Department of Energy

Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Notice DE-FG01-04ER04-25; High Energy Physics Outstanding Junior Investigator Program

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy

ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.

SUMMARY: The Office of High Energy Physics of the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy, hereby announces its interest in receiving grant applications for support under its Outstanding Junior Investigator (OJI) Program. Applications should be from tenure-track faculty investigators who are currently involved in experimental or theoretical high energy physics or accelerator physics research, and should be submitted through a U.S. academic institution. The purpose of this program is to support the development of individual research programs by outstanding scientists early in their careers. Awards made under this program will help to maintain the vitality of university research and assure continued excellence in the teaching of physics.

DATES: Formal applications submitted in response to this notice should be received by November 10, 2004, to permit timely consideration for award in Fiscal Year 2005.

ADDRESSES: Applications for OJI Awards referencing Program Notice DE-FG01- 04ER04-25 must be submitted electronically by an authorized institutional business official through the DOE Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS) web site at: http://e-center.doe.gov (see also http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html). IIPS provides for the posting of solicitations and receipt of applications in a paperless environment via the Internet. In order to submit applications through IIPS your business official will need to register at the IIPS website. Although IIPS offers the option of submitting multiple files, please limit submissions one volume and one file if possible, with a maximum of no more than four PDF files. The Office of Science will include attachments as part of this notice that provide the appropriate forms in PDF fillable format that are to be submitted through IIPS. Color images should be submitted in IIPS as a separate file in PDF format and identified as such. These images should be kept to a minimum due to the limitations of reproducing them. They should be numbered and referred to in the body of the technical scientific application as Color image 1, Color image 2, etc. Questions regarding the operation of IIPS may be E-mailed to the IIPS Help Desk at: HelpDesk@pr.doe.gov, or you may call the help desk at: (800) 683-0751. Further information on the use of IIPS by the Office of Science is available at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.

If you are unable to submit an application through IIPS, please contact the Grants and Contracts Division, Office of Science at: (301) 903-5212 or (301) 903-3064, in order to gain assistance for submission through IIPS or to receive special approval and instructions on how to submit printed applications.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jeffrey Mandula, Office of High Energy Physics, SC-20/Germantown Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20585-1290. Telephone: (301) 903-4829. E- Mail: jeffrey.mandula@science.doe.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Outstanding Junior Investigator program was started in 1978 by the Department of Energy's Office of Science. A principal goal of this program is to identify exceptionally talented high energy physicists early in their careers and assist and facilitate the development of their research programs. Eligibility for awards under this notice is therefore restricted to non-tenured investigators who are conducting experimental or theoretical high energy physics or accelerator physics research. Since its debut, the program has initiated support for between five and ten new OJIs each year. The program has been very successful and contributes importantly to the vigor of the U.S. High Energy Physics program. Applicants should request support under this notice for normal research project costs as required to conduct their proposed research activities. The full range of activities currently supported by the Office of High Energy Physics is eligible for support under this program.

Program Funding

The DOE expects to make approximately seven grant awards in Fiscal Year 2005 to meet the objectives of this program. It is anticipated that approximately $500,000 will be available in Fiscal Year 2005, subject to availability of appropriated funds. In the recent past, awards have averaged $70,000 per year, with the number of awards determined by the number of excellent applications and the total funds available for this program. Multiple-year funding of grant awards is expected, including renewal beyond the initial project period, as long as the recipient's tenure status is unchanged. Funding will be provided on an annual basis subject to availability of funds.

Merit Review

Applications will be subjected to scientific merit review (peer review) and will be evaluated against the following criteria, which are listed in descending order of importance as set forth in 10 CFR Part 605.10 (d):

1. Scientific and/or technical merit of the project;
2. Appropriateness of the proposed method or approach;
3. Competency of applicant's personnel and adequacy of proposed resources; and
4. Reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget.

The Application

Information about the development and submission of applications, eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other policies and procedures may be found in the Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program and 10 CFR Part 605. Electronic access to the Guide and required forms is made available via the World Wide Web: http://www.sc.doe.gov/grants/guide.html. DOE is under no obligation to pay for any costs associated with the preparation or submission of applications if an award is not made.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR Part 605.

Martin Rubinstein
Grants and Contracts Division
Office of Science

Posted on the Office of Science Grants and Contracts Web Site
August 31, 2004.