A successful RFA must include all of the following components completed in full to be considered. Failure to meet the requirements and qualifications below will result in rejection of the RFA with no further review. All RFAs are inspected and validated for complete and accurate information before review.
RFA Call
The 2024 RFA submissions are now closed. It is anticipated that the 2025 RFA call will be posted in December 2024.
FY2024 INFUSE RFA Call
Qualifications to Submit a RFA
- It is mandatory that prospective applicants contact the INFUSE office, or known contacts at DOE laboratories and fusion universities, to establish feasibility and identify a partner PI prior to submitting an application. This can be very helpful in formulation of an acceptable application.
- All companies must have a valid SAM.gov Unique Entity ID and be registered in the U.S. Foreign-controlled companies are welcome to participate; however, they must have a legal subsidiary with a U.S. address. More information about business eligibility can be found here.
- Only one partnering institute is permitted per RFA. However, a laboratory can collaborate with other labs through a Memorandum Purchase Order (MPO) or a university can subcontract with another university directly. The institute PI must be a technical staff or faculty member and employee of the partnering institution.
- The company PI must be a technical staff member and employee of the U.S. company submitting the RFA.
- Institution PIs must have the necessary expertise, time and resources to perform the work in an effective manner. The laboratory PI must perform a minimum 25% of the laboratory scope; whereas, the university faculty PI must perform a minimum 5% of the university scope with remainder performed by existing university staff.
- For laboratory agreements only, the U.S.-registered company must agree to terms and conditions within either a standard or SBIR DOE CRADA and execute a negotiated agreement before work can commence. Please review the CRADAs linked below under “Tips, Resources, and Additional Helpful Documents” carefully for export control restrictions and intellectual property provisions. These terms are not negotiable.
Required Documents
Budget Estimate Spreadsheet (Excel file)
Requirements for the budget:
- National laboratories can subcontract with universities, but universities are not permitted to subcontract with the labs. All subcontracts must be broken out in the cost estimate spreadsheet.
- The participating institution cannot subcontract out more than 25% of the work.
- A company must provide a minimum 20% cost share of the total project value (the sum of the government share and the private partner share) as detailed in the required budget estimate worksheet.
Technical Narrative (Follow Guidelines – PDF)
The technical narrative must include a PIER plan as an appendix and may include up to three resumes.
Technical Narrative Information
Record of Discussion (Free Format – PDF)
A record-of-discussion must be part of the RFA showing mutual agreement between the company and institute PIs regarding the scope of work signed by the PIs. If the RFA requires use of specialized, high-demand facilities, the institute PI’s supervisor must also sign indicating the resource will be available.
INFUSE Corporate Information Form (PDF)
A corporate information form must be completed and submitted as part of the RFA so the program can evaluate the eligibility of the applicant.
INFUSE Corporate Information Form
Intellectual Property Management Plan (Free Format – PDF)
Applications with a university partner must submit an IPMP. A standard university-approved contract can be executed.
Applications with a national laboratory partner should not submit an IPMP but must agree to and execute a CRADA before work can start. See point 6 under “Qualifications to Submit a RFA” above for more information.