FY2026 Research Opportunities in Accelerator Stewardship and Accelerator Development

DE-FOA-0003620

High Energy Physics (HEP)
FY2026 Research Opportunities in Accelerator
Stewardship and Accelerator Development
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number:
DE-FOA-0003620
NOFO Type: Initial
Assistance Listings: 81.049
NOFO Issue Date: March 12, 2026
Submission Deadline for Pre-Applications: April 9, 2026 at 5 PM Eastern Time
(Applies to all Tracks) A Pre-Application is required.
Pre-Application Response Date: April 23. 2026
Submission Deadline for Applications: May 21, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Submission Deadline for Letters of Intent: June 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time
(Applies to FY2027 CARTs only)

---

Table of Contents
I. BASIC INFORMATION .............................................................................................................1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..........................................................................................................1
FUNDING DETAILS .................................................................................................................1
KEY FACTS ................................................................................................................................1
KEY DATES ................................................................................................................................2
AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION ....................................................................................2
INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR / OFFICE HOURS ................................................................2
RECOMMENDATION ..............................................................................................................2
II. ELIGIBILITY .............................................................................................................................3
A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS ......................................................................................................3
B. COST SHARING AND INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENTS ............................................5
C. ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS ....................................................................................................6
D. LIMITATIONS ON SUBMISSIONS .....................................................................................6
III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................................7
A. PURPOSE ...............................................................................................................................7
B. PROGRAM GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND PRIORITIES ................................................... 30
C. AWARD CONTRIBUTION TO GOALS AND OBJECTIVES .......................................... 31
D. PERFORMANCE GOALS ................................................................................................... 31
F. PROGRAM UNALLOWABLE COSTS ............................................................................... 31
G. CITATIONS TO STATUTE AND REGULATIONS .......................................................... 31
H. PROGRAM HISTORY ........................................................................................................ 32
I. OTHER INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 32
IV. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT ...................................................................... 34
A. PRELIMINARY SUBMISSIONS ......................................................................................... 34
B. APPLICATION ..................................................................................................................... 39
C. COMPONENT PIECES OF THE APPLICATION............................................................. 39
D. INFORMATION THAT MUST BE SUBMITTED AFTER APPLICATION BUT
BEFORE AWARD ............................................................................................................... 58
V. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES .......................................................... 60
A. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE .................................................... 60
B. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER (UEI) AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT
(SAM.GOV) .......................................................................................................................... 60
C. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS ......................................................................................... 61

---

D. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES .................................................................................. 61
VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION ......................................................................... 63
A. RESPONSIVENESS REVIEW ............................................................................................. 63
B. REVIEW CRITERIA ............................................................................................................ 63
C. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS ............................................................................. 67
VII. AWARD NOTICES ............................................................................................................... 70
A. TYPE OF AWARD INSTRUMENT .................................................................................... 70
B. ANTICIPATED TIMELINE FOR NOTICE OF SELECTION FOR AWARD
NEGOTIATION ................................................................................................................... 70
VIII. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION ....................................... 72
A. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS .............................. 72
B. REPORTING ........................................................................................................................ 73
C. REPORTING OF MATTERS RELATED TO RECIPIENT INTEGRITY AND
PERFORMANCE (DECEMBER 2015) .............................................................................. 73
D. INTERIM CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ....... 73
IX. OTHER INFORMATION ...................................................................................................... 75
A. CHECKLIST FOR AVOIDING COMMON ERRORS ....................................................... 75
B. HOW-TO GUIDES ............................................................................................................... 77
C. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS ............................ 105
D. REFERENCE MATERIAL ................................................................................................ 130

---

I. Basic Information
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Office of Science (SC)
Executive Summary
The DOE SC program in High Energy Physics (HEP) hereby announces its interest in
applications to conduct cross-cutting use-inspired basic research and development (R&D) to
advance accelerator science and technology (AS&T) and domestic supplier development
that supports SC’s activities in physical sciences research and which is of broader benefit to
other U.S. government agencies and industry. Please note that this Notice of Funding
Opportunity (NOFO) is for cross-cutting R&D and domestic supplier development and that
program-specific AS&T R&D is supported though NOFOs issued by each SC program.
Funding Details
Expected total available funding $15,000,000
Expected number of awards 10 to 15
Expected dollar amount of individual $50,000 to $3,000,000
awards
Expected award project period 1 to 5 years
Key Facts
NOFO Title FY2026 Research Opportunities in Accelerator Stewardship and
Accelerator Development
NOFO Number DE-FOA-0003620
Announcement Type Initial
Assistance Listing 81.049
Statutory Authority The programmatic authorizing statute is:
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
Section 10109 of Public Law 117-167, CHIPS and Science Act of
2022
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
1

---

Program Rule, codified at 10 CFR 605
Key Dates
Key dates are printed on the cover of this NOFO.
Agency Contact Information
800-518-4726 (toll-free)
Grants.gov
support@Grants.gov
Customer Support
PAMS 855-818-1846 (toll-free)
Customer Support 301-903-9610
sc.pams-helpdesk@science.doe.gov
Technical/Scientific Dr. Eric R. Colby
Program Contact Eric.Colby@science.doe.gov, (301)-722-2148
Informational Webinar / Office Hours
SC plans to hold an informational webinar about this NOFO on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at
12 noon. Registration instructions and other details will be posted at https://science-
doe.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_Pvl3lKItTbC4XN5a6Lpn4w#/registration.
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.
2

---

II. Eligibility
A. Eligible Applicants
All types of domestic applicants are eligible to apply, 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.
In accordance with 2 CFR 910.126, Competition, eligibility for award is restricted to:
Track 1: Accelerator Stewardship Topical Areas
Applications for activities in Track 1: Accelerator Stewardship Topical Areas will be
accepted from all responsible domestic organizations capable of meeting the
objectives of this NOFO.
Track 2: Collaborative Accelerator Research Teams (CARTs) for Long-Term
Generic Accelerator Research
Applications for terminal renewal awards under Track 2: Collaborative Accelerator
Research Teams (CARTs) for Long-Term Generic Accelerator Research are restricted
to Track 2 PIs organizations with a current award that ends before September 30,
2026. Eligibility is limited in Track 2 to current PIs at organizations with awards
expiring within FY 2026 while Track 2 changes from a single-PI/single-institution
funding model to a multi-PI/multi-institution funding model. The one-year-long
terminal renewal award is offered to allow a smooth transition to other funding
sources (which might include participating in a multi-PI/multi-institution award).
Track 4b: Accelerator Technology Partnerships
Eligibility is limited in Track 4b to domestic for-profit organizations, as the intent of
this Track is to develop U.S. companies capable of producing particle accelerator
components for DOE and commercial purposes.
Track 3 and Track 4a:
Track 3 (Accelerator Stewardship Test Facility Program) and Track 4a (Accelerator-
Technology Sector Business Plans) are no longer accepting applications.
3

---

Federally affiliated1 entities must adhere to the eligibility standards below:
1. DOE/NNSA National Laboratories
DOE/NNSA National Laboratories are eligible to submit applications under this NOFO and
may be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. If
recommended for funding as a lead applicant, funding will be provided through the DOE
Field-Work Proposal System and work will be conducted under the laboratory’s contract
with DOE. No administrative provisions of this NOFO will apply to the laboratory or any
laboratory subcontractor. If recommended for funding as a proposed subrecipient, the value
of the proposed subaward will be removed from the prime applicant’s award and will be
provided to the laboratory through the DOE Field-Work Proposal System and work will be
conducted under the laboratory’s contract with DOE. Additional instructions for securing
authorization from the cognizant Contracting Officer are found in Section IX of this NOFO.
2. Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs
Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are eligible to submit applications under this NOFO and may be
proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. If recommended for
funding as a lead applicant, funding will be provided through an interagency agreement to
the FFRDC’s sponsoring Federal Agency. If recommended for funding as a proposed
subrecipient, the value of the proposed subaward may be removed from the prime
applicant’s award and may be provided through an Inter-Agency Award to the FFRDC’s
sponsoring Federal Agency. Additional instructions for securing authorization from the
cognizant Contracting Officer are found in Section IX of this NOFO.
3. Other Federal Agencies
Other Federal Agencies are eligible to submit applications (either as a lead organization or
as a team member in a multi-institutional team) under this NOFO and may be proposed as
subrecipients under another organization’s application. If recommended for funding as a
lead applicant or a team member, funding will be provided through an interagency
agreement. If recommended for funding as a proposed subrecipient, the value of the
proposed subaward may be removed from the prime applicant’s award and may be provided
through an interagency agreement. Additional instructions for providing statutory
authorization are found in Section IX of this NOFO.
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.
4

