Core Calls
The DuraMAT Lab Led Core Call process will grow DuraMAT's expertise, tools, and access to facilities while contributing key results that will help improve PV module reliability and performance.
DuraMAT is not accepting proposals through the Lab-Led Core Process Call at this time.
DuraMAT Lab-Led Core Process Call — Fiscal Year 2025
The instructions and details for the Fiscal Year 2025 Lab-Led Core Process Call are left on this page as an example of how DuraMAT structures a request for proposals (RFP).
- Released: 5/17/2024
- Closed: 6/21/2024
- Status: RFP Closed
DuraMAT was seeking proposals for projects focus on degradation mechanisms leading to wear out and/or investigating potential reliability risks and packaging needs of new technologies before large-scale deployment. Note that DuraMAT’s scope specifically excludes perovskites and any cell/device level research.
DuraMAT was soliciting two types of proposals during this call: full project proposals (up to 3-year efforts) and “Spark” projects (up to 9-month efforts; $65,000). The Spark projects were expected to have well-defined final project deliverables. These efforts were expected to support larger DuraMAT reliability forecasting efforts.
Eligibility
Proposals must have a National Lab PI from a DuraMAT core partner lab (NREL, Sandia, or LBNL) or core participant lab (SLAC) and are strongly encouraged to consider partnerships with DuraMAT core participant universities (Stanford University and Arizona State University). Proposals may include team members from industry, national labs, academia, etc., as subcontracts, but at least 70% of the funding must stay within the Department of Energy national laboratories. Read more information on working with DuraMAT. Cost share is encouraged but not required for this proposal call. Collaboration or coordination with other Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) programs (e.g. reliability core, PV proving grounds) is encouraged.
Proposal Format
Proposals must be submitted using the appropriate Word template, available at www.duramat.org.
Full Proposals: Full proposals are strictly limited to six pages, not including the cover page. References, two-page resumes, letters of support, and current/pending support info should be appended to the proposal file and are excluded from the page limit. A template for current/pending support can be found at the end of the template document. No information outside of the page limit will be considered. Anything after the page limit will be cut before the proposals are sent to review.
Spark proposals: These abbreviated proposals are strictly limited to three pages (including references), not including the cover page. No additional supporting documentation is required (e.g., please do not include separate references, two-page resumes, letters of support, or current/pending support info).
Proposal Selection
The DuraMAT industry advisory board (with additional technical experts approved by SETO if needed) reviewed proposals according to the merit criteria in the RFP. The DuraMAT Leadership Team made programmatic recommendations based on those rankings to SETO, and the SETO program manager had final selection authority. DuraMAT anticipated making selections in July 2024 for work starting in October Fiscal Year 2025.
Total award funding: Up to $3,100,000 for two to four projects and one to three Spark projects.
Estimated project funding: Full projects:
$500,000 per year for up to 3 years. Spark projects: $65,000 for up to 9
months.
If selected for award, PIs will be responsible for submitting a budget package, completed website template, and two-slide project summary.
Download the Core Project Proposal Submission Template
