NIST Launches New Competition for Research Facility Construction Grants

The National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) has opened a new competition for grants
for the construction of new or expanded scientific research buildings at
institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations. NIST has
$50 million available for the cost-sharing grants and anticipates
funding three to five projects with grants of $10 to $15 million each.

The NIST grants will fund new or expanded facilities
for scientific research in fields related to measurement science,
oceanography, atmospheric research or telecommunications, the research
fields of the Commerce Department’s three science agencies: NIST, the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Candidate
projects could include laboratories, test facilities, measurement
facilities, research computing facilities or observatories.

Grant proposals will be evaluated on the scientific and
technical merit of the proposed use of the facility and the need for
federal funding, quality of the design of the facility, and the adequacy
of the project management plan for construction of the facility.
Applicant organizations, which must be institutions of higher education
and nonprofit science research organizations, must fund at least 20
percent of the annual project costs to meet the cost-sharing
requirement.

Interested organizations must provide NIST with a
Letter of Intent (submitted on form NIST-1102) outlining the proposed
project by 3 p.m. Eastern time, Monday, March 29, 2010. Organizations
that submit timely Letters of Intent may then submit corresponding full
proposals, which must be received by 3 p.m. Eastern time, Monday, April
26, 2010. NIST expects to announce the awards in September 2010.

For more information, forms and important details of
the application process, see:

• Full NIST news release, “NIST
  Launches New Competition for Research Facility Construction Grants ”
  [www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/ncgp_022510.html].
• NIST
  Construction Grant Program Web site at www.nist.gov/director/ncgp
• NIST Federal
  Register “Notice of Availability of Funds,” docket
  number100201057-0059-01 [www.nist.gov/director/ncgp/2010frn.pdf]
• NIST announcement
  of Federal Funding Opportunity [www.nist.gov/director/ncgp/2010ffo.pdf].
• Grants.gov
  Web site (look for Funding Opportunity number 2010-NIST-CONSTRUCTION-01
  or Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 11.618)

Media Contact: Michael Baum, michael.baum @nist.gov, (301)
975-2763