DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY For more information about the Office of Science, go to Office of Science |
To DOE National Laboratories LAB 08-13 Multiscale Mathematics and Optimization for Complex Systems
SUMMARY: The Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) of the
Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its interest
in receiving proposals for research addressing multiscale mathematics and optimization
for complex natural and engineered systems. Awards for this solicitation will be made in
two categories:
2) Optimization of Complex Systems.
More information on this solicitation is provided in the supplementary information
below.
LETTER OF INTENT DUE DATE: March 3, 2008, 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time
A one-page Letter of Intent (LOI) to submit an application is REQUIRED and must be
received by March 3, 2008, 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time. The Letter of Intent should be
submitted by e-mail as a PDF file attachment to: complexsystems@ascr.doe.gov. Please
use "Letter of Intent for Announcement LAB 08-13" in the subject line. A copy to your
Laboratory's ASCR Point of Contact (POC) is also encouraged.
The purpose of the Letter of Intent (LOI) is to facilitate the planning of the peer review
process and the selection of reviewers, including identifying any potential conflicts of
interest. The one-page LOI must include the following information: the announcement
number LAB 08-13; the category being addressed (Multiscale Mathematics or
Optimization); name, institutional affiliation, and contact information for the Principal
Investigator (PI); names and institutional affiliations of other PIs and senior personnel;
projected funding request (if possible); title of the proposed effort; and an abstract of the
proposed research. For collaborations involving multiple institutions, a single Letter of
Intent should be submitted by the PI of the lead institution. An example of the format and
content for the one-page Letter of Intent can be viewed at:
http://www.science.doe.gov/ascr/Research/08AMSolicit.html.
A response to the Letters of Intent encouraging or discouraging full proposals will be
communicated to the applicants by March 17, 2008. Formal proposals will be accepted
only from those encouraged to submit.
DATES: Full proposals submitted in response to this Announcement must be submitted
using the Office of Science Field Work Proposal Instructions provided in the Notice to
Users section on the ePMA home page:
http://epma.energy.gov, and must be received no later than 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time,
April 28, 2008, to be accepted for merit review and to permit timely consideration for
award in Fiscal Year 2008.
Please see the "Addresses" section below for further instructions on the methods of
submission for the full proposal.
ADDRESSES: A complete formal FWP in a single Portable Document Format (PDF)
document that has 'formatted text and graphics' (also known as "native' PDF) must be
submitted using the Office of Science Field Work Proposal Instructions provided in
the Notice to Users section on the ePMA home page:
http://epma.energy.gov. (This submission process includes sending the FWP via CD,
with 2 hard copies, using Federal Express).
Please send the CD and 2 hard copies via Federal Express to:
Complex Systems
In addition to following the submission instructions on the
http://epma.energy.gov web site, please submit, via email, a single PDF file of
the entire LAB proposal and FWP. This will assist in expediting the review process.
Please send the email to: complexsystems@ascr.doe.gov. Please include, "Program Announcement LAB 08-13"
in the subject line of the email.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION/GENERAL INQUIRIES, CONTACT:
Dr. Homer Walker
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In order to meet the needs of scientific
discovery over the coming decades, the scientific and technical issues that DOE must
address will require new, rigorously justified mathematical developments in predictive
modeling, simulation, analysis and understanding of complex natural and engineered
systems. The Applied Mathematics Program within the Office of Advanced Scientific
Computing Research supports basic research on the mathematical methods and numerical
algorithms that support these long-term needs.
This Announcement solicits innovative basic research proposals in multiscale
mathematics and optimization for complex natural and engineered systems. Particularly
innovative proposals addressing other approaches for promoting multiscale mathematics
or optimization research, including but not limited to workshops and conferences, will
also be considered under this solicitation.
Prospective researchers should observe that:
Illustrative examples of complex systems for which new mathematical analysis,
methodologies, and computational algorithms are needed include:
The following topics exemplify, but do not exhaustively list, areas where advances in
fundamental understanding are required:
1. Multiscale Mathematics for Complex Systems
Analytical and computational approaches are needed to understand and model the
multiscale behavior of complex multiphysics and multicomponent phenomena. Also
needed are theory and tools for the sensitivity analysis of complex multiscale,
multicomponent models and for the quantification of uncertainty in model predictions.
Areas of interest include:
Techniques are needed for formulating, analyzing and solving challenging optimization
problems arising in complex natural and engineered systems.
Areas of interest include:
The application should identify potential collaborations or other interactions that will
facilitate the exchange of ideas and dissemination of information among research centers
in industry, universities, and/or laboratories. Further information on preparation of
collaborative proposals may be accessed via the Internet at:
http://www.science.doe.gov/grants/Colab.html.
Program Funding:
It is anticipated that up to $5 million will be available for new projects starting in Fiscal
Year 2008. All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and
programmatic needs. Proposers may request project support for up to three years.
DOE is under no obligation to pay for any costs associated with the preparation or
submission of a proposal. DOE reserves the right to fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or
none of the proposals submitted.
The instructions and format described below should be followed. You must reference
Program Announcement LAB 08-13 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:
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. 2. Summary of Proposal Contents
A complete formal FWP in a single Portable Document Format (PDF) document that has 'formatted text and graphics' (also known as "native' PDF) must be submitted using the Office of Science Field Work Proposal Instructions provided in the Notice to Users section on the ePMA home page: http://epma.energy.gov. (This submission process includes sending the FWP via CD, with 2 hard copies, using Federal Express). Please send the CD and 2 hard copies via Federal Express to:
Complex Systems In addition to following the submission instructions on the http://epma.energy.gov web site, please submit, via email, a single PDF file of the entire LAB proposal and FWP. This will assist in expediting the review process. Please send the email to: complexsystems@ascr.doe.gov. Please include, "Program Announcement LAB 08-13" in the subject line of the email. 3. Detailed Contents of the Proposal Adherence to type size and line spacing requirements is necessary for several reasons. No researcher should have the advantage, or by using small type, of providing more text in their proposals. Small type may also make it difficult for reviewers to read the proposal. Proposals must have 1-inch margins at the top, bottom, and on each side. Type sizes must be 11 point. Line spacing is at the discretion of the researcher but there must be no more than 6 lines per vertical inch of text. Pages should be standard 8 1/2" x 11" (or metric A4, i.e., 210 mm x 297 mm). 3.1 Field Work Proposal Format (Reference DOE Order 412.1A) 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* 3.3 Table of Contents 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 Budget and Budget Explanation A detailed budget is required 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.science.doe.gov/grants/budgetform.pdf 3.5 Abstract Provide an abstract of less than 400 words. Give the project objectives (in broad scientific terms), the approach to be used, and what the research is intended to accomplish. State the hypotheses to be tested (if any). At the top of the abstract give the project title, names of all the investigators and their institutions, and contact information for the principal investigator, including e-mail address. 3.6 Narrative (main technical portion of the proposal, including background/introduction, proposed research and methods, timetable of activities, and responsibilities of key project personnel). The narrative comprises the research plan for the project and is limited to 15 pages (maximum). It should contain enough background material in the Introduction, including review of the relevant literature, to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the state of the science. The major part of the narrative should be devoted to a description and justification of the proposed project, including details of the methods to be used. It should also include a timeline for the major activities of the proposed project, and should indicate which project personnel will be responsible for which activities. If any portion of the project is to be done in collaboration with another institution (or institutions), provide information on the institution(s) and what part of the project it will carry out. 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." 3.7 Biographical Sketches This information is required for senior personnel at the institution submitting the proposal and at all subcontracting institutions (if any). The biographical sketch is limited to a maximum of two pages for each investigator. To assist in the identification of potential conflicts of interest or bias in the selection of reviewers, the following information must be provided in each biographical sketch.
Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors and Advisees: A list of the names of the individual's own graduate advisor(s) and principal postdoctoral sponsor(s), and their current organizational affiliations. A list of the names of the individual's graduate students and postdoctoral associates during the past five years, and their current organizational affiliations. Facilities to be used for the conduct of the proposed research should be briefly described. Indicate the pertinent capabilities of the institution, 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). 3.9 Statement of all Current and Pending Support 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 (months per year or percentage of the year) devoted to the project. 3.10 Appendix (optional) Information not easily accessible to a reviewer may be included in an appendix. Reviewers are not required to consider information in an appendix, and reviewers may not have time to read extensive appendix materials with the same care they would use with 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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