Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001374
Apply for DE FOA 0001374
- The Idaho Field Office in the education energy science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DOE Traineeship in Robotics" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.104 Environmental Remediation and Waste Processing and Disposal.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 4, 2015 and posted on Aug 4, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 30, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- In accordance with 2 CFR 910.126(b), eligibility for award is restricted to U.S. Colleges and Universities. . Eligibility is restricted to Universities with graduate programs of study in science, technology, engineering, mathematics that support Robotics. Minority serving institutions (e.g., historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), Black serving non HBCUs, Hispanic serving institutions, Asian serving institutions, and American Indian serving institutions) with these types of graduate study programs are encouraged to apply. Universities with cooperative programs which share coursework between two or more colleges and universities to meet the above requirements are also encouraged to apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The DOE Traineeship in Robotics (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001374) was a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) funding opportunity aimed at building a stronger graduate-level robotics workforce specifically for EM mission needs. The program was designed to fund university-led traineeships that train graduate students in robotics disciplines aligned with DOE STEM priorities, with a strong emphasis on robotics hardware, software, and full-system integration. The underlying driver is a clear workforce gap: DOE needs engineers and researchers who can design, manufacture, and deploy advanced robotics systems that can operate in high-radiation and other hazardous environments where human access is limited or unsafe.
The opportunity would have supported one or more cooperative agreements, with projects anticipated to run for up to five years. Unlike traditional research grants where student support is often embedded inside a research award, this FOA focused on creating structured, university-run traineeship programs as a dedicated mechanism for graduate training tied directly to DOE mission demands. Proposed traineeships were expected to combine a focused academic program featuring distinctive and innovative curriculum with rigorous thesis or dissertation research. A key theme was preparing students for a range of STEM careers, including but not limited to academia, by leveraging DOE assets and capabilities (such as national lab expertise, facilities, and problem sets) and building strategic partnerships that strengthen real-world readiness.
From DOE-EMs perspective, the robotics training emphasis is tightly linked to nuclear environmental cleanup and long-term stewardship challenges. The FOA highlighted robotics applications that support nuclear environmental remediation and radioactive waste work, including waste retrieval, treatment, processing, storage, transportation, and disposal. It also emphasized stewardship of spent nuclear fuel and special nuclear materials, along with robotics needs in nuclear facility and infrastructure operations, maintenance, and sustainment. Additional mission areas included facility and infrastructure deactivation and decommissioning (D and D), worker safety, industrial safety, nuclear facility safety, and other tasks involving high-hazard, high-consequence materials and wastes. In practical terms, this points to robotics capable of remote handling, inspection, mapping, manipulation, autonomous or semi-autonomous operations, and robust sensing and control in complex, contaminated, or radiation-heavy environments.
Funding was provided as a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning DOE would likely have substantial involvement in the projects execution compared with a standard grant. The FOA projected up to four awards, with an estimated total funding level of $10,000,000 and an award ceiling of $5,000,000 per award (no stated award floor). There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement listed. The CFDA number associated with the program was 81.104 (Environmental Remediation and Waste Processing and Disposal), reflecting the EM mission connection rather than a generic robotics R and D category.
Eligibility was restricted to accredited U.S. colleges and universities, consistent with 2 CFR 910.126(b), and specifically to universities that have graduate programs in STEM fields that support robotics. The FOA encouraged applications from minority-serving institutions, including HBCUs and other institutions serving Black, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian student populations. It also encouraged cooperative university arrangements where coursework and training are shared across two or more institutions to meet the program requirements, which signals DOE interest in scalable, collaborative training models rather than isolated single-department efforts.
Administratively, the sponsoring agency office was DOE Idaho Field Office, and the full FOA was posted on FedConnect under the reference number DE-FOA-0001374, with applications required to be submitted through Grants.gov. DOE indicated an expected response window of about 57 days, with an application due date of September 30, 2015. Like most federal opportunities, the announcement included standard language noting that any government obligation to fund awards depends on the availability of appropriated funds and that no legal liability exists until funds are obligated and an official award notice is issued by the contracting officer.
Overall, this opportunity was essentially a workforce-development investment: DOE-EM sought universities that could build a coherent graduate traineeship pipeline producing robotics experts ready to tackle the specialized technical realities of nuclear cleanup, radioactive waste management, facility decommissioning, and safety-critical operations, while also strengthening partnerships between academia and DOE resources to ensure training stays grounded in mission-relevant problems.
