Department’s Office of Indian Energy Grant for Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects on Indian Lands – 2015

Please go to – https://eere-exchange.energy.gov – to review the revised FOA.

Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the Department’s Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications from Indian tribes (including Alaska Native regional corporations, village corporations, tribal consortia, and tribal organizations) and Tribal Energy Resource Development Organizations to install (1) facility-scale clean energy and energy efficiency projects and (2) community-scale clean energy projects on Indian lands.
The Funding Opportunity Announcement is soliciting applications under two Topic Areas:
Install clean energy and energy efficiency retrofit projects for tribal buildings (Topic Area 1);
Clean Energy Systems (Topic Area 1.a.)
Deep Energy Retrofit” Energy Efficiency Measures (Topic Area 1.b.)
And,
Deploy clean energy systems on a community-scale (Topic Area 2).
Under Topic Area 1, DOE is seeking applications for the deployment of facility-scale:
(a) clean energy systems (renewable energy power systems or combined heat and power systems) to displace electrical, heating and/or cooling loads by at least 15%; and
(b) deep energy retrofit energy efficiency measures to reduce the total of all energy used in a building or buildings by at least a 20%.
Under Topic Area 2, DOE is soliciting applications for the deployment of community-scale clean energy systems of 50 kW or more (or for heating or cooling the Btu equivalent of 170,607 Btu/hour) on Indian lands to provide electricity, and/or heating or cooling for many buildings or to an entire tribal community.
Under this FOA, a 50% cost share of total project costs (100% match against DOE funds) is required, unless an Applicant requests a reduction in the cost share as part of the application and receives approval from DOE. Applicants may request up to a 40% reduction in cost share, to no less than 10% of the total project costs. Cost share reduction requests to less than 10% will not be considered. If DOE does not grant a request for reduced cost share, the Applicant will be required to meet the requisite 50% cost share.
DOE expects to make approximately $4 million to $6 million of Federal funding available for new awards under this FOA, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. DOE anticipates making approximately 6 to 10 awards under this FOA. DOE may issue awards in one, multiple, or none of the following topic areas.
Modification 0001
All modifications to the Funding Opportunity Announcement are highlighted in yellow in the body of the FOA. Modification 0001 included the following:
1. Section I.B.(a) – Clarified the types of eligible hydropower systems
2. Section I.B.(b) – Clarified the “community‐scale project”
3. Section III.A.1.c. – Added “Alaska regional development organization” as an example of an “Inter‐Tribal Organization”
4. Section IV.C.3. – Updated Summary Slide Requirements
5. Section IV.C.4. – Added requirement to include an explanation and rationale as to how the proposed project meets the community‐scale requirement, specifically addressing the “substantial” element.
6. Appendix A – Updated the definition of “community‐scale project”
7. Appendix C – Defined kBtu and clarified description of Table 2
8. Added Appendix E – Summary Slide Template
Informational Webinar
The DOE Office of Indian Energy hosted on Sept. 16, 2015 providing information on the funding opportunity to potential applicants. In addition to describing the FOA in detail, the presenters discussed who is eligible to apply, what the application needs to include, cost share and other requirements, how to ask questions, and how applications will be selected for funding.
The webinar slides and audio are posted at www.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/webinar_20150916.cfm.

The full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is posted on the EERE eXCHANGE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Applications must be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE website to be considered for award. The applicant must first register and create an account on the EERE eXCHANGE website. A User Guide for the EERE eXCHANGE can be found on the EERE website http://eere.energy.gov/financing/exchangeExchange/Manuals.aspx after logging in to the system.

Information on where to submit questions regarding the content of the announcement and where to submit questions regarding submission of applications is found in the full FOA posted on the EERE Exchange website.

The Funding Opportunity Announcement is soliciting applications under two Topic Areas:
(1) Install clean energy and energy efficiency retrofit projects for tribal buildings (Topic Area 1);
a. Clean Energy Systems (Topic Area 1.a.)
b. “Deep Energy Retrofit” Energy Efficiency Measures (Topic Area 1.b.)
And,
(2) Deploy clean energy systems on a community-scale (Topic Area 2).

Under Topic Area 1, DOE is seeking applications for the deployment of facility-scale:
(a) clean energy systems (renewable energy power systems or combined heat and power systems) to displace electrical, heating and/or cooling loads by at least 15%; and
(b) deep energy retrofit energy efficiency measures to reduce the total of all energy used in a building or buildings by at least a 20%.
Under Topic Area 2, DOE is soliciting applications for the deployment of community-scale clean energy systems of 50 kW or more (or for heating or cooling the Btu equivalent of 170,607 Btu/hour) on Indian lands to provide electricity, and/or heating or cooling for many buildings or to an entire tribal community.

Under this FOA, a 50% cost share of total project costs (100% match against DOE funds) is required, unless an Applicant requests a reduction in the cost share as part of the application and receives approval from DOE. Applicants may request up to a 40% reduction in cost share, to no less than 10% of the total project costs. Cost share reduction requests to less than 10% will not be considered. If DOE does not grant a request for reduced cost share, the Applicant will be required to meet the requisite 50% cost share.

DOE expects to make approximately $4 million to $6 million of Federal funding available for new awards under this FOA, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. DOE anticipates making approximately 6 to 10 awards under this FOA. DOE may issue awards in one, multiple, or none of the following topic areas.

The full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is posted on the EERE eXCHANGE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Applications must be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE website to be considered for award. The applicant must first register and create an account on the EERE eXCHANGE website. A User Guide for the EERE eXCHANGE can be found on the EERE website http://eere.energy.gov/financing/exchangeExchange/Manuals.aspx after logging in to the system.

Information on where to submit questions regarding the content of the announcement and where to submit questions regarding submission of applications is found in the full FOA posted on the EERE Exchange website.