The America COMPETES Act of 2007 authorized the establishment of ARPA-E within the U.S. Department of Energy. However, ARPA-E did not officially come into existence until early 2009, when it received $400 million in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit is an annual conference that brings together thought leaders from academia, business, and government to discuss cutting-edge energy issues and facilitate relationships to help move technologies into the marketplace. Summit topics range from high-level overviews to focused discussions centered on developing and deploying the next generation of energy technologies. In addition, the Technology Showcase is a major attraction of the Summit and includes several hundred carefully selected transformational technologies—many of which are demonstrated publicly for the first time during the Summit. Click here for more information on the Summit.

Appropriate science and engineering fields of research include but are not limited to: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Geology, Earth and Atmospheric Science, Computer Science and Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Civil Engineering, Operations Research, Systems Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Architecture.

The best way to stay up-to-date on the latest Funding Opportunities is by signing up for ARPA-E’s newsletter. In addition to receiving monthly ARPA-E updates, you will receive emails whenever new Funding Opportunities are announced.

ARPA-E provides financial assistance for periods ranging from one to three years. These short funding periods are intended to focus efforts on making laboratory work “market ready.”

Award amounts vary by the scope of the project, the period of performance, and the nature of the work. Each FOA provides an estimate of the range of award amounts likely to result under that FOA. In the past, most award amounts vary between $250,000 and $10 million in financial assistance.

Yes. Congress directed ARPA-E to “establish and monitor project milestones, initiate research projects quickly, and just as quickly terminate or restructure projects if such milestones are not achieved.” Accordingly, ARPA-E has substantial involvement in the management and direction of every project. A Statement of Substantial Involvement is included in ARPA-E's Funding Opportunity Announcements. 

Responses are posted here, in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section of ARPA-E’s website. Every Friday, ARPA-E will post responses to any questions that were received by Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET (questions received after Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET will be answered the following week). ARPA-E will cease to accept questions 72 hours in advance of the applicable deadline. Responses to the last questions will be posted at least 24 hours in advance of the applicable deadline.

No. Upon the issuance of a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), ARPA-E Programs and other ARPA-E personnel are prohibited from communicating (in writing or otherwise) with Applicants, or potential Applicants,  regarding the FOA. This “quiet period” remains in effect until ARPA-E’s public announcement of its project selections. During the “quiet period,” Applicants may submit questions regarding the FOA to ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov with the FOA name and number in the subject line. Applicants may also submit questions regarding ARPA-E's online application portal, ARPA-E eXCHANGE, to ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov with the FOA name and number in the subject line. ARPA-E will not accept or respond to communications received by other means (e.g., fax, telephone, mail, hand delivery). Emails sent to other email addresses will be disregarded.

ARPA-E will promptly respond to emails that raise legitimate, technical issues with ARPA-E eXCHANGE. ARPA-E will refer any questions regarding Funding Opportunity Announcements to ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov. 

The cover page and Executive Summary of the Funding Opportunity Announcement state the deadlines for submitting questions to ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov. Every Friday, ARPA-E will post responses to any questions that were received by Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET (questions received after Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET will be answered the following week). ARPA-E will cease to accept questions 72 hours in advance of the applicable submission deadline.

A PI must have authorization from the entity that is submitting the concept paper and/or the full application to act in that role on behalf of that entity. If a proposed PI is employed by one entity at the time of Concept Paper and/or Full Application submission but will be employed by another entity once the award is made, then the proposed PI must have prior authorization from both the current employer and prospective employer. A conflict-of-interest mitigation plan must be submitted in order to address any potential conflict of interest. In addition, the entity that applied for the award will be the entity that receives the award, if selected for negotiations that result in award.

ARPA-E primarily uses Cooperative Agreements and Technology Investment Agreements to provide financial assistance. However, some types of applicants require alternative funding vehicles. Work Authorizations are issued to DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) through the DOE/NNSA Field Work Application system for work performed under DOE Management & Operation Contracts. Interagency Agreements are used for work performed by Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs and U.S. Government-Owned Government-Operated laboratories (GOGOs). Additionally, ARPA-E has the authority to utilize grants, contracts, and “other transactions,” but rarely exercises this authority.

