Precision Measurement Grants Program; Availability of Funds, 79814-79817 [E8-30994]
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79814
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices
evidence on the record indicates that
terms of sale may change up to the
issuance of the invoice. See Analysis
Memorandum, dated concurrently with
this notice.
C. Constructed Value
In accordance with section 773(e) of
the Act, we calculated CV based on the
sum of SSI’s material and fabrication
costs, SG&A expenses, profit, and U.S.
packing costs. We calculated the COP
component of CV as described above in
the ‘‘Cost of Production Analysis’’
section of this notice. In accordance
with section 773(e)(2)(A) of the Act, we
based SG&A expenses and profit on the
amounts incurred and realized by the
respondent in connection with the
production and sale of the foreign like
product in the ordinary course of trade,
for consumption in the foreign country.
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a reasonable period of time, in
accordance with section 773(b)(2)(D) of
the Act.
Our cost test for SSI revealed that, for
home market sales of certain models,
less than 20 percent of the sales of those
models were at prices below the COP.
We therefore retained all such sales in
our analysis and used them as the basis
for determining NV. Our cost test also
indicated that for home market sales of
other models, more than 20 percent
were sold at prices below the COP
within an extended period of time and
were at prices which would not permit
the recovery of all costs within a
reasonable period of time. Thus, in
accordance with section 773(b)(1) of the
Act, we excluded these below-cost sales
from our analysis and used the
remaining above-cost sales as the basis
for determining NV.
Preliminary Results of Review
As a result of our review, we
preliminarily determine the following
weighted-average dumping margin
exists for the period July 1, 2006,
through June 30, 2007:
D. Price-to-Price Comparisons
We calculated NV based on prices to
unaffiliated customers, as well as
affiliated customers whose sales passed
the arm’s-length test, in Thailand. We
used SSI’s adjustments and deductions
as reported. We made deductions,
where appropriate, for foreign inland
freight pursuant to section 773(a)(6)(B)
of the Act. In addition, for comparisons
involving similar merchandise, we
made adjustments for differences in cost
attributable to differences in physical
characteristics of the merchandise
compared pursuant to section
773(a)(6)(C)(ii) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.411. We also made adjustments for
differences in circumstances of sale
(‘‘COS’’) in accordance with section
773(a)(6)(C)(iii) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.410. We made COS adjustments for
imputed credit expenses. Finally, we
deducted home market packing costs
and added U.S. packing costs in
accordance with sections 773(a)(6)(A)
and (B) of the Act.
We have preliminarily determined to
use the date of invoice as the date of sale
for all sales in the home market, as
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E. Price-to-CV Comparisons
If we were unable to find a home
market match of such or similar
merchandise, in accordance with
section 773(a)(4) of the Act, we based
NV on CV. Where appropriate, we made
adjustments to CV in accordance with
section 773(a)(8) of the Act.
Currency Conversion
We made currency conversions into
U.S. dollars based on the exchange rates
in effect on the dates of the U.S. sales,
as certified by the Federal Reserve Bank,
in accordance with section 773A(a) of
the Act.
Manufacturer/Exporter
Sahaviriya Steel Industries Public Company Limited ...............
Margin
(Percent)
9.05
The Department will disclose to
parties the calculations performed in
connection with these preliminary
results within ten days of the date of
publication of this notice. Interested
parties may request a hearing within 30
days of the publication. Any hearing, if
requested, will be held 39 days after the
publication of this notice or the first
workday thereafter. Interested parties
may submit case briefs the later of 30
days after the date of publication of this
notice or seven days after the issuance
of the final verification report,
whichever date is later. Rebuttal briefs,
limited to issues raised in the case
briefs, may be filed not later than seven
days after the date on which the case
briefs were due.
Reinstatement and Suspension of
Liquidation
Since we have preliminarily
established that hot-rolled steel from
Thailand manufactured and exported by
SSI is being sold at less than NV, SSI is
hereby preliminarily reinstated in the
antidumping duty order. We will
instruct CBP to suspend liquidation of
all entries of subject merchandise
manufactured and exported by SSI
entered, or withdrawn from warehouse,
for consumption on or after the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
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Register. Furthermore, a cash-deposit
requirement of 6.42 percent will be in
effect for all shipments of the subject
merchandise manufactured and
exported by SSI entered, or withdrawn
from warehouse, for consumption on or
after the publication date of this notice.
This requirement shall remain in effect
until further notice.
The Department intends to complete
this review by April 22, 2009. See
Extension Notice. In accordance with 19
CFR 351.221(c)(3)(i), the final results of
the changed circumstance review will
set forth the factual and legal
conclusions upon which our results are
based, a description of any action
proposed based on those results, and
our analysis of any comments received.
