[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10746-10748]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6295]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Research


Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 96-12; 
Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research Program--Science Team 
Leadership

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice inviting cooperative agreement applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) of the 
Office of Energy Research, U.S.

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Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its interest in receiving 
applications for cooperative agreements that establish Science Teams 
for the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research Program 
(NABIR). The NABIR Science Teams are divided into the following element 
areas: Acceleration; Biomolecular Science and Engineering; 
Biotransformation and Biodegradation; Community Dynamics and Microbial 
Ecology; Biogeochemical Dynamics; Assessment; and System Integration, 
Prediction, and Optimization.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of formal applications is 4:30 p.m., 
E.D.T., May 7, 1996, in order to be accepted for merit review and to 
permit timely consideration for award in fiscal year 1996.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications referencing Program Notice 96-12 should 
be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Research, 
Grants and Contracts Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road, 
Germantown, MD 20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 96-12.
    This address also must be used when submitting applications by U.S. 
Postal Service Express Mail or any commercial mail delivery service, or 
when hand-carried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. D. Jay Grimes, Environmental 
Sciences Division, ER-74, Office of Health and Environmental Research, 
Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown 
Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone (301) 903-4183, e-mail 
[email protected], fax (301) 903-5219 or Dr. John Houghton, 
same address, (301) 903-8288, [email protected], fax (301) 903-
7363.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The mission of the NABIR program is to 
provide the scientific understanding needed to harness natural 
processes and to develop methods to accelerate these processes for the 
bioremediation of contaminated soils, sediments, and groundwater at DOE 
facilities. The program will be implemented through seven interrelated 
program science elements; Acceleration; Biomolecular Science and 
Engineering; Biotransformation and Biodegradation; Community Dynamics 
and Microbial Ecology; Biogeochemical Dynamics; Assessment; and System 
Integration, Prediction, and Optimization. The Program Plan for the 
NABIR program (DOE/ER-0659T) contains a more complete description of 
the NABIR program and each of the science elements. It is available via 
the Internet using the following address:
    http://www.er.doe.gov/production/oher/nabir/cover.html. The NABIR 
Plan is also available from the Office of Scientific and Technical 
Information, P.O. Box 62, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (DOE and DOE contractors 
only) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Technology Administration, 
National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161, (703) 
487-4650 (public source).
    Each program science element will be directed by a program manager 
from OHER, who will be responsible for providing support and overall 
direction for the element, including determining the relevance of the 
goals and objectives of the program element to the NABIR and other DOE 
programs. Each program science element will also have a Science Team 
Leader (STL) who will provide scientific leadership to the community of 
the researchers in that element. The selection of the STL is expected 
to include a commitment to fund research undertaken by the STL. STL's 
will not be eligible for additional research funding from the NABIR 
program.
    The STL, in cooperation with and in response to direction from DOE/
OHER, will be responsible for contributing scientific leadership within 
the program science element. Specific responsibilities of the Science 
Team Leader include:
    Work to develop scientific direction for research in the program 
science element;
    Assisting in identifying research opportunities and directions 
(e.g., hold workshops, attend relevant meetings and colloquia);
    Providing coordination among the investigators in the program 
element and with other NABIR elements;
    Communicating research findings to relevant audiences;
    Identifying targets of opportunity and encouraging research 
directed at those targets; and
    Conducting the research presented in the application and approved 
for funding.
    Specific responsibilities of DOE/OHER will include:
    Determining relevance of the goals and objectives and overall 
direction for the science element to the overall NABIR Program and to 
other DOE programs;
    Providing access to suitable Field Research Centers;
    Facilitating the Federal, state, and local regulatory process;
    Providing access to data storage, retrieval, and analysis systems; 
and
    Coordinating NABIR with other relevant government and non-
government programs.
    Applicants may apply for more than one Science Team Leader position 
and should clearly indicate whether their intent is to lead one science 
element or more than one science element.
    Applications must demonstrate the STL's ability to conduct 
interdisciplinary research relevant to the science element and to 
coordinate and focus other scientists' research. The application should 
include a description of the proposed research project and a budget 
plan that fully addresses both the proposed research and the Science 
Team leadership activities. Information regarding the following 
scientific and management attributes for a science team leader should 
be included as part of the application:
    An understanding of the existing knowledge and of the science and 
engineering research directions for the particular science element or 
elements;
    A history of strong research accomplishments in the science element 
or elements;
    An interest in becoming a ``team leader'' for the element or 
elements;
    A history of successfully mentoring scientists, recruiting, and 
fostering new talent;
    Networking and coordination skills; and
    A commitment on the part of his/her institution to the principles 
and successful operation of NABIR.
    Up to seven awards are anticipated, from approximately $3 million 
available in the first year (each award approximately $300,000 to 
$500,000 per year for three years).
    Information about development, submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other 
policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR Part 605; and in the 
Application Guide for the Office of Energy Research Financial 
Assistance Program. The Application Guide is available from the U.S. 
Department of Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research, 
Environmental Sciences Division, ER-74, 19901 Germantown Road, 
Germantown, Maryland 20874-1290. Telephone requests may be made by 
calling (301) 903-3338. Electronic access to ER's Financial Assistance 
Guide is possible via the Internet using the following e-mail address: 
http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/guide.html. The Office of 
Energy Research (ER), as part of its grant regulations, requires at 10 
CFR 605.11(b) that a grantee funded by ER and

[[Page 10748]]
performing research involving recombinant DNA molecules shall comply 
with the National Institutes of Health ``Guidelines for Research 
Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules'' (51 FR 16958, May 7, 1986), or 
such later guidelines as may be published in the Federal Register. The 
application must be 15 pages or less, exclusive of attachments.
    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 March 1, 1996.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director for Resource Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 96-6295 Filed 3-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P