[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 97 (Wednesday, May 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27718-27719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13412]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Program Interest--Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty 
Research and Development Program

AGENCY: Albuquerque Operations Office (AL). The U.S. Department of 
Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of program interest--to fund unsolicited applications/
proposals for financial assistance awards contributing to the mission 
of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) Research and Development 
Program.

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SUMMARY: The DOE is interested in receiving for consideration 
applications for Federal Financial Assistance Awards pursuant to the 
financial assistance rules contained in Title 10 Code of Federal 
Regulations Part 600 (10 CFR 600), specifically 10 CFR 600.9). On 
behalf of the DOE CTBT R&D Program, DOE/AL invites Unsolicited 
Applications/Proposals from interested and qualified Nonprofit 
Organizations, Institutions of Higher Education, and Commercial 
Organizations to pursue research that supports the CTBT R&D program 
mission.
    The CTBT R&D Program mission is: ``to carry out research and 
development necessary to provide U.S. government agencies, that are 
responsible for monitoring and/or verifying CTBT compliance, with 
technologies, algorithms, hardware and software for integrated systems 
to detect, locate, identify and characterize nuclear explosions at the 
thresholds and confidence levels that meet U.S. requirements in a cost-
effective manner.'' Program priorities focus on the advancement of 
seismic, infrasound, radionuclide, and hydroacoustic knowledge and 
capabilities. This Notice of Program Interest is intended to encourage 
the participation of Nonprofit Organizations, Institutions of Higher 
Education, and Commercial Organizations in furthering these program 
mission interests.

DATES: This Notice of Program Interest expires September 30, 1998. This 
date does not represent a common deadline for applications but rather 
that applications may be submitted at any time before the notice 
expires.

ADDRESSES: Applicants seeking funding consideration by the CTBT R&D 
Program under this Notice of Program Interest are requested to mark and 
submit their Unsolicited Applications/Proposals, eight (8) total, as 
follows:
    Original and Copies #1-6: Leslie A. Casey, Treaty Monitoring 
Program Manager, c/o CTBT R&D Program--Notice of Program Interest--NN-
20, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence, Ave., SW, Washington, 
DC 20585-0420. DOE/NN-20 will initiate the objective merit review 
process.
    Copy #7: John N. Augustine, Unsolicited Applications/Proposals 
Manager, c/o CTBT R&D Program--Notice of Program Interest--NN-20, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Federal Energy Technology Office (FETC), 626 
Cochrans Mill Road, PO Box 10940, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940. DOE FETC--
Pittsburgh will assign a DOE identification number and acknowledge 
receipt of the proposal.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Department of Energy, Albuquerque 
Operations Office, P.O. Box 5400, Albuquerque, NM 87185-5400, Attn: Mr. 
Michael G. Loera, Contracts and Procurement Division, Telephone Number: 
(505) 845-4302, Fax Number: (505) 845-4004.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Responses to this Notice of Program Interest 
must explain how the proposed work furthers the CTBT R&D Program 
mission and research issues. These are summarized on the Web Page: 
``http://www.ctbt.rnd.doe.gov/coordination/'', under the heading ``R&D 
Issues and Metrics''. Successful applications will: demonstrate a 
knowledge of the ongoing CTBT R&D Program; offer novel or innovative 
approaches leading to performance improvements and cost reductions; 
respond to ground truth data deficiencies; and, follow the guidance 
provided in the ``Guide for the Submission of Unsolicited Applications/
Proposals'', which is available on the Web Page: ``<a href="http://
www.pr.doe.gov/gdtoc.html">http://
www.pr.doe.gov/gdtoc.html</a>''. Applicants are, thereby, encouraged to 
review and acquaint themselves with 10 CFR 600.10, ``Form and contents 
of applications'', and with work that has already been performed as 
represented in the bibliography located at the Program's web site.
    Unsolicited Applications/Proposals will be evaluated against many 
factors. Some of the criteria that are likely to apply include: 
technical merit; applicant's familiarity with other ongoing work; the 
relevance and quality of the applicant's prior work; effectiveness of 
the proposed technical approach; timeliness; cost; and the period of 
performance. Applicants are, therefore, encouraged to include 
information in their proposals that facilitate evaluation against these 
criteria and as a minimum should address the requirements listed below. 
Cost sharing is not required, but highly encouraged. It is anticipated 
that Cooperative Agreements will be favored over Grants. The resulting 
Cooperative Agreement or Grant will be administered by the DOE 
Albuquerque Operations Office, or possibly by other CTBT Program Office 
designees.
    Unsolicited Applications/Proposals are to be comprised of both 
technical and cost proposal elements. Unsolicited Proposal requirements 
and format are as follow:
    (1) Project Description: (Provide a comprehensive, but succinct 
[350 character] description of the proposed research project. It should 
convey the project objective, application, method, product and value to 
U.S. government agencies and other users).
    (2) Objective(s): (State research objectives).
    (3) Application: (Describe the product and how it is to be used. 
Discuss the product's merits over the current baseline and operational 
risk considerations).
    (4) User(s): (List potential users and indicate whether they have 
expressed interest in the product).
    (5) Prior Work: (Summarize the current state-of-the-art for the 
stated field of endeavor. Provide credentials of key participants and 
describe their previous relevant work. Cite applicable bibliographic 
references).
    (6) Collaborators: (Identify other participants and describe their 
role and contribution).
    (7) Proposed Work & Scientific Basis: (Specify the technical 
approach to manage the project; describe specific tasks and subtask 
activities to be conducted by Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to achieve 
the research objectives; and identify key decision points [milestones]. 
Relate these elements to how they further the stated research 
objectives and advance the state-of-the-art).
    (8) Research Issues: (Identify the technical issues that will be 
addressed by the project; list potential barriers and explain how they 
will be overcome).
    (9) Tasks: (By WBS element, list the tasks, associated subtasks, 
and associated costs. Differentiate the cost for fully burdened labor, 
equipment, materials, other (such as travel, taxes, fee (if 
applicable), etc.) [Once Unsolicited Applications/Proposals are 
selected for funding, a complete break-down by cost element will be 
required.]
    (10) Milestones: (List milestones and scheduled completion dates by 
task/subtask).
    (11) Deliverables: (List deliverables and scheduled completion 
dates by task/subtask).

