Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory Partnerships

DE-FOA-0003615.000001

Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory
Partnerships
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number:
DE-FOA-0003615
NOFO Type: Amendment 000001
Assistance Listings: 81.049
Amendment 000001 is issued to update the date and time of the webinar and
some programmatic contacts
NOFO Issue Date: February 18, 2026
Submission Deadline for Pre-Applications: March 18, 2026, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time
A Pre-Application is required.
Pre-Applications must be submitted by an
authorized institutional representative.
Pre-Application Response Date: April 8, 2026, at 5:00 Eastern Time
Submission Deadline for Applications: May 21, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

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Table of Contents
I. BASIC INFORMATION .............................................................................................................1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..........................................................................................................1
FUNDING DETAILS .................................................................................................................1
KEY FACTS ................................................................................................................................2
KEY DATES ................................................................................................................................2
AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION ....................................................................................2
INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR / OFFICE HOURS ................................................................3
RECOMMENDATION ..............................................................................................................3
II. ELIGIBILITY .............................................................................................................................4
A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS ......................................................................................................4
B. COST SHARING ....................................................................................................................5
C. ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS ....................................................................................................6
D. LIMITATIONS ON SUBMISSIONS .....................................................................................6
III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................................8
A. PURPOSE ...............................................................................................................................8
B. PROGRAM GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND PRIORITIES ................................................... 12
C. AWARD CONTRIBUTION TO GOALS AND OBJECTIVES .......................................... 15
D. PERFORMANCE GOALS ................................................................................................... 15
E. SUBSTANTIAL INVOLVEMENT ...................................................................................... 15
F. PROGRAM UNALLOWABLE COSTS ............................................................................... 15
G. CITATIONS TO STATUTE AND REGULATIONS .......................................................... 16
H. PROGRAM HISTORY ........................................................................................................ 16
I. OTHER INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 16
IV. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT ...................................................................... 18
A. PRELIMINARY SUBMISSIONS ......................................................................................... 18
B. APPLICATION ..................................................................................................................... 21
C. COMPONENT PIECES OF THE APPLICATION............................................................. 22
D. INFORMATION THAT MUST BE SUBMITTED AFTER APPLICATION BUT
BEFORE AWARD .................................................................................................................... 36
V. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES .......................................................... 38
A. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE .................................................... 38
B. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT
(SAM.GOV) ............................................................................................................................... 38

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C. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS ......................................................................................... 39
D. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES .................................................................................. 39
VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION ......................................................................... 42
A. RESPONSIVENESS REVIEW ............................................................................................. 42
B. REVIEW CRITERIA ............................................................................................................ 42
C. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS ............................................................................. 44
VII. AWARD NOTICES ............................................................................................................... 47
A. TYPE OF AWARD INSTRUMENT .................................................................................... 47
B. ANTICIPATED TIMELINE FOR NOTICE OF SELECTION FOR AWARD
NEGOTIATION ........................................................................................................................ 47
VIII. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION ....................................... 49
A. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS .............................. 49
B. REPORTING ........................................................................................................................ 50
C. REPORTING OF MATTERS RELATED TO RECIPIENT INTEGRITY AND
PERFORMANCE (DECEMBER 2015) ................................................................................... 50
D. INTERIM CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ....... 50
IX. OTHER INFORMATION ...................................................................................................... 52
A. CHECKLIST FOR AVOIDING COMMON ERRORS ....................................................... 52
B. HOW-TO GUIDES ............................................................................................................... 54
C. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS .............................. 83
D. REFERENCE MATERIAL ................................................................................................ 108

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I. Basic Information
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Office of Science (SC)
Executive Summary
DOE’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program hereby
announces its interest in receiving applications for Building EPSCoR-State/DOE-National
Laboratory Partnerships. These partnerships advance understanding of the physical world
by supporting fundamental, early-stage energy research collaborations with the DOE
National Laboratories (https://www.energy.gov/national-laboratories). Participation by
undergraduate students, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows is required. Early career
faculty from EPSCoR jurisdictions are encouraged to apply. Utilization of DOE user facilities
is encouraged, if appropriate for the scope of proposed research
(https://science.osti.gov/User-Facilities/User-Facilities-at-a-Glance; https://nsuf.inl.gov).
While the academic, non-profit and industrial research communities are welcome to lead or
to participate in applications, applications must include an academic institution and a
strong component of student participation in research is required for all applicants.
Applications should propose research relevant to program areas in the Office of Science or
the Applied Energy Offices. Supported programs from the Office of Science are: Advanced
Scientific Computing Research (ASCR), Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Biological and
Environmental Research (BER), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES), High Energy Physics (HEP),
Nuclear Physics (NP), and Isotope R&D and Production (DOE IP). Supported programs
from the Applied Energy Offices are: Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency
Response (CESER), Electricity (OE), Environmental Management (EM), Critical Minerals
and Energy Innovation (CMEI), Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO), and
Nuclear Energy (NE).
DOE EPSCoR follows National Science Foundation (NSF) EPSCoR Program eligibility
determinations. As a result, and in accordance with 2 CFR 910.126, competition and
eligibility for award is restricted. Domestic applicants except nonprofit organizations
described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying
activities after December 31, 1995, that are within the following jurisdictions will be eligible
to apply under this NOFO: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho,
Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Funding Details
Expected total available funding $35,000,000
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Expected number of awards 30-35
Expected dollar amount of individual $1,000,000
awards
Expected award project period 4 Years
Key Facts
NOFO Title Building EPSCoR-State/National Laboratory Partnerships
NOFO Number DE-FOA-0003615
Announcement Type Initial
Assistance Listing 81.049
Statutory Authority The programmatic authorizing statutes are Section 646 of Public
Law 95-91, U.S. Department of Energy Organization Act; Section
901, et seq. of Public Law 109-58, Energy Policy Act of 2005
Governing
• Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and
Regulations
Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, codified at 2 CFR
200
• U.S. Department of Energy Financial Assistance Rules,
codified at 2 CFR 910
• U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science Financial
Assistance Program Rule, codified at 10 CFR 605
Key Dates
Key dates are printed on the cover of this NOFO.
Agency Contact Information
Grants.gov 800-518-4726 (toll-free)
Customer Support support@Grants.gov
PAMS 855-818-1846 (toll-free)
Customer Support 301-903-9610
sc.pams-helpdesk@science.doe.gov
Technical/Scientific Questions regarding the specific program areas/technical
Program Contact requirements can be directed to the program
managers/technical contacts listed for each program within
the NOFO.
Administrative Contact Office of Science
(questions about EPSCoR Coordinator
budgets and eligibility) EPSCoR.NOFO@science.doe.gov
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Informational Webinar / Office Hours
SC plans to hold an informational webinar about this NOFO on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at
4:00 PM, Eastern Time. Registration instructions and other details will be posted at
https://science.osti.gov/grants/FOAs/Open.
Recommendation
SC encourages you to register in all systems as soon as possible. You are also encouraged to
submit letters of intent (LOIs), pre-applications, and applications well before the deadline.
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II. Eligibility
A. Eligible Applicants
DOE EPSCoR follows NSF EPSCoR Program eligibility determinations. As a result, and in
accordance with 2 CFR 910.126, competition, eligibility for award is restricted. All types of
domestic applicants except nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995
that are within the following jurisdictions will be eligible for this NOFO: Alabama, Alaska,
Arkansas, Delaware, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virgin
Islands, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
All research supported by an EPSCoR award must be performed in an EPSCoR jurisdiction
or at a DOE National Laboratory. Funding support for the prime applicant and any potential
subawardees is limited to those with addresses within one or more EPSCoR jurisdictions. As
previously noted, DOE National Laboratories are not eligible for funding under this NOFO.
Funding of foreign entities is not permitted for this NOFO.
Non-profit organizations and for-profit applicants from EPSCoR jurisdictions may apply but
must include academic institutions from EPSCoR jurisdictions as part of their team. For-
profit applicants must include a letter from a responsible member of the applicant’s
management committing that the location of the research as well as the staff participating
for this application will be within one of the eligible jurisdictions. Industrial and for-profit
organizations should note that if research is proposed in support of current commercial
activity the application may be declined without merit review.
If a team involving more than one organization in addition to the required partnering with
one or more national laboratories is envisaged, then one member institution of the team
shall serve as the lead and other members of the team at other institutions must request
support through subawards. Collaborative proposals are not allowed. The lead institution in
the application must perform a greater portion of the scientific and technical work (as
measured by the budget) than any other partner institution.
Federally affiliated1 entities must adhere to the eligibility standards below:
1 Institutions that are not DOE/NNSA National Laboratories, a non-DOE/NNSA FFRDC, or another Federal
agency are not Federally affiliated, even if they receive Federal funds or perform work under a Federal award
or contract.
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1. DOE/NNSA National Laboratories
DOE/NNSA National Laboratories are neither eligible to submit applications under this
NOFO nor to be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application.
2. Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs
Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are neither eligible to submit applications under this NOFO nor
to be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application.
3. Other Federal Agencies
Other Federal Agencies are neither eligible to submit applications under this NOFO nor to
be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application.
Notes for applicants of all types:
This NOFO seeks to support fundamental research to advance understanding rather than to
address commercial opportunities. Applications that propose research related to current
commercial activity or current customer needs may be declined without merit review.
Applications that are submitted by applicants that have not submitted a required LOI, or
pre-application will be declined without further review.
B. Cost Sharing
Cost sharing for basic and fundamental research is not required pursuant to an exclusion
from the requirements of Section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
Cost sharing will not be considered as a factor during merit review or award selection.
Note that demonstrations of institutional or third-party commitment to the proposed
activity are required. The institutional commitment is not to be documented on the
application’s budget: institutional commitments are neither a formal nor a voluntary
committed cost sharing, but it must be identified as described in Section IV.
