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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - High Energy Density Laboratory Plasmas (HEDLP) FOA DE-FOA-0000583

1) What is the High Energy Density Laboratory Plasmas (HEDLP) funding opportunity?

The High Energy Density Laboratory Plasmas (HEDLP) funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0000583) is a discretionary U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant solicitation to support research in high energy density laboratory plasma science. It is the primary pathway described in the announcement for applicants outside the DOE national laboratory system to seek funding under the joint Office of Science (SC) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) HEDLP program for Fiscal Year 2012.

2) Which parts of DOE are issuing this joint funding opportunity?

This is a joint grant call from:

• DOE Office of Science (Fusion Energy Sciences program), and
• DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Stockpile Stewardship within Defense Programs.

3) Who is this FOA intended to support?

The FOA is intended to support university and other non-DOE-lab researchers working on high energy density laboratory plasma science. It explicitly includes support for both new awards and renewals for FY 2012.

4) Is this FOA the main route for non-national-lab applicants to get HEDLP funding under the joint program?

Yes. The announcement states that, in practical terms, this FOA is the main pathway for applicants outside the DOE national laboratory system to seek HEDLP research funding under the SC-NNSA joint program.

5) What research areas does the FOA cover?

The FOA describes a broad scope organized into eight topic areas:

1. High energy density hydrodynamics
2. Radiation-dominated dynamics and material properties
3. Magnetized high energy density plasma physics
4. Nonlinear optics of plasmas and laser-plasma interactions
5. Relativistic high energy density plasmas and intense beam physics
6. Warm dense matter
7. Diagnostics for HEDLP
8. Community development activities

6) What kinds of topics fit under high energy density hydrodynamics?

The FOA describes this area as focused on how matter flows and mixes under extreme pressures and temperatures.

7) What does "radiation-dominated dynamics and material properties" mean in this FOA?

In the FOA description, this topic area includes regimes where radiation transport strongly affects plasma evolution and where materials behave differently under intense radiation fields.

8) What is covered under magnetized high energy density plasma physics?

The FOA highlights how strong magnetic fields modify high-pressure plasmas, including effects on transport, stability, and energy coupling.

9) What does the FOA mean by nonlinear optics of plasmas and laser-plasma interactions?

This topic area covers the complex ways intense laser light propagates through plasmas and couples energy into them, including instabilities and self-focusing effects relevant to high-power laser facilities.

10) What is included in relativistic high energy density plasmas and intense beam physics?

The FOA frames this as research on plasmas driven by extremely intense lasers or particle beams where relativistic effects become important.

11) What is "warm dense matter" in the context of this solicitation?

The FOA identifies warm dense matter as a key category focused on the in-between state of matter that is neither a traditional solid nor a classical plasma, and notes its relevance to planetary interiors and inertial fusion-related conditions.

12) Why does the FOA call out diagnostics specifically?

The FOA explicitly includes diagnostics for HEDLP and explains that progress in this field depends heavily on new measurement techniques for extreme environments. Examples referenced include time-resolved imaging, spectroscopy, particle probing, and radiation diagnostics.

13) What are "community development activities" under this FOA?

The FOA describes community development activities as efforts that strengthen the field as a whole, such as coordination activities, workshops, code or database efforts, and other mechanisms that improve collaboration and shared capability across the HEDLP community.

14) What type of funding opportunity is this (category/assistance type)?

The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant opportunity in the science and technology / R&D category.

15) How many awards did DOE anticipate making, and what was the total funding level?

DOE anticipated about 35 awards with an estimated total funding level of $14,000,000.

16) What was the expected size of individual awards?

Individual awards were expected to range from a minimum (floor) of $50,000 up to a maximum (ceiling) of $1,000,000.

17) Was cost sharing required?

No. The FOA states there was no cost-sharing requirement.

18) What were the key dates for this FOA?

• Posted date: September 8, 2011
• Closing date: November 3, 2011
• Archive date: February 8, 2012

19) What is the CFDA number associated with this program?

The FOA is associated with CFDA 81.049 (Office of Science Financial Assistance Program).

20) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as broadly open, with specific exclusions noted in the announcement. The FOA is aimed at universities and other non-DOE-lab researchers.

21) Who is not eligible to apply under this FOA?

The FOA lists two notable exclusions:

• DOE national laboratories and other Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contractors are not eligible under this FOA.
• Certain 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995 are not eligible.

22) If DOE national laboratories cannot apply to this FOA, how was national-lab work expected to be handled?

The announcement notes that a companion program announcement aimed specifically at DOE national laboratories (LAB 11-583) would be posted separately. This is described as the parallel path for national-lab work rather than competing directly under this external grant solicitation.

23) How does this FOA relate to the NNSA Stewardship Science Academic Alliances (SSAA) program?

The FOA flags that a separate NNSA-only Funding Opportunity Announcement for the Stewardship Science Academic Alliances (SSAA) program was planned for release later, and that SSAA would include cooperative agreements for Centers of Excellence in several areas (including High Energy Density Physics) and research grants in certain fields.

24) Would the separate SSAA FOA fund research grants in High Energy Density Physics?

No. The announcement states that the SSAA FOA would not fund research grants in High Energy Density Physics. Applicants looking specifically for HED physics research grants were directed to this SC-NNSA Joint Program HEDLP FOA rather than waiting for SSAA research-grant funding in that subfield.

25) Who administered this opportunity within DOE?

The opportunity was administered through the DOE Chicago Service Center.

26) Are there points of contact for administrative and technical questions?

Yes. The notice indicates that points of contact were listed for both grants administration and technical/scientific questions.

27) What if an applicant had trouble accessing the full announcement electronically?

The notice indicates the full announcement could be accessed electronically and provides an assistance contact for access issues.