This notice is published in
accordance with sections 751(b) and
771(i) of the Act.
Dated: December 19, 2008.
David M. Spooner,
Assistant Secretary for Import
Administration.
[FR Doc. E8–30993 Filed 12–29–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
[Docket Number 0812021543–81546–01]
Precision Measurement Grants
Program; Availability of Funds
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST)
announces that the Precision
Measurement Grants Program is
soliciting applications for financial
assistance for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. The
Precision Measurement Grants Program
is seeking proposals for significant
research in the field of fundamental
measurement or the determination of
fundamental constants.
DATES: Abbreviated proposals must be
received at the address listed below no
later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
on February 6, 2009. Proposals received
after this deadline will be returned with
no further consideration. Finalists will
be selected by approximately March 27,
2009, and will be requested to submit
full proposals to NIST. All full
proposals, paper and electronic, must be
received no later than 5 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time on May 8, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Abbreviated proposals and
paper final applications must be
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices
submitted to: Dr. Peter J. Mohr;
Manager, NIST Precision Measurement
Grants Program; National Institute of
Standards and Technology; 100 Bureau
Drive, Stop 8420; Gaithersburg, MD
20899–8420; E-mail: mohr@nist.gov.
Web site: https://physics.nist.gov/pmg.
Electronic final proposals may be sent
by e-mail to mohr@nist.gov or uploaded
to https://www.Grants.gov.
A completed SF–424 (R&R) form is
required to be submitted with the
abbreviated proposal. Abbreviated
proposals may not be submitted through
the Grants.gov Web site. However,
abbreviated proposals may be submitted
on paper by mail or delivery service or
as an electronic file (SF–424 must be
scanned signed form) by e-mail to
mohr@nist.gov. The SF–424 (R&R) form
can be found at https://www.grants.gov/
agencies/
aapproved_standard_forms.jsp#1.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
complete information about this
program and instructions for applying
by paper or electronically, read the
Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO)
Notice at https://www.grants.gov. A
paper copy of the FFO may be obtained
by calling (301) 975–6328. Technical
questions should be addressed to: Dr.
Peter J. Mohr at the address listed in the
ADDRESSES section above, or at Tel:
(301) 975–3217; E-mail: mohr@nist.gov;
Web site: https://physics.nist.gov/pmg.
Grants Administration questions should
be addressed to: Grants and Agreements
Management Division; National Institute
of Standards and Technology; 100
Bureau Drive, Stop 1650; Gaithersburg,
MD 20899–1650; Tel: (301) 975–6328.
For assistance with using Grants.gov
contact support@grants.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: The authority for the
Precision Measurement Grants Program
is as follows: As authorized by 15 U.S.C.
272(b) and (c), NIST conducts directly,
and supports through grants, a basic and
applied research program in the general
area of fundamental measurement and
the determination of fundamental
constants of nature.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Name and Number:
Measurement and Engineering Research
and Standards—11.609.
Program Description: The National
Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) announces that the Precision
Measurement Grants Program is
soliciting applications for financial
assistance for FY 2009. The Precision
Measurement Grants Program is seeking
proposals for significant research in the
field of fundamental measurement or
the determination of fundamental
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constants. As part of its research
program, since 1970 NIST has awarded
Precision Measurement Grants primarily
to universities and colleges so that
faculty may conduct significant research
in the field of fundamental
measurement or the determination of
fundamental constants. NIST sponsors
these grants and cooperative agreements
primarily to encourage basic,
measurement-related research in
universities and colleges and other
research laboratories and to foster
contacts between NIST scientists and
those faculty members of academic
institutions and other researchers who
are actively engaged in such work. The
Precision Measurement Grants are also
intended to make it possible for
researchers to pursue new ideas for
which other sources of support may be
difficult to find. There is some latitude
in research topics that will be
considered under the Precision
Measurement Grants Program. The key
requirement is that the proposed project
is consistent with NIST’s ongoing work
in the field of basic measurement
science.
Funding Availability: NIST
anticipates spending $100,000 this year
for two new grants at $50,000 each.
Funding for the program listed in this
notice is contingent upon the
availability of Fiscal Year 2009
appropriations. NIST issues this notice
subject to the appropriations made
available under the current continuing
resolution, H.R. 2638, ‘‘Continuing
Appropriations Resolution, 2009,’’
Public Law 110–329. NIST anticipates
making awards for the program listed in
this notice provided that funding for the
program is continued beyond March 6,
2009, the expiration of the current
continuing resolution.
Award start dates for new grants are
expected to be October 1, 2009.
