[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52756-52757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26083]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Science; Office of Science Financial Assistance Program 
Notice 02-02; Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

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), hereby announces its 
interest in receiving grant applications for innovative research on the 
topic of nanoscale science, engineering and technology. Opportunities 
exist for research with primary focus in materials sciences and 
engineering, chemical sciences, biosciences, and biomolecular 
materials. More specific information is outlined in the supplementary 
information section below.

DATES: Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief 
preapplication. All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 02-02, 
should be submitted by mail and received by DOE by 4:30 p.m., E.S.T., 
November 16, 2001. A response to the preapplications encouraging or 
discouraging a formal application generally will be communicated to the 
applicant on or before December 21, 2001. The deadline for receipt of 
formal applications is 4:30 p.m., E.S.T. February 12, 2002, in order to 
be accepted for merit review and to permit timely consideration for 
award in Fiscal Year 2002.

ADDRESSES: All preapplications referencing Program Notice 02-02 should 
be sent to Dr. Jerry J. Smith, Division of Materials Sciences and 
Engineering, SC-13, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 
Germantown Road, Germantown MD 20874-1290. Formal applications 
referencing Program Notice 02-02, 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 02-02. This 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: For questions concerning research 
topics in specific technical areas, contact the following individuals 
in the appropriate area of interest (please use e-mail when possible):
    Materials Sciences and Engineering: Dr. Jerry J. Smith, Division of 
Materials Sciences and Engineering, SC-13, Office of Science, U.S. 
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, 
telephone (301) 903-4269, e-mail: [email protected]. Chemical 
Sciences: Dr. Walter J. Stevens, Division of Chemical Sciences, 
Geosciences, and Biosciences, SC-14, Office of Science, U.S. Department 
of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone 
(301) 903-2046, e-mail: [email protected]. Biosciences: 
Dr. Sharlene Weatherwax, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, 
and Biosciences, SC-14, Office of Science, U. S. Department of Energy, 
19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone (301) 903-
6165, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Controlling and manipulating matter at the 
atomic and molecular scale is the essence of nanoscale science, 
engineering, and technology (NSET). The BES program has worked with the 
National Science and Technology Council's Interagency Working Group on 
Nanotechnology, with the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee

[[Page 52757]]

(BESAC), and with the broad scientific community from academia, 
industry, and the National Laboratories to define and articulate the 
goals of this research.
    The BES program in NSET has the following overarching goals: (1) 
Attain a fundamental scientific understanding of nanoscale phenomena; 
(2) achieve the ability to design and synthesize materials at the 
atomic level to produce materials with desired properties and 
functions, including nanoscale assemblies that combine hard and soft 
(biological) materials to achieve novel functions; (3) attain a 
fundamental understanding of the structural, dynamic, and electronic 
aspects of nanoassemblies, including biomolecular assemblies, 
associated with unique materials properties, chemical transformations, 
energy conversion, and signal transduction; (4) develop experimental 
characterization tools and theory/modeling/simulation tools necessary 
to understand, predict, and control nanoscale phenomena; and (5) to 
obtain an integrated structural and dynamic view of nanoassemblies in 
biological systems, through the development of enhanced imaging tools 
and nanoscale probes.
    Two recent reports prepared by the BES program, which address both 
NSET research and broader program goals that are dependent on nanoscale 
understanding, are available on the internet. These reports are Complex 
Systems: Science for the 21st Century (1999) available at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/bes/complexsystems.htm and Nanoscale Science, 
Engineering and Technology Research Directions (1999) available at: 
http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/bes/nanoscale.html. These reports 
detail current topics supported by BES in the area of NSET, describe 
future research directions, and should be used as a guide to 
appropriate proposal topics. Applications in these areas will be 
accepted from individual investigators or groups of 2-4 investigators.

Program Funding

    It is anticipated that up to $8 million will be available for grant 
awards during FY 2002, contingent upon the availability of appropriated 
funds. Multiple year funding of grant awards is expected, also 
contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds, progress of the 
research and continuing program need. Applications received by the 
Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under its current 
competitive application mechanisms may be deemed appropriate for 
consideration under this notice and may be funded under this program.

Preapplications

    A brief preapplication may be submitted. The preapplication should 
identify on the cover sheet the institution, principal investigator 
name, address, telephone and FAX numbers, e-mail address, title of the 
project, and the field of scientific research. The preapplication 
should consist of no more than a three-page narrative describing the 
research project objectives, rationale, and methods of accomplishment. 
Budgets are not required. Preapplications must be submitted by mail. 
Electronic submissions will not be accepted. Preapplications will be 
reviewed relative to the scope and research needs of the Nanoscale 
Science, Engineering, and Technology initiative, as well as, DOE 
programmatic needs. Preapplications are strongly encouraged but not 
required prior to submission of a formal application. Please note that 
notification of a successful preapplication is not an indication that 
an award will be made in response to the formal application.

Merit Review

    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) http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/605index.html:

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; and
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, that 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.
    Applications involving collaborations with other institutions are 
acceptable. Such applications should clearly identify the research to 
be performed by each collaborator and, when funding is requested for 
more than one institution, should include a detailed budget for each. 
Individual investigators are limited to participation in one 
application only.
    While collaborations with researchers at DOE FFRDC's are 
encouraged, no funds will be provided to these organizations under this 
notice. A parallel invitation with a similar potential total amount of 
funds has been sent to DOE FFRDCs. Successful proposals from DOE 
FFRDC's and DOE FFRDC collaborations on successful non-DOE FFRDC 
applications will be funded from the DOE FFRDC program. All projects 
will be evaluated using the same criteria, regardless of the submitting 
institution.
    A guide for submitting a collaborative application can be accessed 
via the web at http://www.science.doe.gov.production/grants/Colab.html.
    Information about the development and submission of applications, 
eligibility, limitations, evaluation, selection process, and other 
policies and procedures may be found in 10 CFR part 605 and in the 
Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial Assistance 
Program. Electronic access to the Guide and required forms is available 
via the World Wide Web at: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html. On the grant face page, form DOE F 4650.2, block 15; 
provide the principal investigator's phone number, FAX number and e-
mail address. The research description should be 20 pages or less, 
exclusive of figure illustrations, and must contain an abstract or 
summary of the proposed research. Attachments include curriculum vitae, 
a listing of all current and pending federal support, and letters of 
intent when collaborations are part of the proposed research. DOE is 
under no obligation to pay for any costs associated with the 
preparation or submission of applications if an award is made.
    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 October 4, 2001.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 01-26083 Filed 10-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-02-U