Examples of non-Federal contributions that may be considered as demonstrating
institutional or third-party commitment include, but are not limited to, the following:
• The provision of space, facilities, equipment, or resources at no or reduced charge;
• The provision of release time for faculty;
• The provision of scholarship support for students; or
• The waiver of facilities and administrative costs, in whole or in part.
• Third party contributions (e.g., state, private entities, etc.)
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Institutional commitments may not include the following:
• Revenues or royalties from the prospective operation of an activity beyond the time
considered in the award;
• Proceeds from the prospective sale of an asset of an activity; or
• Other Federal awards.
C. Eligible Individuals
Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed
research as a Principal Investigator (PI) are invited to work with their organizations to
develop an application.
SC does not require that individuals be U.S. citizens or permanent residents to be proposed
as a PI or in any other role under an award, but all personnel working or proposed to work
under an award must have the legal right to perform such work in the jurisdiction where the
work will be performed. Individuals at any stage of their career may be proposed as a PI if
they have the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research.
D. Limitations on Submissions
Applicant institutions are limited to being lead institutions on no more than two pre-
applications, or applications in each of the program areas listed below. Participation as a
subawardee on pre-applications or applications submitted by other institutions is not
limited. DOE will consider the latest received submissions to be the institution’s intended
submissions.
• Pre-applications in excess of the limited number of submissions may be discouraged.
• Applications in excess of the limited number of submissions may be declined without
review.
Should DOE receive submissions in excess of the applicable limits, DOE reserves the right,
in its sole discretion, to request additional or clarifying information to ascertain the
institution’s intended submissions. Otherwise, DOE will consider the latest received
submissions to be the institution’s intended submissions.
Each institution is limited to two submissions as the lead institution per program
area listed below (a. through m.). Pre-applications and applications must list the
program area from this list and should also list the relevant research area/ research
area program manager within the respective program area. See Section III.B.
a. Advanced Scientific Computing Research
b. Basic Energy Sciences
c. Biological and Environmental Research
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d. Fusion Energy Sciences
e. High Energy Physics
f. Isotope R&D and Production
g. Nuclear Physics
h. Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation
i. Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response
j. Office of Electricity
k. Office of Environmental Management
l. Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office
m. Office of Nuclear Energy
LIMITATIONS ON PI
An individual may only be PI on a single pre-application, or application from a lead
institution. A PI may also be listed as a senior or key personnel, including in any role on a
proposed subaward, on an unlimited number of separate submissions.
PIs must be in a permanent or long-term position at the applicant institution, whether
tenured, tenure-track, or a staff appointment. Individuals in term-limited appointments
whether as adjunct, visiting faculty, fellows, or similar appointments, are not eligible to be
proposed as a PI. Individuals in part-time permanent positions are eligible to be proposed as
a PI.
Individuals in a joint appointment are eligible to be proposed as a PI if work will be
performed at the applicant institution and if the PI is a paid employee of the applicant
institution. Individuals paid by another institution may not be named as the PI but may be
named in other senior/key roles. A paid employee is one that is on the applicant institution’s
payroll, receiving wages and benefits in accordance with the applicant institution’s normal
wage and benefit practices, and whose position is not governed by any arrangement,
agreement, or contract between the applicant institution and another institution.
Individuals receiving more than half of their salary and benefits from a DOE/NNSA
National Laboratory may not be named as the PI in an application under this NOFO,
regardless of any arrangement between the employing Laboratory and the applicant
institution.
Awards made under this NOFO are intended to support activities at eligible applicant
institutions. If the PI of an award made under this NOFO were to accept a position at an
institution that is not eligible to receive an award under this NOFO, SC does not intend to
deobligate funds from the resulting award to support a new award to the PI’s new
institution. SC would be interested in the recipient institution proposing a new PI.
PIs are not required to be in tenure-track appointments.
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III. Program Description
A. Purpose
The DOE SC Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) hereby
announces its interest in receiving applications for Building EPSCoR-State/DOE-National
Laboratory Partnerships. These partnerships advance understanding of the physical world
by supporting fundamental, early-stage energy research collaborations with the DOE
National Laboratories. (Information on the DOE National Laboratories including links to
websites can be found at https://www.energy.gov/about-national-labs.) Participation by
undergraduate students, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows is required. Early career
faculty from EPSCoR jurisdictions are encouraged to apply. Utilization of DOE user facilities
is encouraged. (Information on the SC User Facilities can be found at
https://science.osti.gov/User-Facilities/User-Facilities-at-a-Glance; information on the DOE
Office of Nuclear Energy user facilities can be found at https://nsuf.inl.gov).
DOE EPSCoR follows NSF EPSCoR Program eligibility determinations. As a result, and in
accordance with 2 CFR 910.126, competition, eligibility for award is restricted. Domestic
applicants except nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995, that are
within the following jurisdictions will be eligible to apply under this NOFO: Alabama,
Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont,
Virgin Islands, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
DOE EPSCoR is designed to help DOE lead the world in transformative science and in
meeting the Nation’s energy needs by increasing the domestic geographic distribution of
competitive research capability in DOE’s mission areas. Positioned within DOE’s Office of
Science and supporting early-stage research across a wide range of DOE programs within
the Office of Science and the Applied Energy Offices, DOE EPSCoR addresses its mission by
issuing solicitations for DOE-relevant research in eligible states and territories. All eligibility
and application requirements are covered in the relevant sections of this NOFO. Applicants
should pay attention to the following key requirements/elements when preparing
applications:
1. Applicant organizations (entities) may submit no more than two (2) pre-
applications and applications as the lead organization within each of the program
areas listed in Section II.D. Further details may be found in Section IV. A PI may lead
only one pre-application or application to the NOFO.
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2. Applicants must propose scientific collaborations that partner academic institutions of
higher education in EPSCoR jurisdictions and research staff at DOE National Laboratories.
These partnerships should leverage capabilities of DOE National Laboratories, particularly
their user facilities.
3. National laboratory partners must provide a letter of commitment confirming their
willingness to collaborate on the project for the application (endorsed by both the
national laboratory collaborator and a senior member of laboratory management
who is authorized to commit the laboratory to the collaboration). Please refer to
Section IV. EPSCoR funds may not be used to support national laboratory participation in
the research.
4. Letters of Institutional and/or EPSCoR jurisdiction commitment must be provided.
Please refer to Section IV.
5. Non-profit organizations and for-profit applicants from EPSCoR jurisdictions may apply
as lead organizations but must include academic institutions from EPSCoR jurisdictions as
part of their team. Non-profit organizations and for-profit organizations within EPSCoR
jurisdictions may be included as team members under an application from another
organization.
6. Applicants must include support for undergraduate students, graduate students, and/or
postdoctoral fellows as active members of the research team. Early career faculty members
are encouraged to apply.
7. The collaborative research must address early-stage scientific research in the physical,
biological, computational, or engineering sciences. The research must be of public benefit
and relevant to DOE’s Congressionally authorized mission. The most relevant DOE program
office must be identified along with the topical research area and relevant program manager
on the cover of the pre-application and on the application. If the relevant DOE program
office, etc. is unknown, please contact the DOE EPSCoR office for assistance well in advance
of the pre-application deadline. The websites for DOE research programs are provided in the
links below; applicants are encouraged to read information available from the relevant
websites to ensure that proposed research is aligned with the missions and priorities of one
or more programs.
8. Investigators are encouraged to prioritize requests for funding of research equipment and
instrumentation requests early in the award to maximize its availability for research in the
following years.
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Program Objective
The U.S. Department of Energy's Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
(DOE EPSCoR) is a federal-state partnership program designed to enhance the capabilities
of designated states and territories to conduct nationally competitive energy-related
research. DOE EPSCoR addresses this mission by fostering competitions for scientific and
engineering research in states and territories that have demonstrated a commitment to
develop their research bases and to improve the quality of science and engineering research
conducted at their universities and colleges. DOE EPSCoR has a strong science orientation
but welcomes applications for research spanning the range of program offices and topical
areas covered by the Department. While a strong academic component including the
education of graduate students or training of post-doctoral fellows is required, industrial
participation or leadership on grant applications is also welcome.
Annual Meetings
The selected awardees should plan to attend annual or biennial PI meetings in the relevant
DOE program area(s) and participate in coordination activities with other projects.
Applicants should anticipate a need for travel to effectively communicate with other
researchers and request appropriate funding in their budgets.
Teaming Arrangements
Multi-Institutional Teams
Applications for multi-institutional teams must ensure that that the lead institution
performs a greater portion of the scientific and technical work than any other team member.
Requests to change the institution performing the greatest portion of the scientific and
technical work after an application is submitted will result in the application being declined
unless the request is the result of the lead PI’s death, incapacitation, or relocation.
SC uses two different mechanisms to support teams of multiple institutions.
COLLABORATIVE APPLICATIONS
Collaborative applications (in which each team member submits its own application with a
common Project Narrative) will NOT be accepted under this NOFO.
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SUBAWARDS2
Multi-institutional teams must submit one application from a designated lead institution
with all other team members proposed as subrecipients. Participation as a subawardee on
other institutions submissions does not count towards limitations on submissions of pre-
applications or applications by the subawardee’s institution.
DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) National Laboratories3, other
Federal agencies, and another Federal agency’s FFRDCs4, may not be proposed as
subrecipients.
Open Science
SC is dedicated to promoting the values of openness in Federally supported scientific
research, including, but not limited to, ensuring that research may be reproduced and that
the results of Federally supported research are made available to other researchers. These
objectives may be met through any number of mechanisms including, but not limited to,
data access plans, data sharing agreements, the use of archives and repositories, and the use
of various licensing schemes.
The use of the phrase “open-source” does not refer to any particular licensing arrangement
but is to be understood as encompassing any arrangement that furthers the objective of
openness.