Applicants should propose multi-year
projects for up to three years at no more
than $50,000 per year. NIST anticipates
spending $100,000 this year for two new
grants at $50,000 each for the first year
of the research projects. NIST may
award both, one, or neither of these new
awards. Second and third year funding
will be at the discretion of NIST, based
on satisfactory performance, continuing
relevance to program objectives, and the
availability of funds.
NIST plans to fund the awards as
grants. If collaboration by NIST
scientists in the scope of work is
appropriate for any award, a cooperative
agreement will be issued instead.
Cost Share Requirements: The
Precision Measurement Grants Program
does not require any matching funds.
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Eligibility: Eligible applicants are
institutions of higher education;
hospitals; non-profit organizations;
commercial organizations; state, local
and Indian tribal governments; foreign
governments; organizations under the
jurisdiction of foreign governments;
international organizations; and Federal
agencies with appropriate legal
authority.
Evaluation Criteria: The evaluation
criteria to be used in evaluating the
abbreviated application proposals and
full proposals are:
1. The importance of the proposed
research—Does it have the potential of
answering some currently pressing
question or of opening up a whole new
area of activity?
2. The relationship of the proposed
research to NIST’s ongoing work—Will
it support one of NIST’s current efforts
to develop a new or improved
fundamental measurement method or
physical standard, test the basic laws of
physics, or provide an improved value
for a fundamental constant?
3. The feasibility of the research and
the potential impact of the grant—Is it
likely that significant progress can be
made in a three year time period with
the funds and personnel available and
that the funding will enable work that
would otherwise not be done with
existing or potential funding?
4. The qualifications of the
applicant—Does the educational and
employment background and the quality
of the research, based on recent
publications, of the applicant indicate
that there is a high probability that the
proposed research will be carried out
successfully?
Each of these factors is given equal
weight in the evaluation process.
Review and Selection Process: All
abbreviated proposals and full
applications received in response to this
announcement will be reviewed to
determine whether or not they are
complete and responsive to the scope of
the stated objectives for each program.
Incomplete or non-responsive
abbreviated proposals and full
applications will not be reviewed for
technical merit. The Program will retain
one copy of each non-responsive
abbreviated proposal and full
application for three years for record
keeping purposes. The remaining copies
will be destroyed.
All applicants must submit an
abbreviated proposal (original and two
signed copies), containing a description
of the proposed project, including
sufficient information to address the
evaluation criteria, with a total length of
no more than five (5) double spaced
pages (excluding SF–424), to the
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mailing address given above in the
ADDRESSES section. These proposals will
be screened to determine whether they
address the requirements outlined in
this notice. Proposals that do not meet
those requirements will not be
considered further.
Eight independent, objective
individuals, at least half of whom are
NIST employees, and who are
knowledgeable about the scientific areas
that the program addresses will conduct
a technical review of each abbreviated
proposal, based on the evaluation
criteria described in the Evaluation
Criteria section for this program. Each
reviewer will evaluate and rank the
proposals. The proposals will then be
ranked based on the average of the
reviewers’ rankings. If non-Federal
reviewers are used, the reviewers may
discuss the proposals with each other,
but the ranking will be determined on
an individual basis, not as a consensus.
The Chief of the Atomic Physics
Division of the Physics Laboratory, the
selecting official, will then select
approximately four to eight finalists. In
selecting finalists, the selecting official
will take into consideration the results
of the reviewers’ evaluations, including
rank, and relevance to the Program
Description described above. Applicants
not selected as finalists will be notified
in writing.
Finalists will then be asked in writing
to submit full proposals up to ten (10)
pages in accordance with the
requirements set forth in the Content
and Form of Application Submission
section of this Notice. The same
independent reviewers that reviewed
the abbreviated proposals will then
evaluate the full proposals based on the
same evaluation criteria, and the
proposals will be ranked as previously
described. In selecting proposals that
will be recommended for funding, the
same selecting official will take into
consideration the results of the
reviewers’ evaluations, including rank
and relevance to the program objectives
described in the Funding Opportunity
Description section of this Notice.
The final approval of selected
applications and award of grants will be
made by the NIST Grants Officer based
on compliance with application
requirements as published in this
Notice, compliance with applicable
legal and regulatory requirements,
compliance with Federal policies that
best further the objectives of the
Department of Commerce, and whether
the recommended applicants appear to
be responsible.
Applicants may be asked to modify
objectives, work plans, or budgets and
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provide supplemental information
required by the agency prior to award.
The decision of the Grants Officer is
final.
The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements:
The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements,
which are contained in the Federal
Register Notice of February 11, 2008 (73
FR 7696), are applicable to this
solicitation. On the form SF–424, the
applicant’s 9-digit Dun and Bradstreet
Data Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number must be entered in item
8.c. Organizational DUNS. The DUNS
number provided MUST be the DUNS
number for the entity within the
applying institution that will be
responsible for drawing down funds
from the Automated Standard
Application for Payment System
(ASAP). Institutions that provide
incorrect DUNS numbers may
experience significant delays in
receiving funds.
