[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5367-5368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2471]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Research


Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 98-07: 
National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) Research Program

AGENCY: Office of Energy Research, 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, ( ER), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its 
interest in receiving grant applications for imaginative research 
initiatives to be conducted on the NSTX device in furtherance of its 
research mission. Successful applications will be funded throughout FY 
1999, depending in part on the detailed schedule of the research topics 
that are undertaken.
    The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences is interested in applications 
for research that have the possibility of contributing to the 
achievement of the NSTX research program goals. The research should be 
aimed at elucidating the physics principles involved through 
experimental and theoretical means. Research projects are sought which 
are original, and which provide scientific insights into the novel 
operating regimes that will be the thrust of the NSTX program. The 
program of collaboration must be developed through cooperation and 
discussions with the NSTX research team at Princeton Plasma Physics 
Laboratory (PPPL).

DATES: To permit timely consideration for awards in Fiscal Year 1999, 
formal applications submitted in response to this notice must be 
received no later than 4:30 p.m., April 23, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Completed formal applications referencing Program Notice 98-
07 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 98-07. 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. No electronic submissions of formal 
applications will be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. William F. Dove, Science Division, 
ER-55, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy, 
19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, Telephone: (301) 903-
4911, or by Internet address, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is expected that the NSTX research 
program will be inaugurated during FY 1999. The initiation and 
scheduling of detailed research activities will depend on operational 
factors. Not all of the research tasks will be undertaken 
simultaneously. In selecting applications for funding, the DOE Office 
of Fusion Energy Sciences will give priority to applications that can 
produce experimental results that are needed by the NSTX program within 
the first two years of experimental operations. However, the OFES 
intends to build a research team to meet the longer duration program 
goals. Theoretical research will be accepted for consideration under 
this Notice as a collaboration with, and in support of, experimental 
programs.
    The detailed description of the proposed research collaboration 
should contain the following items: (1) Synopsis of the proposed 
research program plan; (2) A detailed experimental research plan 
describing the elements of the collaboration with PPPL including the 
PPPL collaborators and any local support needed from PPPL, and 
arrangements for access to the device; (3) Goal of the research and how 
it supports the NSTX program; (4) The specific results or deliverables 
expected at the end of the project period as a consequence of the 
collaboration; (5) Discussion of why this research would have an 
important impact on the NSTX research program; and (6) Discussion of 
how the research would elucidate the physics principles of the 
Spherical Torus approach to fusion confinement.

Collaboration and Training

    Applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with researchers 
in other institutions, such as universities, industry, non-profit 
organizations, federal laboratories and Federally Funded Research and 
Development Centers (FFRDCs), including PPPL and the other DOE National 
Laboratories, where appropriate, and to incorporate cost sharing and/or 
consortia wherever feasible. Applicants are also encouraged to provide 
training opportunities, including student involvement, in applications 
submitted to the program.
    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

[[Page 5368]]

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. Separate 
Face Pages 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 
intended for new FFRDC projects. DOE FFRDCs will not compete for 
funding already intended for private sector or academic organizations. 
Other Federal laboratories who wish to form collaborative projects may 
also follow guidelines outlined in this section.
    Further information on the NSTX program at PPPL may be found at 
http://www-local.pppl.gov/nstxhome/index.shtml, and detailed 
information on the NSTX research activities may be found in the NSTX 
Meeting Information Home Page: http://www-local.pppl.gov/nstxhome/nstx/
meetings/
 It is anticipated that up to $3 million in FY 1999 will be 
available for new grants from applications received in response to this 
Notice. The number of awards and range of funding will depend on the 
number of applications received and selected for award. Future year 
funding is anticipated to be greater but will depend on the nature of 
the applications, 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 a requirement in any twelve-month period in excess of 
$1.5 million are unlikely to be funded. The cost-effectiveness of the 
application will be considered when comparing applications with 
differing funding requirements.
    To facilitate the review, 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 
a standard grant application. Appendices including publications are 
acceptable; however, they must not be used as a method of avoiding the 
page limit. Reviewers are not required to read such appendices.
    An original and seven copies of each application must be submitted. 
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.

    The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the 
relevance and responsiveness of the proposed research to the terms of 
the announcement and the agency's programmatic needs, specifically 
including the stated needs of the NSTX research program. General 
information about development and submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluations and selection processes, and 
other policies and 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
    External peer reviewers are selected with regard to both their 
scientific expertise and the absence of conflict-of-interest issues. 
Non-federal reviewers may be used, and submission of an application 
constitutes agreement that this is acceptable to the investigator(s) 
and the submitting institution.

    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, D.C., on Janaury 23, 1998.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director for Resource Management, Office of Energy Research.
[FR Doc. 98-2471 Filed 1-30-98; 8:45 am]
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