03-3481. National Energy Technology Laboratory; Notice of Availability of a Financial Assistance Solicitation

AGENCY:

National Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION:

Notice of availability of a financial assistance solicitation.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue Financial Assistance Solicitation No. DE-PS26-03NT41635 entitled “Energy Efficient Building Equipment and Envelope Technologies IV”. The Department of Energy announces that it intends to conduct a competitive Program Solicitation, DE-PS26-03NT41635, and award financial assistance (Cooperative Agreements) for the program entitled “Energy Efficient Building Equipment and Envelope Technologies IV.” Through this solicitation, the DOE/NETL seeks applications on behalf of the Office of Building Technology Programs in DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) for innovative technologies that have the potential for significant energy savings in residential and commercial buildings. DOE is seeking to support projects that are advancing energy efficient equipment, envelope and whole building technologies. Specifically, the objective of the solicitation is to accelerate high-payoff technologies that, because of their risk, are unlikely to be developed in a timely manner without a partnership between industry and the Federal Government.

DATES:

The solicitation will be available on the “Industry Interactive Procurement System” (IIPS) Web Page located at http://e-center.doe.gov on or about February 28, 2003. Applicants can obtain access to the solicitation from the address above or through DOE/NETL's Web site at http://www.netl.doe.gov/​business.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bonnie Dowdell, Contract Specialist, MS 921-107, U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 10940, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, E-mail Address: [e-mail], Telephone Number: 412-386-5879.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

DOE/NETL intends to select a group of projects programmatically balanced with respect to: (1) Technology category (equipment end uses, envelopes and whole buildings); (2) building type (residential and/or commercial); and (3) time of commercialization (short-term or long-term market potential of the technology). The solicitation will cover research and development on materials, components and systems applicable to both residential and commercial buildings. The solicitation will not support demonstration projects to deploy the technology on a large scale but will support proof of concept projects. The research and development areas of interest are as follows: Whole Buildings— Building Performance and Zero Energy; Lighting— Light Sources and Ballasts, Lighting Controls, Luminaries and Distribution Systems, and Lighting Impacts; Space Conditioning Equipment— Energy Conversion Efficiency, and Distribution, Storage, Control and System Integration; Building Envelope— Building Materials and Envelope Systems, and Windows; and Appliances.

The solicitation covers research in four technology maturation stages: Technology Maturation Stage 2 involves applied research; Technology Maturation Stage 3 involves exploratory development (non-specific applications and bench-scale testing); Technology Maturation Stage 4 involves advanced development (specific applications and bench-scale testing); and Maturation Stage 5 involves engineering development (pilot-scale and/or field testing). For projects spanning more than one maturation stage, continuation decision points will be inserted at the completion of each stage. Multiple awards (8—12) are expected regardless of the technology maturation stage(s) proposed. It is DOE's desire to encourage the widest participation, including the involvement of small business concerns and small disadvantaged business concerns. In order to gain the necessary expertise to review applications, non-Federal personnel may be used as evaluators or advisors in the evaluation of applications, but will not serve as members of the technical evaluation team. This particular program is covered by Section 3001 and 3002 of the Energy Policy Act (EPAct), 42 U.S.C. 13542 for financial assistance awards. EPAct 3002 requires a cost share commitment of at least 20 percent from non-Federal sources for research and development projects. It is anticipated that $16,000,000 in federal funding will be available however, not all of the necessary funds are currently available for this solicitation; the Government's obligation under any cooperative agreement awarded is contingent upon the availability of appropriated FY 2003 funds.

Once released, the solicitation will be available for downloading from the IIPS Internet page. At this Internet site you will also be able to register with IIPS, enabling you to submit an application. If you need technical assistance in registering or for any other IIPS function, call the IIPS Help Desk at [phone] or E-mail the Help Desk personnel at [e-mail]. The solicitation will only be made available in IIPS, no hard (paper) copies of the solicitation and related documents will be made available. Telephone requests, written requests, E-mail requests, or facsimile requests for a copy of the solicitation package will not be accepted and/or honored. Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the instructions and forms contained in the solicitation. The actual solicitation document will allow for requests for explanation and/or interpretation.

Issued in Pittsburgh, PA on January 29, 2003.

Dale A. Siciliano,

Deputy Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.