[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 24 (Monday, February 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4259-4260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2346]



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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Restricted Eligibility Support of Fossil Resource 
Utilization by 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 announces that it intends to conduct 
a competitive Program Solicitation and award 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 development of advanced concepts pertinent to 
fossil resource conversion and utilization. Applications will be 
subjected to a technical merit review by a DOE technical panel, and 
awards will be made to a limited number of applicants on the basis of 
the scientific merit of the application, application of relevant 
program policy factors, and the availability of funds.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John R. Columbia, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, Acquisition and 
Assistance Division, P.O. Box 10940, MS 921-143, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-
0940, Telephone: (412) 892-6219, FAX: (412) 892-6216. The solicitation 
will be provided on a 3.5'', double sided/high density diskette, using 
Word Perfect 5.1 for DOS, and the solicitation will also be made 
available on DOE's PETC World Wide Web Server Internet System (http://
www.petc.doe.gov/business). If the diskette version of the solicitation 
is incompatible with the applicant's computer system, or if applicants 
are unable to access the Internet System, a paper copy of the 
solicitation will be available, upon receipt of a written request 
submitted via facsimile (fax) at (412) 892-6216.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title of Solicitation

    ``Support of Fossil Resource Utilization by Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities''

Objectives

    Through Program Solicitation No. DE-PS22-96PC96201, the Department 
of Energy seeks applications from Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities (HBCUs) and HBCU-affiliated research institutes in 
collaboration with the private sector for innovative research and 
development of 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 
restricted 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. Applications 
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 and sustain a national program of HBCU research 
in advanced and fundamental fossil fuels studies, the Department is 
interested in innovative research and development of advance concepts 
pertinent to fossil fuel conversion and utilization limited to the 
following eight (8) technical topics:

Topic 1--Advanced Environmental Control Technology for Coal
Topic 2--Advanced Coal Utilization
Topic 3--Coal Liquefaction Technology
Topic 4--Heavy Oil Upgrading and Processing
Topic 5--Advanced Environmental and Recovery Technologies for Oil
Topic 6--Advanced Environmental and Recovery Technologies for Natural 
Gas
Topic 7--Environmental Issues Related to Oil and Gas Exploration and 
the Disappearance of the Wetlands
Topic 8--Faculty/Student Exploratory Grants

    Note: This is the only topic (Topic eight (8)) 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 1-7:                                                             
  To 12 months grant duration...........................     $80,000.00 

[[Page 4260]]
                                                                        
  13-24 months grant duration...........................      140,000.00
  25-60 months grant duration...........................      200,000.00
Topic 8: To 12 months grant duration....................       10,000.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------



Approximately $860,000.00 is planned for this solicitation; however, at 
the present time, in the absence of a signed approved Appropriations 
Bill, funds are not yet available. The total should provide support for 
approximately four to six R&D application selections (Topics 1-7), and 
approximately two to four facility/student exploratory application 
selections (Topic 8).

Solicitation Release Date

    The Program Solicitation is expected to be ready for release on or 
about February 7, 1996. Applications must be prepared and submitted in 
accordance with the instructions and forms contained in the Program 
Solicitation. To be eligible, applications must be submitted to the 
designated DOE office by the closing date specified in the Program 
Solicitation (anticipated to be on or about March 22, 1996).
Dale A. Siciliano,
Contracting Officer, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 96-2346 Filed 2-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P