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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
• Remaining Subtopics: 12:00pm MT on April 17, 2026 (email ltdsubs@colorado.edu if interested)
• 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 Research and Innovation Office (RIO) requested information on potential 91´«Ã½ teams and concepts to assess institutional interest, identify areas of strength, and support coordination where appropriate. To assist with this effort, RIO prepared a spreadsheet listing the 21 Challenge Areas and related FY26 Focus Areas.

For each potential concept, the following information was provided:

• 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

Contributors used the spreadsheet to share potential concepts, including teams that were still forming. RIO sought visibility into areas of interest, likely leaders, and possible teaming opportunities across campus. Preliminary information was welcomed, 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 helped 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.

This request for information is now closed. The content above is retained for historical reference and to document the approach used to assess institutional strengths and coordinate across campus.

Partnership ServiceÌý

To support formation of strategic partnerships for Genesis Mission opportunities, the Genesis Mission Consortium launched the Partnership Exchange PortalÌýon March 19th and is the primary tool for team formation.Ìý

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

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 is available on the .