Applicants	Webinar

June	1,	2017
Welcome	&	Overview

2

Danielle Santos

Program Manager of NICE
NIST	Notice	of	Funding	Opportunity

National	Initiative	for	Cybersecurity	Education	(NICE)	

is a	partnership	between	government,	academia,	and	

the	private	sector	focused	on	cybersecurity	education,	

training,	and	workforce	development.

nist.gov/nice

3
Join	Us

8th Annual

NICE	Conference	and	Expo

November	7-8,	2017

Dayton,	Ohio

Registration	Opening	Soon!

www.fbcinc.com/nice

4
Agenda

1. NICE	Goals	and	Engagement	Objectives

– Rodney	Petersen,	NICE	Director

2. NICE	Stakeholder	Engagement	Program

– Danielle	Santos,	NICE	Program	Manager

3. Administrative	Requirements

– Timothy	Lynch,	NIST	Grants	Specialist

4. Q&A

5
NICE	Goals	

and	

Engagement	Objectives

6

Rodney Petersen

Director of NICE
Mission	of	NICE

To	energize	and	promote	a	robust	network	and	

an	ecosystem	of	cybersecurity	education,	

training,	and	workforce	development.

7
Values	of	NICE

Seek	Evidence

Pursue	Action

Challenge	Assumptions

Embrace	Change

Stimulate	Innovation

Foster	Communication

Facilitate	Collaboration

Share	Resources

Model	Inclusion

Measure	Results

8
Accelerate	Learning	and	Skills	Development

Inspire	a	sense	of	urgency	

in	both	the	public	and	

private	sectors	to	address	

the	shortage	of	skilled	

cybersecurity	workers

9
Nurture	A	Diverse	Learning	Community

Strengthen	education	and	

training	across	the	ecosystem	

to	emphasize	learning,	

measure	outcomes,	and	

diversify	the	cybersecurity	

workforce

10
Guide	Career	Development	&	Workforce	Planning

Support	employers	to	

address	market	demands	

and	enhance	recruitment,	

hiring,	development,	and	

retention	of	cybersecurity	

talent

11
Purpose	of	2017	Solicitation

• Increase	Stakeholder	Engagement	for	NICE

• Convene	thought	leaders	to	help	address	the	nation’s	

cybersecurity	education,	training,	and	workforce	

needs.	

• Explore	methods	and	opportunities	to	review	NICE	

strategic	directions	and	priorities.

• Provide	a	forum	to	showcase	best	practices.	

12
NICE	Stakeholder	Engagement	Program

Purpose	and	Scope

13

Danielle Santos

Program Manager of NICE
Applicants	Must	Be

• US-located

• a	non-Federal	entity

• engaged	in	building	national	(and	exploring	

international)	relationships	

14
Applicant’s	Program	must	include

• a	year-round	communication	strategy

• conference	planning	and	execution	efforts

– pre-conference	activities	

– determining	tracks,	content,	and	speakers

– arranging	the	venue

– managing	the	conference	logistics	

– managing	post	conference	wrap	up	activities

15
Applicant’s	Program	must	include	

• a	diverse	stakeholder	engagement	strategy

– Employers

– Educators	and	trainers

– Certification	providers

– Workforce	development	managers

– Economic	development	administrators

– Policymakers

• a demonstration	of	commitment	to	regional	diversity

16
Application	Contents	and	Evaluation	Criteria

17
Application	Content	– Required	Forms

• SF	424,	Application	for	Federal	Assistance

– SF-424A,	Budget	Information	- Non-Construction	Programs

– SF-424B,	Assurances	- Non-Construction	Programs

• CD-511,	Certification	Regarding	Lobbying

18
Application	Content

• Proposal	Narrative

• Budget	Narrative

• Indirect	Cost	Rate	Agreement

• Letters	of	Commitment

19
Application	Content	– Proposal	Narrative

• No	more	than	12	pages

• Executive	Summary

• Outreach	Strategy

• Process	for	Building	a	Cybersecurity	Education	and	

Workforce	Development	Community.	

• Conference	Planning

• Resources

20
Application	Content	– Letters	of	Commitment

• Letters	of	Commitment	

– Not	included	in	page	count

• Should	be	provided	from	contractors	or	subawardees

who	will	be	participating	in	the	project	

• Should	indicating	level	of	participation	and	any	

resources	or	infrastructure	brought	to	the	project.	