---

Notes for applicants of all types:
• Individual applicants are unlikely to possess the skills, abilities, and resources to
successfully accomplish the objectives of this NOFO. Individual applicants are
encouraged to address this concern in their applications and to demonstrate how they
will accomplish the objectives of this NOFO.
• Non-domestic applicants are advised that successful applications from non-domestic
applicants include a detailed demonstration of how the applicant possesses skills,
resources, and abilities that do not exist among potential domestic applicants.
This NOFO does not support an applicant’s commercial activity. This NOFO seeks to
support basic 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. All for-profit applicants
must include a description, not to exceed 200 words of how their proposed work will
advance scientific understanding of a basic and fundamental nature as an appendix
to the Project Narrative.
Applications that are submitted by applicants that have not submitted a required pre-
application may be declined without further review.
Applicants may propose non-domestic entities as subrecipients in their applications.
Applicants are advised that successful applications that propose non-domestic entities as
subrecipients include a detailed demonstration of how the proposed non-domestic
subrecipients possess skills, resources, and abilities that do not exist among potential
domestic subrecipients.
B. Cost Sharing and Institutional Commitments
Demonstrations of institutional or third-party commitment to the proposed activity, as
described in Section IV are strongly encouraged for all applications, and should be described
in the project narrative.
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.)
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
5

---

it must be described in the project narrative.
Cost sharing and 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.
Additionally, cost sharing, may be required under a class patent waiver, if applicable, as
discussed in Section IX.
Cost sharing is not required of DOE/NNSA National Laboratories, other Federal agencies,
another Federal agency’s FFRDC, or their subcontractors at any tier. DOE/NNSA National
Laboratories, other Federal agencies, and another Federal agency’s FFRDC may impose
cost-sharing requirements on their contractors subject to their policies and procedures.
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.
D. Limitations on Submissions
Applicant institutions are limited to no more than two (2) pre-applications and two (2)
applications for each PI at the applicant institution.
The PI on a pre-application or application 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. 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.
DOE will consider the latest received submissions to be the institution’s intended
submissions.
6

---

III. Program Description
A. Purpose
The DOE SC program in High Energy Physics (HEP) hereby announces its interest in
applications to conduct cross-cutting use-inspired basic research and development (R&D) to
advance accelerator science and technology (AS&T) and domestic supplier development
that supports SC’s activities in physical sciences research and is of broader benefit to other
U.S. government agencies and industry. Please note that this Notice of Funding Opportunity
(NOFO) is for cross-cutting R&D and domestic supplier development and that program-
specific AS&T R&D is supported through NOFOs issued by each SC program.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The following program description is offered to provide more in-depth information on the
scientific and technical areas of interest to the Accelerator Stewardship and Accelerator
Development subprograms within HEP. These two subprograms are often referred to below
as simply “Accelerator Stewardship”.
Accelerator Stewardship’s mission is to support cross-cutting AS&T R&D, use-inspired
technology development of relevance to many fields, domestic accelerator technology
supplier development, and dissemination of accelerator knowledge and training to the
broad community of accelerator users and providers. (More information is available at the
website: https://science.osti.gov/ARDAP). In the interest of fostering a rich ecosystem of
R&D performers and domestic technology suppliers, applications from Emerging Research
Institutions2, and institutions with no prior DOE or Accelerator Stewardship funding are
encouraged.
Many federal agencies have a vested interest in the success of accelerator R&D. In addition
to the Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES), High Energy Physics
(HEP), Nuclear Physics (NP), and Isotope Production (IP) programs within SC, stakeholders
include the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the DOE
Environmental Management Program Office (EM), the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH)
National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Physics
2 Emerging Research Institutions are understood to include those with High Research Activity (i.e., an “R2”
classification) according to the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education, which can be
found at https://carnegieclassifcations.acenet.edu. A list of institutions with very high research activity (R1
institutions) is available at
https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/lookup/srp.php?clq=%7B%22basic2005_ids%22%3A%2215%22%7D&
start_page=standard.php&backurl=standard.php&limit=0,50. A list of institutions with high research activity
(R2 institutions) is available at
https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/lookup/srp.php?clq=%7B%22basic2005_ids%22%3A%2216%22%7D&
start_page=standard.php&backurl=standard.php&limit=0,50.
7

---

(PHY), the Department of Defense (DOD) Office of Naval Research (ONR), the DOD Air
Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of
Mass Destruction Office (CWMD), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) Radiation Effects & Analysis Group, and the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) Ionizing Radiation Physics Division, among others. Applicants are
advised to learn about the missions of these agencies.
Please note that this NOFO is only for cross-cutting R&D opportunities within the
Accelerator Stewardship mission, meaning that R&D proposals must have a recognized
impact on more than one of the programs listed above. The SC programs in BES, FES, HEP,
NP, and IP routinely have dedicated calls for proposals for programmatic accelerator
research and development aimed at developing technologies for facilities needed by their
respective programs.
Program Objective
HEP’s subprogram in Accelerator Stewardship was established in 2014, and Accelerator
Development was established in 2022. The Accelerator Stewardship subprogram is aimed at
use-inspired basic R&D and cross-cutting basic R&D to test new applications of accelerator
technology, with a goal of up to TRL-43, but no explicit MRL4 goal. The Accelerator
Development subprogram is aimed at strengthening domestic suppliers of critical
accelerator technology, with a goal of up to TRL-6 and MRL-5 to -7.
Table 1: Summary of NOFO Tracks, Aims, Funding Amounts, Eligibility, and Requirements
Application Aim TRL MRL Typical Applicant Teaming Voluntary Application
Track Goal Goal Award Eligibility Cost Length
Commitment
8
rotareleccA ihsdrawetS
Use-inspired $2M/ 3 Strongly
Track 1 TRL-4 None All domestic Required 16 pages
basic R&D yrs Encouraged
Track 2 Terminal renew≤al applications only for PIs at organizations with an award expiring in FY 2026. 5 pages
Track 3 Proposals for Track 3: Accelerator Test Facility Program, are no longer accepted.
rotareleccA tnempoleveD Track 4a Proposals for Track 4a: Accelerator Business Sector Studies, are no longer accepted.
R&D MRL-
Domestic for-
Partnerships 5 and $2M/ 2 Strongly
Track 4b with private TRL-6 ≥ MRL- yrs profit Required Encouraged 18 pages
organizations
sector ≤ 7
≤
Accelerator Stewardship Subprogram
The central goals of Accelerator Stewardship are to:
3 TRL – Technology Readiness Level, for definitions see DOE G 413.3-4A Chg 1 (Admin Chg) (2015)
https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0413.3-EGuide-04-admchg1.
4 MRL – Manufacturing Readiness Level, for definitions see
https://www.manufacturingusa.com/reports/national-network-manufacturing-innovation-preliminary-design.

---

• Engage the expertise and facilities of the existing U.S. accelerator R&D ecosystem in a
manner that enhances the ability of research sponsors to support innovative concepts;
• Enhance the accelerator technology capabilities of U.S. industry;
• Facilitate access to the accelerator R&D capabilities at the SC National Laboratories
through the BeamNetUS program;
• Drive a limited number of specific accelerator applications towards practical, testable
prototypes in a five to seven (5-7) year timeframe;
• Foster collaboration between developers of accelerator technology and experts who
apply accelerator technology; and
• Provide the basic R&D foundation necessary for sustained innovation across a broad
range of accelerator applications.
These activities are divided into separate “Tracks” in this NOFO. Applications must address
a topic in one Track only. Topics may not be combined between Tracks as the application
format, eligibility requirements, project duration, funding limitations, and merit criteria
differ significantly.
Applicants are encouraged to review the Accelerator Stewardship Awards made to date at
the webpage: https://science.osti.gov/ardap/Funding-Opportunities/Awarded-RD-
Activities.
Applications that are intended to meet specific BES, FES, HEP, NP, or IP programmatic
research needs should be submitted in response to the Notice of Funding Opportunity
Announcements issued by those Offices. This NOFO is for research that is cross-cutting (i.e.,
applicable to multiple Office of Science programs) only.
Applications that are not in direct support of a topic under the Tracks below (e.g.,
conferences, experimental operations, specific project R&D or fabrication) must be
submitted to the FY 2026 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial
Assistance Program (DE-FOA-0003600).
TRACK 1: ACCELERATOR STEWARDSHIP TOPICAL AREAS
Accelerator Stewardship Topic Areas are focused R&D efforts aimed at solving a specific
accelerator application problem in a specific area. The desired end goal after one to two (1-2)
grant cycles (e.g., three to six (3-6) years) is a working prototype technology at TRL-4. This
Track has broad eligibility requirements, see Section II.A for more information. Teams,
comprising at a minimum of an accelerator technology partner and an application partner,
are expected to apply in this area, and develop an application that clearly defines the
technology development pathway, teaming and management plan, IP allocation, and
market opportunity (where applicable).
9