Like Grants, Cooperative Agreements involve the provision of financial or other support to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by Federal statute. However, Cooperative Agreements differ from Grants in terms of agency involvement, supervision, and intervention in the project. Grants restrict Government involvement to the minimum necessary to achieve program objectives. Under Cooperative Agreements, the Government is “substantially involved” with the Prime Recipient’s management, control, direction, and performance of projects.

When a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) or non-DOE/NNSA Government-Owned Government-Operated laboratory (GOGO) is the lead organization for a Project Team, ARPA-E executes a funding agreement directly with the FFRDC or non-DOE/NNSA GOGO and a single, separate Cooperative Agreement with the rest of the Project Team. Notwithstanding the use of multiple agreements, the FFRDC or non-DOE/NNSA GOGO is the lead organization for the entire project, including all work performed by the FFRDC or non-DOE/NNSA GOGO and the rest of the Project Team.

ARPA-E may negotiate a TIA or “other transactions” agreement in order to encourage for-profit entities to participate in projects in which they would not otherwise participate, to facilitate the creation of new relationships among participants in a team that will foster better technology, to encourage Prime Recipients to use new business practices that will foster better technology or new technology more quickly or less expensively, or to enhance U.S. economic and energy security and/or maintain U.S. technological leadership in key energy sectors.

If Applicants are seeking to negotiate an “other transactions” agreement or Technology Investment Agreement, they are required to include an explicit request in the Business Assurances Form submitted as part of their Full Applications. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Announcement for guidance on the content and form of the request.

You may register with ARPA-E’s online application portal, ARPA-E eXCHANGE, at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Registration.aspx. 

Applicants may submit questions regarding ARPA-E’s online application portal, ARPA-E eXCHANGE, to ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov. All emails must include the name and number of the Funding Opportunity Announcement in the subject line.

All Applicants are first required to submit a Concept Paper. ARPA-E reviews the Concept Paper and provides early feedback on whether the idea is likely to form the basis of a successful full application.

Yes, but each Concept Paper submission must be scientifically distinct.

Generally, ARPA-E performs a preliminary review of Concept Papers to determine whether (1) the Applicant meets the eligibility requirements in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA); (2) the Concept Paper conforms to the content and form requirements in the FOA; and (3) the Concept Paper was timely submitted via ARPA-E eXCHANGE by the applicable deadline. The specific FOA may have additional or other compliance requirements for Concept Papers. Concept Papers that meet these requirements are deemed compliant.

Concept Papers are primarily evaluated by Evaluation Criteria specific to a given Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). As these criteria may vary by FOA, Applicants should always refer to the FOA to which they are applying for the relevant evaluation criteria. ARPA-E may also use Program Policy Factors, which are broad policy considerations determined by agency needs and priorities. FOA documentation can be found at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Default.aspx.

For noncompliant and nonresponsive Concept Papers, the ARPA-E Contracting Officer sends a notification letter by email to the technical and administrative points of contact designated by the Applicant in ARPA-E eXCHANGE. The notification letter states the basis upon which the Concept Paper was rejected.

No. ARPA-E provides Applicants with feedback on Concept Papers in order to guide the further development of the proposed technology.

Yes.

Please refer to the cover page and Executive Summary of the relevant Funding Opportunity Announcement for applicable submission deadlines.

Please refer to the “Marking of Confidential Information” section of the Funding Opportunity Announcement for guidance on marking requirements. Applicants should not include confidential, proprietary, or privileged information in their submissions unless such information is necessary to convey an understanding of the proposed project. Any submissions containing confidential, proprietary, or privileged information must be marked as described in the Funding Opportunity Announcement.

No. Only Applicants who submitted a compliant and responsive Concept Paper are eligible to submit a Full Application.