Opportunities for Early-Stage Investigators
A vibrant research community must be able to train and employ the next generation of
researchers. Lead applicants that are not degree-granting institutions of higher education
must include in their application a description of how they will promote opportunities for
early-stage investigators. This description must include:
• A statement detailing the institutional provision of training, coaching, mentoring, and
advising early-stage researchers;
• A statement detailing the career pathways available to early-stage researchers, including
if protections akin to academic tenure are extended; and
• A statement detailing the institution’s commitment to research of a basic and
fundamental nature, not related to current commercial activity.
2 Subawards are made to subrecipients. Both terms are defined in 2 CFR 200.1 (https://www.ecfr.gov)
3 The phrase “National Laboratories” is used broadly to encompass DOE/NNSA laboratories and sites capable
of performing the work described in this NOFO and capable of receiving funds through the DOE Field Work
System.
4 An authoritative list of all Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) may be found at
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ffrdclist/
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Multi-Project Applications
SC permits applications that span multiple research areas described in this NOFO, including
applications that span multiple programs or that involve multiple sub-projects or tasks. If
proposing such an application:
• Ensure that the application describes an integrated and synergistic research effort.
Do not propose an unconnected agglomeration of discrete research efforts.
• Provide a description of the management of the overall research effort.
• Organize the narrative portion of the application by the topics, thrusts, programs,
projects, or tasks.
• Provide both a summary budget and a budget for each topic, thrust, program, project,
or task, using the Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form to
provide the multiple budgets by identifying the budget type as being for a “project.” If
required by your system-to-system software, the budgets may be identified as
“subawards” from the same institution as the summary budget.
All entities submitting applications to this NOFO must recognize the moral and legal
obligations to comply with export controls and policies that limit the transfer of
technologies with potential dual use. Applicants are reminded that international
activities must comply with nonproliferation, sanction, and other protocols described
at https://www.trade.gov/export-solutions.
International activities related to special nuclear materials (SNM) are subject to
additional requirements. Please see 10 CFR 810 for further information.
All work proposed under this NOFO must be for basic and fundamental research
whose results may be published in scholarly literature. Do not submit applications
containing restricted data or unclassified controlled nuclear information as defined
in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, 42 USC 2011, et seq., 10 CFR 1017, 10
CFR 1045.
B. Program Goals, Objectives, and Priorities
The Office of Science’s (SC) mission is to deliver scientific discoveries and major scientific
tools to transform our understanding of nature and advance the energy, economic, and
national security of the United States (U.S.). SC is the Nation’s largest Federal sponsor of
basic research in the physical sciences and the lead Federal agency supporting fundamental
scientific research for our Nation’s energy future.
SC accomplishes its mission and advances national goals by supporting:
• The frontiers of science—exploring nature’s mysteries from the study of fundamental
subatomic particles, atoms, and molecules that are the building blocks of the materials of
our universe and everything in it to the DNA, proteins, and cells that are the building
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blocks of life. Each of the programs in SC supports research probing the most
fundamental disciplinary questions.
• The 21st Century tools of science—providing the nation’s researchers with 28 state-of-
the-art national scientific user facilities, the most advanced tools of modern science,
propelling the U.S. to the forefront of science, technology development, and deployment
through innovation.
• Science for energy and the environment―paving the knowledge foundation to spur
discoveries and innovations for advancing the Department’s mission in energy and
environment. SC supports a wide range of funding modalities from single principal
investigators to large team-based activities to engage in fundamental research on energy
production, conversion, storage, transmission, and use, and on our understanding of the
earth systems.
SC is an established leader of the U.S. scientific discovery and innovation enterprise. Over
the decades, SC investments and accomplishments in basic research and enabling research
capabilities have provided the foundations for new technologies, businesses, and industries,
making significant contributions to our nation’s economy, national security, and quality of
life.
Individual Program Information
The EPSCoR program facilitates applications to specific DOE program areas with the Office
of Science and several Applied Energy Offices. Additional details about these programs can
be found in the website links below, within which current research priorities and contacts
for specific topical area program managers can be found. Points of contact with respect to
the EPSCoR program are also listed. The EPSCoR program manager can assist with
information about the overall DOE EPSCoR program, this funding opportunity, facilitating
conversations with different areas, or any other general questions.
DOE EPSCoR Program
Website: https://science.osti.gov/bes/epscor
Contact: EPSCoR Coordinator, EPSCoR.NOFO@science.doe.gov
Programs within the Office of Science
Advanced Scientific Computing (ASCR)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/science/ascr/advanced-scientific-computing-
research and https://science.osti.gov/ascr/About
EPSCoR Contact: Carol Hawk, carol.hawk@science.doe.gov
Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/science/bes/basic-energy-sciences
and https://science.osti.gov/bes/
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EPSCoR Contact: John Vetrano, epscor.nofo@science.doe.gov
Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/science/ber/biological-and-environmental-
research and https://science.osti.gov/ber
EPSCoR Contact: Dawn Adin, dawn.adin@science.doe.gov
Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/science/fes/fusion-energy-sciences
and https://science.osti.gov/fes
EPSCoR Contact: Nirmol Podder, nirmol.podder@science.doe.gov
High Energy Physics (HEP)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/science/hep/high-energy-physics
and https://science.osti.gov/hep/
Accelerator Stewardship programs (formerly ARDAP) are now part of HEP. Website:
https://science.osti.gov/ardap
EPSCoR Contact: Jeremy Love, Jeremy.love@science.doe.gov
Nuclear Physics (NP)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/science/np/nuclear-physics
and https://science.osti.gov/np
EPSCoR Contact: Michelle Shinn, michelle.shinn@science.doe.gov
Isotope R&D and Production (DOE IP)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/science/ip/isotope-rd-and-production-doe-ip
and https://science.osti.gov/Isotope-Research-Development-and-Production
EPSCoR Contact: Ethan Balkin ethan.balkin@science.doe.gov
Current topical descriptions for areas within the Office of Science can be found DE-FOA-
0003600, the FY 2026 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial
Assistance Program, at https://science.osti.gov/grants/FOAs/Open.
Applied Energy Program Areas
Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI):
Website: https://www.energy.gov/cmei/office-critical-minerals-and-energy-
innovation
EPSCoR Contact: John Vetrano, epscor.nofo@science.doe.gov
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Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/ceser/office-cybersecurity-energy-security-and-
emergency-response
EPSCoR Contacts: Nabeel Ahmed, nabeel.ahmed@hq.doe.gov
Office of Electricity (OE)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/oe/office-electricity
EPSCoR Contact: Caitlin Callaghan, caitlin.callaghan@hq.doe.gov
Office of Environmental Management (EM)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/em/office-environmental-management
EPSCoR Contact: Albert Kruger, albert.kruger@hanford.gov
Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO)
a. Hydrocarbons
Website: https://www.energy.gov/hgeo/hydrocarbons-and-geothermal-energy-office
EPSCoR Contact: Caleb Woodall, caleb.woodall@hq.doe.gov
b. Geothermal
Website: https://www.energy.gov/eere/geothermal/geothermal-technologies-office
Contact: doe.geothermal@ee.doe.gov
Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
Website: https://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy
EPSCoR Contact: Andrew Boulanger, andrew.boulanger@nuclear.energy.gov
C. Award Contribution to Goals and Objectives
Awards resulting from this NOFO are intended to increase our understanding of scientific
phenomena and advance early-stage energy research goals pertinent to the particular Office
and Program Area.
D. Performance Goals
You will be expected to demonstrate progress toward increasing knowledge in periodic
progress reports. This could include reports required by both the program area and EPSCoR
program coordinator.
E. Substantial Involvement
Not applicable.
F. Program Unallowable Costs
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You must apply the cost principles of 2 CFR 200, as modified by 2 CFR 910 and 10 CFR 605,
to your application and any resulting award.
G. Citations to Statute and Regulations
The programmatic authorizing statutes and governing regulations are:
Section 646 of Public Law 95-91, U.S. Department of Energy Organization Act
Section 901, et seq. of Public Law 109-58, Energy Policy Act of 2005
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards, codified at 2 CFR 200
U.S. Department of Energy Financial Assistance Rules, codified at 2 CFR 910
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Rule, codified at
10 CFR 605
H. Program History
You can learn about SC’s history at https://science.osti.gov/About/History. You can read
about our achievements at https://science.osti.gov/Science-Features/Science-Highlights.
You can find information about all of our awards at
https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov/WebPAMSExternal/interface/awards/AwardSearch
External.aspx.
I. Other Information
ANTICIPATED AWARD SIZE
The award size will depend on the number of meritorious applications and the availability
of appropriated funds.
MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM AWARD SIZE
Ceiling: $250,000 per year
Floor: $150,000 per year
Applicants may adjust the annual requested budget if the total project support requested is
at or under $1,000,000 for a four-year project period. Requests for smaller awards below the
floor will be considered when appropriate to the research effort. Applicants may, with
compelling justification and approval, exceed the annual ceiling if the total budget does not
exceed $1,000,000 for a four-year project period. Investigators are encouraged to prioritize
requests for funding of research equipment and instrumentation requests early in the award
to maximize its availability for the following years’ research efforts.
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PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
DOE anticipates making awards with a project period of approximately 4 years.
Continuation funding (funding for the second and subsequent budget periods) is contingent
on: (1) availability of funds appropriated by Congress and future year budget authority; (2)
progress towards meeting the objectives of the approved application; (3) submission of
required reports; and (4) compliance with the terms and conditions of the award.
AWARD BUDGET PERIODS
SC is committed to distributing workloads (internally and externally) across as much of the
calendar as is practical. Accordingly, awards made under this NOFO will generally be made
with budget periods that end between December 1 and June 30. New awards may be made
with a first budget period of more than 12 months.
New applicants should prepare budgets with a first period that starts on 8/1/2026 and ends
on 1/31/2028, followed by three additional 10-month periods (48-month total project
period). Actual start dates and cycle dates may be negotiated if an application is
recommended for award. Budget periods will generally not be made for less than 9 months
or more than 18 months.
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IV. Application Contents and Format
A. Preliminary Submissions
1. Letter of Intent (LOI)
Not applicable.
