Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000648
Apply for DE FOA 0000648
- The National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Predictive Modeling for Automotive Lightweighting Applications and Advanced Alloy Development for Automotive and Heavy Duty Engines" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.086 Conservation Research and Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 4, 2012 and posted on Mar 22, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 7, 2012 FOA closes.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $8,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $6,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
This Department of Energy funding opportunity (run by the National Energy Technology Laboratory on behalf of DOE EERE's Vehicle Technologies Program) is aimed at pushing two closely related goals in vehicle technology: better computational tools that can reliably predict how lightweight materials behave in manufacturing and service, and the actual development of new or improved lightweight alloys for engine and propulsion components. The basic idea is to reduce vehicle weight and improve efficiency without sacrificing durability, manufacturability, or cost, with an emphasis on technologies that industry can use to design parts faster and with fewer trial-and-error prototype cycles.
The FOA is organized into three Areas of Interest, with Area of Interest 3 split into two subtopics. Area of Interest 1 focuses on predictive engineering tools for injection molded long carbon fiber thermoplastic composites. In practice, that means developing modeling and simulation methods that can better capture the complex way long-fiber thermoplastic composites flow during injection molding, how fibers orient and break, what defects may form, and how those microstructural outcomes translate into final part performance (strength, stiffness, crash behavior, fatigue life, and so on). The intent is to enable more accurate virtual design and manufacturing optimization for these composite parts, which are attractive for automotive lightweighting but are difficult to predict due to process-structure-property interactions.
Area of Interest 2 targets Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) development of advanced steel for lightweight vehicles. ICME is about linking computational models across scales, from composition and microstructure to processing to final mechanical properties, so that new steels can be designed more quickly and with clearer performance tradeoffs. This area is essentially asking teams to create or improve computational frameworks that can accelerate advanced high-strength steel development and deployment for lighter vehicle structures, ideally integrating modeling with experiments and demonstrating credible pathways for improved strength-to-weight performance and manufacturability.
Area of Interest 3 is centered on advanced alloy development for automotive and heavy duty engines, recognizing that weight reduction and performance gains are also critical in powertrain components exposed to heat, stress, and harsh operating conditions. Subtopic 3a is lightweight cast alloy development for light duty automotive engine applications, which points to castable alloys intended to reduce mass in engine parts while maintaining necessary thermal and mechanical performance (for example, strength at temperature, creep resistance, wear resistance, thermal conductivity, and dimensional stability). Subtopic 3b is high strength cast alloy development for heavy duty on-road engine applications, which emphasizes robust alloys suitable for demanding duty cycles, long life requirements, and higher loads and temperatures typical of heavy duty engines. Across both subtopics, the "cast alloy" phrasing highlights the importance of manufacturability at scale, compatibility with foundry processes, and the ability to meet performance targets in real component geometries, not just small lab coupons.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements, meaning DOE expects substantial involvement during the project (for example, technical direction, milestones, go/no-go decision points, and active project management). The FOA anticipates about four awards, with an estimated total of $8.2 million available. Individual awards are expected to fall between $3.5 million (floor) and $6.0 million (ceiling). A cost share is required, consistent with DOE EERE project norms, so applicants must plan to contribute non-federal funding or in-kind resources. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types can apply (industry, universities, national labs, non-profits, consortia), subject to any clarifications in the full text.
The opportunity was posted March 22, 2012, and the application deadline was May 7, 2012. It was also amended three times. Amendment 001 (April 13, 2012) added an additional criterion under the Project Approach within the merit review criteria for each Area of Interest, so proposals needed to account for that added evaluation element. Amendment 002 (April 23, 2012) removed the "Subrecipient Effort" section previously included under other eligibility requirements, which affects how teams describe or structure partner contributions. Amendment 003 (May 4, 2012) further defined, clarified, and updated specific FOA clauses, which typically affects contractual or compliance language and sometimes technical interpretation, so applicants had to ensure they were responding to the latest version of requirements.
All application submissions were required to go through the EERE eXCHANGE portal (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov), including registration and account creation prior to submission, and the portal user guide was referenced for navigation and compliance. For access issues or questions, the FOA listed a NETL contracting contact (Jacqulyn M. Wilson) and the dedicated email address DE-FOA0000648@NETL.DOE.GOV. The CFDA listing is 81.086 (Conservation Research and Development), and the funding opportunity number is DE-FOA-0000648.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the funding opportunity number for this grant?
The funding opportunity number is DE-FOA-0000648.
Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
This is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity, run by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) on behalf of DOE EERE's Vehicle Technologies Program.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The FOA targets two closely related goals in vehicle technology: (1) advancing computational tools that can reliably predict how lightweight materials behave during manufacturing and in service, and (2) developing new or improved lightweight alloys for engine and propulsion components. The overall intent is to reduce vehicle weight and improve efficiency without sacrificing durability, manufacturability, or cost, and to help industry design parts faster with fewer trial-and-error prototype cycles.
