Grants and Cooperative Agreements $10,000 to $1,000,000 per year for 2 years
Grant Deadline: Feb. 28, 2017
Broadband Technologies and Capabilities for First Responders
The NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator Program seeks applications from eligible applicants for activities to accelerate research, development, production, and testing of key broadband technologies and capabilities for first responders as described in Section I. of this Full Announcement/ NOFO.
Ever increasing operational demands on first responders, along with new technological
opportunities and capabilities, are driving PSOs to adopt broadband technologies such
as Long Term Evolution (LTE) for mission critical data. While access to broadband data
is improving public safety operations and providing new applications, voice remains the
most critical communications capability. However, a true mission critical voice (MCV)
capability has yet to be deployed on any LTE network. The PSIAP is seeking proposals
for innovative R&D projects to accelerate the development, production, and testing of
mission critical voice over LTE networks.
An operational MCV capability includes a number of key functions, and successful
implementation using LTE will require incorporation of a broad set of technologies,
some of which are new or developing. However, PSCR’s stakeholder engagement and
evaluation activities, coupled with the technology landscape assessments and industry
roadmaps, clearly support the need for R&D in two particular areas: 1) direct mode
operations, and 2) mission critical push-to-talk.
Emergency responders have a compelling need to understand the physical environment
in which they are working: Where are public safety personnel and equipment? What
hazards and resources are present in the area? What entry and exit routes are
available? PSCR refers to the collection of technologies and systems that gather, store,
disseminate, and act on location and located information as Location Based Services
(LBS).
What this grant does for your agency
In FY 2017 through FY2019, NIST anticipates up to $30,000,000 may be available.
Agencies awarded the NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator receive awards in the range of $10,000 to $1,000,000 per year with project performance periods of up to two (2) years. Proposals submitted by institutions of higher education with the specific purpose of supporting research by students as part of their doctoral program may have performance periods of up to three (3) years. All awards will be made consistent with the multi-year funding policy.
Matching funds are not required for this NOFO. Only a limited number of grants will be awarded.
Grant Eligibility
For full eligibility details, see the Grant Guidelines:
- All awards listed in this NOFO are open to all non-Federal entities.
- Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, state and local governments, Indian tribes, hospitals, foreign public entities, and foreign governments.
- An eligible organization may propose to work individually or to include proposed sub-awardees, contractors or other collaborators.
- Please note that individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not considered “non-Federal entities” and are not eligible apply under this NOFO.
- NIST will only consider one application per applicant; however, an applicant entity may be proposed as a sub-recipient, contractor, or unfunded collaborator within applications submitted by other entities.
- In addition, an applicant may address more than one technology area from the program description, though they should make this very clear in the technical proposal.
About the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was founded in 1901 and now part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. NIST is one of the nation’s oldest physical science laboratories… More
Grant Deadline
Grant applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m., Tues., Feb. 28, 2017.
Apply
Funding Opportunity Number: 2017-NIST-PSIAP-01. Apply for the NIST Public Safety Innovation Accelerator