2. Pre-application
PRE-APPLICATION DUE DATE
The pre-application due date is printed on the cover of the NOFO.
ENCOURAGE/DISCOURAGE DATE
The pre-application response date is printed on the cover of the NOFO.
A pre-application is required and must be submitted by the date indicated on the cover of
the NOFO.
Pre-applications will be reviewed for responsiveness of the proposed work to the research
topics identified in this NOFO. DOE will send a response by email to each applicant
encouraging or discouraging the submission of an application by the date indicated on the
cover of the NOFO. Applicants who have not received a response regarding the status of
their pre-application by this date are responsible for contacting the program to confirm this
status.
Applications that have not been encouraged by DOE may be declined without merit
review.
The pre-application is to help in planning the review and the selection of potential reviewers
for the application. The pre-application must begin with a title page that will not count
toward the pre-application page limitation. Include, at the top of the first page, the following
information:
• The planned title of the research application
• The name and mailing address of the sponsoring institution
• The name, e-mail address, and telephone number of the PI and any co-PIs
• Funding Opportunity Announcement Number: DE-NOFO-0003615
• DOE Office Sponsoring this NOFO: DOE EPSCoR
• Program: [Select from the Office of Science or Applied Energy Programs listed in Section
III.B.]
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• DOE EPSCoR Point of Contact: [see below]
For BES or Applied Energy Office proposals: John Vetrano
o
For other Programs in the Office of Science (ASCR, BER, DOE IP, FES, HEP, or
o
NP) choose the appropriate contact listed in section III.B.
• Topical Research Area: [Select the research area from within the program websites listed
in Section III.B. For example in BES, this would be an area in MSE or CSGB.]
• Technical Contact: [Select the Program Manager best associated with the Research Area]
If there are multiple Research Areas, place the list below the first Technical
o
Contact
For assistance, reach out to the DOE or Program Contact from Section III.B.
o
• National Laboratory(s) participating in the proposed research
• List of National Laboratory personnel participating in the proposed research
The material listed here defines the required content of a title page. Additional material is
not allowed.
The first page of the pre-application must specify at least one scientific hypothesis
whose investigation motivates the proposed work, using no more than 100 words.
This information must be followed by a clear and concise description of the objectives and
technical approach of the proposed research. The pre-application may not exceed three
pages, when printed using standard letter-size (8.5-inch x 11-inch) paper with 1-inch
margins (top, bottom, left, and right). The font size of the body text must not be smaller than
11 points. Figures and references, if included, must fit within the three-page limit.
In addition, the pre-application must include a listing of senior/key personnel and a listing
of individuals who should not serve as merit reviewers of a subsequent application. Detailed
instructions for how to craft the required listings are provided in Section IX of this NOFO.
Note that the listing of individuals who should not serve as merit reviewers is
rarely empty because the instructions contain mandatory inclusions requirements.
This listing will not count toward the pre-application’s page limit. The list of individuals
must be included as an “Additional Attachment” to your pre-application in PAMS.
The pre-application may include a list of suggested reviewers (including email address and
organizational affiliation) who they believe are especially well qualified to review the
proposal. DOE is under no obligation to consider any suggested reviewers.
The pre-application must be machine-readable. Do not submit a scanned image of a printed
document.
If a multi-institutional team is being proposed, provide the following information on a
separate page. This information will not count toward the page limitation.
• List all institutions by name with each institution’s PI on the same line.
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• Indicate the lead PI who will be the point of contact and coordinator for the combined
research activity.
• Include a table modeled on the following chart providing summary budget information
from all institutions. Provide the total costs of the budget request in each year for each
institution and totals for all rows and columns.
Multi-Institutional Team Information
Names Institution Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Total
Budget Budget Budget Budget Budget
Lead
PI
Co-PI
Co-PI
Co-PI
Example budget table ($ in thousands)
PRE-APPLICATION REVIEW
EPSCoR program managers and the selected program area may evaluate all or some portion
of pre-applications to determine their competitiveness within a scientific topic.
Any review will be based on the following criteria:
1. Responsiveness to the objectives of the NOFO as stated in Section I.
2. Scientific and technical merit.
3. Appropriateness of the proposed research approaches.
4. Likelihood of scientific impact.
The decision to encourage or discourage the submission of an application may also be
influenced by the following factors:
• Relevance of the proposed activity to EPSCoR and program area priorities
• Ensuring an appropriate balance of activities within the selected program area
Any such review that considers factors beyond #1 above will be concurred on by no fewer
than three federal staff chosen for their topical knowledge and breadth of perspective. The
review may also include subject matter experts, under the direction of federal program
managers.
Reviews within a topical field will be a comparative review with priority given to
scientifically innovative and forward-looking research with the highest likelihood of success
as an application. The results of the review will be documented.
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Applicants with the highest rated pre-applications will be encouraged to submit
applications; others will be discouraged from submitting applications.
Written feedback about discouraged pre-applications will be provided on request after the
deadline for the receipt of applications.
Topics with comparatively few pre-applications may not make use of such pre-application
reviews. The ratio of encourage/discourage results will differ between topical subjects.
SC is committed to ensuring that a sufficient number of applicants will be encouraged to
submit applications to foster a competitive merit review of the applications. SC’s intent in
discouraging submission of certain applications is to save the time and effort of applicants in
preparing and submitting applications with a low likelihood of success.
The PI will be automatically notified when the pre-application is encouraged or
discouraged. The DOE SC Portfolio Analysis and Management System (PAMS) will send an
email to the PI from PAMS.Autoreply@science.doe.gov, and the status of the pre-
application will be updated at the PAMS website https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov/.
Notifications are sent as soon as the decisions to encourage or discourage are finalized.
PRE-APPLICATION SUBMISSION
Pre-applications are created in the software system of your choice and must be submitted
electronically through the DOE SC Portfolio Analysis and Management System (PAMS)
website https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov/. You cannot draft or edit a pre-application
in PAMS. Do not submit a pre-application through FedConnect or Grants.gov.
Pre-applications may only be submitted by a user at the PI’s institution with the “Submit to
DOE” privilege in PAMS. A PI may draft a pre-application but will only be able to submit
the pre-application for institutional countersignature.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to inform their DOE Program Manager if teaming
arrangements, proposed personnel, topics, or the anticipated title change between
submitting the pre-application and when an application is submitted, to ensure that their
application is properly linked to their pre-application and that reviewers are properly
assigned to the application.
Detailed instructions about how to submit a pre-application are in Section IX of this NOFO.
B. Application
Applications in response to this NOFO must be submitted through Grants.gov. Detailed
instructions for registering in and using Grants.gov are in Section IX of this NOFO.
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C. Component Pieces of the Application
LETTERS OF COLLABORATION OR ACCESS
Letters must be included in Appendix 7 for collaborators or describing institutional or
jurisdictional commitment to a research narrative. These are not considered part of the
research narrative’s page limit. Please ensure the letters only describe the nature of the
collaboration or the commitment or the access to data, models, software, equipment and/or
facilities only describe the nature of the collaboration or the access to data, models, software,
equipment and/or facilities. Letters of recommendation are not allowed in applications
under this NOFO.
All letters may be addressed “To Whom It May Concern:”
SCIENTIFIC USER FACILITIES
Documentation from any SC scientific user facility (https://science.osti.gov/User-Facilities)
may be provided with other letters of collaboration or access in Appendix 7.
If the proposed research includes activities at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, a U.S.
DOE Office of Science user facility, then a Record of Discussion from the facility must be
included in the submission. The Record of Discussion documents potential resources
required by the facility to support the proposed research scope. Information on the Record
of Discussion process at DIII-D is available at https://d3dfusion.org/become-a-user/ under
the “Records of Discussion” header. A Record of Discussion form is available for download
from that site.
1. SF-424 (R&R)
Complete this form first to populate data in other forms. Complete all the required fields in
accordance with the pop-up instructions on the form. The list of certifications and
assurances referenced in Field 17 is available on the DOE Financial Assistance Forms Page
at https://energy.gov/management/office-management/operational-management/financial-
assistance/financial-assistance-forms under Certifications and Assurances5. Applicants are
bound by their representations and certifications in SAM.gov.
5 No separate form or submission is required for the Certifications and Assurances.
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TYPE OF SUBMISSION (FIELD 1)
Select the checkbox for “Application” for an initial submission. Select the checkbox for
“Changed/Corrected Application” if submitting an updated version of an application. Do
not submit pre-applications via Grants.gov: Do not select the checkbox for “Pre-application.”
IDENTIFYING NUMBERS (FIELD 4)
For renewals and supplemental funding, enter the DOE award number in Field 4a. Do not
enter any other number in Field 4a. Do not enter anything in Field 4b. If submitting an
updated version of an application, you may enter the previous Grants.gov Tracking ID in
Field 4c, though this is not required.
UEI AND EIN NUMBERS (FIELDS 5 AND 6)
The Uniform Entity Identifier (UEI) and Employer Identification Number (EIN) fields on
the SF-424 (R&R) form are used in PAMS to confirm the identity of the individual or
organization submitting an application.
• Enter the UEI as a 12-digit alpha-numerical sequence.
• Enter the EIN as a nine-digit number.
• Do not use hyphens or dashes.
• SC does not use the 12-digit EIN format required by some other agencies.
• Applications will not be rejected if an applicant’s system-to-system service uses a 12-digit
EIN format or inserts hyphens or dashes in an EIN.
TYPE OF APPLICATION (FIELD 8)
A new application is one in which DOE support for the proposed research is being
requested for the first time. A renewal application requests additional funding for a period
of time following a current award.
SC does not make use of the Resubmission or Continuation options.
Please answer “yes” to the question “Is this application being submitted to other agencies?”
if substantially similar, identical, or closely related research objectives are being submitted
to another Federal agency. Indicate the agency or agencies to which the similar objectives
have been submitted.
Do not attach pre-applications to Field 20 of the SF-424(R&R) form or letters of intent to
Field 21 of the SF-424(R&R) form.
