Notice 97-15
Partnerships for Academic-Industrial Research (PAIR)
in support of Energy-Relevant Fundamental Research
Department of Energy
Energy Research Financial Assistance Program Notice 97-15; Partnerships for Academic-Industrial Research (PAIR) in support of Energy-Relevant Fundamental Research
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
ACTION: Notice inviting grant applications
SUMMARY: The Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Office of Energy Research (ER),
U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) hereby announces its interest in receiving grant applications
for performance of basic research to support important, long-term national objectives in energy
relevant research. The purpose of this program is to promote research activities involving
academic researchers, their students, and industrial researchers.
DATES: Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief preapplication. All
preapplications, referencing Program Notice 97-15, should be received by DOE by 4:30 P.M.,
November 5, 1997. A response discussing the potential program relevance of a formal
application generally will be communicated to the applicant within 30 days of receipt. The
deadline for receipt of formal applications is 4:30 P.M., January 14, 1998, in order to be accepted
for merit review and to permit timely consideration for award in Fiscal Year 1998.
ADDRESSES: All preapplications, referencing Program Notice 97-15, should be sent to Dr.
Paul H. Maupin, Division of Chemical Sciences, ER-14, Office of Energy Research, U.S.
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.
After receiving notification from DOE concerning successful preapplications, applicants may
prepare formal applications and send them to: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy
Research, Grants and Contracts Division, ER-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown,
Maryland 20874-1290, Attn: Program Notice 97-15. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning research topics in
specific technical areas, contact the following individuals in the appropriate division of interest:
Dr. Paul H. Maupin, Chemical Sciences Division, ER-14, Office of Energy Research, U.S.
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone:
(301) 903-4355, e-mail: paul.maupin@oer.doe.gov
Dr. Gregory L. Dilworth, Division of Energy Biosciences, ER-17, Office of Energy Research,
U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290,
telephone: (301) 903-2873, email: greg.dilworth@oer.doe.gov
Dr. Robert Price, (Engineering), Engineering and Geosciences Division, ER-15, Office of Energy
Research, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone: (301) 903-3565, email: bob.price@oer.doe.gov
Dr. Wolfgang Wawersik, (Geosciences), Engineering and Geosciences Division, ER-15, Office of
Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD
20874-1290, telephone: (301) 903-5829, email: wolfgang.wawersik@oer.doe.gov
Dr. Timothy Fitzsimmons, Materials Sciences Division, ER-13, Office of Energy Research, U.S.
Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, telephone:
(301) 903-9830, email: tim.fitzsimmons@oer.doe.gov
Investigators may also wish to obtain information about a related funding opportunity entitled:
"Energy and Waste Minimization Research Supportive of Technology Vision 2020: The Chemical
Industry". Contact: Office of Industrial Technologies, EE-20, U. S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC, 20585, web site: www.oit.doe.gov/IOF/chemicals/
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE encourages submission of applications to
conduct high-quality basic research on fundamental issues important to the efficient, economical,
safe, and environmentally responsible production and use of energy that will involve interactions
of the academic basic research community with the industrial research community. Because the
transition from discovery to development and deployment is not a linear process and because both
basic and applied researchers contribute to problem definition, discovery, and understanding, this
program seeks to promote, encourage, and facilitate partnerships between researchers in the
academic and industrial sectors. In particular, emphasis is placed on stimulating interactions
between a principal investigator in an institution of higher learning with a counterpart in industry
with significant involvement of students.
Applications received by ER under its normal competitive application mechanisms may also be
deemed appropriate for consideration under this announcement and may be funded under this
program.
Information Regarding Applications for Assistance: The ER encourages the submission of
applications that will foster substantive partnerships between researchers in academia and
researchers in appropriate and relevant industries in order to:
2. Provide increased awareness in both sectors of the problems of focused research
and the problems and opportunities afforded by long-term pre-competitive research.
3. Provide opportunities for joint problem definition.
4. Provide opportunities for students and postdoctoral fellows to work in an industrial
setting.
5. Address and solve important, outstanding fundamental problems associated with the
efficient, economical, safe, and environmentally responsible production and use of
energy.
In addition to the usual description of the proposed work, the application must include the
following information and meet the following requirements:
2. The fundamental scientific problem must be clearly expressed.
3. The field of inquiry must fall within the scope of the research activities currently
supported by BES. (For information on the scope of these activities, including
references to publications of workshops and conferences sponsored by BES or its
subsidiary divisions, refer to http://www.er.doe.gov/production/bes/bes.html.)
The appropriate BES division should be specified on the cover page of the
application.
4. Individual value to both the academic and the industrial research partners must be
stated and explained. There should be clear objectives, not necessarily the same, for
each participant.
5. The proposed interactions between the academic and the industrial research
partners should be described. The nature of this interaction may take many forms,
but it is expected to include reciprocal visits. In addition, the application must
include support for graduate and/or post graduate students who will spend at least
four weeks a year in the industrial setting. Graduate student activities should fall
within the scope of requirements needed to fulfill an advanced degree.
6. Cost sharing is not expected; however, the industrial partner will be expected to pay
incremental costs associated with student and faculty visits on site.
7. It should be the intention of the principal investigator to publish the results of the
supported research in the peer-reviewed, archival scientific literature.
It is anticipated that approximately $1,500,000 will be available in FY 1998 for research that
encourages and facilitates interactive efforts between the academic and industrial communities.
Multiple-year funding of grant awards is expected subject to satisfactory progress in the research
and the availability of funds. For the grant to receive continuation funds at the end of each year,
there must be evidence of substantial interactions between the university and the industrial
research partners. Awards are expected to range from $50,000 annually to $150,000 annually
with terms from one to three years. The number of awards and range of funding will depend on
the number of applications received and selected for award.
To minimize undue effort on the part of applicants and reviewers, interested parties are invited
and encouraged to submit preapplications. The preapplications will be reviewed relative to the
scope and research needs of the DOE's Basic Energy Sciences Program. The brief preapplication
should consist of two to three pages of narrative describing the research objectives and methods
of accomplishment. Telephone and FAX numbers are required parts of the preapplication, and
electronic mail addresses are desirable. ER's preapplication guidelines can be found on the ER
Grants and Contracts Web Site at: http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/preapp.html
Applications will be subjected to formal merit review and will be evaluated against the following
criteria, which are listed in order of importance as set forth in 10 CFR Part 605:
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program is 81.049, and the
solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR Part 605.
John Rodney Clark
Published in the Federal Register on July 7, 1997,
Office of Energy Research
1. Strengthen interactions between those engaged in long-term, curiosity driven
research and those involved in focused research.
1. There must be evidence of a working relationship between the academic and
industrial research partners.
1. Scientific and/or technical merit of the project.
The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the relevance of the proposed research
to the terms of the announcement and the agency's programmatic needs. General information
about development and submission of applications, eligibility, limitations, evaluations and
selection process, and other policies and procedures may be found in the Application Guide for
the Office of Energy Research Financial Assistance Program and 10 CFR Part 605. Electronic
access to the Application Guide is possible via the Internet using the following Web site address:
http://www.er.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html
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.
Associate Director
for Resource Management
Office of Energy Research
Vol. 62, No. 129, pages 36272-36274.