No. All compliant and responsive Full Applications are evaluated through the same merit review process.

Yes. Applicants may expand or otherwise modify the projects described in their Concept Papers when they are preparing their Full Applications.

Yes, a letter of authorization is required whether the FFRDC is the lead organization for the Project Team or a member of the Project Team. Applicants should refer to the Business Assurances Form they are required to submit as part of a complete Full Application.

Applicants should refer to the specific Funding Opportunity Announcement to which they are applying for guidance on the content and form of Full Applications.

No. ARPA-E only reviews and considers compliant and responsive Full Applications.

The answer to both questions is no.

Yes, letters of support may be included with the Technical Volume of the Full Application. Please note the letters of support are subject to the maximum page limitations stated in the Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Optional tasks should be designated with a parenthetical at the beginning of the task – i.e., “(Optional Task).

The SF-424A should be broken down into years.

A separate tab is required for each year.

Yes.

Yes.

ARPA-E performs a preliminary review of Full Applications to determine whether (1) the Applicant meets the eligibility and compliance requirements in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA); (2) the Applicant meets the cost share requirements in the FOA; and (3) the Full Application conforms to the content and form requirements in the FOA; (4) the Full Application was timely submitted via ARPA-E eXCHANGE by the applicable deadline; and (5) the Applicant submitted a compliant and responsive Concept Paper. Full Applications that meet these requirements are deemed compliant.

Full Applications are evaluated by Evaluation Criteria specific to a given Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). As these criteria may vary by FOA, Applicants should refer to the FOA to which they are applying for the relevant evaluation criteria. ARPA-E may also use Program Policy Factors, which are broad policy considerations determined by agency needs and priorities. FOA documentation can be found at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Default.aspx.

Applicants are promptly notified of the Selection Official’s determination. ARPA-E sends a notification letter by email to the technical and administrative points of contact designated by the Applicant in ARPA-E eXCHANGE. The notification letter may inform the Applicant that its Full Application was selected for award negotiations or not selected. Alternatively, Applicants may be notified that a final selection determination will be made at a later date, subject to the availability of funds or other factors. A notification letter selecting a Full Application for award negotiations does not authorize the Applicant to commence performance of the project.

Yes. Applicants are free to modify the proposed Project Team for their Full Applications, either by adding or deleting team members.

Applicants are not expected to seek or obtain access to applications submitted by third parties. This limitation is primarily directed at applications submitted by the same person. Applicants may submit a Full Application if, to the best of their knowledge, it is scientifically distinct.

ARPA-E requires all work under ARPA-E funding agreements to be performed in the United States (i.e., Prime Recipients must expend 100% of the Total Project Cost in the United States). However, Applicants may request a waiver of this requirement where their project would materially benefit from, or otherwise requires, certain work to be performed overseas. Applicants must include an explicit waiver request in the Business Assurances Form required as part of their Full Applications. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Announcement for guidance on the content and form of the waiver request.

In the circumstances described above, “total” cost data should be provided to the Prime Recipient for incorporation into the consolidated SF424A and the Budget Justification Workbook, but detailed cost data may be provided in a separate SF424A and Budget Justification Workbook directly to ARPA-E via email to ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov by the submission deadline stated in the FOA. Any files sent by email should be clearly marked with the application control number, name of the submitting entity, and the title of the application.

Your submission is deemed noncompliant and is not reviewed or considered.

No. A notification letter postponing a final selection determination until a later date does not authorize the Applicant to commence performance of the project.

No. ARPA-E expects to retain copies of all Concept Papers, Full Applications, Replies to Reviewer Comments, and other submissions. No submissions will be returned. By applying to ARPA-E for funding, Applicants consent to ARPA-E’s retention of their submissions.

Written feedback on Full Applications is made available to Applicants before the submission deadline for Replies to Reviewer Comments. Applicants have a brief opportunity to prepare and submit a short response to this written feedback, or to provide additional information with which to supplement their Full Applications.

