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The Manufacturing Systems Integration (MSI) Program supports fundamental research addressing the opportunities and challenges that digital technologies present for the next industrial revolution, with particular emphasis on the digital integration of design and manufacturing within the larger life cycle ecosystem. Manufacturing Systems Integration proposals should address underlying principles and advances that are generalizable for globally competitive and world leading industries. Connectivity, automation, and secure collaboration are examples of areas that are integral to digital environments capable of supporting the innovation, realization and sustainment of manufactured products and systems in the value creation process. Fundamental generalizable research for manufacturing systems integration might include, for example: Digital representation, protocols, and/or processes for integration and collaboration in manufacturing systems (machines and/or humans) Intelligent self-organizing production systems Ease of use, interoperability and seamless integration of technologies, machines, and humans Service-oriented architectures and systems Data sets that are compatible and usable across platforms Reliable and secure communications within and across the manufacturing value chain Integration of distributed manufacturing systems across time and space, including incorporating both legacy and leading-edge equipment and technologies Methods for assessing the impact and value of externalities throughout the life cycle within the digital environment Interdisciplinary, convergent proposals that bring diverse perspectives, populations, disciplines, and capabilities together are welcome. It is strongly encouraged and expected that investigators discuss their ideas with a MSI program director well in advance of proposal submission.

The Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) Coresupports research and training on evolutionary and ecological processes acting at the level of populations, species, communities, and ecosystems. DEB encourages research that elucidates fundamental principles that identify and explain the unity and diversity of life and its interactions with the environment over space and time. Research may incorporate field, laboratory, or collection-based approaches; observational or manipulative studies; synthesis activities; phylogenetic discovery projects; or theoretical approaches involving analytical, statistical, or computational modeling. Proposals should be submitted to the core clusters (Ecosystem Science, Evolutionary Processes, Population and Community Ecology, and Systematics and Biodiversity Science). DEB also encourages interdisciplinary proposals that cross conceptual boundaries and integrate over levels of biological organization or across multiple spatial and temporal scales.Research addressing ecology and ecosystem science in the marine biome should be directed to the Biological Oceanography Program in the Division of Ocean Sciences; research addressing evolution and systematics in the marine biome should be directed to the Evolutionary Processes or Systematics and Biodiversity Science programs in DEB. All DEB programs also encourage proposals that leverage NSF-supported data networks, databases, centers, and other forms of scientific infrastructure, including but not limited to the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER), Environmental Data Initiative (EDI), and Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio). The Division of Environmental Biology seeks to strengthen the U.S. Environmental Biology workforce by increasing the participation of all individuals in science. DEB is dedicated to expanding traditional broader impacts and supporting proposals that include inclusive and effective efforts to recruit and retain biology students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-investigators from underrepresented groups

NOTE: This is a Notice of Intent. There is no announcement related to this notice. We are not accepting applications. Subject to the availability of funds, USDOL’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) intends to award funding to an existing cooperative agreement with the International Labor Organization to extend the implementation of a project in Burma to increase knowledge and public awareness of child labor, strengthen local capacity to address the issue, and reduce child labor in target communities. The My-PEC project counters child labor in Burma by establishing a comprehensive, inclusive, and efficient multi-stakeholder response.Authority: DLMS 2-836 G.3: Services are available from only one responsible source and no substitute will suffice; or the recipient has unique qualifications to perform the type of activity to be funded.

