DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY For more information about the Office of Science, go to Office of Science |
To DOE National Laboratories LAB 04-20
Basic Research
SUMMARY: The Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) of the Office of Science (SC), U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE), in keeping with its energy-related mission to assist in
strengthening the Nation's scientific research enterprise through the support of basic science,
announces its interest in receiving proposals for projects on basic research for the Hydrogen Fuel
Initiative (HFI). Areas of focus include: Novel Materials for Hydrogen Storage; Membranes for
Separation, Purification, and Ion Transport; Design of Catalysts at the Nanoscale; Solar
Hydrogen Production; and Bio-Inspired Materials and Processes. More information on these
focus areas is provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.
DATES: Potential researchers are required to submit a brief preproposal. All preproposals must
be received by DOE by 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time, July 15, 2004. Preproposals will be reviewed
for conformance with the guidelines presented in this announcement and suitability in the
technical areas specified in this announcement. A response to the preproposals encouraging or
discouraging formal proposals will be communicated to the researchers within approximately
forty-five days of receipt.
Only those preproposals that receive notification from DOE encouraging a formal proposal may
submit full proposals. No other formal proposals will be considered. Formal proposals in
response to this announcement must be received by January 4, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Preproposals referencing Program Announcement LAB 04-20 should be sent
as PDF file attachments via e-mail to: hydrogen@science.doe.gov with "Program
Announcement LAB 04-20" and the submission category (e.g., Novel Materials for Hydrogen
Storage) in the Subject line. No FAX or mail submission of preproposals will be accepted.
NOTE: Each FFRDC may submit up to six preproposals as lead institution; the first six
preproposals received from an FFRDC as lead institution will be considered to be that
institution's official submission. BES reserves the right to encourage, in whole or in part, any, all,
or none of the preproposals submitted, and may issue further guidance on the scope of full
proposal submissions of those encouraged.
Formal proposals referencing Program Announcement LAB 04-20 must be submitted as PDF
files on a CD accompanying a printed original and seven copies of the proposal by U.S. Postal
Service Express Mail, any commercial mail delivery service, or when hand carried by the
researcher to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences,
SC-13, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, ATTN: Program
Announcement LAB 04-20.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harriet Kung, Ph.D., Office of Basic Energy
Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division, SC-131, telephone: (301)903-1330, E-
mail: harriet.kung@science.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
President Bush, in his 2003 State of the Union address, announced a $1.2 billion hydrogen
initiative to reverse America's growing dependence on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) coordinates the
DOE Hydrogen Program; efforts include R&D of hydrogen production, delivery, storage, and
fuel cell technologies; technology validation; safety, codes and standards; and education
[
http://www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/].
The President's 2005 Budget proposed that fundamental research within DOE Office of Science
be enhanced, focused, and included in the HFI. The basic research will help overcome key
technology hurdles in hydrogen production, storage, and conversion by seeking revolutionary
scientific breakthroughs [
http://www.ostp.gov/html/budget/2005/FY05HydrogenFuelInitiative1-pager.pdf].
In the fall of 2002, the National Academies' National Research Council appointed a Committee
on Alternatives and Strategies for Future Hydrogen Production and Use. While addressing the
topic on "Research and Development Priorities," the Committee concludes that "There are major
hurdles on the path to achieving the vision of the hydrogen economy; the path will not be simple
or straightforward." Specifically, the Academies' report recommends significant exploratory
research in some areas with a focus on interdisciplinary scientific approaches
[
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309091632/html/].
In May 2003, a workshop was sponsored by BES to identify basic research needs for hydrogen
production, storage and use. The workshop report, entitled Basic Research Needs for the
Hydrogen Economy [
http://www.science.doe.gov/bes/Hydrogen.pdf], detailed a broad array of
basic research challenges. These challenges depict the gap between present-day scientific
knowledge/technology capabilities and what would be required for the practical realization of a
hydrogen economy. This Announcement solicits innovative basic research proposals to establish
the scientific basis that underpins the physical, chemical, and biological processes governing the
interaction of hydrogen with materials. We seek to support outstanding fundamental research
programs to ensure that discoveries and related conceptual breakthroughs from basic research
will provide a solid foundation for the innovative design of materials and processes to usher in
hydrogen as the clean and sustainable fuel of the future. Five high-priority research directions,
encompassing both short-term showstoppers and long-term grand challenges, will be the focus of
this solicitation. They are:
The following provides further information under each of the five focus areas to illustrate the
scope of proposals solicited under this Announcement.
