IGNIITE 2026 CP NOFO.pdf

Questions about this NOFO? Check the Frequently Asked Questions available at https://arpa-e.energy.gov/faqs. For questions that have not already been answered, email ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov (with NOFO name and number in subject line). Problems with ARPA-E eXCHANGE? Email ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov (with NOFO name and number in subject line).

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY—ENERGY (ARPA-E)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

INSPIRING GENERATIONS OF NEW INNOVATORS TO IMPACT

TECHNOLOGIES IN ENERGY 2026 (IGNIITE 2026)

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

Notice of Funding Opportunity No. DE-FOA-0003624 Assistance Listing Number 81.135

NOFOs are posted on ARPA-E eXCHANGE (https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/), Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/), and FedConnect (https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/). Any modifications to the NOFO are also posted to these websites. You can receive an e-mail when a modification is posted by registering with FedConnect as an interested party for this NOFO. It is recommended that you register as soon as possible after release of the NOFO to ensure that you receive timely notice of any modifications or other announcements.

https://arpa-e.energy.gov/faqs mailto:ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov mailto:ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/

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AR-311-05.25

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BASIC INFORMATION.......................................................................................................... - 5 - I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION .............................................................. - 6 -

A. AGENCY OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................ - 6 - B. PROGRAM OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................... - 8 - C. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................... - 8 - D. TECHNICAL AREAS OF INTEREST ................................................................................... - 9 - E. IGNIITE ANNUAL PROGRAM ......................................................................................... - 9 - F. STATEMENT OF RESEARCH OVERSIGHT ...................................................................... - 10 - G. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS ............................................................................................... - 10 -

1. ALLOWABLE COSTS ................................................................................................. - 10 -

2. PRE-AWARD COSTS ................................................................................................. - 10 -

3. PATENT COSTS ........................................................................................................ - 11 -

4. CONSTRUCTION ....................................................................................................... - 11 -

5. FOREIGN TRAVEL .................................................................................................... - 11 -

6. PERFORMANCE OF WORK IN THE UNITED STATES.................................................. - 11 -

7. PURCHASE OF NEW EQUIPMENT ............................................................................. - 11 -

8. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND OUTREACH .............................................................. - 12 -

9. LOBBYING................................................................................................................ - 12 -

10. CONFERENCE SPENDING ......................................................................................... - 12 -

11. INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COSTS ........................................... - 13 -

12. BUY AMERICA REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS .............. - 13 -

13. REQUIREMENT FOR FINANCIAL PERSONNEL .......................................................... - 14 -

14. PARTICIPANTS, COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS, AND CURRENT AND PENDING

SUPPORT ............................................................................................................................ - 14 -

II. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION .................................................................................. - 15 - A. ELIGIBLE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS ......................................................................... - 15 - B. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS .................................................................................................. - 15 -

1. FOREIGN PARTICIPATION CONSIDERATIONS .......................................................... - 16 - C. COMPLIANCE AND RESPONSIVENESS ............................................................................ - 16 - D. LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF SUBMISSIONS .................................................................. - 16 - E. COST SHARING .............................................................................................................. - 16 -

III. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT ........................................................... - 17 - A. GENERAL APPLICATION CONTENT REQUIREMENTS ................................................... - 17 -

1. MARKING OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION .......................................................... - 17 -

2. EXPORT CONTROL INFORMATION ........................................................................... - 17 -

B. CONCEPT PAPERS .......................................................................................................... - 18 -

1. FIRST COMPONENT: CONCEPT PAPER ................................................................... - 18 -

2. SECOND COMPONENT: SUMMARY SLIDE ................................................................ - 18 -

3. THIRD COMPONENT: LETTER OF SUPPORT ............................................................ - 19 -

4. FOURTH COMPONENT: TRANSCRIPT ...................................................................... - 19 -

C. FULL APPLICATIONS ..................................................................................................... - 19 -

1. FIRST COMPONENT: TECHNICAL VOLUME ............................................................ - 20 -

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2. SECOND COMPONENT: SF-424 .............................................................................. - 20 -

3. THIRD COMPONENT: BUDGET JUSTIFICATION WORKBOOK/SF-424A ................... - 20 -

4. FOURTH COMPONENT: SUMMARY FOR PUBLIC RELEASE ...................................... - 21 -

5. FIFTH COMPONENT: SUMMARY SLIDE ................................................................... - 21 -

6. SIXTH COMPONENT: BUSINESS ASSURANCES & DISCLOSURES FORM ................... - 21 -

7. SEVENTH COMPONENT: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES (BIOSKETCH) ........................ - 21 -

8. EIGHTH COMPONENT: CURRENT, PENDING, AND PAST SUPPORT .......................... - 22 -

9. NINTH COMPONENT: TRANSPARENCY OF FOREIGN CONNECTIONS ....................... - 24 -

D. REPLIES TO REVIEWER COMMENTS ............................................................................. - 24 - IV. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES.............................................. - 26 -

A. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SAM REGISTRATION ............................................. - 26 - B. USE OF ARPA-E EXCHANGE .................................................................................... - 26 - C. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS CHECKLIST AND DEADLINES ................................................ - 28 - D. COMPLIANCE ................................................................................................................. - 29 - E. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) APPLICATION USE ................................................... - 29 - F. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW ................................................................................... - 30 -

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION .............................................................. - 31 - A. RESPONSIVENESS ........................................................................................................... - 31 - B. REVIEW CRITERIA ........................................................................................................ - 31 -

1. CRITERIA FOR CONCEPT PAPERS ............................................................................ - 32 -

2. CRITERIA FOR FULL APPLICATIONS ........................................................................ - 32 -

3. CRITERIA FOR REPLIES TO REVIEWER COMMENTS ................................................ - 33 -

C. PROGRAM POLICY FACTORS ........................................................................................ - 33 - D. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS .............................................................................. - 35 -

1. CONCEPT PAPERS .................................................................................................... - 35 -

2. FULL APPLICATIONS ............................................................................................... - 35 -

3. REPLY TO REVIEWER COMMENTS ........................................................................... - 35 -

4. PRE-SELECTION CLARIFICATIONS AND “DOWN-SELECT” PROCESS ...................... - 35 -

5. SELECTION FOR AWARD NEGOTIATIONS ................................................................. - 36 -

E. ARPA-E REVIEWERS .................................................................................................... - 36 - F. ARPA-E SUPPORT CONTRACTORS .............................................................................. - 36 - G. RISK REVIEW ................................................................................................................. - 37 -

H. DUE DILIGENCE REVIEW FOR RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC SECURITY - 37

VI. AWARD NOTICES AND AWARD TYPES ................................................................ - 39 - A. AWARD NOTICES ........................................................................................................... - 39 -

1. REJECTED SUBMISSIONS ......................................................................................... - 39 -

2. CONCEPT PAPER NOTIFICATIONS ........................................................................... - 39 -

3. FULL APPLICATION NOTIFICATIONS ....................................................................... - 39 -

A. SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS ....................................................................................... - 40 - B. POSTPONED SELECTION DETERMINATIONS ............................................................ - 40 - C. UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS .................................................................................. - 40 -

B. PRE-AWARD COSTS ....................................................................................................... - 40 - C. RENEWAL AWARDS ....................................................................................................... - 41 -

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D. FUNDING AGREEMENT TYPES....................................................................................... - 41 -

1. GRANTS ................................................................................................................... - 41 -

2. FUNDING AGREEMENTS WITH FFRDCS/DOE LABS, GOGOS, AND FEDERAL

INSTRUMENTALITIES ......................................................................................................... - 42 -

VII. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION .............................. - 43 - A. NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................. - 43 -

1. NATIONAL POLICY ASSURANCES ............................................................................. - 43 -

2. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT QUESTIONNAIRE ........................................................... - 43 -

B. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................... - 43 -

1. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PLAN AND DATA MANAGEMENT AND

SHARING PLAN .................................................................................................................. - 43 -

2. U.S. COMPETITIVENESS .......................................................................................... - 44 -

3. NONDISCLOSURE AND CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS REPRESENTATIONS ......... - 45 -

4. INTERIM CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ................ - 46 -

5. COMPLIANCE AUDIT REQUIREMENT ....................................................................... - 47 -

6. RESEARCH SECURITY TRAINING REQUIREMENT .................................................... - 47 -

7. FOREIGN COLLABORATION CONSIDERATIONS ........................................................ - 47 -

C. REPORTING .................................................................................................................... - 48 -

1. FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE ................................................................................... - 48 -

2. COMMERCIALIZATION PLAN AND SOFTWARE REPORTING ...................................... - 48 -

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION ........................................................................................... - 50 - A. TITLE TO SUBJECT INVENTIONS ................................................................................... - 50 - B. GOVERNMENT RIGHTS IN SUBJECT INVENTIONS ......................................................... - 51 -

1. GOVERNMENT USE LICENSE ................................................................................... - 51 -

2. MARCH-IN RIGHTS.................................................................................................. - 51 -

C. RIGHTS IN TECHNICAL DATA ....................................................................................... - 51 - D. PROTECTED PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ........................................... - 52 -

E. PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM ON SIMPLIFYING FUNDING OF ENERGY

INFRASTRUCTURE AND CRITICAL MINERAL AND MATERIAL PROJECTS .......................... - 53 -

IX. GLOSSARY..................................................................................................................... - 54 -

