SSAA FundOpp_DE-FOA-0002457 -FINAL_R.docx

SSAA FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT: DE-FOA-0002457

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

OFFICE OF ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT

STEWARDSHIP SCIENCE ACADEMIC ALLIANCES PROGRAM

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA) NUMBER:

DE-FOA-0002457

FOA TYPE: INITIAL

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 81.112

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT OVERVIEW

Questions

Questions regarding the content of the funding opportunity announcement must be submitted through the FedConnect portal. You must register with FedConnect to respond as an interested party to submit questions, and to view responses to questions. It is recommended that you register as soon after release of the FOA as possible to have the benefit of all responses. DOE/NNSA will try to respond to a question within 3 business days unless a similar question and answer have already been posted on the website. For instructions on registering for FedConnect, refer to the website: www.fedconnect.net.

Questions relating to the Grants.Gov registration process, system requirements, or how an application form works must be directed to Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Grants.gov Application Submission and Receipt Procedures

This section provides the application submission and receipt instructions for U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) program applications. Please read the following instructions carefully and completely.

1. Electronic Delivery The DOE/NNSA is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DOE/NNSA encourages applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov.

2. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

a. Instructions: Read the instructions below about registering to apply for DOE/NNSA funds. Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, active System for Award Management (SAM) registration, and Grants.gov account to apply for grants. If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity, then you may begin with step 3, Create a Grants.gov Account, listed below.

Creating a Grants.gov account can be completed online in minutes, but DUNS and SAM registrations may take several weeks. Therefore, an organization's registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact the entity's ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

Complete organization instructions can be found on Grants.gov here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

1) Obtain a DUNS Number: All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a DUNS Number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Applicants must enter the DUNS Number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational DUNS" on the SF-424 form. For more detailed instructions for obtaining a DUNS Number, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

2) Register with SAM: All organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually. For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

3) Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step is to register an account with Grants.gov. Follow the on-screen instructions or refer to the detailed instructions here: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html

4) Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the DUNS Number for the organization in the DUNS field while adding a profile. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html

5) EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access are sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html

6) Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html

b. Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as a user with the AOR role; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

3. How to Apply to this Funding Opportunity Announcement via Grants.gov

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

a. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

b. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

c. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

d. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

e. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

f. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

g. Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist the DOE/NNSA with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

4. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Online Submission. All applications must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern time on the due date established for each program. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. This applicant with the AOR role will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When DOE/NNSA successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by DOE/NNSA.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role attempting to submit the application. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

SSAA FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT: DE-FOA-0002457

Table of Contents

Section I - FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

A. Summary The Defense Programs’ Office of Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation within the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), directs research and development activities to maintain the safety, security, and effectiveness of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile. This nuclear deterrent remains a vital part of our national security infrastructure. It maintains strategic stability, deters potential adversaries, and reassures our allies and partners of our security commitments. Since 1992, the United States has observed the moratorium on underground nuclear testing while significantly decreasing the size of its nuclear arsenal. National Policy required NNSA and its weapons laboratories to institute the science-based Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) to ensure the safety, security, and effectiveness of the stockpile, while allowing the country to pursue a variety of nonproliferation and disarmament goals. The SSP combines sophisticated experiments, highly accurate physics modeling, and improved computational power to simulate and predict nuclear weapon performance over a wide range of conditions and scenarios.

The Stewardship Science Academic Alliances (SSAA) Program was established in 2002 to support state-of-the-art research at U.S. academic institutions in areas of fundamental physical science and technology of relevance to the SSP mission. The SSAA Program provides the research experience necessary to maintain a cadre of trained scientists and engineers at U.S. universities to meet the nation’s current and future SSP needs, with a focus on those areas not supported by other federal agencies. It supports the DOE/NNSA’s priorities both to address the workforce specific needs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and to support the next generation of professionals who will meet those needs.

The Office of Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation announce their interest in receiving applications for new or renewal financial assistance awards for research grants in the SSAA Program. Researchers seeking renewals of their current SSAA grant should apply to this FOA. The research areas of interest in the SSAA Program for this announcement are: properties of materials under extreme conditions and energetic environments; hydrodynamics, instabilities and hydrosonics; low energy nuclear science; and radiochemistry.

