NOTICE OF COMPETITIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SOLICITATION FOR THE OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY Notice to check November 1, 1999 issue of the Federal Register for the Competitive Financial Assistance Solicitation for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. A copy of this notice is provided below. The Department of Energy (DOE) announces a competitive solicitation for applications for grants and cooperative agreements for information dissemination, public outreach, training, and related technical analysis and technical assistance activities involving renewable energy and energy efficiency. It is estimated that funding of approximately $4 to $6 million will be available under renewable energy programs, and $3.5 to $4.5 million will be available under energy efficiency programs for awards under this solicitation in fiscal year 2000. Areas of interest involving renewable energy include wind, photovoltaic, hydrogen, and bioenergy technologies. Energy efficiency areas of interest include energy efficiency in the transportation, buildings, and industrial sectors. The awards may be for a period of six months to three years. Proposals will be subject to the objective merit review procedures for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Eligible applicants for this solicitation are profit organizations, non-profit institutions and organizations, state and local governments, universities, individuals, Native American organizations, and Alaskan Native Corporations. ADDRESSES: The formal solicitation document, which will include greater detail about specific program areas of interest, application instructions, and evaluation criteria, is expected to be issued mid-November 1999. The solicitation will include specific funding totals for each program area of interest. Application due dates for the various program areas will be staggered throughout January 2000, and applications will be processed by three DOE procurement offices to expedite awards. Prospective applicants under Program Area 6A, Technology and Systems Integration: Information Dissemination, Outreach, and Related Analysis, will be encouraged to submit a pre-application, not longer than two pages, on or around December 10th, 1999. A response to the pre-application encouraging or discouraging a formal application will be communicated to the applicant. The formal solicitation document will be disseminated electronically as solicitation number DE-PS01-00EE10722 through the Department's Current Business Opportunities of the Headquarters Procurement Services Homepage located at www.pr.doe.gov/solicit.html and the Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS) Homepage located at http://doe-iips.pr.doe.gov. Effective October 1st, 1999, the IIPS system will become the primary way for the Office of Headquarters Procurement Services to conduct competitive acquisitions and financial assistance transactions. IIPS provides the medium for disseminating solicitations, receiving financial assistance applications and proposals, evaluating, and awarding various instruments in a paperless environment. To get more information about IIPS and to register your organization, go to http://doe-iips.pr.doe.gov. Follow the link on the IIPS home page to the Secure Services page. Registration is a prerequisite to the submission of an application, and applicants are encouraged to register as soon as possible. A help document, which describes how IIPS works, can be found at the bottom of the Secure Services page. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Headquarters Procurement Services, Attention MA-542 (Demer, EERE-2000), 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, D.C. 20585, telephone number 800-683-0751, or e-mail at: eere.grants@pr.doe.gov. Questions or comments should be categorized as administrative or financial assistance related. Administrative questions or comments relate only to the operation of IIPS. All questions or comments should be directed to the attention of Mr. Nickolas A. Demer. The preferred method of submitting questions and/or comments is through e-mail. Only questions and comments submitted to Mr. Demer will be considered. Questions and/or comments requiring coordination with EERE program officials will be directed by DOE personnel to the cognizant offices internally through IIPS. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of EERE supports DOE's strategic objectives of increasing the efficiency and productivity of energy use, while limiting environmental impacts; reducing the vulnerability of the U.S. economy to disruptions in energy supplies; ensuring that a competitive electric utility industry is in place that can deliver adequate and affordable supplies with reduced environmental impacts; supporting U.S. energy, environmental, and economic interests in global markets; and delivering leading-edge technologies. A key component of this program is the support of information dissemination, public outreach, training and related technical analysis and technical assistance activities to: (1) stimulate increased energy efficiency in transportation, buildings, and industry and increased use of renewable energy; and (2) accelerate the adoption of new technologies to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy. The purpose of this solicitation is to further these objectives through financial assistance in the following areas: Office of Power Technologies (OPT) -- The primary mission of this Office is to lead the national effort to develop solar and other renewable energy technologies and to accelerate their acceptance and use on a national and international level. Also, OPT develops advanced high temperature superconducting power equipment and energy storage systems, addresses advanced technology needs for transmission and distribution systems, and provides information and technical assistance on electric utility restructuring issues. Financial assistance applications will be requested for information dissemination, public outreach, and related technical analysis activities involving several specific renewable technologies such as wind, photovoltaic, and hydrogen technologies. Also, proposals will be requested to perform the following activities: information dissemination, technical assistance, and outreach relating to electric utility restructuring; export market analysis, development, promotion, education, communication, and outreach for U.S. energy efficiency technologies; co-sponsorship of conferences involving the power technologies sector; the development of interdisciplinary undergraduate course curriculum on renewable energy; and Internet-based dissemination of information on Federal, State, and Local government incentives for renewable energy technologies. In addition, a draft request for proposals will be included for the development of energy project proposals for submission to the U.S. Initiative on Joint Implementation. This draft will be finalized early in calendar year 2000 following the completion of the United Nations Fifth Conference of the Parties and subsequent interagency negotiations in the United States. Office of Industrial Technologies (OIT) -- The mission