Earth and Environmental Systems Science in the Southeast U.S. | DE FOA 0003420

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research (BER) funding opportunity titled "Earth and Environmental Systems Science in the Southeast U.S." with Funding Opportunity Number (FON) DE-FOA-0003420.

2) Which DOE office and program are sponsoring it?

The opportunity is issued by the DOE Office of Science through the Biological and Environmental Research (BER) program.

3) What is the main goal of the FOA?

The central aim is to use a major new observational asset in the Southeast U.S. to improve scientific understanding of coupled regional Earth system processes (aerosols, clouds, ecosystems, watersheds, and land-atmosphere interactions) and translate that understanding into improved model representations from process scale through Earth-system scales.

4) What new observational asset is driving this opportunity?

Beginning full operations in fall 2024, the third Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mobile Facility will be deployed in the Bankhead National Forest in Alabama. DOE is looking for projects that use and connect these observations to advance process understanding and modeling capability.

5) Where is the study region for this FOA?

The FOA is focused on the Southeast United States, with the ARM Mobile Facility deployment located in the Bankhead National Forest in Alabama.

6) What kinds of scientific activities does DOE want proposals to combine?

DOE signals interest in collaborative projects that integrate measurements, experiments, field observations, modeling, analysis, and synthesis to address persistent uncertainties in regional Earth system behavior.

7) Which BER subprogram areas does this FOA intersect?

The opportunity sits at the intersection of three BER subprogram areas: Atmospheric System Research (ASR), Earth and Environmental System Modeling (EESM), and Environmental System Science (ESS).

8) Why is the Southeast U.S. emphasized as an important testbed?

The Southeast is highlighted because it features complex vegetation, strong land-atmosphere coupling, frequent convection and precipitation, and significant natural aerosol sources. These conditions can challenge current model physics and parameterizations, making the region valuable for reducing key uncertainties.

9) What is meant by "cross-coupling" in this FOA?

A recurring theme is improving model representation of the coupled system, including cross-coupling between aerosol-cloud interactions and land-atmosphere feedbacks, rather than treating these processes in isolation.

10) What topical areas are called out in the FOA?

The FOA highlights four topical areas: (1) vegetation and land-atmosphere interactions, (2) spatial heterogeneity and scaling, (3) convection, clouds, precipitation, and biogenic aerosols, and (4) extreme events and disturbance.

11) Do proposals have to focus on only one topical area?

Proposals can address one topical area or integrate multiple topics, as long as they are combined into a coherent research plan.

12) What falls under the vegetation and land-atmosphere interactions topic?

This topic includes processes such as evapotranspiration, canopy exchange, surface energy balance, and how vegetation states influence boundary layer development and cloud formation.

13) What does the spatial heterogeneity and scaling topic focus on?

This topic emphasizes that landscapes are patchy and that observations and models often operate at mismatched scales. DOE is looking for approaches that bridge plot, watershed, and regional scales and reduce scaling-related bias in model predictions.

14) What is included under convection, clouds, precipitation, and biogenic aerosols?

This topic focuses on how naturally produced aerosols and their ecosystem-derived precursors influence cloud properties, precipitation efficiency, and radiative effects, as well as how storms can feed back on atmospheric composition and land surface conditions.

15) What qualifies as extreme events and disturbance for this FOA?

The FOA lists examples including drought, heat waves, intense rainfall, wind damage, fire, pest outbreaks, and other disruptions that alter land surface fluxes, hydrology, and atmospheric processes, affecting regional predictability and longer-term system trajectories.

16) What kinds of deliverables is DOE looking for?

The FOA is aimed at deliverables that matter for modeling capability, not just site-specific findings. Examples include improved parameterizations, more defensible process representations, stronger observational constraints for model evaluation, and analysis frameworks that quantify uncertainty and attribution in coupled land-atmosphere-aerosol-cloud behavior.

17) Is a specific research method required?

The announcement does not prescribe a single methodology. It clearly signals interest in work that connects field observations (including ARM Mobile Facility measurements) to mechanistic understanding and then to demonstrable modeling advances (regional models, Earth system model components, or coupled modeling systems).

18) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad for domestic applicants, with a specific exclusion: nonprofit organizations classified under IRS section 501(c)(4) that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995 are not eligible.

19) Are DOE/NNSA National Laboratories allowed to apply as the prime applicant?

No. DOE/NNSA National Laboratories cannot apply as prime applicants. They may participate as subrecipients under an eligible prime organization.

20) Are non-DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) allowed to apply as the prime applicant?

No. Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs cannot apply as prime applicants, but they may participate as subrecipients under an eligible prime organization.

21) How is funding handled if a DOE National Laboratory is a subrecipient and selected?

If a national lab is included as a subrecipient and selected, its portion is handled separately through DOE mechanisms. For DOE labs, this is implemented via the DOE Field-Work Proposal system under the lab's existing DOE contract.

22) Can other Federal Agencies be lead applicants?

Yes. Other Federal Agencies are eligible to apply as lead applicants and can also participate as subrecipients. When funded, support is typically implemented through an interagency agreement.

23) Does the FOA encourage participation by underrepresented institutions?

Yes. The FOA encourages participation of underrepresented institutions, including minority-serving institutions and emerging research institutions, as part of collaborative teams.

24) What type of funding opportunity is this and what is the activity category?

This is a discretionary grant opportunity in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category.

25) What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The opportunity lists CFDA 81.049.

26) What is the application deadline?

The original application closing date is November 21, 2024.

27) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The listed award ceiling is $3,000,000.

28) When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on July 25, 2024.