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BASIC INFORMATION

KEY DATES:

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Issue Date: April 23, 2026 Deadline for Concept Paper Questions to ARPA-E- CO@hq.doe.gov:

5 PM ET, May 19, 2026

Submission Deadline for Concept Papers: 9:30 AM ET, May 29, 2026 Anticipated Date for Invite / Not Invite Notifications: 5 PM ET, July 14, 2026 Deadline for Full Application Questions to ARPA-E- CO@hq.doe.gov:

5 PM ET, TBD

Submission Deadline for Full Applications: 9:30 AM ET, TBD Expected Reviewer Comment Release Date: 5 PM ET, TBD Submission Deadline for Replies to Reviewer Comments: 5 PM ET, TBD Anticipated Timeframe for Selection Notifications: September 2026 Anticipated Timeframe for Award: December 2026 Anticipated Period of Performance: December 2026–December

BASIC INFORMATION:

Total Amount to Be Awarded

Approximately $10 million, subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

Anticipated Number and Value of Awards

ARPA-E may issue one, multiple, or no awards under this NOFO. Individual awards may not exceed $500,000. Awardees may, at the discretion of the Director of ARPA-E, be selected to receive an additional $250,000 Director’s Award to continue project work started under the award.

Agency Contact Information

• Questions and answers (Q&As) about ARPA-E and this specific NOFO:

http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq.

• Send other questions about the NOFO to ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov.

• Send questions about use of ARPA-E eXCHANGE to

ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov.

Upon the issuance of a NOFO, only the Grants Officer via ARPA-E- CO@hq.doe.gov may communicate with applicants. This “quiet period” remains in effect until ARPA-E’s selection notification letters are distributed. Emails sent to other email addresses will be disregarded.

The objective of the Inspiring Generations of New Innovators to Impact Technologies in Energy (IGNIITE) 2026 program is to support early-career innovators seeking to convert disruptive and unconventional ideas into impactful new technologies across the full spectrum of energy applications. The program aims to empower these early-career scientists and engineers in becoming independent researchers and unleashing their creativity to address the urgent energy-related challenges our society currently faces. In addition to funding research efforts, IGNIITE 2026 will include dedicated events, meetings, and mentorship activities. This program will help ensure that the United States (U.S.) maintains its technological leadership in the development and deployment of advanced energy technologies.

mailto:ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov mailto:ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov mailto:ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov http://arpa-e.energy.gov/faq mailto:ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov mailto:ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov

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I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. AGENCY OVERVIEW

The Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–358), as further amended by the Energy Act of 2020 (Public Law 116–260).

ARPA-E issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under its authorizing statute codified at 42 U.S.C. § 16538.1 The NOFO and any cooperative agreements or grants made under this NOFO are subject to 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910.

ARPA-E funds research on, and the development of, transformative science and technology solutions to address the energy and environmental missions of the Department. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time in order to catalyze the translation from scientific discovery to early-stage technology. For the latest news and information about ARPA-E, its programs, and the research projects currently supported, see http://arpa-e.energy.gov/.

ARPA-E funds transformational research. Existing energy technologies generally progress on established “learning curves” where refinements to a technology and the economies of scale that accrue as manufacturing and distribution develop drive improvements to the cost/performance metric in a gradual fashion. This continual improvement of a technology is important to its increased commercial deployment and is appropriately the focus of the private sector or the applied technology offices within DOE. In contrast, ARPA-E supports transformative research that has the potential to create fundamentally new learning curves.

ARPA-E technology projects typically start with cost/performance estimates well above the level of an incumbent technology. Given the high risk inherent in these projects, many will fail to progress, but some may succeed in generating a new learning curve with a projected cost/performance metric that is significantly better than that of the incumbent technology.

ARPA-E will provide support at the highest funding level only for submissions with significant technology risk, aggressive timetables, and careful management of associated risk.

ARPA-E funds technology with the potential to be disruptive in the marketplace. The mere creation of a new learning curve does not ensure market penetration. Rather, the ultimate value of a technology is determined by the marketplace, and impactful technologies ultimately become disruptive—that is, they are widely adopted and displace existing technologies from the marketplace or create entirely new markets. ARPA-E understands that definitive proof of market disruption takes time, particularly for energy technologies. Therefore, ARPA-E funds the development of technologies that, if technically successful, have clear disruptive potential, e.g., by demonstrating capability for manufacturing at competitive cost and deployment at scale.

