Small University Grants Open 5 Year Broad Agency Announcement | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this grant opportunity and what is the funding opportunity number?

The opportunity is titled "Small University Grants Open 5 Year Broad Agency Announcement" and the Funding Opportunity Number is BAA RV 10 03.

2) Which agency is offering this opportunity?

The issuing agency is the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

3) What program and CFDA number does this opportunity fall under?

This is an AFRL discretionary grant opportunity under CFDA 12.800, the Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program.

4) What type of solicitation is this?

It is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Under a BAA, AFRL solicits proposals for research and development efforts that align with specific technical topic areas described in the announcement, and makes awards competitively based on the merit and relevance of the proposed work.

5) What is the funding instrument type?

The instrument type is a grant.

6) What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?

The funding activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

7) When was the opportunity posted and what is the open/close window?

The announcement was originally posted on August 27, 2010. It was later updated (creation date April 12, 2012) and remained open through a long BAA window with a closing date of August 26, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. The archive date is August 27, 2015.

8) How much funding is expected to be available in total?

The estimated total funding amount is $4,950,000.

9) What are the award ceiling and award floor?

The award ceiling is listed as $4,950,000 and the award floor is $0.

10) How many awards did the Air Force anticipate making?

The Air Force anticipated making about three awards.

11) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as "unrestricted," meaning it is open to any type of entity. Applicants are still expected to follow any eligibility clarifications contained in the full text of the announcement.

12) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The solicitation explicitly states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

13) Can a recipient include profit or a fee in the budget?

No. The solicitation notes that no profit or fee will be paid under this grant, which is typical for many federal assistance awards and is important to reflect in project budgeting.

14) What is Amendment 0005 and what does it change?

The provided text focuses on Amendment 0005. This amendment makes targeted administrative and point-of-contact updates and corrects/clarifies certain proposal submission instructions (particularly around budget preparation). It does not change the overall purpose of the program.

15) Which technical topic area is specifically referenced in the amendment text?

The amendment calls out Section I (Funding Opportunity Description), Technology Area Description, Topic Area 8: "Radiation Effects/Protection."

16) What is the scope of Topic Area 8 (Radiation Effects/Protection)?

Topic Area 8 covers research into space radiation effects on electronic components and approaches to maximize failure tolerance of space electronics in radiation environments.

17) Who are the points of contact for Topic Area 8, and what changed in Amendment 0005?

The primary point of contact for Topic Area 8 is Ken Hunt (phone 505-846-4959). Amendment 0005 changes the alternate point of contact from Creigh Gordon to Gabe Mounce. The alternate point-of-contact phone number remains listed as 505-846-6079, but the person associated with that number is updated.

18) What proposal submission instruction was corrected regarding the budget?

Amendment 0005 corrects the instruction in Section IV (Application and Submission Information), "Budget and Schedule." The prior text mistakenly directed applicants to conform to "Attachment B, Instructions for Preparing Budgets (Assistance)." The corrected instruction states that the budget proposal (limited to 10 pages) must conform to "Attachment A, Instructions for Preparing Budgets (Assistance)."

19) How long can the budget proposal section be?

The budget proposal is limited to 10 pages.

20) What does the budget guidance say about separating different types of costs?

The budget guidance emphasizes that applicants must clearly separate internal costs from costs used to pursue the objectives (with examples including scholarships, training, and course preparation).

21) What does the amendment say about subcontractors?

If subcontractors are used, the applicant must be able to show that subcontractor selection was competitive, or that a properly justified noncompetitive/sole-source award consistent with applicable regulations was or will be made.

22) Are there expectations related to small and disadvantaged business participation?

Yes. The guidance stresses efforts to provide small and disadvantaged businesses an opportunity to compete.

23) Is any cost or price analysis required?

Yes. The guidance requires that some form of cost or price analysis be conducted.

24) Which budget tables are required and for what timeframe?

Tables 1 and 2 are required to be completed for the entire period of performance.

25) Does the budget section need to be understandable on its own?

Yes. The guidance states that the budget section must stand alone and be complete.

26) Is a schedule required as part of the budget and schedule section?

Yes. The budget materials must include a program execution schedule identifying objectives/goals and major milestones across the performance period.

27) Which attachments were replaced by Amendment 0005?

Amendment 0005 replaces two attachments: Attachment A (budget instructions) and Attachment B (certifications).

28) What is the revised Attachment A that applicants should use?

Attachment A is replaced with a revised version titled "Attachment A, Det 8 Air Force Research Laboratory AFRL/PK Instructions for Preparing Budgets (Assistance), Revised 21 Sept 2010."

29) What happened to the certifications attachment (Attachment B)?

The older certifications package titled "Attachment B, Certifications for Applications for Federal Assistance (Grants and Cooperative Agreements) (Current as of 27 Aug 2007)" is deleted and replaced with "Attachment B Certifications for Applications for Federal Assistance (Grants and Cooperative Agreements) (Current as of 11 April 2012)."

30) Who should be contacted for administrative questions or issues accessing the full announcement?

For administrative questions or problems accessing the full announcement, the listed contact is LaDonna Nivens, Grants Specialist/Grants Officer, at 505-853-2279, AFRL/RVKS, 3550 Aberdeen Ave SE, Building 426, Room 130, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-0001.

31) Where is the AFRL office location provided in the notice?

The notice lists: AFRL/RVKS, 3550 Aberdeen Ave SE, Building 426, Room 130, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-0001.

32) Does the notice include an AFRL website link?

Yes. The notice indicates that an AFRL website link is included for additional organizational reference (the specific URL is not included in the provided text).