B. Program Objectives

The objectives of the SSAA Program are to:

· Support the U.S. scientific and engineering community by funding basic research activities at universities that are of relevance to stockpile stewardship goals (see Section III.A for eligibility requirements);

· Provide opportunities for intellectual challenge and collaboration by promoting scientific interactions between the academic community and scientists at the DOE/NNSA National Laboratories; and

· Develop and maintain a long-term recruiting pipeline supporting the DOE/NNSA laboratories by training and educating the next generation of scientists in fundamental research of relevance to stockpile stewardship goals, increasing the visibility of the DOE/NNSA scientific activities to the U.S. academic communities.

C. Technical Scope and Topical Research Areas

The DOE/NNSA will consider applications for university-led research which can address one or more of the fundamental areas of physical sciences and engineering outlined below. Proposals should have an appropriate balance between advancing theory and understanding, simulation, and experimental efforts, and be of relevance to the NNSA Defense Program’s stockpile stewardship mission. Proposals that advance theory and physical modeling should have a strong, demonstrable connection to experimental efforts.

1. Topic Research Area # 1: Properties of Materials under Extreme Conditions and Energetic Environments

Research proposals are solicited in the area of fundamental material properties and response to materials (including engineered materials) to extreme conditions and within energetic environments. The research in materials under extreme environments is fundamentally a multi-disciplinary subject, incorporating physics (e.g. condensed matter, shock), chemistry, materials science, and numerous engineering disciplines.

Extreme conditions include material response when subjected to one or more of the following: high-pressure (> 100 kilobar, including shock/blast), high-temperature (near melt), high-strain-rate (>104 per second). Some applications include materials for reentry and atmospheric environments and materials for hypersonic applications. The breadth of this topical research area includes one or more of (and is not limited to) the following areas:

· High Pressure and Temperature Material Properties Experimental investigations of quasi-static high pressure and dynamically driven materials and interrogation of their properties under conditions of high-pressure, high-temperature, high-strain and/or high-strain-rate. Of particular interest are experimental techniques that access and probe dynamic compression phenomenon with novel time-resolved optical and x-ray probes.

· Equation of State, Constitutive Models, and Kinetics Materials properties of interest include thermodynamic properties (equation-of-state, high-pressure phase diagram, pressure-induced phase transformation, etc.), mechanical constitutive properties (plasticity and strength, failure, fracture, etc.), microstructure effects, and those materials characteristics that impact behaviors such as anisotropy. Experiments that isolate effects due to phase kinetics from the underlying equation-of-state (EOS) are of particular importance. Materials in high temperature (near melt), high pressure and strain-rate regimes where constitutive properties (strength, damage, failure, phase change, etc.) may be important.

· Material Response to Hydrodynamic and Energetic Phenomena The fields of Materials Science and Engineering Materials are critical to understanding material responses to atmospheric phenomena. Shuttle-type bodies also experience energetic events such as shocks and turbulence upon reentering the atmosphere due to the transition in atmospheric fluid densities, temperatures, and pressures. Select examples may include polymers, alloys, and other materials relevant to shuttle reentry. Of interest are the responses (e.g., deformation, elasticity, fractures, failures) of these materials to varying temperatures, pressures, and time scales at high speeds (e.g., Mach Numbers greater than 8). Related focus lies in materials and corresponding engineering properties and constitutive models, with quantified margins and uncertainties.

· Advanced Manufacturing and Additive Manufacturing Methods Novel material and metallurgical processing, and methodologies intended to increase manufacturing efficiencies and novel properties. Increase understanding of the effects of materials processing (e.g. chemistry, structure) on materials aging and performance.

· Energetic Materials Novel energetic material discovery, synthesis, and characterization of initiation and combustion. This may lead to discovery of new materials and to understanding factors (such as the mesoscale) which fundamentally effect sensitivity and performance.