1 ARPA-E, Authorization (2026). https://arpa-e.energy.gov/about/arpa-e-at-a-glance/authorization.

http://arpa-e.energy.gov/ https://arpa-e.energy.gov/about/arpa-e-at-a-glance/authorization https://arpa-e.energy.gov/about/arpa-e-at-a-glance/authorization

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ARPA-E funds applied research and development (R&D). The Office of Management and Budget defines “applied research” as an “original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge…directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective” and defines “experimental development” as “creative and systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience, which is directed at producing new products or processes or improving existing products or processes.”2 Applicants interested in receiving financial assistance for basic research (defined by the Office of Management and Budget as “experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundations of phenomena and observable facts”) should contact the DOE’s Office of Science. Office of Science national scientific user facilities (http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/) are open to all researchers, including ARPA-E applicants and awardees. These facilities provide advanced tools of modern science including accelerators, colliders, supercomputers, light sources, and neutron sources, as well as facilities for studying the nanoworld, the environment, and the atmosphere. Projects focused on early-stage R&D for the improvement of technology along defined roadmaps may be more appropriate for support through the DOE applied energy offices, including the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI), the Office of Hydrocarbon and Geothermal Energy, the Office of Nuclear Energy, and the Office of Electricity.

ARPA-E encourages submissions stemming from ideas that still require proof-of-concept R&D efforts as well as those for which some proof-of-concept demonstration already exists.

Submissions can propose a project with the end deliverable being an extremely creative but partial solution.

2 Office of Management & Budget, OMB Circular A-11 (2025).

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/a11_web_toc.pdf.

http://science.energy.gov/ http://science.energy.gov/ http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/ http://science.energy.gov/user-facilities/ https://www.energy.gov/cmei/about-office-energy-efficiency-and-renewable-energy https://www.energy.gov/cmei/about-office-energy-efficiency-and-renewable-energy https://www.energy.gov/hgeo/hydrocarbons-and-geothermal-energy-office http://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy http://www.energy.gov/ne/office-nuclear-energy https://www.energy.gov/oe/office-electricity https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/a11_web_toc.pdf

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B. PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The IGNIITE 2026 program is designed to support a new cohort of early-career innovators to develop the most disruptive and unconventional ideas into transformative new technologies across the full spectrum of energy applications. This announcement is purposefully broad in technical scope, but eligibility is limited to early-career researchers as defined in Section II.A. In addition to research, awardees will engage with ARPA-E, fellow awardees, investors, and other government stakeholders through dedicated events, meetings, and mentorship activities.

Submissions to this solicitation must propose transformational R&D that has the potential for high impact. If successful, a project could create a new class or new trajectory for an energy technology, with the potential to substantially contribute to ARPA-E’s statutory goals (see Public Law 116–260).

Awards under this program may take the form of exploratory research that provides the agency with information useful for the subsequent development of focused technology programs.

Alternatively, awards may support proof-of-concept research for a particular new technology in an area not currently supported by the agency.

C. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The objective of IGNIITE is to support and accelerate the transformative technical progress led by early-career scientists and engineers, a cohort that is often the source of disruptive innovations in research and technology.3 However, peer-review processes, commonly used by local and federal funding agencies to gauge likelihood of success, favor researchers with a longer track-record in established research areas.4 This program aims to empower early-career scientists and engineers to become independent researchers and unleash their creativity to develop disruptive energy technologies.

A second objective is to encourage these early-career innovators to focus their careers on tackling the substantial and urgent energy-related problems our society currently faces. In doing so, this NOFO will help ensure that the U.S. maintains its technological leadership in the development and deployment of advanced energy technologies. By establishing the IGNIITE

3 F. Derrien, A. Kecskés, P.-A. Nguyen, Labor Force Demographics and Corporate

Innovation, The Review of Financial Studies, 36 (7), 2797–2838 (2023).

https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhac079.

4 Institute of Medicine. 2007. Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11463.

https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhac079 https://doi.org/10.17226/11463

- 9 -program, ARPA-E joined other high-risk federal funding agencies in recognizing the importance of engaging with promising scientists and engineers early in their careers.5

D. TECHNICAL AREAS OF INTEREST

Applicants may propose any energy technology R&D project that addresses one or more of ARPA-E’s statutory goals through the type of research described in Section I.A. Concepts spanning multiple disciplinary boundaries are encouraged if they are helpful to the effort.

Applicants are advised to assess whether their proposed technologies are aligned with the DOE’s current areas of interest. Those areas include, but are not limited to:6

• Energy supply chain security (to include critical minerals)

• Advanced nuclear (to include fusion, fission)

• Geothermal

• Grid reliability and security

• American manufacturing competitiveness

To organize the submissions to this NOFO for the purposes of merit review, ARPA-E requires that each submission identify a primary Technical Category for the proposed technology from the list automatically provided in eXCHANGE when starting an application.

