[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4242-4243]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2112]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Notice 02-04; 
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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 basic 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 with strong participation by students, postdoctoral 
fellows and young faculty from EPSCoR states.

DATES: Potential applicants are required to submit a brief 
preapplication. All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 02-04, 
must be received by DOE by 4:30 P.M., E.DT., April 17, 2002, 
(preapplications received after this date will not be considered). 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.DT., July 10, 2002, (formal applications received after 
this date will not be considered), in order to be accepted for merit 
review and to permit timely consideration for award in Fiscal Year 
2003.

ADDRESSES: All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 02-04, 
should be sent to Dr. Matesh N. Varma, Division of Materials Sciences 
and Engineering, 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 02-04. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Matesh N. Varma, DOE/EPSCoR 
Program Manager, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, 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's Office of Science. These collaborations should 
address areas of research of current interest to the Department. 
Undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and young 
faculty must be active members of the research team, and it is 
encouraged that these investigators spend a summer or significant time 
during the academic year at a National Laboratory, facility or center. 
It is also encouraged that collaborating scientists from the National 
Laboratories visit collaborating EPSCoR state faculty for exchange of 
scientific ideas and fostering active collaboration. Subcontracting 
arrangements with DOE National Laboratories will not be permitted. DOE 
eligible states and territories for the EPSCoR program are: Alaska, 
Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, 
Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, 
Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, 
Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Program Funding

    It is anticipated that approximately $550,000 will be available in 
FY 2003, 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 $150,000 
annually with terms up to three years. The number of awards and range 
of funding will depend on the number of applications received and 
selected for award. Cost sharing of exactly 10% of the total budget is 
required from non-federal sources. All

[[Page 4243]]

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 must submit preapplications. Only one application 
per individual is permitted, and individuals currently receiving DOE 
EPSCoR funds are not eligible to apply. The preapplications will be 
evaluated 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 researcher confirming willingness to 
collaborate on the project. The preapplications will be grouped 
according to programmatic areas of interest to the DOE and will be 
reviewed by DOE laboratory management to determine the priority of the 
proposed research. The preapplications will also be reviewed by the 
relevant programmatic research area program manager. DOE program 
managers will be asked to rank EPSCoR preapplications by program 
priority. They will also be asked for their willingness to provide 
cofunding if a project is selected for approval. Based on this review, 
DOE/EPSCoR management will recommend formal submission of applications 
to the Department. A telephone number, facsimile number, and e-mail 
address are required parts of the preapplication. Instructions 
regarding the contents of a preapplication and other preapplication 
guidelines can be found on the SC Grants and Contracts Web site at: 
http://www.sc.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 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.
    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.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.
    Additional information regarding format, preparation and specific 
requirements for this program may be found at the following 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.

    Issued in Washington, DC on January 18, 2002.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 02-2112 Filed 1-28-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-02-P