21
Application	Process	and	Format

• Submission	to	Grants.gov

– Paper,	E-mail	and	Facsimile	(fax)	Submissions.	Will	not	be	accepted.	

• Document	Formatting

– Single	or	Double	Space

– Easy	to	read	font	(10-point	minimum)

• Page	Limit	

– The	Proposal	Narrative	for	Applications	is	limited	to	twelve	(12)	pages.	

– includes:	tables,	graphs,	qualifications

– excludes:	forms,	budget	narrative,	letter	of	commitment

• Revisions	must	be	made	by	submission	of	a	new	application.

22
Evaluation	Criteria

• Outreach	Strategy	(0	– 20	points)

• Process	for	Building	Community	Engagement	(0	to	20	points)

• Conference	Planning	(0	to	30	points)

• Resources	(0	- 20	points)

• Reasonableness	of	the	Proposed	Budget	(0	– 10	points)

23
Administrative	Requirements

Timothy	Lynch

NIST	Grants	Specialist

24
Budget	Format

• Costs	should	be	placed	under	the	applicable	budget	categories	of	

Personnel,	Fringe	Benefits,	Travel,	Equipment,	Supplies,	Contractual,	

Other,	and	Indirect	Charges.

• The	total	dollar	amounts	listed	under	each	budget	category	in	the	Budget	

Narrative	must	match	the	dollar	amounts	listed	on	the	SF424A.

• Cost	computations	and	written	justification	must	be	provided	for	all	costs	

in	the	Budget	Narrative.

• The	Budget	Narrative	and	SF424A	should	only	include	the	Federal	share	of	

costs.		Cost	share	is	not	required.

• Best	estimates	are	acceptable.

25

General	Rules	of	Thumb...
Budget	Narrative	Content

a.	Personnel	

• Name	or	TBD

• Job	title

• Role	of	individual	and	description	of	work	to	be	performed

• Salary

• Level	of	effort	(in	hours	or	percentage	of	time)	

• Total	cost	to	project

*	Consultants/contracted	personnel	should	be	listed	under	the	Contractual	

budget	category.

*	Include	sufficient	time	for	reporting	requirements	and	participation	in	

the	NICE	Conference.

26
Budget	Narrative	Content

b.	Fringe	Benefits

• Identified	separately	from	salaries	and	wages.

• Based	on	rates	determined	by	organizational	policy.

• Costs	included	as	fringe	should	not	be	charged	under	another	cost	

category.

c.	Travel

• Include:	destination;	travel	dates	or	duration	of	trip;	names	of	travelers	

or	number	of	people	traveling;	transportation	rate;	lodging	rate;	

subsistence	rate	(per	diem);	and	description	of	how	travel	is	directly	

related	to	the	project.

• For	travel	that	is	yet	to	be	determined	or	destinations	that	are	not	

known,	provide	best	estimates	based	on	prior	experience.

• Include	travel	to	two	NICE	Conferences.

27
Budget	Narrative	Content

d.	Equipment

• Defined	as:	property	with	an	acquisition	cost	of	$5,000	or	more	and	

expected	service	life	of	more	than	one	year	(unless	the	organization	

has	established	lower	levels).	

• Items	that	do	not	meet	the	threshold	for	“equipment”	may	be	placed	

under	the	Supplies	budget	category.	

• Identify	each	piece	of	equipment,	the	cost,	and	provide	a	description	

of	how	it	will	be	used	and	why	it	is	necessary	for	the	successful	

completion	of	the	project.

• Prorate	costs	for	equipment	that	will	be	used	for	other	purposes	

besides	project-related	effort.

e.	Supplies

• Identify	each	supply	item	and	provide	a	breakdown	of	costs	by	

quantity	or	unit.	

• Describe	the	necessity	of	the	cost	for	the	completion	of	the	project.

28
Budget	Narrative	Content

f.	Contractual

• Treat	each	contract	or	subaward	as	a	separate	line	item.

• Describe	the	services	provided	and	the	purpose.

• Describe	the	necessity	of	the	contract	or	subaward.

• Describe	how	costs	were	determined

• For	contracts,	identify	if	the	contract	is	sole	sourced	or	

competed.

29
Budget	Narrative	Content

Contracts	vs.	Subawards

The	primary	distinction	between	a	sub-recipient	and	a	vendor	is	the	

performance	of	programmatic	work.		

