years. When 
a proposal for a multi-year award is approved, funding will generally 
be provided for only the first year of the program. If an application 
is selected for funding, NIST has no obligation to provide any 
additional funding in connection with that award. Continuation of an 
award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the 
total discretion of NIST. Funding for each subsequent year of a multi-
year proposal will be contingent upon satisfactory progress, continued 
relevance to the mission of the Information Technology Laboratory 
Grants Program, and the availability of funds. The multi-year awards 
must have scopes of work that can be easily separated into annual 
increments of meaningful work that represent solid accomplishments if 
prospective funding is not made available to the applicant, (i.e., the 
scopes of work for each funding period must produce identifiable and 
meaningful results in and of themselves).
    Statutory Authority: As authorized under 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), 
the ITL conducts a basic and applied research program directly and 
through grants and cooperative agreements to eligible recipients.
    Eligibility: The ITL Grants Program is open to institutions of 
higher education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial 
organizations; state, local, and Indian tribal governments; foreign 
governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments; and international organizations.
    Review and Selection Process: For the Information Technology 
Laboratory (ITL) Grants Program, proposals will be reviewed in a three-
step process. First, the Deputy Director of ITL, or appropriate 
designee, will determine the compatibility of the applicant's proposal 
with ITL Program Areas and the relevance to the objectives of the ITL 
Grants Program, described in the Program Description section of the 
FFO. If it is determined that the proposal is incomplete or non-
responsive to the scope of the stated objectives, the proposal will not 
be reviewed for technical merit. If a proposal is determined to be 
incomplete or non-responsive, or if it is determined that all available 
funds have been exhausted, the proposal will not be reviewed for 
technical merit. Proposers may contact ITL at (301) 975-8480 to find 
out if funds have been exhausted for the fiscal year. ITL will also 
post a notice on its Web site, https://www.itl.nist.gov, when funds are 
exhausted for the fiscal year. ITL will notify proposers in writing if 
their proposals are not reviewed for technical merit.
    Second, at least three independent, objective individuals 
knowledgeable about the particular measurement science area described 
in the section above that the proposal addresses will conduct a 
technical review of each proposal, based on the evaluation criteria 
described below. Reviews will be conducted on a quarterly basis, and 
all responsive, complete proposals received and reviewed since the last 
quarter will be ranked based on the reviewers' scores. If non-Federal 
reviewers are used, the reviewers may discuss the proposals with each 
other, but scores will be determined on an individual basis, not as a 
consensus.
    Third, the Division Chief, in accord with the Director of ITL, will 
make application selections, taking into consideration the results of 
the reviewers' evaluations, the availability of funds, and the 
relevance of the proposal to the program objectives described in the 
Program Description section 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

[[Page 3792]]

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 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 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.
    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