FAQs: DOE Traineeship in Robotics (DE-FOA-0001374)
What is the DOE Traineeship in Robotics (DE-FOA-0001374)?
The DOE Traineeship in Robotics (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001374) was a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) funding opportunity focused on building a stronger graduate-level robotics workforce tailored to DOE-EM mission needs.
What was the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The goal was workforce development: funding university-led traineeships that produce engineers and researchers capable of designing, manufacturing, and deploying advanced robotics for high-radiation and other hazardous environments where human access is limited or unsafe.
Which DOE office sponsored this opportunity?
The program was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM), with the sponsoring agency office listed as the DOE Idaho Field Office.
Why did DOE-EM focus on robotics traineeships?
DOE-EM identified a workforce gap in robotics expertise needed for nuclear environmental cleanup and long-term stewardship. The opportunity emphasized preparing graduates to work on real-world EM problems involving radioactive waste, contaminated facilities, and other high-hazard settings.
What kind of award mechanism was used?
Funding was expected to be made through discretionary cooperative agreements, which generally implies DOE would likely have substantial involvement in project execution compared with a standard grant.
How many awards were anticipated and what was the total funding level?
The FOA projected up to four awards, with an estimated total funding level of $10,000,000.
What was the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling was listed as $5,000,000 per award. No award floor was stated.
How long were projects expected to run?
Projects were anticipated to run for up to five years.
Was cost sharing or a match required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement was listed in the information provided.
What types of programs were DOE expecting applicants to propose?
DOE expected structured, university-run traineeship programs as a dedicated mechanism for graduate training, rather than simply supporting students as part of a traditional research grant. Traineeships were expected to pair a focused academic program (with distinctive and innovative curriculum) with rigorous thesis or dissertation research.
What robotics areas were emphasized?
The FOA emphasized robotics disciplines aligned with DOE STEM priorities, with a strong focus on robotics hardware, software, and full-system integration.
What mission areas or applications were highlighted for robotics?
The FOA highlighted robotics applications supporting nuclear environmental remediation and radioactive waste work, including waste retrieval, treatment, processing, storage, transportation, and disposal. It also emphasized stewardship of spent nuclear fuel and special nuclear materials, plus robotics needs for nuclear facility and infrastructure operations, maintenance, and sustainment.
Did the opportunity address decommissioning and safety-related work?
Yes. Additional mission areas included facility and infrastructure deactivation and decommissioning (D and D), worker safety, industrial safety, nuclear facility safety, and other tasks involving high-hazard, high-consequence materials and wastes.
What practical robot capabilities were implied by the FOA mission needs?
Based on the described EM environments and tasks, the FOA pointed toward robotics capable of remote handling, inspection, mapping, manipulation, autonomous or semi-autonomous operations, and robust sensing and control in complex, contaminated, or radiation-heavy settings.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was restricted to accredited U.S. colleges and universities, consistent with 2 CFR 910.126(b), and specifically to universities that have graduate programs in STEM fields that support robotics.
Were minority-serving institutions encouraged to apply?
Yes. The FOA encouraged applications from minority-serving institutions, including HBCUs and other institutions serving Black, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian student populations.
Could multiple universities collaborate on one traineeship?
Yes. The FOA encouraged cooperative university arrangements where coursework and training are shared across two or more institutions to meet program requirements, indicating interest in collaborative training models.
How did DOE expect traineeships to connect with DOE resources?
The traineeships were expected to leverage DOE assets and capabilities, including national laboratory expertise, facilities, and problem sets, and to build strategic partnerships that strengthen real-world readiness.
Was the program only intended to prepare students for academic careers?
No. The FOA emphasized preparing students for a range of STEM careers, including but not limited to academia.
What was the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number associated with the program was 81.104 (Environmental Remediation and Waste Processing and Disposal).
Where was the full FOA posted?
The full FOA was posted on FedConnect under the reference number DE-FOA-0001374.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov.
What was the expected application window and due date?
DOE indicated an expected response window of about 57 days, with an application due date of September 30, 2015.
Did DOE guarantee that awards would be funded?
No. The announcement included standard federal language that any government obligation to fund awards depends on the availability of appropriated funds, and that no legal liability exists until funds are obligated and an official award notice is issued by the contracting officer.
How was this opportunity different from a typical research grant?
Unlike traditional research grants where student support is often embedded inside a research award, this FOA focused on creating structured traineeship programs operated by universities as the primary vehicle for graduate robotics training tied directly to DOE mission demands.
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