Slots: Each applicant may submit a maximum of one specific research focus area (SRFA) 1 application and three SRFA 2 applications. We have already nominated 2 SFRA 2 applications; one SRFA 1 and one SFRA 2 slot are still available.
Deadlines
Internal Deadline: Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, 5pm PT Contact RII.
LOI: N/A
External Deadline: July 10, 2024, 11:59 pm EDT
Award Information
Award Type: Grant
Estimated Number of Awards: NTIA will award up to $420,000,000 under this NOFO. The amount of funding NTIA expects to award per project differs by SRFA, as follows:
- SRFA 1: NTIA expects to award $25,000,000-$45,000,000 per project.
- SRFA 2: NTIA expects to award $5,000,000-$10,000,000 per project.
Who May Serve as PI: Eligibility varies for each SRFA. SRFA 1 eligibility is found in Section 2.2.1 and SRFA 2 eligibility is found in Section 3.2.1. Additional eligibility requirements applicable to both SRFAs can be found in Section 6.1. See link to the PDF below.
Link to Award: https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/pwscif-nofo-2-final.pdf
Process for Limited Submissions
PIs must submit their application as a Limited Submission through the Research Initiatives and Infrastructure (RII) Application Portal: https://rii.usc.edu/oor-portal/. Use the template provided here: RII Limited Submission Applicant Template
Materials to submit include:
- (1) Two-Page Proposal Summary (1” margins; single-spaced; standard font type, e.g. Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, or Georgia typeface; font size: 11 pt). Page limit includes references and illustrations. Pages that exceed the 2-page limit will be excluded from review. You must use the template linked above.
- (2) CV – (5 pages maximum)
Note: The portal requires information about the PIs in addition to department and contact information, including the 10-digit USC ID#. Please have this material prepared before beginning this application.
Purpose
NTIA will support two specific research focus areas (SRFAs) under this NOFO: SRFA 1 – Open Radio Unit (RU) Commercialization: Accelerate the development of open RU products to the point where they meet carrier needs and are ready for commercial trials.
SRFA 2 – Open RU Innovation: Improve the overall performance and capabilities of open RUs through targeted research and development.
These activities aim to address the complex technical and market challenges hindering open and interoperable network adoption to better facilitate commercialization. Like NTIA’s first funding opportunity, this NOFO is responsive to feedback received during NTIA’s listening session3 and the Request for Comment (RFC) period, as well as via ongoing market analysis. NTIA plans to publish additional NOFOs that build upon this work, insights from future engagement sessions, and learnings from NTIA’s forthcoming Innovation Fund Advisory Committee.
Visit our Institutionally Limited Submission webpage for more updates and other announcements.