---

Applicants must provide evidence of the Stewardship Customer’s5 commitment to the
proposed activity. This commitment may take the form of uncompensated effort; the
provision of surplus materials, supplies, or equipment; the provision of access to facilities at
no or reduced cost; voluntary cost sharing; mentoring, training, or coaching of personnel; or
other methods of involving the Stewardship Customer in the proposed activity. See Section
II.B for more information.
The following four topic areas are active in Track 1 of this NOFO:
a) Particle Therapy Beam Delivery Improvements (renewal applications only);
b) Ultrafast Laser Technology Program;
c) High Power Electron Accelerator Technology for Industrial Applications; and
d) Compact Accelerator Technologies for Security and Medicine.
Applications submitted under Track 1 should address specific research goals in only one of
these topical areas.
In addition to the standard merit criteria applied to all scientific applications, applications
submitted under Track 1 will be specifically reviewed for (1) the strength and breadth of the
collaborative team and (2) the quality of the technology R&D plan. See Section VI.B for a
description of the Merit Review Criteria, and Section VI.C for a description of the selection
criteria.
(a) Particle Therapy Beam Delivery Improvements
Technical Contact: Eric Colby, 301-722-2148, Eric.Colby@science.doe.gov
NOTE: This topic area is open to renewal applications only. Contact the program
manager prior to submitting a pre-application.
(b) Ultrafast Laser Technology Program
Technical Contact: Eric Colby, 301-722-2148, Eric.Colby@science.doe.gov
Lasers are used or proposed for use in many areas of scientific research: as spectroscopic
sources, pump-probe sources, drivers for electron, ion, and x-ray sources, as drivers for novel
accelerator concepts for future colliders; as generators of electromagnetic radiation ranging
from THz to gamma rays. In many cases, ultrafast lasers with pulse lengths well below a
picosecond are required, with excellent stability, reliability, and beam quality. With
scientific applications demanding ever-higher fluxes of particles and radiation, greater
precision and control over field and optical phase, and wider wavelength coverage, the
driving laser technology must also evolve to meet the demand.
5 “Stewardship Customer”, or more generically, “stakeholder” is defined and examples of evidence of support
are given in Section VI.B.6.
10

---

These applications have some general technological requirements in common which
include the following:
• Ultrafast pulses (<1 ps).
• High average powers (>10s of W up to 100 kW or more).
• Diffraction limited beams.
• Good (ps) to excellent (fs) pulse timing, sometimes with carrier-envelope phase (CEP)
control.
• Robust and reliable operation.
Many important applications also require, or can benefit from the following:
• High pulse energy (>0.01 J up to 1 kJ).
• High pre-pulse power contrast (better than 10-5).
• High wall-plug efficiency (>20% with a goal of 30% or higher).
• Longer laser wavelengths (>1.5 µm out to 10 µm).
The primary goals of the Ultrafast Laser Technology Program are to develop the enabling
technologies that will ultimately lead to construction of demonstration prototypes for one
or more of the principal types of ultrafast lasers needed for scientific applications, and to
enhance industry’s capability to produce the necessary technologies.
Ultrafast lasers for accelerator applications fall into three broad laser types:
• Type I laser systems are high-repetition rate systems that are used to perform high-
resolution and high-fidelity measurements, particularly for applications to chemical
sensing and spectroscopy, excitation and probing of small-cross-section and
stochastic processes, ultrafast electron dynamics, electron beam-based cooling
schemes, and high-current sources of polarized electrons and positrons.
• Type II laser systems are high-average power lasers used to excite plasma waves for
particle trapping and high gradient acceleration, and for the generation of x-rays
through High Harmonic Generation (HHG) and/or Laser Wakefield Acceleration.
• Type III laser systems are ultrafast laser systems used for generating high repetition
rate radiation pulses through nonlinear processes, particularly HHG and THz
generation.
The target performance parameters for each of the three ultrafast laser types are
summarized in Table 2 below.
11

---

TABLE 2: Target performance parameters for each of the three laser types.
Type I: Type II: Type III:
High- High-average Few-cycle
repetition power laser laser
rate laser
Pulse peak power >1 kW 10 ‒ 300 TW 1 ‒ 10 TW
Wavelength 0.8 ‒ 10 µm 0.5 ‒ 10 µm 2 ‒ 5 µm
Pulse Energy n.c. 1 ‒ 10 J 10 ‒ 100 mJ
Pulse Length n.c. 30 ‒ 100 fs[1] few-cycle
Repetition Rate 0.1 ‒ 1 GHz 1 ‒ 10 kHz > 100 kHz
Average Power 10 ‒ 100 W 1 ‒ 100 kW 50 ‒ 500 W
Energy Stability <1% <1% <0.5%
Beam Quality Strehl > 0.95 (Strehl > 0.95)[1] Strehl > 0.95
Wall-plug Efficiency n.c. >10% for <10kW n.c.
>20% for >10kW
Pre-pulse contrast n.c. >10^5 n.c.
Time window for pre-pulse n.c. ns ‒ ps n.c.
Optional, < 300
Phase stability if CEP locked < 100 mrad mrad < 100 mrad
Pointing stability n.c. < 0.1 µrad n.c.
Bandwidth n.c. Transform-limited n.c.
n.c. – not critical, can be freely determined from other specifications in the table
[1] requirement applies to lasers at 1-2 micron wavelength, with scaled requirements for longer wavelengths
This initial phase of the Laser Technology Program will concentrate on basic research and
engineering design studies to produce the breakthroughs in technology and design
architecture necessary to make each of the three laser types practical. Applications are
sought in these five topical areas:
(1) Ultrafast gain materials capable of very high average power. Development of
materials suitable for fiber or bulk usage, supporting amplification of <100 fs pulses,
with excellent thermal conductivity, low thermal lensing, low saturation fluence, high
damage threshold and small quantum defect will be key to increasing average power
capabilities of ultrafast lasers. Materials must be scalable to average powers in the
kilowatt range and above while maintaining excellent beam quality.
(2) Increased robustness and reduction in size of optical components. Each will
reduce the cost of ultrafast laser systems. Development of ultrafast optical coatings and
materials capable of supporting <100 fs laser pulses with significantly increased damage
threshold, excellent thermal stability, and low loss and low scatter will permit more
compact, higher reliability ultrafast lasers to be developed.
(3) Innovations in laser architecture, cryogenics, and other advanced thermal
12

---

management techniques. Direct diode pumping, coherent combination, hybrid
fiber/bulk systems, and the use of advanced cryogenic systems will be needed to
significantly increase the average power performance of ultrafast lasers.
(4) Wavelength extension further into the infrared. The development of efficient,
robust, cost-effective ultrafast laser systems out to 10 microns in wavelength will enable
new applications such as solid-state seeding for ultrafast CO lasers and driving HHG
2
hard x-ray generators, as well as open new opportunities in plasma acceleration and high
harmonic generation. Significant increases in repetition rate are needed to achieve high
average power.
(5) Improvements in laser quality. Advances in pulse contrast, optical phase noise,
flexible pulse shaping (both transverse and longitudinal), and precision synchronization
to external references will directly impact both the quality and capability of the laser-
based sciences.
The Ultrafast Laser Technology Program of this NOFO includes initial R&D to identify
promising technical avenues for developing ultrafast lasers of the three types discussed
above. It does not include the engineering and construction of full-scale demonstration
laser systems for any of the three types during this initial phase. Applications to develop full-
scale demonstration laser systems are out of the scope of this NOFO and will be declined
without review.
To meet the teaming requirement, applications under this Track 1 topic area are strongly
encouraged to include significant participation from each of the following: (1) an
institution with technical leadership in a relevant laser technology, and (2) an institution
with technical leadership in the application of laser technology to accelerators and/or (3) a
domestic company currently marketing related laser products. Applications lacking
significant participation from a laser technology or accelerator technology partner, and/or
an industry partner, may score poorly under merit review.
Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to review the reports of the last two
workshops on Laser Technology. These reports provide an overview of the needs, technical
issues, and required R&D to develop ultrafast laser technology for scientific applications.
1) 2023 Basic Research Needs Workshop on Laser Technology: https://science.osti.gov/-
/media/ardap/pdf/2024/Laser-Technology-Workshop-Report_20240105_final.pdf
2) 2013 Lasers for Accelerator Workshop Report:
https://science.osti.gov/~/media/hep/pdf/accelerator-rd-
stewardship/Lasers_for_Accelerators_Report_Final.pdf.
(c) High-Power Electron Accelerator Technology for Industrial Applications
Technical Contact: Eric Colby, (301)-903-5475, Eric.Colby@science.doe.gov
Particle accelerator technologies have been applied to solve a range of issues in the energy &
environmental (E&E) area including: treating potable and wastewater, removing pollutants
13

---

from stack gases, increasing the energy efficiency of industrial material processing,
remediating water-borne and soil-borne contaminants, and replacing radioactive sources in
sterilization applications. In many cases the use of accelerator technology for these
applications offers important performance advantages. Some of these E&E applications are
currently served by existing non-accelerator-based technologies; however, continued
improvements in accelerator technology have lowered the cost and increased the reliability
of this technology, opening the possibility of broader use in E&E applications.
These applications have some general technological requirements in common which
include the following:
• The need to expose significant mass streams to kGy-class radiation fields, requiring:
Very high average beam powers (>500 kW up to 10 MW)
o
High wall-plug efficiency (>50%)
o
• The need to operate economically in harsh industrial environments:
Low capital and operating costs
o
Robust, reliable, turn-key operation
o
The primary goals of the High-Power Electron Accelerator Technology program are to
develop the enabling technologies that may ultimately lead to construction of
demonstration prototypes for one or more of the principal types of high-power electron
accelerators needed for E&E applications, and to enhance industry’s capability to produce
the necessary technologies.
The general requirements for high power electron accelerators for E&E applications were
identified at a workshop (see references below) and can be divided into four basic types of
accelerators, summarized in Table 3.
Table 3. Target performance for high-power electron accelerators for E&E
applications:
Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Type 4
Demo/Small Scale Medium Scale Medium Scale High Large Scale High
Low Energy Energy Energy
Example R&D, Sterilization, Flue Gas, Wastewater, sludge, Sludge, Medical
Applications industrial effluent Wastewater medical waste waste, Env.
streams remediation
Electron Beam 0.5-1.5 MeV 1-2 MeV 10 MeV 10 MeV
Energy
Electron Beam >0.5 MW >1 MW >1 MW >10 MW
Power (CW)
Wall-plug >50% >50% >50% >75%
Efficiency
Target Capital <$10/W <$10/W <$10/W <$5/W
Cost*
Target Operating <1.0M$/yr <1.5M$/yr <1.5M$/yr <12M$/yr
Cost†
*Total cost of the accelerator, including all supporting systems (e.g., power, cooling, control, safety).
†Total operating cost including all labor, supplies, repairs, and electricity costs.
14