DOE will only accept new applications under this NOFO. Applications for the
renewal of or of a supplement to an existing award will not be accepted.
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2. Research and Related Other Project Information
Complete questions in Fields 1 through 6 of the SF-424 Research and Related Other Project
Information form.
Note regarding question 4.a. and 4.b.:
If any environmental impact, positive or negative, is anticipated, indicate
“yes” in response to question 4.a., “potential impact – positive or negative - on
the environment.” Disclosure of the impact should be provided in response to
question 4.b. First indicate whether the impact is positive or negative and
then identify the area of concern (e.g., air, water, exposure to radiation,
impacts to endangered species or historic properties, etc.).
For actions that could have adverse impacts to the environment or have any
possibility for adverse impacts to human health (e.g., use of human subjects,
Biosafety Level 3-4 laboratory construction/operation, manufacture or use of
certain nanoscale materials which are known to impact human health, or any
activities involving transuranic or high level radioactive waste, or use of or
exposure to any radioactive materials beyond de minimis levels), applicants
should indicate a “negative” impact on the environment.
Lastly, based on requirements and guidance in 10 CFR 1021.102 and DOE’s
NEPA Implementing Procedures, to find that a proposal is covered by a
categorical exclusion (CX), DOE will determine: (1) the proposal fits within
one or more classes of actions for which CXs are permissible, (2) there are no
extraordinary circumstances related to the proposal that may affect the
significance of the environmental effects of the proposal (DOE or an applicant
may modify the proposal to avoid reasonably foreseeable adverse significant
effects such that the CX would apply), and (3) the proposal has not been
segmented to meet the definition of a CX.
The bulk of your application will consist of files attached to the Research and Related Other
Project Information form. The files must comply with the following instructions:
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT (FIELD 7 ON THE FORM)
The project summary/abstract is a summary of the proposed activity suitable for distribution
to the public and sufficient to permit potential reviewers to identify conflicts of interest. It
must be a self-contained document. The project summary/abstract must be comprised of:
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• The project title, the PI name and the PI’s institutional affiliation, and any
coinvestigators and their institutional affiliations. This should include laboratory
partners. This information will not count toward the abstract’s one-page limit.
• This information must be followed by a statement of the project’s objectives, a
description of the project, including methods to be employed, and the potential
impact of the project (i.e., benefits, outcomes).
• The description of the proposed research may not exceed one page (excluding Project
Title and list of investigators) when printed using standard letter-size (8.5-inch x 11-
inch) paper with 1-inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right). The font size of the
body text must not be smaller than 11 points. Figures and references, if included,
must fit within the one-page limit.
A sample is provided below:
Project Title
A. Smith, Lead Institution (Principal Investigator)
A. Brown, Institution 2 (Co-Investigator)
A. Jones, Institution 3 (Co-Investigator)
Text of abstract (no more than one page, excluding Project Title and list of
investigators)
If an application is recommended for award, the project summary will be used in preparing
a public abstract about the award. Award abstracts and titles form a Government document
that describes the project and justifies the expenditure of Federal funds in light of the DOE
and SC mission statements at https://energy.gov/mission and
https://science.osti.gov/about/.
• Do not include any proprietary or sensitive business information.
• DOE may use the abstract to prepare public reports about supported research.
DOE TITLE PAGE
(PART OF PROJECT NARRATIVE ATTACHED TO FIELD 8 ON THE FORM)
The application narrative must begin with a title page that will not count toward the Project
Narrative page limitation. The title page must include the following items:
• The project title:
• Applicant/Institution:
• Street Address/City/State/ZIP:
• Postal Address:
• Lead PI name, telephone number, email:
• Administrative Point of Contact name, telephone number, email:
• NOFO Number: Include the NOFO number printed on the cover of this NOFO.
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• DOE/SC Program Office:
• DOE/SC Program Office Technical Contact:
This should be the Program Officer who signed off on the Pre-Application
o
• PAMS Pre-application tracking number:
• Research area or areas as described in Section III of this NOFO (if applicable):
If multiple Institutions are involved, a list and Table of Senior/Key Personnel
(below) is also Required on the Title Page
• Senior/Key Personnel Name, Institution
• Senior/Key Personnel Name, Institution
• Senior/Key Personnel Name, Institution
• …
Institution Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Total
Budget Budget Budget Budget Budget
The material listed here defines the minimum acceptable information on a title page.
Additional information may be provided at the applicant’s discretion.
Important Instructions to the Sponsored Research Office of Submitting
Institutions: SC requires that you create one single machine-readable PDF file that
contains the DOE Title Page, Project Narrative, all required appendices, and other
attachments. This single PDF file may not be scanned from a printed document and must be
attached in Field 8 on the Grants.gov form. This must be a plain PDF file consisting of text,
numbers, and images without editable fields, signatures, passwords, redactions, or other
advanced features available in some PDF-compatible software. Do not use PDF portfolios or
binders. The Project Narrative will be read by SC staff using the full version of Adobe
Acrobat: Please ensure that the narrative is readable in Acrobat. If combining multiple files
into one Project Narrative, ensure that a PDF portfolio or binder is not created. If creating
PDF files using any software other than Adobe Acrobat, please use a “Print to PDF” or
equivalent process to ensure that all content is visible in the Project Narrative. Once a
Project Narrative has been assembled, please submit the combined Project Narrative file
through a “Print to PDF” or equivalent process to ensure that all content is visible in one
PDF file that can be viewed in Adobe Acrobat. Do not attach any of the appendices listed in
this paragraph separately in any other field in Grants.gov. If you do, these additional
attachments will not become part of the application in PAMS.
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PROJECT NARRATIVE (FIELD 8 ON THE FORM)
The Project Narrative must not exceed a page limit of 15 pages of technical information,
including charts, graphs, maps, photographs, and other pictorial presentations, when
printed using standard letter-size (8.5-inch x 11-inch) paper with 1-inch margins (top,
bottom, left, and right). The font size for all main body text must not be smaller than 11
points. Merit reviewers will only consider the number of pages specified in the first sentence
of this paragraph. This page limit does not apply to the Title Page, Budget Page(s), Budget
Justification, biographical material, publications and references, appendices, and an
optional table of content, each of which may have its own page limit defined later in this
NOFO.
Do not include any websites (URLs) that provide supplementary or additional information
that constitutes a part of the application. Merit reviewers are not required to access websites;
however, Internet publications in a list of references will be treated identically to print
publications. See Section IX of this NOFO for instructions on how to mark proprietary
application information. To attach a Project Narrative, click “Add Attachment.”
The Project Narrative comprises the research plan for the project. It should contain enough
background material in the Introduction, including a brief review of the relevant literature
and any prior research in this area, to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the state of the
science. A major part of the narrative should be devoted to a description and justification of
the proposed project, including details of the methods to be used. It should also include a
timeline for the major activities of the proposed project and should indicate which project
personnel will be responsible for which activities. There should be no ambiguity about
which personnel will perform which parts of the project, and the time at which these
activities will take place.
The following organization of the Project Narrative is suggested:
• Background/Introduction: Explanation of the importance and relevance of the
proposed work as well as a review of the relevant literature.
• Project Objectives: This section should provide a clear, concise statement of the
specific objectives/aims of the proposed project.
• Proposed Research and Methods: Identify the hypotheses to be tested (if any) and
details of the methods to be used including the integration of experiments with
theoretical and computational research efforts.
Buy America Requirement for Infrastructure Projects
Awards funded through this NOFO that are for, or contain, construction, alteration,
maintenance, or repair of public infrastructure in the United States undertaken by
applicable recipient types, require that:
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• All iron, steel, and manufactured products used in the infrastructure project are
produced in the United States; and
• All construction materials used in the infrastructure project are manufactured in
the United States.
Applicants should consult 2 CFR 184 and Section IX of this NOFO to determine
whether the Buy America Requirement applies and if they should consider the
application of the Buy America Requirement in the proposed project’s budget and/or
schedule.
Within the first two (2) pages of the Project Narrative, include a short statement on
whether the project will involve the construction, alteration, maintenance and/or
repair of public infrastructure in the United States. See Section IX of this NOFO for
applicable definitions and other information regarding Infrastructure Projects and
the Buy America Requirement.
The Project Narrative is considered the intellectual work of the proposed researchers.
Concurrent submission of the same or substantially similar narratives attributed to different
researchers may constitute academic dishonesty or research misconduct. Submission of a
Project Narrative that is not the work of the proposed researchers, including machine-
generated Project Narratives, may constitute academic dishonesty or research misconduct.
SC will apply a “fair-use” concept regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence to
support investigators’ efforts in presenting their intellectual work in an application. Guided
by the principles expressed by others
(https://www.acm.org/publications/policies/frequently-asked-questions and
https://journals.ieeeauthorcenter.ieee.org/become-an-ieee-journal-author/publishing-
ethics/guidelines-and-policies/submission-and-peer-review-policies/#ai-generated-text),
applicants must disclose the use of any artificial intelligence tools in applications, unless the
tools were used solely for editing an original draft.
Do not attach any of the requested appendices described below as files for Fields 9,
10, 11, and 12 on the SF-424 Research and Related Other Project Information form
in Grants.gov. Follow the instructions below to include the information as
appendices in the single Project Narrative file.
Biographical sketches and current and pending support may no longer be provided
as attachments to a Project Narrative. These documents must be attached to the
Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form in an application.
APPENDIX 1: BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES CITED
Provide a bibliography of any references cited in the Project Narrative. Each reference must
include the names of all authors (in the same sequence in which they appear in the
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publication), the article and journal title, book title, volume number, page numbers, and
year of publication. For research areas where there are routinely more than 10 coauthors of
archival publications, you may use an abbreviated style such as the Physical Review Letters
(PRL) convention for citations (listing only the first author). For example, your paper may
be listed as, “A Really Important New Result,” A. Aardvark et. al. (MONGO Collaboration),
PRL 999. Include only bibliographic citations. Applicants should be especially careful to
follow scholarly practices in providing citations for source materials relied upon when
preparing any section of the application. Provide the Bibliography and References Cited
information as an appendix to your Project Narrative.
