DOE BER Offers Grants for Atmospheric System Research (ASR)

The DOE SC program in Biological and Environmental Research (BER) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for Atmospheric System Research (ASR) within BER’s Earth and Environmental Systems Sciences Division (EESSD). ASR supports research on key cloud, aerosol, precipitation, and radiative transfer processes that affect the Earth’s radiative balance and hydrological cycle, especially processes that limit the predictive ability of regional and global models. This FOA solicits research grant applications for observational, data analysis, and/or modeling studies that use observations supported by BER, including the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility, to improve understanding and model representation of: 1) Aerosol-cloud interactions; 2) Aerosol processes affecting cloud lifecycle, properties, and/or processes; 3) Convective cloud processes; and 4) High-latitude atmospheric processes. All research supported by awards under this FOA is intended to benefit the public through increasing our understanding of the Earth system.

Federally affiliated entities must adhere to the eligibility standards below:

1. DOE/NNSA National Laboratories

DOE/NNSA National Laboratories are neither eligible to submit applications under this FOA nor to be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application.

2. Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs

Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are eligible to submit applications (either as a lead organization or as a team member in a multi-institutional team) under this FOA and may be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. If recommended for funding as a lead applicant, funding will be provided through an interagency agreement to the FFRDC’s sponsoring Federal Agency. If recommended for funding as a proposed subrecipient, the value of the proposed subaward may be removed from the prime applicant’s award and may be provided through an interagency agreement to the FFRDC’s sponsoring Federal Agency. Additional instructions for securing authorization from the cognizant Contracting Officer are found in Section VIII of this FOA.

3. Other Federal Agencies

Other Federal Agencies are eligible to submit applications under this FOA but are not eligible to be proposed as subrecipients under another organization’s application. Instead, they must submit their own application as a team member in a multi-institutional team. If recommended for funding, either as the sole applicant or in a multi-institutional team, funding will be provided through an interagency agreement. Additional instructions for providing statutory authorization are found in Section VIII of this FOA.

Applicants that are not domestic organizations should be advised that:
• Individual applicants are unlikely to possess the skills, abilities, and resources to successfully accomplish the objectives of this FOA. Individual applicants are encouraged to address this concern in their applications and to demonstrate how they will accomplish the objectives of this FOA.
• Non-domestic applicants are advised that successful applications from non-domestic applicants include a detailed demonstration of how the applicant possesses skills, resources, and abilities that do not exist among potential domestic applicants.

Applications from for-profit organizations that propose research related to current commercial activity or current customer needs may be declined without merit review.

Applications that are submitted by applicants that have not submitted a required LOI or pre-application may be declined without further review.

The DOE SC program in Biological and Environmental Research (BER) hereby announces its interest in receiving applications for Atmospheric System Research (ASR) within BER’s Earth and Environmental Systems Sciences Division (EESSD). ASR supports research on key cloud, aerosol, precipitation, and radiative transfer processes that affect the Earth’s radiative balance and hydrological cycle, especially processes that limit the predictive ability of regional and global models. This FOA solicits research grant applications for observational, data analysis, and/or modeling studies that use observations supported by BER, including the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility, to improve understanding and model representation of: 1) Aerosol-cloud interactions; 2) Aerosol processes affecting cloud lifecycle, properties, and/or processes; 3) Convective cloud processes; and 4) High-latitude atmospheric processes. All research supported by awards under this FOA is intended to benefit the public through increasing our understanding of the Earth system.