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National Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network Expansion Award Pilot Program

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Q: What is meant by Supply Chain Optimization? 

A: PUBLIC LAW 117–167, Subtitle D, Sec. 10251, Sec 25B(e)(5), a purpose of the 

awards under the Expansion Awards Pilot Program is: 

‘‘(5) To build capabilities across the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership for 

domestic supply chain resiliency and optimization, including — (A) assessment of 

domestic manufacturing capabilities, expanded capacity for researching and 

deploying information on supply chain risk, hidden costs of reliance on offshore 

suppliers, redesigning products and processes to encourage reshoring, and other 

relevant topics; and (B) expanded services to provide industrywide support that 

assists United States manufacturers with reshoring manufacturing to strengthen the 

resiliency of domestic supply chains, including in critical technology areas and 

foundational manufacturing capabilities that are key to domestic manufacturing 

competitiveness and resiliency, including forming, casting, machining, joining, surface 

treatment, tooling, and metal or chemical refining.”

The current Expansion Award Pilot Program is focused on the activities described in 

(A) above as a strategy for improving the effectiveness, efficiency, and resilience of 

domestic U.S. supply chains. 

2. Q: What is a Supply Chain Intelligence Network? 

A: The data from each Center represents information that can be utilized to identify 

gaps and weakness and develop strategies and programs to build larger domestic 

manufacturing supply chain for critical industry sectors. The intelligence or data from 

the Centers develops a national plan that can be used to develop policies and 

investment for the U.S. Government and private entities. 

MEP’s Supply Chain Intelligence Network will consist of designated staff at each 

Center who responds to supplier scouting/matching inquiries, maintains knowledge 

as well as data on their local supply chain ecosystem, partners with key Original

Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in their region and coordinates frequently and 

effectively within the MEP National Network, including NIST MEP.

3. Q: Why can’t Centers generate program income under this Expansion Award 

program? 

A: The Budget Narrative and Justification Section (Section 6) of the RFA specifically 

prohibits the generation of program income under these awards. The intent of the 

Expansion Awards is to build capability and capacity across the MEP National 

Network to support the delivery of supply chain optimization services, not to deliver 

those services. This is an investment in the National Network to support and grow 

the U.S. Domestic Supply Chain. Client projects, including the generation of program 

income, can be executed under the Center’s Base Award.
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4. Q: The RFA is prescriptive in terms of required Center tasks under this award. Can 

Centers do things that are not specified in the RFA? What other kinds of activities 

might be allowed?

A: See RFA Program Objective, Section #4 for information regarding activities not 

specified within the RFA but permitted under an award. 

5. Q: Does the required minimum 1 FTE have to be an employee of the Center? If 

Centers don’t want to hire additional staff for this program, what other options are 

available to satisfy the minimum 1 FTE requirement to be dedicated to this 

program?

A: A Center may opt to use the funds to support an FTE at a partnered organization. 

Also, the minimum FTE requirement can be met through the level of effort of more 

than one individual so long as the total commitment of all dedicated individuals 

totals at least 1 FTE. Centers are advised to consult their Center Resource 

Management Team (CRMT) when deciding how best to meet the minimum 1 FTE 

requirement.

6. Q: Will the acceptance of expansion award funds impact my Center’s IMPACT

scores? 

A: No. Expansion Award funding will be provided to Centers via a separate 

cooperative agreement from the Centers’ base awards. Therefore, MEP will not 

include the amount of Expansion Award funding received by a Center in the total 

federal funding amount (i.e., the denominator) used to calculate that Center’s 

IMPACT scores on their base awards.

7. Q: How often are Centers required to submit their SF-425 Federal Financial 

Reports? How often will performance reports be required?

A: Financial reporting will be reported on a semi-annual basis. Progress reporting on 

performance are required to be submitted on a quarterly basis. 

8. Q: Do Centers have to propose a full two-year program? Can Centers propose a 

period of performance that is more or less than two years? 

A: No. The period of performance for all Expansion Awards will be 24 months. 