---

• Demo or Small-Scale Systems are used for processing low-density material streams
(gas or liquid) in moderate quantities, such as industrial effluent streams at flows of
order 0.1-0.2 MGD, depending on dose. (1 MGD=1 million gallons per day).
• Medium-Scale Low-Energy Systems are used for processing low-density material
streams in high volumes, such as for electron beam treatment of flue gases at flow rates
of 100,000-200,000 Nm3/hr, and wastewater treatment at flows of 1-1.5 MGD.
• Medium-Scale High-Energy Systems are used for processing high-density materials
(solids and sludges) in moderate volumes, such as for medical waste sterilization and
sludge treatment at mass flow rates of 20-70 kg/s.
• Large-Scale High-Energy Systems are proposed for use in processing large volumes of
high-density materials, such as for environmental remediation of contaminated soil,
medical waste sterilization, and sludge treatment at mass flow rates of 0.2-0.7 metric ton
per second.
The High-Power Electron Accelerator Technology for Industrial Applications Program has
completed a set of feasibility studies and will focus in this next phase on achieving the
necessary advances in efficient Radio Frequency (rf) power production and low-cost
accelerator structures. Applications submitted under this topic are to be for multi-year use-
inspired R&D concepts leading to achievement of the stated performance metrics.
Applications which do not directly address all the metrics of the subtopic area will be
declined without review.
a. High-Efficiency High-Average Power RF Sources. The very high-power accelerators
required for E&E applications will require highly efficient, low-cost sources of rf power.
R&D to significantly improve the power efficiency of high-average-power (CW or high
duty factor) rf tubes is sought. Net tube power efficiency (including focusing magnet
power) must exceed 80%, and average tube power must exceed 250 kW, with a pulse
format (peak power, pulse length) that is appropriate for either normal conducting or
superconducting accelerators, and an output that is stably phase locked to an external
reference. The proposed device must provide an economical route to producing 1 MW or
more of average power by scaling, coherent combination, or both, at a rf tube cost that
does not exceed $1.50 per watt of average power output. A detailed estimate of the
tube’s production cost must be included in Appendix 7 to support claims that the
cost metric will be met; applications lacking this supporting documentation may be
declined without review. There is particular interest in rf power sources operating at
frequencies that are in widespread use at the large SC accelerators6.
b. Economical Accelerator Structures for Megawatt-Class Beams. Providing low-cost
very high-power accelerators for E&E applications will require advances in the design
and manufacture of accelerator structures to increase performance and reduce cost.
6 See https://science.osti.gov/user-facilities/user-facilities-at-a-glance/.
15

---

R&D applications are sought for accelerator structures that are optimized for very high-
power transfer efficiency into high beam currents and optimized for low production cost
and low operation cost for industrial use. Proposed R&D must lead to an accelerator
design and a single-unit prototype structure that meets one of the following sets of
requirements:
i. superconducting rf, 1 MeV total voltage gain, 1 MW total power coupled to beam,
90% minimum rf-to-beam-power coupling efficiency, costing less than $1.50/watt
fully dressed (including couplers, cryostat, cryocoolers, magnetic and thermal
shields); or
ii. superconducting rf, 10 MeV total voltage gain, 1 MW total power coupled to
beam, 90% minimum rf-to-beam-power coupling efficiency, costing less than
$3.00/watt full dressed (including couplers, cryostat, cryocoolers, magnetic and
thermal shields); or
iii. normal conducting rf, 1 MeV total voltage gain, 1 MW total power coupled to
beam, 90% minimum rf-to-beam-power coupling efficiency, costing less than
$0.50/watt fully dressed (including couplers, vacuum enclosure, cooling systems).
The voltage gain and coupled power requirements may be met by using multiple
accelerating cavities, but the cost metric then applies to the entire system. A detailed
estimate of the accelerator structure’s production cost must be included in
Appendix 7 to support claims that the cost metric will be met; applications lacking
this supporting documentation may be declined without review. Note that in all
cases, the cost metric does not include the cost of rf power generation and transmission
to the accelerator, nor does it include peripheral systems such as the electron source,
beam focusing and delivery, controls and diagnostics, shielding enclosures, etc. At a
minimum, the prototype accelerator structure must be experimentally demonstrated to
work at the required duty factor, at full accelerating voltage, without beam, but with
performance characteristics that are consistent with accelerating 1 MW of beam. There
is particular interest in rf accelerators operating at frequencies that are in widespread
use at the large SC accelerators7.
The High-Power Electron Accelerator Technology program of this NOFO includes initial
R&D to identify promising technical avenues for developing very high-power electron
accelerators of the four types discussed above. It does not include the engineering and
construction of full-scale accelerator installations for any of the four types during this initial
phase. Applications to develop a full-scale accelerator installation are out of the scope of this
NOFO and will be declined without review.
To meet the teaming requirement, applications under this Track 1 topic area are strongly
encouraged to include significant participation from each of the following: (1) an
institution with technical leadership in a relevant accelerator technology, (2) an institution
with technical experience in applying accelerator technology to the energy or environmental
7 See https://science.osti.gov/user-facilities/user-facilities-at-a-glance/.
16

---

application proposed, and/or (3) a domestic company currently marketing related
technology. Applications lacking significant participation in either of these two areas may
score poorly under merit review.
Workshops were conducted to identify the accelerator technology research directions with
the potential for high impact in E&E applications. Workshops relevant to this topic area
include:
• Workshop on Energy and Environmental Applications of Accelerators, Edited by
Stuart Henderson and Thomas Waite, (2015).
https://science.osti.gov/~/media/hep/pdf/accelerator-rd-
stewardship/Energy_Environment_Report_Final.pdf .
• Accelerators for America’s Future, Edited by Walter Henning and Charles Shank,
(2009). https://science.osti.gov/~/media/hep/pdf/accelerator-rd-
stewardship/Report.pdf.
(d) Compact Accelerator Technologies for Security and Medicine
Technical Contact: Eric Colby, (301)-903-5475, Eric.Colby@science.doe.gov
Accelerators are used as sources of high-energy x-rays and electrons for a variety of
applications in security and medicine. Many of these applications can be significantly
impacted in the near term by translating advanced component and system technologies
from scientific research labs towards commercial applications and by developing use-
inspired benchtop demonstrators in the next 3-6 years. For some applications, the
adjustability of an accelerator source (in energy, energy spectrum, beam current, and power)
could offer important performance gains. Similarly, the time structure of such a source
could allow noise reduction and/or time resolved measurements. For some applications, the
presently available source is a radioactive isotope-filled capsule, which poses a security risk.
This group of applications have some general technological requirements in common which
include the following:
• Compactness of the source
Often 10 x 10 x 30cm or less (including the electron source, accelerator,
o
target/convertor, but not including supporting equipment)
• Primary (electron) beam energies in the <10 MeV range
Although some applications call for much more to produce narrowband x-rays
o
• A wide range of energy adjustability
Typically by at least a factor of two (2), often by a factor of 10 or more
o
Often on a shot-by-shot basis
o
• A wide range of current adjustability
Typically by two to four (2 – 4) orders of magnitude
o
Often on a shot-by-shot basis
o
• Moderate primary beam power
Many applications are in the 50 W-500 W range, but some battery-powered
o
17

---

applications require 1 W, and several other applications require 1 kW or more
• Robustness and reliability
Most applications need a source that can be used for thousands of hours without
o
expert intervention
• Cost Competitiveness
Most applications require an overall source cost (including power supplies,
o
cooling, controls, etc.) of less than $1M, some applications require total source
cost < $100K.
18

