290.4—Terms and schedule of financial assistance.
(a)
NIST may provide financial support to any Center for a period not to exceed six years, subject to the availability of funding and continued satisfactory performance. Awards under this program shall be subject to all Federal and Departmental regulations, policies, and procedures applicable to Federal assistance awards. NIST may not provide more than 50 percent of the capital and annual operating and maintenance required to create and maintain such Center. Allowable capital costs may be treated as an expense in the year expended or obligated.
(b) NIST contribution.
The funds provided by NIST may be used for capital and operating and maintenance expenses. Each Center will operate on one-year, annually renewable cooperative agreements, contingent upon successful completion of informal annual reviews. Funding can not be provided after the sixth year of support. A formal review of each Center will be conducted during its third year of operation by an independent Merit Review Panel in accordance with § 290.8 of these procedures. Centers will be required to demonstrate that they will be self-sufficient by the end of six years of operation. The amount of NIST investment in each Center will depend upon the particular requirements, plans, and performance of the Center, as well as the availability of NIST funds. NIST may support the budget of each Center on a matching-funds basis not to exceed the Schedule of Financial Assistance outlined in Table 1. The remaining portion of the Center's funding shall be provided by the host organization.
| Year of center operation | Maximum NIST share |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | 1/2 |
| 4 | 2/5 |
| 5-6 | 1/3 |
(5)
In-kind contribution of part-time personnel, equipment, software, rental value of centrally located space (office and laboratory) and other related contributions up to a maximum of one-half of the host's annual share. Allowable capital expenditures may be applied in the award year expended or in subsequent award years.