[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 96 (Tuesday, May 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27571-27573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13243]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Research
Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 98-17;
Innovations in Magnetic Fusion Energy Diagnostic Systems
AGENCY: Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) of the Office of
Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its interest
in receiving grant applications for innovative research in magnetic
fusion energy diagnostic systems. Research projects are sought that are
unique, first of a kind, and provide new scientific insights.
Applications for implementation of an established diagnostic technique
on existing or planned facilities should not be submitted in response
to this Notice. Successful applications will be funded in FY 1999.
DATES: To permit timely consideration for awards in Fiscal Year 1999,
applications submitted in response to this notice must be received no
later than 4:30 p.m., August 4, 1998. No electronic submissions of
formal applications will be accepted.
ADDRESSES: Completed formal applications referencing Program Notice 98-
17 should be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy
Research, Grants and Contracts Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road,
Germantown, Maryland 20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 98-17. The above
address must also be used when submitting applications by U.S. Postal
Service Express, any commercial mail delivery service, or when hand
carried by the applicant.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Darlene Markevich, ER-55 GTN, U.S.
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290,
Telephone: (301) 903-4920 or 3287, or by Internet address,
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences is
interested in receiving applications for innovative diagnostic systems
that have the possibility of leading to improved understanding of
plasma behavior in tokamaks, innovative confinement concepts, and
burning plasma experiments. Research projects are sought that are
unique, first of a kind, and provide new scientific insights. Although
the main thrust of this initiative is for experimental work,
consideration will be given to applications that are directed at a
short-term scientific assessment of new diagnostic concepts that are
not ready for extensive experimental investigation. Applications for
the implementation of an established diagnostic technique on existing
or planned facilities should not be submitted in response to this
Notice. Also, applications for theory/modeling investigations or
initiatives in Inertial Fusion Energy should not be submitted in
response to this Notice.
In selecting applications for funding, the DOE Office of Fusion
Energy Sciences will give priority to applications that can produce
experimental results within three to five years after grant initiation.
Except for assessment applications, the detailed description of the
proposed project should contain the following items: (1)
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A detailed experimental research plan; (2) The specific results or
deliverable expected at the end of the grant period; (3) The goal of
the experiment; (4) A synopsis of the experimental program plan; (5)
Adequacy of the facilities and budget; and (6) A proposed outline on
how the diagnostic will be carried to a proof-of-principle (POP)
demonstration. An estimated budget for POP demonstration must be
included if the POP would be carried out after the end of the normal 3-
year project period for a grant.
Applications concerned with scientific assessment of new diagnostic
techniques that are not ready for experimental investigation should
have a well-defined scope and a duration of no more than six months.
These applications will be considered non-renewable. The product of
such an assessment would be a clear scientific description of the
diagnostic concept, the knowledge of fusion plasma behavior that would
be gained from the diagnostic, and a critical analysis of major
difficulties to be overcome in developing the concept.
Program Funding
It is anticipated that up to a total of $600,000 of Fiscal Year
1999 Federal funds will be available for new awards resulting from this
Notice. Multiple-year funding of grant awards is anticipated,
contingent upon the availability of funds. It is intended to support
the research through proof-of-principle implementation on an existing
fusion facility, consistent with availability of funds. However,
future-year funding will depend on suitable experimental progress and
the availability of funds. Because of the total amount of anticipated
available funding and because of the intent to have a broadly based
program, experimental applications with an annual requirement in any
year in excess of $300,000 are unlikely to be funded. The cost-
effectiveness of the application will be considered when comparing
applications with different funding requirements. Applications for
scientific assessment of new concepts will be limited to a maximum of
$50,000. DOE reserves the right to fund in whole or part any or none of
the applications received in response to this Notice.
A parallel request for Field Work Proposals will be issued to DOE
Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs). All
projects will be evaluated using the same criteria, regardless of the
submitting institution.
Collaboration
Applicants to this Notice are encouraged to collaborate with
researchers in other institutions, such as universities, industry, non-
profit organizations, federal laboratories, and FFRDCs, including the
DOE National Laboratories, where appropriate, and to incorporate cost
sharing and/or consortia wherever feasible.
