Recipients Resources

Award Process

Credit: B. Hayes/NIST

Each year following the signing into law of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act, the CIPP Office:

• Contacts each Community Project / Congressionally Directed Spending recipient designated in the Appropriations law to gather preliminary information about the project;
• Ensures recipients are aware of Grants.gov and Sam.gov requirements;
• Hosts a series of webinars to go over the award process, the award timeline, and answer any questions;
• Prepares a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for publication on Grants.gov;
• Publishes the NOFO with a 30-day application window that only the designated recipients are eligible for;
• Works with individual recipients to resolve issues or concerns;
• Conducts initial programmatic review of submitted proposals. Submits award package documentation to the NIST Financial Assistance Agreements Management Office for further review and eventual award. 

NIST anticipates issuing awards by September for all applications submitted by the deadline stated in the NOFO.

Helpful Resources

The CIPP Office has compiled the following resources to assist you in the award process. 

• Fiscal Year 2026 Award Webinar
• Slide Deck from Fiscal Year 2026 Award Webinar
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Department of Commerce Federal Financial Assistance Manual - This Manual references policies and procedures for use by DOC offices and operating units to ensure the consistent implementation of legislation, regulations, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars, Executive Orders (EOs), and DOC policies and procedures, as appropriate, related to Federal financial assistance. This Manual is for internal use by DOC personnel and does not create any rights or liabilities with respect to the public or any third party.

Bi-Annual Reporting Forms 

• Financial Report SF-425
• Research Performance Progress Report Format and Instructions (RPPR)
• Please refer to the Reporting Section in the NOFO for specific guidance.

 Resources

• Grants.Gov - All applications are submitted through grants.gov
• Grants.Gov Forms Repository - Federal forms currently used by awarding agencies to create grant application packages.
• SAM.gov - The official free U.S. government website for entities to register to do business with the federal government.
• Financial Assistance Reference Guide For Recipients - This guide provides essential information about managing your grant or cooperative agreement, focusing on compliance with 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance) and the Department of Commerce (DOC) Financial Assistance General Terms and Conditions. While this guide supplements specific terms and conditions of the award, it does not replace them. In the event of any conflicts, the terms and conditions of the award and applicable federal regulations will take precedence.