SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Pre-Qualification Request for Information for the Evaluation of DOE’s Cleantech University Prize and Solar Decathlon Programs - RFI-ASL-2017-01
- Notice Date
- 12/9/2016
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541720
— Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
- Contracting Office
- Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (DOE Contractor), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California, 94720, United States
- ZIP Code
- 94720
- Solicitation Number
- ASL-2017-01
- Archive Date
- 12/23/2016
- Point of Contact
- Ashley S. Loper, Phone: 5104864844
- E-Mail Address
-
asloper@lbl.gov
(asloper@lbl.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- Pre-Qualification Request for Information for the Evaluation of DOE’s Cleantech University Prize and Solar Decathlon Programs To Whom it May Concern: The University of California, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ("University" or "LBNL") is seeking information on how an interested party would conduct a joint-evaluation of the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)'s Cleantech University Prize (Cleantech UP) and Solar Decathlon programs. This Request for Information (RFI) seeks responses from parties interested in conducting evaluations of the EERE's Cleantech UP and Solar Decathlon programs ; it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. LBNL intends to evaluate the submitted information to determine a list pre-qualified suppliers deemed most qualified from among the responses received. Those deemed most qualified may be invited to submit a proposal in response to an RFP. 1.0Overview of the Programs to be Evaluated 1.1Cleantech University Prize Program (Cleantech UP) The Cleantech UP Program consists of a series of regional university student competitions. Students apply and compete in each region to present their business plans supporting clean energy innovations. The top students from each region are then selected to compete in a national competition. Cleantech UP was designed with the broad aim of marshaling early-stage venture development through entrepreneurship principles and student business plan competitions. Cleantech UP seeks to increase student participation in clean energy entrepreneurship, and to facilitate learning for innovators before and during the early stages of startup company formation. In preparation to participate in the competitions, students receive mentorship and training, enhancing their entrepreneurial skills and preparing them to launch technologies from their research universities and into the market. The regional and national competitions award cash and in-kind prizes, and provide opportunities for students to develop the business and commercialization skills to move clean energy technologies from discovery to market. The program's stated goals are to: 1.Catalyze clean energy start-up formation on college campuses ; 2.Support novel training and educational opportunities that equip the next generation of energy entrepreneurs and innovators across the country; 3.Establish a national-level training program and competition for America's top clean energy student entrepreneurs; and 4.Create a sustained and diverse community to support student entrepreneurs. The Cleantech UP program evolved from a previous initiative - the National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition (NCEBPC). Similar to Cleantech UP, the NCEBPC was a series of regional student business plan competitions across the country, culminating in a national competition. The NCEBPC was held annually in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, attracting over 1,000 applicants. Cleantech UP had its first national competition in 2016, and will continue with regional and national competitions in 2017 and in 2018. DOE currently funds organizations to run Cleantech UP Regional Competitions across the United States. Each Cleantech UP Regional Competition supports the earliest development of individual students and teams and their training. Organizations that run the Cleantech UP Regional Competitions each: •Run regional competitions annually, including recruiting applicants, mentors, evaluators, judges, and other competition partners; developing a prize competition structure; developing and executing an outreach and marketing plan; promoting the event; and collecting metrics; and •Award up to $50,000 in cash prizes from DOE along with in-kind and cash awards and services from third parties. New under Cleantech UP, DOE established a national hub to run the national competition and serve as a central source of student-focused clean energy entrepreneurship training and education. (Previously under NCEBPC, the national competition was run by DOE). The Cleantech UP National Hub is charged with: •Developing and delivering a premier clean energy entrepreneurship training program, including instruction in commercialization and preparation for the Cleantech UP National Competition and online curriculum for students interested in exploring clean technology entrepreneurship; •Strengthening and expanding the clean energy student entrepreneurship community; •Facilitating