The Department of Energy and Partner Agencies are offering the Energy Efficient Building Systems Regional Innovation Cluster Initiative Grant.

• Develop and demonstrate sustainable and efficient models for attaining national strategic objectives, with a focus on (i) developing, expanding, and commercializing innovative energy efficient building systems technologies, designs, and best practices for national and international distribution and (ii) reducing the carbon footprint of the United States;

• Create and retain Good Jobs;

• Eliminate gaps between the supply and demand for skilled workers in the E-RIC through training and education;

• Increase regional gross domestic product (GDP);

• Promote innovation in science and technology generally and, with respect to the Hub, promote energy efficient building systems, designs and best practices; and

• Enhance the economic, technological, and commercial competitiveness of the United States on the global stage.

The centerpiece of the E-RIC is the DOE Energy Efficient Building Systems Design Hub (Hub). The Hub will focus on research and development of highly efficient building components, systems, and models aimed at reducing energy use, minimizing net greenhouse gas emissions, and catalyzing an industry-wide shift to new technologies. The Hub will work within the Consortium and with the Consortium’s regional partners, among others, to link various combinations of university, industry, national laboratory, non-profit organizations, and local, state, and regional governments, as appropriate, with business incubators and other business accelerators in order to create and/or expand a network of advanced energy technology companies, laboratories, and capabilities that promote economic development and the objectives specified above.

This joint FOA invites Proposals from Consortia that can demonstrate collaboration among their members, with their regional partners, and with federal government agencies to support the development and growth of an E-RIC. Only one Proposal from a Consortium will be selected for funding under this joint FOA. Each Consortium will submit a single Proposal, which shall contain four Applications for funding (one Application from each Co-applicant to the Granting Agency from which it seeks funding), as well as one Overarching RIC Narrative (see Section IV of the FOA for details on this submission). The four Applications contained in a single Proposal from a Consortium shall be as follows: (1) An Application for DOE assistance (submitted by the DOE Co-applicant – which may include one of more entities eligible for DOE assistance); (2) an Application for EDA assistance (submitted by the EDA Co-applicant – which may include one or more entities eligible for EDA assistance); (3) an Application for NIST/MEP assistance (submitted by the NIST Co-applicant); and (4) an Application for SBA assistance (submitted by the SBA Co-applicant – which may include one or more entities for SBA assistance). The Co-applicants submitting the four Applications that comprise the Proposal shall enter into a written agreement to operate as a Consortium (see Section IV for further details).

Although they will collaborate as a Consortium, each of the four Co-applicants that submits the winning Proposal will receive a separate award from the Granting Agency to which it applied for funding. The discretionary grant funds made available through this FOA are as follows:

• Department of Energy: Up to $22 million in the first year of the award (with additional amounts of up to $25 million per year for four additional years, subject to availability of appropriations);

• Department of Commerce/Economic Development Administration: Up to
$3 million in Public Works and Economic Development funds and up to $2 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance funds for a single award over a period of performance not to exceed 5 years;

• Department of Commerce/National Institute of Standards and Technology (Manufacturing Extension Partnership): Up to $500,000 for a one-year award, with the possibility of adding additional amounts of up to $500,000 per year for up to two additional years, made available to an existing DOC-funded NIST/MEP Center that will use the additional funds to provide services dedicated to the Consortium’s effort to support the E-RIC and transition technology to industry; and

• Small Business Administration: Up to $300,000 in the first year, with three one-year options for renewal grants up to $300,000 per year, made available to an existing SBA-funded Small Business Development Center that will use the additional funds to provide services dedicated to the Consortium’s effort to grow the E-RIC.

In addition, DOL, ED, and NSF are committed to supporting linkages between the Consortium’s efforts and complementary, existing programs at DOL, ED, and NSF. DOL encourages workforce investment boards to become partners that will actively participate in the fostering of the E-RIC and can leverage Workforce Investment Act and other appropriate funds to recruit, train, and place workers in good jobs created within the E-RIC. ED encourages State-eligible agencies, and local and regional secondary and postsecondary educational agencies and institutions receiving funding under the Perkins Act to act as partners and to support allowable career and technical education projects and activities that eliminate gaps between the supply and demand for workers in specialized fields within the E-RIC. ED will provide technical assistance as appropriate to help these partners determine how to facilitate the Consortium’s objectives through the allowable use of funds under the partners’ existing formula grants or subgrants. Finally, if existing NSF award recipients are also Co-applicants or partners of the winning Consortium, these NSF recipients may be eligible for supplemental funding from NSF.