30

Subaward

An award of financial assistance made 

under an award by a recipient to an eligible 

sub-recipient or by a sub-recipient to a lower 

tier sub-recipient (DoC Grants Manual).

Contract (via a Vendor/Procurement) 

Principal purpose of the relationship is 

the acquisition by purchase, lease, or 

barter, of property or services (DoC 

Grants Manual).
Budget	Narrative	Content

g.	Construction

• Not	an	allowed	cost	under	this	program.

h.	Other	Direct	Costs

• Costs	that	do	not	easily	fit	into	the	other	cost	categories	

(e.g.	conference	registration	costs).

• Identify	the	cost	and	provide	a	breakdown	of	the	cost	by	

quantity	or	unit.

• Describe	the	necessity	of	the	cost	for	the	completion	of	

the	project.

31
Budget	Narrative	Content

j.	Indirect	Charges

• Indirect	costs	include	business	expenses	that	are	not	readily	

identified,	but	are	necessary	for	general	operation	and	conduct	of	

activities.

• Indirect	cost	rates	are	negotiated	with	the	recipient’s	cognizant	

Federal	agency.

• For	applicants	without	a	negotiated	rate:

o Use	best	estimates	for	a	rate	to	be	negotiated	with	NIST	

• For	DoC	General	Indirect	Cost	Rate	Program	Guidelines	for	

Grantee	Organizations,	July	2013,	email	Dean	Iwasaki,	NIST	

Grants	Specialist,	at	dean.iwasaki@nist.gov.

o Use	the	10%	De	Minimis	Rate,	authorized	by	2	CFR	200.414.

32
Allowable	Costs

• Reasonable

• Allocable

• Allowable	under	grant	terms,	regulations,	

statute

• Necessary	for	the	performance	of	the	award

• Consistently	charged	regardless	of	source	of					

funds

33
Allowable	Costs

• Direct	costs	for	technical	work

o Salaries	of	technical	personnel	on	the	project

o Equipment	used	on	the	project	(prorated)

o Materials	and	supplies

• Travel	to	NICE	Conferences

• Award	related	audits	- audits	will	be	required	by	an	external	auditor	(CPA	

or	cognizant	Federal	audit	agency),	following	the	Federal	single	audit	

requirements.

• Accounting	system	certification	- if	a	recipient	has	never	received	Federal	

funding,	a	certification	that	indicates	whether	the	recipient	has	a	

functioning	financial	management	system	meeting	the	provisions	of	2	CFR	

200.302	may	be	required	from	a	CPA.		Sample	will	be	provided	at	time	of	

award.

34
Unallowable	Costs

• Profit	and	fees

• Application	writing	and/or	development

• Contingency	fees

• Any	cost	disallowed	by	2	CFR	Part	200

• Any	cost	not	required	for	the	approved	work

35
Award	Requirements

• 2	CFR	200,	Uniform	Administrative	Requirements,	

Cost	Principles,	and	Audit	Requirements	for	Federal	

Awards,	as	adopted	by	the	Department	of	Commerce	

at	2	CFR	1327.101	(http://go.usa.gov/SBYh and	

http://go.usa.gov/SBg4)

• DoC	Financial	Assistance	Standard	Terms	and	

Conditions,	December	26,	2014	

(http://go.usa.gov/hKbj)

• Special	Award	Conditions	specific	to	NICE	and	each	

specific	cooperative	agreement

36
Payment	of	Grant	Funds

• Award	funds	are	paid	electronically	through	

the	Automated	Standard	Application	for	

Payment	(ASAP)	system	managed	by	the	US	

Treasury.

• Enrollment	will	be	required	if	not	already	

enrolled.

37
Reporting	Requirements

• SF425	Federal	Financial	Reports

o 30-days	after	the	end	of	each	calendar	quarter.

o Final	90-days	after	the	end	of	the	award.

• Performance	(Technical)	Reports

o 30-days	after	the	end	of	each	calendar	quarter.

o Final	90-days	after	the	end	of	the	award.

o Guidance	on	content	will	be	provided	following	award.

38
Q	&	A

39
Helpful	Information

The	deadline	to	apply:

Tuesday,	August	1,	2017,	by	11:59	p.m.	Eastern	Time

Link	to	opportunity	on	

Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/viewopportunity.html?oppId=294083

Link	to	full	Notice	of	Funding	Opportunity	(NOFO)	

PDF:	 https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2

017/05/24/nice_stakeholderengagement_nofo_5.24.17.pdf

40