• This appendix will not count in the Project Narrative page limitation.
• Do not attach a bibliography to Field 9 of the Research and Related Other Project
Information form.
APPENDIX 2: FACILITIES & OTHER RESOURCES
This information is used to assess the capability of the organizational resources, including
subrecipient resources, available to perform the effort proposed. Identify the facilities to be
used (Laboratory, Animal, Computer, Office, Clinical and Other). If appropriate, indicate
their capacities, pertinent capabilities, relative proximity, and extent of availability to the
project. Describe only those resources that are directly applicable to the proposed work.
Describe other resources available to the project (e.g., machine shop, electronic shop) and
the extent to which they would be available to the project. For proposed investigations
requiring access to experimental user facilities maintained by institutions other than the
applicant, please provide a document from the facility manager confirming that the
researchers will have access to the facility. Such documents, provided that they do not
become letters of support or recommendation, may be printed on any letterhead. Please
provide the Facility and Other Resource information as an appendix to your Project
Narrative.
• This appendix will not count in the Project Narrative page limitation.
• Do not attach a facilities and other resources statement to Field 10 of the Research
and Related Other Project Information form.
APPENDIX 3: EQUIPMENT
List major items of equipment already available for this project and, if appropriate identify
location and pertinent capabilities. Provide the Equipment information as an appendix to
your Project Narrative.
• This appendix will not count in the Project Narrative page limitation.
• Do not attach an equipment statement to Field 11 of the Research and Related Other
Project Information form.
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APPENDIX 4: DATA MANAGEMENT AND SHARING PLAN
Provide a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) as an appendix to the Project
Narrative. DMSPs are not required for applications that only request support for a
conference, workshop, or scientific meeting. Subject to the applicable cost principles,
applications may request costs necessary for implementing the DMSP.
• This appendix should not exceed a page limit of 2 pages including charts, graphs,
maps, photographs, and other pictorial presentations, when printed using standard
letter-size (8.5-inch x 11-inch) paper with 1-inch margins (top, bottom, left, and
right)
• Do not attach a separate file to Field 12 of the Research and Related Other Project
Information form.
• This appendix will not count in the Project Narrative page limitation.
The standard requirements for a DMSP may be found in Section IX of this NOFO.
In addition, the DMSP must specifically address:
• How FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable)6 principles will apply to
the anticipated data sets, software7, and models8 to be developed.
• What developed software, data sets, and models will be made available using an
“opensource” licensing arrangement, noting the Software Package Data Exchange
(SPDX) identifier(s) (https://spdx.org/licenses/) when possible, and where deviation in
this arrangement is expected from The Open Source Initiative’s “Open Source
Definition” (https://opensource.org/osd), a specific justification must be provided.
• How best practices in scientific software development will be applied to any
development activities. For more information on best practices, see Better Scientific
Software (https://bssw.io/).
APPENDIX 5: SYNERGISTIC ACTIVITIES (OPTIONAL)
In addition to biographical sketches in the Common Format, each senior/key person may
provide a one-page list of no more than five distinct examples of synergistic activities that
6 Wilkinson, M. D. et al. The FAIR Guiding Principles for Scientific Data Management and Stewardship. Sci.
Data
3:160018, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.18
7 Chue Hong, N. P., Katz, D. S., Barker, M., Lamprecht, A-L, Martinez, C., Psomopoulos, F. E., Harrow, J.,
Castro, L. J., Gruenpeter, M., Martinez, P. A., Honeyman, T., et al. (2022). FAIR Principles for Research
Software version 1.0. (FAIR4RS Principles v1.0). Research Data Alliance. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15497/RDA00068
8 Ravi, N., Chaturvedi, P., Huerta, E.A. et al. FAIR principles for AI models with a practical application for
accelerated high energy diffraction microscopy. Sci Data 9, 657 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-
01712-9
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demonstrate the individual’s professional and scholarly activities that focus on the
integration, transfer, and creation of knowledge as related to the application.
• Do not attach a separate file to Field 12 of the Research and Related Other Project
Information form.
• This appendix may not exceed a limit of the same number of pages as senior/key
personnel when printed using standard letter-size (8.5-inch x 11-inch) paper with 1-
inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right). This appendix will not count in the Project
Narrative page limitation.
APPENDIX 6: TRANSPARENCY OF FOREIGN CONNECTIONS
As an appendix to your Project Narrative, applicants must provide the following information
as it relates to the proposed recipient and subrecipient(s). Include a separate disclosure for
the applicant and each proposed subrecipient.
Disclosure exceptions by entity type:
• U.S. National Laboratories and domestic government entities are not required to
respond to the Transparency of Foreign Connections disclosure.
• Institutions of higher education and non-profit research organizations are only
required to respond to items with an asterisk symbol (*).
Applicants, regardless of entity type, must provide complete responses for all proposed
subrecipients that are not U.S. National Laboratories, domestic government entities, or
institutions of higher education.
Disclosure Format: For the convenience of the entity providing the disclosure and
certification a template is available at Transparency of Foreign Connections | Department of
Energy, however, the entity is not required to use this specific format. If another format is
used, the signatory must include the same substantive information, a signature, date, and
the certification statement provided at Transparency of Foreign Connections | Department
of Energy.
Questions: Contact rtesinfo@hq.doe.gov
DOE reserves the right to request additional or clarifying information based on the
information submitted.
APPENDIX 7: LETTERS OF COMMITMENT FROM NATIONAL LABORATORY AND OTHER
COLLABORATORS & INSTITUTIONAL OR EPSCOR JURISDICTION COMMITMENT
All proposed collaborators, whether at a DOE National Laboratory or another organization
must provide a letter of commitment. Letter(s) from national laboratories must be endorsed
by both the national laboratory collaborator and a senior member of laboratory
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management who is authorized to commit the laboratory to participate in the proposed
effort. If the letter is signed by a person who is not authorized to commit the national
laboratory to the research, the application will be declined without peer review.
Collaborators from other institutions are requested to provide a similar endorsement.
As noted in Section III the applicant must provide a letter or letters of commitment
describing any jurisdictional, institutional or private sector commitments towards the
research effort. Examples of previously successful contributions have included, but are not
limited to equipment purchases, facility renovations, faculty time, graduate student and
post-doctoral fellow support, and travel support. Commitment by the institution or
jurisdiction will be a factor included in the evaluation process.
• Do not attach a separate file.
• This appendix will not count in the project narrative page limitation.
APPENDIX 8: OTHER ATTACHMENT
If you need to elaborate on your responses to questions 1-6 on the “Other Project
Information” document, please provide the Other Attachment information as an appendix
to your Project Narrative. Information not easily accessible to a reviewer may be included in
this appendix, but do not use this appendix to circumvent the page limitations of the
application. Reviewers are not required to consider information in this appendix.
• Do not attach a separate file to Field 12 of the Research and Related Other Project
Information form.
• This appendix will not count in the Project Narrative page limitation.
REMINDERS REGARDING ALL APPENDICES
• Follow the above instructions to include the information as appendices to the Project
Narrative file.
• These appendices
• Do not attach any appendices to Fields 9, 10, 11, or 12.
3. Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded)
Complete the Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form in
accordance with the instructions on the form and the following instructions. Complete this
form before the Budget form to populate data on the Budget form.
You must submit this information for the PI and all senior/key personnel who will be
identified by name in Section A of the application’s budget. List all other personnel who
contribute in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of
the project, whether or not salaries are requested. Consultants should be included in this
“Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded)” Form if they meet this definition. List individuals
that meet the definition of senior/key regardless of what organization they work for.
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Senior/key personnel must be aware that they are included in the application and must
agree to perform the work if awarded. The form will pre-populate with the PI identified on
the SF-424(R&R) form. For each senior/key person:
• Complete the required sections in their profile.
• In the “credential” field, enter the person’s PAMS username, if known.
• Attach the person’s biographical sketch, following the instructions in Section IX of
this NOFO for crafting a biographical sketch.
• Attach the person’s current and pending support, following the instructions in
Section IX of this NOFO for crafting current and pending support.
The Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) form will support the PI and up to 99 additional
senior/key personnel. On the addition of the 99th senior/key person, you will be presented
with an option to upload an additional file with the required information for all other
senior/key personnel.
4. Research And Related Budget
Complete the Research and Related Budget form in accordance with the instructions on the
form (Activate Help Mode to see instructions) and the following instructions. You must
complete a separate budget for each year of support requested. The form will generate a
cumulative budget for the total project period. You must complete all the mandatory
information on the form before the NEXT PERIOD button is activated. All fields with a red
border are required, but you may enter a zero “0” in any field in which funds are not being
requested. You may request funds under any of the categories listed as long as the item and
amount are necessary to perform the proposed work, meet all the criteria for allowability
under the applicable Federal cost principles, and are not prohibited by the funding
restrictions in this NOFO.
All funding is restricted to entities within EPSCoR jurisdictions. While collaborations with
entities outside EPSCoR jurisdictions is allowed, no funds from an award made by this
NOFO may be used to support such collaborators. Also, no funds from an award made by
this NOFO can be sent to National Laboratories, even if they reside within an EPSCoR
jurisdiction.
Additional information is found in Section IX of this NOFO.
BUDGET JUSTIFICATION (FIELD L ON THE FORM)
Provide a justification that explains all costs proposed in the budget. The following items of
advice are offered to assist you in developing a justification.
• Organize the justification by listing items in the same order as presented on the budget.
• Ensure that the narrative matches the budget in dollar amounts and language.
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• Explain the line items. If costs are estimated, provide a basis for the estimate. Explain if
costs are based on prior experience of similar activities. If a cost is based on the product
of two numbers (such as a number of items at a per-item price), ensure that your math is
correct.
• If including an inflationary factor for future budget periods, explain the basis for the
inflationary factor.
