Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001109
Apply for DE FOA 0001109
- The NNSA in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Laser Users Facility (NLUF)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.112 Stewardship Science Grant Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 7, 2014 and posted on Aug 7, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 15, 2014 Application deadline is September 15, 2014, 1159 PM Eastern Standard Time.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 13 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- United States based Corporations, Partnerships, or Proprietorships that meet the following A corporation, partnership, or proprietorship that has majority ownership by individual(s) who are citizens of the United States, and A corporation, partnership, or proprietorship organized under the laws of a State, Federal District, or U.S. Territory that either has no parent company or has a parent company organized under the laws of a State, Federal District, or U.S. Territory.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Laser Users Facility (NLUF) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001109) is a competitive funding announcement from the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), specifically the Office of Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation under Defense Programs. It solicits applications for new or renewal research grants that will be carried out within the NLUF program, a long-running user program designed to connect university and industry researchers with world-class high-energy laser capabilities for experiments in high energy density (HED) physics and inertial confinement fusion (ICF). The NLUF sits within the broader Joint Program in High Energy Density Laboratory Plasmas, sponsored jointly by NNSA (Office of Defense Science) and DOE's Office of Science (Office of Fusion Energy), and its financial assistance awards are administered through NNSA's Contracts and Procurements Division in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
At the center of the program is the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (UR/LLE), founded in 1970 to study how high-power lasers interact with matter. UR/LLE hosts the OMEGA Laser Facility, which is the experimental platform made available to external users through NLUF. The facility includes the OMEGA system, a 60-beam ultraviolet laser delivering up to roughly 30 kJ at 0.35 micrometers, and the OMEGA EP system, a four-beam capability that supports multiple operating modes. Two of the EP beams can operate up to about 6.5 kJ in the UV with roughly 10 ns pulse duration (also at 0.35 micrometers), while the other two can either operate similarly in the UV or be configured as petawatt-class beams delivering up to about 2.6 kJ in the infrared (1.054 micrometers) with approximately 10 ps pulse duration. In practical terms, this mix of long-pulse UV energy and short-pulse, high-intensity capability allows researchers to explore a wide range of plasma and material conditions, spanning regimes relevant to fusion energy concepts and extreme astrophysical environments.
The main benefit NLUF offers is access: awardees can propose experiments that use OMEGA and OMEGA EP operating time reserved for NLUF users. For the fiscal years referenced in the announcement (FY 2015 and FY 2016), about 17 percent of the facility's operating time is allocated to the NLUF program. Beyond beam time, the program emphasizes hands-on scientific collaboration. UR/LLE researchers are available to work with user teams, help design and execute experiments, and support diagnostics and analysis. The announcement explicitly encourages principal investigators to collaborate with UR/LLE staff, which reflects how these complex HED experiments are typically carried out: as joint efforts combining outside scientific ideas with the facility's in-house technical and operational expertise.
In terms of research scope, the opportunity targets experiments and studies in HED physics and ICF, broadly defined to include laser-matter interactions and related phenomena. Example topical areas mentioned include laboratory astrophysics (using lasers to reproduce scaled versions of astrophysical shocks, jets, and radiation-driven flows), properties of materials under HED conditions (equations of state, phase transitions, strength and transport at extreme pressure and temperature), and laser-plasma instabilities (which affect energy coupling, symmetry, and performance in fusion-relevant targets). The announcement points applicants to the National Research Council report "Frontiers in High Energy Density Physics: The X Games of Contemporary Science" (2003) as a broad overview of the field and notes that many of the regimes discussed there can be accessed using OMEGA capabilities. Additional facility details and user-oriented guidance are available through UR/LLE, including a Users Guide hosted on the LLE website.
The funding opportunity is structured as a discretionary grant competition within the Stewardship Science Grant Program (CFDA 81.112). NNSA anticipated making around 13 awards, with an estimated total funding level of about $3.2 million. Individual awards were expected to range from a floor of $50,000 up to a ceiling of $500,000, and the announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The application deadline listed is September 15, 2014, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, with the opportunity posted on August 7, 2014 and later archived on November 28, 2014.
Eligibility includes a mix of academic and non-academic U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. The announcement also allows certain U.S.-based for-profit entities (corporations, partnerships, or proprietorships) provided they meet ownership and organizational requirements: majority ownership by U.S. citizens, and organization under the laws of a U.S. state, federal district, or U.S. territory, with either no parent company or a parent company likewise organized under U.S. jurisdiction. For applicants or institutions that need help accessing the full announcement materials, the contact listed is Delmeria M. Pacheco, Contracting Officer/Grants Management, at 505-845-4381 or Delmeria.Pacheco@nnsa.doe.gov.
National Laser Users Facility (NLUF) Grant (DE-FOA-0001109) FAQs
What is the National Laser Users Facility (NLUF) grant opportunity?
The NLUF grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001109) is a competitive funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). It supports new or renewal research grants for projects carried out within the NLUF program, which connects university and industry researchers with high-energy laser capabilities for experiments in high energy density (HED) physics and inertial confinement fusion (ICF).
Which agency and office sponsor this opportunity?
