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Agency Overview: The Advanced Research Projects Agency ? Energy (ARPA-E), an organization within the Department of Energy (DOE), is chartered by Congress in the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), as amended by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-358) to: ?(A) to enhance the economic and energy security of the United States through the development of energy technologies that result in? (i) reductions of imports of energy from foreign sources; (ii) reductions of energy-related emissions, including greenhouse gases; and (iii) improvement in the energy efficiency of all economic sectors; and (B) to ensure that the United States maintains a technological lead in developing and deploying advanced energy technologies.? ARPA-E funds research on and the development of high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment. The agency focuses on technologies that can be meaningfully advanced with a modest investment over a defined period of time in order to catalyze the translation from scientific discovery to early-stage technology. For the latest news and information about ARPA-E, its programs and the research projects currently supported, see: http://arpa-e.energy.gov/. Program Overview: This FOA marks the third OPEN solicitation in the history of ARPA-E. The previous two OPEN solicitations were conducted at the inception of the agency in 2009 and again in 2012. An OPEN solicitation provides a vitally important mechanism for the support of innovative energy R&D that complements the other primary mechanism, which is through the solicitation of research projects in focused technology programs. ARPA-E?s focused programs target specific areas of technology that the agency has identified, through extensive interaction with the appropriate external stakeholders, as having significant potential impact on one or more of the Mission Areas described in Section I.A of the FOA. Awards made in response to the sol

The Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, and socio-ecological principles and processes that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The central theme of submitted projects must be quantitative or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics. The intent is discovery of principles of infectious disease transmission and testing mathematical or computational models that elucidate infectious disease systems. Projects should be broad, interdisciplinary efforts that go beyond the scope of typical studies. They should focus on the determinants and interactions of transmission among humans, non-human animals, and/or plants. This includes, for example, the spread of pathogens; the influence of environmental factors such as climate; the population dynamics and genetics of reservoir species or hosts; the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of disease transmission. Research may be on zoonotic, environmentally-borne, vector-borne, or enteric diseases of either terrestrial or freshwater systems and organisms, including diseases of animals and plants, at any scale from specific pathogens to inclusive environmental systems. Proposals for research on disease systems of public health concern to developing countries are strongly encouraged, as are disease systems of concern in agricultural systems. Investigators are encouraged to develop the appropriate multidisciplinary team, including for example, modelers, bioinformaticians, genomics researchers, social scientists, economists, epidemiologists, entomologists, parasitologists, microbiologists, bacteriologists, virologists, pathologists or veterinarians, with the goal of integrating knowledge across disciplines to enhance our ability to predict and control infectious diseases.

The Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, and socio-ecological principles and processes that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The central theme of submitted projects must be quantitative or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics. The intent is discovery of principles of infectious disease transmission and testing mathematical or computational models that elucidate infectious disease systems. Projects should be broad, interdisciplinary efforts that go beyond the scope of typical studies. They should focus on the determinants and interactions of transmission among humans, non-human animals, and/or plants. This includes, for example, the spread of pathogens; the influence of environmental factors such as climate; the population dynamics and genetics of reservoir species or hosts; the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of disease transmission. Research may be on zoonotic, environmentally-borne, vector-borne, or enteric diseases of either terrestrial or freshwater systems and organisms, including diseases of animals and plants, at any scale from specific pathogens to inclusive environmental systems. Proposals for research on disease systems of public health concern to developing countries are strongly encouraged, as are disease systems of concern in agricultural systems. Investigators are encouraged to develop the appropriate multidisciplinary team, including for example, modelers, bioinformaticians, genomics researchers, social scientists, economists, epidemiologists, entomologists, parasitologists, microbiologists, bacteriologists, virologists, pathologists or veterinarians, with the goal of integrating knowledge across disciplines to enhance our ability to predict and control infectious diseases.