Collaborations with NIST Employees:
All applications should include a
description of any work proposed to be
performed by an entity other than the
applicant, and the cost of such work
should ordinarily be included in the
budget.
If an applicant proposes collaboration
with NIST, the statement of work
should include a statement of this
intention, a description of the
collaboration, and prominently identify
the NIST employee(s) involved, if
known. Any collaboration by a NIST
employee must be approved by
appropriate NIST management and is at
the sole discretion of NIST. Prior to
beginning the merit review process,
NIST will verify the approval of the
proposed collaboration. Any
unapproved collaboration will be
stricken from the proposal prior to the
merit review.
Use of NIST Intellectual Property: If
the applicant anticipates using any
NIST-owned intellectual property to
carry out the work proposed, the
applicant should identify such
intellectual property. This information
will be used to ensure that no NIST
employee involved in the development
of the intellectual property will
participate in the review process for that
competition. In addition, if the
applicant intends to use NIST-owned
intellectual property, the applicant must
comply with all statutes and regulations
governing the licensing of Federal
government patents and inventions,
described at 35 U.S.C. 200–212, 37 CFR
Part 401, 15 CFR 14.36, and in Section
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B.21 of the Department of Commerce
Pre-Award Notification Requirements
73 FR 7696 (February 11, 2008).
Questions about these requirements may
be directed to the Office of the Chief
Counsel for NIST, 301–975–2803.
Any use of NIST-owned intellectual
property by a proposer is at the sole
discretion of NIST and will be
negotiated on a case-by-case basis if a
project is deemed meritorious. The
applicant should indicate within the
statement of work whether it already
has a license to use such intellectual
property or whether it intends to seek
one.
If any inventions made in whole or in
part by a NIST employee arise in the
course of an award made pursuant to
this notice, the United States
government may retain its ownership
rights in any such invention. Licensing
or other disposition of NIST’s rights in
such inventions will be determined
solely by NIST, and include the
possibility of NIST putting the
intellectual property into the public
domain.
Collaborations Making Use of Federal
Facilities: All applications should
include a description of any work
proposed to be performed using Federal
Facilities. If an applicant proposes use
of NIST facilities, the statement of work
should include a statement of this
intention and a description of the
facilities. Any use of NIST facilities
must be approved by appropriate NIST
management and is at the sole
discretion of NIST. Prior to beginning
the merit review process, NIST will
verify the availability of the facilities
and approval of the proposed usage.
Any unapproved facility use will be
stricken from the proposal prior to the
merit review. Examples of some
facilities that may be available for
collaborations are listed on the NIST
Technology Services Web site, https://
ts.nist.gov/.
Paperwork Reduction Act: The
standard forms in the application kit
involve a collection of information
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act.
The use of Standard Forms 424, 424A,
424B, SF–LLL, and CD–346 have been
approved by OMB under the respective
Control Numbers 0348–0043, 0348–
0044, 0348–0040, 0348–0046, and 0605–
0001.
Notwithstanding any other provision
of the law, no person is required to
respond to, nor shall any person be
subject to a penalty for failure to comply
with, a collection subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act, unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid
OMB Control Number.
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices
Research Projects Involving Human
Subjects, Human Tissue, Data or
Recordings Involving Human Subjects:
Any proposal that includes research
involving human subjects, human
tissue, data or recordings involving
human subjects must meet the
requirements of the Common Rule for
the Protection of Human Subjects,
codified for the Department of
Commerce at 15 CFR Part 27. In
addition, any proposal that includes
research on these topics must be in
compliance with any statutory
requirements imposed upon the
Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS) and other federal
agencies regarding these topics, all
regulatory policies and guidance
adopted by DHHS, the Food and Drug
Administration, and other Federal
agencies on these topics, and all
Presidential statements of policy on
these topics.
NIST will accept the submission of
human subjects protocols that have been
approved by Institutional Review
Boards (IRBs) possessing a current
registration filed with DHHS and to be
performed by institutions possessing a
current, valid Federal-wide Assurance
(FWA) from DHHS. NIST will not issue
a single project assurance (SPA) for any
human subjects protocol proposed to
NIST.
On August 9, 2001, the President
announced his decision to allow Federal
funds to be used for research on existing
human embryonic stem cell lines as
long as prior to his announcement (1)
the derivation process (which
commences with the removal of the
inner cell mass from the blastocyst) had
already been initiated and (2) the
embryo from which the stem cell line
was derived no longer had the
possibility of development as a human
being. NIST will follow guidance issued
by the National Institutes of Health at
https://ohrp.osophs.dhhs.gov/
humansubjects/guidance/stemcell.pdf
for funding such research.
