[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2091-2092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-141]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Financial Assistance Award; in Support of U.S. Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Pittsburgh Energy Technology 
Center (PETC).

ACTION: Notice of Restricted Eligibility.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE), Pittsburgh Energy Technology 
announces that pursuant to 10 CFR 600.7(b)(1), and in support of the 
Metairie Site Office (MSO), it intends to conduct a competitive Program 
Solicitation No. DE-PS22-95MT95001 and to award, on a restricted 
eligibility basis, financial assistance (grants) to U.S. Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities who can show evidence of a 
collaborative effort with industry, in support of innovative research 
and advanced concepts pertinent to fossil resource conversion and 
utilization. Proposals will be subjected to a comparative merit review 
by a DOE technical panel, and awards will be made to a limited number 
of proposers on the basis of the scientific merit of the proposal, 
application of relevant program policy factors, and the availability of 
funds. The solicitation is expected to be available on January 12, 
1995, and proposals must be received by the designated DOE office by 
February 28, 1995. The solicitation will be provided on a 3.5'', 
double-sided/high density diskette, using Word Perfect 5.1 for DOS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
U.S. Department of Energy, Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, 
Acquisition and Assistance Division, P.O. Box 10940, MS 921-143, 
Pittsburgh, PA 15236, Attn.: Nancy Toppetta, Telephone: (412) 892-5715, 
FAX: (412) 892-6216.
    Requests for solicitation copies must be made in writing or be 
transmitted via facsimile (FAX) to (412) 892-6212. If the diskette 
version of the solicitation is incompatible with the proposer's 
computer system, then a written request should be made for a paper copy 
in lieu of the diskette.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Solicitation Number: DE-PS22-95MT95001.
    Title of Solicitation: ``Support of Advanced Fossil Resource 
Utilization Research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.''
    Objective: The Department of Energy seeks proposals from 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and HBCU-
affiliated research institutes in collaboration with the private sector 
for innovative research and advanced concepts pertinent to fossil 
resource conversion and utilization. The resultant grants are intended 
to maintain and upgrade educational, training, and research 
capabilities of our HBCUs in the fields of science and technology 
related to fossil energy resources; to foster private sector 
participation, collaboration, and interaction with HBCUs; and to 
provide for the exchange of technical information and to raise the 
overall level of HBCU competitiveness with other institutions in the 
field of fossil energy research and development. Thus, the 
establishment of linkages between the HBCU and private sector fossil 
energy community is critical to the success of this program, and 
consistent with the Nation's goal of ensuring a future supply of fossil 
fuel scientists and engineers from a previously under-utilized 
resource.
    Eligibility: Eligibility for participation in this Program 
Solicitation is redistricted to Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities (HBCUs) and HBCU-affiliated research institutes, and only 
those that meet all of the following criteria may submit applications 
in response to this solicitation: the Principal Investigator or a Co-
Principal Investigator must be a teaching professor at the submitting 
university listed in the application; and at least one student 
registered at the university is to be compensated for work performed in 
the conduct of research proposed in the application; and each HBCU 
applicant must reflect collaboration with industry, i.e., the private 
sector. Proposals from HBCU-affiliated research institutes must be 
submitted through the college or university with which they are 
affiliated. The university (not the university-affiliated research 
institute) will be the recipient of any resultant DOE grant award. A 
small or large business enterprise will qualify as a ``private'' sector 
entity; however, the following are specifically excluded from 
recognition as private sector collaborators: Federal, state and/or 
local government agencies and non-HBCU colleges and universities. 
Collaboration by the private sector with the HBCU may be in the form of 
cash cost sharing, consultation, HBCU access to industrial facilities 
or equipment, experimental data and/or equipment not available at the 
university, or as a subgrantee/subcontractor to the HBCU.
    Areas of Interest: In order to develop a focused national and 
regional program of HBCU research on fossil technology and resources, 
the Department is particularly interested in innovative 
[[Page 2092]] research and advanced concepts pertinent to fossil 
resource conversion and utilization limited to the nine (9) technical 
topics listed below.

