[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42112-42113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19888]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Science


Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Notice 99-22; 
Experimental Program To Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR); 
Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory Partnerships

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice inviting research grant applications.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) of the Office of 
Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in keeping with its 
energy-related mission to assist in strengthening the Nation's 
scientific research enterprise through the support of science, 
engineering, and mathematics, announces its interest in receiving grant 
applications for collaborative partnerships between academic or 
industrial researchers from states eligible for the DOE/EPSCoR Program 
and researchers at DOE's National Laboratories, facilities, and 
centers. The purpose of the DOE/EPSCoR program is to enhance the 
capability of designated states to conduct nationally-competitive 
energy-related research and to develop science and engineering manpower 
in energy-related areas to meet current and future needs. The purpose 
of this program notice is to initiate and promote partnering and 
collaborative relationships that build beneficial energy-related 
research programs.

DATES: Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief 
preapplication. All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 99-22, 
should be received by DOE by 4:30 P.M., E.D.T., October 6, 1999. A 
response to the preapplications encouraging or discouraging a formal 
application will be communicated to the applicant within approximately 
thirty days of receipt. The deadline for receipt of formal applications 
is 4:30 P.M., E.S.T., January 12, 2000, in order to be accepted for 
merit review and to permit timely consideration for award in Fiscal 
Year 2000.

ADDRESSES: All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 99-22, 
should be sent to Dr. Matesh N. Varma, Division of Materials Sciences, 
SC-132, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown 
Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.
    After receiving notification from DOE encouraging submission of a 
formal application, applicants may prepare formal applications and send 
them to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Grants and 
Contracts Division, SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-
1290, ATTN: Program Notice 99-22. This 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. Matesh N. Varma, DOE/EPSCoR 
Program Manager, Division of Materials Sciences, SC-132, Office of 
Science, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, 
MD 20874-1290, Telephone: (301) 903-3209, Facsimile: (301) 903-9513 or 
Internet E-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To continue to enhance the competitiveness 
of states and territories identified for participation in the 
Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), DOE 
encourages the formation of partnerships between academic and 
industrial researchers in EPSCoR states and the researchers at DOE's 
National Laboratories, facilities and centers in scientific areas 
supported by DOE. These collaborations should address areas of research 
of current interest to the Department. Undergraduate and graduate 
students should be active members of the research team, and it is 
highly desirable that a student spend a summer or academic-year at the 
National Laboratory, facility or center. Subcontracting arrangements 
with DOE National Laboratories will not be permitted. DOE continues to 
restrict EPSCoR eligibility to the following states and territory: 
Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, 
Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South 
Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Program Funding

    It is anticipated that approximately $750,000 will be available in 
FY 2000 for research that encourages and facilitates collaborative 
efforts between researchers from EPSCoR states and researchers at DOE's 
National Laboratories, facilities, and centers. Multiple-year funding 
of grant awards is expected subject to satisfactory progress of the 
research, the availability of funds, and evidence of substantial 
interactions between the EPSCoR researchers and the National Laboratory 
partner. Awards are expected to range up to a maximum of $75,000 
annually with terms from one to three years. The number of

[[Page 42113]]

awards and range of funding will depend on the number of applications 
received and selected for award. Cost sharing is strongly encouraged, 
but is not required. All DOE/EPSCoR award funds will be provided to the 
recipient organization within the EPSCoR state for the purpose of 
supporting activities in the EPSCoR state and may include travel and 
lodging, faculty or student stipends, materials, services and 
equipment.

Applications

    To minimize undue effort on the part of applicants and reviewers, 
interested parties are invited and encouraged to submit 
preapplications. The preapplications will be reviewed relative to the 
scope and research needs of the Department of Energy. The brief 
preapplication must consist of (1) one to two pages of narrative 
describing the research objectives and methods of accomplishment, (2) a 
letter from the appropriate state EPSCoR coordinator endorsing the 
preapplication, and (3) a letter of intent from the DOE National 
Laboratory confirming collaboration on the project. The preapplications 
will be grouped according to programmatic areas of interest to DOE and 
will be reviewed by DOE laboratory scientists to determine the priority 
of the proposed research. Based on this review, DOE/EPSCoR management 
will recommend formal submission of applications to the Department. 
Telephone, facsimile numbers, and e-mail address are required parts of 
the preapplication. Instructions regarding the contents of a 
preapplication and other preappli- cation guidelines can be found on 
the SC Grants and Contracts web site at: http://www.er.doe.gov/
production/grants/preapp.html
    In addition to the project description all preapplications and 
formal applications must include the following information:
    1. Applications should explain the relevance of the proposed 
research to the agency's programmatic needs. On the cover page, 
applicants should specify the relevant DOE technical program office, 
and if known, the name of the program manager, and telephone number. 
DOE program descriptions and the contact person information may be 
accessed via the web at: http://www.doe.gov
    2. Applications must demonstrate clear evidence of collaborative 
intent, including a delineation of each partner's role and contribution 
to the research effort as well as a ``Letter-of-Intent'' from the 
participating DOE National Laboratory, facility, or center.
    3. Applications must explain the individual value to both the 
EPSCoR and the National Laboratory partners. There should be clear 
objectives, not necessarily the same, for each partner.
    Applications will be subjected to scientific merit review (peer 
review) and will be evaluated against the following evaluation 
criteria, listed in descending order of importance as codified at 10 
CFR Part 605.10(d).
    1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project,
    2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach,
    3. Competency of Applicant's Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed 
Resources,
    4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.
    The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the 
relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement and 
an agency's programmatic needs. Note, external peer reviewers are 
selected with regard to both their scientific expertise and the absence 
of conflict-of-interest issues. Non-federal reviewers will often be 
used, and submission of an application constitutes agreement that this 
is acceptable to the investigator(s) and the submitting institution.
    Applications received by SC under its current competitive 
application mechanisms that meet the criteria outlined in this Notice 
may also be deemed appropriate for consideration under this 
announcement and may be funded under this program.
    General information about the development and submission of 
preapplications, applications, eligibility, limitations, evaluation, 
and selection processes, and other policies and procedures are 
contained in the Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial 
Assistance Program and 10 CFR Part 605. Electronic access to the latest 
version of SC's Financial Assistance Guide is possible via the Internet 
at the following web site address: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/
grants/grants.html
    Additional information regarding format, preparation and specific 
requirements may be found at web site address: http://www.er.doe.gov/
production/bes/EPSCoR/appL1.HTM
    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 July 26, 1999.
Ralph H. DeLorenzo,
Acting Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 99-19888 Filed 8-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P