Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000615
Apply for DE FOA 0000615
- The Golden Field Office in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancements in Sustainable Algal Production (ASAP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087 Renewable Energy Research and Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 18, 2012 and posted on Feb 24, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 2, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
- All types of domestic entities, except nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995. Eligible applicants include but are not limited to (1) institutions of higher education (2) National Laboratories and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) (3) nonprofit and for profit private entities (4) State, local governments, and tribal governments and (5) consortia of entities (1) through (4). If applying as a consortium, an established member of the consortium must be designated as the lead applicant. A foreign legal entity may be proposed as a team member on a domestic entitys application. Eligible foreign legal entities include but are not limited to (1) institutions of higher education (2) nonprofit and for profit private entities (3) foreign governments and (4) consortia of entities (1) through (3). If the foreign team member is a consortium, an established member of the consortium must be designated as the lead applicant.
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Opportunity Summary:
Advancements in Sustainable Algal Production (ASAP) (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000615) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) discretionary funding opportunity administered through the DOE Golden Field Office. The program is focused on science and technology research and development for outdoor, phototrophic algae production, with the larger aim of improving the sustainability and scalability of algal biofuels. Specifically, DOE is seeking projects that help reduce key resource constraints and accelerate real-world validation of algal systems so the Biomass Program can better model practical pathways toward producing large volumes of cost-competitive algal biofuels, with an illustrative target on the order of 1 billion gallons per year by 2022.
The FOA supports R and D in two main topic areas. The first is nutrient and water use in algal production systems, which generally covers efforts to measure, reduce, recycle, or otherwise optimize freshwater demand and nutrient inputs (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) in outdoor cultivation. This area is central to sustainability because water and fertilizer requirements can dominate both environmental footprint and operating cost at scale. The second area is the development of algal technology testbed facilities, meaning outdoor-capable platforms and shared infrastructure that can be used to test and compare strains, cultivation approaches, and operating strategies under realistic conditions. These testbeds are intended to help standardize evaluation, generate field-relevant performance data, and reduce the gap between laboratory results and commercial deployment.
This opportunity uses a Cooperative Agreement as the funding instrument, which is significant because it implies substantial federal involvement in the project rather than a more hands-off grant structure. An amendment to the FOA added explicit language in Section VI.B.4 regarding a Statement of Substantial Involvement. Under this amendment, a DOE Specialist and DOE Project Officer will negotiate this statement prior to award, and DOE anticipates being involved in areas such as review and approval of a site access plan. The amendment also clarifies that DOE retains the right to intervene in the conduct or performance of project activities for programmatic reasons, including interrupting or modifying project activities if needed. In practical terms, applicants should expect closer coordination with DOE during execution, clearer expectations around access to sites and facilities, and the possibility of DOE-directed adjustments if the project drifts from program goals or requirements.
The FOA also includes a deadline change through amendment: the Full Application deadline was extended to May 2, 2012 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time (originally April 18, 2012). Aside from the added substantial involvement language and the extended deadline, the announcement states that all other parts of the FOA remained unchanged. The posting date is listed as February 24, 2012, with an archive date of July 18, 2012.
Eligibility is broadly open to domestic entities, with one notable restriction excluding 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, National Laboratories and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), nonprofit and for-profit private entities, state and local governments, tribal governments, and consortia of these entities (with a designated lead applicant). The FOA also allows foreign legal entities to participate as team members on a domestic applicant team, including foreign universities, companies, governments, and consortia (again with a designated lead within that foreign consortium if applicable). Cost sharing is required, meaning applicants should plan for a portion of total project costs to be covered by non-federal sources, consistent with DOE rules described in the full FOA.
Applications had to be submitted electronically through the EERE eXCHANGE portal, and applicants were required to register and create an account in that system to apply. The full FOA, detailed submission instructions, and the location for questions are provided on EERE eXCHANGE, and the announcement also references the EERE eXCHANGE user guide hosted on the EERE website. A listed point of contact for access issues is Diana Heyder, Grants Management Specialist. The public summary fields show award ceiling, floor, and estimated total funding as zero, which typically indicates that applicants needed to consult the full FOA for actual funding levels, number of anticipated awards, and topic-specific budgets rather than relying on the brief synopsis page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Advancements in Sustainable Algal Production (ASAP) funding opportunity?
Advancements in Sustainable Algal Production (ASAP) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) discretionary funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000615) administered through the DOE Golden Field Office. It supports science and technology research and development for outdoor, phototrophic algae production, with the broader goal of improving the sustainability and scalability of algal biofuels.
What is the main goal of ASAP?