Novel Materials for Hydrogen Storage
As indicated in the BES hydrogen workshop report, basic research is essential for identifying
novel materials and processes that can provide important breakthroughs needed to meet the HFI
goals. These breakthroughs may result from research at the nanoscale facilitated by new
understanding derived from both theory and experiment. The advances may not necessarily
come from within the boundaries of metal hydrides, chemical hydrides or carbon-based materials;
instead success may well be found at the interstices of these classes of materials or may come
from "out-of-the-box" concepts. Innovative basic research in the following high priority areas is
needed:
Membranes for Separation, Purification, and Ion Transport
Current membrane materials often lack sufficient selectivity to eliminate critical contaminants or
to prevent leakage transport between fuel cell compartments that robs efficiency. The NafionTM
membrane, which is presently the best available for separating low temperature fuel cell
chambers, is expensive and allows enough gas transport to reduce efficiency. Currently
available oxide membranes, which are critical for ionic transport in higher-temperature fuel cells,
are inefficient and fail to operate at the lower temperatures needed for use in transportation.
Separation membranes that could operate in the rigorous chemical environment of a thermal
cycle hydrogen generator would be of substantial value but are unknown at present. Overcoming
these barriers will require an integrated, basic research effort to enable discovery of new
membrane materials, improvement in membrane performance, and integration of membrane and
catalytic functions. High priority research directions include:
Design of Catalysts at the Nanoscale
Solar Hydrogen Production
The sun is Earth's most plentiful source of energy, and it has sufficient capacity to fully meet the
global needs of the next century without potentially destructive environmental consequences.
Efficient conversion of sunlight to hydrogen by splitting water through photovoltaic cells driving
electrolysis or through direct photocatalysis at energy costs competitive with fossil fuels is a
major enabling milestone for a viable hydrogen economy. Basic strategies for cost effective
solar hydrogen production are rooted in fundamental scientific breakthroughs in chemical
synthesis, self-assembly, charge transfer at nanoparticle interfaces, and photocatalysis. High
priority research directions for solar hydrogen include:
Bio-inspired Materials and Processes
Direct production of hydrogen from water and other carbon neutral sources using sunlight (solar
radiation) offers real promises in realizing a clean and sustainable energy future, but there are
many obstacles to efficient and cost-effective technologies. Fortunately, plants and some
bacteria are endowed with enzymes and catalysts that can produce hydrogen while powered by
sun light or fermentation-derived energy at operating temperatures ranging from 0°C to 100°C.
While inherent biological inefficiencies and public sensitivity to genetically engineered
organisms may need to be overcome for biological production of hydrogen to become
competitive and viable, a fundamental understanding of the molecular machinery of biological
systems could provide the knowledge that is needed to design artificial, bio-inspired materials
that make solar photochemical production of hydrogen a reality. Our current knowledge of
many of the basic aspects of these biological processes is limited.
Fundamental research into the molecular mechanisms underlying biological hydrogen production
is the essential key to our ability to adapt, exploit, and extend what nature has accomplished for
our own renewable energy needs. Important research directions include:
Program Funding
It is anticipated that up to $12 million annually will be available for multiple awards for this
announcement. Initial awards will be in Fiscal Year 2005, and proposals may request project
support for up to three years. All awards are contingent on the availability of funds and
programmatic needs.
