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

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