9. Q: Do Centers have to take the maximum $400,000? 

A: No. Centers may propose an amount less than $400,000. Centers should consult 

with their CRMT when deciding an appropriate amount of Expansion Award funding 

to request. 

10. Q: Can Centers use Expansion Award funds to buy a third-party database or similar 

services? 

A: Yes. Expansion Award funds may be used by a Center to fund a database 

application for the purpose of supplier mapping and data collection. Centers are 

advised to consult their CRMT when making the decision to purchase a database 

application with Expansion Award funds. 
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Please note that Centers need to ensure that the data from these services are not 

proprietary and can be transmitted to NIST for reporting. 

11. Q: Does NIST MEP recommend a particular supplier mapping database for Centers 

to purchase? 

A: No. NIST MEP will not suggest, recommend, or mandate that MEP Centers use a 

particular database. However, MEP may specify a common application programming 

interface (API). An API is a set of defined rules that enable different applications to 

communicate with each other. In every instance, however, database options selected 

by Centers must be capable of readily exchanging data and information with the MEP 

National Network. 

12. Q: Since these funds were appropriated to the MEP program under the CHIPS Act, 

is this program focused on semiconductors?

A: No. While this funding was provided under the CHIPS act, the Expansion Awards 

Pilot Program authority covers a range of possible uses including workforce, supply 

chain, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing technology. 

13. Supply Chain represents one-third of NIST MEP’s focus areas. Does funding only 

one area imply that that other two are less important?

A: No, all three strategic goals are important. The Expansion Awards Pilot Program 

appropriation for FY 2023 was $13 million. Even when supplemented with a

substantial amount of funding from MEP’s annual appropriation increase, the total 

amount of available funding for this purpose in FY 2023 is simply not large enough to 

address more than one strategic initiative at this time.

14. Q: Can a Center propose to do more outside of the RFA criteria areas?

A: No. A Center may not propose activities that are different from those described

under the Program Objective section of the RFA. However, Centers can be creative 

within the parameters and objectives of the program. Centers may be creative with 

methods and approaches but not with topics or objectives. Also, refer to question #4 

above.

15. Q: If a Center has multiple SRAs, should they delegate work or is the prime 

recipient responsible for the work?

A: The prime recipient of the cooperative agreement is ultimately responsible for 

satisfying the requirements spelled out in this RFA. However, the prime recipient may 

opt to delegate by formal agreement responsibility (but not accountability) for a

portion of the work to an SRA or other affiliated organization. 

16. Q: Can Centers in the same region consolidate efforts to optimize the funding? 

(e.g., share database or FTE)

A: The intent of this pilot effort is to provide opportunities for each Center to build

their own capacity and intelligence with respect to the supply chain ecosystem within 

its own state. Therefore, consolidated efforts between or among multiple Centers 

are discouraged. Our expectation for this award is that we create a national supply 

chain optimization network and that means we will have a contact point for the 
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network in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico. To that end, if a group of Centers apply 

under one award, we will require performance and financial reporting to be 

completed and broken out by each individual Center.

17. Q: Is all the funding available for draw down after award, or is there a schedule 

requirement for draw down? Does it need to be tied to expenses since it does not 

require cost share?

A: NIST expects to fully fund the cooperative agreements upon award. Unless 

otherwise stated in a Specific Award Condition, the advance method of payment is 

authorized. Advances must be limited to the minimum amounts needed and be 

timed to be in accordance with the actual, immediate cash requirements of the nonfederal entity (NFE)/MEP Center in carrying out the project. NFEs/MEP Centers must 

time advance payment requests that federal funds are on hand for a maximum of 30 

calendar days before being disbursed by the NFE/MEP Center for allowable award 

costs.

18. Q: Are pre-award costs allowed? If so, what is the maximum amount allowed for 

pre-award cost and how do we notate it in the budget forms?

