TEAMER Publication Support

TEAMER is offering support of up to $30,000/support for up to five recipients annually to aid in the development of journal publications. This offer is open to both Technical Support Recipients (TSRs) and Facilities within the TEAMER Facility Network. TSRs and/or Facilities must complete the TEAMER Publication Support Application in order to be considered for support. This fund is replenished annually and is distributed on a first come, first serve basis. Reach out to the Network Director prior to applying to ensure funding is still available for that year. 

This support is offered to TEAMER TSRs and Facilities who are in the post-access stage of their projects, with an approved Post Access Report that has been completed no more than 3 months prior to application date. TSRs and Facilities must follow the guidelines below for completing the application process. 

Publication support may be used to cover salary, fringe benefits, and tuition for students, faculty, and staff involved in the publication process, as well as journal page charges or open access costs. Indirect costs are allowable and, for facilities, should be consistent with rates used in the original project application. Other costs may be allowable on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the Network Director, and must be clearly justified. 

Guidelines

• The application for publication support will be open and reviewed on a rolling basis. 
• Must complete the corresponding application for TEAMER Publication Support.
• Both TSR and Facility must sign off on the application for a publication supplement (even if only one party is working on the publication).
• Publication must include acknowledgement of TEAMER funding support. 
• Must receive approval from the TEAMER Network Director prior to commencement of work. 
• Once approved, the TSR or Facility must provide TEAMER Network Director updates of progress when requested. 
• Must follow agreed upon invoicing mechanism with TEAMER Network Director. All charges must be invoiced no more than 12 months following the approved start date.
• Each project is limited to one publication supplement. If a facility and TSR will both utilize publication support for the same project, the total estimated cost must not exceed $30,000.
• Conference Travel and Publication Support is not available to international TSRs at this time.

TSR’s are responsible for submitting a Post Access Report upon the completion of their technical support activities. Depending on the nature of the work, TSR’s may work with the facility to complete this report, however it will be the responsibility of the TSR to coordinate and submit the report. All reports will be reviewed by the TEAMER Technical Board for completeness and to ensure the work product is clear and concise. Reports should be submitted to the TEAMER Network Director at teamer@pacificoceanenergy.org. 

TSR’s may provide two (2) versions of the finalized Post Access Report. Version 1 should include information for immediate public viewing with protected data redacted or excluded. Version 2 must include all protected data as stated by the data requirement guidelines for the award.

 A custom link to MHKDR for TEAMER projects can be found at, https://mhkdr.openei.org/submit?project=TEAMER. 

Qualified TEAMER Technical Support Recipients (TSR) and Facilities may request up to $5000 for reimbursable conference travel support. In order to be qualified for reimbursable conference travel support, you must fill out the TEAMER Conference Travel Support Application. 

This support is offered to TEAMER TSRs and Facilities who have an ongoing TEAMER project in the post-access stage or have completed a project within 6-months of the conference travel support application submission date. 

The TSR and/or Facility must follow the guidelines below.

Funding is given on a first come, first serve basis so it is suggested that an applicant reach out to the TEAMER Network Director asking about availability of funds prior to completing application. 

Guidelines

• Anyone looking to receive conference travel support must fill out the corresponding application.
• Applicants must submit/provide proof of  accepted abstract or invitation to speak/present at conference as part  of the application.
• Applications must be submitted no later than 1-month before the conference travel is to take place. 
• Both TSR and Facility must sign off on the application. 
• Any presentation(s) must include acknowledgement of TEAMER funding in presentation.
• A video or photo(s) of the presenter at the conference should be submitted to the TEAMER Network Director with final reimbursement request. Video or photos may be used for the purpose of promoting the TEAMER program. 
• Applicants must submit TEAMER reimbursement form along with any required receipts or other documentation within 30 days after travel dates. Reimbursement request may be made twice (once before to cover costs incurred prior to travel such as airfare and hotel reservations, and once within 30 days after travel dates to cover costs incurred during travel such as parking, per diem, taxis, etc.).
• Applicants must receive approval from TEAMER Network Director prior to booking travel. 
• Each TSR or Facility may only receive conference travel support once per year. 
• Conference Travel and Publication Support is not available to international TSRs at this time.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES TO APPLICATION

