Special Program Announcement For 2011 Office of Naval Reserach Basic Research Challenge Reduced Order Representations for Design Development of Analytical and Computational Techniques for Multi physics Based Models of Ship Platforms and Systems | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this ONR Basic Research Challenge (BRC) special program announcement about?

This 2011 Office of Naval Research (ONR) Basic Research Challenge (BRC) special program announcement focuses on strengthening and accelerating the mathematical foundations of design and optimization for complex naval engineering problems. The emphasis is on ship platforms and shipboard systems where multiple interacting physical phenomena (multi-physics) make analysis and design optimization expensive and difficult.

What is the core technical idea behind the program?

The program centers on developing reduced order representations: low-dimensional surrogate models that preserve the dominant behavior of high-fidelity computational or analytical models while greatly reducing computational cost. The goal is to make optimization faster, improve the efficiency and defensibility of exploring the design trade space, and increase runtime efficiency when evaluating physics-based models used in engineering decisions.

What kinds of research fields does this opportunity target?

The opportunity targets basic research at the intersection of mathematics, optimization, physics-based modeling, and statistics, with specific attention to multi-physics naval engineering contexts.

What are the main research thrusts described in the notice?

The program describes three tightly linked thrusts:

• A rigorous mathematical and computational framework for constructing the lowest-dimensional model that still captures the most important system behaviors (reduced models that are principled and reliable, not just fast).
• New and more efficient approaches for searching and exploring the design trade space in large parameter spaces (including scenarios involving many design variables, operating conditions, and uncertainties).
• Improving the efficiency of evaluating the original multi-physics models themselves (for example, expensive simulations, coupled solvers, or large-scale computations).

What does ONR mean by "reduced order representations" in this context?

Reduced order representations are low-dimensional surrogate models built from higher-fidelity computational or analytical models. They are intended to retain the dominant behaviors needed for engineering decisions while reducing the time and computational resources required for evaluation, optimization, and design trade-space exploration.

What problem is ONR trying to solve with reduced order models?

ONR is trying to make complex naval design and analysis workflows more tractable when traditional high-fidelity, multi-physics simulations are too expensive to run repeatedly. Reduced models can enable faster optimization, broader and more defensible exploration of design alternatives, and more efficient evaluation of physics-based models that inform engineering decisions.

What topic areas does ONR highlight as examples of desired contributions?

ONR highlights several topic areas, including:

• Methods for computing reduced order bases (ROBs) that simultaneously achieve sparsity, computational efficiency, and numerical stability.
• Global error bounds for reduced order methods, especially approaches that attempt to enforce sparsity and stability.
• Efficient methods to determine the optimal dimension of a reduced representation for a given computational model.

What is a reduced order basis (ROB), and what qualities does ONR want?

In this notice, a reduced order basis (ROB) refers to the basis used to construct a reduced representation (for example, basis vectors, modes, or reduced coordinates). ONR is specifically interested in ROB methods that deliver:

• Sparsity: compact and interpretable representations;
• Computational efficiency: fast to compute and fast to use;
• Numerical stability: robust behavior across a range of conditions without numerical blow-up.

What does ONR mean by "global error bounds" for reduced order methods?

Global error bounds refer to accuracy guarantees intended to hold across the full parameter space (or broad regions of interest), rather than only near a limited set of training points. The notice emphasizes global bounds particularly for methods that enforce sparsity and stability.

What does "optimal dimension of a reduced representation" refer to?

It refers to selecting how many reduced coordinates, modes, or basis vectors are needed to meet a target fidelity without paying unnecessary computational cost. The notice calls for efficient methods to determine that dimension for a given computational model.

Is this special notice itself the place to submit a proposal?

No. The notice explicitly states that applicants should not apply under the special notice. Full proposals must be submitted under the broader ONR Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) identified as ONRBAA11-001, using that announcement's instructions and submission package.

Where do applicants have to submit their full proposals?

Full proposals must be submitted under ONRBAA11-001 and must follow the application instructions and package provided in that BAA. The special notice is not the submission vehicle.

What is the deadline for full proposals?

The deadline for full proposals is April 15, 2011.

Will late proposals be accepted?

The notice states that proposals submitted after April 15, 2011 may be considered only if time and funds allow.

Does the notice mention white papers or preliminary submissions?

Yes. The notice references white paper submission guidance, suggesting ONR may have expected or encouraged preliminary concept papers under special notice procedures, while still requiring final submission through ONRBAA11-001.

What is the funding category for this opportunity?

The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant opportunity within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.

What is the CFDA number listed for this program?

The CFDA number listed is 12.300 (Basic and Applied Scientific Research).

How many awards did ONR anticipate making, and what was the total estimated funding?

ONR anticipated making about 8 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $6,000,000.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the notice.

When was the opportunity posted and when was it archived?

The opportunity was posted and created on February 8, 2011, and it has an archive date of May 15, 2011.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is not fully specified in the notice beyond listing "Others" and directing applicants to ONRBAA11-001 for authoritative eligibility rules and clarifications.

Who is the contact person listed for administrative help?

The contact listed is Lynn Christian, Contracting Officer. The notice indicates applicants should reach out if there are problems obtaining the full announcement electronically and references an ONR page hosting special notices.

What kinds of deliverables are implied by the technical topics?

The notice implies deliverables in the form of generalizable frameworks, algorithms, and theory for reduced order modeling, optimization/trade-space exploration, and error/control methods. The emphasis is not on a single application tool, but on foundational work applicable across classes of ship and ship system modeling problems where computational expense and coupled physics limit optimization.

What types of engineering problems does ONR emphasize?

The notice emphasizes complex naval engineering problems, especially ship platforms and shipboard systems involving multi-physics interactions and computationally expensive physics-based models.