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Funding Considerations

    Financial Assistance Awards are anticipated to be funded for 
project duration's of 1-3 years and awards will generally range from 
$100,000 to $500,000. Total program funds for Unsolicited Applications/
Proposals in Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 are not likely to exceed $1,000,000. 
Unsolicited Applications/Proposals received may be considered for 
funding at any time following receipt. Unsolicited Applications/
Proposals not selected in FY 1998 may be reconsidered for funding in 
the following year.

Submission, Withdrawal, and Unsuccessful Applications

    Unsolicited Applications/Proposals will be accepted on an ongoing 
basis. Unsolicited Applications/Proposals must state an acceptance 
period of 180 days; however, Unsolicited Applications/Proposals may be 
withdrawn by the Applicant at any time by written notification to the 
DOE Contracting Officer identified below. Unsolicited Applications/
Proposals not funded and not withheld for reconsideration will be 
destroyed and the Applicant will be notified accordingly. A Federal 
Financial Assistance Award (Grant and Cooperative Agreements) 
application package which includes a sample award can be obtained from 
the DOE Contracting Officer identified below or can be down-loaded from 
the DOE AL Web Page: ``http://www.doeal.gov/cpd/'' under the heading 
``Solicitations''.
    It is DOE policy to exercise extreme care to ensure that the 
proposal information is not duplicated, used or disclosed in whole or 
in part for any purpose other than to evaluate the proposal, without 
written permission of the Applicant. Furthermore, with respect to the 
Unsolicited Proposal evaluation, the Applicant is hereby informed that 
it is standard practice of the CTBT R&D program officials to include 
review by DOE laboratory managers and experts in the topic area of the 
proposal. If you are an expert and are willing to serve as a reviewer 
on a non-remunerative basis, the CTBT R&D Program would like to be 
notified of your interest. Serving as a technical reviewer could 
encompass these Unsolicited Applications/Proposals, subject to non-
disclosure agreements, as well as other proposals related to the CTBT 
R&D Program. Interested individuals are requested to forward their 
resume and cover letter expressing their interest to: Manager, Treaty 
Monitoring Programs (NN-20), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC, 20585-0420. Finally, proposal 
evaluation may include coordination with other government agencies or 
their designated contractors, primarily to check for duplication of 
effort and end user interest. This is an important integration practice 
appropriate to a full-scope, ongoing and mature program such as the 
CTBT R&D program.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on May 13, 1998.
Leslie A. Casey,
Treaty Monitoring Program Manager, NN-20.
[FR Doc. 98-13412 Filed 5-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P