TACTICAL BEHAVIORS FOR AUTONOMOUS MANEUVER COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM (TBAM-CRP)Future Army forces will be called upon to operate and maneuver in multi-domainoperations (MDO), against a modern and capable peer adversary. The battlefield of the futuremay impose additional constraints on maneuver forces such as disruption in communication aswell as positioning services. To field a highly capable fighting force in this future battlefield,novel tactics and doctrines leveraging nascent technologies in robotics and autonomous systems(RAS) will need to be developed. Teams of RAS will serve an increasingly critical role in thefuture force to deliver situational awareness, defend key locations or positions, or take point indynamic and hazardous situations. Resilience to disruptions, failures, or unexpected scenarios, isa key quality for teams of RAS to operate alongside other future Army forces. The US ArmyCombat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory (ARL) isfocused on developing fundamental understanding and informing the art-of-the-possible forwarfighter concepts through research to greatly improve the scope of mission capabilities ofteams of RAS, develop robust and resilient approaches to plan under extreme conditions ofuncertainty, to learn coordinated strategies for groups of agents to achieve a common objective,all within a complex maneuver environment including adversaries. The Tactical Behaviors forAutonomous Maneuver Collaborative Research Program (TBAM-CRP) is focused on developingand experimentally evaluating coordinated and individual behaviors for small groups ofautonomous agents to learn doctrinal as well as novel tactics for maneuvering in military relevantenvironments. The TBAM-CRP will leverage developments in other internal and extramuralprograms as well as identify new research directions to find novel solutions to these maneuverproblems in analogical simulations representing complex realistic terrain.The Tactical Behaviors for Autonomous Maneuver Collaborative Research Program (TBAM-CRP) willconsist of a series of sprint efforts executed with annual program reviews. Each topic will be focused onaddressing a different set of scientific areas which will support the research aims of an associated ARLresearcher from a related internal essential research program (ERP) or mission-funded program.The TBAM-CRP has been developed in coordination with other related ARL-funded collaborative efforts(see descriptions of ARL collaborative alliances at https://www.arl.army.mil/business/collaborativealliances/)and shares a common vision of highly collaborative academia-industry-governmentpartnerships; however, it will be executed with a program model adapted from the Scalable, Adaptive,and Resilient Autonomy (SARA), which established a new paradigm for collaborative research. Somekey properties of this new approach are described below:• TBAM-CRP sprint topics will be offered on a two-year cycle. Proposals will be solicited for apossible two-year period structured as a first-year pilot followed by a second-year option wherethe option may be awarded based upon progress assessed at an annual review. The FOA will beamended annually to identify a specific problem statement and scope for that specific cycle. Thetopics for each cycle will be chosen to address the long-term program goal.• Five new topics (Cycles 1-5) are expected in FY22, 24, 26, 28, 30. Each topic will be carefullychosen based on the previous accomplishments in the prior cycle(s), the development of newtechnologies and capabilities in the broader research and development communities, and theArmy’s evolving needs for future capabilities.• For each topic, funding will be provided to those Recipients selected under a cooperativeagreement (CA).• Enhanced Research Program funding from ARL or Other Government Agencies (OGAs) maybecome available during a cycle which provides a mechanism for growth and enhancement withinthe TBAM-CRP. A proposal should not include any discussion of the Enhanced ResearchProgram. Recipients receiving a CA will be notified and provided details if the opportunity forEnhanced Research Program funding becomes available during their award period ofperformance.• There is no limitation on the place of performance, although on-site collaboration at ARLfacilities and with ARL researchers as well as with other Recipients are encouraged. Researchoutcomes in this program must, at the very least, be demonstrated in sophisticated simulations ofrelevant environments. Together with ARL collaborators, these results may be adapted for higherTRL experimentation on surrogate platforms at ARL test facilities such as the Robotics ResearchCollaboration Campus (R2C2) at Graces Quarters, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.• Recipients will be furnished with access to the ARL Autonomy Stack software suite as well as allrelevant simulation tools and multi-agent learning support.• Recipients will be provided with information about the current state of the Autonomous SystemsEnterprise (ASE) with an overview of developments in the associated collaborative researchalliances including Distributed and Collaborative Intelligent Systems and Technology (DCIST),Scalable, Adaptive, and Resilient Autonomy (SARA), as well as internal ARL essential researchprograms including the AI for Maneuver and Mobility (AIMM), Emerging OvermatchTechnologies (EOT), and Versatile Tactical Power and Propulsion (VICTOR). Capabilitiesdemonstrated in simulation should reflect significant appropriate developments. This midpointreview is expected to take place as a mini symposium where Recipients can share results withone another along with the ARL community to foster further collaboration.• At the end of the second year, a capstone demonstration will be executed by those Recipientsreceiving an option to their award in a set of simulated relevant environments, either thoseenvironment scenarios provided by the Government and other program performers, or optionallyof a specific environment developed by the Recipient to exhibit their developed capability. Anysystem level capability demonstration that can be made with the internal ARL collaborator ordescription of capability development and program contribution can also be made at this time.These system demonstrations are expected to coincide to foster further integration and adoptionwith related internal research programs as well as partner organizations from within theDEVCOM, other Army and DoD service branches and agencies, in addition to other governmentagencies.Proposals that follow the requirements of the FOA will be evaluated in accordance with merit-based,competitive procedures. These procedures will include evaluation factors and an adjectival and colorrating system. A review team, consisting of a qualified group of Government scientists and managerswill evaluate the compliant proposals and provide the results of that evaluation to the decision-maker forthe Government. Relevant internal research program materials approved for public release and contactinformation will be provided to potential proposers during introductory presentations to help facilitateidentification of collaboration between proposers and individual ARL researchers or internal researchprograms. Additional connections to ARL programs can be identified during the proposal review process.Eligible applicants under this FOA include institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, andfor-profit organizations (i.e., large and small businesses) for scientific research in the knowledge domainsoutlined throughout this Funding Opportunity. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers(FFRDC) may propose as well, with effort as allowed by their sponsoring agency and in accordance withtheir sponsoring agency policy.

