Department of Energy EPSCoR-state National Laboratory Partnerships Program
UM Call for Internal Pre-Applications

Internal Pre-Applications are sought by 2 p.m. on Friday, January 3, 2020, from UM faculty interested in leading a project to conduct early stage scientific research in the physical, biological, or engineering sciences that includes a collaboration with, and likely use of facilities at, a Department of Energy National Laboratory. UM may submit only three pre-applications for this limited submission opportunity—Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number DE-FOA-0002215[1].

Submit pre-applications as a single PDF document through the Ole Miss InfoReady Review Portal[2], and include the following clearly-labeled information:

• Project Title
• The name, e-mail address, and telephone number of the PI and any co-PIs
  • Each co-PI should also be entered as a collaborator in the InfoReady interface, so that they too will receive e-mails on the status of the internal pre-application.
• The topical research area(s)
• Relevant DOE Program Office(s).
• Relevant DOE Program Office Scientific/Technical Contact (this is in addition to the DOE EPSCoR Program Manager and may not be a DOE National Laboratory research scientist or manager)
• DOE/national laboratory(s) participating in the proposed research
• DOE/National laboratory personnel participating in the proposed research
• Narrative of up to 3 pages with:
  • A description of the proposed research, proposed methods of accomplishment. This must include a clear description of the nature of the proposed State/Lab partnership.
  • A statement of its proposed project’s importance and relevance to the Department’s mission and agency’s programmatic needs. This should include a clear explanation of the value of the work to both the state and the DOE National Laboratory partners. Relevance may not be the same for each partner, necessarily.
  • An explanation of proposed project’s methodology and equipment needs.
  • Anticipated project results.
  • A project schedule with estimated completion date.
  • A brief (couple sentences) informal estimate of total project cost information.
• Anticipated Institutional Commitment Request
  Provide a short (< 250 words) description of the type of institutional commitment that you envision being requested/provided for this project, if invited by DoE for a full application and eventually selected for an award.
• Tabular Listing of Collaborators of the PI and any co-PIs.
  Following the instructions and format provided on pages 10-11 of the FOA. Complete this table to the degree possible by the internal pre-application due date. If the listing is not complete for any investigator, including the National Laboratory Collaborator(s), state the degree of completeness (e.g., 50% complete).
• A very brief (one sentence is sufficient) letter or e-mail from your administrative supervisor(s) (generally, a department chair or center director) stating their support for your pre-application.

In the event that over three internal pre-applications are received, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Division of Research Development, in consultation with Associate Deans of Research and the Vice Chancellor for Research and Sponsored Programs, will select by 5pm, Monday, January 6, which three pre-applications to move forward for completion and submission to DoE. In this down-selection process, attention will be given to the Pre-Application Review Criteria listed in the FOA—especially the responsiveness to the objectives to the FOA—as well as the degree of completeness of the pre-application; the clarity of the proposal; and the potential benefit to UM, vs. the anticipated institutional commitment. On the latter criterion, given that cost share is not required by the FOA, preference may be given to proposals that leverage existing or already-planned commitments vs. those requesting new cash investments by UM. 

For the (up to) 3 pre-applications selected to move forward, the PIs may continue to improve/complete the pre-applications for submission to DoE. PIs should work with their assigned pre-award research administrator[3] early to ensure their transmittals are submitted by (or ideally well before) January 9, and that, once the transmittal has been approved by ORSP, the final pre-application is ready to submit on or well before 5 pm on January 15 [4].

Questions about this process should be submitted to Jason Hale, Director of Research Development, jghale@olemiss.edu, 662-259-0544.