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Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) Technology Integration (TI) (Part B): Training on Zero Emission Vehicle and Infrastructure Technologies for Critical Emergency Response Workers - FY 2024

Agency: U.S. Department of Energy
CFDA: 81.086
Federal FON: DE-FOA-0003250
Office: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO)
Multipart Grant: Yes
Next Due: 04/30/2024 (Multiple)
Solicitation Date: 02/12/2024
   
Match Required: Recommended
Match Type: Cash/In-Kind
Actual Funds: $15,000,000 (Estimated)
Range: $5,000,000 (Max)
Award Range: $1,600,000 (Min) / $2,500,000 (Max)
Summary:

The purpose of this program is to deliver an equitable, clean energy future, and put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050, to the benefit of all Americans. The funding agency is committed to pushing the frontiers of science and engineering, catalyzing clean energy jobs through research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D), and ensuring environmental justice and inclusion of underserved communities. Specifically, this program will advance the deployment of efficient and sustainable transportation technologies throughout the country. Projects will advance decarbonization of the transportation sector by supporting innovative approaches to address pressing transportation sector efficiency and equity needs. The program will support a broad technology portfolio that includes alternative fuels, energy-efficient mobility systems and technologies, and other efficient advanced technologies that can reduce transportation energy costs for businesses and consumers.

Project activities must support the federal Justice40 initiative, which stipulates that at least 40 percent of benefits from the program must flow to disadvantaged communities.

Funding will be provided for the following program components:

  • (Part A): Clean Cities Outreach, Engagement, and Technical Assistance
  • (Part B): Training on Zero Emission Vehicle and Infrastructure Technologies for Critical Emergency Response Workers
  • (Part C): Clean Transportation Demonstration and Deployment

The purpose of the Training on Zero Emission Vehicle and Infrastructure Technologies for Critical Emergency Response Workers component is to provide risk mitigation, training, and education of first responders and emergency response professionals to address situations involving zero-emission vehicles and infrastructure technologies. The program will target the development of local, state, regional, or national outreach, awareness, and partnership-building efforts.

Existing training materials, curricula, websites, online tools, and other relevant information resources previously developed in cooperation with or accepted by the funding agency should be leveraged to the maximum extent possible. Projects can develop training in areas where gaps exist in current training curricula, including adapting curricula to fit other related stakeholder groups such as fire marshals, emergency/disaster planners, homeland security offices, departments of transportation, and insurance companies. Projects must approach development and dissemination strategically by involving multiple stakeholder groups that have the expertise and authority to recommend parameter/codes for infrastructure; immediate emergency response techniques; make-safe and towing best practices; and development and/or deployment of local/regional stranded energy management plans.

Projects are encouraged to provide in-person training workshops or build partnerships to incorporate existing online training materials into training programs and encourage widespread reach of these training sessions. Projects addressing communities that are among the top zero-emission vehicle markets in the United States are highly encouraged. Projects are also encouraged to develop a website to host public resources, recommendations, curricula, and other products that are free for the public.

Refer to pages 14-16 of the NOFA file for additional details regarding component requirements and expectations.

Last Updated: April 22, 2024

Eligibility Notes:

Eligible applicants are:

  • Institutions of higher education
  • For-profit entities
  • Nonprofit entities
  • State and local governmental entities and federally recognized Indian tribes

To facilitate the formation of project teams, the funding agency will compile a list of organizations that have expressed an interest to participate in projects. The list will be made available online at eere-exchange.energy.gov. 

For this component, the funding agency highly encourages applications from project teams that include the following partners:

  • Government offices responsible for maintaining emergency response policies and procedures
  • Entities responsible for disaster and emergency response and/or planning
  • One or more Clean Cities coalitions, a list of which can be found online at cleancities.energy.gov
  • Educational/training institutions with specific expertise in developing and delivering online and/or in-person training curricula

Projects addressing communities that are among the top zero-emission vehicle markets in the United States are highly encouraged.

Each concept paper must be limited to a single concept or technology. An applicant may submit more than one concept paper and full application, provided that each describes a unique, scientifically distinct project.

In limited circumstances, the funding agency may approve a waiver to allow foreign entities to participate in projects, as detailed on page 24 of the NOFA file.

The following entities are not eligible to apply as lead applicants, but may be part of projects as subrecipients:

  • Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs)
  • Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs
  • Federal agencies and instrumentalities, other than the DOE

For this component, FFRDC participation in projects may not exceed 20 percent of total project costs. Refer to pages 28-30 of the NOFA file for additional information regarding requirements and limits to FFRDC participation in projects.

Only new applicants are eligible to apply. Existing recipients are not eligible for renewal awards.

The following entities are not eligible to apply:

  • The National Energy Technology Laboratory
  • Entities banned from doing business with the U.S. government
  • Nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995
Eligible Applicants:
Local Government
Academic Institutions
Consortia
Native American Tribe
Non Profits
Private Sector
State Government
Application Notes:

Mandatory concept papers must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on March 12, 2024.

Concept papers must be submitted online at secure.login.gov.

