**PDPDP LDRD funding workshop**

**given by Hank Westrich on 8/14/07**

**Presentation NOTES**

Attendance: NM=28; CA=12

The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program is
unique to national laboratories. It is the sole source of discretionary
R&D funding that the Lab has. The program is 16 years old with oversight
by DOE NNSA and guidance by DOE Order 413.2B.

Most projects are 36 months long (maximum per DOE Order).

Program Goals: 1. Nurture the core (PDs are part of this, bringing in
new people to the labs maintaining the vitality); 2. Support the
missions.

\$150 Million/yr. budget (taxed from NW, BES, DARPA, other direct
program sponsors).

Three investment areas: 1. Science, Technology &Engineering Foundations;
2. Mission Technologies; 3. Corporate Investments.

Find out more on the website (SRN only!):
[https://sandia.LDRD.gov](https://sandia.LDRD.gov/)

LDRD project selection is 2-stage process (a balanced effort of
proposers and reviewers)

10:1 ratio of ideas to selected new projects

2:1 ratio of full proposals to projects (reduces overall efforts)

IMPORTANT for writing proposals: talk to people who wrote the call
--understand what they want. Call them, stand on their doorstep, BE
PERSISTANT (but not unpleasant)! How does your idea fit into their
strategic needs?

[KEY to success is to network. Interaction between you and the
investment area is important.]{.mark}

50% of FTEs charged to LDRD are people at SNL who have been here \< 5
yrs; Half of those are PDs and LTEs.

-   50% of PDs and LTEs converted to staff were supported by LDRD, but
    percentage of PDs and LTEs converted to staff is low.

1/3 of the LDRD budget each year is for new starts in each investment
area.

Timeframe: March 08 call will come out for starts in FY09 (Oct. 08-Oct.
09); start thinking of ideas now.

Q: Should PDs be PIs writing proposals?

A: Sure. The risk is that being at SNL a short time, the PI is not
well-known by the investment areas. Team members on the proposal are
important for new PIs.

Recommend: A good proposal has the right people on it and the PI has
talked to the investment area (not to lobby but to understand the needs
and let them know what you can do (your idea)).

One criteria the proposals are reviewed on is whether or not the team is
appropriate and capable.

[KEY is for the description or articulation of R&D in proposal is
"spot-on" --needed, or what 'they' want to hear.]{.mark}

[Definition of PI]{.underline}: Their idea; they are leading; they are
who make the decisions if data takes a turn away from predicted plan.

[Definition of high risk]{.underline}: Not ho-hum R&D; You try something
new that might not work. But, use due diligence (for example you, may
already have preliminary data that shows promise).

[Definition of success]{.underline}: Depends on Discovery, Create, Prove
nature of R&D; Learning from failure is O.K.

Collaborations are great: use best tools available (inside or outside
SNL); but no more than 30% in one year going outside, LDRD is to be used
to support the lab.

[KEY is to network and talk to people before you submit, and team with
right people.]{.mark}

Review criteria is similar to NSF or DOE/BES and includes both Technical
(tech merit, qualifications of PI, soundness of plan) and Programmatic
(alignment and potential benefit).

Places to go for new ideas to submit to LDRD: Library; LDRD website
(past LDRD proposals and annual reports of past funded projects).

Q: Is it a conflict of interest to have LDRD proposals internally
reviewed?

A: All reviews, inside or outside of SNL and LDRD, have COI issues.
Professional integrity is the answer. Problem is cost --external review
is expensive. Currently LDRD tries to use broad selection teams, but
within SNL.

Investment area teams (find them on LDRD website): do change a little
every year because each center does have employment changes every year,
but they are primarily made up of Level II and Level I managers.

If your idea is not funded, go to an investment area team member and
find out why.

Quality of ideas over quantity makes sense.

Q: Can PDs be PIs?

A: Yes, LDRD office does not distinguish (though no contractor can be a
PI).

Q: Can FNs be PIs?

A: Yes.

Some orgs discourage PDs and FNs from being PIs, talk to investment area
team about this before you submit.

New goal for the LDRD program is to try to have PMs that are not in the
direct line of the PIs -\> want PMs over a portfolio of similar
projects. Therefore, Investment Area Team may assign you a PM.

Hank Westrich will entertain questions from PDs regarding LDRD. Best to
contact him by phone (844-9092), but email is OK too. Making an
appointment with Outlook works best.