Funding Wizard

The DOE SC program in Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) hereby announces its interest in receiving new applications from U.S. researchers to carry out frontier plasma science research on one or more of the FES General Plasma Science (GPS) Program supported collaborative research facilities (CRFs). These include the Big Red Ball (BRB) and Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) experiments at the Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory (WiPPL) at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) in the Basic Plasma Science Facility (BaPSF) at the University of California – Los Angeles, the DIII-D Frontier Science Campaign at General Atomics, the Magnetized Dusty Plasma Experiment (MDPX) at the Magnetized Plasma Research Laboratory (MPRL) at Auburn University, and the low-temperature Plasma Research Facility (PRF) at Sandia National Laboratories and Princeton Collaborative Research Facility (PCRF) at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.

The DOE Office of Science (SC) program in Biological and Environmental Research (BER) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for a Research Development and Partnership Pilot (RDPP) within BER’s Earth and Environmental Systems Sciences Division (EESSD). BER has a goal to broaden and diversify institutional representation in the EESSD portfolio with institutions that have limited familiarity and/or engagement with EESSD supported efforts. BER recognizes that there are many academic scientists at institutions not currently supported by BER who have limited familiarity with EESSD programs and research support mechanisms; and BER further recognizes that this lack of familiarity can be a significant barrier to participation in BER research activities, application to BER EESSD funding opportunities, and use of BER scientific user facilities. This barrier is exacerbated by limited opportunities to gain such familiarity. To help provide technical assistance to build capacity and achieve the goal of broadening institutional participation, this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) will provide seed funding for institutions to: 1) develop new partnerships with other academic institutions and/or national laboratories to enable future participation in EESSD-relevant research; 2) facilitate participation in planned EESSD research programmatic and user facility outreach and training activities; and 3) foster the development of climate and environmental science research and training capacity at under-represented institutions.

The objectives of the SBIR/STTR programs include increasing private sector commercialization of technology developed through DOE-supported research and development (R&D), stimulating technological innovation in the private sector, encouraging participation by women-owned and minority-owned small businesses, and improving the return on investment from Federally-funded research for economic and social benefits to the nation. DOE will support high-quality research or R&D on innovative concepts concerning important mission-related scientific or engineering problems and opportunities that have high potential for commercialization. The DOE SBIR/STTR Programs do not support either basic science or demonstration projects.Other than different eligibility requirements (see Section III – Eligibility Information), the major difference between the SBIR and STTR programs is that STTR grants must involve substantial cooperative research collaboration between the small business and a single Research Institution (see definitions in Appendices/Reference Material at the end of this FOA). However, it should be noted that the SBIR program also permits substantial collaboration between the small business and other organizations, including Research Institutions. The difference is that in SBIR, the collaboration is optional, while in STTR, the collaboration is required and must be cooperative in nature. An important goal of the SBIR/STTR programs is the commercialization of DOE-supported research or R&D. Following the start of Phase I, DOE encourages its awardees to begin thinking about and seeking commitments from private sector or Federal non-SBIR/STTR funding sources in anticipation of Phases II and III. The commitments should be obtained prior to the Phase II grant application submission. The commitment for Phase III may be made contingent on DOE-supported research or R&D meeting some specific technical objectives in Phase II, which if met, would justify funding to pursue further development for commercial purposes in Phase III. For Phase I applicants, more details will be provided in the Phase II FOA.Under Phase III, it is intended that non-SBIR/STTR funds be used by the small business to pursue commercial applications of the R&D. That is, the non-SBIR/STTR Federal funding pays for research or R&D meeting DOE mission-related objectives identified by DOE Phases I and II; non-SBIR/STTR capital provides follow-on developmental funding to meet commercial objectives for Phase III. Additionally, under Phase III, Federal agencies may award non-SBIR/STTR funded follow-on grants or contracts to Phase I and Phase II awarded projects for (1) products or processes that meet the mission needs of those agencies, or (2) further research or R&D. The competition for SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II awards satisfies any competition requirement of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act, and the Competition in Contracting Act. Therefore, an agency that funds an SBIR/STTR Phase III project is not required to conduct another competition in order to satisfy those statutory provisions.The receipt of earlier Phase funding does not represent any commitment or obligation to fund a later Phase.