Research Projects Involving Vertebrate
Animals: Any proposal that includes
research involving vertebrate animals
must be in compliance with the
National Research Council’s ‘‘Guide for
the Care and Use of Laboratory
Animals’’ which can be obtained from
National Academy Press, 2101
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC 20055. In addition, such proposals
must meet the requirements of the
Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131 et
seq.), 9 CFR Parts 1, 2, and 3, and if
appropriate, 21 CFR Part 58. These
regulations do not apply to proposed
research using pre-existing images of
animals or to research plans that do not
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include live animals that are being cared
for, euthanized, or used by the project
participants to accomplish research
goals, teaching, or testing. These
regulations also do not apply to
obtaining animal materials from
commercial processors of animal
products or to animal cell lines or
tissues from tissue banks.
Limitation of Liability: Funding for
the program listed in this notice is
contingent upon the availability of
Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations. NIST
issues this notice subject to the
appropriations made available under the
current continuing resolution
continuing resolution, H.R. 2638,
‘‘Continuing Appropriations Resolution,
2009,’’ Public Law 110–329. NIST
anticipates making awards for the
program listed in this notice provided
that funding for the program is
continued beyond March 6, 2009, the
expiration of the current continuing
resolution. In no event will NIST or the
Department of Commerce be responsible
for proposal preparation costs if the
NIST programs fail to receive funding or
are cancelled because of Department of
Commerce or NIST priorities.
Publication of this announcement does
not oblige NIST or the Department of
Commerce to award any specific project
or to obligate any available funds.
Executive Order 12866: This funding
notice was determined to be not
significant for purposes of Executive
Order 12866.
Executive Order 13132 (Federalism):
It has been determined that this notice
does not contain policies with
federalism implications as that term is
defined in Executive Order 13132.
Executive Order 12372: Applications
under this program are not subject to
Executive Order 12372,
‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.’’
Administrative Procedure Act/
Regulatory Flexibility Act: Notice and
comment are not required under the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.
553) or any other law, for rules relating
to public property, loans, grants,
benefits or contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)).
Because notice and comment are not
required under 5 U.S.C. 553, or any
other law, for rules relating to public
property, loans, grants, benefits or
contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)), a Regulatory
Flexibility Analysis is not required and
has not been prepared for this notice, 5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.
Dated: December 22, 2008.
Patrick D. Gallagher,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E8–30994 Filed 12–29–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–13–P
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
[Docket Number 0812021539–81544–01]
Summer Undergraduate Research
Fellowships (SURF) NIST Gaithersburg
and Boulder 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 2009: (1) The NIST
Gaithersburg Summer Undergraduate
Research Fellowship Programs, and (2)
the NIST Boulder Summer
Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Programs. 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.
DATES: See below.
ADDRESSES: See below.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Name and Number:
Measurement and Engineering Research
and Standards—11.609.
Summer Undergraduate Research
Fellowships (SURF) NIST Gaithersburg
and Boulder Programs
Program Description: The SURF NIST
Gaithersburg Programs are soliciting
applications in the areas of Electronics
and Electrical Engineering,
Manufacturing Engineering, Nanoscale
Science and Technology, Chemical
Science and Technology, Physics,
Materials Science and Engineering/
Neutron Research, Building and Fire
Research, and Information Technology
as described in the Federal Funding
Opportunity.
The SURF NIST Boulder Programs are
soliciting applications in the areas of
Electronics and Electrical Engineering,
Chemical Science and Technology,
Physics, Materials Science and
Engineering, and Information
Technology as described in the Federal
Funding Opportunity.
Applications for the Gaithersburg and
Boulder programs are separate.
Application to one program does not
constitute application to the other, and
applications will not be exchanged
between the Gaithersburg and Boulder
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 250 (Tuesday, December 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79814-79817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket Number 0812021543-81546-01]
Precision Measurement Grants Program; Availability of Funds
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
announces that the Precision Measurement Grants Program is soliciting
applications for financial assistance for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. The
Precision Measurement Grants Program is seeking proposals for
significant research in the field of fundamental measurement or the
determination of fundamental constants.
DATES: Abbreviated proposals must be received at the address listed
below no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 6, 2009.
Proposals received after this deadline will be returned with no further
consideration. Finalists will be selected by approximately March 27,
2009, and will be requested to submit full proposals to NIST. All full
proposals, paper and electronic, must be received no later than 5 p.m.
