Create and Submit a Proposal (for National Laboratories only)
1 Introduction
The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (SC) issues many announcements each year to solicit research proposals from colleges and universities, non-profit and for-profit research organizations, DOE’s national laboratories, small businesses, and other federal research organizations. The Office of Science issues two types of funding announcements:
- Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs), which may be open to one or more institution types (please read the eligibility requirements in a given FOA for details); and
- DOE National Laboratory Announcements, which are open only to DOE laboratories.
The purpose of this document is to provide step-by-step instructions for users to follow to submit a proposal to a DOE National Laboratory Announcement.
2 Prerequisites
Before a user can submit a proposal to a DOE National Laboratory Announcement in PAMS, the following criteria must be met:
- The user has an external PAMS account.
- The user is associated to a DOE National Laboratory.
- A DOE National Laboratory Announcement is open.
3 Submitting a DOE National Laboratory Proposal
Use the following steps to locate, create, and submit a proposal to a DOE National Laboratory Announcement.
3.1 Selecting a DOE National Laboratory Announcement
Before you can submit a proposal to a DOE National Laboratory Announcement, you must first select the Announcement you would like to submit to. Use the following steps to browse and select a DOE National Laboratory Announcement.
1. Log in to your external PAMS account at (Figure 1): https://pamspublic.science.energy.gov/webpamsepsexternal/login.aspx.
Figure 1. PAMS External Login
2. From the PAMS Homepage, click View/Respond to Solicitations and skip to step 4 OR Navigate to the “Proposals” tab (Figure 2).
Figure 2. PAMS Homepage
3. PAMS will load the Guide Me subtab. Select View DOE National Laboratory Announcements in the Solicitations column under “What would you like to do?” (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Proposals – Guide Me, View DOE National Laboratory Announcements
4. PAMS will load the “DOE National Laboratory Announcements – List” page, which displays a list of all open and closed DOE National Laboratory Announcements. Browse the list or use the filters or advanced search above the grid to locate the DOE National Laboratory Announcement you would like to submit to. Once you have selected a DOE National Laboratory Announcement, click Submit Proposal in the Action/Views menu in the Options column. (Figure 4)
Figure 4. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – List, Submit Proposal
3.2 Submitting to a DOE National Laboratory Announcement
Upon clicking Submit Proposal in the Action/Views menu for a specific DOE National Laboratory Announcement, PAMS will load the “DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal” page. DOE National Laboratory proposals consist of four sections: Cover Page, Budget, Projects/Subawards (optional), and Attachments. To submit a proposal, you must complete all of the required fields in each section.
Use the following steps to complete a proposal for a DOE National Laboratory Announcement.
3.2.1 Cover Page
The Cover Page is used to record basic information about the proposal. Use the following steps to complete the Cover Page.
1. PAMS will first load the Cover Page tab of the proposal. Refer to the table below to complete the required fields in the Cover Page section.
Required Fields
Element | Description |
Institution | PAMS will auto-populate the name of the National Laboratory to which you are registered (Figure 5). |
Principal Investigator Information | Select a Principal Investigator (PI) by clicking Select PI on the right side of the section header (Figure 5). PAMS will load the “Select PI” page (Figure 8). Browse the list or use the filters or advanced search above the grid to locate the PI you would like to select. Once you have chosen a PI, click Select PI in the Action menu in the Options column. PAMS will return you to the “DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal” page, and populate the remaining fields in the Principal Investigator Information section. |
Sponsored Research Official/Business Official/Administrative Official (SRO/BO/AO) Information | Select a Sponsored Research Official/Business Official/Administrative Official (SRO/BO/AO) by clicking Select SRO/BO/AO on the right side of the section header (Figure 5). PAMS will load the “Select SRO/BO/AO” page (Figure 9). Browse the list or use the filters or advanced search above the grid to locate the SRO you would like to select. Once you have chosen an SRO, click Select SRO/BO/AO in the Action menu in the Options column. PAMS will return you to the “DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal” page, and populate the remaining fields in the Sponsored Research Official/Business Official/Administrative Official (SRO/BO/AO) section. |
Proposal Title | Enter a title for the proposal (Figure 6). |
Program Manager | Click the dropdown, and select a Program Manager (Figure 6). |
Proposal Type | Click the dropdown, and select a Proposal Type (Figure 6). |
1. Are Human Subjects Involved? | Select the “Yes” or “No” radio button (Figure 6). NOTE: If you select “Yes”, you must complete the “1a. If Yes, is the project exempt from Federal regulations?” subsection. |
2. Are vertebrate animals used? | Select the “Yes” or “No” radio button (Figure 7). NOTE: If you select “Yes”, you must complete the “2a. If Yes, is the IACUC review pending?” subsection. |
Figure 5. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Cover Page 1
Figure 6. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Cover Page 2
Figure 7. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Cover Page 3
Figure 8. Select PI
Figure 9. Select SRO/BO/AO
2. Once you have completed all of the required fields, click the Choose Action dropdown in the bottom right corner of the page, select “Save Cover Page and Continue to Next Section”, and click Go (Figure 10).
