Submission Window: September 15, 2025 - November 20, 2025 (3:00 PM ET)

How to Apply

• Click Here to Start Your Application - Be sure to have all the appropriate project information and supporting documentation needed for the application.
• Submissions are due no later than Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 3:00 PM ET.

Applicant submits the following documents:

• A cover page outlining the approach to testing and validation, details on the intended testing campaign, and the expected outcomes of the project.
• A technical volume up to ten pages that clearly
  
  • Addresses the four key areas defined in the review criteria and project technical volume template.  
  • Provides previous testing or production data reports, meant to demonstrate the novelty and technical readiness in the strongest format and detail able.  
  • Provides proof (or credible plan) to be able to operate a prototype version of the proposed technology capable of recovering 50 kg of gallium from a metal processing stream in a single, successful 14-day campaign of continuous operations.

• A workplan up to five pages that clearly
  
  • Defines and describes the major tasks to be performed by the project team throughout the course of the project, including identifying milestones, during and budget for each task.
  • Provides monthly milestones that demonstrate a technical achievement (e.g., major outcome or deliverable).
    
    • One milestone per quarter (one every three months) should be identified as a major project milestone.
  • Demonstrates cost share.

• A letter of support from the industrial partner for the metal processing stream, and any other company, agency, or other party that has ownership/rights to any proposed feedstock materials or technology, where applicable. ‍
  
  • There is no limit on the total number of letters of support.
• Resumes for every key personnel
• Save all materials as pdfs following the following naming conventions:
  
  • Cover page (1 page): LeadOrganizationName_CP  
  • Technical Volume (max 10 pages): LeadOrganizationName_TV
  • Work Plan (max 5 pages): LeadOrganizationName_WP
  • Resume(s) of key personnel (Submitted as one file, only the first two pages of every resume will be reviewed, number of resumes should correspond with number of key personnel): LeadOrganizationName_Resume
  • Letter(s) of support (Submitted as one file, each letter 1 page, no limit on number of letters): LeadOrganizationName_LS

The Technology for Recovery and Advanced Critical-material Extraction – Gallium (TRACE - Ga) initiative launched on September 15, 2025. Please click here for the announcement article for more information.

The Objective Strategic Session (OSS) Webinar was held on September 30, 2025.‍

• Review all resources from the webinar under Webinar Resources.

The Office Hours (OH) Q&A Webinar was held on November 6, 2025.

• October 14, 2025 Q&A Webinar - CONSOLIDATED
• November 6, 2025 Q&A Webinar - COMPLETED‍
• Review all resources from the webinar under Webinar Resources.

For an optimal experience, we recommend downloading the Microsoft Teams software to your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Submission Window: September 15, 2025 - November 20, 2025 (3:00 PM ET)

Click Here to Start Your Application

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• Evidence of success for recovering gallium from feedstock representative of the proposed metal industry process stream. 
• A letter of support from the industrial partner for the metal processing stream, and any other company, agency, or other party that has ownership/rights to any proposed feedstock materials or technology, where applicable.
• Description of the potential for scale-up at the initial metal industry processing stream and market adoption beyond the initial metal industry processing stream source.

FECM will determine whether the team has sufficiently:

1. Developed a project plan to achieve TRACE - Ga objectives,
2. Developed and de-risked novel Ga recovery technology,  
3. Developed a business plan that supports further scale-up and commercialization of the Ga recovery technology, and  
4. Acquired access to (or has a credible plan to access) the industrial partner, the metal industry processing stream, and proper facilities and equipment needed to validate the technology under operational conditions.

DOE reserves the right to require additional or clarifying information regarding the application submissions, the team, and any other matters related to the anticipated funding. If DOE contacts an applicant for additional or clarifying information, it does not signify that the applicant has been selected for negotiation of award or that the applicant is among the top ranked applications. Applicants selected for negotiation will be required to agree to standard DOE funding legal terms and conditions.

Project Approach and Workplan

Assess the details of the project approach and workplan, to define tasks, timeliness, dependencies, and progress; such as:

• The project approach and workplan are sufficiently detailed for a project of this size and scope.  
• The project approach and workplan are feasible and reasonable.  
• The project approach and workplan sufficiently account for preparedness for unforeseen events.  
• The team is prepared and has plans to meet the immediate permits, regulations, and approvals required for the project.  

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Technology Description, Innovation, and Readiness

Assess the novelty and maturity of the technology (already proven and validated in a lab environment); such as:

• The technology being developed is novel in concept or application.
• The technology being developed is at an appropriate readiness for operational validation at a prototype-scale.  
• The proposed metal processing stream(s) from the industrial partner has the potential to meet the Trace - Ga objective and allows for operational validation of the technology (e.g. can enable 50 kilograms of 4N Ga recovery from a single, successful 14-day campaign of continuous operation with the actual (non-simulated) metal industry process stream).
• The technology has the potential to achieve the Trace - Ga objective and allows for operational validation of the technology on the metal processing stream.
• The technology has the potential to be cost competitive in relation to current market offerings.  
• The technology has the capability to be scaled.  

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Technology Integration, Market Opportunity, and Commercialization Potential

Assess the target market(s), the ability of the technology to meet the functionality required by the market, and the ability of the technology to integrate into the ongoing operations of the industrial partner and access the metal processing stream; such as:

• The technology offers sufficient value potential as compared to competing offerings and to potential customers.
• The technology has the potential to be deployed in a typical market use case.  
• Market size estimates are informed and sufficiently accurate.  
• The technology presents mitigation pathways or research plans to reduce risk of environmental or worker hazards and a clear path towards permitting is considered.  
• The team has secured the necessary IP rights and coverage to build and test a  prototype system.
• The business model required for the commercialization of the technology is understood and reasonable to achieve.  
• The technology can offer compelling benefits and a competitive value to its target market segment.  
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Team Qualifications and Resource Availability

Assess the capabilities, expertise, and availability of the resources of the applicant and its partners to carry out the project as proposed; such as:  

• The team has personnel with proven experience for executing and completing the proposed project, including specific expertise related to project management and execution, technology scale-up, and design of experiment.  
• The team has experience designing, collecting, and analyzing data from an operational validation campaign.  
• The team has the experience to take the technology and business forward beyond this project to ensure the technology’s long-term success and viability.  
• The team has identified gaps that it plans to address through either hiring or contracting.  
• Level of participation by project participants as evidenced by letter(s) of support and how well they are integrated into the Workplan.
• Sufficiency of the facilities and resources to support the work.