The program aims to reduce key resource constraints and accelerate real-world validation of algal systems so DOE's Biomass Program can better model practical pathways toward producing large volumes of cost-competitive algal biofuels. The opportunity references an illustrative target on the order of 1 billion gallons per year by 2022.
Which DOE office administers this opportunity?
This funding opportunity is administered through the DOE Golden Field Office.
What kinds of algae systems are the focus of this FOA?
The FOA focuses on outdoor, phototrophic algae production systems (systems that use light-driven biological processes).
What topic areas does the FOA support?
The FOA supports research and development in two main topic areas: (1) nutrient and water use in algal production systems, and (2) development of algal technology testbed facilities.
What is included under the nutrient and water use topic area?
This topic area generally covers efforts to measure, reduce, recycle, or otherwise optimize freshwater demand and nutrient inputs (including nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus) in outdoor algal cultivation systems.
Why does the FOA emphasize nutrient and water use?
The FOA describes water and fertilizer requirements as central sustainability drivers because, at scale, they can dominate both the environmental footprint and operating cost of algal production systems.
What is meant by "algal technology testbed facilities"?
Testbed facilities are outdoor-capable platforms and shared infrastructure intended to test and compare strains, cultivation approaches, and operating strategies under realistic conditions.
What is the purpose of the testbed facilities supported by this FOA?
These testbeds are intended to help standardize evaluation, generate field-relevant performance data, and reduce the gap between laboratory results and commercial deployment.
What type of funding instrument does ASAP use?
This opportunity uses a Cooperative Agreement.
How is a Cooperative Agreement different from a more hands-off grant?
As described in the FOA synopsis, a Cooperative Agreement implies substantial federal involvement in the project rather than a more hands-off structure. Applicants should expect closer coordination with DOE during project execution.
What changed in the FOA amendment related to DOE involvement?
An amendment added explicit language in Section VI.B.4 regarding a Statement of Substantial Involvement. Under this amendment, a DOE Specialist and DOE Project Officer will negotiate this statement prior to award.
What does DOE anticipate being involved in during the project?
DOE anticipates involvement in areas such as review and approval of a site access plan, based on the added amendment language.
Does DOE have the ability to intervene in project activities?
Yes. The amendment clarifies that DOE retains the right to intervene in the conduct or performance of project activities for programmatic reasons, including interrupting or modifying project activities if needed.
What does the FOA imply about site access expectations?
The synopsis indicates applicants should expect clearer expectations around access to sites and facilities, including DOE review and approval of a site access plan as part of DOE's substantial involvement.
What was the Full Application deadline?
The Full Application deadline (as amended) was extended to May 2, 2012 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. The original deadline was April 18, 2012.
Were other parts of the FOA changed by the amendment?
According to the announcement, aside from the added substantial involvement language and the extended deadline, all other parts of the FOA remained unchanged.
What are the posting date and archive date for this opportunity?
The posting date is listed as February 24, 2012, and the archive date is July 18, 2012.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broadly open to domestic entities. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, National Laboratories and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), nonprofit and for-profit private entities, state and local governments, tribal governments, and consortia of these entities (with a designated lead applicant).
Are there any notable eligibility restrictions for nonprofits?
Yes. The synopsis notes a restriction excluding 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995.
Can consortia apply?
Yes. Consortia of eligible entities may apply, but the FOA requires that a lead applicant be designated.
Can foreign organizations apply or participate?
The FOA allows foreign legal entities to participate as team members on a domestic applicant team. Examples mentioned include foreign universities, companies, governments, and consortia (with a designated lead within the foreign consortium if applicable).
Is cost sharing required?
Yes. Cost sharing is required, meaning applicants should plan for a portion of total project costs to be covered by non-federal sources, consistent with DOE rules described in the full FOA.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications had to be submitted electronically through the EERE eXCHANGE portal.
Do applicants need to register to apply?
Yes. Applicants were required to register and create an account in EERE eXCHANGE in order to apply.
Where can applicants find the full FOA and submission instructions?
The full FOA, detailed submission instructions, and the location for questions are provided on the EERE eXCHANGE portal. The announcement also references an EERE eXCHANGE user guide hosted on the EERE website.
Who is the point of contact for EERE eXCHANGE access issues?
The listed point of contact for access issues is Diana Heyder, Grants Management Specialist.
Why do the public summary fields show award ceiling, floor, and estimated total funding as zero?
The synopsis indicates the public summary fields show award ceiling, floor, and estimated total funding as zero. This typically means applicants needed to consult the full FOA for actual funding levels, the number of anticipated awards, and any topic-specific budgets rather than relying on the brief synopsis page.
Where should applicants look for the actual funding levels and award details?
Applicants should consult the full FOA on EERE eXCHANGE for actual funding levels, anticipated number of awards, and topic-specific budget information.
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