[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