Note: Wind facilities commencing construction by December 31, 2020, and all other qualifying facilities commencing construction by January 1, 2018 can qualify for this credit. The value of the credit for wind steps down in 2017, 2018 and 2019. See below for more information. For all other technologies, the credit is not available for systems whose construction commenced after December 31, 2017. 

The federal renewable electricity production tax credit (PTC) is an inflation-adjusted per-kilowatt-hour (kWh) tax credit for electricity generated by qualified energy resources and sold by the taxpayer to an unrelated person during the taxable year. The duration of the credit is 10 years after the date the facility is placed in service for all facilities placed in service after August 8, 2005.

Originally enacted in 1992, the PTC has been renewed and expanded numerous times, most recently by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1 Div. B, Section 1101 & 1102) in February 2009 (often referred to as "ARRA"), the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (H.R. 8, Sec. 407) in January 2013, the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (H.R. 5771, Sec. 155) in December 2014, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (H.R. 2029, Sec. 301) in December 2015, and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (H.R. 1892 Sec. 40409).

Amount

The tax credit amount is $0.015 per kWh in 1993 dollars for some technologies and half of that amount for others. The amount is adjusted for inflation by multiplying the tax credit amount by the inflation adjustment factor for the calendar year in which the sale occurs, rounded to the nearest 0.1 cents. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) publishes the inflation adjustment factor no later than April 1 each year in the Federal Register. For 2018, the inflation adjustment factor used by the IRS is 1.5792.

Applying the inflation-adjustment factor for the 2017 calendar year, and the 20% step-down required by H.R. 2029, the production tax credit amount is as follows:

• $0.019/kWh for wind

The tax credit is phased down for wind facilities and expires for other technologies commencing construction after December 31, 2016. The phase-down for wind facilities is described as a percentage reduction in the tax credit amount described above:
 

• For wind facilities commencing construction in 2017, the PTC amount is reduced by 20%
• For wind facilities commencing construction in 2018, the PTC amount is reduced by 40%
• For wind facilities commencing construction in 2019, the PTC amount is reduced by 60%

Note that the exact amount of the production tax credit for the tax years 2017-2020 will depend on the inflation-adjustment factor used by the IRS in the respective tax years. 

Duration

The duration of the credit is 10 years after the date the facility is placed in service. Two exceptions applied to facilities placed in service more than a decade ago:

• open-loop biomass, geothermal, small irrigation hydro, landfill gas, and municipal solid waste combustion facilities placed into service after October 22, 2004, and before enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, on August 8, 2005, were only eligible for the credit for a 5-year period, and
• open-loop biomass facilities placed in service before October 22, 2004, were eligible for the 5-year period beginning January 1, 2005.

Investment Tax Credit in Lieu of Claiming the PTC

Renewable energy facilities placed in service after 2008 and commencing construction prior to 2018 (or 2020 for wind facilities) may elect to make an irrevocable election to claim the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in lieu of the PTC. Wind facilities making such an election will have the ITC amount reduced by the same phase-down specified above for facilities commencing construction in 2017, 2018, or 2019. 

Process for Claiming

The credit is claimed by completing Form 8835, "Renewable Electricity Production Credit," and Form 3800, "General Business Credit." For more information, contact IRS Telephone Assistance for Businesses at 1-800-829-4933.

Recent Legislative Changes

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (H.R. 2029, Sec. 301) extended both the PTC and permission for PTC-eligible facilities to claim the Investment Tax Credit in lieu of the PTC through the end of 2016 (and the end of 2019 for wind facilities). The Act also created a phase-down in the PTC amount for wind facilities commencing construction in 2017, 2018, or 2019. Prior to the legislation, enacted in December 2015, the PTC had expired December 31, 2014. The effective date is January 1, 2015, meaning any qualifying project that commenced construction at any point in 2015 is eligible to claim the PTC.

The Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (H.R. 5771, Sec. 155) extended both the PTC and permission for PTC-eligible facilities to claim the Investment Tax Credit in lieu of the PTC through the end of 2014. Prior to the legislation, the PTC had expired December 31, 2013. Although not enacted until December 2014, the effective date was January 1, 2014, meaning any qualifying project that commenced construction at any point in 2014 was eligible to claim the PTC.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 revised the PTC by removing "placed in service" deadlines and replacing them with deadlines that use the commencing of construction as a basis for determining facility eligibility. It also contained language revising the definition of the term "municipal solid waste" to exclude "paper that is commonly recycled and which has been segregated from other solid waste.” The definition change for municipal solid waste applies to electricity produced and sold after the enactment date of the legislation (January 2, 2013) in taxable years ending after that date.

