Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001713
The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, through its Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program, issued the Plasma Science Facilities funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001713) to support intermediate-scale plasma science facilities that function as user-oriented research platforms. The core idea is to fund facilities that are big enough to tackle major frontier plasma physics problems that cannot realistically be addressed with small, single-investigator, tabletop experiments, but that are still smaller and more focused than the largest national laboratory installations. The mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally signals that DOE expects to have substantial involvement in overseeing or coordinating aspects of the project during execution, particularly for facility construction, operations, and user access.
The scientific emphasis is explicitly on frontier plasma science questions highlighted in the 2015 Frontiers of Plasma Science Workshops report, with the program seeking facilities capable of addressing multiple topical areas rather than a single narrowly defined experiment. The specific research themes called out include plasma dynamo processes (how magnetic fields are generated and amplified in plasmas), magnetic reconnection (how magnetic field lines change topology and rapidly release stored magnetic energy), particle acceleration driven by shocks, turbulence, and/or reconnection (processes relevant to both laboratory and astrophysical plasmas), the turbulent cascade and dissipation of energy in magnetized plasmas (how energy moves from large scales to small scales and ultimately heats particles), and the formation of coherent structures in magnetized plasmas (long-lived or organized features that emerge from complex plasma dynamics). In practice, DOE is signaling interest in facilities that can provide controlled, repeatable experimental access to these fundamental processes, often with advanced diagnostics, parameter flexibility, and the ability to support a broader community of users.
A major motivation behind the opportunity is the long-standing national need for mid-scale infrastructure that sits between individual-lab experiments and the very large fusion or high-energy-density platforms. The FOA ties this need to recommendations from the 2007 National Research Council report, Plasma Science: Advancing Knowledge in the National Interest (Plasma 2010 Committee), and reinforces the 2015 workshop findings that certain high-impact plasma questions require intermediate-scale capabilities. The envisioned facilities are the kind that are typically too complex, expensive, or operationally intensive for a single principal investigator to build and run alone, but that can serve as a shared community resource where multiple teams can propose experiments, access the platform, and generate broadly useful data and validation for theory and simulation.
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement. The FOA is categorized as discretionary funding for science and technology and other research and development, under CFDA 81.049. DOE anticipated making around four awards, with an award ceiling of $4,800,000. The opportunity was originally posted January 19, 2017, with an original closing date of May 5, 2017, which indicates this is a historical solicitation, but it still provides a clear picture of DOE FES priorities for intermediate-scale, community-facing plasma science infrastructure.
Just as important as what is included is what is excluded. DOE explicitly states that mainstream magnetic fusion energy research facilities are not responsive to this call, naming advanced tokamaks, spherical tori, and stellarators as examples. It also excludes inertial confinement fusion facilities such as convergent laser-driven systems and z-pinches. That exclusion clarifies that the program is not trying to fund facilities aimed primarily at achieving fusion energy performance milestones; instead, it is targeting fundamental plasma science and cross-cutting plasma phenomena that matter across space and astrophysical plasmas, laboratory plasmas, and plasma applications, while remaining distinct from the major fusion confinement pathways and inertial fusion platforms.
Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as DOE FES investing in mid-scale experimental infrastructure that enables community access and sustained operations, with the goal of producing high-quality, frontier-level plasma physics results in areas like reconnection, turbulence, dynamos, particle acceleration, and coherent structure formation. The emphasis on “user facilities” and “multiple research areas” points toward proposals that combine strong scientific vision with practical facility planning: robust operations, diagnostics, safety and reliability, and a credible user program that can serve a broader research community rather than only the proposing team.Apply for DE FOA 0001713
- The Department of Energy - Office of Science in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Plasma Science Facilities" 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 Jan 19, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 05, 2017. (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 $4,800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 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.
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Plasma Science Facilities (DE-FOA-0001713) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science opportunity from the Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program called Plasma Science Facilities (FOA number DE-FOA-0001713). It is designed to support intermediate-scale plasma science facilities that operate as user-oriented research platforms.
What is the main goal of the program?
The core goal is to fund plasma science facilities that are large enough to address major frontier plasma physics problems that are not realistic for small, tabletop, single-investigator experiments, while still being smaller and more focused than the biggest national laboratory installations.
What kind of award mechanism does DOE use for this opportunity?
The mechanism is a cooperative agreement. This generally indicates DOE expects substantial involvement during the project, especially around facility construction, operations, and user access.
