Official websites use .mil
Secure .mil websites use HTTPS
FRF Facility Use Request
FRF facilities and data are available for use by other government agencies, universities, and private industry with prior approval.
Experiments by outside users may be of any time length and take place most any time of the year. Routine FRF data collected during an experiment are made available to users at no charge, while use of the facility, staff, and equipment is charged on a cost-reimbursable basis. Access to the considerable expertise of the FRF staff in conducting successful studies in the nearshore zone can also be made available by agreement. Should you be interested in conducting research at the FRF, please follow the procedure below.
Contact the Branch Chief of the Coastal Observation and Analysis Branch, Ms. Erin Diurba by phone (252)261-6840 x229 or e-mail, and the FRF Technical Manager, Dr. Kate Brodie, by e-mail to discuss your requirements.
The email should include the following:
Such an email serves as the formal request to work at the FRF. The FRF staff will respond and arrange for a virtual meeting to better understand needs and to provide an initial cost estimate.
It is also suggested that you visit the facility early in the planning process. Depending on the project's sponsor and funding, an agreement with the Corps of Engineers may be required.
Foreign Nationals As part of the Department of Defense, foreign nationals must obtain approval prior to visiting the FRF. Requests for visit approvals will be submitted to the USACE, Foreign Disclosure Officer (FDO) and/or the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) FDO, depending upon the circumstances of the visit. Approval generally takes around 2 weeks, but can take up to 8 weeks depending on your country of citizenship. Foreign visitors’ representing their countries, i.e., military or civilians employed by their government, must first contact their military attache’ at their embassy in Washington, D.C. to submit a visit request. All foreign visitors not associated with a foreign government agency should email a copy of their passport to their FRF point of contact with an explanation of the visit (when and why). This will then be forwarded to the ERDC security office for processing. The request is then submitted to the ERDC FDO for approval. Requests must be submitted, at a minimum, 14 days prior to the proposed visit.
Agreements may include:
Inter-Agency Agreements (IAAs)
A written agreement entered into between two Federal agencies, or major organizational units within an agency, which specifies the goods to be furnished or tasks to be accomplished by one agency (the servicing agency) in support of the other (the requesting agency). Forms 7600A & B will need to be completed in order to receive funds. This process can take on the order of 1 to 2 months.
Testing & Services Agreements (TSAs)
Under Testing Services Agreements (TSAs), DOD laboratories may make available to any person or entity (including universities), on a reimbursable basis, laboratory services for the testing of materials, equipment, models or computer software and other items. TSAs are authorized by 10 USC 2539b. The law authorizes the directors or commanders of government laboratories, centers or other facilities to make available to any person or entity, at a prescribed fee, the services of the government facility for the testing of materials, equipment, models, computer software and other items. TSAs can be used by private Industry (U.S. or foreign), non-profits (U.S.), State, local or tribal governments (U.S.), or academic institutions (U.S. or foreign) to conduct efforts at the FRF. TSAs can take on the order of 3 months to process.
Cooperative Research & Development Agreements (CRADAs)
A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) establishes a cooperative relationship between a federal laboratory and its collaborator(s) for the purpose of advancing research and development and generating new intellectual property (IP). CRADA projects include access to personnel, facilities, services, equipment, intellectual property, data or other resources as part of collaborative research and development between federal and non-federal partners to develop and commercialize technologies. Under a CRADA, federal laboratories can receive funds from their collaborator(s), but the laboratory cannot provide any funds to its collaboration partner(s). A CRADA can take on the order of 3 months to setup.
When planning to use the FRF, one should note that the facility is located in a resort area. There are many hotels and rental houses available, with costs that peak during the summer.