Eastern Daylight Time on May 8, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Abbreviated proposals and paper final applications must be
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submitted to: Dr. Peter J. Mohr; Manager, NIST Precision Measurement
Grants Program; National Institute of Standards and Technology; 100
Bureau Drive, Stop 8420; Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8420; E-mail:
mohr@nist.gov. Web site: https://physics.nist.gov/pmg. Electronic final
proposals may be sent by e-mail to mohr@nist.gov or uploaded to https://
www.Grants.gov.
A completed SF-424 (R&R) form is required to be submitted with the
abbreviated proposal. Abbreviated proposals may not be submitted
through the Grants.gov Web site. However, abbreviated proposals may be
submitted on paper by mail or delivery service or as an electronic file
(SF-424 must be scanned signed form) by e-mail to mohr@nist.gov. The
SF-424 (R&R) form can be found at https://www.grants.gov/agencies/
aapproved_standard_forms.jsp#1.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For complete information about this
program and instructions for applying by paper or electronically, read
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) Notice at https://www.grants.gov.
A paper copy of the FFO may be obtained by calling (301) 975-6328.
Technical questions should be addressed to: Dr. Peter J. Mohr at the
address listed in the Addresses section above, or at Tel: (301) 975-
3217; E-mail: mohr@nist.gov; Web site: https://physics.nist.gov/pmg.
Grants Administration questions should be addressed to: Grants and
Agreements Management Division; National Institute of Standards and
Technology; 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1650; Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1650;
Tel: (301) 975-6328. For assistance with using Grants.gov contact
support@grants.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: The authority for the Precision Measurement Grants
Program is as follows: As authorized by 15 U.S.C. 272(b) and (c), NIST
conducts directly, and supports through grants, a basic and applied
research program in the general area of fundamental measurement and the
determination of fundamental constants of nature.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Name and Number: Measurement
and Engineering Research and Standards--11.609.
Program Description: The National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) announces that the Precision Measurement Grants
Program is soliciting applications for financial assistance for FY
2009. The Precision Measurement Grants Program is seeking proposals for
significant research in the field of fundamental measurement or the
determination of fundamental constants. As part of its research
program, since 1970 NIST has awarded Precision Measurement Grants
primarily to universities and colleges so that faculty may conduct
significant research in the field of fundamental measurement or the
determination of fundamental constants. NIST sponsors these grants and
cooperative agreements primarily to encourage basic, measurement-
related research in universities and colleges and other research
laboratories and to foster contacts between NIST scientists and those
faculty members of academic institutions and other researchers who are
actively engaged in such work. The Precision Measurement Grants are
also intended to make it possible for researchers to pursue new ideas
for which other sources of support may be difficult to find. There is
some latitude in research topics that will be considered under the
Precision Measurement Grants Program. The key requirement is that the
proposed project is consistent with NIST's ongoing work in the field of
basic measurement science.
Funding Availability: NIST anticipates spending $100,000 this year
for two new grants at $50,000 each. Funding for the program listed in
this notice is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2009
appropriations. NIST issues this notice subject to the appropriations
made available under the current continuing resolution, H.R. 2638,
``Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2009,'' Public Law 110-329.
NIST anticipates making awards for the program listed in this notice
provided that funding for the program is continued beyond March 6,
2009, the expiration of the current continuing resolution.
Award start dates for new grants are expected to be October 1,
2009. Applicants should propose multi-year projects for up to three
years at no more than $50,000 per year. NIST anticipates spending
$100,000 this year for two new grants at $50,000 each for the first
year of the research projects. NIST may award both, one, or neither of
these new awards. Second and third year funding will be at the
discretion of NIST, based on satisfactory performance, continuing
relevance to program objectives, and the availability of funds.
NIST plans to fund the awards as grants. If collaboration by NIST
scientists in the scope of work is appropriate for any award, a
cooperative agreement will be issued instead.
Cost Share Requirements: The Precision Measurement Grants Program
does not require any matching funds.
Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher
education; hospitals; non-profit organizations; commercial
organizations; state, local and Indian tribal governments; foreign
governments; organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign
governments; international organizations; and Federal agencies with
appropriate legal authority.
Evaluation Criteria: The evaluation criteria to be used in
evaluating the abbreviated application proposals and full proposals
are:
1. The importance of the proposed research--Does it have the
potential of answering some currently pressing question or of opening
up a whole new area of activity?
2. The relationship of the proposed research to NIST's ongoing
work--Will it support one of NIST's current efforts to develop a new or
improved fundamental measurement method or physical standard, test the
basic laws of physics, or provide an improved value for a fundamental
constant?
3. The feasibility of the research and the potential impact of the
grant--Is it likely that significant progress can be made in a three
year time period with the funds and personnel available and that the
funding will enable work that would otherwise not be done with existing
or potential funding?