A: In accordance with the Other Information section of the NIST MEP Expansion 

Awards Pilot Program (MEAPP) MEP National Supply Chain Optimization and 

Intelligence Network RFA, the recipient may request approval of pre-award costs; 

however, all costs incurred before the federal awarding agency makes the federal 

award are at the recipient's risk. Pre-award costs are allowable only to the extent 

that they would have been allowable if incurred after the date of the federal award 

and only with the written approval of the federal awarding agency. Prior approval is 

required for pre-award activities conducted by the recipient during the pre-award 

period of 90 calendar days before the federal award start date. This request may be 

included with the application and the budget, but all pre-award costs must be a 

portion of, not in addition to, the total approved budget.

19. Q: Will there be a separate ASAP account?

A: Each entity has the same ASAP/Recipient ID for all of its awards. Regarding 

accounts, each award has a separate Account ID which is also the award number. 

20. Q: For Centers with multiple SRAs, managing the required 1 FTE could be 

challenging. Distributing a full-time equivalent over multiple SRAs would result in 

many people devoting little time to the effort. In that instance, it would make more 

sense for one individual to have sole responsibility to direct all Supply Chain 

activities. Will Centers that operate this way take a different approach to the RFA 

than other traditional Centers without a large SRA population?

A: In consultation with their assigned CRMT, a Center may choose to maintain a fulltime equivalent staff member in a centralized role coordinating supply chain 

optimization activities for the entire MEP Center including SRAs. On the other hand, 

that Center may opt to distribute some amount of FTE resources to an SRA or a series 

of SRAs. Each Center has the flexibility to develop this capacity in the way that works 

best for the center.
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21. Q: Will the % allocated on the Current and Pending Support form only be an 

estimate?

A: The Current and Pending Support form should account for the actual level of effort 

of key personnel for this award. All activities requiring a portion of time of the 

investigator and key personnel must be included. This includes activities with no 

salary support. 

22. Q: Are these to be reported as facilitated projects in MEIS? 

A: No. The recipient will be required to provide performance reports on a quarterly 

basis (unless otherwise directed by the NIST Grants Officer) and in a specified format 

to NIST MEP. 

23. Q: I noticed that the SF-424a is on the grant.gov site. Is that being used in place of 

the single-year workbook, or do we need to do both?

A: Both SF 424A and the single-year workbook are required. 

24. Q: In terms of the metrics, should they align to the MEP scorecard? Or should there 

be unique measures since this is specific to one subject area?

A: No, the metrics for this program will not align to the MEP scorecard. The funds 

provided and activities to be carried out under this program are intended to build 

Center capacity to perform supply chain projects. The unique nature of the activities 

will require metrics that are different from those that populate the scorecard. 

25. Q: My base award has less than 24 months remaining. Should the MEAPP award 

end date match the base award end date? Will my application be considered 

ineligible if I request less than 24 months?

A: No. The MEAPP award is tied to the Center’s base cooperative agreement, and if 

the base agreement should change, the MEAPP award will carry over to the next one. 

There will be a Specific Award Condition (SAC) in the award notification to clarify. If 

the Center is unsuccessful at winning the competition for the follow-on base award, 

then the MEP Expansion Award Pilot Program will terminate on the same date their 

current award ends. 

26. Q: If Centers are applying as a consortium, how do they report out? I assume 

finance separately but overlap programmatically is inevitable. Larger joint report?

A: MEP’s goal for this award is to create a national supply chain optimization 

network, and that means there will be a contact point for supply chain activities in all 

50 states and Puerto Rico. To that end, if a group of Centers applies under one 

award, MEP will require performance and financial reporting to be done and broken 

out at the individual state level. 

27. Q: Can an MEP Center with a large SRA community subcontract to one of their 

SRA's for the 1 FTE or equivalent?

A: The RFA requirement is for one FTE. It can be a direct employee, through an SRA,

or through a contractor. The Center’s application should be clear about how the FTE 

will be supported and utilized by the Center. 
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28. Q: What is NIST MEP calling this project arm? I see/hear the following: extension 

awards, RFA, pilot program, expansion awards, MEAPP. We should have one, 

unified nomenclature.

A: Officially, it is the Expansion Awards Pilot Program. It may also be referred to as 

“Expansion awards.” 