This opportunity is issued by DOE/NNSA, specifically the Office of Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation under Defense Programs. Financial assistance awards are administered through NNSA's Contracts and Procurements Division in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
How does NLUF fit into broader DOE/NNSA research programs?
NLUF sits within the broader Joint Program in High Energy Density Laboratory Plasmas, which is sponsored jointly by NNSA (Office of Defense Science) and DOE's Office of Science (Office of Fusion Energy).
What is the main benefit provided by an NLUF award?
The central benefit is access to reserved operating time on the OMEGA and OMEGA EP laser systems at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (UR/LLE). In addition to beam time, the program emphasizes hands-on scientific collaboration with UR/LLE researchers for experiment design, execution, diagnostics support, and analysis.
Where are the experiments conducted?
Experiments are conducted at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (UR/LLE), using the OMEGA Laser Facility that is made available to external users through the NLUF program.
What laser capabilities are available through the NLUF program?
NLUF users can propose experiments using the OMEGA system and the OMEGA EP system. OMEGA is described as a 60-beam ultraviolet laser delivering up to roughly 30 kJ at 0.35 micrometers. OMEGA EP is described as a four-beam capability with multiple operating modes, including long-pulse UV operation and optional petawatt-class short-pulse infrared operation.
What are the key technical characteristics of the OMEGA laser system?
The OMEGA system is a 60-beam ultraviolet laser delivering up to roughly 30 kJ at a wavelength of 0.35 micrometers.
What are the key technical characteristics of the OMEGA EP system?
OMEGA EP provides four beams and supports multiple operating modes. Two EP beams can operate up to about 6.5 kJ in the ultraviolet at 0.35 micrometers with roughly 10 ns pulse duration. The other two beams can operate similarly in the UV, or they can be configured as petawatt-class beams delivering up to about 2.6 kJ in the infrared (1.054 micrometers) with approximately 10 ps pulse duration.
How much facility time is allocated to NLUF users?
For the fiscal years referenced in the announcement (FY 2015 and FY 2016), about 17 percent of the OMEGA facility's operating time is allocated to the NLUF program.
What research areas does the funding opportunity support?
The opportunity targets experiments and studies in high energy density (HED) physics and inertial confinement fusion (ICF). It broadly includes laser-matter interactions and related phenomena.
What example topical areas are specifically mentioned?
Examples mentioned include laboratory astrophysics (such as scaled astrophysical shocks, jets, and radiation-driven flows), properties of materials under HED conditions (equations of state, phase transitions, strength and transport at extreme pressure and temperature), and laser-plasma instabilities (affecting energy coupling, symmetry, and performance in fusion-relevant targets).
Are collaborations with UR/LLE staff encouraged or required?
The announcement explicitly encourages principal investigators to collaborate with UR/LLE staff. UR/LLE researchers are available to help user teams design and execute experiments and to support diagnostics and analysis.
Is this a new-grant-only competition, or are renewals allowed?
The solicitation accepts applications for both new and renewal research grants, as described in the opportunity summary.
What program and assistance listing is associated with this opportunity?
The funding opportunity is structured as a discretionary grant competition within the Stewardship Science Grant Program and is associated with CFDA 81.112.
How many awards were expected, and what was the total funding level?
NNSA anticipated making around 13 awards, with an estimated total funding level of about $3.2 million.
What is the expected funding range per award?
Individual awards were expected to range from a minimum (floor) of $50,000 up to a maximum (ceiling) of $500,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Certain U.S.-based for-profit entities are also eligible, provided they meet the ownership and organizational requirements stated in the announcement.
What are the eligibility requirements for for-profit entities?
Eligible for-profit entities (corporations, partnerships, or proprietorships) must be majority owned by U.S. citizens and organized under the laws of a U.S. state, federal district, or U.S. territory. They must have either no parent company or a parent company likewise organized under U.S. jurisdiction.
What are the key dates for this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was posted on August 7, 2014. The application deadline listed is September 15, 2014 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The opportunity was later archived on November 28, 2014.
Is there a reference document mentioned for understanding HED physics research frontiers?
Yes. The announcement points applicants to the National Research Council report "Frontiers in High Energy Density Physics: The X Games of Contemporary Science" (2003) as a broad overview of the field, and notes that many of the regimes discussed there can be accessed using OMEGA capabilities.
Where can applicants find facility and user guidance?
Additional facility details and user-oriented guidance are available through UR/LLE, including a Users Guide hosted on the LLE website (as referenced in the announcement).
Who should be contacted for help accessing the full announcement materials?
The contact listed is Delmeria M. Pacheco, Contracting Officer/Grants Management. Phone: 505-845-4381. Email: Delmeria.Pacheco@nnsa.doe.gov.
Where are the awards administered from?
The announcement states that NNSA financial assistance awards are administered through NNSA's Contracts and Procurements Division in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
What types of experiments does the facility enable in practical terms?
Based on the described mix of long-pulse ultraviolet energy and short-pulse, high-intensity capability, the facility enables studies across a wide range of plasma and material conditions, including regimes relevant to fusion energy concepts and extreme astrophysical environments.
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