Figure 10. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Choose Action
| You can save your progress without navigating away from the page at any point by clicking the “Choose Action” dropdown, selecting “Save Cover Page”, and clicking “Go”. |
3. PAMS will save the Cover Page tab, and navigate you to the Budget tab.
3.2.2 Budget
The Budget tab consists of twelve sections: the Budget Period table, Budget Period Information, Senior/Key Person, Additional Senior Key Persons, Other Personnel, Equipment Description, Travel, Participant/Trainee Support Costs, Other Direct Costs, Direct Costs, Other Indirect Costs, and Total Direct and Indirect Costs. Use the following steps to complete the Budget tab.
Refer to the table below to complete the required fields in the Budget tab.
1. Click the Edit icon for each section of the budget that needs to be updated. Click Continue in that section to save your edits. (Figures 11-13)
Required Fields
Element | Description |
Budget Period Start Date | Click the Edit icon, in the Budget Period Information header, and enter a start date for the budget period (Figure 11). |
Budget Period End Date | Click the Edit icon, in the Budget Period Information header, and enter an end date for the budget period (Figure 11). |
| If the section does not apply to your budget, leave it blank. |
Figure 11. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Budget
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Figure 12. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Budget – Add Budget Period
2. Once you have completed all of the required and necessary fields, click the Choose Action dropdown in the bottom right corner of the page, select “Save Budget and Continue to Next Section”, and click Go (Figure 13). PAMS will save the Budget tab, and navigate you to the Subawards tab.
Figure 13. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Save
3.2.3 Projects/Subawards (optional)
The Projects/Subawards tab is an optional section. If your proposal includes a Project or Subaward, you will need to complete the Projects/Subawards tab. If your proposal does not include a Project or Subaward, leave the Projects/Subawards section blank, and move on to the Attachments tab.
Use the following steps to provide Project/Subaward budgets.
1. Click Add Project/Subaward at the top of the page (Figure 14). Provide budget information (refer to Section 3.2.2, Step 3) for each Project/Subaward you add.
Figure 14. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Subawards (optional), Add Project/Subaward
2. Click the Edit icon for each section of the budget that needs to be updated, and then click Continue in that section to save your edits.
Required Fields
Element | Description |
Institution Name | Click the Edit icon, in the Project/Subaward Information header, and enter the Institution Name (Figure 15). |
| Budget Type | Use the "Project" and "Subaward/Consortium" radio buttons to specify the budget type. |
Budget Period Start Date | Click the Edit icon, in the Budget Period Information header, and enter a start date for the budget period (Figure 15). |
Budget Period End Date | Click the Edit icon, in the Budget Period Information header, and enter an end date for the budget period (Figure 15). |
| If the section does not apply to your budget, leave it blank. |
Figure 15. Proposal Subawards
3. Once you have completed all of the required fields, click the Choose Action dropdown in the bottom right corner of the page, select “Save Subawards and Continue to Next Section”, and click Go (Figure 16). When you have finished providing the necessary information, choose the appropriate save option from the Choose Action dropdown, and click Go to continue to the next section.
Figure 16. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Budget – Save All Budget Periods
3.2.4 Attachments
The Attachments tab is used to upload required documents for the proposal. It consists of four sections: Project Summary/Abstract, Budget Justification Attachment, Proposal Attachment, and Other Attachments. Use the following steps to complete the Attachments tab.
Required Fields
Element | Description |
Proposal Summary/Abstract | Upload the Project Summary Abstract. PAMS will accept one (1) document in this field only. |
Budget Justification Attachment | Upload your Budget Justification. PAMS will accept one (1) document in this field only. |
Proposal Attachment | Upload your Project Narrative. PAMS will accept one (1) document in this field only. |
Collaborator Information | Upload your Collaborator Information. PAMS will accept one (1) document in this field. |
1. To attach a required document, click Attach File in the header. This will expand the section (Figure 17).
2. Click Choose File, and browse your computer for the file you would like to attach.
3. Once you have selected a file, click Upload to attach the file to the proposal.
Figure 17. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Attachments
| You may enter a description of the document in 500 characters or less in the Description field before clicking Upload and attaching the file. |
4. When you have finished attaching the required documents, click the Choose Action dropdown, select the appropriate Save option, and click Go (Figure 18).
Figure 18. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Attachments – Save
3.3 Submitting your Proposal
Once all of the proposal tabs are complete (marked by a green checkmark next to each tab name), you can submit your proposal to the DOE National Laboratory Announcement. Use the following steps to complete and submit your proposal.
1. Click the Choose Action dropdown in the bottom right corner of the page, select Submit to DOE, and click Go (Figure 19).
Figure 19. DOE National Laboratory Announcements – Submit Proposal, Submit to DOE
2. PAMS will redirect you to the “My Proposals” page, and display a Success message confirming that your proposal has been submitted successfully (Figure 20).
Figure 20. My Proposals – Success Message
