CMI Request for Proposals (RFP)
The Critical Materials Innovation Hub (CMI Hub) is offering an exciting opportunity for new projects to join the Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Innovation Hub through an open call with up to $10 million in funding for new opportunities. The CMI Hub is seeking proposals that address current gaps and technical barriers to the establishment of domestic supply chains in the following areas:
- Environmentally benign rare earth metal and alloy production
- Efficient gallium byproduct recovery, separation and concentration
- New compounds to reduce gallium content in gallium nitride semiconductors
- Improved processes for gallium semiconductor manufacturing that minimize waste generation
- Improved copper sulfide leaching to unlock copper resources in historic heaps
The RFP was announced November 15, 2024, LINK. The full RFP can be found HERE.
Concept papers were due December 20, 2024, by email to CMI-RFP-2024@ameslab.gov.
Concept papers selected for invitation to continue to the proposal step were sent October 8, 2025. Full proposals will be accepted only from encouraged concept papers, and will be due on November 21, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. ET. Details for information to include in full proposals is provided to those encouraged.
Links to information and forms (from original announcement of Concept Paper Phase unless noted as updated):
- CMI RFP Concept Guidelines
- Summary budget template (for concept papers)
- One-slide overview template (for concept papers)
- Team partnering list link to form and responses (updates automatically), link to pdf of responses (last updated 12/09/24)
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Concept Paper Phase (last updated February 12, 2025)
- Additional resources: CMI Roadmap (updated), CMI 2013-2023 Report, Phase III Project Descriptions (updated), CMI Website
Timeline
Call release date: November 15, 2024 LINK
Information session: November 19, 2024, 1 p.m. Central time Slides Recording
Concept papers due December 20, 2024
Decision to encourage concept papers October 8, 2025
Invited full proposals due November 21, 2025
Funding notification May 1, 2026
Anticipated start date October 1, 2026