Preproposal
The preproposal should consist of a description of the research proposed to be undertaken by the
researcher including a clear explanation of its importance to the advancement of basic hydrogen
research and its relevance to the HFI. The preproposal must include a cover sheet downloadable
at:
http://www.science.doe.gov/bes/HFI_preapp_cover_lab.pdf to identify the institution,
Principal Investigator name(s), address(es), telephone and fax number(s) and E-mail address(es),
the title of the project, the submission category, and the yearly breakdown of the total budget
request. A brief (one-page) vitae should be provided for each Principal Investigator. The
preproposal should consist of a maximum of 3 pages of narrative (including text and figures)
describing the research objectives, approaches to be taken, the institutional setting, and a
description of any research partnership if appropriate.
Full Proposal
The Department of Energy will accept Full Proposals by invitation only, based upon the
evaluation of the preproposals. After receiving notification from DOE concerning successful
preproposals, researchers may prepare formal proposals. The Project Description must not
exceed 20 pages, including tables and figures, but exclusive of attachments. The proposal must
contain an abstract or project summary, short vitae, and letters of intent from collaborators if
appropriate. The proposal should also contain one paragraph addressing how the proposed
research will address one or more of the four BES long-term program measures used by the
Office of Management and Budget to rate the BES program annually; these measures may be
found at [
http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/BES_PART_Long_Term_Measures_FEB04.pdf]. DOE is under
no obligation to pay for any costs associated with the preparation or submission of proposals.
Full proposals adhering to DOE Field Work Proposal format (Reference DOE Order 412.1) are
to be prepared and submitted consistent with policies of the investigator's laboratory and the
local DOE Operations Office. Laboratories may submit proposals directly to the SC Program
Office listed above. A copy should also be provided to the appropriate DOE Operations Office.
Coordination and Integration with the DOE Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy (EERE), Fossil Energy (FE), and Nuclear Energy Science and Technology (NE)
Hydrogen Program
The proposal solicitation and selection processes will be coordinated with EERE, FE, and NE's
program to ensure successful integration of the basic research components with the applied
technology program. Specifically, input from EERE, FE and NE have been incorporated in the
formulation of this announcement, and further input will be solicited in the review of
preproposals. There will also be an annual Contractors' Meeting for all participants in the BES
program to help coordinate and integrate research efforts related to hydrogen research. The
Annual Contractors' Meeting of BES principal investigators will be coordinated with EERE, FE
and NE, and will include presentations on applied research and development needs from
researchers inside and outside of the Contractors' group.
The instructions and format described below should be followed. Reference Program
Announcement LAB 04-20 on all submissions and inquiries about this program.
GUIDE FOR PREPARATION OF SCIENTIFIC/TECHNICAL PROPOSALS TO BE SUBMITTED BY NATIONAL LABORATORIES Proposals from National Laboratories submitted to the Office of Science (SC) as a result of this program announcement will follow the Department of Energy Field Work Proposal process with additional information requested to allow for scientific/technical merit review. The following guidelines for content and format are intended to facilitate an understanding of the requirements necessary for SC to conduct a merit review of a proposal. Please follow the guidelines carefully, as deviations could be cause for declination of a proposal without merit review. 1. Evaluation Criteria Proposals will be subjected to formal merit review (peer review) and will be evaluated against the following criteria which are listed in descending order of importance: Scientific and/or technical merit of the project Appropriateness of the proposed method or approach Competency of the personnel and adequacy of the proposed resources Reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget Basic research that is relevant to the Administration's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative
2. Summary of Proposal Contents
Proposal Cover Page Table of Contents Abstract Narrative Literature Cited Budget and Budget Explanation Other support of investigators Biographical Sketches Description of facilities and resources Appendix Formal proposals referencing Program Announcement LAB 04-20 must be submitted as PDF files on a CD accompanying a printed original and seven copies of the proposal by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail, any commercial mail delivery service, or when hand carried by the researcher to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, SC-13, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, ATTN: Program Announcement LAB 04-20. 3. Detailed Contents of the Proposal Proposals must be readily legible, when photocopied, and must conform to the following three requirements: the height of the letters must be no smaller than 10 point with at least 2 points of spacing between lines (leading); the type density must average no more than 17 characters per inch; the margins must be at least one-half inch on all sides. Figures, charts, tables, figure legends, etc., may include type smaller than these requirements so long as they are still fully legible. 3.1 Field Work Proposal Format (Reference DOE Order 5700.7C) (DOE ONLY) The Field Work Proposal (FWP) is to be prepared and submitted consistent with policies of the investigator's laboratory and the local DOE Operations Office. Additional information is also requested to allow for scientific/technical merit review. Laboratories may submit proposals directly to the SC Program office listed above. A copy should also be provided to the appropriate DOE operations office. 3.2 Proposal Cover Page The following proposal cover page information may be placed on plain paper. No form is required.