· Novel Characterization, Diagnostics, and Algorithms Develop and apply novel characterization methodologies, diagnostics, and algorithms toward understanding material properties and connect to performance. This may include optical, x-ray and particle measurements such as velocimetry, imaging, diffractive techniques, spectroscopy, and tomographic techniques. This may also include research in advanced detectors for neutron and x-rays and measurement techniques leading to the observation of physical phenomena at relevant temperature, density and/or strain conditions, length and time scales, and temperature measurements under extreme conditions. There is particular interest in using high brilliance x-ray sources that have penetrating capabilities.

· Data Science / Machine Learning The combination of high repetition rate and tailorable drive capabilities, x-ray and laser sources, and machine learning techniques may enhance understanding of a number of material related mechanisms, processes, and phenomenologies. Machine learning combined with advanced manufacturing methodologies may lead to the discovery of novel materials with unique capabilities.

2. Topic Research Area # 2: Hydrodynamics, Instabilities, and Hypersonics

· Computational and Experimental Hydrodynamics Experimental investigations of the physics of hydrodynamic instabilities, high-Reynolds number turbulence, mixing, and the evolution of interfaces under these conditions. Consideration will be given to proposals that investigate the evolution of additional physics processes (e.g., chemical rates, kinetics, radiative transfer) in the presence of mixing.

· Hydrodynamics Instabilities The understanding of hydrodynamic instabilities is critical to advancing computational models and experiments in replicating engineering processes and environments. In predictive methods, the misapplication or neglect of incorporating the correct physics in a model will lead to incorrect results, directly misinforming related applications; in experiments, not accounting for instabilities could lead to null tests and invalid data. Applications of interest to engineering programs include boundary layer transitions, atmospheric turbulence and its relation to geometries and materials, and advanced understanding and implementation of hydrodynamic instabilities such as Richtmyer-Meshkov, Kelvin-Helmholtz, and related sheer-driven fluctuations.

· Radiation Hydrodynamics The joint evolution of hydrodynamics and radiation transport are common in many engineering and physics applications. Select examples include: astrophysical phenomena, where stellar ejecta propagating space combines the effects of various radiative elements with hydrodynamic instabilities; atmospheric and reentry events encompass the effects of energetic particles directly affecting the evolution of bodies interacting with the atmosphere. Today, many computational models treat each field separately, and the few that combine radiation transport and hydrodynamic processes do so in elementary manners (e.g., Diffusion equations) that require more advanced and accurate models (e.g., two-equation models). The problem becomes more complex when properly incorporating the effects of hydrodynamic instabilities is said calculations, as this element, too, cannot be treated independently in such environments.

3. Topic Research Area # 3: Low Energy Nuclear Science

Research proposals are solicited in the area of low energy nuclear science. Measurement and theory development should be done in a manner to include focus on the systematic errors in the process. The breadth of this topical area includes, but is not limited to:

· Investigations, including nuclear theory, differential, and/or integral measurements, leading to greater accuracy in the nuclear data of stable and unstable nuclei and corresponding reaction rates for neutron, gamma, and charged particle-induced reactions.

· Development of advanced simulations and measurement techniques leading to improved radiation and particle detection methods, in terms of energy, temporal, and spatial resolution.

· Physics of the fission process, including measurements or theory to understand fission fragment yields and energies, the multiplicity and distributions of the prompt neutrons and gammas, and the subsequent emissions from the fission fragment products including correlations in energy, multiplicity and direction among the emitted particles.

· Development of advanced nuclear physics experimental diagnostic methods relevant to proton, x-ray, or other radiographic techniques, or to cross section and reaction rate measurements involving unstable and radioactive nuclei.

· Physics of neutron scattering processes, including measurements or theory to understand the energy and angular dependence of elastic and inelastic reactions.

4. Topic Research Area # 4: Radiochemistry

Research proposals are solicited in the area of radiochemistry with an emphasis on studies of the heavier elements and the actinides. The breadth of this topical area includes, but is not limited to:

· Improvements in isotope production and harvesting methods, chemical separation techniques, and coordination chemistry of actinides and fission products.

· Investigations which particularly address systematic uncertainties while leading to greater accuracy in neutron- and particle- induced cross sections of the actinides.

