DOE-FOA-002820 EM MSIPP Webinar 9-6-23.pdf

www.energy.gov/EM 1

Webinar for Funding Opportunity Announcement

(FOA) DE-FOA-0002820

September 6, 2023

Presented by:

Genia McKinley/Latrincy Bates – DOE-EM Program Leads

Nicholas Voiles – Grants Officer EMCBC

DOE-EM Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (MSIPP) http://www.energy.gov/EM

Discussion Items www.energy.gov/EM 2

• DOE-EM Background/History

• MSIPP Activities

• MSIPP FOA Topic Areas

• FOA Submission Guidelines

• Application Review Criteria

• Next Steps

• Questions

**Recording of this Webinar can be found here:

https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/docs/video/DOE- EM%20MSIPP%20FOA%20Webinar-20230906_113515- Meeting%20Recording.mp4 http://www.energy.gov/EM https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/docs/video/DOE-EM%20MSIPP%20FOA%20Webinar-20230906_113515-Meeting%20Recording.mp4 https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/docs/video/DOE-EM%20MSIPP%20FOA%20Webinar-20230906_113515-Meeting%20Recording.mp4 https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/docs/video/DOE-EM%20MSIPP%20FOA%20Webinar-20230906_113515-Meeting%20Recording.mp4

Mission

DOE Environmental Management Mission To complete the safe cleanup of the environmental legacy brought about from decades of nuclear development and government-sponsored nuclear energy research.

Current DOE EM Sites www.energy.gov/EM 4

Cleanup Progress

Since 1989, DOE has completed its cleanup mission at 91 of the 107 major nuclear sites and has reduced its footprint by 90% to less than 300 sq mi (777 sq km).

Washington

• Richland Operations Office

• Office of River Protection

Idaho Idaho Cleanup Project

Kentucky

• Paducah

South Carolina

• Savannah River Site

Tennessee

• Oak Ridge Reservation

Ohio Portsmouth

New York

• West Valley

• Separations Process Research

Unit

• Brookhaven

New Mexico

• EM Los Alamos Field Office

• Sandia

• Carlsbad

Utah

• Moab Site

Nevada

• EM Nevada

California

• Lawrence

Berkeley

• Lawrence

Livermore

• Energy

Technology

• Engineering

Center

MSIPP

Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program

• MSIPP promotes the education and development of the next generation workforce in critical science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related disciplines that compliment current and future missions of the DOE EM.

• DOE EM recognizes that successfully completing its legacy environmental cleanup mission requires maintaining a highly-trained, technically skilled, and diverse workforce. Minority representation in critical science and engineering fields is an important part of EM’s vision for this future workforce.

• MSIPP provides students and graduates of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) with hands-on education and experience by supporting collaborations between MSIs, EM Field Sites, and DOE National Laboratories.

www.energy.gov/EM 6

MSIPP Activities

MSIPP Activities

Competitive Research Awards

Internships DOE EM-MSIPP Program Page

Savannah River Environmental Sciences Field Station

Graduate Fellowship Program

Postdoctoral Fellows Program

STARS Fellows Program

FOA: Grant Awards -Technology, Curriculum and Professional Development Program -EM MSIs Shared Interest Research Partnership

FOA Topic Areas

Topic Areas Soil and Groundwater Remediation

Basic scientific research through experiential learning can include characterization and monitoring; stabilization, remediation and processing; and modeling, visualization, and analysis. The goal of the research and technology development activities is to deliver approaches and technologies from highly leveraged and strategic investments that maximize the reduction of risk and life-cycle cleanup costs.

Radioactive Tank Waste Stabilization, Treatment, and Disposal The DOE EM has approximately 88 million gallons of liquid waste stored in underground tanks and approximately 4,000 cubic meters of solid waste derived from the liquids stored in bins. Efforts currently focus on improving pre-treatment to reduce the amount of waste that must be disposed, retrieval technologies, vitrification performance, and breakthrough immobilization technologies.

Cybersecurity, Robotics, and Computer Science The DOE EM understands how important it is to ensure cybersecurity, robotics, and computer science including artificial intelligence, machine learning that can enhance operation across all DOE EM sites. Because of this, DOE is advancing mitigation and resilience measures to protect infrastructure, looking towards remote operation for safety and efficiency, and the digital supply chain to optimize performance. EM is supporting these efforts by working closely with MSIs to develop and enhance robotics, computer science, and cybersecurity security curriculum.

MSIPP Funding Opportunity Announcement

Preferences Partnership among MSIs in your state

Partnering with MSIs close to DOE EM Field Sites

DOE EM mission related activities

Partnering with DOE Field Sites and National Laboratories and identify roles

Clearly identify workforce development efforts and linkages to the DOE workforce development goals

Clearly identify risks or challenges, mitigation strategies, and show the impact that EM funding and the proposed project would have on the relevant field and application

Reminder that the focus of potential grant awards is STEM curriculum and workforce development for EM, not research and development

The awards resulting from the FOA will focus on enhancing Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) programs to help foster a sustainable and diverse DOE EM Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce pipeline.

The awards will also aid in promoting the development of a nationally engaged scientific and engineering workforce that will lead to future career pathways in the DOE EM complex for underrepresented groups.

