Office of Science Financial Assistance Program (81.049)

Program

81.049 Office of Science Financial Assistance Program

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Energy

Authorization

Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977, as amended, Public Law 95-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 ; Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, Section 31, Public Law 83-703, 42 U.S.C. 2051; Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974, Public Law 93-577; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5, (Recovery Act); Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, Title I, Section 107, Public Law 93-438, 42 U.S.C. 5817; Small Business Innovation Research Program Reauthorization Act of 2000, Public Law 106-554
; Small Business Technology Transfer Program Reauthorization Act of 2001, Public Law 107-50.

Program Number

81.049

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To provide financial support for fundamental research in the basic sciences and advanced technology concepts and assessments in fields related to energy.

The application deadlines will be posted at the Grants.gov web site: http://www.grants.gov or FedConnect at: https://www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/.

Types of Assistance

Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements)

Uses and Use Restrictions

Financial support, in whole or in part, may be provided for such purposes as the salaries, materials and supplies, equipment, travel, publication costs, and services required for conducting research, related activities, and advanced technology projects or assessments. Restrictions on use of funds depend on grant provisions.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit commercial organizations, State and local governments, small businesses, and unaffiliated individuals.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit commercial organizations, State and local governments, small businesses, and unaffiliated individuals will benefit.

Credentials/Documentation

Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular A-21 for institutions of higher education and OMB Circular A-122 for nonprofit organizations. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Informal communication addressed to the Headquarters Office listed below is desirable before preparing a detailed formal application. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. The application forms must be downloaded from the specific funding opportunity announcement at the Grants.gov web site: http://www.grants.gov or FedConnect at: https://www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/
The application deadlines will also be posted at the above sites.

Award Procedure

Decisions to approve are made by a Headquarters program official. A DOE procurement office is then authorized to negotiate and prepare an appropriate award document.

Deadlines

Not Applicable.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Normally, 6 months from receipt of grant application. Maximum, 12 months.

The application deadlines will be posted at the Grants.gov web site: http://www.grants.gov or FedConnect at: https://www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/.

Appeals

None.

Renewals

Applications for renewal are subject to review and acceptance by the Headquarters Office of Science program offices. For ongoing grant projects, renewal applications must be submitted six months prior to the grant's project period expiration date.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

Matching Requirements: Usually, cost sharing is encouraged but not required. In some cases, however, cost sharing may be required by specific grant solicitation notices.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Generally, grants are approved for three-year project periods and funded one year at a time. Depending upon specific circumstances, grant project periods may range from one year to five years, at the discretion of the program office. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: No additional information is provided.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. Typically for research projects, grantees are required to submit an annual progress report and a final report at the end of the project. The schedule of reports is arranged at the time of the negotiation. Quarterly financial status reports are required along with a final report. No performance monitoring is required.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Costs incurred are subject to audit throughout the grant period and/or before final payment, with the extent and frequency of audit depending on the size of the grant and on the particular grant provisions.

Records

Recipient is expected to maintain auditable records to substantiate the total costs incurred under the grant.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: Office of Science research programs, which complement DOE's applied missions in energy resources, environmental quality, and national security, have been at the forefront of modern scientific advances and have expanded the frontiers of basic scientific knowledge. Results and accomplishments of basic research performed under these programs are reported in open scientific literature. University research programs often support graduate students who assist principal investigators with research projects. Student support on basic science research projects has helped to train the future scientific talent in DOE supported science areas such as materials science, chemistry, mathematics, general life sciences, geosciences, genetics, radiation biology, ecology, nuclear medicine, and high energy and nuclear physics. Fiscal Year 2009: Office of Science research programs, which complement DOE's applied missions in energy resources, environmental quality, and national security, have been at the forefront of modern scientific advances and have expanded the frontiers of basic scientific knowledge. Results and accomplishments of basic research performed under these programs are reported in open scientific literature. University research programs often support graduate students who assist principal investigators with research projects. Student support on basic science research projects has helped to train the future scientific talent in DOE supported science areas such as materials science, chemistry, mathematics, general life sciences, geosciences, genetics, radiation biology, ecology, nuclear medicine, and high energy and nuclear physics. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

89-0222-0-1-251; 89-0224-0-1-271.

Obligations

(Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements)) FY 08 $974,311,832; FY 09 est $1,290,000,000; FY 10 est $1,290,000,000 - In addition to the above, it is anticipated that the following Recovery Act funds will be available: FY 09 est $333,000,000 and FY 10 est $50,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$10,000 to $2,000,000; $200,000.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

10 CFR 605; 10 CFR 600; Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Tonja Stokes 19901 Germantown Road
, Germantown, Maryland 20874-1290 Phone: (301) 903-2859

Web Site Address

http://www.science.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Results and accomplishments of basic research performed under these programs are reported in open scientific literature. Fiscal Year 2009: Results and accomplishments of basic research performed under these programs are reported in open scientific literature. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Scientific and/or technical merit of the project; appropriateness of the proposed method or approach; competency of the applicant's personnel and the adequacy of proposed resources; and reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget.