The Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) in the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its interest in receiving grant applications for Implementation Awards under its Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). Specifically, applications are sought for improvement of the academic research infrastructure in key science and technology energy-related areas identified by the EPSCoR jurisdiction's governing committee. Awards under this program are meant to support a group of scientists and researchers working on a common scientific theme across an EPSCoR jurisdiction or jurisdictions, and are not appropriate mechanisms to provide support for individual faculty science and technology research projects. Implementation Award applications will be accepted from EPSCoR jurisdictions that will not have an active Implementation Award which receives DOE funding in fiscal year 2010. Current expectations are that the following jurisdictions will be eligible for this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA): Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Since DOE is currently following NSF eligibility practice, Iowa and Utah will be eligible to apply to this notice if their respective EPSCoR Committees have submitted to NSF an EPSCoR Planning Grant application prior to the closing date of this FOA.

FORMAL APPLICATION DUE DATE: October 13, 2009, 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Formal applications submitted in response to this Founding Opportunity Announcement must be received by October 13, 2009, 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, to permit timely consideration of awards in Fiscal Year 2010. You are encouraged to transmit your application well before the deadline. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE REVIEWED OR CONSIDERED FOR AWARD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Tim Fitzsimmons, telephone: (301) 903- 9830, E-mail: tim.fitzsimmons@science.doe.gov , Materials Sciences and Engineering Division, SC-22.21, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, Germantown Building, E-422, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20585-1290.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The U.S. Department of Energy's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DOE EPSCoR) is a federal-state partnership program designed to enhance the capabilities of designated states and territories to conduct sustainable and nationally competitive energy-related research. DOE EPSCoR supports the DOE's overarching mission by supporting scientific research across a wide range of program offices and topical areas in the Department, including but not restricted to: Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, Fusion Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics, and Nuclear Physics, in the Office of Science; and may support research from other DOE Program Offices including but not limited to the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management; the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability; the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy; the Office of Environmental Management; the Office of Fossil Energy; the Office of Legacy Management; and, the Office of Nuclear Energy.

In preparation for submitting an application, the jurisdiction's EPSCoR Committee is expected to have undertaken a comprehensive analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for development of its research institutions in support of the jurisdiction's overall research and development objectives. Applications for this FOA should include the jurisdiction's strategy to develop and utilize the scientific and technological resources that reside in its research universities and industrial or economic resources. Successful awards are likely to be those that are focused on one energy-related research area bringing together multiple researchers. The successful applications will candidly represent the opportunities for enhanced academic research and for improving competitiveness of that jurisdiction in the acquisition of sustained non- EPSCoR support. The jurisdiction's infrastructure improvement strategy must have a high probability of realizing stated goals and objectives as judged by merit reviewers and DOE program managers. It is critical for the success of an application that adequate attention be given to the coordination of effort between the investigators both in the application and subsequent management of an award. Previous experience indicates that strong external advisory boards are a useful tool for the Principal Investigator and for the jurisdiction's DOE EPSCoR director in managing Implementation Awards and DOE EPSCoR encourages their formation and regular use. In all instances, performance milestones and a timetable for achieving project goals and deliverables are prerequisites for DOE EPSCoR support. Topical research area should be identified in the application with respect to the relevant DOE Program Office or Offices (websites listed below) and the Office's specific program goals. The relevant program office(s) (and associated program manager(s)) must be identified in the application narrative in order for it to be considered for EPSCoR support. As a measure of relevance to DOE missions, the Program Office or Offices will be requested to contribute (e.g.10%) to the support for the proposed effort. If the Program Office(s) or DOE program manager(s) are unknown, please contact the DOE EPSCoR office well before the application due date. Applications are open for scientific research across the entire range of energy related disciplines supported by DOE. Additional information on the DOE Research Programs is available at the following website addresses:

Department of Energy (General Information):
http://www.energy.gov/

Office of Science:
http://www.science.doe.gov/

Basic Energy Sciences:
http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/bes.html

