Opportunity Information: Apply for 2015 NIST TPO 01
Apply for 2015 NIST TPO 01
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Economic Analysis of the National Need for Technology Infrastructure to Support the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 29, 2015 and posted on May 29, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 28, 2015 Applications must be received electronically through Grants.gov no later than 1159 p.m. Eastern Time, Tuesday, July 28, 2015. Applications received after this deadline will not be reviewed or considered.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligibility for the program listed in this FFO is unrestricted, that is, open to all non Federal entities. Eligible applicants include accredited institutions of higher education non profit organizations for profit organizations incorporated in the United States and state, local, territorial and Indian tribal governments within the United States. An eligible organization may work individually or include proposed subawardees, contractors or other collaborators in a project, effectively forming a team or consortium. An eligible organization may only submit one application. Federal agencies may participate in projects but may not receive NIST funding.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity, issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), supports a single cooperative agreement to carry out a prospective economic study on the United States' technology infrastructure needs for the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI). The core idea is that advanced materials underpin national economic security and quality of life, influencing areas like clean energy, national security, and broader human welfare, but the pathway from initial discovery to a market-ready material can take two decades or more. NIST is seeking a strategic planning-style analysis that helps explain why that timeline is so long, what infrastructure shortfalls contribute to delays and inefficiencies, and what the economic payoff could be if those gaps were addressed.
The project is framed as an economic impact assessment focused on "technology infrastructure" supporting MGI-related research and commercialization. In practice, this means looking beyond basic science to the systems that allow materials innovation to move faster and more reliably: shared measurement capabilities, standards, validated data and databases, modeling and simulation tools, testbeds, interoperability frameworks, workforce and institutional practices, and other enabling platforms that reduce uncertainty and transaction costs for firms and researchers. The study is expected to combine technology assessment with industry-focused economic analysis, using both quantitative and qualitative methods to identify where the current ecosystem falls short and how closing those gaps could accelerate research, development, adoption, deployment, and scale-up of emerging materials technologies.
NIST emphasizes that applicants should bring interdisciplinary capability. At a minimum, the work is expected to draw on technology assessment methods; behavioral and structural analysis of high-tech industries (how firms make decisions, invest, compete, and collaborate); microeconomic modeling that can represent complex R&D and commercialization pathways; rigorous survey and data collection techniques suited to advanced-technology sectors; and integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches for diagnosing infrastructure gaps that inhibit innovation. In other words, the deliverable is not just a narrative report, but an evidence-driven economic analysis grounded in novel data and credible modeling, informed directly by how industry evaluates investments and how research is translated into products.
The opportunity lays out five specific analytical goals. First, the awardee must assess technological and economic trends shaping MGI-related technologies, including who is already adopting these tools and who is expected to adopt them in the future, as well as the conditions influencing adoption and deployment. Second, the study must identify gaps in technology infrastructure that limit efficient domestic development of highly complex, emerging materials research technologies. Third, those gaps must be assessed qualitatively through the lens of industry investment criteria and the research mechanisms used (for example, what kinds of evidence firms need before committing capital, what bottlenecks create unacceptable risk, and how collaboration and technology transfer work in real settings). Fourth, the project must produce quantitative, empirical rankings of the economic benefit of eliminating the identified gaps, relying on new data and modeling approaches rather than purely conceptual estimates. Fifth, the study must interpret the results in terms of policy implications, including likely U.S. and international government responses across different phases of the R&D cycle, technology transfer activities, and subsequent scale-up and capital formation, essentially connecting infrastructure fixes to concrete actions that governments might take to improve outcomes.
Administratively, this was posted May 29, 2015 under Funding Opportunity Number 2015-NIST-TPO-01, with applications due electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 28, 2015. It is categorized as discretionary funding and uses a cooperative agreement instrument, meaning NIST likely anticipated substantial involvement or collaboration during the project compared with a standard grant. NIST expected to make one award, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement stated.
Eligibility was broad and described as unrestricted for non-federal entities. Eligible applicants included accredited U.S. institutions of higher education, U.S.-incorporated nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and U.S. state, local, territorial, and Indian tribal governments. Applicants were allowed to propose teams or consortia using subawardees, contractors, or other collaborators, but each eligible organization could submit only one application. Federal agencies could participate in the project but were not permitted to receive NIST funding through this opportunity. The agency contact listed for access issues with the full announcement was Christopher Hunton, Grants Technical Assistant, at 301-975-5718.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity about?
This National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) funding opportunity supports a single cooperative agreement to conduct a prospective economic study of U.S. technology infrastructure needs for the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI). The study is intended to explain why the path from materials discovery to market adoption can take two decades or more, identify infrastructure shortfalls that contribute to delays and inefficiencies, and estimate the potential economic payoff if those gaps were addressed.
Who is the sponsoring agency?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
What is the funding instrument?
