32 C.F.R. Subpart C—Competition
Title 32 - National Defense
This subpart establishes DoD policy and implements statutes related to the use of competitive procedures in the award of grants and cooperative agreements. (a) It is DoD policy to maximize use of competition in the award of grants and cooperative agreements. This also conforms with: (1) 31 U.S.C. 6301(3), which encourages the use of competition in awarding all grants and cooperative agreements. (2) 10 U.S.C. 2374(a), which sets out Congressional policy that any new grant for research, development, test, or evaluation be awarded through merit-based selection procedures. (b) Grants officers shall use merit-based, competitive procedures (as defined by §22.315) to award grants and cooperative agreements: (1) In every case where required by statute (e.g., 10 U.S.C. 2361, as implemented in §22.310, for certain grants to institutions of higher education). (2) To the maximum extent practicable in all cases where not required by statute. (a) Definitions specific to this section. For the purposes of implementing the requirements of 10 U.S.C. 2374 in this section, the following terms are defined: (1) Follow-on grant. A grant that provides for continuation of research and development performed by a recipient under a preceding grant. Note that follow-on grants are distinct from incremental funding actions during the period of execution of a multi-year award. (2) New grant. A grant that is not a follow-on grant. (b) Statutory requirement to use competitive procedures. (1) A grants officer shall not award a grant by other than merit-based, competitive procedures (as defined by §22.315) to an institution of higher education for the performance of research and development or for the construction of research or other facilities, unless: (i) In the case of a new grant for research and development, there is a statute meeting the criteria in paragraph (c)(1) of this section; (ii) In the case of a follow-on grant for research and development, or of a grant for the construction of research or other facilities, there is a statute meeting the criteria in paragraph (c)(2) of this section; and (iii) The Secretary of Defense submits to Congress a written notice of intent to make the grant. The grant may not be awarded until 180 calendar days have elapsed after the date on which Congress received the notice of intent. Contracting activities must submit a draft notice of intent with supporting documentation through channels to the Deputy Director, Defense Research and Engineering. (2) Because subsequently enacted statutes may, by their terms, impose different requirements than set out in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, grants officers shall consult legal counsel on a case-by-case basis, when grants for the performance of research and development or for the construction of research or other facilities are to be awarded to institutions of higher education by other than merit-based competitive procedures. (c) Subsequent statutes. In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2361 and 10 U.S.C. 2374, a provision of law may not be construed as requiring the award of a grant through other than the merit-based, competitive procedures described in §22.315, unless: (1) Institutions of higher education—new grants for research and development. In the case of a new grant for research and development to an institution of higher education, such provision of law specifically: (i) Identifies the particular institution of higher education involved; (ii) States that such provision of law modifies or supersedes the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 2361 (a requirement that applies only if the statute authorizing or requiring award by other than competitive procedures was enacted after September 30, 1989); and (iii) States that the award to the institution of higher education involved is required by such provision of law to be made in contravention of the policy set forth in 10 U.S.C. 2374(a). (2) Institutions of higher education—follow-on grants for research and development and grants for the construction of any research or other facility. In the case of any such grant to an institution of higher education, such provision of law specifically: (i) Identifies the particular institution of higher education involved; and (ii) States that such provision of law modifies or supersedes the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 2361 (a requirement that applies only if the statute authorizing or requiring award by other than competitive procedures was enacted after September 30, 1989). (3) Other entities—new grants for research and development—(i) General. In the case of a new grant for research and development to an entity other than an institution of higher education, such provision of law specifically: (A) Identifies the particular entity involved; (B) States that the award to that entity is required by such provision of law to be made in contravention of the policy set forth in 10 U.S.C. 2374(a). (ii) Exception. The requirement of paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section does not apply to any grant that calls upon the National Academy of Sciences to: (A) Investigate, examine, or experiment upon any subject of science or art of significance to the Department of Defense or any Military Department; and (B) Report on such matters to the Congress or any agency of the Federal Government. Competitive procedures are methods that encourage participation in DoD programs by a broad base of the most highly qualified performers. These procedures are characterized by competition among as many eligible proposers as possible, with a published or widely disseminated notice. Competitive procedures include, as a minimum: (a) Notice to prospective proposers. The notice may be a notice of funding availability or Broad Agency Announcement that is publicly disseminated, with unlimited distribution, or a specific notice that is distributed to eligible proposers (a specific notice must be distributed to at least two eligible proposers to be considered as part of a competitive procedure). Requirements for notices are as follows: (1) The format and content of each notice must conform with the Governmentwide format for announcements of funding opportunities established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in a policy directive entitled, “Format for Financial Assistance Program Announcements.”2 2 This OMB policy directive is available at the Internet site http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants.docs.php. (2) In accordance with that OMB policy directive, DoD Components also must post on the Internet any notice under which domestic entitles may submit proposals, if the distribution of the notice is unlimited. DoD Components are encouraged to simultaneously publish the notice in other media (e.g., the (3) To comply with an OMB policy directive entitled, “Requirement to Post Funding Opportunity Announcement Synopses at Grants.gov and Related Data Elements/Format,”3 3 This OMB policy directive is available at the Internet site http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants.docs.php. 3 This OMB policy directive is available at the Internet site http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants.docs.php. (4) In accordance with an OMB policy directive entitled, “Requirement for a DUNS Number in Applications for Federal Grants and Cooperative Agreements,”4 4 This OMB policy directive is available at the Internet site http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants.docs.php. (b) At least two eligible, prospective proposers. (c) Impartial review of the merits of applications or proposals received in response to the notice, using the evaluation method and selection criteria described in the notice. For research and development awards, in order to be considered as part of a competitive procedure, the two principal selection criteria, unless statute provides otherwise, must be the: (1) Technical merits of the proposed research and development; and (2) Potential relationship of the proposed research and development to Department of Defense missions. [63 FR 12164, Mar. 12, 1998, as amended at 70 FR 49464, Aug. 23, 2005] Some programs may be competed for programmatic or policy reasons among specific classes of potential recipients. An example would be a program to enhance U.S. capabilities for academic research and research-coupled graduate education in defense-critical, science and engineering disciplines, a program that would be competed specifically among institutions of higher education. All such special competitions shall be consistent with program representations in the President's budget submission to Congress and with subsequent Congressional authorizations and appropriations for the programs. Increasing the ability of HBCUs and MIs to participate in federally funded, university programs is an objective of Executive Order 12876 (3 CFR, 1993 Comp., p. 671) and 10 U.S.C. 2323. Grants officers shall include appropriate provisions in Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) or other announcements for programs in which awards to institutions of higher education are anticipated, in order to promote participation of HBCUs and MIs in such programs. Also, whenever practicable, grants officers shall reserve appropriate programmatic areas for exclusive competition among HBCUs and MIs when preparing announcements for such programs.
Title 32: National Defense
PART 22—DoD GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS—AWARD AND ADMINISTRATION
Subpart C—Competition
§ 22.300 Purpose.
§ 22.305 General policy and requirement for competition.
§ 22.310 Statutes concerning certain research, development, and facilities construction grants.
§ 22.315 Merit-based, competitive procedures.
§ 22.320 Special competitions.
§ 22.325 Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority institutions (MIs).
