[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75927-75929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30926]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Science; Office of Science Financial Assistance Program
Notice 01-04; Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Robotics
and Intelligent Machines (RIM) Program
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice inviting academic research grant applications.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) of the Office of
Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), supports fundamental
research in the natural sciences and engineering leading to new and
improved energy technologies and to understanding and mitigating the
environmental impacts of energy technologies. In keeping with its
mission, the DOE hereby announces its interest in receiving grant
applications for support under its Robotics and Intelligent Machines
(RIM) Program. RIM is needed to develop cost-effective solutions to
tasks relating to energy efficiency, safety, and security. Applications
should be from investigators who are currently involved in basic
research in this area, and should be submitted through an U.S. academic
institution. The purpose of this program is to support fundamental
research in Robotics and Intelligent Machines for the present and
future needs of the Department of Energy.
Restrocted Eligibility: Eligibility is restricted to academic
research institutions. This is required by the Fiscal Year 2001,
Congressional Budget for the DOE Office of Science, where it is stated
``a new, university-based research effort in Robotics and Intelligent
Machines will focus on sensors and sensor integration, remote operation
and data acquisition, and controls.''
DATES: Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a brief
pre-application. DOE should receive all pre-applications, referencing
Program Notice 01-04, by 4:30 P.M., E.S.T., January 2, 2001. A response
to the pre-applications encouraging or discouraging a formal
application will be communicated to the applicant
[[Page 75928]]
within approximately thirty days of receipt. The deadline for receipt
of formal applications is 4:30 P.M., E.S.T., March 20, 2001, in order
to be accepted for programmatic and merit review and to permit timely
consideration for award in Fiscal Year 2001.
ADDRESSES: All pre-applications, referencing Program Notice 01-04,
should be sent to Dr. Robert Price, Division of Materials Sciences and
Engineering, SC-131, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy,
19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.
After receiving notification from DOE encouraging submission of a
formal application, applicants should send formal applications to: U.S.
Department of Energy, Office of Science, Grants and Contracts Division,
SC-64, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, ATTN: Program
Notice 01-04. This above address must also be used when submitting
applications by U.S. Postal Service Express, any commercial mail
delivery service, or when hand carried by the applicant. An original
and 11 copies of the application must be submitted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robert Price, Program Manager,
Engineering Sciences Program, Division of Materials Sciences and
Engineering, SC-131, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy,
19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, Telephone: (301) 903-
3565, Facsimile: (301) 903-9513 or Internet E-mail address:
[email protected]. The full text of Program Notice 01-04 is
available via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The emphasis of this program is on the
engineering science developments that are needed for deployment of
mobile intelligent machines with robust behavior and reduced
complexity. Such systems are critically needed in a wide spectrum of
settings in the Department of Energy, such as the extension of human
capabilities to sense, perceive, and interact with phenomena at a
distance or in hazardous or inaccessible locations along with improved
information handling. Engineering science developments for the needs of
improving the design and deployment of a team of mobile intelligent
machines will be considered for funding under this program. Research
topics include but are not limited to, scientifically ground breaking
forefront investigations involving:
Inherently distributed missions in dynamic, uncertain
environments.
Sensor integration for distributed RIM systems.
Revolutionary collaborative research using remote and
virtual systems.
Intelligent machine concepts and controls methodologies
for manipulative tasks.
Improved operation and remote usage of SC strategic
facilities to meet programmatic needs.
Additional information on RIM may be found by opening the following
site on the World Wide Web: http://www.rim.doe.gov/ or by doing a
search on rim.doe.gov. If you are unable to get this information,
contact Dr. Robert Price at 301-903-3565 or at his previously listed
address and the information will be provided.
Program Funding
This is a new program and it is anticipated that approximately
$2,000,000 will be available in FY 2001 for research in Robotics and
Intelligent Machines. Multiple-year funding of grant awards is expected
subject to satisfactory progress of the research, and the availability
of funds. Awards are expected to range up to a maximum of $500,000
annually with terms from one to three years. The number of awards and
range of funding will depend on the number and quality of applications
received and selected for award. Award funds will be provided to the
recipient organization for the purpose of supporting the research
efforts and may include travel and lodging, faculty or student
stipends, materials, services and equipment.
Applications
To minimize undue effort on the part of applicants and reviewers,
interested parties are invited to submit pre-applications. The pre-
applications will be reviewed relative to the scope and research needs
of the Department of Energy. The brief pre-application must consist of
a three to five page project description describing the research
objectives and methods of accomplishment, along with an estimated
budget and biographical information limited to two pages per Principal
Investigator and co-Principal Investigator. The pre-applications will
be reviewed by the programmatic research area program manager, to
determine the relevance of the research to the DOE, appropriateness for
support in Engineering research and the priority of research. Based on
this review, DOE/RIM management will recommend formal submission of
some of the applications to the Department. A telephone number,
facsimile number, and e-mail address are required parts of the pre-
application. Further instructions regarding the contents of pre-
application and other pre-application guidelines can be found on the SC
Grants and Contracts web site at:
http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/preapp.html.
Formal applications, when received, will be subjected to scientific
merit review (peer review) and will be evaluated against the following
evaluation criteria, listed in descending order of importance as
codified at 10 CFR part 605.10(d).
1. Scientific and/or technical merit of the project;
2. Appropriateness of the proposed method or approach;
3. Competency of applicant's personnel and adequacy of proposed
resources;
4. Reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget.
The evaluation will include program policy factors such as the
relevance of the proposed research to the terms of the announcement and
an agency's programmatic needs and priority. Note, external peer
reviewers are selected with regard to both their scientific expertise
and the absence of conflict-of-interest issues. Non-federal reviewers
will often be used, and submission of an application constitutes
agreement that this is acceptable to the investigator(s) and the
submitting institution. Other applications received by SC under its
current competitive application mechanisms that meet the criteria
outlined in this Notice may also be deemed appropriate for
consideration under this announcement and may be funded under this
program. General information about the development and submission of
pre-applications, applications, eligibility, limitations, evaluation,
and selection processes, and other policies and procedures are
contained in the Application Guide for the Office of Science Financial
Assistance Program and 10 CFR part 605. Electronic access to the latest
version of SC's Financial Assistance Guide is possible via the Internet
at the following web site address: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.
Additional information regarding format, preparation and specific
requirements may be found at web site address: http://www.sc.doe.gov/production/bes/EPSCoR/APPLI1.HTM.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program
is 81.049, and the solicitation control number is ERFAP 10 CFR part
605.
[[Page 75929]]
Issued in Washington, DC on November 29, 2000.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 00-30926 Filed 12-4-00; 8:45 am]
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