MSIPP Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)

MSIPP Funding Opportunity Announcement

Submission Guidelines

• Two-Step FOA

– Second Step: Full Application (see FOA pages 15-25)

• $24,500,000 total Value

– Multiple awards expected from $1M-$5M

– 12 to 36-month project periods

Submission Guidelines Cont’d.

• Submit all Full Applications to: https://www.grants.gov/

• Submission deadline is September 19, 2023 by 5:00 PM ET.

• Applicants are encouraged to submit early to avoid technical or system errors.

The Full Application must conform to the following requirements:

• Each must be submitted in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) format unless stated otherwise;

• Each must be written in English;

• All pages must be formatted to fit on 8.5 x 11-inch paper with margins not less than one inch on every side. Use Times New Roman typeface, a black font color, and a font size of 12 point or larger (except in figures or tables, which may be 10-point font). A symbol font may be used to insert Greek letters or special characters, but the font size requirement still applies. References must be included as footnotes or endnotes in a font size of 10 or larger. Footnotes and endnotes are counted toward the maximum page requirement; and

• Each submission must not exceed the specified maximum page limit, including cover page, charts, graphs, maps, and photographs when printed using the formatting requirements set forth above and single spaced. If applicants exceed the maximum page lengths indicated below, EM will review only the authorized number of pages and disregard any additional pages.

REQUIRED APPLICATION DOCUMENTS (See FOA pages 20-24 for contents)

1) Technical Volume and Statement of Project Objectives: This shall outline all goals, objectives, and associated resources necessary for the project period.

2) Resumes

3) Completed Application for Federal Assistance SF-424

4) Completed SF-424A, Budget Information Form for Non-Construction Programs

5) Budget Narrative/Justification: This shall include all cost support information including salary support, quotations and/or basis of estimates for supplies/equipment, subaward quotations, and Indirect Cost Rate Agreements etc.

6) Budget Justification Workbook in Excel Format

7) Completed/Signed Financial Assistance Certifications and Assurances https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/CERTSASSURANCESSF424.pdf

Component File Format

Page Limit File Name

Technical Volume and Statement of Project Objectives

PDF 50 RecipientNameTechnicalVolume

Resumes PDF 2 pages each

Resumes

SF-424 PDF n/a App424 SF-424 A PDF n/a App424A Budget Narrative PDF n/a Budget_Narrative

Budget Justification Workbook MS Excel n/a Budget_Justification Subrecipient Budget Justification

MS Excel n/a Subrecipient_Budget_Justification

Financial Assistance Certifications and Assurances

PDF n/a Certifications and Assurances

Application Review Criteria

Criteria 1: Technical merit and the educational benefits of the proposed work related to the DOE-EM mission (50%)

Criteria 2: Competency of Offerors Personnel and Adequacy of Proposed Resources (25%)

Criteria 3: Degree to which there is MSI collaboration with other MSI’s and with a DOE National Laboratory and/or DOE- EM Field Site (25%)

Cost/Price Criteria: Reasonableness and Appropriateness of the Proposed Budget

**See FOA pages 34-36 for more info

Next Steps

• Full applications will be evaluated in accordance with criteria listed in FOA (see prior slide)

• Based on the full application evaluation results, applicants will be provided a select or non-select notification (tentatively Dec 2023 timeframe)

• Grant awards are expected to be made in the first quarter of CY 2024

• Submit questions to MSIPP-FOA@emcbc.doe.gov mailto:MSIPP-FOA@emcbc.doe.gov

Questions

Q1: Is there a designated/estimated start date that DOE-EM would like us to use?

A1: January 1, 2024.

Q2: Does each subaward needs to complete an SF-424A budget form?

A2: Subawards valued at $250,000 or more should include an SF-424A. Subawards below that threshold can be included in the prime recipient’s SF-424A and Excel spreadsheet.

Q3: Does each subaward need to provide an Excel budget justification workbook, or just the lead institution?

A3: The subaward costs can be detailed on either the prime recipient’s spreadsheet or as a separate budget justification workbook provided by the subrecipient.

Q4: Is there a DOE-formatted workbook that we should use?

A4: No, DOE does not have a formatted/template workbook.

Q5: Can an Excel template of our own creation be used?

A5: Yes, you can use an Excel template of your own creation.

Q6: Can the budget(s) be one sheet/tab rather than multiple tabs as noted in the solicitation?

A6: As stated in the FOA, the Excel budget justification workbook shall include a tab for each year of the project, plus a summary tab that includes all years. The Excel workbook should detail all proposed cost elements (i.e. direct labor, fringe benefits, materials, equipment, travel, indirect costs etc.).

Q7: Is the purchase of computational equipment (AI servers) for education programs allowable for this proposal?

A7: There is no restriction on computational equipment (AI servers) in an application as long as the equipment is necessary for successful completion of the project objectives and success of the potential Grant award.

Q8: If a proposed program will have summer internships at the collaborating DOE National Labs, please advise how the proposal needs to assign internship budget for payment to students, airfares, etc.

A8: Summer internship and travel costs that are related to Grant objectives are allowable costs. However, please ensure that the students are not also being funded otherwise through the DOE National Labs.

Questions?

MSIPP QR Codes

DOE EM-MSIPP LinkedIn Page DOE EM-MSIPP Program Page