[Federal Register: March 18, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 52)]
[Notices]
[Page 12890-12893]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18mr03-40]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket No.: 030123018-3018-01]
RIN 0693-ZA51
Manufacturing Extension Partnership 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 invites
proposals from qualified organizations for funding projects that
provide manufacturing extension services to small- and medium-sized
manufacturers in the United States. These projects will establish
Manufacturing Technology Centers under the Manufacturing Extension
Partnership (MEP) Program.
Proposals are invited for the expansion of manufacturing extension
service capacity within three discrete geographic areas in the United
States. The first area encompasses the entirety of the state of
Florida. The second area encompasses the entirety of the state of
Hawaii. The third area encompasses the entirety of the state of South
Dakota. All organizations meeting the eligibility requirements provided
herein are invited to submit proposals. As these states had previous
MEP centers, applicants are required to provide 66 \2/3\% or more of
the operating costs for providing these manufacturing extension
services.
DATES: Proposals must be received no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight
Time on May 19, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Applicants must submit one signed original and two (2)
copies of their proposal along with a Standard Form 424, 424-A, and
424-B (Rev 7/97), Form CD-511 (Rev 7/91), and Form CD-346 to the
National Institute of Standards and Technology,
[[Page 12891]]
Manufacturing Extension Partnership, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 4800,
Building 301, Room C100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-4800. Plainly mark on
the outside of the package that it contains a manufacturing extension
center proposal.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding this
announcement, contact Diane Henderson of the Manufacturing Extension
Partnership by calling (301) 975-5020; or by mailing information
requests to the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
Manufacturing Extension Partnership, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 4800,
Building 301, Room C100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-4800. Information
packets, which include background materials on MEP, existing centers
and the necessary application forms, should be requested via a one page
fax sent to (301) 963-6556. Please include name, organization, mailing
address, telephone number, and fax number on this request. Information
is also available on-line at http://www.mep.nist.gov.
is also available on-line at http://www.mep.nist.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 278k, as implemented in 15 CFR part 290.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Name and Number
The catalog number for the award of Manufacturing Technology
Centers funds in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is 11.611.
Program Description and Objectives
NIST will provide assistance for the creation and support of
manufacturing extension centers. The objective of these centers is to
enhance productivity, technological performance, and strengthen the
global competitiveness of small- and medium-sized U.S.-based
manufacturing firms.
These manufacturing extension centers will become part of the MEP
national system of extension service providers. Currently, the MEP
national system consists of over 400 centers and field offices located
throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Information regarding MEP
and these centers is provided in the information packet that can be
obtained as explained above or on-line at http://www.mep.nist.gov.
The objective of the projects funded under this program is to
provide manufacturing extension services to small- and medium-sized
manufacturers in the United States. These services are provided through
the coordinated efforts of a regionally-based manufacturing extension
center and local technology resources. The management and operational
structure of the manufacturing extension center is not prescribed, but
should be based upon the characteristics of the manufacturers in the
region and locally available resources. The center should include plans
for integration into the MEP national system and linkages to
appropriate national resources.
The focus of the center is to provide those manufacturing extension
services required by the small- and medium-sized manufacturers in its
service region using the most cost effective sources for those
services. It is not the intent of this program that centers perform
research and development.
Funding Availability
It is anticipated that approximately $4 million will be available
to support manufacturing extension centers under this announcement. The
funding level for individual awards is not prescribed. The funding
requested by the applicant should be directly related to the level of
activity of the center, which is a function of the number of
manufacturers in the designated service region, and to the availability
of applicant-provided cash and in-kind contributions to be used as cost
share.
Matching Requirements
A cost sharing contribution from the applicant is required. The
applicant must provide 66\2/3\ % or more of the total capital,
operating and maintenance costs for the center, as all of these states
have had previously existing MEP centers. The applicant's share of the
center expenses may include cash and in-kind contributions. However, at
least 50% of the applicant's total cost share (cash plus in-kind) must
be in cash. The source of the cost share, both cash and in-kind, must
be documented in the budget submitted in the proposal.
Funding Instrument
The formal agreement between NIST and a successful applicant will
be in the form of a cooperative agreement. Under this agreement, the
NIST MEP will have substantial interactions with the applicant in
planning and executing this project. This will include the following:
--Assisting in developing required plans.
--Providing access to standard manufacturing extension and related
tools.
--Facilitating partnering with appropriate organizations both within
and outside of the MEP national system.
--Defining measures for evaluation of performance.
--Direct involvement in helping to understand, define, and resolve
problems in the center's operations.
Eligibility Criteria
Manufacturing extension centers must be affiliated with a U.S.-
based not-for-profit institution or organization. MEP interprets not-
for-profit organizations to include universities and state and local
governments. Eligible applicants may be consortia of non-profit
institutions. Existing MEP manufacturing extension centers are
eligible.
