Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 96-12;
Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research Program -
Science Team Leadership

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

ACTION: Notice inviting cooperative agreement applications

SUMMARY: The Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) of the Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for cooperative agreements that establish Science Teams for the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research Program (NABIR). The NABIR Science Teams are divided into the following element areas: Acceleration; Biomolecular Science and Engineering; Biotransformation and Biodegradation; Community Dynamics and Microbial Ecology; Biogeochemical Dynamics; Assessment; and System Integration, Prediction, and Optimization.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of formal applications is 4:30 p.m., E.D.T., May 7, 1996, in order to be accepted for merit review and to permit timely consideration for award in fiscal year 1996.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 96-12 should be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, Grants and Contracts Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 96-12.

This address also must be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail or any commercial mail delivery service, or when hand-carried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. D. Jay Grimes, Environmental Sciences Division, ER-74, Office of Health and Environmental Research, Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone (301) 903-4183, e-mail darrell.grimes@oer.doe.gov, fax (301) 903-8519 or Dr. John Houghton, same address, (301) 903-8288, john.houghton@oer.doe.gov, fax (301) 903-7363.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The mission of the NABIR program is to provide the scientific understanding needed to harness natural processes and to develop methods to accelerate these processes for the bioremediation of contaminated soils, sediments, and groundwater at DOE facilities. The program will be implemented through seven interrelated program science elements; Acceleration; Biomolecular Science and Engineering; Biotransformation and Biodegradation; Community Dynamics and Microbial Ecology; Biogeochemical Dynamics; Assessment; and System Integration, Prediction, and Optimization. The Program Plan for the NABIR program (DOE/ER-0659T) contains a more complete description of the NABIR program and each of the science elements. It is available via the Internet using the following address: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/oher/nabir/cover.html. The NABIR Plan is also available from the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, P.O. Box 62, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (DOE and DOE contractors only) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Technology Administration, National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161, (703) 487-4650 (public source).

Each program science element will be directed by a program manager from OHER, who will be responsible for providing support and overall direction for the element, including determining the relevance of the goals and objectives of the program element to the NABIR and other DOE programs. Each program science element will also have a Science Team Leader (STL) who will provide scientific leadership to the community of the researchers in that element. The selection of the STL is expected to include a commitment to fund research undertaken by the STL. STL's will not be eligible for additional research funding from the NABIR program.

The STL, in cooperation with and in response to direction from DOE/OHER, will be responsible for contributing scientific leadership within the program science element. Specific responsibilities of the Science Team Leader include:

Work to develop scientific direction for research in the program science element;

Assisting in identifying research opportunities and directions (e.g., hold workshops, attend relevant meetings and colloquia);

Providing coordination among the investigators in the program element and with other NABIR elements;

Communicating research findings to relevant audiences;

Identifying targets of opportunity and encouraging research directed at those targets; and

Conducting the research presented in the application and approved for funding.

Determining relevance of the goals and objectives and overall direction for the science element to the overall NABIR Program and to other DOE programs;

Providing access to suitable Field Research Centers;

Facilitating the Federal, state, and local regulatory process;

Providing access to data storage, retrieval, and analysis systems; and

Coordinating NABIR with other relevant government and non-government programs.

Applications must demonstrate the STL's ability to conduct interdisciplinary research relevant to the science element and to coordinate and focus other scientists' research. The application should include a description of the proposed research project and a budget plan that fully addresses both the proposed research and the Science Team leadership activities. Information regarding the following scientific and management attributes for a science team leader should be included as part of the application:

An understanding of the existing knowledge and of the science and engineering research directions for the particular science element or elements;

A history of strong research accomplishments in the science element or elements;

An interest in becoming a "team leader" for the element or elements;

A history of successfully mentoring scientists, recruiting, and fostering new talent;

Networking and coordination skills; and

A commitment on the part of his/her institution to the principles and successful operation of NABIR.

Information about development, submission of applications, eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR Part 605; and in the Application Guide for the Office of Energy Research Financial Assistance Program. The Application Guide is available from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research, Environmental Sciences Division, ER-74, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, Maryland 20874- 1290. Telephone requests may be made by calling (301) 903-3338. Electronic access to ER's Financial Assistance Guide is possible via the Internet using the following e-mail address: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/guide.html.

The Office of Energy Research (ER), as part of its grant regulations, requires at 10 CFR 605.11(b) that a grantee funded by ER and performing research involving recombinant DNA molecules shall comply with the National Institutes of Health "Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules" (51 FR 16958, May 7, 1986), or such later guidelines as may be published in the Federal Register. The application must be 15 pages or less, exclusive of attachments.

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

Issued in Washington, DC.

John Rodney Clark
Associate Director
for Resource Management
Office of Energy Research

Published in the Federal Register March 15, 1996, Vol. 61, No. 52,
pages 10746-10748.