---

The general requirements for high power electron accelerators for security and medical
applications were identified at a 2019 workshop (see references below) and can be grouped
into four basic types of accelerators, summarized in Table 4.
Table 4. Four types of compact electron accelerators to drive advanced security and
medical applications
Type I Type II Type III Type IV
General Ultra-low Power Low- to Moderate- Moderate- to High-
High Energy
Type Portable Power Power
Example Emergency Portable Conventional Secondary Screening NRF, Ptychography,
Radiotherapy, (SS), High Energy XFEL, MPS for
Applications Response
Radiography, Down well Density Physics (HEDP), screening, MPS for
(DW), Chip & Circuit Non-Destructive Testing radiography
Inspection (CCI), (NDT)
Electronic
Brachytherapy (eB),
FLASH-RT (FRT)
including VHEE, Pre-
clinical RT Machines
(PCRT)
Energy 0.3-4 MeV Photons: 0.1-14 MeV 0.1-10 MeV 6-1500 MeV
Electrons: Up to 250
Tuning
MeV
Range
Beam Power 1 W eB: 50 W HEDP: 500 W 100 W
FRT, CCI, DW: 100 W NDT, SS: 1000 W
Others: 300-500 W
Desired 10x10x30 cm eB: 1x1x1 cm SS, HEDP:10x10x60 NRF, Screening :
10x10x60 cm
Maximum NDT, DW: cm
Ptychography:
Size 10 Dx22 L cm
20x20x250 cm
(accelerator PCRT 20x20x25 cm X FEL: <10 m long
only) Others:
10x10x60 cm
Special LER: <12 kg, eB: Can be Inspection: Spot NRF: 1-7 MVp tuning
range
Features battery power, <300 sterilized size <1 micron
XFEL: <5 micron spot
W Inspection: 50
size, <50 fs pulse length
HER: <50 kg, line micron spot size Ptychography: 0.5-4
power, <1.2 kW Down well: 200 C micron spot size, 0.1%
energy spread
operation
Target <$100k eB: <$600k <$1M XFEL, ptychography:
Capital Cost NDT, Down well: <$20M
<$200k
Others: <$1M
• Ultra-low Power Portable systems – designed primarily for emergency response to
perform radiography on either moderate density or high-density objects. These
systems must be man-portable, rely on either battery power or limited line power,
and be low cost. Beam energies range from a few hundred kilovolts to 4 MeV at less
than a watt of beam power to provide broadband (i.e., bremsstrahlung) photons from
300 kVp-4 MVp.
• Low- to Moderate-Power systems – designed to provide either electron beams up
to 250 MeV for cancer therapy, or to provide higher fluence photon sources in the
19

---

100 kVp-14 MVp range. Beam power requirements range from 50 Watts to more than
500 W to provide the necessary fluence. Some uses require ultracompact formats—
for example electronic brachytherapy sources must fit in an endoscope, and down-
well source must fit in a 10 cm bore. For cancer therapy dose control must be very
precise (2%), for still other applications spectral agility is important.
• Moderate- to High-Power systems – designed to provide high- to very-high-flux
photon sources for high-speed inspection of dense objects, sterilization of medical
devices, food, and sterilize harmful insects. Photon energies in the 300 kVp-10 MVp
range are needed, with beam powers ranging from 500 Watts to more than 1 kW to
provide the necessary fluence.
• High Energy systems – designed to provide extremely narrowband and/or coherent
sources of photons. These devices are typically not bremsstrahlung sources but
require more complex radiation generation processes such as inverse Compton
scattering or undulator radiation to produce photons in the required energy range
and narrow bandwidth. These systems typically require energies on the order of
1 GeV and while beam power requirements are modest, beam quality becomes
critical.
The primary goals of the Compact Accelerator Technology program are to (1) develop the
enabling technologies that may ultimately lead to demonstration prototypes of one or more
of the principal types of compact electron accelerator needed for security and medical
applications, and to (2) enhance domestic industrial capability to produce the necessary
technologies.
(1) BASIC R&D ON COMPACT ACCELERATOR TECHNOLOGY
The Compact Accelerator Technology program is focused on use-inspired basic research to
produce the breakthroughs in technology necessary to make each of the four compact
accelerator types practical. Applications are sought in these two topical areas:
1. High gradient radiofrequency accelerator technology. Applications for
significant advances in normal conducting radiofrequency accelerator technology
meeting the challenging Space Weight and Power (SWaP) and cost requirements in
Table 4 are sought. The application must clearly define the R&D milestones and
technical pathway to meeting the energy, beam power, and SWaP requirements
defined for one of the accelerator types identified in Table 4 within 3-6 years. A
detailed estimate of the accelerator’s expected production cost must be included
in Appendix 7 to support claims that the cost metric will be met; applications
lacking this supporting documentation may be declined without review.
2. Efficient x-ray generation techniques. Innovations in electron-driven photon
generating technologies usable in the 60 kVp to 14 MVp range with significantly
improved electron-to-photon conversion efficiency (as compared to optimized
bremsstrahlung production) and improved spectral selectivity (e.g., <20% BW) are
sought in a compact device that will withstand the required input electron beam
20

---

power for one of the four types identified in Table 4.
[Design principles for “expert” accelerator control systems. This subtopic has
been superseded by DOE’s Genesis Mission (https://genesis.energy.gov/). No further
applications for AI/ML development for compact accelerators will be accepted.]
(2) DESIGN STUDIES FOR COMPACT ACCELERATOR SYSTEMS
Proposals submitted under this subtopic must be for design studies lasting no more than
1 year and requesting no more than $200,000. The product at the end of award period
must be the design report, which responds fully to all seven requirements listed below.
Proposals that include equipment costs or R&D costs (beyond the limited engineering
and simulation work needed to complete the design study) will be declined without
review.
a. Accelerator Designs for Compact Accelerator Systems. Compact
accelerators must meet all performance metrics for one or more of the
accelerator types listed in Table 4, and address application-specific
requirements identified by the Compact Accelerators workshop report (see
reference below). The product must be a report describing a conceptual
design with, at a minimum:
i. Physics calculations and simulations that support the e-beam
production, acceleration, and conversion to x-rays (unless for direct
e-beam applications such as VHEE or eB);
ii. Engineering calculations and simulations for key components (e.g.,
thermomechanical simulations of heat transport and thermal
expansion) including preliminary tolerance analysis for critical
parameters;
iii. A preliminary discussion of beam diagnostics and accelerator
controls needed for reliable turn-key operation;
iv. A discussion of radiation shielding, and anticipated maintenance
issues associated with any expected beam losses;
v. An estimate of the achievable uptime, and a discussion of staffing
requirements to operate and maintain the accelerators with high
availability;
vi. A preliminary analysis of the anticipated capital and operating costs
of a commercially produced accelerator based on the design;
vii. A narrative describing the R&D needed to realize the technical and
manufacturing advances necessary to put a viable commercial
product on the market.
The Compact Accelerator Technologies program of this Announcement includes initial
R&D to identify promising near-term technical avenues for developing compact electron
accelerators of the four types discussed above, and advanced radiation generating
21

---

techniques. It does not include the engineering and construction of full-scale accelerators
for any of the four types at this time. Applications to develop a full-scale accelerator are out
of the scope of this announcement and will be declined without review. Applications to
develop longer-term compact accelerator technologies will be declined if submitted to Track
1.
To meet the teaming requirement, applications under this Track 1 topic area are strongly
encouraged to include significant participation from all three of the following: (1) an
institution with technical leadership in a relevant accelerator technology, (2) an institution
with technical experience in applying accelerator technology to the security and/or medical
application proposed, and (3) a domestic company currently marketing closely related
security and/or medical technology. Applications lacking significant participation in any of
these three areas may score poorly under merit review.
Workshops were conducted to identify the accelerator technology research directions with
the potential for high impact on security and medical applications. Workshops relevant to
this topic area include:
• Basic Research Needs Workshop on Compact Accelerators for Security and Medicine,
Edited by Mike Fazio, Jeff Buchsbaum, and Suresh Pillai, (2019).
https://science.osti.gov/-/media/hep/pdf/Reports/2020/CASM_WorkshopReport.pdf.
• Accelerators for America’s Future, Edited by Walter Henning and Charles Shank,
(2009).https://science.osti.gov/~/media/hep/pdf/accelerator-rd-stewardship/Report.pdf.
Track 2: Collaborative Accelerator Research Teams (CARTs) for Long-Term
Generic Accelerator Research
Technical Contact: Eric Colby, 301-722-2148, Eric.Colby@science.doe.gov
NOTE: Track 2 is transitioning to multi-institution/multi-investigator awards in 2027.
Only terminal renewal applications for one year’s duration will be accepted this year to
permit existing investigators at organizations whose awards end in FY2026 to smoothly
transition to other funding sources. No new applications will be accepted for Track 2.
Background
The goal of the Collaborative Accelerator Research Team (CART) model is to create multi-
institutional collaborative research teams to tackle challenging, transformative issues in
accelerator science and technology. Interdisciplinary teams comprised of several institutions
are better able to tackle larger problems through synergistic exchange of knowledge and
sharing of capabilities, and to provide a broader range of professional development
opportunities.
CARTs will work on long-term generic accelerator R&D is basic research8 aimed at
8 Specifically, it is basic research that is not intended for a specific facility or construction project.
22