• APPLICANTS MUST COLLABORATE WITH THE FACILITY TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION. USE THE 'MANAGE COLLABORATORS' BUTTON, ON THE TOP-RIGHT CORNER, TO INVITE THE FACILITY TO WORK ON THE APPLICATION.
• SOME QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN UPDATED FOR CLARITY.
• TECHNICAL INFORMATION IS NOW TO BE UPLOADED AS A FILE  ON SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. THESE ARE NOTED IN THE APPLICATION.
• FACILITY MUST COMPLETE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM. THIS WILL COME AS A SEPARATE EMAIL FROM SUBMITTABLE TO THE FACILITY PERSONNEL.
• NEW EVALUATION CRITERIA IS LISTED ON THE TEAMER WEBSITE.

CHANGES AS OF RFTS 13:

• FUNDING LIMITS HAVE BEEN UPDATED: RFTS APPLICATIONS MAY NOT EXCEED $200,000 FOR NON-OPEN WATER TESTING, OR $400,000 FOR OPEN WATER TESTING.
• RESUBMISSIONS OF PREVIOUSLY UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS WILL NOW REQUIRE AN EXPLANATION OF HOW REVIEWER FEEDBACK HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN THIS APPLICATION.
• TSRs CAN INDICATE ON THE APPLICATION IF THEY PLAN TO REQUEST TRAVEL ASSISTANCE.
• SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT A TEST PLAN TO THE NETWORK DIRECTOR WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF NOTIFICATION OF PROJECT ACCEPTANCE. THE FINAL TEST PLAN MUST BE APPROVED WITHIN 5 MONTHS OF SELECTION NOTIFICATION. 

SUMMARY OF TEAMER PROGRAM RULES

• The TEAMER Network is capable of providing testing support and expertise to test and validate technologies with the goal of making critical breakthroughs in the MRE sector. The TEAMER Program provides marine renewable energy ("MRE") technology developers and researchers with access to a network of United States ("U.S.") based testing facilities (each a "TEAMER Facility", collectively the "TEAMER Network").
• TEAMER funding is not available for manufacturing or fabrication of marine energy devices.
• For purposes of TEAMER, the term ‘‘marine energy’’ means energy from—waves, tides, and currents in oceans, estuaries, and tidal areas free flowing water in rivers, lakes, streams, and man-made channels differentials in salinity and pressure gradients differentials in water temperature, including ocean thermal energy conversion The term ‘‘marine energy’’ does not include energy from any source that uses a dam, diversionary structure, or impoundment for electric power purposes.
• Applications must demonstrate a direct relevance and benefit to marine energy
• TEAMER support is not available for offshore wind technologies, however may be available for testing for components(i.e., mooring, anchors, etc.) that could be used as cross-cutting components for marine energy and offshore wind energy.
• Technologies with Powering the Blue Economy applications, including Power at Sea and Resilient Coastal Communities, may apply for TEAMER support provided they are to be powered by MRE
• TEAMER will not provide assistance for activities (numerical modeling, bench/lab testing, tank/flume testing, open water activities) that are already approved and planned using other Federal funding. This includes Federal financial assistance awards resulting from a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR), prize, or challenge.
• Applicants may request assistance through TEAMER for activities which may relate to, or whose results and/or outputs may be used to inform, activities that are already approved and planned using other Federal funding. The activities, scope, and reporting for each will remain separate (i.e. TEAMER activities versus other Federally funded activities) and will not be combined.
• TEAMER funding for facility use is provided directly to the TEAMER Facility, not to those seeking assistance, or Technical Support Recipients (TSR).
• Once approved for participation in the TEAMER Program, TSRs must also enter into an agreement with the selected TEAMER Facility and comply with the terms and conditions of use (including provisions related to intellectual property) as required by that Facility, prior to accessing that Facility. Prior to moving to the testing phase of the program, the TSR must work with the Facility to develop a Test Plan, which will be approved by the TEAMER Technical Board. TSRs will have 2 months after notification of acceptance to turn in the Test Plan to teamer@pacificoceanenergy.org, and the Test Plan must be approved within 5 months of notification of acceptance.  Once the Test Plan has been approved, the TSR and Facility will move into the Test Access Period phase of the project. 
• TSR is required to provide Pacific Ocean Energy Trust ("TEAMER Network Director") with reasonable access to the TSR's work site while testing at a TEAMER Facility, as well as allowing the Network Director to take photographs of the assistance activity for marketing purposes; provided that, prior to such publication, the TSR will be provided with the opportunity to redact, or restrict the publication of, photos that would otherwise disclose confidential intellectual property owned by the TSR.
• Approved applicants, also referred to as Technical Support Recipients (TSRs), may be highlighted on the TEAMER and DOE websites. Highlighted information may include: TSR name, network facility partner, assistance category, project title, and Public Summary provided in application.
• All intellectual property rights related to the TEAMER Program will be governed by the TEAMER Intellectual Property Management Plan.