SC Program announcement title Name of laboratory Name of principal investigator (PI) Position title of PI Mailing address of PI Telephone of PI Fax number of PI Electronic mail address of PI Name of official signing for laboratory* Title of official Fax number of official Telephone of official Electronic mail address of official Requested funding for each year; total request Use of human subjects in proposed project:
Signature of official, date of signature* *The signature certifies that personnel and facilities are available as stated in the proposal, if the project is funded. Provide the initial page number for each of the sections of the proposal. Number pages consecutively at the bottom of each page throughout the proposal. Start each major section at the top of a new page. Do not use unnumbered pages and do not use suffices, such as 5a, 5b. 3.4 Abstract Provide an abstract of no more than 250 words. Give the broad, long-term objectives and what the specific research proposed is intended to accomplish. State the hypotheses to be tested. Indicate how the proposed research addresses the SC scientific/technical area specifically described in this announcement. 3.5 Narrative The narrative comprises the research plan for the project and is limited to 5 pages per task. It should contain the following subsections: Background and Significance: Briefly sketch the background leading to the present proposal, critically evaluate existing knowledge, and specifically identify the gaps which the project is intended to fill. State concisely the importance of the research described in the proposal. Explain the relevance of the project to the research needs identified by the Office of Science. Include references to relevant published literature, both to work of the investigators and to work done by other researchers. Preliminary Studies: Use this section to provide an account of any preliminary studies that may be pertinent to the proposal. Include any other information that will help to establish the experience and competence of the investigators to pursue the proposed project. References to appropriate publications and manuscripts submitted or accepted for publication may be included. Research Design and Methods: Describe the research design and the procedures to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Describe new techniques and methodologies and explain the advantages over existing techniques and methodologies. As part of this section, provide a tentative sequence or timetable for the project. Subcontract or Consortium Arrangements: If any portion of the project described under "Research Design and Methods" is to be done in collaboration with another institution, provide information on the institution and why it is to do the specific component of the project. Further information on any such arrangements is to be given in the sections "Budget and Budget Explanation", "Biographical Sketches", and "Description of Facilities and Resources". 3.6 Literature Cited List all references cited in the narrative. Limit citations to current literature relevant to the proposed research. Information about each reference should be sufficient for it to be located by a reviewer of the proposal. 3.7 Budget and Budget Explanation A detailed budget is required for the entire project period, which normally will be three years, and for each fiscal year. It is preferred that DOE's budget page, Form 4620.1 be used for providing budget information*. Modifications of categories are permissible to comply with institutional practices, for example with regard to overhead costs. A written justification of each budget item is to follow the budget pages. For personnel this should take the form of a one-sentence statement of the role of the person in the project. Provide a detailed justification of the need for each item of permanent equipment. Explain each of the other direct costs in sufficient detail for reviewers to be able to judge the appropriateness of the amount requested. Further instructions regarding the budget are given in section 4 of this guide. * Form 4620.1 is available at web site: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/Forms-E.html 3.8 Other Support of Investigators Other support is defined as all financial resources, whether Federal, non-Federal, commercial or institutional, available in direct support of an individual's research endeavors. Information on active and pending other support is required for all senior personnel, including investigators at collaborating institutions to be funded by a subcontract. For each item of other support, give the organization or agency, inclusive dates of the project or proposed project, annual funding, and level of effort devoted to the project. 3.9 Biographical Sketches This information is required for senior personnel at the laboratory submitting the proposal and at all subcontracting institutions. The biographical sketch is limited to a maximum of two pages for each investigator. 3.10 Description of Facilities and Resources Describe briefly the facilities to be used for the conduct of the proposed research. Indicate the performance sites and describe pertinent capabilities, including support facilities (such as machine shops) that will be used during the project. List the most important equipment items already available for the project and their pertinent capabilities. Include this information for each subcontracting institution, if any. 3.11 Appendix Include collated sets of all appendix materials with each copy of the proposal. Do not use the appendix to circumvent the page limitations of the proposal. Information should be included that may not be easily accessible to a reviewer. Reviewers are not required to consider information in the Appendix, only that in the body of the proposal. Reviewers may not have time to read extensive appendix materials with the same care as they will read the proposal proper. The appendix may contain the following items: up to five publications, manuscripts (accepted for publication), abstracts, patents, or other printed materials directly relevant to this project, but not generally available to the scientific community; and letters from investigators at other institutions stating their agreement to participate in the project (do not include letters of endorsement of the project).
