Opportunity Information: Apply for BOR DO 18 N014
This funding opportunity is a Notice of Intent to Award issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, for a single cooperative agreement focused on research and development related to concrete dam safety. The program is listed under CFDA 15.560 and is categorized within Science and Technology and other Research and Development, indicating the work is meant to advance technical methods and practical understanding rather than fund routine operations or construction. The award is discretionary, with an expected total ceiling of $592,328, and the Bureau anticipates making one award.
The core purpose of the project is to strengthen how concrete dams are evaluated for safety by combining hands-on testing methods with high-end computational modeling. The research scope includes an overview and application-oriented review of field and laboratory testing techniques used to characterize dam concrete condition and behavior. In parallel, it calls for extensive advanced numerical simulations, which implies the recipient will use sophisticated computational tools to model how concrete dam structures respond over time and under various loads or degradation mechanisms. These simulations are not presented in isolation; they are explicitly framed within a structural and probabilistic safety assessment context, meaning the work is expected to connect physical condition data and model results to risk-informed decision-making. In practice, this typically involves quantifying uncertainties (for example, variability in material properties, deterioration rates, loading scenarios, and modeling assumptions) and translating them into probabilities of adverse performance states, rather than relying only on deterministic safety factors.
A major applied component of the agreement is a case study of Seminoe Dam, selected because it is experiencing alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) related expansion in its concrete. ASR is a well-known chemical reaction between reactive silica in certain aggregates and alkalis in cement paste in the presence of moisture, producing an expansive gel that can cause cracking, deformation, and long-term loss of stiffness or durability. By centering the case study on an operating dam with an active ASR issue, the project is geared toward producing results that are directly relevant to real-world dam safety programs, including how to interpret monitoring and test data, how to model ASR-driven expansion and its structural implications, and how to express the resulting safety posture in probabilistic terms that can support risk management and potential mitigation planning.
Administratively, the opportunity was created on May 18, 2018, with an original closing date of May 31, 2018, suggesting a short solicitation window consistent with a notice of intent where the agency may already have a specific partner or narrow eligibility in mind. Eligibility is broadly labeled as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the full eligibility text, which commonly indicates that certain types of organizations (such as universities, research institutes, non-profits, or specific technical partners) may be targeted or that eligibility conditions are defined outside the summary field. Overall, this opportunity supports a focused, technically rigorous research effort intended to improve evaluation methods for concrete dam performance and safety, validated through an in-depth examination of Seminoe Dam's ASR-related behavior.Apply for BOR DO 18 N014
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent to Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.560.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 18, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 31, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $592,328.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is a Notice of Intent to Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, for a single cooperative agreement focused on research and development related to concrete dam safety.
Which federal agency is offering the award?
The award is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation.
What type of award is expected?
The Bureau of Reclamation anticipates making a cooperative agreement.
Is this a competitive or discretionary award?
The award is described as discretionary.
How many awards does the Bureau anticipate making?
The Bureau anticipates making one award.
What is the total funding amount available?
The expected total ceiling for this opportunity is $592,328.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 15.560.
What program category does this opportunity fall under?
It is categorized within Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The core purpose is to strengthen how concrete dams are evaluated for safety by combining hands-on testing methods with advanced computational modeling, and by linking results to structural and probabilistic safety assessment.
What kinds of activities or work does the research scope include?
The scope includes (1) an overview and application-oriented review of field and laboratory testing techniques used to characterize dam concrete condition and behavior, and (2) extensive advanced numerical simulations to model how concrete dam structures respond over time and under various loads or degradation mechanisms.
How are the numerical simulations expected to be used in this project?
The simulations are expected to be developed and interpreted within a structural and probabilistic safety assessment framework, connecting concrete condition information and modeled behavior to risk-informed decision-making.
What does "structural and probabilistic safety assessment" mean in the context of this opportunity?
It means the work should quantify uncertainties (such as variability in material properties, deterioration rates, loading scenarios, and modeling assumptions) and translate them into probabilities of adverse performance states, rather than relying only on deterministic safety factors.
Is there a specific dam or case study included in the project?
Yes. A major applied component is a case study of Seminoe Dam.
Why was Seminoe Dam selected for the case study?
Seminoe Dam was selected because it is experiencing alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) related expansion in its concrete, making it a relevant real-world setting for evaluating concrete condition, modeling deterioration-driven behavior, and expressing safety implications probabilistically.
What is alkali-silica reactivity (ASR), as described in the opportunity summary?
ASR is described as a chemical reaction between reactive silica in certain aggregates and alkalis in cement paste in the presence of moisture. It produces an expansive gel that can cause cracking, deformation, and long-term loss of stiffness or durability.
What dam safety questions is the ASR-focused case study intended to address?
Based on the summary, the case study is intended to support practical outcomes such as interpreting monitoring and test data, modeling ASR-driven expansion and its structural implications, and expressing the resulting safety posture in probabilistic terms to support risk management and potential mitigation planning.
Does the opportunity emphasize practical outcomes or purely academic research?
The summary indicates it is application-oriented: it pairs reviews of practical testing techniques with advanced simulations and uses an operating dam (Seminoe Dam) as a case study to produce results relevant to real-world dam safety programs.
Is this funding meant for routine operations or construction?
The description indicates the work is meant to advance technical methods and practical understanding in research and development, rather than fund routine operations or construction.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on May 18, 2018.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was May 31, 2018.
How long was the solicitation window based on the provided dates?
Based on the dates provided (May 18, 2018 to May 31, 2018), the window appears to be about two weeks.
What does the short solicitation window suggest about this Notice of Intent to Award?
The summary suggests the short window is consistent with a notice of intent where the agency may already have a specific partner in mind or where eligibility may be narrow or defined outside the brief summary.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broadly labeled as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the full eligibility text. The summary notes that this commonly indicates that targeted organization types (for example, universities, research institutes, non-profits, or specific technical partners) may be intended, or that eligibility conditions are defined outside the summary field.
Where should applicants look for the definitive eligibility requirements?
The summary indicates that additional eligibility clarification is referenced in the full eligibility text for the opportunity.
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