---

improving the theory, computational tools, and fundamental physical and technical
understanding of accelerator science needed for future accelerator-based user facilities.
CARTs will focus on cross-cutting issues of importance to all SC programs. It is expected
that CARTs will apply for additional funding from other sponsors to work on tasks of
specific programmatic interest to those sponsors.
Workforce development is expected to be an integral part of CARTs. Student education and
training should provide students with the full breadth of skills and experience needed to
succeed in a range of AS&T careers and thereby to preserve the corporate knowledge of the
field.
The use of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) methods and tools must be an
integral part of each CART’s work plan as the co-development of human and machine
learning is an essential outcome of these efforts9.
It is anticipated that one CART in each of the following five topic areas will be supported,
starting in FY 2027:
2.1 Advanced Beam Dynamics and Accelerator Control Systems – theory,
applied mathematics, and numerical simulations generally applicable to accelerator
science and technology; innovations in control systems and integration of AI/ML
techniques;
2.3 Emerging Accelerator and Radiation Concepts and Fundamental Physics
– advanced structure-based acceleration and radiation generation concepts; broadly
applicable techniques for achieving greater performance and/or lower cost;
2.4 Advanced Particle Sources – fundamental material science and innovative
concepts for cathodes, targets, and beam windows; new concepts for higher
brightness primary- and secondary-beam production;
2.5 Superconducting Magnets – fundamental material science for
superconducting wire and cable; new concepts and innovative designs for high field
magnets and associated cryogenic systems; and
2.6 Superconducting RF – material science leading to higher performance and
lower cost; advances in theory providing greater predictive power for new and
existing superconductor performance; advanced techniques for cavity fabrication and
cryogenic cooling.
9 See the Executive Order on “Launching the Genesis Mission”, November 24, 2025, and DOE’s website
https://genesis.energy.gov/.
23

---

Timeline for Implementing the CARTs
The call for proposals for CARTs will be made in next year’s (i.e., the FY 2027) NOFO. All
interested investigators are strongly encouraged to begin discussions with potential CART
collaborators now to develop a research mission, work scope, leadership and management
plan, possible resource allocation, and other implementation details.
Note that the time between the posting of the FY 2027 NOFO and deadline for mandatory
pre-applications will be just a few weeks. You are strongly encouraged to begin the process
of developing your CART work scope, team, and implementation long before the call is
posted. Submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) this year is a good first step and is highly
recommended.
Guidelines10, for purposes of preliminary discussions to form CARTs, are provided below:
1) The CART must define a mission and work scope within the five topic areas
identified above, aiming to have as transformative and broad an impact on the
fundamental concepts and methods needed for future accelerator-based user
facilities as possible within the resource limits of the award;
2) Workforce training must be an integral part of the CART’s activities and the
collaborating institutions should work together to provide as broad an educational
and research experience as possible;
3) Use of AI/ML tools to facilitate research must be an integral part of the work, with
development/advancement of AI/ML tools and methods being optional but highly
encouraged;
4) Support of up to $750k/year to $1.5M/year for each of 5 years (up to $3.5M to $7.5M
total award per CART11);
5) The lead and all first-tier subaward institutions must be academic institutions of
higher learning;
6) Each CART will be structured as a prime award with subawards, with the prime
submitting a single application to the FY 2027 call on behalf of the CART;
7) The lead institution must serve as both the intellectual and administrative lead of the
CART, and will be responsible for writing subcontracts to fund the remaining
members of the CART;
8) CARTS must have at least 3 institutions and 3 investigators, and should have no
more than 6 institutions and 8 investigators; and
9) Award continuation into the 4th and 5th years is contingent upon a successful in-
person progress review in year 3.
Actions to Take This Year
All applicants interested in being part of a CART should submit an LOI this year outlining
their research interests, proposed R&D questions, and capabilities. LOIs will be made
10 The stated parameters are subject to appropriated funding and administration priorities and may be revised.
11 Annual and total support amounts for CARTs will depend on work scope and available appropriations.
24

---

publicly available after the submission deadline to help investigators identify potential
collaborators for a possible application submission in the FY 2027 call.
If you have an active Track 2 award that ends in FY 2026, you may apply for a terminal
renewal award this year (FY 2026). Terminal renewals are awards of one year duration to
provide continuity to students, postdocs, and other personnel at risk of serious career
disruption when the current award ends and provide for a smooth transition to other
sources of funding (which may include becoming part of a CART award). If you want to
participate in a CART proposal, you should submit an LOI to this year’s call.
If you have an active Track 2 award that ends in FY 2027, you should use the next year
to complete your current award work scope and make a smooth transition to other sources
of funding (which may include becoming part of a CART award). If you want to participate
in a CART proposal, you should submit an LOI to this year’s call.
See Section IV.A for detailed instructions on writing the Letter of Intent.
Track 3: Accelerator Stewardship Test Facility Program
Technical Contact: Eric Colby, 301-722-2148, Eric.Colby@science.doe.gov
NOTE: Proposals are no longer accepted under the Track 3: Accelerator Stewardship
Test Facility Program. Track 3 has been superseded by the BeamNetUS program. Please
see https://BeamNetUS.org/ for information about participating beam facilities, their
capabilities, and how to apply for beam time. Pre-applications and applications
submitted under Track 3 will be administratively discouraged/declined.
Accelerator Development Subprogram
The central goal of Accelerator Development is to increase domestic availability of certain
critical accelerator technology by:
• engaging the expertise and facilities of the U.S. accelerator R&D ecosystem to enhance
knowledge and technology transfer to U.S. industry; and
• strengthening the accelerator technology and production capabilities of U.S. industry.
ARDAP supports proposals which aim to enhance domestic industrial strength in critical
accelerator technology areas, to drive U.S. innovation and reduce risk to new, upgraded, and
operating accelerator facilities over the next 10-20 years.
Track 4: Accelerator-Technology Sector Production Enhancement
Technical Contact: Eric Colby, eric.colby@science.doe.gov
Domestic availability of systems and components in the following accelerator technology
25

---

sectors is strategically important for current and future SC facilities:
1) Superconducting accelerator systems: cryogenic systems, superconducting wire
for high-field magnets; and superconducting RF cavities.
2) High-average-power RF systems, including improvements in power-handling
devices such as waveguide windows and couplers.
3) High-average-power ultrafast laser sources, high-power laser optics and high-
precision x-ray optics.
4) Accelerator controls and diagnostics: faster, higher-resolution charged-particle
and x-ray beam diagnostics, more sophisticated and automated control systems,
including AI/ML.
5) Advanced techniques for beam optics and beam cooling; advanced materials for
superconductivity and RF transmission, and advanced sensor technologies.
6) Very-high-brightness and high-current electron sources, high-intensity proton
and ion sources, and more robust megawatt-class targets for secondary beam
production.
Workshop reports defining accelerator research in support of applications of accelerators are
available at: https://science.osti.gov/ardap/Resources.
Merit review criteria for Track 4 are described in Section VI.B. Applications to Track 4
which are substantively academic in nature or otherwise do not focus on strengthening the
U.S. domestic accelerator ecosystem are unresponsive to the aims of this NOFO.
Track 4a: Accelerator Technology Sector Business Plans
Track 4a applications are no longer accepted. Pre-applications and applications
submitted under Track 4a will be administratively discouraged/declined.
Track 4b: Accelerator Technology Partnerships
Despite U.S. excellence in discovery and innovation, the accelerator development necessary
to convert new emerging technologies into U.S.-manufactured products remains a challenge
for individual companies, leading to accelerator technology supply chain vulnerabilities.
Accelerator Stewardship seeks to turn U.S.-based accelerator inventions into products made
by a skilled American workforce12, as well as to adapt certain foreign accelerator advances to
domestic products. Track 4b applications are sought for specific accelerator-related
manufacturing development that will result in strengthened domestic industrial capability
and supply chain risk reduction of broad interest across the SC laboratories and the
domestic accelerator industry.
12 Consistent with Executive Order 14005, “Ensuring the Future Is Made in All of America by All of America’s
Workers”, January 25, 2021. https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-02038
26

---

Of the six accelerator technology sectors listed above for Track 4, applications are sought for
the industrial manufacturing of:
1) REBCO, Bi-2212, or Nb Sn wire, cable, and high-field magnets;
3
2) High-efficiency, high-average-power RF power sources and power-handling devices;
materials for efficient RF transmission;
3) High damage threshold ultrafast laser optics and sources, high-precision x-ray optics;
4) High-intensity electron sources;
5) Superconducting RF cavities;
or for the industrial capability to develop and manufacture:
6) Cryogenic systems for accelerator applications below 20K.
Applications in other technology sectors or subtopics are not sought at this time and will be
deemed unresponsive.
Track 4b awards may be up to 24 months in duration and are renewable. Teaming
requirements apply to this track, see below.
A successful project in this Track will lead to an enhanced and durable U.S. production
capability of one or multiple key accelerator technologies demanded broadly across new,
upgraded, and operating Office of Science accelerator facilities on a decadal timescale and
provide technologies that support industrial applications of accelerators in medicine, clean
energy, environmental, security, and industry.
Successful applicants will propose partnerships between industry and DOE National
Laboratories that (1) transfer technology and know-how to industry, (2) advance the
technology’s manufacturing readiness level (MRL), and (3) preserve the resultant
manufacturing knowledge over the long term. While the focus is industry/DOE National
Lab partnerships, university partners may be added if appropriate for the selected
accelerator technology area, and applicants are encouraged to consider innovative
approaches. Partnerships are to be led by the industrial partner, with a focus on creating an
enhanced and durable U.S. production capability. Partnership should be chosen to best
address supply chain risks in full view of the current market conditions and the unique
capabilities of the private and public sectors.
Potential partnership elements could include:
Collaborative R&D involving private- and public-sector partners to jointly
o
develop technology and manufacturing know-how;
Design for Manufacturing with technology transfer from labs to private industry
o
including industrial engineering to reduce risk and cost in the manufacturing
process and making optimal use of advanced manufacturing techniques;
27

