[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 243 (Monday, December 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 71130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32899]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Golden Field Office; Notice of Solicitation for Financial
Assistance Applications; Million Solar Roofs Initiative Small Grant
Program for State and Local Partnerships
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of Solicitation for Financial Assistance Applications
Number DE-PS36-00GO10496.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the DOE
Financial Assistance Rules, 10 CFR 600.8, is announcing its intention
to solicit applications for Million Solar Roofs Program for State and
Local Partnerships. The selected applicants will receive financial
assistance under a grant with DOE.
DATES: The solicitation will be issued in late December, 1999.
ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the Solicitation once it is issued,
interested parties must access the Golden Field Office Application,
Award and Solicitation page at http://www.eren.doe.gov/golden/
solicit.htm, click on ``solicitations'' and then locate the
solicitation number identified above. DOE does not intend to issue
written copies of the solicitation.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE's Million Solar Roofs (MSR) Initiative
is an initiative to install solar energy systems on one million U.S.
buildings by 2010. It was announced by President Clinton on June 26,
1997 in his speech before the United Nations Session on Environment and
Development. This effort includes two types of solar energy
technology--photovoltaics that produce electricity from sunlight and
solar thermal panels that produce heat for domestic hot water, space
heating or heating swimming pools. A key strategy of the Initiative is
to catalyze market demand in local areas through the establishment of
State and Local MSR Partnerships. The Congressional language
authorizing these funds specifically directs DOE to use these funds to
eliminate barriers to the use of solar energy systems and to support
partnerships (See Conference Report 105-749 on the FY 99 Energy and
Water Development Appropriation Act). The overall goal of this
solicitation is to assist State and Local Partnerships in contributing
to the installation of one million solar energy systems on U.S.
rooftops by the year 2010.
This solicitation is only open to both existing and new MSR State
and Local Partnerships. Those MSR Partnerships that received funding
from DOE in Fiscal Year 1999 under the ``Million Solar Roofs Initiative
Small Grant Program for State and Local Partnerships'' or the ``State
Energy Program Special Projects Solicitation'' are ineligible for an
award in FY 2000. These Partnerships bring together business,
government and community organizations, (e.g., solar energy educational
organizations, or not-for-profit housing agencies) at the regional
level with a commitment to install a pre-determined number of solar
energy systems. There were forty (40) such existing partnerships under
the MSR Initiative, as of October 1, 1999. They received their MSR
Partnership designation by writing a letter of commitment to DOE with
their goal for actual installations by 2010. In return, DOE provides
access to a variety of financing options, training and technical
assistance from DOE's existing infrastructure, recognition and support,
and a link to solar energy businesses, associations and related
industries that can provide assistance. New MSR Partnerships can
declare their intent to join the Initiative by including such a letter
with their application for this solicitation. A complete description of
partnerships and their representative activities can be found on the
MSR website at http://www.MillionSolarRoofs.org.
DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will only
consider proposals from interested State and Local Partnerships to help
fund their MSR program development and implementation activities. Grant
awards will be managed by the DOE Regional Offices. DOE intends to
allocate a portion of total available funding to each of the six DOE
regions based on a formula that considers existing partnerships that
did not receive funding from DOE in FY 1999 and the potential for new
partnerships to be established. Applicants will only be competing
against other partnerships in their DOE region.
The project or activity must be conducted in a designated MSR
partnership community. Any member of a State or Local Partnership,
except industry associations, can apply on behalf of the Partnership,
including builders, energy service providers, utilities, non-
governmental organizations, local governments, or state governments.
The different organizations/offices involved in a State or Local
Partnership are encouraged to collaborate on their response to this
solicitation. There is no cost-sharing requirement for these grants
although cost-sharing will be favorably considered in the selection
process. Subject to the availability of funds, 10-25 awards totaling
$500,000 (DOE funding) in FY 2000 are anticipated to be awarded as a
result of this Solicitation. DOE funding for individual awards will be
$10,000 to $50,000 in size. Solicitation number DE-PS36-00GO10496 will
include complete information on the program including technical
aspects, funding, application preparation instructions, application
evaluation criteria, and other factors that will be considered when
selecting applications for funding. No pre-application conference is
planned. Issuance of the solicitation is planned for late December,
with applications due on January 31, 2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Adams, Contracting Officer, at
303-275-4722, e-mail ruth__adams@nrel.gov, or Jerry Kotas, Project
Officer, at 303-275-4714, e-mail gerald__kotas@nrel.gov.
Issued in Golden, Colorado, on December 8, 1999.
Jerry Zimmer,
Director, Office of Procurement and Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 99-32899 Filed 12-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-p