The Long Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB) Program supports the generation of extended time series of data to address important questions in evolutionary biology, ecology, and ecosystem science. Research areas include, but are not limited to, the effects of natural selection or other evolutionary processes on populations, communities, or ecosystems; the effects of interspecific interactions that vary over time and space; population or community dynamics for organisms that have extended life spans and long turnover times; feedbacks between ecological and evolutionary processes; pools of materials such as nutrients in soils that turn over at intermediate to longer time scales; and external forcing functions such as climatic cycles that operate over long return intervals. The Program intends to support decadal projects. Funding for an initial, 5-year period requires submission of a preliminary proposal and, if invited, submission of a full proposal that includes a 15-page project description. Proposals for the second five years of support (renewal proposals) are limited to an eight-page project description and do not require a preliminary proposal. Continuation of an LTREB project beyond an initial ten year award will require submission of a new preliminary proposal that presents a new decadal research plan.?? Successful LTREB proposals address three essential components: A Decadal Research Plan that clearly articulates important questions that cannot be addressed with data that have already been collected, but could be answered if ten additional years of data were collected. This plan is not a research timeline or management plan. It is a concise justification for ten additional years of support in order to advance understanding of key concepts, questions, or theories in environmental biology.Core Data: LTREB proposals require that the author has studied a particular phenomenon or process for at least six years up to the present or for long enough to gene

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office, a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled ?Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Research, Development, and Demonstrations?. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will cover a broad spectrum of the FCTO portfolio with topics ranging from research and development (R&D) to demonstration and deployment projects. In particular, the R&D areas of interest for this FOA include hydrogen production via microbial biomass conversion; low PGM catalyst development for PEM fuel cell applications; development of an integrated intelligent hydrogen dispenser; and fuel cell and hydrogen manufacturing R&D focusing on hydrogen delivery pipeline manufacturing R&D. This FOA also includes demonstration topic areas that will help to accelerate adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies with specific interest in mobile hydrogen refue lers, fuel cell powered range extenders for light duty hybrid electric vehicles, and a Communities of Excellence topic featuring hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The FOA will include two general Areas of Interest each with several Subtopics: Area of Interest 1: Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies Research and Development (R&D) 1a. Hydrogen Production R&D: Microbial Biomass Conversion. 1b. Fuel Cell Technologies R&D: Low Platinum Group Metal Catalysts and Supports. 1c. Hydrogen Delivery R&D: Integrated Intelligent Hydrogen Dispensers for 700 bar Gaseous Refueling of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles. 1d. Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Manufacturing R&D: Hydrogen Delivery Pipeline Manufacturing. Area of Interest 2: Demonstration and Deployments to Enable Early Adoption of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies. 2a. Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Validation: Mobile Refueling. 2b. Market Transformation: Demonstration and Deployment of Plug-In Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Light- Duty Vehicle. 2c. FCTO Crosscutting: America?s Climate Commu

Despite centuries of discovery, most of our planet's biodiversity remains unknown. The scale of the unknown diversity on Earth is especially troubling given the rapid and permanent loss of biodiversity across the globe. The goal of the Dimensions of Biodiversity campaign is to transform, by 2020, how we describe and understand the scope and role of life on Earth. This campaign promotes novel integrative approaches to fill the most substantial gaps in our understanding of the diversity of life on Earth. It takes a broad view of biodiversity, and focuses on the intersection of genetic, phylogenetic, and functional dimensions of biodiversity. Successful proposals must integrate these three dimensions to understand interactions and feedbacks among them. While this focus complements several core programs in BIO, it differs by requiring that multiple dimensions of biodiversity be addressed simultaneously, in novel ways, to understand their synergistic roles in critical ecological and evolutionary processes, especially pertaining to the mechanisms driving the origin, maintenance, and functional roles of biodiversity. The Dimensions of Biodiversity program includes partnerships with the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) of Brazil, and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa in fiscal year 2018. Investigators wishing to inquire about the suitability of potential projects for Dimensions of Biodiversity are encouraged to email a brief summary and contact information to Dimensions@nsf.gov.