Award Period
The projects awarded under this program will have a budget and
performance period of one year. These projects may be renewable on an
annual basis subject to the review requirements described in 15 CFR
290.8. Renewal of these projects shall be at the sole discretion of
NIST and shall be based upon satisfactory performance, priority of the
need for the service, existing legislative authority, and availability
of funds.
Evaluation Criteria
All qualified proposals will be evaluated and rated on the basis of
the following criteria by an impartial review panel. Each proposal
should address all four evaluation criteria, which are assigned equal
weighting.
(1) Identification of Target Firms in Proposed Region. Does the
proposal define an appropriate service region with a large enough
population of target firms of small- and medium-sized manufacturers
that the applicant understands and can serve, and which is not
presently served by an existing center?
(i) Market Analysis. Demonstrated understanding of the service
region's manufacturing base, including business size, industry types,
product mix, and technology requirements.
(ii) Geographical Location. Physical size, concentration of
industry, and economic significance of the service region's
manufacturing base. Geographical diversity of the centers will be a
factor in evaluation of proposals; a proposal for a center located near
an existing center may be considered only if the proposal is unusually
strong and the population of manufacturers and the technology to be
addressed justify it.
(2) Technology Resources. Does the proposal assure strength in
technical personnel and programmatic resources, full-time staff,
facilities, equipment, and linkages to external sources of
[[Page 12892]]
technology to develop and transfer technologies related to NIST
research results and expertise in the technical areas noted in the MEP
regulations found at 15 CFR part 290?
(3) Technology Delivery Mechanisms. Does the proposal clearly and
sharply define an effective methodology for delivering advanced
manufacturing technology to small- and medium-sized manufacturers?
(i) Linkages. Development of effective partnerships or linkages to
third parties such as industry, universities, nonprofit economic
organizations, and state governments who will amplify the center's
technology delivery to reach a large number of clients in its service
region.
(ii) Program Leverage. Provision of an effective strategy to
amplify the center's technology delivery approaches to achieve the
proposed objectives as described in 15 CFR 290.3(e).
(4) Management and Financial Plan. Does the proposal define a
management structure and assure management personnel to carry out
development and operation of an effective center?
(i) Organizational Structure. Completeness and appropriateness of
the organizational structure, and its focus on the mission of the
center. Assurance of full-time top management of the center.
(ii) Program Management. Effectiveness of the planned methodology
of program management.
(iii) Internal Evaluation. Effectiveness of the planned continuous
internal evaluation of program activities.
(iv) Plans for Financial Matching. Demonstrated stability and
duration of the applicants funding commitments as well as the
percentage of operating and capital costs guaranteed by the applicant.
Identification of matching fund sources and the general terms of the
funding commitments.
(v) Budget. Suitability and focus of the applicant's detailed one-
year budget and budget outline for years 2-5 and beyond.
Proposal Selection Process
Proposal evaluation and selection will consist of four principal
phases: proposal qualification, proposal review, site visits and award
determination.
a. Proposal Qualification
All proposals will be reviewed by NIST to assure compliance with
the proposal content as described in 15 CFR 290.5 and other basic
provisions of this notice. Proposals that satisfy these requirements
will be designated as qualified proposals. Non-qualified proposals will
not be evaluated and will be returned to the applicant.
b. Proposal Review
NIST will appoint an evaluation panel, consisting of one non-
Federal Government employee and at least two Federal Government
employees, to conduct an independent and objective review and
evaluation of all qualified proposals in accordance with the evaluation
criteria set forth in this notice. Based upon this review, the panel
will deliberate, and each panelist will assign a numeric score based on
the evaluation criteria. Proposals with an average score of 70 or
higher will be deemed finalists and will receive site visits.
c. Site Visits
Finalists will be notified and a day, time, and location for a site
visit will be established. The panel will review finalists again on
site, based on the evaluation criteria. Subsequently, the panel will
deliberate again, and each panelist may revise his or her numeric
scores based on the evaluation criteria, assessing equal weight to each
of the four criteria. Proposals are then ranked based on the sum of the
panelists' final numeric scores. The ranked proposals are then
submitted to the Director of NIST or the Director of the NIST MEP
Program for final award recommendation to the NIST Grants Officer.
d. Award Determination
The Director of NIST or the Director of the NIST MEP Program shall
make final recommendation of whether an award should be made to the
proposing organization based on a review of the panel's adherence to
program objectives and program procedures and the availability of
funds. The final approval of the selected applications and award of
cooperative agreements will be made by the NIST Grants Officer based on
compliance with program requirements and whether the recommended
applicants appear competently managed, responsible, and committed to
achieving project objectives. The decision of the Grants Officer is
final.
Application Forms and Kit
The proposal must, at a minimum, include the following:
A. An executive summary of the proposed project, consistent with
the Evaluation Criteria stated in this notice.
B. A description of the proposed project, sufficient to permit
evaluation of the proposal, in accordance with the proposal Evaluation
Criteria stated in this notice.
