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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 24 / Monday, February 8, 2021 / Notices 4. Applications: In addition to the forms listed above, each technology grant application must include the following information:
a. A project description, including the goals and objectives of the project, what the project is expected to achieve, and how the project will benefit Veterans and Service members;
b. An estimated schedule including the length of time not to extend past June 30, 2022 needed to accomplish tasks and objectives for the project;
c. A description of what the project proposes to demonstrate and how this new technology will aid or enhance the ability of Veterans and Service members to live in an adapted home. The following link has additional information regarding adapted homes:
http www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/
adaptedhousing.asp; and d. Each technology grant applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application addresses each of the scoring criteria listed in Section V A
of this notice.

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C. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System DUNS and System for Award Management SAM
Each technology grant applicant, unless the applicant is an individual or Federal awarding agency that is excepted from these requirements under 2 CFR 25.110b or c, or has an exception approved by VA under 2 CFR
25.110d, is required to:
1. Be registered in SAM prior to submitting an application;
2. Provide a valid DUNS number in the application; and 3. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which the technology grant applicant has an active Federal award or an application under consideration by VA.
VA will not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements, and if the applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time VA is ready to make an award, VA will determine the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and will use this determination as a basis for making the award to another applicant.
D. Submission Dates and Times Applications for the SAHAT Grant Program must be submitted via www.Grants.gov to be transmitted to VA
by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 22, 2021. Submissions received after this application deadline will be considered late and will not be reviewed or considered. Submissions
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via email, mail, or fax will not be accepted.
Applications submitted via www.Grants.gov must be submitted by an individual registered with www.Grants.gov and authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more information and to complete the registration process, visit www.Grants.gov. Technology grant applicants are responsible for ensuring that the registration process does not hinder timely submission of the application.
It is the responsibility of grant applicants to ensure a complete application is submitted via www.Grants.gov. Applicants are encouraged to periodically review the Version History Tab of the funding opportunity announcement in www.Grants.gov to identify if any modifications have been made to the funding announcement and/or opportunity package. Upon initial download of the funding opportunity package, applicants will be asked to provide an email address that will allow www.Grants.gov to send the applicant an email message in the event this funding opportunity package is changed and/or republished on www.Grants.gov prior to the posted closing date.
E. Confidential Business Information It is recommended that confidential business information CBI not be included in the application. However, if CBI is included in an application, applicants should clearly indicate which portions of their application they are claiming as CBI. See 2 CFR
200.333200.337 addressing access to a non-Federal entitys records pertinent to a Federal award.
F. Intergovernmental Review This section is not applicable to the SAHAT Grant Program.
G. Funding Restrictions The SAHAT Grant Program does not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.
V. Application Review Information Each eligible proposal based on the Section III threshold eligibility review will be evaluated according to the criteria established by the Secretary and provided below in Section A.
A. Scoring Criteria The Secretary will score technology grant applications based on the scoring criteria listed below. As indicated in Section I of this notice, the Secretary is placing the greatest emphasis on criteria 1 and 2. This emphasis does not
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establish new scoring criteria but is designed to assist technology grant applicants in understanding how scores will be weighted and ultimately considered in the final selection process. A technology grant application must receive a minimum aggregate score of 70. Instructions for completion of the scoring criteria are listed on VA Form 260967a. This form is included in the application package materials on www.Grants.gov. The scoring criteria and maximum points are as follows:
1. A description of how the new assistive technology is innovative, to include an explanation of how it involves advancements in new-tomarket technologies, new variations on existing technologies, or both up to 50
points;
2. An explanation of how the new assistive technology will meet a specific, unmet need among eligible individuals, to include whether and how the new assistive technology fits within a category of special emphasis for FY 2021, as explained in Section I
D. of this notice up to 50 points;
3. An explanation of how the new assistive technology is specifically designed to promote the ability of eligible individuals to live more independently up to 30 points;
4. A description of the new assistive technologys concept, size, and scope up to 30 points;
5. An implementation plan with major milestones for bringing the new assistive technology into production and to the market. Such milestones must be meaningful and achievable within a specific timeframe up to 30
points; and 6. An explanation of what uniquely positions the technology grant applicant in the marketplace. This can include a focus on characteristics such as the economic reliability of the technology grant applicant, the technology grant applicants status as a minority or Veteran-owned business, or other characteristics that the technology grant applicant wants to include to show how it will help protect the interests of, or further the mission of, VA and the program up to 20 points.
B. Review and Selection Process Eligible applications will be evaluated by a review panel comprising five VA
employees. The review panel will score applications using the scoring criteria provided in Section VA and refer to the selecting official those applications that receive a minimum aggregate score of 70. In determining which applications to approve, the selecting official will take into account the review panel score, the priorities described in
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