FY2023 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program | DE FOA 0002844

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002844

The FY2023 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program (DE-FOA-0002844) is the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science's standing, broad funding announcement for research and development across the full Office of Science mission. Rather than targeting a single narrow topic, it functions as the Office of Science's annual open solicitation, meaning it is designed to accept a wide range of proposals throughout the fiscal year as long as the work fits within the Office of Science's Congressionally authorized scope. This makes it a central entry point for researchers and institutions seeking DOE support in core physical sciences, computing, and related disciplines.

The opportunity invites applications spanning the Office of Science program areas, including Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, Fusion Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, Isotope R&D and Production, and Accelerator R&D and Production. In practical terms, applicants can propose fundamental and applied research aligned with these areas, as well as enabling technologies and capabilities that support DOE science objectives. Because it is intentionally broad, the specific research direction is expected to be justified by the applicant in terms of scientific merit and relevance to the Office of Science mission area(s) it addresses.

This FOA traces back to the Office of Energy Research Financial Assistance Program established through a Final Rule published in the Federal Register on September 3, 1992, codified at 10 CFR 605. The FOA emphasizes that the rules governing how applications are submitted, who is eligible, what limitations apply, and how proposals are evaluated and selected are laid out in 10 CFR 605. In other words, the FOA is not just a one-off competitive call; it sits within a long-running regulatory framework that defines the Office of Science financial assistance process and sets the expectations for peer review, selection practices, and administrative requirements.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category (CFDA 81.049). The FOA lists multiple possible award instruments, including grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts, signaling that DOE may choose an instrument based on the nature of the work and the anticipated level of federal involvement. The opportunity is described as open to unrestricted applicant types (effectively open to any type of entity), with the caveat that any nuanced eligibility conditions would be described in the FOA's additional eligibility language.

Key dates and scale help clarify how the FOA operates. It was created on September 30, 2022, and remained open until September 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, unless replaced earlier by a subsequent issuance. The expected number of awards is listed as 1,000, which reflects the broad, program-wide nature of the solicitation and the large volume of Office of Science research awards made across many disciplines and institutions. The award ceiling is listed as $100,000,000, which indicates the upper bound that could apply in exceptional cases, though typical award sizes often vary widely depending on the program, scope, and project type. Finally, this FOA succeeds DE-FOA-0002562, which was published on September 30, 2021, indicating it is part of an annual continuation cycle rather than a standalone new initiative.

Overall, DE-FOA-0002844 is best understood as the Office of Science's year-round umbrella solicitation for proposals across DOE's foundational science portfolio. It provides a consistent mechanism for investigators and organizations to submit research ideas aligned with DOE Office of Science priorities, with the governing submission and review rules anchored in 10 CFR 605 and the application window kept open across the fiscal year until the next annual version supersedes it.

• The Department of Energy - Office of Science, Office of Science in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2023 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.049.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 30, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 30, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1,000 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for DE FOA 0002844

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