a learning platform for the Cleantech UP network to share best practices in clean energy entrepreneurship education and regional competition planning and execution; and •Organizing an annual National Competition-the culmination of the regional Cleantech UP Competitions-and awarding $100,000 in cash prizes from DOE along with in-kind awards and services from DOE and other sponsors. There will be seven cohorts for the period 2011 to 2018, corresponding to the competition years. A cohort is comprised of teams of university students who participate in a regional competition in a given competition performance period. Planning begins in June of the prior year, leading up to regional competitions held between February to May, and a national competition in May or June. Thus, the performance period for each competition bridges two calendar years. The cohorts from 2011 to 2015 participated under NCEBPC, while the cohorts from 2015 to 2018 are participating under Cleantech UP. Given the similar structure and goals of the two programs, this evaluation is intended to cover both, with Cleantech UP treated as a continuation of NCEBPC. 1.1.1Objective of Evaluation The primary objective of the evaluation will be to determine the impacts of the NCEBPC and Cleantech UP programs, taken together. A secondary objective of the impact assessment will be to determine the impact of the NCEBPC relative to Cleantech UP. The evaluation will include an impact and process component. Examples of impact metrics of interest to DOE include: •Students' knowledge gained in business, commercialization and entrepreneurship •Early / mid-career choices leading to a job in the clean energy industry •New ventures formed / alumni startup of clean-energy business •Preparedness for clean energy work •Patents and intellectual property filed, including patents awarded •Technology commercialized •Value of skills (e.g., salary, adaptability and transference of skills, etc.) Some examples of impact evaluation questions to be covered include: A.What is the impact of NCEBPC and Cleantech UP on individual student participants and teams compared to non-participants on each of the outcomes of interest? B.What is the impact of the prize money? How is it used, and does the way it was used have an effect on the success of the startup? C.How many participating teams are currently still operating? The process component of the assessment will delve into Cleantech UP's implementation, to assess what is working or not working well, and generate appropriate lessons to inform program improvement. It will also explore reasons why there might be differences in participant outcomes (if any) between the NCEBPC cohorts and the Cleantech UP cohorts. Some examples of process evaluation questions to be covered include: A.Are there significant differences between the cohorts from the NCEBPC program compared to the cohorts from the Cleantech UP program in the achievement of outcomes? B.What changes in programmatic factors associated with the two programs explain observed differences in outcomes? It is expected that data gathering for these assessments will be performed in three separate years: 2017, 2018 and 2019. Data collected in 2017 will be reported on in 2018. Data collected in subsequent years would be used to update the original report, to establish the progression of outcomes. 1.2Solar Decathlon Program The Solar Decathlon challenges teams of college students to design, build, and operate solar powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive, and then demonstrate them to the public. The first Solar Decathlon was held in 2002, and has occurred biennially since 2005. The winner of the competition is the team that receives the highest score on ten competition criteria, including architecture, engineering, innovation, health and comfort and market potential. The objectives of the Solar Decathlon Program are to: •Demonstrate to the public the opportunities presented by innovatively designed, energy-efficient and solar powered houses; •Educate student participants and the public about clean energy; and •Provide participating students with unique training that prepares them to enter the nation's clean-energy workforce. 1.2.1Objective of Evaluation The primary objective of the impact evaluation will be to assess student-centered impacts. It will exclude any assessment of impacts on homeowners, business and other partners, and the DOE Research and Development (R&D) community. The impact evaluation will cover Decathletes who participated starting from 2002 through 2019. The study will also include a limited process component focused on lessons to be learned from the new management and implementation approach beginning with the 2017 Solar Decathlon. Examples of the student-focused outcomes for the Solar Decathlon of interest to DOE include: •Knowledge gains •Preparedness for clean energy work •Clean energy jobs •Value of skills (e.g., salary, adaptability and transference of skills, etc.) •Early / mid-career choices •Alumni start-ups of clean energy business Some example evaluation questions include: A.What is the impact of the Solar Decathlon on Decathletes compared to non-Decathletes, on each of