This Program Announcement provides the vehicle for Louisiana State University (LSU) to submit proposals with matching funds to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for consideration for funding in Fiscal Year 2019. This announcement identifies specific proposals that are invited based on a recently completed review of letters of intent submitted by LSU. The Environmental Studies Program (ESP) of the BOEM is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity through Louisiana Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) to LSU and other units within the LSU system that have the ability to conduct research in topics that serve the public interest of safe and environmentally sound energy production and meet the goals of the BOEM. This announcement is specifically to request proposals for the following selected research topics: 1) Investigation of an Ancient Bald Cypress Forest in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Phase 2, 2) Developing and Applying a Novel Morphodynamic Model to Predict Multi-Decadal Effects of Barrier Island Restoration, 3) Investigation of Fluid Mud's Impact on Benthic Ecosystem and Dredge Pits on Louisiana Shelf, 4) Geological and Geophysical Investigation of Mass Wasting on the Mississippi River Delta Front: Characterization of Spatial and Temporal Patterns, 5) Investigation of Increasing Seawater Barite from Oil Production on Gulf of Mexico Corals, 6) Impact of Hurricane Harvey on Sediment Dynamics and Water Quality Along Texas Louisiana Shelf, 7) Thermal, Evaporative, and Momentum Flux Impacts of the Lower Mississippi River on Near-Shore Environmental Processes, 8) Human Impacts of the Offshore Oil and Gas Industries in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. Awards will be cooperative agreements. These involve substantial involvement by BOEM scientists in various aspects of study development and/or study conduct. All awards are premised on receipt of an acceptable proposal.

The Environmental Studies Program (ESP) of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity through the University of Alaska Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) to units within the University of Alaska system that have the ability to conduct research in topics that serve the public interest of safe and environmentally sound energy production and meet the goals of the BOEM. The general types of studies that may be funded include scientific studies for better understanding marine, coastal or human environments affected or potentially affected by offshore oil and gas or other mineral exploration and extraction on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS); modeling studies of environmental, social, economic, or cultural processes related to OCS oil and gas activities in order to improve scientific predictive capabilities; experimental scientific studies for better understanding of environmental processes, or the causes and effects of OCS activities; projects which design or establish mechanisms or protocols for sharing data or information regarding marine or coastal resources, or human activities to support prudent management of oil, gas and marine mineral resources; and synthesis studies of scientific environmental or socioeconomic information relevant to the OCS oil and gas program. The most relevant geographic areas are potential OCS oil and gas lease areas off Alaska, including the Beaufort Sea and Cook Inlet. Projects in other areas of the Alaska Region may be considered if applicable to CMI priorities. Following the submission of letters of intent (LOI) from the University of Alaska, the BOEM, in discussion with representatives from the State of Alaska, have selected the LOI topics listed below for development of full proposals. This request is not a guarantee of funding.

The GPLCC Steering Committee has identified several key issues of concern and science priorities for prairie rivers and streams in the Great Plains. Specifically, three categories of science needs have been identified as priorities for the GPLCC for Fiscal Year 2013 funding. The first science category focuses on the need for applied research to fill critical knowledge gaps on the status and trends of priority species (see Table 1 below) and habitats in prairie rivers and streams of the Great Plains. This includes studies that examine the ecological requirements of priority species (and community-level interactions) that will help lead to the development of improved conservation strategies that support the long-term sustainability of populations of priority species. The second science category focuses on the need to fill critical knowledge gaps that support the development of water conservation and management strategies consistent with the ecological requirements of priority species. Examples include studies that examine the effects of climate change on hydrology and the functional processes that support maintenance of habitats for priority species, as well as studies that examine reservoir storage and release strategies and the related effects on populations of priority species in fragmented river segments. The third science category focuses on the need to fill critical knowledge gaps related to the effects of watershed alteration and fragmentation on the long-term sustainability of populations of priority species. This includes studies that examine projected trends in land use and related effects on species and habitats, and studies that support the development of improved habitat restoration techniques and strategies (e.g., restoration of springs, riparian buffers, and in-stream habitats, including in-stream connectivity and fish passage).