Concept papers must include:

  • Cover page (1 page max)
  • Project description and impacts (3 pages max)

Concept papers will be evaluated based on overall responsiveness and viability of the project.

Upon review of concept papers, the funding agency will either encourage or discourage each applicant to submit a full application. Applicants may submit full applications even if they are discouraged from doing so.

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on April 30, 2024.

Applications must be submitted online at secure.login.gov.

Applications must include:

  • SF 424
  • SF LLL
  • Technical volume (30 pages max)
  • Resumes (3 pages max each)
  • Letters of commitment (1 page max each)
  • Statement of project objectives (7 pages max)
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion plan (5 pages max)
  • Budget justification workbook
  • Summary/abstract for public release (1 page max)
  • Subrecipient budget justification

Refer to 33-34 of the NOFA file for a list of required application components, and the required format and page limitation for each. Application forms must be submitted in .pdf format, unless state otherwise. Applications must be foratted on standard-sized, single-spaced pages with one-inch margins on all sides, using a 12-point or larger font. Each application page must be numbered. All application documents must be marked with the control number issued to the applicant. The maximum file size that may be uploaded is 50 MB. Refer to pages 31-51 for additional application formatting instructions.

The following are required in order to submit an application:

  • Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
  • SAM (System for Award Management) registration

Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam.

Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:

  • Project approach and impact (30 percent)
  • Project plan (30 percent)
  • Project team and qualifications (25 percent)
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion (15 percent)

Refer to pages 62-63 of the NOFA file for additional information regarding program policy factors that will be used to evaluate applications.

Refer to the NOFA file and Application folder for additional application information.

Match Required: Recommended
Match Type: Cash/In-Kind
Actual Funds: $15,000,000 (Estimated)
Range: $5,000,000 (Max)
Award Range: $1,600,000 (Min) / $2,500,000 (Max)
Match Notes:

Matching funds are not required for this component; however, the degree to which the proposed project optimizes the use of award funds, including through the provision of cash and/or in-kind matching contributions, will be taken into consideration during the application evaluation process.

Cash matching contributions may include personnel, fringe, supply and equipment, indirect, and other direct costs. In-kind contributions may include the donation of volunteer time or the donation of space or use of equipment.

Funding Notes:

An estimated $15 million is available to support 12 to 18 awards through this program overall, with approximately $5 million available through this component to support approximately 2 to 3 awards ranging from $1.6 million to $2.5 million each.

Awards may be made in the form of cooperative agreements or grants. If federally funded research and development centers (FFDRCs) are involved in projects, they may be funded separately, as detailed on page 23 of the NOFA file.

Award notifications will be issued on August 5, 2024. Award negotiations are expected to take place between August and November 2024.

Project periods will span from 24 to 36 months, comprised of a single budget period.

Pre-award costs may be eligible with prior funding agency approval. Refer to pages 52-53 of the NOFA file for details.

Costs of construction and foreign travel are only allowable with prior written approval by the funding agency.

Projects that include the following activities/costs are highly discouraged:

  • Training that promotes one specific brand or product.
  • Only academic studies of curricula gaps and plans for future training
  • Curricula that will be solely proprietary at the conclusion of the project

Projects may not involve persons participating in a foreign government-sponsored talent recruitment program of a foreign country of risk.

Funds may not be used for:

  • Projects that fall outside the program's specific technical parameters
  • Projects for proposed technologies that are not based on sound scientific principles
  • Projects that include demonstration of any pre-commercial technology or deployment of any vehicles or fueling infrastructure
  • Lobbying
  • Costs of conferences not directly and programmatically related to the purpose for which the award was made
  • Certain telecommunications and video surveillance services and equipment, as detailed on page 80 of the NOFA file
Contacts:

Program Staff
DE-FOA-0003250@netl.doe.gov

Agency Address
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Forrestal Building
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20585

Contact Notes:

Questions should be directed to the program staff, and must be submitted no later than three business days prior to the application due date. 

Concept papers and applications must be submitted online at secure.login.gov.

The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.

Files:
NOFA File: US17278B_NOFA_FY2024.pdf (930.6 Kb)
Application File: US17278B_Application_FY2024.zip (241.4 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17278B_Q&A_FY2024.pdf (82.1 Kb)
Federal Forms:
SF 424 (144.4 Kb)
SF LLL (98.7 Kb)
File Notes:

The NOFA file contains the full solicitation for this program and component. The Application folder contains required forms for submission. The Q&A file contains a list of questions and answers regarding this program. The required federal forms are attached. Additional program resources can be found online at eere-exchange.energy.gov.

April 22, 2024
An updated list of questions and answers regarding this program has been released and attached as the Q&A file.

April 8, 2024
An updated list of questions and answers regarding this program has been released and attached as the Q&A file.

February 22, 2024
A list of questions and answers regarding this program has been released and attached as the Q&A file.

Grant Keywords
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Grant Categories
Training & Vocational Services
Energy
Environment/Natural Resources
Human Services
Transportation
Fire/EMS
Science/Technology