· Production procedures and techniques to manufacture pure targets, especially short-lived nuclei including americium, for use in nuclear science measurements, including new methods and procedures for harvesting rare isotopes at radioactive ion beam facilities.

· Environmental chemistry of plutonium and other actinides and development of advanced radio-analytical methods to measure actinide elements in environmental samples that improve the knowledge of the behavior of actinides in relevant environments and scenarios.

· Development of novel detector systems to improve spectral measurement sensitivity and/or new chemistry procedures to process irradiated targets to prepare them for precision measurements.

D. Recruitment and development of students, young researchers, and staff scientists. Students are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to spend time at the DOE/NNSA National Laboratories, participate in on-site internships, engage with National Laboratory scientists, and participate in symposia. Graduates are encouraged to seek post-doctoral or staff positions at NNSA Laboratories. It is NNSA’s desire that graduates of the grant pursue careers either at U.S. institutions, U.S. universities, or at the NNSA National Laboratories, contributing to fields of science that are Defense Program-relevant.

E. Foreign National, Export Control, and Pursuant Compliance Requirements

The SSAA Program was established, in part, to support the long-term development of U.S. human capital in the fields of science, engineering, mathematics, and technology relevant to stockpile stewardship. NNSA follows a graded approach for reviewing and approving access by foreign nationals to DOE sites, programs, information and technologies, in accordance with DOE Order 142.3B, Unclassified Foreign National Access Program, approved January 15, 2021.

Non-US-Persons: Any individual person receiving funding support, benefiting from the resources of the grant, or involved in project research under this grant must be a U.S. Person (defined as a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent resident). All non-US persons involved in the proposed work under this FOA must be identified in Appendix 7 of the application and will be subject to approval by the SSAA Program Director. For any personnel changes after award which include non-US persons, the Principal Investigator (PI) must request and receive written permission for non-US person involvement from the SSAA Program Director.

The DOE/NNSA Contracting Officer or the SSAA Program Director can request, in writing, personally identifiable information (PII), such as full name, nationality, date of birth, and social security number, of individuals engaged in activities of, receiving support from, or benefiting from the resources of the grant. The DOE/NNSA SSAA Program Director can exclude individuals from receiving funding from the grant, from using the resources provided by the grant, and from participating in grant activities.

Foreign National Site/Facility Access: Access to DOE/NNSA National Laboratories and Facilities is reviewed and approved by the sites/labs. For information when planning proposed research, PIs should be aware of and plan for policies at these sites/facilities. DOE/NNSA National Laboratories and DOE/NNSA facilities follow DOE Order 142.3B, Unclassified Foreign National Access Program, approved January 15, 2021, which defines the program for unclassified foreign national access to DOE sites, information, technologies, and equipment. Access approvals for foreign nationals to NNSA National Laboratories and/or facilities are subject to validation and verification of the information submitted for the access request when the visit or assignment begins.

Export Control: All applicants are responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable U.S. Export Control laws and regulations and all other applicable security requirements relating to any work performed under a resulting award.

Section II - AWARD INFORMATION

A. TYPE OF AWARD INSTRUMENT

DOE/NNSA anticipates awarding grants under this funding opportunity announcement.

B. ESTIMATED FUNDING

Approximately $8,000,000 annually is anticipated to be available for new or renewal awards under this announcement. An increase or decrease in appropriations of funding for this program may result in additional awards being selected or less funding being available for awards. Funding for all awards and future budget periods are contingent upon the availability of funds appropriated by Congress for the purpose of this program and the availability of future-year budget authority. DOE/NNSA is under no obligation to pay for any costs associated with preparing or submitting an application.

C. MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM AWARD SIZE

Ceiling (i.e., the maximum amount for an individual award made under this announcement):

$300,000 per year Floor (i.e., the minimum amount for an individual award made under this announcement):

$50,000 per year

D. EXPECTED NUMBER OF AWARDS

The number of awards will depend on the availability of appropriated funds, the number of meritorious applications, the distribution of funds in each topic area determined by the DOE/NNSA selection official, the merit review results, and other policy factors and considerations. DOE/NNSA reserves the right to fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or none of the applications, not award in all Topical Areas, or make fewer awards than would be possible at the grand-total level at its sole discretion.

