Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Does the minimum budget specified in the announcement include indirect costs?

A: Yes, the minimum budget includes both direct and indirect costs.

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Q: What is the difference between a timeline of major activities and a project timetable?

A: These two items convey the same information; you may include one or the other in your proposal.

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Q: Can the research I propose overlap with other research for which I am already funded by DOE or any other agency?

A: The proposal should not duplicate your currently funded research, regardless of the agency funding it. You should propose new research.

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Q: I did not submit a letter of intent. May I submit a full proposal?

A: Yes. The letter of intent was optional. Please read the announcement and these FAQs very carefully before submitting.

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Q: How will the proposal review be conducted?

A: Review of the proposals will be handled in the programs using the review criteria established in the announcement. Proposals may be reviewed by either mail review or panel review or some combination of both. Each program will decide individually on its review method. Large numbers of proposals are generally handled by panels. The best way to prepare for the review is to learn about the review criteria and proposal format by reading the full announcement. If you write your proposal to be responsive to the review criteria, to fit in with the Office of Science mission areas, and to follow the required format, you will be ready for any review process.

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Q: If I am asked to submit a revised budget, how should I do so?

A: Revised budgets, like any other requested information, may be submitted in any convenient format, provided the submission bears the signature (real or electronic) of an authorized institutional official. An email is considered to bear the signature of its sender. Please submit requested items to the DOE official who requested them. For convenience, DOE has created and made available Excel spreadsheets that look like the SF-424(R&R) budget pages. A three-year budget format is available at http://science.doe.gov/grants/SF424RR-3yr-Budget.xlsx and a five-year budget format is available at http://science.doe.gov/grants/SF424RR-5yr-Budget.xlsx.

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