New Energy Agency Targets High-Risk, High-Payoff Transformational Technologies

The $400 million Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is a new organization within the Department of Energy that was created as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is modeled after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the defense agency that gave us the Internet, stealth aircraft, and other technological breakthroughs.

ARPA-E’s specific task is to foster research and development of transformational, energy-related technologies. The agency says it will uniquely focus on high risk, high payoff concepts to bring the next generation of energy technologies to fruition.

In April 2009 ARPA-E launched its initial funding opportunity, with a closing date of June 2 for concept paper submission. Details appear below for informational purposes.

Consult the ARPA-E website for future announcements.

Funding agency	Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)
Funding Opportunity Number	DE-FOA-0000065
Opportunity	This funding opportunity focuses on high-risk, high-payoff transformational energy technologies—in other words, technologies with the potential to create new paradigms in how energy is produced, transmitted, used, and/or stored.
Criteria	ARPA-E will fund energy technology R&D projects that: ·         Translate scientific discoveries and cutting-edge inventions into technological innovations ·          Accelerate transformational technological advances in areas that industry by itself is not likely to undertake because of high technical or financial risk Note: ARPA-E is not interested in projects that involve incremental progress on existing technologies.
Total available funding	Up to $150 million
Estimated award size	ARPA-E indicates most awards will be for total project costs in the range of $2 million to $5 million. ·         Some may be as low as $500,000 or as high as $10 million. ·         In extremely exceptional cases, ARPA-E may choose to accept efforts up to $20 million.
Due dates	Closed
Who should apply?	This first FOA is primarily aimed at prospective applicants who already have a relatively well-formed R&D plan for a transformational concept or new technology that can make a significant contribution towards attainment of the Obama Administration’s energy and environment agenda if and when successfully deployed.   Tip: Ideally applicants will already have a plan to transition the results of the R&D to one or more products and into manufacturing, although only the R&D funding is covered under this FOA.
Eligibility	Capable technology R&D entities, including: ·         Companies ·         Academic institutions ·         Research foundations ·         Not-for-profit entities ·         Collaborations ·         Consortia.   Note: Federally funded R&D centers (FFRDCs) may submit proposals to ARPA-E as part of a collaboration, consortium, or other team arrangement.
Requirements	To submit a concept paper, applicants must: 1.     Obtain a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number 2.     Register with the Central Contract Registry (CCR) 3.     Register with FedConnect
Application process	1.     Read the FOA to be sure your project is consistent with the ARPA-E mission. 2.     Submit a cover sheet by May 26. 3.     Submit the kernel of your technical idea in the form of a concept paper on the FedConnect website no later than 8 p.m. (EST) June 2. 4.     ARPA-E will respond to you no later than July 13, 2009, indicating whether a full application based on your idea is likely to receive funding. 5.     Applications must be submitted no more than 31 days after the concept paper response is received.
Cost sharing requirements	ARPA-E intends to be flexible, working with applicants to determine the appropriate level and appropriate type of cost-sharing arrangements, which may include monetary contributions and/or other (in-kind) contributions. Generally: ·         When the project risk is very high, the cost sharing should be lower ·         When the technology is closer to market or the future market is large and potentially very profitable, the cost share should be higher
Types of awards	·         Cooperative agreements ·         Technology Investment Agreements (TIAs) ·         Grants
Period of performance	No more than 36 months; ARPA-E strongly prefers no more than 24 months
Additional information	·         ARPA-E FOA ·         ARPA-E website ·         ARPA-E FAQs