[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75927-75929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30926]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Science; Office of Science Financial Assistance Program 
Notice 01-04; Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Robotics 
and Intelligent Machines (RIM) Program

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice inviting academic 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), supports fundamental 
research in the natural sciences and engineering leading to new and 
improved energy technologies and to understanding and mitigating the 
environmental impacts of energy technologies. In keeping with its 
mission, the DOE hereby announces its interest in receiving grant 
applications for support under its Robotics and Intelligent Machines 
(RIM) Program. RIM is needed to develop cost-effective solutions to 
tasks relating to energy efficiency, safety, and security. Applications 
should be from investigators who are currently involved in basic 
research in this area, and should be submitted through an U.S. academic 
institution. The purpose of this program is to support fundamental 
research in Robotics and Intelligent Machines for the present and 
future needs of the Department of Energy.
    Restrocted Eligibility: Eligibility is restricted to academic 
research institutions. This is required by the Fiscal Year 2001, 
Congressional Budget for the DOE Office of Science, where it is stated 
``a new, university-based research effort in Robotics and Intelligent 
Machines will focus on sensors and sensor integration, remote operation 
and data acquisition, and controls.''

DATES: Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief 
pre-application. DOE should receive all pre-applications, referencing 
Program Notice 01-04, by 4:30 P.M., E.S.T., January 2, 2001. A response 
to the pre-applications encouraging or discouraging a formal 
application will be communicated to the applicant

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within approximately thirty days of receipt. The deadline for receipt 
of formal applications is 4:30 P.M., E.S.T., March 20, 2001, in order 
to be accepted for programmatic and merit review and to permit timely 
consideration for award in Fiscal Year 2001.

ADDRESSES: All pre-applications, referencing Program Notice 01-04, 
should be sent to Dr. Robert Price, Division of Materials Sciences and 
Engineering, SC-131, 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 should send formal applications 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 01-04. 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. An original 
and 11 copies of the application must be submitted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robert Price, Program Manager, 
Engineering Sciences Program, Division of Materials Sciences and 
Engineering, SC-131, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, 
19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, Telephone: (301) 903-
3565, Facsimile: (301) 903-9513 or Internet E-mail address: 
[email protected]. The full text of Program Notice 01-04 is 
available via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The emphasis of this program is on the 
engineering science developments that are needed for deployment of 
mobile intelligent machines with robust behavior and reduced 
complexity. Such systems are critically needed in a wide spectrum of 
settings in the Department of Energy, such as the extension of human 
capabilities to sense, perceive, and interact with phenomena at a 
distance or in hazardous or inaccessible locations along with improved 
information handling. Engineering science developments for the needs of 
improving the design and deployment of a team of mobile intelligent 
machines will be considered for funding under this program. Research 
topics include but are not limited to, scientifically ground breaking 
forefront investigations involving:
     Inherently distributed missions in dynamic, uncertain 
environments.
     Sensor integration for distributed RIM systems.
     Revolutionary collaborative research using remote and 
virtual systems.
     Intelligent machine concepts and controls methodologies 
for manipulative tasks.
     Improved operation and remote usage of SC strategic 
facilities to meet programmatic needs.
    Additional information on RIM may be found by opening the following 
site on the World Wide Web: http://www.rim.doe.gov/ or by doing a 
search on rim.doe.gov. If you are unable to get this information, 
contact Dr. Robert Price at 301-903-3565 or at his previously listed 
address and the information will be provided.

Program Funding

    This is a new program and it is anticipated that approximately 
$2,000,000 will be available in FY 2001 for research in Robotics and 
Intelligent Machines. Multiple-year funding of grant awards is expected 
subject to satisfactory progress of the research, and the availability 
of funds. Awards are expected to range up to a maximum of $500,000 
annually with terms from one to three years. The number of awards and 
range of funding will depend on the number and quality of applications 
received and selected for award. Award funds will be provided to the 
recipient organization for the purpose of supporting the research 
efforts 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 to submit pre-applications. The pre-
applications will be reviewed relative to the scope and research needs 
of the Department of Energy. The brief pre-application must consist of 
a three to five page project description describing the research 
objectives and methods of accomplishment, along with an estimated 
budget and biographical information limited to two pages per Principal 
Investigator and co-Principal Investigator. The pre-applications will 
be reviewed by the programmatic research area program manager, to 
determine the relevance of the research to the DOE, appropriateness for 
support in Engineering research and the priority of research. Based on 
this review, DOE/RIM management will recommend formal submission of 
some of the applications to the Department. A telephone number, 
facsimile number, and e-mail address are required parts of the pre-
application. Further instructions regarding the contents of pre-
application and other pre-application guidelines can be found on the SC 
Grants and Contracts web site at: 
http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/preapp.html.
    Formal applications, when received, 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 and priority. 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. Other 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 
pre-applications, 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.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html. 
    Additional information regarding format, preparation and specific 
requirements may be found at web site address: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/bes/EPSCoR/APPLI1.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.


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    Issued in Washington, DC on November 29, 2000.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 00-30926 Filed 12-4-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-U