Biophotonics applies photonics technology to the fields of medicine, biology and biotechnology.  Basic research and innovation in photonics that is very fundamental in science and engineering is needed to lay the foundation for new technologies beyond those that are mature and ready for application in medical diagnostics and therapies.  Advances are needed in nanophotonics, optogenetics, contrast and targeting agents, ultra-thin probes, wide field imaging, and rapid biomarker screening.  Low cost and minimally invasive medical diagnostics and therapies are key goals. Examples of topics are: Macromolecule Markers - Innovative methods for labeling of macromolecules, new compositions of matter/methods of fabrication of multi-color probes such as might be used for marking and detection of specific pathological cells and push the envelope of optical sensing to the limits of detection, resolution, and identification Low Coherence Sensing at the Nanoscale - Low coherence enhanced backscattering (LEBS), n-dimensional elastic light scattering, and angle-resolved low coherence interferometry for early cancer detection (dysplasia) Neurophotonics - Studies of photon activation of neurons at the interface of nanomaterials attached to cells.  Development and application of biocompatible photonic tools such as parallel interfaces and interconnects for communicating and control of neural networks Micro- and Nano-photonic - Development and application of nanoparticle fluorescent quantum-dots; sensitive, multiplexed, high-throughput characterization of macromolecular properties of cells; nanomaterials and nanodevices for biomedicine Optogenetics - Employing light-activated channels and enzymes for manipulation of neural activity with temporal precision. 

The Environmental Studies Program (ESP) of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is offering a cooperative agreement to complete a demonstration project on Integrating DNA Profiles, Genomics and Photo-Identification data. The objective of this study is to improve the current computation capabilities for integrating DNA profiles with photo-identification records for assessment and long-term monitoring of marine mammal populations, to provide a standardized database architecture, with associated tools for primary analyses and visualization of individual genetic and genomic profiles as well as spatial-temporal records. An important component of this objective is to develop "community standards" that can be applied across multiple species, as well as multiple investigators, and that promotes data sharing and archiving. Continuation of the development of previously funded work on GeneGIS towards the development of a Web-based, collaborative collection could form a model for similar developments with other species of interest to BOEM. Section 1346 of the OCS Lands Act (OCSLA) mandates the conduct of environmental and socioeconomic studies needed for the assessment and management of environmental impacts on the human, marine, and coastal environments which may be affected by oil and gas or other mineral development. OCSLA Section 1345 authorizes the use of cooperative agreements with affected States to meet the requirements of OCSLA, including sharing of information, joint utilization of available expertise, and formation of joint monitoring arrangements to carry out applicable Federal and State laws, regulations, and stipulations relevant to outer continental shelf operations both onshore and offshore. This is not an open solicitation for proposals. The Program Announcement describes the specific project that may be awarded to a qualified organization within the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, and socio-ecological principles and processes that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The central theme of submitted projects must be quantitative or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics. The intent is discovery of principles of infectious disease transmission and testing mathematical or computational models that elucidate infectious disease systems. Projects should be broad, interdisciplinary efforts that go beyond the scope of typical studies. They should focus on the determinants and interactions of transmission among humans, non-human animals, and/or plants. This includes, for example, the spread of pathogens; the influence of environmental factors such as climate; the population dynamics and genetics of reservoir species or hosts; the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of disease transmission. Research may be on zoonotic, environmentally-borne, vector-borne, or enteric diseases of either terrestrial or freshwater systems and organisms, including diseases of animals and plants, at any scale from specific pathogens to inclusive environmental systems. Proposals for research on disease systems of public health concern to developing countries are strongly encouraged, as are disease systems of concern in agricultural systems. Investigators are encouraged to develop the appropriate multidisciplinary team, including for example, modelers, bioinformaticians, genomics researchers, social scientists, economists, epidemiologists, entomologists, parasitologists, microbiologists, bacteriologists, virologists, pathologists or veterinarians, with the goal of integrating knowledge across disciplines to enhance our ability to predict and control infectious diseases.

The Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, and socio-ecological principles and processes that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The central theme of submitted projects must be quantitative or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics. The intent is discovery of principles of infectious disease transmission and testing mathematical or computational models that elucidate infectious disease systems. Projects should be broad, interdisciplinary efforts that go beyond the scope of typical studies. They should focus on the determinants and interactions of transmission among humans, non-human animals, and/or plants. This includes, for example, the spread of pathogens; the influence of environmental factors such as climate; the population dynamics and genetics of reservoir species or hosts; or the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of disease transmission. Research may be on zoonotic, environmentally-borne, vector-borne, or enteric diseases of either terrestrial or freshwater systems and organisms, including diseases of animals and plants, at any scale from specific pathogens to inclusive environmental systems. Proposals for research on disease systems of public health concern to developing countries are strongly encouraged, as are disease systems of concern in agricultural systems. Investigators are encouraged to involve the public health research community, including for example, epidemiologists, physicians, veterinarians, food scientists, social scientists, entomologists, pathologists, virologists, or parasitologists with the goal of integrating knowledge across disciplines to enhance our ability to predict and control infectious diseases.

The DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is an organization focused on achieving aggressive and well-defined mid-to-long term clean energy goals for the United States of America. In that context, EERE has established multi-year plans and roadmaps. EERE focuses the majority of its resources on a limited number of "highest probability of success" pathways/approaches to ensure that the program initiatives are supported at a critical mass (both in terms of dollars and time) for maximum impact. This roadmap-based approach is one of EERE's greatest strengths, but it can create challenges in recognizing and exploring unanticipated, game changing pathways/approaches which may ultimately be superior to the pathways/approaches on our existing roadmaps. To enhance the responsiveness of the roadmap approach, EERE is continuing to issue "Incubator" Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) within its existing Offices and programs to support innovative technologies and solutions that could help meet existing goals but are not represented in a significant way in the Offices' existing Multi-Year Program Plans (MYPPs) or current portfolios. The Incubator programs will allow EERE to assess new technologies for their potential to be ?on ramped? to future MYPPs. Successful incubator projects will reduce the risk associated with potentially breakthrough approaches and technologies so that they could be viable candidates for inclusion in future program roadmaps. DOEs Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) develops and deploys efficient and environmentally friendly highway transportation technologies that will enable America to use less petroleum. These technologies will provide Americans with greater freedom of mobility and energy security, while lowering costs and reducing impacts on the environment. For example, the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge requires dramatic improvements in plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) performance and cost that are specified as technical targets

The Environmental Studies Program (ESP) of the BOEM is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity through the University of Alaska Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) to units within the University of Alaska system that have the ability to conduct research in topics that serve the public interest of safe and environmentally sound energy production and meet the goals of the BOEM. The general types of studies that may be funded include scientific studies for better understanding marine, coastal or human environments affected or potentially affected by offshore oil and gas or other mineral exploration and extraction on the outer continental shelf (OCS); modeling studies of environmental, social, economic, or cultural processes related to OCS oil and gas activities in order to improve scientific predictive capabilities; experimental scientific studies for better understanding of environmental processes, or the causes and effects of OCS activities; projects which design or establish mechanisms or protocols for sharing data or information regarding marine or coastal resources, or human activities to support prudent management of oil, gas and marine mineral resources; and synthesis studies of scientific environmental or socioeconomic information relevant to the OCS oil and gas program. The most relevant geographic areas are potential OCS oil and gas lease areas off Alaska, including the Beaufort Sea, the Chukchi Sea, Cook Inlet, and the northern Gulf of Alaska. Following the submission of letters of intent (LOI) from the University of Alaska, the BOEM, in discussion with representatives from the State of Alaska, have selected the LOI topics listed below for development of full proposals.

