SDN Enabled Terabits Optical Networks for Extreme Scale Science | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The funding opportunity titled "SDN Enabled Terabits Optical Networks for Extreme Scale Science" (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001295) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science solicitation focused on advancing the next generation of high-capacity optical networking for scientific research. Issued through the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR), the opportunity seeks projects that can develop intelligent terabit-scale optical network capabilities, with a particular emphasis on software-defined networking (SDN) approaches. The central idea is to move beyond traditional, relatively static network architectures and toward programmable, automated, and adaptive optical networks that can better support data-intensive, network-intensive scientific workflows at extreme scale. In practical terms, the DOE is looking for technologies and capabilities that can make it possible for scientists to move and manage massive datasets more efficiently, enable new modes of distributed experimentation and computation, and better integrate networking into the end-to-end scientific process rather than treating it as a fixed utility.

This opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and will be administered using a Cooperative Agreement, which typically signals substantial DOE involvement during the project period. The activity area is listed under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, aligning it with applied R&D efforts that can yield deployable capabilities, prototypes, and demonstrable advances relevant to DOE science missions. The solicitation anticipated making about 9 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $5,000,000 across all awards. Individual awards were expected to range from a floor of $1 to a ceiling of $500,000, and there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of the award.

Eligibility for this funding was broadly open, described as "unrestricted," meaning most entity types could apply subject to the specific exclusions listed in the announcement. The explicit ineligible categories included Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and certain nonprofit organizations, specifically 501(c)(4) organizations that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995. A notable administrative detail is how DOE National Laboratory participation was handled. While collaborations that include a DOE National Laboratory were permitted and even relevant to the mission, any proposal that would be submitted by a DOE National Laboratory itself needed to be submitted under a separate, companion laboratory announcement, identified as LAB 15-1295 in PAMS. This indicates the FOA was primarily structured for non-laboratory applicants (universities, companies, nonprofits, and others) while providing a parallel path for national lab-led submissions under DOE internal mechanisms.

The timeline information places this opportunity as a historical/archived FOA. It was posted and created on May 20, 2015, with an original and current closing date of July 2, 2015, and an archive date of August 1, 2015. The CFDA number associated with the program was 81.049, which corresponds to the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program. For applicant support and technical questions, the announcement listed a technical/scientific program contact: Dr. Thomas Ndousse Fetter, with phone number 301-903-9960 and email Thomas.NdousseFetter@science.doe.gov, and it noted that applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement electronically could reach out for assistance.

Overall, the opportunity can be read as part of DOE ASCRs broader push to modernize scientific networking so it can keep pace with rapidly growing experimental and simulation data, distributed instruments, leadership-class computing, and multi-site science teams. By emphasizing SDN-enabled terabit optical networking, the FOA highlights an intent to fund efforts that make optical networks not only faster, but also smarter: more dynamic, more controllable by software, and better able to provide predictable performance for high-value science workflows that depend on moving huge amounts of data across wide-area paths.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: Office of Science

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Next opportunity: English Language Idiom Videos

Previous opportunity: DoD Prostate Cancer Physician Research Training Award

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for DE FOA 0001295

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DE FOA 0001295) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "DE FOA 0001295", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.