This FOA describes two distinct funding opportunities for DOE: the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. Both Phase I and Fast-Track grant opportunities are included in this FY 2023 Phase I Release 2 competition. A. PHASE I Phase I grants resulting from this competition will be made during FY 2023 to small businesses with maximum award sizes of $200,000 or $250,000. Refer to the individual topic for its respective maximum award size (a proposal submitted that exceeds the maximum award size for the respective topic will be declined without review). The period of performance will depend on the scope of the effort but will not exceed 12 months. Please note that the Phase II grant application will be due approximately 9.5 months after the grant start date. This will be the only opportunity to submit a Phase II application for a Phase I award made under this FOA. Grantees that select a Phase I period of performance of 9 months or less will be able to complete their Phase I project prior to submission of their Phase II grant application. Grantees that select a Phase I longer than 9 months will be able to continue research and development (R&D) after their Phase II application is submitted but will not be able to utilize these results in the preparation of their Phase II application. Phase I is to evaluate, insofar as possible, the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of ideas that appear to have commercial potential and/or substantial application in support of DOE mission research. The grant application should concentrate on research that will contribute to proving scientific or technical feasibility of the approach or concept. Success in a DOE Phase I is a prerequisite to further DOE support in Phase II. Only awardees issued Phase I grants under this FOA are eligible to submit a Phase II application under the corresponding FY 2024 Phase II FOA, i.e., FY 2024 Phase II Release 2. Approximately 40% of Phase I awardees submitting a Phase II application will receive a Phase II award. Instructions and eligibility requirements for submitting Phase II grant applications will be posted at a later date on the internet at https://www.grants.gov/. B. FAST-TRACK (COMBINED PHASE I AND PHASE II) Fast-Track grants are opportunities to expedite the decision and award of SBIR and STTR Phase I and II funding for scientifically meritorious applications that have a high potential for commercialization. Fast-Track incorporates a submission and review process in which both Phase I and Phase II grant applications are combined into one application and submitted and reviewed together. The Project Narrative portion of a Fast-Track application must specify clear, measurable goals and milestones that should be achieved prior to initiating Phase II work. If these milestones are not met in Phase I, authorization to proceed to Phase II may not be provided and the grant will discontinue following Phase I efforts. The work proposed for Fast-Track, assuming that it proceeds, should be suitable in nature for subsequent progress to non-SBIR/STTR funding in Phase III. For a specific R&D effort, applicants may submit either a Phase I application or a Fast-Track application, but not both. If both Phase I and Fast-Track applications are submitted, the application with the most recent submission date and time to Grants.gov will be evaluated. An individual application may be made only to either the traditional Phase I or to the Fast-Track. A project selected for Fast-Track funding which fails to meet its objectives may not later apply for Phase II funding. Fast-Track grant awards resulting from this competition will be made during FY 2023 to small businesses with maximum award sizes of $1,300,000 or $1,850,000 depending on the topic. Please refer to the topic descriptions under the FOA found on the DOE SBIR/STTR website at https://science.osti.gov/sbir/Funding-Opportunities to determine the maximum award size for each topic. The period of performance under Fast-Track will depend on the scope of the effort but will not exceed 33 months. Grant opportunities are announced pursuant to the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 (Public Law 97-219), the Small Business Research and Development Enhancement Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-564), the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-81), and the SBIR/STTR Extension Act of 2022 (public Law 117-183). Small businesses (see definition in Section III – Eligibility Information) with strong research capabilities in science or engineering are encouraged to apply. Some topics may seek manufacturing-related innovations in accordance with Executive Order 13329, “Encouraging Innovation in Manufacturing.”

This FOA describes two distinct funding opportunities for DOE: the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Phase I Release 1.

The DOE Office of Science (SC) program in Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) announces its interest in receiving applications for Fusion Energy Sciences - Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (FES-RENEW).RENEW aims to build foundations for SC research and training at institutions historically underrepresented in the SC research portfolio. RENEW leverages SC’s unique national laboratories, user facilities, and other research infrastructures to provide undergraduate and graduate training opportunities for students and academic institutions not currently well represented in the U.S. science and technology (S&T) ecosystem. The hands-on experiences gained through the RENEW initiative will open new career avenues for the participants, forming a nucleus for a future pool of talented young scientists, engineers, and technicians with the critical skills and expertise needed for the full breadth of SC research activities. Principal Investigators, key personnel, and students and postdocs of RENEW awards will be invited to participate in FES researcher meetings and/or SC-wide professional development and collaborator events.The goal of the FES-RENEW program is to increase participation of underrepresented groups in FES’s fusion and plasma science and technology research portfolio. FES is fully committed to advancing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive research community, which is key to providing the scientific and technical expertise for U.S. scientific leadership. Critical to this initiative are institutional efforts for recruiting diverse participation and creating and maintaining positive, inclusive, and professional research and learning environments, including but not limited to providing mentoring and professional development resources to students and early career researchers and fostering a sense of belonging among all research personnel.