E. ANTICIPATED AWARD SIZE

DOE/NNSA anticipates that awards will be in the $150,000 to $900,000 range for the total three year project period.

F. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

DOE/NNSA anticipates making awards with an estimated project period of three years. The overall project duration will be subdivided into annual budget periods. Each project is expected to be funded through annual budget periods to coincide with DOE/NNSA decision points, where project continuation into a subsequent budget period is contingent upon satisfactory performance in each budget period and funding availability.

G. TYPE OF APPLICATION

DOE/NNSA will accept new and renewal applications under this announcement. Renewal applications are requests for additional funding for a period subsequent to that provided by a current award. Renewal applications compete with all other applications and must be submitted by any established due date/deadline. In preparing a renewal application, applicants should assume that reviewers will not have access to previous applications. The application should be developed as fully as though the applicant were applying for the first time. The application must include all the information required for a new project, plus the project narrative section should discuss the results from prior work. Researchers seeking renewal for any current SSAA grant should apply to this FOA.

H. LIMITATIONS ON SSAA FOA APPLICATIONS BY SAME ORGANIZATION

There is no limit on the number of proposals the same institution or PI can submit to this FOA. Multiple proposals may also be submitted to each topic research area as specified in Section I.C of this FOA. When submitting multiple proposals ensure that the same PI or supporting staff time does not exceed 100% of their time on all combined proposals, and ensure that all proposals are submitted in complete form with all required attachments as specified in the FOA. Multiple awards may be made to the same institution.

Section III - ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

RESTRICTED ELIGIBILITY (DECEMBER 2014)

In accordance with 2 CFR 910.126(b), eligibility for award is restricted to the following domestic organizations located in the United States, its territories or possessions, as follows:

1. United States (U.S.) Universities/academic institutions of higher education in any State, Federal District, or Territory of the U.S. that meets all of the following criteria:

(1) Admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate;

(2) Is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond secondary education;

(3) Provides an educational program for which the institution awards a bachelor’s degree or provides not less than a 2-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree;

(4) Is accredited by a nationally or regionally recognized accrediting agency or association, or if not so accredited, is an institution that has been granted reaccreditation status by such an agency or association that has been recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education for the granting of reaccreditation status, and the U.S. Secretary of Education has determined that there is satisfactory assurance that the institution will meet the accreditation standards of such an agency or association within a reasonable time.

2. Not-for-Profit, non-degree-granting domestic U.S. scientific research organizations that include (but not limited to) independent museums and science centers, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and research or educational activities. These organizations must have an independent, permanent administrative organization (e.g., an office of sponsored research) located in the U.S., Federal District, U.S. Territories, or possessions, and be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

3. Principal Investigators: For prospective applicants who are submitting financial assistance applications to this FOA, the individual selected as the PI for the grant must be a U.S. Person defined as a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent resident; and, either:

(1) An active member of the applicant’s teaching/research faculty of a U.S. University or academic institution of higher education, or

(2) A full-time employee of a U.S.-based Company in the form of a Corporation, Partnership, Proprietorship, or a Not-for-Profit, non-degree granting domestic U.S. scientific research organization.

B. COST SHARING

Cost sharing is not required.

C. OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) Collaboration Support (includes DOE/NNSA National Laboratories and other Federal Agency-Sponsored FFRDCs)

FFRDCs are not eligible for an award under this announcement. However, FFRDCs may participate as collaborators in order to:

(1) promote and sustain scientific interactions between the academic community and scientists at the FFRDC Laboratories through exchange of information and/or personnel,

(2) increase the availability of unique experimental facilities sited at the FFRDC Laboratories to the academic community, particularly for collaborations in areas of relevance to stockpile stewardship, and

(3) develop and maintain a long-term recruiting pipeline to the DOE/NNSA FFRDC’s by increasing the visibility of the DOE/NNSA scientific activities to the U.S. faculty and student communities.

