91ÃÛÌÒ¸ó

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s is a national effort to use artificial intelligence to accelerate scientific discovery, strengthen national security and drive energy innovation. The initiative is intended to connect advanced computing, data, scientific infrastructure, and research teams in ways that materially improve the speed and impact of research and development.

DOE has released the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) , which seeks interdisciplinary teams to develop AI-enabled research and development workflows aligned with mission-relevant challenge areas. The opportunity is organized around 21 Challenge Areas and associated Focus Areas, with an emphasis on strong scientific merit, clear potential for measurable impact, and cross-sector teaming.

DOE is soliciting new FY26 Phase I small team and Phase II large team applications in the following areas: advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, critical materials, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, quantum information science, semiconductors and microelectronics, discovery science and energy.

Submission Deadlines

• Campus Teaming & Concepts RFI: March 27, 2026
• Phase I Applications: April 28, 2026
• Phase II Letters of Intent: April 28, 2026
• Phase II Applications: May 19, 2026

Important Information

In Phase I, applicants must propose small teams with partner institutions from at least two of the following categories:

1. DOE/NNSA National Laboratory or a Scientific User Facility,
2. Industry, andÌý
3. Institute of Higher Education (IHE)/Non-profit/Other.Ìý

Phase II applicants will be expected to propose large teams with at least one partner institution from categories (1) and (2). Inclusion of lead or partner institutions from category (3) are strongly encouraged but not required. To meet this requirement, partners must provide intellectual contributions to the proposed project but do not need to be funded by DOE.Ìý

Campus Teaming & Concepts Request for Information (RFI)

The 91ÃÛÌÒ¸ó and Innovation Office (RIO) is requesting information on potential CU 91ÃÛÌÒ¸ó teams and concepts to assess institutional interest, identify areas of strength and support coordination where appropriate. To assist with this effort, RIO has prepared a spreadsheet listing the 21 Challenge Areas and related FY26 Focus Areas.

For each potential concept, please provide:

• PI name
• Collaborators
• National lab partner(s), if any
• Industry partner(s), if any
• Primary subtopic/focus area, identified by letter and full name
• Secondary subtopic/focus area(s), if applicable
• Any relevant dataset(s) or data asset(s), if applicableÌý

Please use the spreadsheet to share potential concepts even if your team is still forming. We are currently seeking visibility into areas of interest, likely leaders, and possible teaming opportunities across campus. Preliminary information is welcome, including early-stage concepts and relevant datasets or data resources that could strengthen a potential response. Given the FOA’s emphasis on AI-enabled workflows and measurable impact, visibility into distinctive data assets will help RIO assess institutional strengths and identify opportunities for cross-campus teaming.

RIO will use the responses, together with input from the campus’s Genesis task force, to help facilitate teaming and coordinate proposal development support. As appropriate, RIO will assist with team formation and proposal planning.

We expect to share additional guidance regarding internal coordination and any submission limitations once those details are confirmed.

Thank you for helping us assess where CU 91ÃÛÌÒ¸ó may be best positioned for a strong response. Ìý

Partnership Service Launching March 19

To support formation of strategic partnerships for Genesis Mission opportunities, the Genesis Mission Consortium will launch the Partnership Exchange on Thursday, March 19 at 4:00 PM ET.

The Partnership Exchange is a platform that connects industry and academic organizations with DOE, the National Laboratories, and their resources to help facilitate collaboration for this RFA and future Genesis Mission opportunities.

Participation is optional, and consortium membership is not required to use the Partnership Exchange or to be eligible for funding under this RFA.

Prepare in Advance

Registration will open when the Partnership Exchange launches. To streamline participation and enable faster partner matching, prospective users are encouraged to prepare the following information in advance:

• RFA topics and focus areas of interest
• A short statement describing collaboration interests
• A brief description of organizational capabilities and recent work, including links to relevant publications or projects

Additional information and access to the Partnership Exchange will be available on the at the time of launch.