No. Applicants are not required to submit a Reply to Reviewer Comments. Submitting a Reply to Reviewer Comments is optional. Each compliant and responsive Full Application will be considered on the merits regardless of whether a Reply to Reviewer Comments is submitted.

Yes.

Every cost share contribution must be allowable under the applicable Federal cost principles. Project Teams may provide cost share in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. Cash contributions may be provided by the Prime Recipient or Sub-recipients. Allowable in-kind contributions include but are not limited to: personnel costs, indirect costs, facilities and administrative costs, rental value of buildings or equipment, and the value of a service, other resource, or third-party in-kind contribution. Project Teams may use funding or property received from state or local governments to meet the cost share requirement, so long as the funding or property was not provided to the state or local government by the Federal Government. Applicants may wish to refer to 10 C.F.R. parts 600 and 603 for additional guidance on cost sharing, specifically 10 C.F.R. §§ 600.30, 600.123, 600.224, 600.313, and 603.525-555.

Because FFRDCs and GOGOs are funded by the Federal Government, costs incurred by FFRDCs and GOGOs generally may not used to meet the cost share requirement. FFRDCs may contribute cost share only if the contributions are paid directly from the contractor’s Management Fee or another non-Federal source.

Although the cost share requirement applies to the Project Team as a whole, the funding agreement makes the Prime Recipient legally responsible for paying the entire cost share. The Prime Recipient’s cost share obligation is expressed in the funding agreement as a static amount in U.S. dollars (cost share amount) and as a percentage of the Total Project Cost (cost share percentage). The Prime Recipient is solely responsible for managing cost share contributions by the Project Team and enforcing cost share obligations assumed by Project Team members in sub-awards or related agreements.

No. Upon selection for award negotiations, the Prime Recipient is required to provide cost share commitment letters from Sub-recipients or third parties that are providing cost share, whether cash or in-kind. Each Sub-recipient or third party that is contributing cost share must provide a letter on appropriate letterhead that is signed by an authorized corporate representative. The letter must state, in unconditional and unequivocal terms, its commitment to provide cost share. The letter may not include any conditions for receipt of the cost share contributions. The letter must state the amount and form of cost share, the source and precise nature of the contribution, and the duration and timing of the commitment (e.g., two years beginning October 1, 2011).

All reimbursement requests must be accompanied by written documentation showing that the Prime Recipient (or Project Team, as appropriate) paid at least the cost share percentage of total expenditures incurred during the relevant billing period. If authorized by ARPA-E to provide the requisite cost share on a quarterly or biannual basis, Prime Recipients are required to submit the cost share report for the relevant quarter or half-year with the reimbursement request for that period. Such reports must be accompanied by written documentation showing that the Prime Recipient (or Project Team, as appropriate) paid at least the cost share percentage of total expenditures incurred during the relevant quarter or half-year. In terms of written documentation, Prime Recipients may provide ARPA-E with (1) summary documentation that presents an overview of expenditures incurred during the relevant billing period (e.g., printouts from internal financial software) or (2) detailed documentation of expenditures incurred during the relevant billing period, including but not limited to invoices on appropriate letterhead, time cards, equipment purchase requisitions, and travel vouchers. ARPA-E may deny reimbursement requests, in whole or in part, or modify or terminate funding agreements where Prime Recipients (or Project Teams) fails to comply with ARPA-E’s cost share reporting requirements.

ARPA-E has offered reduced minimum cost share requirements for FOAs in the past. Whether projects under a particular FOA are eligible for reduced minimum cost share requirements varies from FOA to FOA. Applicants should refer to the “cost share” section of the FOA to which they are applying for accurate information regarding reduced minimum cost share.

Yes.

Yes.