What does DOE mean by an "intermediate-scale" plasma science facility?
Based on the description, intermediate-scale refers to facilities that sit between (1) small, single-lab experiments and (2) very large national laboratory platforms. These mid-scale facilities are typically too complex or operationally intensive for one principal investigator to build and operate alone, but are practical as shared platforms for broader community use.
What does DOE mean by "user-oriented" or a "user facility" in this context?
In this FOA, the emphasis on user orientation signals that the facility should function as a shared community resource where multiple teams can access the platform to propose and perform experiments, rather than being a facility used only by the proposing group.
What scientific topics is DOE trying to support?
The FOA explicitly targets frontier plasma science questions highlighted in the 2015 Frontiers of Plasma Science Workshops report. The research themes specifically called out include:
- Plasma dynamo processes (generation and amplification of magnetic fields in plasmas)
- Magnetic reconnection (topology change in magnetic field lines and rapid magnetic energy release)
- Particle acceleration driven by shocks, turbulence, and/or reconnection
- Turbulent cascade and dissipation of energy in magnetized plasmas
- Formation of coherent structures in magnetized plasmas
Does DOE want facilities that focus on one experiment, or multiple areas?
DOE signals interest in facilities capable of addressing multiple topical areas rather than a single narrowly defined experiment. The facility concept is expected to enable controlled, repeatable experimental access to fundamental plasma processes across more than one frontier theme.
What kinds of facility capabilities does DOE appear to value?
From the description, DOE is looking for platforms that can provide controlled and repeatable access to fundamental processes, often including:
- Advanced diagnostics
- Parameter flexibility (ability to vary experimental regimes)
- Sustained operations suitable for ongoing research campaigns
- User access infrastructure that supports a broader research community
Why is DOE focusing on mid-scale plasma science infrastructure?
The FOA describes a long-standing national need for infrastructure between individual-lab experiments and very large platforms. It ties this need to recommendations from the 2007 National Research Council report (Plasma Science: Advancing Knowledge in the National Interest, Plasma 2010 Committee) and reinforces the 2015 workshop findings that certain high-impact plasma questions require intermediate-scale capabilities.
Is the focus on fusion energy performance milestones?
No. DOE explicitly distinguishes this opportunity from programs aimed primarily at achieving fusion energy performance milestones. The focus is on fundamental plasma science and cross-cutting plasma phenomena relevant across laboratory, space, and astrophysical plasmas, and plasma applications.
What kinds of facilities are explicitly not responsive to this FOA?
DOE states that mainstream magnetic fusion energy research facilities are not responsive, including:
- Advanced tokamaks
- Spherical tori
- Stellarators
It also excludes inertial confinement fusion facilities such as:
- Convergent laser-driven systems
- Z-pinches
What is the expected number of awards and maximum award size?
DOE anticipated making around four awards, with an award ceiling of $4,800,000.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement.
What is the CFDA number and funding category?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding for science and technology and other research and development, under CFDA 81.049.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The FOA was originally posted on January 19, 2017, with an original closing date of May 5, 2017. This indicates it is a historical solicitation, but it still reflects DOE FES priorities for intermediate-scale, community-facing plasma science infrastructure.
What outcomes is DOE trying to achieve by funding these facilities?
The opportunity is aimed at enabling high-quality, frontier-level plasma physics results (for example in reconnection, turbulence, dynamos, particle acceleration, and coherent structure formation) by supporting facilities that can be operated sustainably and accessed by a broader community.
What practical planning considerations are implied by the FOA?
The emphasis on user facilities and sustained operations points toward proposals that combine scientific vision with credible facility planning, including:
- Robust operations
- Diagnostics appropriate for frontier measurements
- Safety and reliability appropriate for a shared research platform
- A credible user program designed to serve the broader community
Is DOE looking for facilities that support theory and simulation as well as experiments?
The FOA framing emphasizes generating broadly useful data and validation for theory and simulation, suggesting that experimental facilities that produce community-relevant datasets for model validation align with the program motivation.
What is the simplest way to describe the "fit" DOE is looking for?
A strong fit is an intermediate-scale plasma science facility that (1) addresses multiple frontier plasma topics, (2) operates as a user-oriented community platform, and (3) is clearly distinct from mainstream magnetic confinement fusion devices and inertial confinement fusion platforms.
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