Eligibility

• TEAMER funding is available to support approved TSR’s, regardless of the TSR's country of origin, provided that (a) all work performed under the TSR award is performed in the U.S., and (b) the TSR understands and agrees to all the terms and conditions of the TEAMER Program and the Network Facility member. TSRs are responsible to ensure that the TEAMER Facility (in which the TSR will be testing) does not have non-US citizen access restrictions.
• Research groups are permitted to apply for support at a facility within their own institution with the following restrictions: National laboratories (NLs) are permitted to apply for support at  TEAMER facilities, including their own laboratories, with the following  restrictions:Support must be provided by different department or cost center than the applicant;The NL applicant cannot receive  TEAMER AOP funds to contribute to RFTS application drafting, test plan  development, or support facility activities; however, NL applicants are  still responsible for meeting all TEAMER deliverables and  requirements. Funding available for internal institution support may not exceed the total  amount allotted for previously and currently supported external Requests  for Technical Support, less previously and currently supported internal  Requests for Technical Support. For example, if a facility has been  previously awarded external support of $100,000 and has not been awarded  internal support, then applications for support within their own  institution for up to $100,000 could be considered in the current RFTS.  If a facility has been previously awarded external support of $100,000  and has also been awarded support for an application within their own  institution for $25,000, then applications for support within their own  institution for up to $75,000 could be considered in the current RFTS.
• In order to be considered for participation in the TEAMER Program, applicants must, (a) consult with a pre-approved test facility to determine whether their proposed test is within the capabilities of that facility, and (b) applicants must develop an RFTS application in collaboration with a TEAMER facility. Additional information on “how to apply” can be found here.
• Participation by approved TSRs in the TEAMER Program requires the agreement of the approved TSRs to comply with applicable TEAMER Terms and Conditions. The current TEAMER Terms and Conditions can be found here. TEAMER Terms and Conditions are subject to change. Approved TSRs should consult the TEAMER website frequently.
• Applicants, RFTS applications, and/or open water TEAMER applications may be disqualified if an applicant engages with the TEAMER Program in a manner that, in the sole discretion of the Network Director, is indecent, obscene, or lacking in professionalism. This includes but is not limited to the application itself, or emails to the facilities or Network Director.

Post Access Requirements

TSRs are required to complete (within 60 days of the completion of activity at the TEAMER Facility) a series of post access requirements, including, but not limited to:

• Completion of a Post Access Report, which must be reviewed and approved by the TEAMER Facility and TEAMER Technical Board;
• Uploading to the TEAMER DOE Marine and Hydrokinetic Data Repository at: https://mhkdr.openei.org ("MHK-DR") (a) data demonstrating progress towards meeting the objectives identified in  Sections 6 & 8 (Project Summary & Assistance Data) of the TSR application, and (b) scripts and data used to generate all figures, tables, and charts in the final report to the MHK-DR. TSRs are advised that artificially limiting the number of figures in the final report (to avoid disclosing underlying data) will be considered non-compliance with final reporting requirements and will not be approved;
• Review and approval of all Post Access Reports by the TEAMER Facility and TEAMER Technical Board; and
• Completion of a post access questionnaire about the TSR's TEAMER Program experience.