29. Q: How about Centers currently being re-competed, i.e. MD MEP? Are they 

eligible? 

A: All current MEP Centers are eligible to apply for these expansion award funds. 

30. Q: What are the acceptable means for which the data can be transferred to NIST 

MEP? Is there a requirement for a bridge connection to transfer large volumes of 

data? What means is acceptable?

A: The specific methods for data transfer have not yet been determined. Centers will 

be notified once common protocols have been established. See also the response to 

Question 10 above. 

31. Q: Will there be an Intellectual Property Plan template?

A: That is not foreseen, as this is not an R&D investment.

32. Q: Are the awards funded for the full 24-month request or annually? The RFA says 

that NIST has the option.

A: See the response to Question 8 above.

33. Q: While the page limit is 10 ... what should we expect it terms page minimum? As 

in there is mandatory number of pages for suitable / acceptable RFA?

A: There is no page minimum, but the narrative should be long enough to 

demonstrate responsiveness to the RFA. Applications should contain sufficient 

content to demonstrate how the Center will implement the objectives of the 

program. 

34. Q: Can a Center's response to the RFA be "open ended" in that they submit a

project plan with milestones that upon execution & burn rate, and the Center uses

up the $400K in the first year with more work to be done in Year Two (awaiting

new/more funding)?

A: No. The period of performance for these awards is 24 months. Centers must plan 

to support the goals of this pilot project for the full period of performance. There is 

no additional funding anticipated for these awards. 

35. Q: Expansion awards includes the three themes, and Centers are aware that this 

RFA focus is supply chain. For Centers’ planning purposes, when will workforce and 

technology be addressed? Centers need to be thinking 2-3 years ahead. Is there a 

long-range plan for future pilot projects or is everything based on availability of

funds?

A: Initially, expansion awards for three themes were tied to the anticipation of higher 

funding than what MEP received, and the higher levels of funding did not 

happen. Given the nature of Congressional appropriations, MEP cannot reliably 
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predict funding levels 2-3 years ahead. Consequently, future funding plans will 

depend on availability of funding. 

36. Q: Is there a maximum number of Centers that can make up a single consortium?

A: No, although the number should be reasonable. Centers should consult with their 

CRMT when considering applying as part of a consortium. 

37. Q: What is meant by a "consortium?"

A: From 15 U.S.C.278k-2 (c): “Participants receiving awards under this section shall be 

Centers, or a consortium of Centers.” 

38. Q: Is it expected that clients reported will align with clients they report to MEIS 

(with completed projects)? Or, will this be a count in their Progress Plan?

A: Centers should not conduct reportable (or surveyable) projects under this pilot 

program. All such activities should be reported under the Center’s base award. See 

also response to Question 43. 

39. Q: For Centers with SRAs, how will the money be divided?

A: The MEP Center base award recipient may determine whether funds will be

allocated among SRAs and in what amounts. 

40. Q: Where will the information gathered be stored and managed prior to any 

funding to develop a national database?

A: Information gathered by the Centers under this pilot project will be stored and 

managed as determined by each Center. Information shared with the National 

Network will be aggregated by or on behalf of NIST MEP. 

41. Q: If the use of the RFA funding to generate program income is prohibited, is that 

expected to act as a disincentive for the Center to use existing staff as an FTE under 

the award? For example, this FTE may have to give up existing fee-paying project 

work, which could create a skill deficiency at a given Center and will potentially 

affect the absorption rate of overhead by projects (Center efficiency metrics could 

be negatively affected). However, by hiring a new FTE, this potentially creates a 

salary and overhead burden that continues after the expiration of the 2-year 

award. How can centers avoid these two potential scenarios?

A: The prohibition on generation of program income is not intended as a disincentive. 

Rather, it is an indication that the purpose of this program is not to perform work 

(i.e., projects with clients) that is already being accomplished under the Center’s base 

award. When determining how to meet the FTE requirement on this program, 

Centers should do so in a way that can best support the long-term sustainability of 

supply chain activities beyond the 24-month period of performance for this pilot 

project.