Cracking is a primary mode of distress in asphalt pavements. There are several modes of asphalt pavement cracking-thermal, reflection, fatigue, and top-down-and all are affected by numerous factors and their interactions. Recent research has evaluated a variety of laboratory tests and models to assess the cracking potential of asphalt mixtures and several are recommended for routine use. As asphalt mix designs become more complex with the use of asphalt modifiers, RAP and RAS, and warm mix asphalt technologies, highway engineers have recognized the need to establish and implement reliable performance tests that can be used to evaluate asphalt mixes and ultimately extend the life of asphalt pavements. NCHRP Project 09-57, "Experimental Design for Field Validation of Laboratory Tests to Assess Cracking Resistance of Asphalt Mixtures," developed experimental designs for the ruggedness testing and field validation of candidate laboratory tests to assess the resistance of asphalt mixtures to the four cracking types noted above. Candidate test methods were selected through (a) a critical review of relevant research and state mixture design practices and (b) a workshop with invited experts held in February 2015. The findings and conclusions of the project are summarized in NCHRP Research Results Digest 399: Field Validation of Laboratory Tests to Assess Cracking Resistance of Asphalt Mixtures: An Experimental Design; the contractor's final project report is available at http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/docs/NCHRP09-57_FR.pdf. This project is the first in a series proposed to accomplish the field validation designed in Project 09-57. Research is needed to conduct ruggedness testing of the candidate test methods in anticipation of future field validation experiments.

The John Z. Duling Grant Program was established and funded by a bequest from the estate of John Z. Duling of Indiana, a strong advocate of research who in 1972 proposed the establishment of the ISA Research Trust. The goal of this program is to provide start-up or seed funding to support innovative research and technology transfer projects that have the potential of benefiting the everyday work of arborists. John Z. Duling Grants may be used to support exploratory work in the early stages of untested, but potentially transformative, research ideas and approaches. Examples may include application of new approaches to research questions, or application of new expertise involving novel disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspectives. Projects are expected to be completed within one to three years with a maximum grant award of $25,000. No project may receive more than one award from this program. Due to the similarity of the Jack Kimmel International Grant and John Z. Duling Grant, applicants may submit to only one of these programs per annual project funding cycle. Note Well:  In 2020, TREE Fund's John Z. Duling Grant program will be focused specifically on urban forest management. Suggested areas of inquiry are (but are not limited to): Inventory and/or resource assessment; Development of management guidelines; Establishment, quantification and/or maintenance of ecosystem services; Pest/pathogen management; Assessing/maximizing returns on investments in urban forests;

The SunShot Initiative (SunShot) is a national collaborative effort to make solar energy cost-competitive with other forms of electricity by the end of the decade. The installed cost of solar photovoltaics (PV) has reduced significantly in recent years, spurring significant and accelerating deployment of PV systems. With the anticipated proliferation of solar power at the centralized and distributed scales, the variability and uncertainty of the solar resource poses challenges for reliably integrating photovoltaics (PV) with electric power systems, both at the distribution and bulk system levels. The goal of the Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, SHINES Funding Opportunity is to enable the development and demonstration of integrated, scalable, and cost-effective technologies for solar that incorporates energy storage and works seamlessly to meet both consumer needs and the needs of the electricity grid. Such an integrated solution should utilize smart inverters, and be capable of working with smart buildings, smart appliances, and utility communication and control systems. The solutions thus developed will enable widespread sustainable deployment of low-cost, flexible, and reliable PV generation, and provide for successful integration of PV power plants with the electric grid. The full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is posted on the EERE eXCHANGE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Applications must be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE website to be considered for award. The applicant must first register and create an account on the EERE eXCHANGE website. A User Guide for the EERE eXCHANGE can be found on the EERE website https://eere- exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx after logging in to the system. Information on where to submit questions regarding the content of the announcement and where to submit questions regarding submission of applications is found in the full FOA posted on the EERE eXCHANGE website.