FFRDCs are not eligible to receive any direct funding associated with this FOA, except for reimbursement for use of facilities that require “user fees” in accordance with the institution’s written policies or procedures.

To affect this collaboration, a letter from an FFRDC employee who will be collaborating with the applicant must be submitted with the application. This letter must outline their understanding and role in the collaboration effort and indicate that no funds will be provided to the FFRDC from the awarded grant except for reimbursement for use of facilities that require “user fees” as stated above.

In addition to the collaboration letters, if an applicant is selected for award, the FFRDC contractor(s) participating as collaborating partners must receive prior authorization from the cognizant Federal Agency for non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs and from the cognizant Contracting Officer for DOE/NNSA FFRDCs, subject to the following guidelines:

Authorization for non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs. If selected for award, the Federal agency sponsoring the FFRDC contractor must authorize in writing the use of the FFRDC contractor on the proposed project and this authorization must be submitted. The use of a FFRDC contractor must be consistent with the contractor's authority under its award and must not place the FFRDC contractor in direct competition with the private sector.

Authorization for DOE/NNSA FFRDCs. If selected for award, the cognizant contracting officer for the FFRDC must authorize in writing the use of a DOE/NNSA FFRDC contractor on the proposed project and this authorization must be submitted. The following wording is acceptable for this authorization.

"Authorization is granted for the [Name] Laboratory to participate in the proposed project. The work proposed for the laboratory is consistent with or complimentary to the missions of the laboratory, will not adversely impact execution of the DOE/NNSA assigned programs at the laboratory, and will not place the laboratory in direct competition with the domestic private sector."

If selected for award, the recipient is responsible for contacting the appropriate DOE/NNSA FFRDC collaborating partner(s) who should in turn obtain prior written authorization from the DOE/NNSA FFRDC Contracting Officer.

Applicant Responsibility. The applicant, if successful, will be the responsible authority regarding the settlement and satisfaction of all contractual and administrative issues, including but not limited to, disputes and claims arising out of any agreement between the applicant and the FFRDC contractor.

The Master Government List of FFRDCs is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ffrdclist/

The DOE/NNSA Site Facility Management Contracts list is available at:

https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2021/01/f82/DOE%20NNSA%20Site%20Facility%20Management%20Contracts%20-%20January%202021.pdf

Section IV - APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov, select "APPLICANTS”, then select “Apply for Grants," and then select "Get Application Package” button. Enter the funding opportunity number (DE-FOA-0002457). Under the PACKAGE tab, select “Apply” under the Actions column, and under Option: 1 Apply Now Using Workspace, select the Login to Apply Now button. Follow the prompts in Workspace to complete the application package. You are encouraged to review the Applicant FAQs in Grants.gov as you prepare and submit your application.

B. LETTER OF INTENT AND PRE-APPLICATION

1. LETTER OF INTENT.

A Letter of Intent is requested, but not required (highly recommended), and should be submitted by July 16, 2021.

The LOI is to help in planning the review and the selection of potential reviewers for the application. For this purpose, the LOI must include the following:

· A cover sheet containing the name and mailing address of the sponsoring institution; the planned title of the research application; the name, e-mail address, and telephone number of the PI, additional Senior Investigator(s), and Senior/Key personnel expected to be involved in the planned application.

· Identification of relevant research areas of interest from among those identified in this FOA.

· A one-page abstract of the proposed research.

· List of names and institutional affiliations of all participating investigators, including collaborators and consultants on the proposed project.

· For each funded investigator, a list of collaborative co-investigators including co-authors of past 48 months, co-editors of past 24 months, graduate and postdoctoral advisors/advisees, and close associations. For publications with more than 10 authors or participants, list only those individuals in the core group with whom the PI interacted on a regular basis while the research was being done.

The LOI should be submitted as a single file and emailed to terri.stone@nnsa.doe.gov by the due date listed above.

2. PRE-APPLICATION

Pre-applications are not required.

C. CONTENT AND APPLICATION FORMS

All applicants must complete the mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms in accordance with the instructions on the forms and the additional instructions below. Files that are attached to the forms must be in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) unless otherwise specified in this announcement. Attached PDF files must be plain files 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.