E. IGNIITE ANNUAL PROGRAM

Awardees will be required to participate in the ARPA-E IGNIITE Annual Program. The Annual Program for IGNIITE 2026 awardees will consist of a one-week session in Year 1 of the project and a one-week session in Year 2 of the project, both in Washington, D.C. Applicants will need to budget up to $2,500 per year for this travel in their submission.

The Annual Program will consist of:

• IGNIITE annual review meeting at ARPA-E headquarters

• Training sessions (e.g., proposal writing, project management, public speaking, pitching, life cycle assessment methodology, technology transfer and outreach)

• Stakeholder engagement (e.g., federal funding agencies, Congress, private sector investors)

• Opportunities for interactions with ARPA-E Program Directors, Technology-to-Market

Advisors, and Fellows, as well as with other IGNIITE awardees

5 E.g., Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Young Faculty Award, National

Science Foundation CAREER, DOE Early Career Research Program, Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program.

6 U.S. DOE. (2025). Secretary Wright Acts to “Unleash Golden Era of American Energy Dominance.” https://www.energy.gov/articles/secretary-wright-acts-unleash-golden-era-american-energy-dominance.

https://www.energy.gov/articles/secretary-wright-acts-unleash-golden-era-american-energy-dominance https://www.energy.gov/articles/secretary-wright-acts-unleash-golden-era-american-energy-dominance

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F. STATEMENT OF RESEARCH OVERSIGHT

ARPA-E will oversee the projects from inception to completion. For the purposes of an ARPA-E project funded under this NOFO, oversight means:

• ARPA-E may address the conduct or performance of project activities.

• During award negotiations, ARPA-E Program Directors and recipients establish a schedule of milestones and deliverables.

• Recipients document the achievement of these milestones and deliverables in quarterly technical and financial progress reports, which are reviewed and evaluated by ARPA-E Program Directors.

• ARPA-E Program Directors may visit the recipient(s) and hold periodic meetings, conference calls, and webinars as needed.

• IGNIITE award recipients will attend an Annual Program as described in Section I.E.

• Recipients are required to comply with agency-specific and programmatic requirements.

• As appropriate, ARPA-E works closely with recipients to facilitate and expedite the deployment of ARPA-E-funded technologies to market.

• ARPA-E works with other government agencies and nonprofits to provide mentoring and networking opportunities for recipients.

• ARPA-E organizes and sponsors events to educate recipients about key barriers to the deployment of their ARPA-E-funded technologies. In addition, ARPA-E establishes collaborations with private and public entities to provide continued support for the development and deployment of ARPA-E-funded technologies.

G. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

1. ALLOWABLE COSTS

All expenditures must be allowable, allocable, and reasonable in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles. Under 2 C.F.R. § 910.352, the cost principles in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (48 C.F.R. § 31.2) apply to for-profit entities. The cost principles contained in 2 C.F.R. Part 200 Subpart E apply to all entities other than for-profits.

2. PRE-AWARD COSTS

ARPA-E will not reimburse any pre-award costs incurred by applicants before they are selected for award negotiations. Please refer to Section VI.A of the NOFO for guidance on award notices.

Upon selection for award negotiations, applicants may incur pre-award costs at their own risk, consistent with the requirements in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, as modified by 2 C.F.R. Part 910, and other Federal laws and regulations. All submitted budgets are subject to change and are typically reworked during award negotiations. ARPA-E is under no obligation to reimburse pre-award costs if, for any reason, the applicant does not receive an award, the award is made for a lesser amount than expected, or if costs incurred are not allowable, allocable, or reasonable.

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3. PATENT COSTS

For Subject Inventions disclosed to DOE under an award, ARPA-E will reimburse the recipient—in addition to allowable costs associated with Subject Invention disclosures— up to $30,000 of expenditures for filing and prosecution of U.S. patent applications, including international applications (PCT application) that are submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

The recipient may request a waiver of the $30,000 cap. Note that patent costs are considered to be Technology Transfer & Outreach (TT&O) costs (see Section I.G.8 of the NOFO below) and should be requested as such.

4. CONSTRUCTION

ARPA-E generally does not fund projects that involve major construction. Recipients are required to obtain written authorization from the Grants Officer before incurring any major construction costs.

5. FOREIGN TRAVEL

ARPA-E generally does not fund projects that involve foreign travel. Recipients are required to obtain written authorization from the ARPA-E Program Director before incurring any foreign travel costs and provide trip reports with their reimbursement requests.

6. PERFORMANCE OF WORK IN THE UNITED STATES

ARPA-E requires all work under ARPA-E funding agreements to be performed in the U.S. However, applicants may request a waiver of this requirement where their project would materially benefit from, or otherwise requires, certain work to be performed overseas.