C. A detailed budget for the proposed project that breaks out all
expenses for year 1 of operation and identifies all sources of funds to
pay these expenses.
D. A budget outline for annual costs and sources of funds for
potential years 2 through 5 and beyond. It is expected, especially for
newly created centers, that year one costs are lower because of a ramp-
up of operations from start-up to the point where the center is fully
operational and services are being provided. If such a ramp-up of
operations is to occur, this should be reflected in the budget outline
for years 2 through 5 and beyond. A detailed budget and budget
narrative will be required prior to each of years 2 through 5.
E. A description of the qualifications of key personnel who will be
assigned to work on the proposed project.
F. A statement of work that discusses the specific tasks to be
carried out, including a schedule of measurable events and milestones.
G. A Standard Form (SF) 424, 424-A, and 424-B (Rev 7/97) prescribed
by 15 CFR part 14 (OMB Circular A-110), Form CD-511, Certification
Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-
Free Workplace Requirements and Lobbying, and Form CD-346, Applicant
For Funding Assistance (Name Check). The SF 424 and CD series of forms
will not be considered part of the page count of the proposal.
In addition, the proposal must contain the requirements identified
in 15 CFR 290.5(a)(3), which are:
A. A plan for the allocation of intellectual property rights
associated with any invention or copyright which may result from the
involvement in the Center's technology transfer or research activities
consistent with the conditions of 15 CFR 290.9.
B. A statement that provides adequate assurances that the host
organization will contribute the required cost share. (Although the MEP
regulation, 15 CFR 290.5(a)(3)(ii), states that applicants should
provide evidence that the proposed Center will be self-supporting after
six years, this requirement is no longer in effect, as indicated
above.)
C. A statement describing linkages to industry, government, and
educational organizations within its service region.
D. A statement defining the initial service region including a
statement of the constituency to be served and the level of service to
be provided, as well as outyear plans.
E. A statement agreeing to focus the mission of the Center on
technology transfer activities and not to exclude companies based on
state boundaries.
[[Page 12893]]
F. A proposed plan for the annual evaluation of the success of the
Center by the Program, including appropriate criteria for
consideration, and weighting of those criteria.
G. A plan to focus the Center's technology emphasis on areas
consistent with NIST technology research programs and organizational
expertise.
H. A description of the planned Center sufficient to permit NIST to
evaluate the proposal in accordance with 15 CFR 290.6.
The proposal must not exceed 25 typewritten pages in length. The
proposal must contain both technical and cost information. The proposal
page count shall include every page, including pages that contain
words, table of contents, executive summary, management information and
qualifications, resumes, figures, tables, and pictures. All proposals
shall be printed such that pages are single-sided, with no more than
fifty-five (55) lines per page. Use 21.6 x 27.9 cm (8\1/2\'' x 11'')
paper or A4 metric paper. Use an easy-to-read font of not more than
about 5 characters per cm (fixed pitch font of 12 or fewer characters
per inch or proportional font of point size 10 or larger). Smaller type
may be used in figures and tables, but must be clearly legible. Margins
on all sides (top, bottom, left and right) must be at least 2.5 cm.
(1''). The applicant may submit a separately bound document of
appendices containing other supporting information. The proposal should
be self-contained and not rely on the appendices for meeting criteria.
Excess pages in the proposal will not be considered in the evaluation.
Applicants must submit one signed original plus two (2) copies of the
proposal.
Additional Information
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register
notice of October 1, 2001 (66 FR 49917) , as amended by the Federal
Register notice published on October 30, 2002 (67 FR 66109), are
applicable to this solicitation.
Where Web sites are referenced within this notice, those who do not
have access to the Internet websites may contact the appropriate
Program official to obtain information.
Unsuccessful Applications: Unsuccessful applicants will be held in
the Program Office for two years and then destroyed.
Fees and/or Profit: It is not the intent of NIST to pay fee or
profit for any of the financial assistance awards that may be issued
pursuant to this announcement.
Automated Standardized Application for Payment System (ASAP): The
Department of Commerce is using the Department of Treasury's ASAP. In
order to receive payments for services under these awards, recipients
will be required to register with the Department of Treasury and
indicate whether or not they will use the on-line or voice response
method of withdrawing funds from their ASAP established accounts. More
information regarding ASAP can be found on-line at http://
www.fms.treas.gov/asap/index.html.
Paperwork Reduction Act: The standard forms in the application kit
involve collections 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 the Office of Management and Budget (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.
Classification: This funding notice was determined to be ``not
significant'' for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order
13132.
Applications under these programs are not subject to Executive
Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
Because notice and comment are not required under 5 U.S.C. 553, or
any other law, for notices 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: March 11, 2003.
Karen H. Brown,
Deputy Director, NIST.
[FR Doc. 03-6349 Filed 3-17-03; 8:45 am]
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