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The MSI STEM Research & Development Consortium began operations in January 2015.
Any Minority Serving Institution (MSI) that is an institution of higher education eligible for assistance under Title III or V of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.); or an accredited postsecondary minority institution (i.e. HBCU, Tribal College, HSI or AANIPISI). All MSIs are eligible to join. Small businesses and collaborative partners are also eligible to join.
The MSRDC approval process is relatively short. Once we have received the Membership Application and Consortium Membership Agreement you are almost automatically admitted as a member. The length of time really depends upon the legal review and approval process internal to your institution.
Check the website or contact
info@msrdconsortium.org for confirmation that your institution’s Consortium Membership Agreement has been fully executed.
Please contact
info@msrdconsortium.org for information on your institution’s POC.
Yes, a single point-of-contact (POC) must be designated by the institution, with authority to act on the institution’s behalf.
Yes. To participate in the Annual Meeting you must be a member.
Yes, in many cases, the faculty are considered the driving force within the institution. Consequently, we encourage each POC to provide contact information for individual faculty/PIs conducting research. Additionally, PIs should register on the msrdconsortium.org website for access to resource information and notices.
There is no limitation on the funding for a single research award, up to the Consortium’s threshold of $86M.
Participation in the MSRDC does not conflict with other funding.
If you are in an existing consortium, unless the existing consortium limits your participation in another consortium, your institution is free to join MSRDC as well.
Yes. We are currently marketing the consortium to agencies for additional funding which equates to additional white paper calls.
Aligned with a Technology Objective, the government releases a Call for White Papers on fbo.gov, (also searchable via keyword search as solicitation number W911SR1420001). MSRDC also sends a notice to all members. Faculty researchers from member institutions may choose to submit a white paper to the MSRDC, which will do a compliance check against the solicitation requirements. All compliant papers are forwarded to the government for technical review and ranking. Those papers deemed worthwhile by the government will be issued a Request for Research Proposal for more in-depth information. Based on the Request for Research Proposal, the government will provide funding to those deemed meritorious.
The Call for White Papers provides the requirements to address the Technology Objective(s). We will provide webinars that discuss best practices for white paper responses and preliminary technical review(s) from senior scientific advisors. PIs are strongly encouraged to communicate with the government’s technical point of contact (POC) listed in the Call for White Papers.
There is no deadline to submit documents. MSIs may join at any time. We recommend submitting the documentation as quickly as possible to position your institution to respond to Calls for White Papers and other opportunities since only consortium members are eligible to respond.
Good standing refers to Department of Education rules that the institution is in fact an MSI, accredited, and has no outstanding debarment issues with the government. Also, that the institution has provided the signed Membership Application and Consortium Membership Agreement.
Either visit the msrdconsortium.org website and click on Funding Opportunities or go to fbo.gov and type in the solicitation number W911SR1420001 under the Keyword/Solicitation search box.
Only members may submit their capabilities in the capabilities database. Once the membership application and CMA has been submitted, you will be provided with a login that will give you access to the capabilities database.
Proposals can be submitted by individual PIs; however, all awards are institutional awards and will remain with the institution regardless of the disposition of the PI.
The $86M is over the course of the 10-year period. However, if the MSRDC should surpass the threshold before the end of the period, the MSRDC is permitted to negotiate an increase in the funding authority.
The MSRDC charges an administrative fee in addition to the research award as a percentage. The fee is submitted as part of the proposal to the government.
Yes. The university’s indirect rate is included in the total proposed research project budget. The MSRDC administrative fee is an additional percentage of the total proposed budget.
The MSRDC does not interfere with university rates.
You can have an international collaboration, but the international partner cannot receive funding or engage in sensitive research. We are not allowed to fund international entities.
Yes, Consortium members can engage in negotiations with the government for funding from non-DoD entities to use the CA, provided it is for basic, applied or advanced research.
Additional webinars will be scheduled based upon member feedback to address any issues or need for clarification. In the meantime, please feel free to contact
info@msrdconsortium.org to submit any questions.
MSRDC will facilitate connections with a variety of entities, including majority institutions, defense industry contractors and others that participate in the Consortium as collaborating partners. This is particularly the case when pursuing research projects through MSRDC’s cooperative agreement; however, the MSI must perform the “preponderance of the work.” The MSRDC will also occasionally facilitate, whenever feasible, other collaborations for research and other contract work outside of its cooperative agreement.