An individual may be named as primary principal investigator on
only one application submitted in response to this Notice. It is
permissible, however, for the same principal investigator to be named
as a co-principal investigator on one other application submitted in
response to either this Notice, or the corresponding request for Field
Work Proposals for this initiative. Collaborative projects involving
several research groups at more than one institution may receive larger
awards if merited. The program will be competitive and offered to
investigators in universities or other institutions of higher
education, other non-profit or for-profit organizations, non-Federal
agencies or entities, or unaffiliated individuals.
Collaborative research applications may be submitted in several
ways:
(1) When multiple private sector or academic organizations intend
to propose collaborative or joint research projects, the lead
organization may submit a single application which includes another
organization as a lower-tier participant (subcontract) who will be
responsible for a smaller portion of the overall project. If approved
for funding, DOE may provide the total project funds to the lead
organization who will provide funding to the other participant 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.
(2) Alternatively, multiple private sector or academic
organizations who intend to propose collaborative or joint research
projects may each prepare a portion of the application, then combine
each portion into a single, integrated scientific application. A
separate Face Page and Budget Pages must be included for each
organization participating in the collaborative project. The joint
application must be submitted to DOE as one package. If approved for
funding, DOE will award a separate grant to each collaborating
organization.
(3) Private sector or academic applicants who wish to form a
collaborative project with a DOE FFRDC may not include the DOE FFRDC in
their application as a lower-tier participant (subcontract). Rather,
each collaborator may prepare a portion of the proposal, then combine
each portion into a single, integrated scientific proposal. The private
sector or academic organization must include a Face Page and Budget
Pages for their portion of the project. The FFRDC must include separate
Budget Pages for their portion of the project. The joint proposal must
be submitted to DOE as one package. If approved for funding, DOE will
award a grant to the private sector or academic organization. The FFRDC
will be funded, through existing DOE contracts, from funds specifically
designated for new FFRDC projects. DOE FFRDCs will not compete for
funding already designated for private sector or academic
organizations. Other Federal laboratories who wish to form
collaborative projects may also follow guidelines outlined in this
section.
Application Format
To enable all reviewers to read all applications, the application
must be limited to a maximum of twenty (20) pages (including text and
figures), plus not more than one page each of biographical information
and publications of the principal investigator, plus any additional
forms required as a part of the standard grant application.
An original and seven copies of each application must be submitted.
Due to the anticipated number of reviewers, it would be helpful for
each applicant to submit an additional five copies of each application.
Applications will be subjected to formal merit review and will be
evaluated against the following criteria, which are listed in
descending order of importance as set forth in 10 CFR Part 605:
1. Scientific and/or technical merit of the project;
2. Appropriateness of the proposed method or approach;
3. Competency of the applicant's personnel and adequacy of the
proposed resources; and
4. Reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget.
In addition to peer review, funding decisions will be based on
program policy factors, such as the relevance of the proposed research
to the terms of the announcement and the agency's programmatic needs.
General information about development and submission of applications,
eligibility, limitations, evaluations and selection processes, and
other policies and
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procedures may be found in the Application Guide for the Office of
Energy Research Financial Assistance Program and 10 CFR Part 605.
Electronic access to the Application Guide is possible via the Internet
using the following Web site address: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/
grants/grants.html
References for Background Information
In order to assist the potential applicant under this Notice, the
summary of a recent workshop that addressed measurement needs in fusion
devices is provided on the World Wide Web at: http://wwwofe.er.doe.gov/
more_html/pdffiles/diag.pdf The summary is intended as background
information on measurement needs. New diagnostic techniques that
address these measurements are the ones most likely to be considered
for funding under this Notice. However, new diagnostic techniques that
address other measurements in fusion plasmas will also be considered
for funding under this Notice.
For those without access to the World Wide Web, hard copies of the
workshop summary may be obtained by contacting Mr. John Sauter at
(phone) 301-903-3287, (fax) 301-903-4716, or in writing at U.S.
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, ER-55, 19901
Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.
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, on May 8, 1998.
Ralph H. DeLorenzo,
Acting Associate Director for Resource Management, Office of Energy
Research.
[FR Doc. 98-13243 Filed 5-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P