[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 78 (Monday, April 23, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20442-20443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9945]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Science, Office of Science Financial Assistance Program 
Notice 01-25: Development of Diagnostic Systems for Magnetic Fusion 
Energy Sciences Experiments

AGENCY: 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 
Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), announces its interest 
in receiving grant applications for the development of new measurement 
capabilities in magnetic fusion plasmas, leading to improved 
understanding of plasma behavior in fusion experiments. Programs 
planning to submit applications for renewal funding in FY 2002, should 
submit to this Notice.

DATES: To permit timely consideration for awards, applications 
submitted in response to this Notice must be received no later than 
4:30 p.m., August 1, 2001. Electronic submission of formal applications 
will not be accepted.
    Applicants are requested to submit a letter-of-intent by June 28, 
2001.

ADDRESSES: The completed formal applications referencing Program Notice 
01-25 should be forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of 
Science, Grants and Contracts Division, SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, 
Germantown, Maryland 20874-1290, ATTN: Program Notice 01-25. 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.
    Letters-of-intent referencing Program Notice 01-25 should be 
forwarded to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of 
Fusion Energy Sciences, SC-50, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, 
Maryland 20874-1290, ATTN: John Sauter. Letters-of-intent can also be 
submitted via e-mail at the following address: 
[email protected].
    The letter-of-intent should include the title of the application, 
the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the principal 
investigator(s), the requested funding, names and institutions of any 
collaborators, and a one-page abstract. These letters-of-intent will be 
used to organize and expedite the review process. Failure to submit a 
letter-of-intent will not negatively prejudice a responsive formal 
application that is submitted in a timely manner. Electronic submission 
of letters-of-intent is acceptable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Darlene Markevich, SC-55 GTN, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, 
telephone (301) 903-4920, or by e-mail address, 
[email protected]. Or contact John Sauter, SC-55 GTN, 
U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-
1290, telephone 301-903-3287, or by e-mail address, 
[email protected].
    General Information: 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 Science Financial Assistance 
Program and 10 CFR part 605. Electronic access to SC's Financial 
Assistance Guide and required forms is possible via the Internet using 
the following Web site address: http://www.science.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.
    DOE is under no obligation to pay for any costs associated with the 
preparation or submission of applications.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Grant applications are sought for the 
development of new measurement capabilities in a given class of 
magnetic fusion devices that will lead to improved understanding of 
plasma behavior in magnetic fusion experiments. The magnetic fusion 
energy sciences community and OFES must recognize the measurement as 
necessary for advancing the magnetic fusion energy sciences program. 
Primary interest for this Notice is in experimental programs, although 
it is recognized that part of a coordinated application may include 
theory and modeling in support of experiments. Stand-alone theory 
applications will not be supported. Applications seeking funding to 
install and operate a routine diagnostic system will not be considered 
under this Notice. It is expected that funds provided to the

[[Page 20443]]

magnetic fusion experiments should be used to implement routine 
diagnostics, based on their own research program priorities. 
Diagnostics for the inertial fusion energy (IFE) program are not 
included in this Notice. These are developed and implemented separately 
under the OFES IFE program.
    More detailed information about measurements that are needed for 
advancing the magnetic fusion program has been prepared by members of 
the fusion community. This information can be found at the following 
Web site: http://www.ofes.science.doe.gov/News/DiagDev.html. You may 
want to periodically check this Web site for any updates or additional 
information. Please keep in mind that only grant applications that are 
responsive to the requirements of this Notice will be considered for 
funding.
    For more general information on the fusion energy sciences program, 
see the OFES Web site at http://www.ofes.science.doe.gov.
    Funding Information: Approximately $2,200,000 of Fiscal Year 2002, 
funding will be available for awards resulting from this Notice. The 
number of awards and range of funding will depend on the number of 
applications received and selected for award. Multi-year funding of 
awards is expected, generally for three years, with funding provided on 
an annual basis. You are encouraged to submit applications with three-
year project periods, unless the nature of your research requires a 
project period of less than three years. However, due to the 
anticipated funding levels for Fiscal Year 2002, the initial funding 
period may be less than twelve months, with two subsequent funding 
periods of one year each. The project period will be determined by 
OFES. New projects (i.e., research that is not considered a renewal of 
a current grant) selected for award may have a funding start date in 
Fiscal Year 2003.
    Because future year funding is not anticipated to increase, 
applications should propose constant year effort (allowing for 
inflation). Future year funding will depend upon suitable progress and 
the availability of funds. Because of the total amount of available 
funding and the intent to have a broadly based program, applications 
with an annual requirement in any year in excess of $400,000 are less 
likely to be funded. The cost-effectiveness of the application will be 
considered when comparing applications with differing funding 
requirements. In cases where the proposed work assumes the availability 
of a facility, experimental apparatus, or base group to perform the 
work, the funding source(s) for these additional needs must be 
identified in the grant application.
    A parallel request for Field Work Proposals will be issued to DOE 
Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs). All 
proposed programs will be evaluated using the same criteria regardless 
of the submitting institution.
    Collaboration: Applicants are 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 the DOE National 
Laboratories. In the case of collaborative applications submitted from 
different institutions, which are directed at a single research 
activity, each application must have a distinct scope of work and a 
qualified principal investigator who is responsible for the research 
effort being performed at his or her institution. Further information 
on preparation of collaborative proposals may be accessed via the 
Internet at http://www.science.doe.gov/production/grants/Colab.html.
    Application Format: In order to enable the reviewers to read 
multiple applications, the technical discussion of the research in the 
application must be limited to a maximum of twenty-five (25) pages (not 
including figures). The progress report that must be included with 
renewal applications is not part of the page limit. Although it is not 
required, due to the anticipated number of reviewers, it would be 
helpful if applicants submitted fifteen (15) copies of their 
application; otherwise the standard number of copies must be received 
with each application as outlined in the Application Guide.
    The application should include the name, telephone number, and e-
mail address of the principal investigator(s).
    The detailed description of the proposed research, in addition to 
the information required by 10 CFR Part 605, should contain the 
following items:
    (1) A succinct statement of the goal of the research;
    (2) A detailed research plan;
    (3) The specific results or deliverables expected at the end of the 
project period;
    (4) A detailed analysis of the adequacy of the facilities and 
budget;
    (5) Evidence of the ability of the diagnostic system to make the 
proposed measurement;
    (6) Discussion of how the research would lead to an improved 
understanding of plasma behavior in magnetic fusion devices;
    (7) Discussion of why this research would have an important impact 
on the magnetic fusion science program;
    (8) Discussion of the aspect of the proposed research that is 
developmental, as opposed to implementation of an existing measurement 
technique; and
    (9) In cases where the proposed work assumes the availability of a 
facility, experimental apparatus, or base group to perform the work, 
include a letter of support from the principal investigator (or other 
appropriate person) of that facility or group. This letter should 
specify any technical, engineering, theory/modeling, etc. assistance 
that will be provided by that facility or group.
    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;
    4. Reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget.
    In addition to peer review, funding decisions will be based on 
program policy factors, such as relevance of the proposed research to 
the terms of this Notice and DOE's programmatic needs.

    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 April 11, 2001.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 01-9945 Filed 4-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-U