4. Detailed Instructions for the Budget 4.1 Salaries and Wages List the names of the principal investigator and other key personnel and the estimated number of person-months for which DOE funding is requested. Proposers should list the number of postdoctoral associates and other professional positions included in the proposal and indicate the number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) person-months and rate of pay (hourly, monthly or annually). For graduate and undergraduate students and all other personnel categories such as secretarial, clerical, technical, etc., show the total number of people needed in each job title and total salaries needed. Salaries requested must be consistent with the institution's regular practices. The budget explanation should define concisely the role of each position in the overall project. 4.2 Equipment DOE defines equipment as "an item of tangible personal property that has a useful life of more than two years and an acquisition cost of $25,000 or more." Special purpose equipment means equipment which is used only for research, scientific or other technical activities. Items of needed equipment should be individually listed by description and estimated cost, including tax, and adequately justified. Allowable items ordinarily will be limited to scientific equipment that is not already available for the conduct of the work. General purpose office equipment normally will not be considered eligible for support. 4.3 Domestic Travel The type and extent of travel and its relation to the research should be specified. Funds may be requested for attendance at meetings and conferences, other travel associated with the work and subsistence. In order to qualify for support, attendance at meetings or conferences must enhance the investigator's capability to perform the research, plan extensions of it, or disseminate its results. Consultant's travel costs also may be requested. 4.4 Foreign Travel Foreign travel is any travel outside Canada and the United States and its territories and possessions. Foreign travel may be approved only if it is directly related to project objectives. 4.5 Other Direct Costs The budget should itemize other anticipated direct costs not included under the headings above, including materials and supplies, publication costs, computer services, and consultant services (which are discussed below). Other examples are: aircraft rental, space rental at research establishments away from the institution, minor building alterations, service charges, and fabrication of equipment or systems not available off- the-shelf. Reference books and periodicals may be charged to the project only if they are specifically related to the research. a. Materials and Supplies The budget should indicate in general terms the type of required expendable materials and supplies with their estimated costs. The breakdown should be more detailed when the cost is substantial. b. Publication Costs/Page Charges The budget may request funds for the costs of preparing and publishing the results of research, including costs of reports, reprints page charges, or other journal costs (except costs for prior or early publication), and necessary illustrations. c. Consultant Services Anticipated consultant services should be justified and information furnished on each individual's expertise, primary organizational affiliation, daily compensation rate and number of days expected service. Consultant's travel costs should be listed separately under travel in the budget. d. Computer Services The cost of computer services, including computer-based retrieval of scientific and technical information, may be requested. A justification based on the established computer service rates should be included. e. Subcontracts Subcontracts should be listed so that they can be properly evaluated. There should be an anticipated cost and an explanation of that cost for each subcontract. The total amount of each subcontract should also appear as a budget item. 4.6 Indirect Costs Explain the basis for each overhead and indirect cost. Include the current rates.
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