Determination of Commencing Construction 

To claim the PTC, construction on an eligible project must have “commenced construction” prior to January 1, 2015. The IRS has issued guidance on how it will evaluate whether construction has commenced in IRS Notices 2013-29, 2013-60, 2014-46, 2015-25, and 2016-31 (please see the full text of these notices for complete information on determining the commencing of construction). The guidelines establish two methods—a “physical work” test and a 5% safe harbor (see sections below for details)—to determine when construction has begun on a qualified facility. Meeting the criteria of either method is sufficient to demonstrate that construction has commenced. 

Both methods require that a taxpayer make continuous progress towards completion once construction has begun by meeting the Continuous Construction Test (to satisfy the Physical Work Test) or the Continuous Efforts Test (to satisfy Safe Harbor).  If a taxpayer places a facility in service during a calendar year that is no more than four calendar years after the calendar year during which construction of the facility began, the facility will be considered to satisfy the Continuity Safe Harbor

Physical Work Test

The physical work test provides that a taxpayer may establish the beginning of construction by beginning "physical work of a significant nature.” The physical work test is based on the nature of the work performed rather than the cost of the work; if the work performed is of a significant nature, then “there is no fixed minimum amount of work or monetary or percentage threshold required to satisfy the Physical Work Test” (Notice 2014-46).

Notice 2013-29 provides several examples of actions that constitute work of a significant nature, including:

• for a facility that produces electricity from a wind turbine, the beginning of the excavation for the foundation, the setting of anchor bolts into the ground, or the pouring of the concrete pads of the foundation;
• physical work on a custom-designed transformer that steps up the voltage of electricity produced at the facility to the voltage needed for transmission; and
• beginning construction of roads integral to the activity performed by the facility including onsite roads used for moving materials to be processed (e.g., biomass) and roads for equipment to operate and maintain the facility. 

Safe Harbor

Safe Harbor with respect to a facility is demonstrated by showing that 5% or more of the total cost of the facility was paid or incurred.

Administered through the U.S. Cultural Antiquities Task Force, Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grants support projects that contribute to the implementation of provisions in emergency determinations or cultural property agreements between the United States and foreign governments. This competition is organized through U.S. embassies in countries with which the United States has a signed bilateral cultural property agreement or where emergency import restrictions on archaeological and ethnological material are in effect under the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 2601 et seq). Applications for projects that foster cooperation, build best practices, and engage communities through the following types of activities will be considered: training, inventories, site security and protection, public education and outreach for crime prevention, and supporting sustainable livelihoods.

TheElectronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) Programsupports innovative research on novel devices based on the principles of electronics, optics and photonics, optoelectronics, magnetics, opto- and electromechanics, electromagnetics, and related physical phenomena. EPMD’s goal is to advance the frontiers of micro-, nano- and quantum-based devices operating within the electromagnetic spectrum and contributing to a broad range of application domains including information and communications, imaging and sensing, healthcare, Internet of Things, energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing. The program encourages research based on emerging technologies for miniaturization, integration, and energy efficiency as well as novel material-based devices with new functionalities, improved efficiency, flexibility, tunability, wearability, and enhanced reliability. Areas managed by Program Directors (please contact Program Directors listed in the EPMD staff directory for areas of interest): Electronic Devices Nanoelectronics Wide/Extreme- and Narrow-Bandgap, Semiconductor Devices Devices with New Functionalities based on Material-Device Interactions and Reliability Device-Related Electromagnetic Effects, Propagationand Scattering Microwave/mm-Wave/THz Devices Flexible, Printed Electronics Carbon-based Electronics Thermoelectric and Ferroelectric Devices Photonic Devices Advanced Optical Emitters and Photodetectors, from Extreme UV to THz Single-Photon Quantum Devices Nonlinear and Ultrafast Photonics Nanophotonics and Photonic Integration Optical Imaging and Sensing Techniques Opto-Mechanical Nanodevices Optical Communication Components Magnetic Devices Biomagnetic Devices Nanomagnetic and Quantum Devices Spin Electronics for Next Generation of Logic and Memories Cross-Cutting 2D Material Devices and Circuits Devices based on Paper Electronics Bioelectronic Devices Photovoltaic and Energy Harvesting Devices Metamaterial and Plasmonic-Based Devices Sensor Device Technologies

