Frequently Asked Questions

The User Guide for Applicants can be found at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx.

All applicants will receive an automated response when their application is successfully uploaded. If your Full Application was successfully submitted, a message will be displayed on the screen, and the IE-Exchange system will send an automated email confirming your submission. Please retain this automated email confirming a successful submission for your records.

All applicants are required to submit their complete application through the IE-Exchange system. On IE-Exchange (https://ie-exchange.energy.gov), click "Apply" next to the funding opportunity to which you wish to apply. Click "login," and follow the instructions for the submission of an application. Also, see the User Guide for Applicants found at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx for more detailed instructions.

The time required to upload an application will vary, depending on your internet connection, internet and data server traffic, file size, and other factors. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications at least 48 hours in advance of the submission deadline. Under normal conditions (i.e., at least 48 hours in advance of the submission deadline), Applicants should allow at least 1 hour to submit an application. Allow sufficient time to resolve any technical difficulties or seek assistance, if needed. Contact the IE-Exchange helpdesk for assistance at ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov. Please also retain screen shots or other documentation relative to any issues you experience.

The maximum file size that can be uploaded to the IE-Exchange website is 50MB. Files in excess of 50MB cannot be uploaded. DOE will not accept late submissions that resulted from technical difficulties due to uploading files that exceed 50MB. Only in limited instances, including the Eligibility Statements and Evidence File, Participant Letters of Commitment and Cost Sharing File, and the Budget Support File, can a file in excess of 50MB be submitted as multiple files.

Only one “Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs” (Standard form SF-424A) is required for the Applicant for the project period of performance and the SF-424 is included as a part of the Budget justification workbook and will 'auto-populate' as information is entered into the workbook. Additionally, each Subrecipient (i.e., sub awardee who is providing cost share or with a vested interest in the proposed project, beyond providing goods and services to the proposed project) that is expected to perform work estimated to be more than $250,000 or 25 percent of the total work effort (whichever is less) is required to complete a Subrecipient Budget Justification (IE-335) and the SF424A included as part of that workbook.

For questions relating to the submission of your application through the IE-Exchange portal, please contact us at ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov. For questions specific to the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), please send your question to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov.

All Applicants whose application was comprehensively reviewed will also receive written feedback at the time of notification as to whether their application was selected for negotiation of an award, or not.

To ensure the integrity of the competitive process and that all potential applicants receive the same information, Office of Indian Energy staff and/or contractors may not answer any questions relating to the Funding Opportunity Announcement or your application. To ensure all potential applicants receive the same information and to receive an official response to your question, all questions must be directed to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov.

Applicants may submit more than one application to this FOA (including more than one application under a particular Topic Area), provided each application is for a distinctively different project and each application addresses only one Topic Area. Each application must have a distinct title, unique Control Number as assigned by IE-Exchange during the registration process and be readily distinguishable. Each application must be limited to a single unique and distinct project.

All application submissions must be made through IE-Exchange at ie-exchange.energy.gov. To gain access to the IE-Exchange, the applicant must first register and create an account on the main IE-Exchange site. This account will then allow the user to register for any open Office of Indian Energy Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) currently posted in IE-Exchange. For more on how to submit an application, please see the IE-Exchange User Guide for Applicants at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx. Questions related to use of the IE-Exchange website should be submitted to ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov.

Applicants that experience technical issues with submission of their application prior to the FOA deadline should contact the Exchange helpdesk at ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov for assistance. The Exchange helpdesk will assist Applicants in resolving issues. Please retain any screenshots or other records to aid in resolving your issue. However, those Applicants who are unable to submit their applications because they are submitting them at the last minute, when network traffic is at its heaviest, will not be eligible for assistance from the Exchange helpdesk.

Those forms that must be signed by an authorized representative, may be signed either digitally or manually in ink and scanned. Please see the FOA for additional information regarding forms requiring a signature.

The summary slide should be in landscape format. A template is available under ‘Required Application Documents’ for this FOA on IE-Exchange at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov. The use of the PowerPoint slide template is not required; however, the information included within the template is required.

References must be included as footnotes or endnotes in a font size of 10 or larger. Footnotes and endnotes are counted toward the maximum page requirement.

In conducting application evaluations, the Government may seek the advice of qualified non-federal personnel as reviewers. The Government may also use non-federal personnel to conduct routine, nondiscretionary administrative activities. The Applicant, by submitting its application, consents to the use of non-federal reviewers/administrators. Non-federal reviewers must sign conflict of interest and non-disclosure agreements prior to reviewing an application. Non-federal personnel conducting administrative activities must sign a non-disclosure agreement. However, applications submitted in response to a FOA are subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Please see the FOA for instructions on marking specific pages of your application containing trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential and the statutes governing release of information under FOIA.

Unfortunately, we are not able to accept late submissions. DOE will not extend deadlines for Applicants who fail to submit required information and documents due to server/connection issues.

Reviewers are subject matter experts who may be federal employees, employees of a National Laboratory, or other non-federal personnel. However, ultimately, the Selection Official considers the recommendations of the reviewers, along with other considerations such as program policy factors, in determining which applications to select for negotiation for an award.

A Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number (replaced the data universal numbering system (DUNS) number) is required for all entities doing business with the federal government. Obtaining a UEI is one of the registrations that must be completed prior to submitting an application as it will be needed to register in IE-Exchange and submit an application. The UEI is a is a unique 12-character (alpha-numeric) number assigned to all entities (public and private companies, individuals, institutions, or organizations) obtained during the System for Award Management (SAM) registration or renewal process at https://www.sam.gov/SAM.

Existing registered entities can find their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number by signing on to https://www.sam.gov/SAM.

Applicants requesting a cost share reduction must submit a Cost Share Reduction Request using the format and instructions included within the Cost Share Reduction Request template provided under ‘Required Application Documents’ for this FOA on IE-Exchange at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov. A Microsoft Word template has been provided in IE-Exchange. The use of the Cost Share Reduction Request template is not required; however, the information included within the Cost Share Reduction Request template is required.

Applicants may revise or update their application up until the FOA deadline by uploading revised files. See the User Guide for Applicants at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx.

Typically, projects being sought under Office of Indian Energy Funding Opportunity Announcements are not considered ‘large construction projects’; therefore contingency costs as a separate line item will not be considered. However, the budget estimates by cost category (e.g., labor, travel, equipment, contractual) within the proposed budget may consider uncertainty and those estimates should reflect those uncertainties. While these uncertainties may be included in the budget, please note only actual costs will be considered for reimbursement.

We recommend you first try a different browser like Edge or Chrome. If that does not work, go to your browser ‘settings’ or ‘more’ (top right corner) depending on the browser and ‘clear browsing data’ and depending on the browser either select ‘cookies and other site data’ or ‘clear data’. For Microsoft Edge instructions, see Delete Cookies in Microsoft Edge.  For Chrome instructions, see Clear Cache and Cookies from Chrome.