Provide any other information you wish to submit to justify your budget request. Including
items in the budget justification is not considered a form of cost-sharing: Provide the details
of all personnel (key or other) who will be working on the award, regardless of their
source(s) of compensation. Explain their source(s) of compensation if it is not from this
award. Include the indirect cost rate agreement as a part of the budget justification.
Attach a single budget justification file for the entire project period in Field L. The
file automatically carries over to each budget year.
Additional information is found in Section IX of this NOFO.
5. R&R Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form
Budgets for Subawards: You must provide a separate R&R budget and budget justification
for each subrecipient. Download the R&R Budget Attachment from the R&R SUBAWARD
BUDGET ATTACHMENT(S) FORM and either email it to each subrecipient that is required
to submit a separate budget or use the collaborative features of Workspace. After the
subrecipient has either emailed its completed budget back to you or completed it within
Workspace, attach it to one of the blocks provided on the form. All fields with a red border
are required, but you may enter a zero “0” in any field in which funds are not being
requested. Use up to 10 letters of the subrecipient’s name (plus.pdf) as the file name (e.g.,
ucla.pdf or energyres.pdf). Filenames must not exceed 50 characters.
If the project involves more subrecipients than there are places in the SUBAWARD
BUDGET ATTACHMENT(S) FORM, the additional subaward budgets may be saved as PDF
files and appended to the Budget Justification attached to Field L.
Applicants should consult their local information technology (“IT”) support resources for
any necessary assistance in converting the forms downloaded from Grants.gov into plain
PDF files that can be combined into one non-Portfolio PDF file (the Budget Justification).
Ensure that any files received from subrecipients are the PDF files extracted from the
SUBAWARD BUDGET ATTACHMENT(S) FORM. Errors will be created if a subrecipient
sends a prime applicant a budget form that was not extracted from the application package.
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Note: If an application proposes subawards to a DOE/NNSA National Laboratory, a Federal
agency, or another Federal agency’s FFRDC, the value of such proposed subawards may be
deducted from any resulting award: Those classes of organizations may be paid directly by
SC. However, the details of such proposed budgets are essential for understanding and
analyzing the proposed research.
If the budget for an application is comprised of discrete or separable projects or tasks, the
SUBAWARD BUDGET ATTACHMENT(S) FORM allows you to identify a budget as
belonging to either a “project” or a “subaward.”
The standard subaward budget form allows for a maximum of 10 subawards. If an
application contains more than 10 subawards, please present the budgets for the eleventh
and subsequent subawards in a tabular format, followed by the appropriate budget
justification, as a part of the lead applicant’s budget justification.
6. Project/Performance Site Location(s)
Indicate the primary site where the work will be performed. If a portion of the project will
be performed at any other site(s), identify the site location(s) in the blocks provided.
Note that the Project/Performance Site Congressional District is entered in the format of the
2 digit state code followed by a dash and a 3 digit Congressional district code, for example
VA-001. Hover over this field for additional instructions.
Use the Next Site button to expand the form to add additional Project/Performance Site
Locations.
7. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)
If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any
person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a
Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of
Congress in connection with the grant/cooperative agreement, you must complete and
submit Standard Form - LLL, “Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying.” Applicants that have
never paid any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of
any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a
Member of Congress do not need to submit this form.
8. Identification of Merit Reviewer Conflicts
Provide a list of individuals who should not serve as merit reviewers of this application,
following the instructions in Section IX of this NOFO. Attach this information to Field 12 of
the Research and Related Other Project Information Form.
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9. Summary of Required Forms/Files
Your application must include the following items:
Name of Document Format Attach to
SF 424 (R&R) Form N/A
RESEARCH AND RELATED Other
Form N/A
Project Information
Project Summary/Abstract PDF Field 7
Project Narrative, including required
PDF Field 8
appendices
Identification of Merit Review Conflicts File Field 12
RESEARCH & RELATED
Senior/Key Person Profile Form N/A
(Expanded)
RESEARCH & RELATED BUDGET Form N/A
Budget Justification PDF Field L
R&R SUBAWARD BUDGET
ATTACHMENT(S) FORM (if Form N/A
applicable)
Subaward Budget Justification (if Field L of the
PDF
applicable) subaward budget
PROJECT/PERFORMANCE SITE
Form N/A
LOCATION(S)
SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying
Form N/A
Activities, if applicable
D. Information that Must be Submitted After Application but Before Award
If selected for award, DOE reserves the right to request additional or clarifying information
for any reason deemed necessary, including, but not limited to:
• Indirect cost information
• Other budget information
• Name and phone number of the Designated Responsible Employee for complying with
national policies prohibiting discrimination (See 10 CFR 1040.5)
• Representation of Limited Rights Data and Restricted Software, if applicable
• Commitment Letter from Third Parties Contributing to Cost Sharing, if applicable
• Environmental Information
• Information required to resolve concerns about conflicts of interest, conflicts of
commitment, potential duplication of support
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Applicants that are not institutions of higher education, that request indirect costs, and that
do not already have an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with their Cognizant Federal Agency
or documentation of rates accepted for estimating purposes by DOE or another Federal
agency, are advised to begin preparing an Indirect Cost Rate Proposal for submission, upon
request, to the DOE contract specialist/grants management specialist who will evaluate your
application if you are selected for award.
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V. Submission Requirements and Deadlines
A. Address to Request Application Package
Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go
to https://www.Grants.gov, select “Search Grants”, and then enter the Assistance Listings9
number (81.049) and/or the NOFO number shown on the cover of this NOFO. Select the
“Apply” button to access the application package.
Applications submitted through www.FedConnect.net will not be accepted. Applications
may not be submitted through PAMS at https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov.
Detailed instructions for registering in and using Grants.gov are in Section IX of this NOFO.
B. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM.gov)
Applicants must complete a series of registrations and enrollments to submit applications in
response to this NOFO. Applicants not currently registered with SAM and Grants.gov
should allow at least four weeks to complete these requirements. Applicants refers to the
legal entity submitting an application: This is usually a corporate entity, not an individual
investigator.
You should start the process as soon as possible.
You may not be able to use your preferred Internet browser: Each system has its own
requirements.
Applicants must register with SAM at https://www.sam.gov/ and obtain a Unique Entity
Identifier (UEI). Assistance is available at https://sam.gov/content/help.
Applicants must provide a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to complete their
registration in www.SAM.gov. An applicant’s TIN is an EIN assigned by the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS). You may obtain an EIN from the IRS at
https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-
identification-number-ein-online.
If entities have technical difficulties with the UEI validation or SAM registration process,
they should utilize the HELP feature on SAM.gov. SAM.gov will work entity service tickets
in the order in which they are received and asks that entities not create multiple service
tickets for the same request or technical issue.
9 The Assistance Listings were formerly known as the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA).
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Do not use a SSN as a TIN.
Obtain a TIN from the IRS using the website listed above.
1. Requirement for System for Award Management
Unless exempt from this requirement under 2 CFR 25.110, the recipient must maintain a
current and active registration in SAM.gov. The recipient’s registration must always be
current and active until the recipient submits all final reports required under this Federal
award or receives the final payment, whichever is later. The recipient must review and
update its information in SAM.gov at least annually from the date of its initial registration or
any subsequent updates to ensure it is current, accurate, and complete. If applicable, this
includes identifying the recipient’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries and
providing information about the recipient’s predecessors that have received a Federal award
or contract within the last three years.
2. Requirement for Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
If the recipient is authorized to make subawards under this Federal award, the recipient:
• Must notify potential subrecipients that no entity may receive a subaward until the
entity has provided its UEI to the recipient.
• Must not make a subaward to an entity unless the entity has provided its UEI to the
recipient. Subrecipients are not required to complete full registration in SAM.gov to
obtain a UEI.
C. Submission Instructions
Letters of Intent (LOIs) and pre-applications, if permitted under this NOFO, must be
submitted in PAMS at https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov. Detailed instructions for LOIs
are in Section IX of this NOFO. Detailed instructions for pre-applications are in Section IX
of this NOFO.
Applications must be submitted in Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov. Detailed
instructions are in Section IX of this NOFO.
D. Submission Dates and Times
1. Letter of Intent Due Date
Not applicable.
2. Pre-application Due Date
The pre-application due date is printed on the cover of this NOFO.
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You are encouraged to submit your pre-application well before the deadline. Pre-
applications may be submitted at any time between the publication of this NOFO and the
stated deadline.
3. Application Due Date
The application due date is printed on the cover of this NOFO.
You are encouraged to submit your application well before the deadline. Applications may
be submitted at any time between the publication of this NOFO and the stated deadline.
4. Late Submissions
Delays in submitting letters of intent, pre-applications, and applications may be
unavoidable. DOE has accepted late submissions when applicants have been unable to
make timely submissions because of widespread technological disruptions or significant
natural disasters. DOE has made accommodations for incapacitating or life-threatening
illnesses and for deaths of immediate family members. Other circumstances may or may
not justify late submissions. Unacceptable justifications include the following:
• Failure to begin submission process early enough.
• Failure to provide sufficient time to complete the process.
• Failure to understand the submission process.
• Failure to understand the deadlines for submissions.
• Failure to satisfy prerequisite registrations.
• Unavailability of administrative personnel.
You are responsible for beginning the submission process in sufficient time to accommodate
reasonably foreseeable incidents, contingencies, and disruptions.
Applicants must contact the Program Office/Manager listed in this NOFO to discuss the
option of a late submission. Contacting the Program Office/Manager after the deadline may
reduce the likelihood that a request will be granted.
DOE notes that not all requests for late submission will be approved.
You may be able to submit your application in response to the currently available SC
Annual Solicitation. Please contact the Program Office/Manager listed in this NOFO to
discuss this option.
If a clerical error by administrative staff results in an incomplete submission of a letter of
intent, pre-application, or application, an authorized institutional official may appeal to
correct its error by emailing the Program Office/Manager or the DOE official listed in this
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NOFO within 48 business hours of the deadline. This grant of leniency is at DOE’s sole
discretion.