Please note you may only use the following UTF-8 characters when naming your application attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore (_), hyphen (-), space, period. You must limit the file name to 50 or fewer characters. Attachments that do not follow this rule may cause the entire application to be rejected or cause issues during processing.

To avoid interfering with the selection of peer reviewers, please do NOT include general letters of support for the proposal or list collaborators that do not have an active part in the project. General letters of support will not be used in making funding decisions.

Optional letters of collaboration for unfunded or funded collaborations may be placed in Appendix 6 (Other Attachments). Letters of collaboration should state the intention to participate, but they should not be written as recommendation or endorsement letters, which are not allowed.

1. SF 424 (R&R)

In Grants.gov Workspace, Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS number. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

IMPORTANT UPDATE APPLICANTS The certifications and assurances referenced in Field 17 of the Application for Federal Assistance are now contained in the System for Award Management (SAM) as Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations.

2. RESEARCH AND RELATED OTHER PROJECT INFORMATION

The Research and Related (R&R) Other Project Information form is part of the Application Package that must be completed in Grants.gov Workspace. The special instructions for completing this form follow:

· Fields 1 to 6.b: Applicant must complete the entries to these fields.

· Field 7: Applicant must attach completed file for Project Summary/Abstract.

· Field 8: Applicant must attach completed file for Project Narrative plus required appendices.

· Field 12: Applicant must attach completed file for Project Management Plan.

· Field 12: Applicant must attach completed National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance form in addition to the other forms as referenced below.

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT (FIELD 7 ON THE FORM)

The project summary/abstract must contain a summary of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public. It should be a self-contained document that identifies:

(1) the name of the applicant,

(2) the project director/principal investigator(s),

(3) the project title,

(4) the objectives of the project in a single paragraph abstract summary

(5) a description of the project, including methods to be employed, the potential impact of the project (i.e., benefits, outcomes), and major participants (for collaborative projects)

(6) the milestones of the project listed by year.

This document must not include any proprietary or sensitive business information as the Department may make it available to the public after awards are made. The project summary must not exceed 2 pages when printed using standard 8.5" by 11" paper with 1" margins (top, bottom, left and right) {single spaced} with font not smaller than 11 point. To attach a Project Summary/Abstract, click "Add Attachment."

PROJECT NARRATIVE (FIELD 8 ON THE FORM)

The project narrative must not exceed 20 pages, including cover page, table of contents, charts, graphs, maps, photographs, tables, and other pictorial presentations, when printed using standard 8.5" by 11" paper with 1 inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right) {single spaced} with font not smaller than 11 point. EVALUATORS WILL ONLY REVIEW THE NUMBER OF PAGES SPECIFIED IN THE PRECEDING SENTENCE. Do not include any Internet addresses (URLs) that provide information necessary to review the application, because the information contained in these sites will not be reviewed. See Part VIII.D for instructions on how to mark proprietary application information. To attach a Project Narrative, click "Add Attachment."

The project narrative must include {Select all that apply}:

The Project Narrative Cover Page (NTE 1-page)

Comprised of the following components:

· FOA Number.

· Topic Area.

· Project Title.

· Type of organization (i.e. U.S. university/academic institution of higher learning or not-for-profit, non-degree-granting domestic U.S. organization.

· Type of proposed award: New Award or Renewal of Existing Award (specify award number for existing award).

· Name and address of submitting organization

· Name, email address, and telephone number of organization’s business point of contact or Grants office point of contact.

· Name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, of PI.

· For SSAA Renewal Projects: Previous DOE/NNSA Grant numbers. If applicable, provide DOE grant number for projects currently funded under the SSAA Grant Program.

· Listing of any DOE/NNSA National Laboratory/Plant or Site personnel collaborating on the project.

· List of subawards: name, institution, institution email

· 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.

Total

Prime

Sub

Sub

Project Objectives: This section should provide a clear, concise statement of the specific objectives/aims of the proposed project.

Scientific and Technical Merit: This section should address how the project will advance the current state of science and technology in alignment with the Program Objectives in Section I.B. Address the scientific and technical risks associated with the proposed approach.