(a) PRDAs shall be used to provide potential proposers with information concerning DOE's interest in entering into arrangements for research, development, and related projects in specified areas of interest. It is DOE's intent to solicit the submission of ideas which will serve as a basis for research, development, and related activities in the energy field. It is DOE's desire to encourage the involvement of small business concerns, small disadvantage business concerns, and women-owned small business concerns in research and development undertaken pursuant to PRDAs.
(b) The PRDA should not replace existing acquisition procedures where a requirement can be sufficiently defined for solicitation under standard advertised or negotiated acquisition procedures. Similarly, it should not inhibit or curtail the submission of unsolicited proposals. However, a proposal which is submitted as though it were unsolicited but is in fact germane to an existing PRDA shall be treated as though submitted in response to the announcement or returned without action to the proposer, at the proposer's option. Further, the PRDA is not to be used in a competitive situation where it is appropriate to negotiate a study contract to obtain analysis and recommendations to be incorporated in the subsequent request for proposals.
(c) The PRDA is to be used only where:
(1) Research and development is required in support of a specific project area within an energy program with the objective of advancing the general scientific and technological base, and this objective is best achieved through:
(i) A diversity of possible approaches, within the current state of the art, available for solving the problems;
(ii) The involvement of a broad spectrum of organizations in seeking out solutions to the problems posed;
(iii) The application of the unique qualifications or specialized capabilities of many individual proposers which will enable them to perform portions of the research project (without necessarily possessing the qualifications to perform the entire project) so that the overall support may be broken into segments which cannot be ascertained in advance; and,
(iv) The fostering of new and creative solutions.
(2) Consistent with paragraph (c)(1) of this section, it is anticipated that choices will have to be made among dissimilar concepts, ideas, or approaches; and
(3) It is determined that a broad range of organizations exist that would be capable of contributing towards the overall research and development goals identified in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.
(d) Each PRDA shall as a minimum describe: the area(s) of program interest; time schedule for award; proposal submittal information; evaluation criteria; and program policy factors. The PRDA should clearly emphasize to proposers that program policy factors are essentially beyond their control and will affect the selection process. The PRDA should also state that DOE reserves the right to select for award or support any, all, or none of the proposals received in response to an announcement.
[61 FR 41702, Aug. 9, 1996]