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VI. Application Review Information
A. Responsiveness Review
Prior to a comprehensive merit evaluation, DOE will perform an initial review in
accordance with 10 CFR 605.10(b) to determine that (1) the applicant is eligible for the
award; (2) the information required by the NOFO, including LOIs or pre-applications, has
been submitted; (3) all mandatory requirements are satisfied; (4) the proposed project is
responsive to the objectives of the NOFO; and (5) the proposed project is not duplicative of
programmatic work. Applications that fail to pass the initial review will not be forwarded
for merit review and will be eliminated from further consideration.
B. Review Criteria
Applications will be subjected to scientific merit review (peer review) and will be evaluated
against the following criteria, the first four of which are found in 10 CFR 605.10 (d), the
Office of Science Financial Assistance Program Rule.
• Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project;
• Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach;
• Competency of Applicant’s Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed Resources; and
• Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget.
• Appropriateness of the Data Management and Sharing Plan
• Likelihood of Success of the Collaboration between the EPSCoR Applicant and the
National Laboratory Partner
The review criteria are listed in decreasing order of significance, with the final two criteria
of equal significance to the fourth, although all criteria will be considered.
Note that external peer reviewers are selected regarding both their scientific expertise and
the absence of conflict-of-interest issues. Both Federal and 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.
The questions below are provided to the merit reviewers to elaborate the criteria established
by regulation:
1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of the Project
• What is the scientific innovation of the proposed research?
• What is the likelihood of achieving valuable results?
• How might the results of the proposed work impact the direction, progress, and thinking
in relevant scientific fields of research?
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• How does the proposed work compare with other efforts in its field, both in terms of
scientific and/or technical merit and originality?
2. Appropriateness of the Proposed Method or Approach
• How logical and feasible are the research approaches?
• Does the proposed research employ innovative concepts or methods?
• Are the conceptual framework, methods, and analyses well justified, adequately
developed, and likely to lead to scientifically valid conclusions?
• Does the applicant recognize significant potential problems and consider alternative
strategies?
• Is the proposed research aligned with the published priorities identified or incorporated
by reference in Section III of this NOFO?
• Does the proposed plan to recruit and retain students and early-stage investigators
provide sufficient mentorship?
3. Competency of Applicant’s Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed Resources
• For renewal applications, what is the past performance and potential of the research
team?
• How well qualified is the research team to carry out the proposed research?
• Is the lead institution proposing to perform a greater portion of the scientific and
technical work than any other team member?
• Are the research environment and facilities adequate for performing the research?
• Does the proposed work take advantage of unique facilities and capabilities?
4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget
• Are the proposed budget and staffing levels adequate to carry out the proposed research?
• Is the budget reasonable and appropriate for the scope?
5. Appropriateness of the Data Management and Sharing Plan
• To what extent does the Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP) enable data
generated in the course of the research project to be publicly shared and preserved in a
timely and fair manner that enables validation and replication of results?
• How well do the selected digital repositories enable appropriate sharing of scientific
data?
• Does the DMSP adequately justify any limitations of data sharing?
• Are there any weaknesses in the DMSP that should be addressed prior to the start of the
project?
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6. Likelihood of Success of the Collaboration between the EPSCoR Applicant and
the National Laboratory Partner
• For the proposed research, including the breakdown of proposed tasks, how well are the
tasks distributed among the PI, any co-PIs, and the national laboratory collaborator(s)?
• How will students and postdocs benefit from the national laboratory collaboration (e.g.,
national laboratory research experience, mentoring by laboratory staff, etc.)?
• Does the PI or co-PIs have a history of successful collaboration with the national
laboratory partner? If there is no history of successful prior collaboration, what plans are
established to ensure that the collaboration will be successful?
• How does institutional and/or jurisdictional commitment contribute to the likelihood of
success?
C. Review and Selection Process
1. Merit Review
Applications that pass the initial review will be subjected to a formal merit review and will
be evaluated based on the criteria codified at 10 CFR 605.10(d) in accordance with the
guidance provided in the “Office of Science Merit Review System for Financial Assistance,”
which is available at: https://science.osti.gov/grants/policy-and-guidance/merit-review-
system/.
2. Program Policy Factors
The Selection Official may consider any of the following program policy factors in making
the selection, listed in no order of significance:
• Availability of funds
• Relevance of the proposed activity to SC priorities
• Ensuring an appropriate balance of activities within SC programs
• Performance under current awards
• Institutional, jurisdictional, and other commitments
• Institutional history of training and mentoring early-career researchers
• Training graduate students in conduct of fundamental research
• Presence of tenure-track or tenure-equivalent investigators
• Providing training and career pathways for the next generation of researchers
• Ensuring opportunities to investigators not currently supported by DOE
• For applicant institutions that are not institutions of higher education: the presence of
joint appointments with academic institutions, the presence of graduate students
receiving academic credit for their research participation, the existence of tenure-like
appointments, and the commitment to research of a basic and fundamental nature
divorced from current commercial activity and business applications
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• Increasing participation of institutions historically underrepresented in the SC research
portfolio
• Relevance of the proposed activity to the President’s policy priorities
• Lower institutional indirect cost rate
• Commitment to complying with administration policies, procedures, and guidance
related to Gold Standard Science
3. Selection
The Selection Official will consider the findings of the merit review and may consider any of
the Program Policy Factors described above and/or the review of risk described below.
4. Discussions and Award
The Government may enter into discussions with a selected applicant for any reason
deemed necessary, including but not limited to the following: (1) the budget is not
appropriate or reasonable for the requirement; (2) only a portion of the application is
selected for award; (3) the Government needs additional information to determine that the
recipient is capable of complying with the requirements in 2 CFR 200 as modified by 2 CFR
910 (DOE Financial Assistance Regulation); and/or (4) special terms and conditions are
required. Failure to resolve satisfactorily the issues identified by the Government will
preclude award to the applicant.
5. Risk Review
Pursuant to 2 CFR 200.206, DOE will conduct a review of any potential risks posed by the
applicant. Such review of risk will include:
• Quality of the application,
• Reports and findings from audits performed under 2 CFR 200 and/or 2 CFR 910, and
• Systems maintained under 2 CFR 180.
DOE may make use of other publicly available information and the history of an applicant’s
performance under DOE or other Federal agency awards.
Applicants with no prior performance of DOE awards may be asked to provide information
about their financial stability and or their ability to comply with the management standards
of 2 CFR 200.
6. Due Diligence for Research, Technology, and Economic Security
All applications submitted to DOE are subject to a due diligence review.
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As DOE invests in critical infrastructure and funds critical and emerging technology areas,10
DOE considers possible threats to United States research, technology, and economic security
from undue foreign government influence when evaluating risk. As part of the research,
technology, and economic security risk review, DOE may contact the applicant and/or
proposed project team members for additional information to inform the review. This risk
review is conducted separately from the technical merit review.
All project participants, which for purposes of this term includes individuals participating in
the project, are subject to RTES due diligence reviews. The due diligence review of covered
individuals includes but is not limited to the review of resumes/biosketches, disclosures,
and certifications, as required in the NOFO. DOE reserves the right to require
resumes/biosketches, disclosures, and certifications for project participants not defined as
covered individuals. The Applicant need not submit any additional information on non-
covered individuals, unless requested by DOE. The volume and type of information
collected may depend on various factors associated with the award.
Note this review is separate and distinct from DOE Order 142.3B “Unclassified Foreign
National Access Program.”
In the event an RTES risk is identified, DOE may require risk mitigation measures,
including but not limited to, requiring that an individual or entity not participate in the
award. If significant risks are identified and cannot be sufficiently mitigated, DOE may elect
to not fund the applicant.
Consistent with section 4(e) of the Presidential Memorandum on United States
Government-Supported Research and Development National Security Policy-33 (NSPM-33),
DOE may share information regarding the risks identified as part of the RTES due diligence
review process or monitoring with other Federal agencies.
DOE’s decision regarding a due diligence review is not appealable.
10 See Critical and Emerging Technologies List Update (whitehouse.gov).
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VII. Award Notices
A. Type of Award Instrument
DOE anticipates awarding grants under this NOFO.
Multi-institutional teams must apply using a prime and subaward model with one
application submitted by the lead institution.
B. Anticipated Timeline for Notice of Selection for Award Negotiation
It is anticipated that the award selection will be completed in June 2026. It is expected that
awards will be made in Fiscal Year 2026.
1. Notice of Selection for Award Negotiation
Applicants Selected for Award Negotiation Notification: DOE will notify applicants
selected for award negotiation. This notice of selection for award negotiation is not an
authorization for the applicant/recipient to begin performance.
Non-selected Notification: Organizations whose applications have not been selected will
be advised as promptly as possible. This notice will explain why the application was not
selected.
2. Notice of Award
An Assistance Agreement issued by the DOE Contracting Officer is the authorizing award
document. It normally includes, either as an attachment or by reference, the following
items: (1) Special Terms and Conditions, (2) Intellectual Property Provisions, (3) Federal
Assistance Reporting Checklist and Instructions, (4) Budget Pages, (5) The Research Terms
and Conditions, available at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/terms-conditions/research, and
DOE Agency Specific Requirements, available at https://www.nsf.gov/awards/terms-
conditions/research, (6) Applicable program regulations, 10 CFR 605 at
https://www.ecfr.gov/, (7) DOE Assistance Regulations, 2 CFR 200 as amended by 2 CFR
910 at https://www.ecfr.gov/, (8) Application/proposal as approved by DOE, (9) National
Policy Assurances to Be Incorporated as Award Terms in effect on date of award at
https://www.nsf.gov/awards/terms-conditions/research.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Sample DOE Special Terms and Conditions for Use in Most Grants and Cooperative
Agreements are located at https://energy.gov/management/office-management/operational-
management/financial-assistance/financial-assistance-forms under Award Terms.
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