The Public Diplomacy (PD) Section of the U.S. Mission to Burundi is pleased to announce an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program or project with funding through the Public Diplomacy Grants Program. This is an Annual Program Statement, outlining our funding priorities, the strategic themes we focus on, and the procedures for submitting requests for funding.Please carefully follow all instructions below.Purpose of Grants: PD Bujumbura invites proposals for programs that strengthen ties between the United States and Burundi through cultural and exchange programming that highlights shared values and promotes bilateral cooperation. All programs must include a U.S. element, priority, or goal, or a connection with U.S. expert(s), organization(s), or institution(s), in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of U.S. policy and perspectives. Applicants are strongly encouraged to partner with English Clubs, American Spaces, or U.S. exchange program alumni to conduct activities.

The Antarctic Sciences Section (ANT) of the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) supports cutting-edge research that: Improves understanding of interactions among the Antarctic region and global systems; Expands fundamental knowledge of Antarctic systems, biota, and processes; Utilizes previously collected samples or focuses on non-field-supported themes; Utilizes the unique characteristics of the Antarctic region as a science observing platform; and Builds capacity and enhances diversity in the US workforce for polar-related science. ANT encourages and supports non-fieldworkresearch that crosses and combines disciplinary perspectives and approaches from other fields.ANT encourages and supports research that uses existing data and samples and other research not requiring a presence in Antarctica. Proposals that require USAP support for field work must use solicitation NSF 23-XXX,Antarctic Research Requiring U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) Support for Fieldwork. Diversifying and broadening participation is a priority for the Antarctic Sciences Section. ANT encourages the leadership, partnership, and contributions of individuals who are members of groups underrepresented and/or underserved in all opportunities in STEM education programs and careers. ANT promotes and expects that all individuals, including those from groups that are underrepresented and/or underserved in STEM are treated equitably and inclusively throughout the Foundation’s proposal and award process. The Antarctic Sciences Section coordinates with programs across NSF and with other federal and international partners to co-review and co-fund Antarctic-related proposals as appropriate.

The Communications, Circuits, and Sensing-Systems (CCSS) Program supports innovative research in circuit and system hardware and signal processing techniques. CCSS also supports system and network architectures for communications and sensing to enable the next-generation cyber-physical systems (CPS) that leverage computation, communication, and sensing integrated with physical domains. CCSS invests in micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), physical, chemical, and biological sensing systems, neurotechnologies, and communication & sensing circuits and systems. The goal is to create new complex and hybrid systems ranging from nano- to macro-scale with innovative engineering principles and solutions for a variety of applications including but not limited to healthcare, medicine, environmental and biological monitoring, communications, disaster mitigation, homeland security, intelligent transportation, manufacturing, energy, and smart buildings. CCSS encourages research proposals based on emerging technologies and applications for communications and sensing such as high-speed communications of terabits per second and beyond, sensing and imaging covering microwave to terahertz frequencies, personalized health monitoring and assistance, secured wireless connectivity and sensing for the Internet of Things, and dynamic-data-enabled autonomous systems through real-time sensing and learning. Areas managed by CCSS Program Directors (please contact Program Directors listed in the CCSS staff directory for areas of interest): RF Circuits and Antennas for Communications and Sensing RF Communications and Sensing Technologies from kHz to THz Antennas and Wave Propagation for Communications and Sensing Circuits and Systems for Secured Communications and Sensing Trusted Microelectronic Circuits RF Biomedical Applications and Remote Sensing Bio-mimetic Circuits and Systems Dynamic-data-enabled Reconfigurable RF Subsystems through Sensing and Machine Learning Wireless Energy Transfer and RF Energy Harvesting Communication Systems and Signal Processing Wireless, Optical, and Hybrid Communications and Networking Full-duplex, massive MIMO, mm-Wave, and THz communications Spectrum Access and Sharing Integrated Sensing, Communication, and Computational Systems Signal Processing, image processing, and Compressive Sampling Cyber Physical Systems and Hardware-controlled Secured Communications Dynamic-data-enabled Communication Systems through Sensing and Machine Learning Quantum Communication Systems Dynamic Bio-Sensing Systems Micro, Nano, and Bio Systems (MEMS/NEMS) Chemical, Biological, and Physical Diagnostics Sensors, Actuators, and Electronic Interfaces Ultra-Low Power Wearable and Implantable Sensing Systems Dynamic-data-enabled Reconfigurable Sensing Systems Personalized Health Monitoring Systems through Sensing and Machine Learning Neuroengineering and Brain-Inspired Concepts and Designs