For fiscal year (FY) 2015, BRDI will require that funded projects address only one (1) of the following three (3) legislatively mandated technical areas: 1. Feedstocks development - The intent of this Topic Area is to address research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities regarding feedstocks and feedstock logistics (including harvest, handling, transport, preprocessing, and storage) relevant to production of raw materials for conversion to biofuels and biobased products. The BRDI program is designed to support near-term commercial systems. Projects should emphasize development and optimization of existing feedstocks that will be available for testing and demonstration during the life of the project. Proposals that include breeding or genetic improvement of feedstocks should reconcile this work with the Program's emphasis on near-term impacts. 2. Biofuels and biobased products development - The intent of this Topic Area is to address RD&D activities to support (i) development of diverse cost-effective technologies for the use of cellulosic biomass in the production of biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products; and, (ii) product diversification through technologies relevant to the production of a range of biobased products (including chemicals, animal feeds, and cogeneration power) that potentially can increase the feasibility of fuel production in a biorefinery. 3. Biofuels development analysis - The intent of this Topic Area is to apply systems evaluation methods that can be used to optimize system performance and market potential and to quantify the project's impact on sustainability; therefore, successful applications will consider the lifecycle (cradle-to-grave) impacts including environmental, social, and economic implications that are attributable to the project. Successful projects should include these sustainability data in engineering process models and be used over the life of the project to improve the system and quantify sust

Under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act), Subtitle F of P.L. 112-141, the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund was established in the Treasury of the United States. Eighty percent of the civil penalties paid after July 6, 2012, under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be deposited into the Trust Fund and invested. The RESTORE Act created five components through which funds will be disbursed. Treasury is publishing multiple funding opportunity notices as part of the RESTORE Act. This announcement applies only to the Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program. Trust Fund amounts are available to establish one or more Centers of Excellence through competitive subawards to nongovernmental entities, including institutions of higher education. Funds may be used by those Centers of Excellence to conduct research only on the Gulf Coast region in one or more of the following disciplines: 1. Coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration and protection, including solutions and technology that allow citizens to live in a safe and sustainable manner in a coastal delta in the Gulf Coast Region; 2. Coastal fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring in the Gulf Coast Region; 3. Offshore energy development, including research and technology to improve the sustainable and safe development of energy resources in the Gulf of Mexico; 4. Sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development in the Gulf Coast Region; and 5. Comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico.

Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for research of interest to the Genomic Science Program (http://genomicscience.energy.gov) in the following research areas: a) Integrating large-scale systems biology data to model, design, and engineer microbial systems for the production of biofuels and bioproducts: Interdisciplinary approaches to develop innovative, high-throughput modeling, genome-wide design and editing, and engineering technologies for a broad range of microbes relevant for the production of biofuels and bioproducts from biomass. b) Plant systems design for bioenergy: To develop novel technologies for genome-scale engineering to re-design bioenergy crops that can grow in marginal environments while producing high yield of biomass that can be easily converted to biofuels and bioproducts. Applications should include strategies to address biocontainment, minimizing risks of potential release of engineered organisms into the environment or other unintended outcomes.

Biological and Environmental Research (BER) of the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for research of interest to the Genomic Science Program (http://genomicscience.energy.gov) in the following research areas: a) Integrating large-scale systems biology data to model, design, and engineer microbial systems for the production of biofuels and bioproducts: Interdisciplinary approaches to develop innovative, high-throughput modeling, genome-wide design and editing, and engineering technologies for a broad range of microbes relevant for the production of biofuels and bioproducts from biomass. b) Plant systems design for bioenergy: To develop novel technologies for genome-scale engineering to re-design bioenergy crops that can grow in marginal environments while producing high yield of biomass that can be easily converted to biofuels and bioproducts. Applications should include strategies to address biocontainment, minimizing risks of potential release of engineered organisms into the environment or other unintended outcomes.