COE for Technical Training and Human Performance | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), announced its intent to establish an Air Transportation Center of Excellence (COE) focused on Technical Training and Human Performance, with formation planned for Fiscal Year 2016. The opportunity is structured as a single, FAA-selected consortium made up of the FAA, a set of university partners, and private industry or other affiliate organizations. The idea is to create a long-term, collaborative research and development hub that concentrates on the training needs of the aviation workforce and the human performance factors that affect training outcomes, operational readiness, and safety. The FAA indicated that it would release a formal solicitation after holding a public meeting and circulating a draft solicitation for review and comment, signaling a process where technical requirements and program expectations would be clarified before final proposal submissions.

A key part of the timeline was a public meeting scheduled for October 21-22, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia, where the FAA planned to discuss both the COE concept and technical requirements, walk through the draft solicitation, and then open a public comment period. Based on the feedback received, the FAA expected to revise the draft and issue a final solicitation by December 2015. While attendance at the public meeting was encouraged for potential applicants, it was not mandatory. The FAA Administrator was expected to announce the final COE selection sometime in 2016. The opportunity listing shows the posting date as July 15, 2015, and includes administrative dates such as a closing date of October 31, 2016 and an archive date of November 30, 2016.

The award mechanism is identified as a cooperative agreement under the FAA Centers of Excellence program (CFDA 20.109, Air Transportation Centers of Excellence), which generally implies substantial federal involvement in shaping, guiding, or collaborating on the work as it proceeds. The listing also notes a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning recipients should expect to contribute non-federal resources consistent with program rules. The opportunity anticipates one award (ExpectedAwards: 1), reflecting that the FAA planned to designate a single COE consortium rather than fund many independent, unrelated projects. Award floor and ceiling are shown as 0 in the listing, which typically means funding levels were not specified in the public synopsis and would instead be defined through the solicitation, negotiated scopes, and later tasking.

Eligibility is directed at private institutions of higher education, consistent with the COE model where universities serve as the core research performers and organizers of broader teams. Even though the COE is university-centered, the FAA explicitly anticipated participation by other federal and non-federal entities. Non-federal organizations could be brought in as affiliate members through the core universities, and those affiliates may both contribute to the COE effort and potentially receive funding through the COE structure, depending on how specific projects are organized and awarded.

Selection criteria were tied to statutory, congressionally mandated considerations and emphasize both capability and broader public value. The FAA planned to evaluate applicants based on how well a proposer represents regional needs for improved air transportation services and facilities, the strength of the applicant’s demonstrated research and extension resources, and the applicant’s ability to lead solutions to near-term and long-range air transportation problems. The criteria also focus on whether the applicant already has an established air transportation program, and whether it can effectively disseminate research and educational results through continuing education at a statewide or region-wide scale. Finally, the proposed research projects themselves are part of the evaluation, though the announcement also makes clear that the FAA will develop specific projects and that selected universities would submit final proposals after the COE membership is established.

The technical scope centers on research and development in technical training within the air transportation environment, with an emphasis on how training is designed, delivered, managed, and modernized for the aviation workforce. The FAA highlighted that the COE’s work would apply to a wide range of personnel categories, including air traffic controllers, aviation safety inspectors, airway transportation systems specialists, engineers, pilots, and technicians. The topic areas include improving training programs and training capabilities (including how training is conducted and what methods translate well to aviation contexts), advancing new training technologies such as content development approaches, mobile learning, and training delivery and management systems, and integrating simulation capabilities where appropriate. Additional focus areas include curriculum analysis and curriculum management, improved techniques for managing learner data, and adapting training to changes in learner expectations and academic best practices for newer generations entering the workforce. The FAA also emphasized modernized approaches and technologies aligned to agency training needs and strategic goals, as well as the administration of both developmental and advanced training for the next generation of aviation professionals.

The funding and project execution model described is staged. After the FAA selects the COE members, the participating universities submit final proposals for FAA evaluation. Initial work is expected to be funded through grant awards, and then, across the life of the COE, additional work could be supported through a mix of grants and contracts. This structure reflects how COEs often operate: a long-duration partnership vehicle where research is planned and executed through successive projects that respond to evolving FAA priorities, technology changes, and workforce needs.

For coordination and questions, the announcement provides points of contact. Patricia.Watts@faa.gov is listed for information on the COE program, and the FAA COE website is provided at www.faa.gov/go/coe. For public meeting registration or to request the draft solicitation, Christine.CTR.Madden@faa.gov is provided. The notice also includes a separate contact reference for assistance accessing the full announcement electronically: William Currier, Business Analyst, phone 609-485-4648, with an FAA email field indicated. The opportunity is identified by Funding Opportunity Number 15-C-TTHP-100PM71515 and titled "COE for Technical Training and Human Performance," categorized as a discretionary funding opportunity within science and technology and other research and development.

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