Economic Research and Analysis of the National Need for Technology Infrastructure to Support the Internet of Things (IoT) Amendment 1 | 2019 NIST TPO IOT 01 AMENDED

Opportunity Information: Apply for 2019 NIST TPO IOT 01 AMENDED

The Department of Commerce, through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Technology Partnerships Office (TPO), is offering a discretionary funding opportunity focused on the Internet of Things (IoT) and the national technology infrastructure needed to support it. The program is structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means NIST expects to be more actively involved than it would be under a standard grant, such as by providing technical direction, coordinating with the awardee during the project, and ensuring the work aligns closely with federal research priorities. The central purpose is not to build IoT devices or deploy an operational network, but to produce rigorous economic research that evaluates how federal research investments could translate into economic benefits if critical IoT-enabling infrastructure gaps are addressed.

At its core, the opportunity seeks a recipient (or recipients) to conduct an economic study that assesses the potential economic impacts of meeting the United States' need for IoT-related technology infrastructure. The work is expected to look at both technological and economic trends shaping IoT research and development, then use that understanding to identify where the most important infrastructure shortfalls exist. "Technology infrastructure" in this context generally refers to the foundational building blocks that allow an emerging technology ecosystem to scale reliably and securely, such as measurement science, standards, reference architectures, testbeds, interoperability frameworks, cybersecurity and privacy approaches, and other shared tools and practices that reduce friction for industry and researchers. The end product is intended to be actionable guidance that helps industry, universities, and federal laboratories prioritize and accelerate the research and infrastructure development needed for timely, broad-based IoT advancement.

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category (CFDA 11.620). The listed award ceiling is $400,000, and NIST anticipated making up to 10 awards, suggesting this opportunity may support multiple studies, complementary analyses, or different focus areas within the broader IoT infrastructure landscape. Eligibility is noted as "Others," with additional clarification expected in the full eligibility section of the official notice, which often means the competition may be open to a range of organizations such as nonprofit research institutions, universities, consortia, or other entities that can credibly perform policy-relevant economic and technology analysis. The opportunity was created on July 12, 2019, with an original application deadline of August 13, 2019.

In practical terms, a strong application for this type of program would be expected to propose a credible research plan for mapping the IoT technology ecosystem, identifying infrastructure gaps that impede adoption or innovation, and quantifying or characterizing the economic consequences of closing those gaps. That could include, for example, analyzing how interoperability standards reduce transaction costs, how improved measurement and testing capabilities reduce product failure and increase consumer trust, or how cybersecurity and privacy infrastructure affects adoption, liability, and market growth. Because the stated goal is to assess economic impacts "resulting from Federal research investments," proposals would likely need to connect infrastructure needs to plausible federal R&D pathways and explain how federal investment could produce spillover benefits, productivity gains, risk reduction, or accelerated commercialization across multiple sectors touched by IoT.

Overall, this grant opportunity is aimed at producing an authoritative, evidence-based economic analysis of what the nation needs to put in place for IoT to develop efficiently and safely, and what the payoff could be if those needs are met. The intended audience is broad, spanning policymakers and federal program managers deciding where to invest, researchers shaping technical roadmaps, and industry stakeholders who rely on shared standards, testing methods, and trustworthy systems to scale IoT products and services.

• The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Economic Research and Analysis of the National Need for Technology Infrastructure to Support the Internet of Things (IoT) Amendment 1" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.620.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 12, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 13, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 2019 NIST TPO IOT 01 AMENDED

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