the metrics of interest? B.Are there significant differences between the 2017 Decathletes and 2015 Decathletes in the achievement of outcomes? C.What factors from the changes implemented in the 2017 Solar Decathlon approach explain observed outcomes? What lessons are to be gleaned from the new approach? As with the Cleantech UP evaluation, it is expected that data gathering for the Solar Decathlon assessment will be performed in three separate years: 2017, 2018 and 2019. Data collected in 2017 will be reported on in 2018. Data collected in subsequent years would be used to update the original report, to establish the progression of outcomes. The process component of the assessment will delve into the post-2015 implementation. The 2017 Decathlon was contracted out to new management, with some changes in how the competition is now implemented. The programs are being evaluated jointly because they share similar characteristics and outcomes. 2.0Requested Information Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a Response. The following questions should be answered and submitted as part of the RFI response. 2.1 Organization attributes 1.How many years have you been in business? 2.How many employees do you have? Who will be the key performers for the evaluation proposed? Include technical and business contact points by name, title, address, telephone number and e-mail address and brief background (no more than a 2-page resume for each key personnel). 3.Briefly describe past experience on similar contracts with similar scope and complexity. Demonstrate organizational comparative advantage. 2.2 Methods / Approach to Evaluation 1.Describe broadly how you would design and execute the evaluation of each of the two programs. What elements, in general, and specific to the programs described, would influence your choice of research design? 2.Besides research design, how will you ensure the validity and reliability of the results of the evaluation studies? Please describe this briefly in the context of the programs that will be evaluated. 3.Describe your implementation plans for data acquisition, quality assurance and analysis to answer the questions of the evaluations. 4.Provide evidence of demonstrated ability to perform an evaluation focused on university-level STEM education and technology commercialization, by including source documentation of completed studies covering these two subject areas. 2.3 Budget Estimate Provide an estimated budget range for the proposed scope of the two evaluations, taking into account opportunities for efficiencies due to the similarities between the two programs. 3.0Summary This is not a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts or quotations. Further, LBNL, at this time, is not seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. The purpose of this request is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of interested parties. Any price/cost information requested by LBNL will be used for budget estimate purposes only. •Cost of RFI Response Preparation: LBNL will not reimburse any party or respondent of any cost associated with preparing a response to this RFI. Responses the RFI will not be returned to respondent. •Proprietary or Confidential Information: Any information received in response to this RFI that is confidential or proprietary information must be clearly designated as such and will be handled with due care and proper consideration of ethical and legal ramifications and governmental regulations. •Amendments: LBNL reserves the right to amend the RFI timeline or other portions of this request at any time. •Right to Cancel: LBNL reserves the right to cancel or reissue this RFI any time without obligation or liability. •No Obligation to Buy or Issue Solicitation: LBNL will not execute a subcontract with any party as a result of this RFI. While LBNL may use responses to this request to draft a competitive solicitation for the subject of these services/products, issuing this request does not compel LBNL to do so. Information provided in response to this request will not be considered when evaluating proposals received in response to any future solicitation. If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a MS Word document with the following information and return it to Ms. Ashley Loper, Senior Subcontract Administrator, LBNL, at asloper@lbl.gov. Responses are due no later than December 21, 2016 at 5:00 pm PST. Please limit your response to no more than four (4) pages. The 4 pages do not include additional pages of resumes for each key personnel who would be involved in the evaluations. Questions regarding this RFI must be submitted in writing by e-mail to the undersigned. Questions must be received no later than 10:00 a.m. PST December 16, 2016. Verbal questions will not be accepted. Ashley S. Loper Senior Subcontract Administrator Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DOE/LBNL/LB/ASL-2017-01/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: TBD - Vendor's Facilities, United States
- Record
- SN04347553-W 20161211/161209233619-a2548ac51083a4f29eacf7494fc649c5 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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