The instrument is a cooperative agreement. This implies NIST anticipated substantial involvement or collaboration during the project compared with a standard grant.
How many awards did NIST expect to make?
NIST expected to make one award.
What is the focus of the study: basic science or something else?
The study is framed as an economic impact assessment focused on "technology infrastructure" that supports MGI-related research and commercialization. It looks beyond basic science to the systems and platforms that help materials innovation move faster and more reliably.
What does "technology infrastructure" mean in this opportunity?
In this opportunity, technology infrastructure includes enabling capabilities and systems such as shared measurement capabilities, standards, validated data and databases, modeling and simulation tools, testbeds, interoperability frameworks, workforce and institutional practices, and other platforms that reduce uncertainty and transaction costs for firms and researchers.
Why is NIST emphasizing the long timeline from discovery to market?
NIST highlights that moving from initial discovery to a market-ready material can take two decades or more. The requested analysis is meant to clarify why the timeline is so long, what infrastructure shortfalls contribute to delays and inefficiencies, and what could change if gaps were closed.
What is the overarching purpose of the project deliverable?
The deliverable is intended to be an evidence-driven economic analysis grounded in novel data and credible modeling, informed by how industry evaluates investments and how research translates into products. It is not intended to be only a narrative report.
What kinds of methods and expertise does NIST expect applicants to bring?
NIST emphasized interdisciplinary capability. At a minimum, the project is expected to draw on technology assessment methods; behavioral and structural analysis of high-tech industries (how firms make decisions, invest, compete, and collaborate); microeconomic modeling representing complex R&D and commercialization pathways; rigorous survey and data collection techniques suited to advanced-technology sectors; and integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches to diagnose infrastructure gaps that inhibit innovation.
What are the five specific analytical goals the awardee must address?
The opportunity describes five analytical goals:
- Assess technological and economic trends shaping MGI-related technologies, including who is adopting tools now, who is expected to adopt them in the future, and the conditions influencing adoption and deployment.
- Identify gaps in technology infrastructure that limit efficient domestic development of highly complex, emerging materials research technologies.
- Assess those gaps qualitatively through industry investment criteria and research mechanisms (for example, what evidence firms require before committing capital, what bottlenecks create unacceptable risk, and how collaboration and technology transfer work in real settings).
- Produce quantitative, empirical rankings of the economic benefit of eliminating the identified gaps, relying on new data and modeling approaches rather than purely conceptual estimates.
- Interpret results in terms of policy implications, including likely U.S. and international government responses across phases of the R&D cycle, technology transfer activities, and subsequent scale-up and capital formation.
Does the study need to include both qualitative and quantitative analysis?
Yes. The study is expected to combine qualitative and quantitative methods. It must include qualitative assessment informed by industry investment criteria and research/technology-transfer mechanisms, and it must also produce quantitative, empirical rankings of the economic benefits of eliminating infrastructure gaps.
Is the quantitative component allowed to be purely conceptual or based only on existing assumptions?
No. The opportunity calls for quantitative, empirical rankings that rely on new data and modeling approaches rather than purely conceptual estimates.
What kinds of economic analysis are emphasized?
The opportunity emphasizes industry-focused economic analysis, including behavioral and structural analysis of high-tech industries and microeconomic modeling that can represent complex R&D and commercialization pathways, supported by rigorous survey and data collection techniques.
What is meant by "prospective economic study" in this context?
The study is prospective in the sense that it is intended to assess future-oriented technology infrastructure needs and economic impacts for MGI-related research and commercialization, including expected adoption and deployment and the potential payoff from addressing infrastructure gaps.
What policy-related outputs are expected?
The study must interpret results in terms of policy implications, including likely U.S. and international government responses across different phases of the R&D cycle, technology transfer activities, and subsequent scale-up and capital formation. The aim is to connect infrastructure fixes to concrete actions governments might take to improve outcomes.
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on May 29, 2015.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is 2015-NIST-TPO-01.
When were applications due?
Applications were due electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 28, 2015.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov.
What type of funding was this categorized as?
It was categorized as discretionary funding.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement was stated in the provided opportunity information.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and described as unrestricted for non-federal entities. Eligible applicants included accredited U.S. institutions of higher education; U.S.-incorporated nonprofit and for-profit organizations; and U.S. state, local, territorial, and Indian tribal governments.
Could applicants apply as a team or consortium?
Yes. Applicants were allowed to propose teams or consortia using subawardees, contractors, or other collaborators.
How many applications could each eligible organization submit?
Each eligible organization could submit only one application.
Could federal agencies participate?
Federal agencies could participate in the project, but they were not permitted to receive NIST funding through this opportunity.
Who was the listed contact for access issues with the full announcement?
The listed contact was Christopher Hunton, Grants Technical Assistant, at 301-975-5718.
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