---

Vendor development and qualification through knowledge transfer in the
o
fabrication of components of increasing quality and complexity;
Provision of government-furnished equipment to industry; and
o
Industry use of laboratory facilities.
o
Ideally, the partnership allows each partner to collaboratively engage in pre-competitive
development of the technology.
A successful project will lead to an equitable sharing of developed intellectual property (IP)
between industry and the Government. Federally-owned IP will be available to all domestic
industrial entities, even those outside the partnership, although entities that are in the
partnership would likely develop a significant competitive advantage due to their own
investments in the technology development, and synergies from those investments, if any.
Successful applications will address the following issues, in the context of new, upgraded,
and operating Office of Science accelerator facilities:
1) The current state of domestic production of this technology, and why the market
does not meet future needs;
2) What domestic capability would be established or enhanced, and which facilities
or projects this capability would impact;
3) The detailed description of the partnership: roles, responsibilities, technology
transfer including intellectual property, partnership management, and
intellectual property handling;
4) How this capability will become sustainable, such that the direct or indirect
market will be large enough to maintain the capability, or whether continued
long-term Federal funding will be needed;
5) How this partnership preserves future domestic competition in this topical area;
and
6) Whether other critical factors, not listed above, would impact the viability of the
eventual industry or partnership, e.g., regulatory issues, and how they can be
addressed.
Partnership projects may have a two-year renewal cycle, contingent on final project reviews
that will ensure the Federal investment in the partnership structure is appropriate. Metrics
for the renewal decision will include (1) impact on future accelerator projects; (2) ability for
the developed capability to be sustainable and the level of long-term Federal investment, if
any; (3) equitable Federal ownership of developed IP; and (4) maintaining a fair playing
field for newcomers in the domestic industry.
Specifically not of interest are applications that: (1) are purely academic in nature, (2)
propose a partnership which is symbolic and has little utility to the project, or (3) would lead
to a decrease in market competitiveness. Applications of these types are unresponsive and
28

---

will be declined without review.
Annual Meetings
PIs should plan on traveling to the Washington, DC area for a four-day annual PI meeting.
Reasonable travel expenses should be included in the proposed budget.
Teaming Arrangements
Teaming arrangements are fundamental to all Tracks in this NOFO and are required for all
applications. Teams must be composed of institutions with the breadth of research,
engineering, and development expertise necessary for the work scope.
Multi-Institutional Teams
SUBAWARDS13
Multi-institutional teams must submit one application from a designated lead institution
with all other team members proposed as subrecipients.
DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) National Laboratories14, other
Federal agencies, and another Federal agency’s FFRDCs15, if participating in a team led by
another institution, may be proposed as subrecipients. Note that the value of any such
proposed subaward may be removed from any such prime award: DOE may make separate
awards to Federally affiliated institutions.
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS
The lead institution is expected to lead the proposed work, to conduct a substantial portion
of the work scope, and therefore to have the largest budget among the lead and
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
13 Subawards are made to subrecipients. Both terms are defined in 2 CFR 200.1 (https://www.ecfr.gov)
14 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.
15 An authoritative list of all Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) may be found at
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ffrdclist/
29

---

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.
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
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
30

---

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
C. Award Contribution to Goals and Objectives
Awards resulting from this NOFO are intended to increase our understanding of scientific
phenomena, advance the state of particle accelerator (and related) technology, and to
strengthen domestic suppliers of accelerator technology.
D. Performance Goals
You will be expected to demonstrate progress toward increasing and disseminating
knowledge, preparing the next generation of skilled workforce, and supporting technology
transfer (where appropriate). Preparing and submitting periodic progress reports is required
of all awardees.
F. Program Unallowable Costs
You must apply the cost principles of 2 CFR 200, as supplemented 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
Section 10109 of Public Law 117-167, CHIPS and Science Act of 2022
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
31

---

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.
You can find specific information about awards made under the Accelerator Stewardship
and Accelerator Development subprograms at https://science.osti.gov/ardap/Funding-
Opportunities/Awarded-RD-Activities.
I. Other Information
ANTICIPATED AWARD SIZE
The award size will depend on the number of meritorious applications and the availability
of appropriated funds.
Track 1: Maximum award size $3,000,000 (except for design studies, which are limited to
$200,000). Minimum award size $75,000.
Note: The ceiling and floor given above for Track 1 applications represents historical
experience. Past practice is not an obligation to stay within the historic ceiling and floor.
Track 2: Terminal renewals are tailored to the specific acute risks of each award and
generally do not exceed the funding level of the final year of the current award.
Track 4b: Maximum award size $2,000,000. Minimum award size $250,000.
Applications requesting more or less than the relevant maximum or minimum award size
may be declined without further review.
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE
The period of performance will depend on the number of meritorious applications, the
results of merit review, the program policy factors, and the availability of appropriated
funds.
Track 1 applications must not have a period of performance that is longer than 36 months.
Track 1 Design Studies must not have a period of performance that is longer than 12
months.
32

---

Track 2 Terminal renewals must not have a period of performance that is longer than 12
months.
Track 4b applications must not have a period of performance that is longer than 24 months.
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, multi-year awards made under this NOFO will
generally be made with budget periods that end on December 31st. Actual start dates and
cycle dates will 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.
Please develop your proposal budget using the Budget Period start dates and end dates listed
in the table below:
Award Duration  1-Year 2-Year 3-Year 5-Year
Budget Period Awards Awards Awards Awards
Date↓
Start of Award 9/1/26 9/1/26 9/1/26 9/1/26
End of B.P. 1 12/31/27 12/31/27 12/31/27
End of B.P. 2 12/31/28 12/31/28
End of B.P. 3 12/31/29
End of B.P. 4 12/31/30
End of Award 8/31/27 8/31/28 8/31/29 8/31/31
For multi-year awards, this means your Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR) are
due 90 days before the budget period ends, or October 1.
33

---

IV. Application Contents and Format
A. Preliminary Submissions
1. Letter of Intent (LOI)
A Letter of Intent is not required for FY 2026 Track 1, Track 2 terminal renewal, or Track 4
applications.
A Letter of Intent is recommended if you plan to apply for a Track 2 Collaborative
Accelerator Research Team (CART) award in FY 2027. See Section III.A for further details.
LETTER OF INTENT DUE DATE
The LOI due date is printed on the cover of this NOFO.
Submitted LOIs will be made public to advertise investigators’ interest in collaborating on a
CART application in FY 2027. LOIs will also be used by DOE to gauge interest in specific
topics and for program planning purposes. An LOI may be submitted by a single
investigator, by multiple investigators at the same institution, or by multi-institution teams
seeking additional partners.
The LOI should state your specific research interests (within the topic areas identified in
Section III.A), describe a 5-year research vision, outline relevant investigator and
institutional capabilities, and provide other pertinent information that will help other
interested investigators identify you as a potential collaborator. Include, at the top of the
first page, the following information:
Title of LOI
Topic number and name from Section III.A
PI Name, Job Title, Institution
PI Phone Number, PI Email Address
List of co-investigators and senior personnel (if appropriate)
The material listed here defines the minimum acceptable information on a title page.
Additional information may be provided at the applicant’s discretion.
Please review the guidelines of Section III.A as you prepare your LOI.
• The LOI should contain, at a minimum:
A statement of specific research interests.
o
 What questions do you foresee investigating in the next 5 years, if
funded to be part of a CART?
 What approach/methods do you propose?
34

---

 What would the CART’s transformative impact be, if successful?
What you offer to potential collaborators
o
 What expertise would you make available? At what level of effort?
 What capabilities would you make available?
 What workforce development opportunities would you make
available?
What you seek from potential collaborators
o
 Expertise, capabilities, workforce development opportunities, etc.
• Other recommended content for the LOI:
Initial ideas for how the CART might be managed (e.g., how to choose
o
research tasks, allocate resources, evaluate progress);
How the proposed CART research is synergistic with your other research
o
and/or workforce development efforts;
Potential for use and/or development of AI/ML during the research.
o
The LOI may not exceed two pages, when printed using standard letter-size (8.5-inch x 11-
inch) paper with 1-inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right). The body text font must not
be smaller than 11-point. Figures and references, if included, must fit within the two-page
limit.
The LOI must be machine-readable. Do not submit a scanned image of a printed document.
LOI PUBLICATION
Submitted LOIs will be made publicly available at https://science.osti.gov/hep/Funding-
Opportunities to increase community awareness of investigators who are seeking to
collaborate on a CART application.
The absence of an LOI will not negatively affect the review of a CART application submitted
to the FY 2027 call.
LOI SUBMISSION
LOIs are created in the software system of your choice and must be submitted via email to
Eric Colby at eric.colby@science.doe.gov.
Do not submit an LOI through the DOE SC Portfolio Analysis and Management System
(PAMS) website https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov/. You cannot draft or edit an LOI in
PAMS. Do not submit an LOI through FedConnect or Grants.gov.
Do not follow the instructions about how to submit an LOI in Section IX of this NOFO.
35