Applicants seeking this waiver must include an explicit request in the Business Assurances & Disclosures Form. Such waivers are granted where ARPA-E determines there is a demonstrated need.

7. PURCHASE OF NEW EQUIPMENT

All equipment purchased under ARPA-E funding agreements must be made or manufactured in the U.S., to the maximum extent practicable. This requirement does not apply to used or leased equipment. The recipients are required to notify the ARPA-E Grants Officer reasonably in advance of purchasing any equipment that is not made or manufactured in the U.S.

with a total acquisition cost of $250,000 or more. Purchases of foreign equipment with a total acquisition cost of $1,000,000 or more require the approval of the Head of Contracting Activity (HCA). The ARPA-E Grants Officer will provide consent to purchase or reject within 30 calendar days of receipt of the recipient’s notification.

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8. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND OUTREACH

ARPA-E is required to contribute a percentage of appropriated funds to Technology Transfer and Outreach (TT&O) activities. To meet this mandate, every project team must spend at least 5% of the Federal funding (i.e., the portion of the award that does not include the recipient’s cost share) provided by ARPA-E on TT&O activities to promote and further the development and eventual deployment of ARPA-E-funded technologies. Project teams must seek a waiver from ARPA-E, located in the Business Assurances & Disclosures Form, to spend less than the minimum 5% TT&O expenditure requirement.

All TT&O expenditures are subject to the applicable Federal cost principles (i.e., 2 C.F.R. 200 Subpart E or 48 C.F.R. Part 31). Examples of TT&O expenditures are as follows:

• Documented travel and registration for the ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit and other energy-related conferences and events

• Documented travel to meet with potential suppliers, partners, or customers

• Documented work by salaried or contract personnel to develop technology-to-market models or plans

• Documented costs of acquiring industry-accepted market research reports

• Approved patent costs

9. LOBBYING

Recipients and subrecipients may not use any Federal funds, directly or indirectly, to influence or attempt to influence, directly or indirectly, congressional action on any legislative or appropriation matters pending before Congress, other than to communicate to Members of Congress as described in 18 U.S.C. § 1913. This restriction is in addition to those prescribed elsewhere in statute and regulation.

Recipients and subrecipients are required to complete and submit SF-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” (https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/disclosure-lobbying-activities) if any non-Federal funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence any of the following in connection with your application:

• An officer or employee of any Federal agency

• A Member of Congress

• An officer or employee of Congress

• An employee of a Member of Congress

10. CONFERENCE SPENDING

Recipients and subrecipients may not use any Federal funds to:

• Defray the cost to the U.S. Government of a conference held by any Executive branch department, agency, board, commission, or office that is not directly and programmatically related to the purpose for which their ARPA-E award is made and for which the cost to the U.S. Government is more than $20,000 https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/disclosure-lobbying-activities

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• To circumvent the required notification by the head of any such Executive Branch department, agency, board, commission, or office to the Inspector General (or senior ethics official for any entity without an Inspector General) of the date, location, and number of employees attending such a conference

11. INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COSTS

ARPA-E does not fund Independent Research and Development (IR&D) as part of an indirect cost rate under its grants and cooperative agreements. IR&D, as defined at FAR 31.205- 18(a), includes cost of effort that is not sponsored by an assistance agreement or required in performance of a contract, and that consists of projects falling within the four following areas: (i) basic research, (ii) applied research, (iii) development, and (iv) systems and other concept formulation studies.

ARPA-E’s goals are to enhance the economic and energy security of the U.S. through the development of energy technologies and to ensure that the U.S. maintains a technological lead in developing and deploying advanced energy technologies. ARPA-E accomplishes these goals by providing financial assistance for energy technology projects and has well recognized and established procedures for supporting research through competitive financial assistance awards based on merit review of proposed projects. Reimbursement IR&D costs through indirect costs could circumvent this competitive process.

To ensure that all projects receive similar and equal consideration, eligible organizations may compete for direct funding of independent research projects they consider worthy of support by submitting applications for those projects to ARPA-E. Because applications for these projects may be submitted for direct funding, costs for IR&D projects are not allowable as indirect costs under ARPA-E awards. IR&D costs, however, would still be included in the direct cost base that is used to calculate the indirect rate so as to ensure an appropriate allocation of indirect costs to the organization’s direct cost centers.

12. BUY AMERICA REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE

PROJECTS

Projects funded through this NOFO that are for, or contain, construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of public infrastructure in the U.S. undertaken by applicable recipient types, require that:

• All iron, steel, and manufactured products used in the infrastructure project are produced in the U.S.

• All construction materials used in the infrastructure project are manufactured in the U.S.