of this Office is to improve the energy efficiency and pollution prevention performance of U.S. industry. The Office has a particular focus on nine industries, including the aluminum, steel, metal casting, glass, forest and paper products, chemicals, petroleum refining, agriculture, and mining industries. At the national level, the Office has successfully facilitated the development of industry visions and technology roadmaps with these nine industries. Financial assistance applications will be requested to support information dissemination and outreach to facilitate multi-States implementation of the Industries of the Future program. Office of Transportation Technologies (OTT) -- The mission of this Office is to support the development and use of advanced transportation vehicles and alternative fuel technologies which will reduce energy demand, particularly for petroleum; reduce criteria pollutant emissions and greenhouse gas emissions; and enable the U.S. transportation industry to sustain a strong competitive position in domestic and world markets. Financial assistance applications will be requested to support training for local Clean Cities Coalitions; workshops and conferences related to the Clean Cities Program; and technical assistance and outreach to Western Hemispheric countries to promote the adoption of Clean Cities Programs or similar volunteer programs to expand the use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel technologies. Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs (BTS) -- The mission of this Office is to develop, promote, and integrate energy technologies and practices to make buildings more efficient and affordable and communities more livable. Financial assistance applications will be requested to support information dissemination, public outreach, and related technical analysis activities for the following BTS priorities: addressing the efficient and renewable energy technology information deficit among commercial building constructors, owners, and managers; promoting energy efficiency and renewableenergy utilization as a public value for residential builders and home buyers; increasing the availability of energy efficient school design, retrofit and technical resource information for school board members and school administrators; preparing the building trades, building operators, and building managers for the new generation of efficient and renewable energy technologies; promoting the widespread installation of dedicated compact fluorescent lamp fixtures; and strengthening the Rebuild America Program through outreach activities with stakeholder organizations representing facility managers, business officials, and policy makers at colleges and universities, State and Local governments, elementary and secondary schools, and public and other low-income housing. Bioenergy Initiative -- The purpose of the Bioenergy Initiative is to assure coordination and integration of biomass related activities. A major goal of the Initiative is to triple U.S. use of bioenergy and biobased products by 2010. Applications will be requested for projects involving outreach about the benefits and useful applications of bioenergy and biobased products to one or more of the following types of entities: national environmental organizations, national agricultural organizations, State environmental and community development agencies, and other State policy makers. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for EERE has the overall management responsibility for the entire Office of EERE, including the OPT, OTT, OIT, BTS, and the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). Financial assistance applications will be requested to support information dissemination, outreach, and related analysis activities under Program Area 6A, Technology and Systems Integration: Information Dissemination, Outreach, and Related Analysis, for projects which have the objectives to: (1) encourage the design, development, and adoption of energy efficiency and/or renewable energy systems that incorporate two or more technologies, or incorporate technology(ies) supported by at least two DOE program offices (including at least one from EERE), and that have identified potential for multiple applications across sectors; (2) stimulate greater technology integration and systems integration activities, including multi-application product development (a) within the energy efficiency and renewable energy sector (e.g., multi-feedstock/multi-product biorefineries; distributed power generation technologies, applications, and grid interface issues; combined heat-and-power systems; industrial, commercial, and district-energy concepts; on-site clean fuel production and automotive fueling systems; and active/passive commercial building energy management systems); and (b) between EERE and the fossil energy sector (e.g., coal/biomass co-firing; higher efficiency natural gas technologies; multi-fuel micro-turbines; carbon extraction and sequestration technologies); (3)encourage the design, development, and adoption of EERE technology-based strategies for accomplishing environmental andhuman health objectives under the Clean Air Act and other environmental laws and policies, particularly at the State and Local government level; (4) encourage the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and other computer-assisted analytical, planning, and decision-support tools to assist communities to evaluate the energy, environmental, and economic impacts and costs of various options for energy generation, distribution, and use; and (5)develop financial risk and liability models for investments in EERE technologies and systems in order to assist investors and other stakeholders to evaluate financial risk exposure resulting from energy investment choices. In addition, financial assistance applications will be requested to support region-wide technical assistance activities in developing countries and countries in transition to support the development of human and institutional capabilities related to EERE by governmental entities, not-for-profit organizations, and industry organizations. The region-wide activities must encompass one of the following regions: Latin America, Africa, South Asia, or Eastern Europe, and encompass several countries within that region. Million Solar Roofs Initiative (MSRI)- The purpose of the MSRI is to spur the installation of solar energy systems on one million U.S. buildings by 2010. The initiative seeks to catalyze market demand through the elimination of barriers to the use of solar energy systems on buildings and the establishment of State and Community Partnerships. Applications will be requested under this solicitation to develop information, training, and workshops to assist in the elimination of specific barriers. A separate solicitation providing direct support to Million Solar Roofs State and Community Partnerships will be issued by the Golden Field Office not later than January 2000. Additional information about the programs of the Office of EERE can be obtained at the Office's Internet site at http://www.eren.doe.gov/ee.html. ***** Posted 10/27/99 (W-SN395620).

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