ARPA-E will not reimburse any pre-award costs incurred by Applicants before they are selected for award negotiations. Upon selection for award negotiations, Applicants may incur pre-award costs at their own risk; selection for award negotiations is not a guarantee of award. ARPA-E generally does not accept budgets as submitted with the Full Application. Budgets are typically reworked during award negotiations. ARPA-E is under no obligation to reimburse pre-award costs if, for any reason, the Applicant does not receive an award or if the award is made for a lesser amount than the Applicant expected. Given the uncertainty of award negotiations, it is strongly recommended that Prime Recipients and Sub-recipients consult with the ARPA-E Contracting Officer before incurring any pre-award costs. However, Prime Recipients may submit reimbursement requests for insignificant costs (i.e., $20,000 or less in total aggregate costs) incurred up to 90 days before the effective date of the funding agreement. Prime Recipients are required to obtain written authorization from the ARPA-E Contracting Officer before submitting any reimbursement requests for (1) insignificant costs (i.e., $20,000 or less in total aggregate costs) incurred more than 90 days before the effective date of the funding agreement, or (2) significant costs (i.e., more than $20,000 in total aggregate costs) incurred before the effective date of the funding agreement.

ARPA-E generally does not fund projects that involve major construction. Prime Recipients are required to obtain written authorization from the ARPA-E Contracting Officer before incurring any major construction costs (i.e., construction costs in excess of $2,500).

Yes. All new equipment purchased under ARPA-E funding agreements must be made or manufactured in the United States, to the maximum extent practicable. This requirement does not apply to used or leased equipment. Project Teams may purchase foreign-made equipment where comparable domestic equipment is not reasonably available.

No.

All proposed patent costs up to $30,000 are required to be included in your budget for the Concept Paper and Full Application. Patent costs in excess of $30,000 may be applied to meet your cost share requirement.

Sub-recipients should be listed separately in the Full Application budget documents (e.g., SF-424A, Budget Justification Spreadsheet). Subcontractors do not need to be listed separately in the Full Application budget documents.

No. Project Teams are free to determine the allocation of project work among team members.

Yes. Upon selection for award negotiations, Prime Recipients and Sub-recipients are required to obtain a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. ARPA-E cannot execute a funding agreement with a Prime Recipient until it has a DUNS number. Similarly, the Prime Recipient cannot execute a sub-award until the Sub-recipient has a DUNS number.

Yes. By law, Prime Recipients are also required to register with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Sub-award Reporting System (FSRS) at https://www.fsrs.gov/. Prime Recipients are required to report to FSRS the names and total compensation of each of the Prime Recipient’s five most highly compensated executives and the names and total compensation of each Sub-recipient’s five most highly compensated executives. Please refer to https://www.fsrs.gov/ for guidance on reporting requirements.

Yes. Prime Recipients are required to submit a Technology-to-Market plan to the ARPA-E Program Director during award negotiations and submit updated versions of the plan every six months through the end of the project period.

Yes. Applicants must submit this information in the “Other Sources of Funding” form that is required as part of a complete Full Application submission. The Other Sources of Funding form is available in the required documents section at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/.

Prime Recipients and Sub-recipients may not use any Federal funds to influence or attempt to influence, directly or indirectly, congressional action on any legislative or appropriation matters. See 18 U.S.C. § 1913.

Yes. ARPA-E includes a domestic manufacturing (U.S. Competitiveness) clause in its funding agreements. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Announcement for guidance on domestic manufacturing requirements.

The U.S. Government enjoys a royalty-free, nonexclusive license to practice, or have practiced on behalf of the United States, subject inventions for Government purposes (including use by Government contractors). In addition, the U.S. Government retains “march-in rights” in subject inventions. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Announcement for guidance on the Government purpose license and march-in rights.

ARPA-E eXCHANGE is ARPA-E’s online application portal.

Funding Opportunity Announcement.

The sum of the Prime Recipient share and the Federal Government share of total allowable costs. The Federal Government share generally includes costs incurred by FFRDCs and GOGOs.

U.S. Government-Owned Government-Operated laboratory.

The signatory to the funding agreement with ARPA-E.

An Applicant that applies for funding on its own, not as part of a Project Team.

U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration.

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