4. The qualifications of the applicant--Does the educational and
employment background and the quality of the research, based on recent
publications, of the applicant indicate that there is a high
probability that the proposed research will be carried out
successfully?
Each of these factors is given equal weight in the evaluation
process.
Review and Selection Process: All abbreviated proposals and full
applications received in response to this announcement will be reviewed
to determine whether or not they are complete and responsive to the
scope of the stated objectives for each program. Incomplete or non-
responsive abbreviated proposals and full applications will not be
reviewed for technical merit. The Program will retain one copy of each
non-responsive abbreviated proposal and full application for three
years for record keeping purposes. The remaining copies will be
destroyed.
All applicants must submit an abbreviated proposal (original and
two signed copies), containing a description of the proposed project,
including sufficient information to address the evaluation criteria,
with a total length of no more than five (5) double spaced pages
(excluding SF-424), to the
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mailing address given above in the ADDRESSES section. These proposals
will be screened to determine whether they address the requirements
outlined in this notice. Proposals that do not meet those requirements
will not be considered further.
Eight independent, objective individuals, at least half of whom are
NIST employees, and who are knowledgeable about the scientific areas
that the program addresses will conduct a technical review of each
abbreviated proposal, based on the evaluation criteria described in the
Evaluation Criteria section for this program. Each reviewer will
evaluate and rank the proposals. The proposals will then be ranked
based on the average of the reviewers' rankings. If non-Federal
reviewers are used, the reviewers may discuss the proposals with each
other, but the ranking will be determined on an individual basis, not
as a consensus.
The Chief of the Atomic Physics Division of the Physics Laboratory,
the selecting official, will then select approximately four to eight
finalists. In selecting finalists, the selecting official will take
into consideration the results of the reviewers' evaluations, including
rank, and relevance to the Program Description described above.
Applicants not selected as finalists will be notified in writing.
Finalists will then be asked in writing to submit full proposals up
to ten (10) pages in accordance with the requirements set forth in the
Content and Form of Application Submission section of this Notice. The
same independent reviewers that reviewed the abbreviated proposals will
then evaluate the full proposals based on the same evaluation criteria,
and the proposals will be ranked as previously described. In selecting
proposals that will be recommended for funding, the same selecting
official will take into consideration the results of the reviewers'
evaluations, including rank and relevance to the program objectives
described in the Funding Opportunity Description section of this
Notice.
The final approval of selected applications and award of grants
will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on compliance with
application requirements as published in this Notice, compliance with
applicable legal and regulatory requirements, compliance with Federal
policies that best further the objectives of the Department of
Commerce, and whether the recommended applicants appear to be
responsible.
Applicants may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, or
budgets and provide supplemental information required by the agency
prior to award.
The decision of the Grants Officer is final.
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements: The Department of Commerce Pre-Award
Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements, which
are contained in the Federal Register Notice of February 11, 2008 (73
FR 7696), are applicable to this solicitation. On the form SF-424, the
applicant's 9-digit Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number must be entered in item 8.c. Organizational DUNS. The
DUNS number provided MUST be the DUNS number for the entity within the
applying institution that will be responsible for drawing down funds
from the Automated Standard Application for Payment System (ASAP).
Institutions that provide incorrect DUNS numbers may experience
significant delays in receiving funds.
Collaborations with NIST Employees: All applications should include
a description of any work proposed to be performed by an entity other
than the applicant, and the cost of such work should ordinarily be
included in the budget.
If an applicant proposes collaboration with NIST, the statement of
work should include a statement of this intention, a description of the
collaboration, and prominently identify the NIST employee(s) involved,
if known. Any collaboration by a NIST employee must be approved by
appropriate NIST management and is at the sole discretion of NIST.
Prior to beginning the merit review process, NIST will verify the
approval of the proposed collaboration. Any unapproved collaboration
will be stricken from the proposal prior to the merit review.
Use of NIST Intellectual Property: If the applicant anticipates
using any NIST-owned intellectual property to carry out the work
proposed, the applicant should identify such intellectual property.
This information will be used to ensure that no NIST employee involved
in the development of the intellectual property will participate in the
review process for that competition. In addition, if the applicant
intends to use NIST-owned intellectual property, the applicant must
comply with all statutes and regulations governing the licensing of
Federal government patents and inventions, described at 35 U.S.C. 200-
212, 37 CFR Part 401, 15 CFR 14.36, and in Section B.21 of the
Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements 73 FR 7696
(February 11, 2008). Questions about these requirements may be directed
to the Office of the Chief Counsel for NIST, 301-975-2803.
Any use of NIST-owned intellectual property by a proposer is at the
sole discretion of NIST and will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis
if a project is deemed meritorious. The applicant should indicate
within the statement of work whether it already has a license to use
such intellectual property or whether it intends to seek one.
