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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

81.117:  Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Dissemination, Outreach, Training and Technical Analysis/Assistance

Popular Name: 

Objectives:  The Department of Energy (DOE) seeks to provide financial support for information dissemination, outreach, training and related technical analysis/assistance which will: (1) Stimulate increased energy efficiency in transportation, buildings, industry and the Federal sector and encourage increased use of renewable and alternative energy; and (2) accelerate the adoption of new technologies to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable and alternative energy through the competitive solicitation of applications.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

81.117 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Profit organizations, individuals, private nonprofit institutions/organizations, public nonprofit institutions/organizations, State and local governments, Native American organizations, Alaskan Native corporations and universities may apply. DOE Laboratories are not eligible.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Profit organizations, individuals, private nonprofit institutions/organizations, public nonprofit institutions/organizations, State and local governments, Native American organizations, Alaskan Native corporations and universities benefit.

Credentials/Documentation:  Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-21 for institutions of higher education.

81.117 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  The standard application forms as furnished by DOE and required by 10 CFR Part 600 must be used to apply for financial assistance, as further specified in the competitive solicitation(s). A separate application must be submitted for each DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Program Area of Interest. Application forms and instructions are available on the World Wide Web at doe-iips.pr.doe.gov.

Award Procedure:  All applications which pass an initial review will receive an objective merit review. Objective Merit Review Committees will evaluate applications based on the evaluation criteria set forth in the competitive solicitation. After the Merit Review Committee has completed its evaluations, an EERE Office Director or other program official will evaluate the applications against program policy factors set forth in the competitive solicitation. Final decisions will be made by the EERE Assistant Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretaries, and the Director of the Federal Energy Management Program.

Deadlines:  The competitive solicitation will be issued annually with staggered deadlines for submission, with notices in the Federal Register and the Commerce Business Daily.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  From 4 to 6 months.

Appeals:  None.

Renewals:  Applications for renewal are subject to review, availability of funds and acceptance by the Headquarters office.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Selection will be based on an objective merit review recommendation, program policy factors, the amount of funds available, provisions of appropriation law and reports and as otherwise specified in the solicitation document.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Projects that are scheduled to be funded: Information dissemination, public outreach, and related technical analysis activities involving specific renewable technologies; training to promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles; information dissemination, technical analysis, and outreach activities designed to facilitate the adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy in residential and commercial buildings and communities; and technical assistance to spur increased energy efficiency and renewable energy in developing countries.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  The 117 awards in the first round of the fiscal year 1999 solicitation ranged from $10,000 to $800,000.

81.117 RELATED PROGRAMS:

81.117 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

81.117 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  OFFICE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements).

Obligations:  (Grants and Cooperative Agreements) FY 99 $15,000,000; FY 00 est $10,000,000; and FY 01 est $10,000,000.

Budget Account Number:  89-0224-0-1-271.

Authorization:  Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 712, Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, 42 U.S.C. 5813(6)(7)(8); Energy Policy Act of 1992, 42 U.S.C. 13231.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  The following list represents an overview of regulations, guidelines, and literature: EERE Federal Register notices, "Federal Financial Assistance Opportunities at DOE," DOE Financial Assistance Regulations (10 CFR 600), and the DOE Guide to Financial Assistance, which may be accessed through the DOE Office of Procurement and Assistance Management homepage at: www.pr.doe.gov/solicit.html.

81.117 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:  LaTonya Poole, EE-60, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC. Phone: (202) 586-3835.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

81.117 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  Cost sharing is a mandatory factor for award in some EERE Program Areas of Interest. For those Program Areas of Interest where cost-sharing is not a mandatory factor, cost-sharing is encouraged and will be considered in the selection process.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Length and time phasing of assistance will vary with the program phase and activity. The maximum term of awards varies among the Program Areas of Interest and ranges from 6 months to 4 years.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Financial assistance is provided in support of the program objectives as described in the competitive solicitations, which will be issued at least annually. The solicitations will provide funding in six general program areas within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: Office of Power Technologies, Office of Industrial Technologies, Office of Transportation Technologies, Office of Building Technology, State and Community Programs, the Federal Energy Management Program, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Restrictions on use of funds depend on the provisions of the specific project agreement.

81.117 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  The schedule for reports are arranged at the time of negotiations. Applicants will typically submit a semi-annual report, as specified in the award.

Audits:  Costs incurred are subject to audit throughout the grant period and before final close-out. The extent and frequency of audits depends on the size of the award and the specific award provisions. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations, nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records:  A grantee is expected to maintain auditable records to substantiate the total costs incurred under the grant.