However, ARPA-E does not anticipate soliciting for or selecting projects that propose project tasks that are for, or contain, construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of public infrastructure. If a project selected for award negotiations includes project tasks that may be subject to the Buy America Requirement, those project tasks will be removed from the project before any award is issued (i.e., no federal funding or recipient cost share will be available for covered project tasks).

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This “Buy America” requirement does not apply to an award where the recipient is a for-profit entity.

13. REQUIREMENT FOR FINANCIAL PERSONNEL

ARPA-E requires small business or nonprofit applicants to identify a finance/budget professional (employee or contracted support) with an understanding of Federal contracting and/or financial assistance and cost accounting (including indirect costs, invoicing, and financial management systems) that will support the team in complying with all applicable requirements.

14. PARTICIPANTS, COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS, AND

CURRENT AND PENDING SUPPORT

If selected for award negotiations, the selected applicant must submit, before the award is issued, an updated list of Covered Individuals7 who are proposed to work on the project, both at the recipient and subrecipient level, and a list of all participating8 organizations. Further, the selectee must submit 1) current and pending support disclosures and resumes for any new Covered Individuals and 2) updated disclosures if the current and pending support submitted with the application has changed.

Throughout the life of the award, recipients have an ongoing responsibility to notify DOE of changes to Covered Individuals, current and pending support, and collaborating organizations, within 30 days of such change, and to submit updated current and pending support disclosure statements and resumes as necessary. Recipients must certify on an annual basis that no such changes have occurred since their most recent certification.

Note that foreign participation is treated separately and requires a Foreign Entity Waiver, per Section II.A.4.

7 See Section IX, Glossary, for the definition of Covered Individual.

8 “Participation” here and in Section II.A.4 includes any activities performed under an

ARPA-E award, including, but not limited to, all work described in the milestone schedule of an award (commonly referred to as “Attachment 3” or the “Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO)”) and any services that include testing, including services performed by contractors.

Participation also includes activities that involve the procurement of foreign equipment or supplies.

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II. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

For the reasons set forth in Section I.C, the IGNIITE 2026 program is open to individual Principal Investigators (PIs) who are early-career innovators and entrepreneurs employed by an Eligible Applicant (see Section II.B for more information on Eligible Applicants). Proposals with multiple co-PIs or project oversight from senior personnel are not eligible for this program.

All PIs must meet the following criteria:

1. Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or have applied for a U.S. Green Card by the time of submission of their proposal. In the latter case, the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485) must have been filed with the U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Services before submitting the Concept Paper.

2. Must have graduated with a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) within eight years of the Concept Paper deadline, excluding any periods of extended leave occurring since the time the PI obtained their Ph.D. Such leave could include personal leaves of absence, parental leave, medical leave, etc. The type and duration of leave taken should be stated in the Personal Qualification Summary supplied with the Concept Paper application.

3. Must be employed by an Eligible Applicant (see Section II.B for more information on Eligible Applicants).

4. If employed at a U.S. Institution of Higher Education (IHE), must be a Tenure-Track Assistant/Associate Professor (i.e., pre-tenured) at the time of the Concept Paper submission.

5. Must have the authority to self-direct the proposed work and manage the ARPA-E funds toward a successful outcome.

6. Must be able to participate in the mandatory Annual Program to be held in Washington, D.C., as described in Section I.E.

7. Must have the support of their organization to act as the PI for the proposed project, as evidenced by a letter signed by the PI’s direct supervisor attesting to the applicant’s eligibility as described above and expressing their commitment to support the PI in the successful completion of the project (including, but not limited to, time, space, laboratory access, etc.).

B. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

For-profit entities (which includes large businesses and small businesses), IHEs, DOE/NNCA FFRDCs/DOE Labs, and nonprofits9 that (A) are organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the U.S.;

(B) have majority domestic ownership and control; and (C) have a physical place of business in the U.S., including U.S. territories, are eligible to apply, and these entities must apply as a Standalone Applicant only (i.e., they cannot apply as a member of a project team with another entity or a subrecipient).

9 Nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of

1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995, are not eligible to apply for funding as a recipient or subrecipient.

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1. FOREIGN PARTICIPATION CONSIDERATIONS

Foreign participation in a project requires a Foreign Entity Waiver. Awardees have an ongoing obligation to report new foreign participation in a project and may be required to obtain a waiver before new foreign participation can occur. A Foreign Work Waiver may also be required (see Section I.G.6).

C. COMPLIANCE AND RESPONSIVENESS

Submissions that are noncompliant or nonresponsive to the NOFO as described in Sections IV.D and V.A, or submissions that do not meet the requirements in Sections II.A and II.B, are not eligible.

D. LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF SUBMISSIONS

ARPA-E is not limiting the number of submissions from a single applicant entity.

However, individual PIs may submit no more than one application to this NOFO.

ARPA-E will accept only new submissions under this NOFO. Applicants may not seek renewal or supplementation of their existing awards through this NOFO.

E. COST SHARING

There is no Cost Share required for this NOFO.

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III. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

A. GENERAL APPLICATION CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

1. MARKING OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Except as described in Section VIII.E below, ARPA-E will use data and other information contained in Concept Papers, Full Applications, and Replies to Reviewer Comments strictly for evaluation purposes.

Concept Papers, Full Applications, Replies to Reviewer Comments, and other submissions containing confidential, proprietary, or privileged information should be marked as described below. Failure to comply with these marking requirements may result in the disclosure of the unmarked information under the Freedom of Information Act or otherwise. The U.S. Government is not liable for the disclosure or use of unmarked information and may use or disclose such information for any purpose.

The cover sheet of the Concept Paper, Full Application, Reply to Reviewer Comments, or other submission must be marked as follows and identify the specific pages containing confidential, proprietary, or privileged information:

Notice of Restriction on Disclosure and Use of Data:

Pages [___] of this document may contain confidential, proprietary, or privileged information that is exempt from public disclosure. Such information shall be used or disclosed only for evaluation purposes or in accordance with a financial assistance or loan agreement between the submitter and the Government. The Government may use or disclose any information that is not appropriately marked or otherwise restricted, regardless of source.

The header and footer of every page that contains confidential, proprietary, or privileged information must be marked as follows: “Contains Confidential, Proprietary, or Privileged Information Exempt from Public Disclosure.” In addition, every line and paragraph containing confidential, proprietary, or privileged information must be clearly marked with double brackets or highlighting.

2. EXPORT CONTROL INFORMATION

Do not include information subject to export controls in any submissions, including Concept Papers, Full Applications, and Replies to Reviewer Comments, whether marked as subject to U.S. export control laws/regulations or otherwise. Such information may not be accepted by ARPA-E and may result in a determination that the application is non-compliant, and therefore not eligible for selection. This prohibition includes any submission containing a general, non-determinative statement such as “The information on this page [or pages _ to_] may be subject to U.S. export control laws/regulations”, or similar. Under the terms of their award, awardees must be responsible for compliance with all export control laws/regulations.

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B. CONCEPT PAPERS

1. FIRST COMPONENT: CONCEPT PAPER

The Concept Paper is mandatory (i.e., in order to submit a Full Application, a compliant and responsive Concept Paper must have been submitted) and must conform to the following formatting requirements:

• The Concept Paper must not exceed 4 pages in length including images, graphics, figures, and/or tables.

• The Concept Paper must also include a Personal Qualification Summary, not to exceed 2 pages, for a total document maximum of 6 pages.

• The Concept Paper must be submitted in Adobe PDF format.

• The Concept Paper must be written in English.

• All pages must be formatted to fit on 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper with margins not less than one inch on every side. Single space all text and use Times New Roman typeface, a black font color, and a font size of 12 point or larger (except in figures and tables).

• The ARPA-E assigned Control Number, the Lead Organization Name, and the Principal Investigator’s Last Name must be prominently displayed on the upper right corner of the header of every page. Page numbers must be included in the footer of every page.

• The first paragraph must include the Lead Organization’s Name and Location, Principal Investigator’s Name, Technical Category, Proposed Funding Requested (Federal and Cost Share), and Project Duration.

A fillable Concept Paper template is available on ARPA-E eXCHANGE at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov. Concept Papers must conform to the content requirements described in the template associated with this NOFO. If applicants exceed the maximum page lengths specified for each section or add any additional sections not requested, ARPA-E may review only the authorized number of pages and disregard any additional pages or sections.

Each Concept Paper must be limited to a single concept or technology. Unrelated concepts and technologies must not be consolidated into a single Concept Paper.

Concept Papers found to be noncompliant or nonresponsive may not be merit reviewed or considered for award (see Section II.C of the NOFO).

2. SECOND COMPONENT: SUMMARY SLIDE

Applicants are required to provide a single PowerPoint slide summarizing the proposed project. The slide must be submitted in Microsoft PowerPoint format and must follow the provided summary slide template associated with this NOFO available on ARPA-E eXCHANGE. This slide will be used during ARPA-E’s evaluation of Concept Papers.

Summary Slides must conform to the content and format requirements described in the template.

https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/

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3. THIRD COMPONENT: LETTER OF SUPPORT

Applicants must submit a letter of support signed by the PI’s direct supervisor

(1) attesting to the applicant’s and PI’s eligibility as described in Sections II.A and II.B and

(2)…