How is the FOA organized?
The FOA is organized into three Areas of Interest (AOIs). Area of Interest 3 is split into two subtopics (3a and 3b).
What is Area of Interest 1 about?
Area of Interest 1 focuses on predictive engineering tools for injection molded long carbon fiber thermoplastic composites. The emphasis is on modeling and simulation methods that capture key process-structure-property interactions in injection molding, including composite flow behavior, fiber orientation and breakage, defect formation, and how resulting microstructure affects final part performance.
What kinds of performance outcomes are relevant in Area of Interest 1?
The FOA highlights that microstructural outcomes should translate into credible predictions of final part performance such as strength, stiffness, crash behavior, and fatigue life.
Why does Area of Interest 1 emphasize process-structure-property interactions?
Injection molded long-fiber thermoplastic composites are attractive for automotive lightweighting, but performance is difficult to predict because manufacturing conditions influence microstructure (for example, fiber orientation and breakage), and that microstructure strongly drives mechanical behavior.
What is Area of Interest 2 about?
Area of Interest 2 targets Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) development of advanced steel for lightweight vehicles. It seeks computational frameworks that link models across scales (composition, microstructure, processing, mechanical properties) to accelerate advanced high-strength steel development and deployment for lighter vehicle structures.
What does ICME mean in the context of this FOA?
ICME (Integrated Computational Materials Engineering) refers to connecting computational models from material composition and microstructure through processing routes to final properties, with the goal of designing improved steels faster and with clearer tradeoffs between performance and manufacturability.
What is Area of Interest 3 about?
Area of Interest 3 focuses on advanced alloy development for automotive and heavy duty engines, where powertrain components must operate under heat, stress, and harsh conditions while still meeting weight, performance, and manufacturability needs.
What is Subtopic 3a?
Subtopic 3a is lightweight cast alloy development for light duty automotive engine applications. It points to castable alloys intended to reduce mass in engine parts while maintaining required thermal and mechanical performance.
What types of properties are called out for Subtopic 3a alloys?
The FOA provides examples of relevant properties, including strength at temperature, creep resistance, wear resistance, thermal conductivity, and dimensional stability.
What is Subtopic 3b?
Subtopic 3b is high strength cast alloy development for heavy duty on-road engine applications. It emphasizes robust alloys suited to demanding duty cycles, long life requirements, and higher loads and temperatures typical of heavy duty engines.
Why does Area of Interest 3 emphasize "cast alloy" development?
The FOA highlights manufacturability at scale, compatibility with foundry processes, and the ability to meet performance targets in real component geometries, not only in small laboratory coupons.
What type of funding instrument will be used?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements.
What does it mean that awards are cooperative agreements?
Cooperative agreements indicate DOE expects substantial involvement during the project, such as providing technical direction, using milestones and go/no-go decision points, and actively managing the project.
How many awards does DOE anticipate making?
The FOA anticipates about four awards.
How much total funding is expected to be available?
The FOA estimates a total of about $8.2 million available.
What is the expected size of individual awards?
Individual awards are expected to range from $3.5 million (floor) to $6.0 million (ceiling).
Is cost share required?
Yes. A cost share is required, consistent with DOE EERE project norms, so applicants must plan to contribute non-federal funding or in-kind resources.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types can apply (for example, industry, universities, national labs, non-profits, and consortia), subject to any clarifications in the full FOA text.
When was this opportunity posted?
The FOA was posted on March 22, 2012.
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was May 7, 2012.
Were there amendments to the FOA?
Yes. The opportunity was amended three times (Amendment 001, Amendment 002, and Amendment 003).
What changed in Amendment 001?
Amendment 001 (April 13, 2012) added an additional criterion under the Project Approach within the merit review criteria for each Area of Interest. Proposals needed to address that added evaluation element.
What changed in Amendment 002?
Amendment 002 (April 23, 2012) removed the "Subrecipient Effort" section previously included under other eligibility requirements, affecting how teams describe or structure partner contributions.
What changed in Amendment 003?
Amendment 003 (May 4, 2012) further defined, clarified, and updated specific FOA clauses, which generally affects contractual or compliance language and can influence technical interpretation. Applicants were expected to respond to the latest version.
How were applications required to be submitted?
All applications had to be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE portal at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov, including registration and account creation prior to submission. The portal user guide was referenced for navigation and compliance.
Who should applicants contact for access issues or questions?
The FOA listed a NETL contracting contact (Jacqulyn M. Wilson) and the dedicated email address DE-FOA0000648@NETL.DOE.GOV.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA listing is 81.086 (Conservation Research and Development).
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