Travel Reimbursement and Shipping Funding

The TEAMER Network Director is authorized to reimburse TSRs up to $2,000/week for certain travel related expenses. Travel reimbursement is contingent upon receipt and approval by the TEAMER Network Director of the TSR's completed Post Access Report. Additional expenses for shipping of test articles and other allowable expenses may be reimbursed, if pre-approved by the TEAMER Network Director. Travel and expense reimbursement is not available to international TSR’s at this time. Please inquire with the TEAMER Network Director for more information.

Certain Restrictions

• TSRs that are past due on any any TEAMER requirements will not be eligible to apply for participation in additional Request for Technical Support ("RFTS") cycles, nor will their travel/shipping stipends be reimbursed. TSRs that are delinquent in reporting may not be eligible for a travel reimbursement.
• Any publication or scientific paper resulting from assistance received through TEAMER must acknowledge the TEAMER Program.
• Additional requirements and restrictions may be contained in agreements entered into by the TSRs with network facility members and the Network Facility Director.
• An applicant may not submit more than 2 applications per RFTS, and may have no more than 4 active projects at one time.
• Applicants must demonstrate there are no co-dependencies between applications if more than one application is submitted per RFTS.
• Multiple facility applications are permitted but must demonstrate coordination between facilities to accomplish the RFTS.
• Applicable Special Terms and Conditions, as presented on the TEAMER website, also apply.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES TO APPLICATION

• Applicants may now apply for up to five (5) new facilities from their institution to join at once.
• Facility evaluation criteria have changed. Please see https://teamer-us.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TEAMER-NewFacility-EVALUATION-CRITERIA_2024-UPDATE.pdf for more the new criteria.

Facilities may apply to join the TEAMER Facility Network at any time. Please contact the TEAMER Network Director for more information if your facility would like to join the Network.

TEAMER Facilities are categorized under the following categories:

• Modelling & Analysis
• Lab & Bench Testing
• Tank, Flume, Tunnel or Basin Testing
• Expertise
• Open-Water Testing (Facilities and Capabilities)

If your facility has capabilities in more than one category, please submit separate applications for each category (e.g., one application for Lab & Bench Testing and one for Modelling & Analysis).

All TEAMER Facilities must be located in the United States.

Upon review, the TEAMER Technical Board will make a recommendation of one of the following:

• Accept. Fully accepted and ready to be included in future Request for Technical Support (RFTS) opportunities.
• Accept, with limitations. Only some of the proposed capabilities will be accepted to be included in future RFTS opportunities.
• Follow-up required. The Technical Board may request additional information or evidence from the facility in order to qualify for acceptance.
• Decline, upgrades required. Facility does not qualify at this time but with certain upgrades or experience the facility may qualify in the future.
• Decline. Facility will not qualify under any circumstance to participate.

Once a decision has been made, the TEAMER Network Director will work with the facility to finalize its role in the TEAMER Facility Network.

All facilities in the TEAMER Facility Network will be reviewed annually. Those out of compliance may be removed from the Network or required to meet compliance before continuing their participation.

If a facility is conditionally approved as a TEAMER open water facility and starts to incur costs for site modifications, then elects not to fulfill all requirements for final approval, TEAMER is not liable for any costs incurred by the facility.

Facility Evaluation Criteria

New Facility Applications will be reviewed against the following criteria.

• Existing recognition: 

1. Peer reviewed publications in application area
2. Previous work or interest in field
    

• Science/Engineering infrastructure capacity: 

1. Proof that facility infrastructure can deliver a broad range of technical support.
2. Proof that facility has sufficient capabilities to record and process R&D data.
3.  Proof that facility has appropriate equipment and/or software to complete any modelling requests.
4. Please include software licenses and certifications when necessary.
    

• Science/Engineering personnel capacity: 

1. Facility staff have sufficient knowledge and experience to provide technical support.

• Aspects of Facility: 

1. Unique aspects of facility infrastructure, personnel, and/or recognition that would be unique within the TEAMER network