Biological and Environmental Research:
http://www.sc.doe.gov/ober/ober_top.html

Advanced Scientific Computing Research:
http://www.sc.doe.gov/ascr/index.html

Fusion Energy Sciences:
http://www.science.doe.gov/ofes/

High Energy Physics:
http://www.science.doe.gov/hep/index.shtml

Nuclear Physics:
http://www.sc.doe.gov/np/

Office of Scientific and Technical Information
http://www.osti.gov/

Energy Information Administration
http://www.eia.doe.gov/

National Nuclear Security Administration:
http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
http://www.oe.energy.gov/

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy:
http://www.eere.doe.gov

Office of Fossil Energy:
http://www.fe.doe.gov

Office of Environmental Management:
http://www.em.doe.gov

Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management:
http://www.rw.doe.gov

Office of Nuclear Energy:
http://www.ne.doe.gov

The objectives of the DOE Implementation Awards are to:

• Improve the capability of the designated EPSCoR jurisdiction to conduct sustainable and nationally competitive energy-related research.

• Support a group of scientists working on a common scientific theme across an EPSCoR jurisdiction or jurisdictions. (These awards are not meant to support individual faculty working on individual science and technology themes).

• Jumpstart infrastructure development in an EPSCoR jurisdiction or jurisdictions through increased human and technical resources.

• Promote partnering where appropriate, with other universities, industry and with national laboratories with strong participation by students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty from EPSCoR jurisdictions.

Subcontracts:

The lead organization may submit only one application; other organizations may be included as subcontractors. If an application is approved for funding, DOE will provide the total DOE project funds to the lead organization which will provide funding to the other participant(s) via a subcontract arrangement. The application should clearly describe the role to be played by each organization, specify the managerial arrangements and explain the advantages of the multi- organizational effort. The Principal investigator (PI) has to be a person designated by the jurisdiction's EPSCoR committee, and in consultation with the jurisdiction's DOE EPSCoR director. It is recommended that the PI be the lead technical director for the application (from the lead institution or organization) with a specified lead Project Administrator, preferably the jurisdiction's DOE EPSCoR director, to work with the PI to manage the award.

Program Funding

Subject to Congressional authorization and approval of funds in Fiscal Year 2010, DOE anticipates an estimated $1,700,000 will be available for awards to fund collaborative research and human resource development in energy-related science and engineering disciplines. Approximately two awards are anticipated in Fiscal Year 2010, at a maximum award level of $1,000,000 per year, the maximum period of funding is six years with an initial grant period of three years. DOE EPSCoR funding will not be provided to the National Laboratories. Continuation funding for the awards will be contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds, progress of the research, and continuing program need. Renewal applications for implementation awards beyond the initial three-year period will be considered for an additional three years, subject to continuing meritorious performance and progress in the previous budget periods, as well as the value added of the proposed effort and the availability of funds. Request to supplement Implementation Awards funded under this FOA is subsequent years will be entertained as budget circumstances permit. DOE is under no obligation to pay for any costs associated with the preparation or submission of an application. DOE reserves the right to fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or none of the applications submitted in response to this Announcement.

EPSCoR Implementation Award Application Guidelines

DOE EPSCoR currently follows National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR eligibility criteria refer to: http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/eligible.jsp) but further restricts eligibility to submit Implementation Award applications such that: There is only one active Implementation Award that is receiving funding per EPSCoR jurisdiction at a time. Thus if an EPSCoR Implementation Award receives its last funding from DOE EPSCoR in fiscal year 2009, that jurisdiction is eligible to submit an Implementation Award application in fiscal year 2010. Current expectations are that the following jurisdictions will be eligible for this FOA: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Since DOE is currently following NSF eligibility practice, Iowa and Utah will be eligible to apply to this notice if their respective EPSCoR committees have submitted to NSF an EPSCoR Planning Grant application prior to the closing date of this FOA.

EPSCoR jurisdictions meeting the eligibility criteria above may submit one application. The jurisdiction's EPSCoR Committee or their designee will have authority and responsibility to select the applicant on behalf of their jurisdiction.

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

Posted on the Office of Science Grants and Contracts Web Site
May 14, 2009.