REPOST FROM MBDA Capital Readiness Program – Feb 28, 2023, 8:48 PM
Over the past several days, potential Capital Readiness Program applicants have notified MBDA that they have encountered several technical issues and errors beyond their control when attempting to upload their applications via grants.gov and/or retrieve their Unique Entity ID (UEI) despite diligent efforts.
Please know that we hear you and want to ensure that every organization that intends to apply to this historic funding opportunity can do so. If you already submitted your application and received a grants.gov tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXXX) and/or a confirmation email from grants.gov, MBDA has received your application.
MBDA is working to resolve the technical issues in two ways
- First, we have extended the application deadline for ALL applicants by ten (10) days – until March 10, 2023 at 11:59:59 pm EST. The new link to the NOFO (for the same funding opportunity) is: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=346458; and
- Second, we have established an email application system only for those experiencing technical difficulties with receiving their UEI or submitting via grants.gov.
How to qualify for the email application method on the basis of delays in receiving a UEI
You must have already applied for a UEI before February 24, 2023 and have contacted the SAM.gov help desk to receive an Electronic Verification System (EVS) ticket number (or other help desk tracking number or email correspondence) related to the processing of your request for a UEI.
You MUST include your SAM.gov EVS ticket number in the body of the transmittal email with your application (or otherwise provide documentation equivalent to a help desk ticket or email correspondence) in order for your application to be reviewed. During the application review process, you must continue to diligently pursue your UEI registration. Applicants that fail to obtain a UEI and provide the UEI to MBDA by June 15, 2023 may not be eligible to receive an award under this Program.
To qualify for the email application method on the basis of technical difficulties with the grants.gov system (including submission errors or registration errors beyond your control), you MUST submit proof that you diligently attempted to submit your application (or register, if registration difficulties are the basis of your email application) with grants.gov and were prevented by system errors outside your control.
Such proof could take the form of a help desk ticket from grants.gov, emails to the grants.gov help desk even if those emails did not yield a ticket number, or – in exceptional circumstances – screenshots of errors with an explanation of why you were not able to contact the help desk. If you already have a UEI, you must note your UEI in the body of your email. If you do not already have a UEI, you must provide an EVS ticket number or equivalent from SAM.gov, as outlined in the paragraph immediately above.
How to submit
To submit an application via the email application system (as noted above), all applications and materials must be submitted via email to CRPapplications@mbda.gov by March 10, 2023, at 11:59:59 pm EST. Applicants are responsible for ensuring their applications are complete and that they have included the required proof of technical issues to use the email submission method.
If you had an application in process in grants.gov and received a notification that your application was deleted, MBDA will post updated guidance on its website tomorrow.
Important reminder: This program does not provide grants to entrepreneurs or small business owners directly to grow their own businesses. Rather, the funding under this program will go to the organizations that will provide technical assistance services designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners build the skills to launch or scale their businesses.
For eligibility information, please see Section III.A of the Notice of Funding Opportunity. If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner who needs help, we encourage you to visit our website at MBDA.gov to view our current program offerings.
We work with high-growth startups and organizations that support the startup and innovation ecosystem. We build highly specific non-dilutive funding menus, provide proposal preparation services, and measure outcomes of funding through evaluation. Schedule a consult call with us HERE.