---

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 for all FY 2026 Track 1, Track 2 terminal renewal, or Track 4
applications 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 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:
Title of Pre-application
Principal Investigator Name, Job Title
[Lead] Institution
PI Phone Number, PI Email Address
NOFO Number: Include the NOFO Number indicated on the cover of this NOFO
Include a list of all senior/key personnel at the applicant institution.
Include a list of all senior/key personnel at the applicant and team member institutions.
List the Track # and Topic #, as defined in Section III
The material listed here defines the minimum acceptable information on a title page.
Additional information may be provided at the applicant’s discretion.
This information must be followed by a clear and concise description of the objectives and
technical approach of the proposed research.
Proposed Research: What will be accomplished? What methods will be used? Why is the
approach superior to existing approaches?
36

---

Stewardship or Development Customer: Who, specifically, is the stakeholder for this
work? What specific evidence is there that the proposed work addresses a priority need of
the stakeholder?
Statement of Work: At a high level, what are the main tasks to be accomplished?
Description of results, products: What scientific and/or technical advances will result?
How will the results be a significant advance over existing knowledge or techniques? How
will the results be captured (scientific papers, prototypes, patents, software packages, etc.)?
Teaming and Management Plan: With whom do you plan to team? What unique
advantages does your group or team have? How do the group/team participants reflect the
range of skills needed to complete the proposed research? How will the effort be managed?
Cost, Schedule, and Milestones: Provide a high-level description of the cost, schedule,
and major milestones of the proposed work. A summary table, similar to the example below,
is required (add columns if needed):
Institution Task Main Tasks & Yr 1 [k$] Yr 2 [k$] Yr 3 [k$]
Lead Milestones
University X R. Doe Complete design 30 10 10
simulations of widget.
Simulation support
during testing.
S. Jones Engineer and build 170 120 10
widget.
Laboratory Y T. Smith Consult during design 10 50 120
phase.
Test prototype widget at
test facility Q.
Company Z U. Brown Consult during design 20 50 130
phase. Design initial
marketable version of
widget.
Total 230 230 270
The pre-application may not exceed two 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 must not be
smaller than 11 point. Figures and references, if included, must fit within the two-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.
37

---

A pre-application that does not include the listing of conflicted individuals will receive
a “discourage” response.
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, with Excel format strongly preferred. Do not
submit a scanned image of a printed document.
PRE-APPLICATION REVIEW
Those pre-applications that are encouraged will be used to help SC begin planning for the
application peer review process. SC’s intent in discouraging submission of certain
applications is to save the time and effort of applicants in preparing and submitting
applications not responsive to this NOFO.
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 be submitted by a PI or by other users at the PI’s institution with the
“Submit to DOE” privilege in PAMS.
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.
38

---

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.
C. Component Pieces of the Application
LETTERS OF COLLABORATION OR ACCESS
Letters from collaborators or from institutions providing access to data, models, software,
equipment and/or facilities may be appended to your Project Narrative and are not
considered part of the Project Narrative’s page limit. Please ensure that letters from
collaborators or from institutions providing 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.
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 Assurances16. Applicants are
bound by their representations and certifications in SAM.gov.
16 No separate form or submission is required for the Certifications and Assurances.
39

---

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)
DOE will accept only new or renewal applications under this NOFO. Information about
how to distinguish between new and renewal applications is located in Section IX. DOE will
only accept renewal applications under Track 2.
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. If the application requests a significant change in the
scope of work, please consult with the Program contact identified in this NOFO to
determine if the application should be considered new or a renewal.
Note that DOE/NNSA National Laboratories may only submit new applications under this
NOFO. National Laboratories requesting additional support and time for an existing activity
must include a list of all publications resulting from the existing activity as an Appendix to
the Project Narrative.
SC does not make use of the Resubmission or Continuation options.
40

---

Applications for supplemental support of an existing award should be marked as “Revision.”
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.
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.
41

---

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:
• The project title, the PI name and the PI’s institutional affiliation, and any
coinvestigators and their institutional affiliations. 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 body text font
must not be smaller than 11-point. 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
42

---

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.
• DOE/SC Program Office:
• DOE/SC Program Office Technical Contact:
• DOE Award Number (if Renewal Application):
• PAMS Pre-application tracking number:
• Track # and Topic #, as defined in Section III
• Include a table modeled on the following chart providing summary budget information from
all collaborating institutions. Provide the total costs of the budget request in each year for each
institution and totals for all rows and columns. Include the value of any institutional
commitment being offered. If necessary, modify the table below for the correct number of
years.
Name and Yearly Budget for Applications with Multiple
Institutions
Name Institutio Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total Institutiona
n Budget Budget Budget Budget l
Commitme
nt
Lead
PI
Co-
PI
Co-
PI
Co-
PI
SAMPLE BUDGET TABLE
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
43

---

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.
PROJECT NARRATIVE (FIELD 8 ON THE FORM)
The Project Narrative must not exceed the page limits given in the table below,
including 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 body text font of all main text must
not be smaller than 11 point.
Track Narrative Page Limit
Track 1 16 pages
Track 2 5 pages
Track 3 Track 3 is closed
Track 4a Track 4a is closed
Track 4b 18 pages
Merit reviewers will only consider the number of pages specified in the table above. 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
44

---

and any prior research in this area, to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the state of the
science. The 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 particular parts of the project, and the time at which these
activities will take place.
Buy America Preference 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:
• 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 Preference applies and if they should consider the
application of the Buy America Preference 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 Preference.
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.
45

---

Narrative Format for Track 1: Accelerator Stewardship Topical Areas
Track 1 applications must not exceed 16 pages and must include the following sections,
with a recommended page length for each section indicated in braces:
A. {1 page} Background/Introduction. Explanation of the importance and relevance
of the proposed work as well as a review of the relevant literature. A brief description
of research activities conducted by the primary team members and their R&D groups,
including accomplishments and impacts made during the recent past (typically the
past three years), is also encouraged.
B. {6 pages} Proposed Research, Innovative Claims, Technical Rationale, and
Approach. If appropriate, identify the hypotheses to be tested and details of the
methods to be used. This section should describe the scientific and technical
challenges, unique approach(es), and potential anticipated technical solutions in the
topical area that will be addressed. Applications should clearly explain the technical
approach(es) that will be employed and provide ample justification for their
feasibility. This section should demonstrate that the applicant has a clear
understanding of the state-of-the-art, and it should provide sufficient technical details
to permit complete evaluation of the feasibility of the approach. Additionally,
comparison with other ongoing research efforts should be provided indicating
advantages and disadvantages of the proposed effort.
C. {2 pages} Program Plan & Risk Assessment. A narrative explaining the explicit
timelines, milestone achievements, and quantitative metrics by which progress
toward the goals can be evaluated. The proposed period of performance of the overall
program, and each program phase, should be clearly stated. The narrative should
include a specific plan detailing how all program metrics will be accurately assessed.
This section should also identify major technical risk elements specific to the
proposed approach, estimate the risk magnitude for each such element, and describe
specific plans to mitigate risk.
D. {1 page} Statement of Work. Clearly and concisely define the technical work to be
performed on a task-by-task basis, listing the durations and the dependencies among
the tasks. The statement of work must include a table defining the program metrics
to be applied.
For each task, provide the following:
• A general description of its objective.
• A detailed description of the approach to be taken to accomplish the objective.
• Identification of the primary organization responsible for task execution (prime,
sub, team member, by name, etc.).
• The completion criteria for each task/activity – a product, event, or milestone
46

---

that defines its completion.
E. {2 pages} Description of the Results, Products, Transferable Technology, and
Expected Technology Transfer Path. Summarize the objectives associated with the
proposed research and, where appropriate, the plans and capability to accomplish
technology transfer and commercialization. If this application has a commercial
product as the end goal, clearly describe the market opportunity. If intellectual
property rights will be reserved and assigned, describe the expected assignment of
such rights, the measures to be used to protect proprietary information, and include
relevant agreements in Appendix 6. See also Section IX for instructions on marking
proprietary information in the application.
F. {2 pages} Teaming and Management Plan. A clearly defined organization chart
for the program team that includes, as applicable: (1) the programmatic relationship
of the primary team member; (2) the unique capabilities of the primary team
members; (3) the task responsibilities of the primary team members; (4) the teaming
strategy among the team members; and (5) the key personnel along with the amount
of effort to be expended by each person during each year. Please include in Appendix
6: Other Attachment any formal teaming agreements that are required to execute this
plan. It is strongly recommended to have each named member of the collaboration
(PIs, Co-Is, and Senior Key/Personnel) verify that their PAMS information is up to
date.
G. {2 pages} Cost, Schedule, and Measurable Milestones for the Proposed
research, including estimates of cost for each task in each year of the effort, broken
down by the primes and major subcontractors, total cost, and any voluntary cost
sharing. (Note: Measurable milestones should capture key development points in
tasks and should be clearly articulated and defined in time relative to start of effort.)
Where the effort consists of multiple portions which could reasonably be partitioned
for purposes of funding, these should be identified as options with separate cost
estimates for each. Describe the institutional commitment being offered (see Section
II.B).
Narrative Format for Track 2: terminal renewals
Track 2 terminal renewal applications must not exceed 5 pages and must include the
following sections:
A. Background/Introduction: Explanation of the importance and relevance of the
proposed work as well as a review of the relevant literature. Describe the
application(s) that are most likely to be impacted by this work, citing prior
workshops, studies, white papers, or other documented evidence of the need for
47

---

[Document continues — 93 more pages]