If any inventions made in whole or in part by a NIST employee arise
in the course of an award made pursuant to this notice, the United
States government may retain its ownership rights in any such
invention. Licensing or other disposition of NIST's rights in such
inventions will be determined solely by NIST, and include the
possibility of NIST putting the intellectual property into the public
domain.
Collaborations Making Use of Federal Facilities: All applications
should include a description of any work proposed to be performed using
Federal Facilities. If an applicant proposes use of NIST facilities,
the statement of work should include a statement of this intention and
a description of the facilities. Any use of NIST facilities must be
approved by appropriate NIST management and is at the sole discretion
of NIST. Prior to beginning the merit review process, NIST will verify
the availability of the facilities and approval of the proposed usage.
Any unapproved facility use will be stricken from the proposal prior to
the merit review. Examples of some facilities that may be available for
collaborations are listed on the NIST Technology Services Web site,
https://ts.nist.gov/.
Paperwork Reduction Act: The standard forms in the application kit
involve a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction
Act. The use of Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, SF-LLL, and CD-346 have
been approved by OMB under the respective Control Numbers 0348-0043,
0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with, a collection subject to the requirements of
the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.
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Research Projects Involving Human Subjects, Human Tissue, Data or
Recordings Involving Human Subjects: Any proposal that includes
research involving human subjects, human tissue, data or recordings
involving human subjects must meet the requirements of the Common Rule
for the Protection of Human Subjects, codified for the Department of
Commerce at 15 CFR Part 27. In addition, any proposal that includes
research on these topics must be in compliance with any statutory
requirements imposed upon the Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS) and other federal agencies regarding these topics, all
regulatory policies and guidance adopted by DHHS, the Food and Drug
Administration, and other Federal agencies on these topics, and all
Presidential statements of policy on these topics.
NIST will accept the submission of human subjects protocols that
have been approved by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) possessing a
current registration filed with DHHS and to be performed by
institutions possessing a current, valid Federal-wide Assurance (FWA)
from DHHS. NIST will not issue a single project assurance (SPA) for any
human subjects protocol proposed to NIST.
On August 9, 2001, the President announced his decision to allow
Federal funds to be used for research on existing human embryonic stem
cell lines as long as prior to his announcement (1) the derivation
process (which commences with the removal of the inner cell mass from
the blastocyst) had already been initiated and (2) the embryo from
which the stem cell line was derived no longer had the possibility of
development as a human being. NIST will follow guidance issued by the
National Institutes of Health at https://ohrp.osophs.dhhs.gov/
humansubjects/guidance/stemcell.pdf for funding such research.
Research Projects Involving Vertebrate Animals: Any proposal that
includes research involving vertebrate animals must be in compliance
with the National Research Council's ``Guide for the Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals'' which can be obtained from National Academy Press,
2101 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20055. In addition, such
proposals must meet the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act (7
U.S.C. 2131 et seq.), 9 CFR Parts 1, 2, and 3, and if appropriate, 21
CFR Part 58. These regulations do not apply to proposed research using
pre-existing images of animals or to research plans that do not include
live animals that are being cared for, euthanized, or used by the
project participants to accomplish research goals, teaching, or
testing. These regulations also do not apply to obtaining animal
materials from commercial processors of animal products or to animal
cell lines or tissues from tissue banks.
Limitation of Liability: Funding for the program listed in this
notice is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2009
appropriations. NIST issues this notice subject to the appropriations
made available under the current continuing resolution continuing
resolution, H.R. 2638, ``Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2009,''
Public Law 110-329. NIST anticipates making awards for the program
listed in this notice provided that funding for the program is
continued beyond March 6, 2009, the expiration of the current
continuing resolution. In no event will NIST or the Department of
Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if the NIST
programs fail to receive funding or are cancelled because of Department
of Commerce or NIST priorities. Publication of this announcement does
not oblige NIST or the Department of Commerce to award any specific
project or to obligate any available funds.
Executive Order 12866: This funding notice was determined to be not
significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 13132 (Federalism): It has been determined that
this notice does not contain policies with federalism implications as
that term is defined in Executive Order 13132.
Executive Order 12372: Applications under this program are not
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.''
Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act: Notice and
comment are not required under the Administrative Procedure Act (5
U.S.C. 553) or any other law, for rules relating to public property,
loans, grants, benefits or contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)). Because notice
and comment are not required under 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other law, for
rules relating to public property, loans, grants, benefits or contracts
(5 U.S.C. 553(a)), a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not required
and has not been prepared for this notice, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.
Dated: December 22, 2008.
Patrick D. Gallagher,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E8-30994 Filed 12-29-08; 8:45 am]
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