National Technical Information Service
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To provide products and services designed to increase the flow of technical information and technology into the world marketplace. To serve as a principal source for the public sale of U.S. Government-sponsored scientific, engineering and technical information products, related business information, research in progress information, machine-processed data files, computer software, and to serve the information dissemination needs of the Federal Government.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
Provides an extensive inventory of over 3,000,000 information products, of which approximately 2,500,000 are under computerized inventory control. Customers may quickly locate summaries of interest using public vendor online systems, NTIS Catalogs, or by referring to NTIS' web site, www.ntis.gov. NTIS is a permanent archive of information on research conducted or sponsored by the U.S. government. With over 3,000,000 titles, NTIS is the nation's largest collection of scientific, technical, engineering and related business information produced by or for hundreds of government agencies and complementary materials from international sources. NTIS maintains an extensive, user-friendly website, www.ntis.gov in which individuals can browse, search and retrieve the full text reports by linking to other government agency websites, downloading from the NTIS site or ordering from NTIS in a variety of formats. In addition, NTIS acts as a point of entry for key online services providing important business information, such as export regulations, research in progress and international news. See NTIS' Homeland Security Information Center website www.ntis.gov/hs. This is the place to go to get information products related to Homeland Security, especially in the areas of health and medicine, food and agriculture, biological and chemical warfare, preparedness and response, and safety training. NTIS is also the home of the National Audiovisual Center, www.ntis.gov/nac. The center offers more than 9,000 titltes in a range of subjects as varied as the 200 agencies that produce them -- subjects like business, education and training, firefighting, health and safety, languages, law enforcement, personal enrichment, entertainment as well as training materials.
Who is eligible to apply...
Any United States and most foreign organizations or individuals are eligible to purchase NTIS products and services.
Credentials/Documentation
Payment options available for all products and services.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
Write NTIS, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, for information concerning products and services ask for NTIS PR-827.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
None.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
None.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Not applicable.
Preapplication Coordination
None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
Not applicable.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
Any United States and most foreign organizations or individuals.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Dissemination of Technical Information
Programs which provide for the publication and distribution of information or data of a specialized or technical nature frequently through clearinghouses or libraries. This does not include conventional public information services designed for general public consumption.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Not applicable.
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(NTIS Revolving Fund) FY 03 $27,689,352; FY 04 est $51,194,895; and FY 05 est $40,000,000. Normal operating costs are funded through the sale of NTIS products and services.
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
13-4295-0-3-376.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
Not applicable.
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
NTIS has over 3,000,000 scientific, technical, and engineering reports permanently available for sale. Each report added to the collection is abstracted, catalogued, and indexed so that it can be identified and merged into the permanent bibliographic database for future generations of researchers and the public-at-large who may benefit from this valuable research and innovations.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
Not applicable.
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Not applicable.
Formula and Matching Requirements
Not applicable.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
Not applicable.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
Not applicable.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
Not applicable.
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
Research and Technical Services Act, Public Law 81- 776, 15 U.S.C. 1151-1157, 3710; Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, Public Law 100-418; National Institute of Standards and Technology Authorization Act, Title II, Subtitle B; National Technical Information Act of 1988, Public Law 100-519, 15 U.S.C. 3704; American Technology Preeminence Act of 1991, Public Law 102-245.
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
NTIS descriptive brochures, and product and service brochures are available on request.