Topic 1--Advanced Environmental Control Technology for Coal

    Grant applications in support of Advanced Environmental Control 
Technology for Coal are only solicited for the following subtopics:

Coal Preparation
Hot Gas Stream Cleanup
Advanced High Efficiency Emissions Control
Waste Management

Topic 2--Advanced Coal Utilization

    Grant applications in support of Advanced Coal Utilization are only 
solicited for the following subtopics:

Advanced Coal Combustion Systems
Fluid Bed Combustion (FBC)

Topic 3--Coal Liquefaction Technology

    Grant applications in support of Coal Liquefaction Technology are 
only solicited for the following subtopics:

Advanced Concepts for Conversion of Coal to Liquids
Advanced Concepts for Conversion of Syngas to Liquids
Coal-Oil Coprocesing
Advanced Catalysts

Topic 4--Biotechnology for Fossil Energy

    Grant applications in support of Biotechnology for Fossil Energy 
are only solicited for the following subtopics:

Beneficiation of Coal Resources
Conversion of Fossil Energy Resources
Bioreactors and Bioprocess Efficiency
Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery

Topic 5--Advanced Recovery of Oil

    Grant applications in support of Advanced Recovery of Oil are only 
solicited for the following subtopics:

Recovery of Light Oil
Recovery of Heavy Oil
Oil-Field Geoscience

Topic 6--Advanced Technology for the Recovery of Natural Gas

    Grant applications in support of Advanced Technology for the 
Recovery of Natural Gas are only solicited for the following subtopics:

Advanced Geotechnology in Production Applications
Advanced Concepts for Natural Gas Conversion to Liquids

Topic 7--Advanced Environmental Considerations in the Recovery and 
Processing of Oil and Natural Gas

    Grant applications in support of Advanced Environmental 
Considerations in the Recovery and Processing of Oil and Natural Gas 
are only solicited for innovative methods and concepts that allow more 
efficient, effective, and economical reduction of environmental risk 
from the processing and primary, secondary, and enhanced extraction of 
oil and natural gas. Research relating to open oil spill cleanup 
technologies will not be considered.

Topic 8--Heavy Oil Upgrading and Processing

    Grant applications in support of Heavy Oil Upgrading and 
Processing, are sought for the following subtopics:
    (a) Improved Understanding of the Chemistry and the Thermodynamics 
of Adding Hydrogen to Heavy Feedstocks;
    (b) Improved Understanding of the Chemistry and the Thermodynamics 
of the Removal of the Contaminants, i.e., S, N, O, Metals, etc., from 
Heavy Feedstocks;
    (c) Development of New and Less Expensive Means for Producing 
Hydrogen from Feedstocks other than Light Hydro-carbons which are 
Excellent Fuels as is;
    (d)Development of New and Less Expensive Contaminant Removal 
Processes for Heavy Oils along with Environmentally Acceptable Means of 
Disposing of the Contaminants when Removed;
    (e) Development of New Knowledge to be used to Improve Catalytic 
Cracking and Hydrocracking Catalysts and Process; and
    (f) Development of the Knowledge, Catalysts and Processes Necessary 
to Eliminate the Production of Petroleum Coke or the Ability to Liquefy 
it so that it can be Recycled to the Refinery.

Topic 9--Faculty/Student Exploratory Grants

    DOE is seeking grant applications from HBCU faculty and/or students 
for a supportable basic premise on any one of the subtopics covered 
under the above eight (8) technical topics. DOE will provide ``seed'' 
grants to the selected HBCU(s) to enable the faculty and/or student 
researcher(s) to conduct the proposed exploratory research and further 
develop the stated premise. This is the only topic (Topic nine (9)) 
under this Program Solicitation that does not require initial private 
sector collaboration for an application to be considered for selection.
    Awards: DOE anticipates issuing financial assistance (grants) for 
each project. DOE reserves the right to support or not support any or 
all applications received in whole or in part, and to determine how 
many awards may be made through the solicitation subject to funds 
available in this fiscal year. The limitation on the maximum DOE 
funding for each selected grant to be awarded under this Program 
Solicitation is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Maximum 
                                                                 award  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Topics 1-8:                                                             
  To 12 months grant duration................................    $80,000
  13-24 months grant duration................................    140,000
  25-60 months grant duration................................    200,000
Topic 9:                                                                
  To 12 months grant duration................................     10,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Approximately one million dollars is planned for this solicitation. 
The total should provide support for approximately four to eight R&D 
proposal selections (Topics 1-8), and approximately two to six 
facility/student exploratory proposal selection (Topic 9).
    Solicitation Release Date: The Program Solicitation is expected to 
be ready for mailing on January 12, 1995. Applications must be prepared 
and submitted in accordance with the instructions and forms in the 
Program Solicitation. To be eligible, applications must be received by 
the Department of Energy by the closing date stated in the 
solicitation.
Debra E. Ball,
Contracting Officer, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 95-141 Filed 1-5-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-M