The DOE SC program in Biological and Environmental Research (BER) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for research within the Biological Systems Science Division’s (BSSD) Genomic Science Program (GSP) (http://genomicscience.energy.gov) mission-space. This FOA solicits applications for: a) research to advance the development of promising new model organisms, microbial functional capabilities, and biosynthetic pathways relevant to biofuels and bioproducts production; and b) research into the metabolic pathways that can achieve synthetic polymer deconstruction and conversion to recycled monomers.

The DOE SC High Energy Physics (HEP) program hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for the REaching a New Energy sciences Workforce for High Energy Physics (RENEW-HEP) initiative. This program is intended to support training and research experiences in support of particle physics for members of underserved communities, with the dual goals of : (1) increasing the likelihood that participants from underrepresented populations, such as those present at minority serving institutions (MSIs) , will pursue a career in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) related field; and (2) supporting investigators and building research infrastructure at institutions that have not traditionally been part of the particle physics portfolio.

The DOE SC program in ASCR announces its interest in receiving applications for Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW). The goal of ASCR’s RENEW program is to increase participation of underrepresented groups in the quantum computing and networking workforce and to increase participation of underrepresented institutions in quantum computing and networking workforce training. SC-ASCR is fully committed to advancing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive research community which is key to providing the scientific and technical expertise for U.S. scientific leadership. This pilot program is intended to leverage ASCR’s unique national laboratory infrastructure and user facilities to provide training and research opportunities for students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty from underrepresented groups and at institutions that are currently underrepresented in the ASCR portfolio such as non-R1 institutions of higher education and minority serving institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The hands-on experiences gained through RENEW will open new career avenues for the participants who will gain the critical skills and expertise needed for the full breadth of quantum computing and networking activities, including DOE national laboratory staffing. Institutional capacity developed through RENEW will likewise open career avenues for future generations. RENEW aims to build foundations for SC research and training at institutions historically underrepresented in the SC research portfolio. RENEW leverages SC’s unique national laboratories, user facilities, and other research infrastructures to provide undergraduate and graduate training opportunities for students and academic institutions not currently well represented in the U.S. science and technology (S&T) ecosystem. The hands-on experiences gained through the RENEW initiative will open new career avenues for the participants, forming a nucleus for a future pool of talented young scientists, engineers, and technicians with the critical skills and expertise needed for the full breadth of SC research activities. Principal Investigators, key personnel, and students and postdocs of RENEW awards will be invited to participate in ASCR researcher meetings and/or SC-wide professional development and collaborator events.

The DOE SC program in Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) hereby announces its interest in basic research to explore potentially high-impact approaches in scientific computing and extreme-scale science. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Extreme-scale science recognizes that disruptive technology changes are occurring across science applications, algorithms, computer architectures and ecosystems. Recent reports point to emerging trends and advances in high-end computing, massive datasets, scientific machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) on increasingly heterogeneous architectures, including neuromorphic and quantum systems. Significant innovation will be required in the development of effective paradigms and approaches for realizing the full potential of scientific computing from emerging technologies. Proposed research should not focus strictly on a specific science use case, but rather on creating the body of knowledge and understanding that will inform future advances in extreme-scale science. Consequently, the funding from this FOA is not intended to incrementally extend current research in the area of the proposed project. It is expected that the proposed projects will significantly benefit from the exploration of innovative ideas or from the development of unconventional approaches. DOE is committed to promoting the diversity of investigators and institutions it supports, as indicated by the ongoing use of program policy factors (see Section V) in making selections of awards. To strengthen this commitment, DOE encourages applications that are led by, or include partners from Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)[1] states, that are underrepresented in the ASCR portfolio[2] and applications led by individuals from groups historically underrepresented in STEM. RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES Exploratory Research for Extreme-Scale Science (EXPRESS) opportunities exist for the following research topics: A) Modeling Future Supercomputing Systems B) Programming Techniques for Computational Physical Systems C) Quantum Algorithms across Models [1] https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/epscor/state-websites [2] Information about SC awards can be found in the Public Award Search at https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov/WebPAMSExternal/Interface/Awards/…