Frequently Asked Questions

Select a FOA to view questions and answers for the specific funding opportunity. Alternatively select "Non-FOA related items" to view system FAQ items.

Question 1: I am seeking info on CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS - 2023 (DE-FOA-0002975). The executive summary describes Topic Area 1 as: install clean energy generating system(s) and energy efficiency measure(s) for Tribal Building(s) (Topic Area 1); I am considering applying for this grant in order to set up a heat pump installation program for Tribal Homes and Tribal Buildings. Do Tribal Homes, i.e., homes owned and populated by Tribal Citizens, qualify as "Tribal Buildings"?
Answer 1:

As included in Section I.B. and Appendix A of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA): ““Tribal Building(s),” for the purposes of this FOA, is a single or multiple buildings located on Tribal Lands, where the eligible tribal entity has or has been granted certain rights and duties, specifically the ability to exercise authority, direction, and control over the project. Note that ownership may be private, collective, or common and some of those rights and duties may be held by different parties. Tribal Building(s) are those where the eligible tribal entity has the authority to augment or modify the building and where the building is owned by the eligible tribal entity or tribal members or tribal organization, or the eligible tribal entity has a long-term lease (as a minimum, for the useful life of the proposed project). Tribal Buildings may include, but are not limited to, tribal member homes, schools, community buildings, clinics/hospitals, tribal government buildings, fire stations, police stations, radio stations, washaterias, utility facilities (such as water/wastewater systems), or tribal businesses.” [Emphasis added]

Also, per Section III.A. “eligibility for award under this FOA is restricted to: (1) an Indian Tribe; (2) Intertribal Organization; or (3) Tribal Energy Development Organization; and (4) on whose Tribal Lands the project(s) will be located.” See Section III.A. and Appendix A for definitions.

Therefore, although tribal member homes may be considered “Tribal Buildings”, provided the eligible tribal entity has the authority to augment or modify the building, tribal members, in and of themselves, are not eligible to apply under this FOA.

Please also see the definition of building efficiencies (page 86) as “for purposes of this FOA, ground or air source heat pumps are considered an energy efficiency measure”, not a renewable energy system, and therefore only eligible under Topic Area 1.b. or in conjunction with a renewable energy system under Topic Area 1.c.

Question 2: I have a two urgent/time sensitive questions for which I would like some clarity prior to the webinar if at all possible: Question 1: Will Alaskan Native Corporations like mine have priority in introducing these technologies and how will that priority be exercised? Question 2: If there is a proven and promising technology, will the DOE consider a direct award to an Alaskan Native Corporation 8(a) in order to shorten the process and timeline for implementation?
Answer 2:

Question 1:  Alaskan Native Corporations are eligible to apply provided they conform to the definition and eligibility requirements under Section III of the FOA; however, Alaska Native Corporations will not be given priority.

Question 2:  The DOE is solely providing funding through competitive grants and will provide funding directly through those grant agreements to eligible applicant’s whose applications are selected for award. Specifically, the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is soliciting applications from: (1) an Indian Tribe; (2) Intertribal Organization; or (3) Tribal Energy Development Organization; and (4) on whose Tribal Lands the project(s) will be located, under the Topic Areas specified in Section I.B. of the FOA. Please see the FOA for the eligible projects and the criteria upon which applications will be rated.

Question 3: I am applying for DE-FOA-0002975 CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS - 2023. If a complete application is submitted but contains minor errors, that are considered fixable from the standpoint of DOE, will there be an opportunity to "cure (i.e., fix) the application? Is a grant writer fee a valid use of indirect funds as part of the grant application? Is the fee a valid use of cost share from the standpoint of the applicant? Can the fee be based on whether or not the grant is received?
Answer 3:

If a complete application is received, meets the eligibility requirements under Section III of the FOA, is comprehensively reviewed and selected for negotiation of award, DOE will request any additional or clarifying information and the applicant will have the ability to update or supplement their application at that time (see Section IV.D.). If selected for negotiation of award, the applicant will have the opportunity to ‘cure’ (i.e., fix) any minor errors in the application at that point. Further, per Section V.D.2. of the FOA, “DOE may determine that pre-selection clarifications are necessary from one or more Applicants. These pre-selection clarifications will be solely for the purposes of clarifying the application and will be limited to information already provided in the application documentation.” Additionally, per page 69 of that same section, “DOE will not reimburse Applicants for expenses relating to the pre-selection clarifications, nor will these costs be eligible for reimbursement as pre-award costs.

 

Costs for preparation of an application are not eligible for reimbursement or as cost share. Per page 4, “Only cost share contributions made during the period of performance of the grant, if awarded, can be considered. Any costs incurred prior to award selection cannot be considered as cost share or for reimbursement by DOE. See Section IV.H.”

Question 4: Can an Indian Tribe applicant use a tribal authority letter signed on behalf of its Chief Executive, Governor, etc. in lieu of a Tribal Council Resolution so long as the Indian Tribe can provide evidence of the statutory or other legal authority authorizing that form of commitment in lieu of a Tribal Council Resolution and such evidence establishes that the commitment submitted carries the same level of Tribal leadership commitment as a Tribal Council Resolution?
Answer 4:

Per pages 4 and 48 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA): “For Indian Tribes, the statement of commitment and cost sharing must be in the form of an executed Tribal Council Resolution, unless an Indian Tribe provides a commitment in a format other than a Tribal Council Resolution and evidence of the statutory or other legal authority authorizing that form of commitment in lieu of a Tribal Council Resolution accompanies that commitment. Such evidence must establish that the commitment submitted carries the same level of Tribal leadership commitment as a Tribal Council Resolution. See Section IV.C.6.”

Question 5: If our Tribe applied for CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS – 2022 Number: DE-FOA-0002774; are we eligible to apply for the CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS – 2023 Number: DE-FOA-0002975 for the same project?
Answer 5:

You may submit an application to CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS – 2023 Number: DE-FOA-0002975 for the same project as was submitted under CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS – 2022 Number: DE-FOA-0002774; however, if that application is selected for negotiation of award under Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0002774, the application would not be eligible for funding under DE-FOA-0002975.

Question 6: What is the likelihood that vertical axis turbines will qualify for funding as a choice of alternative electricity generation? Vertical axis turbines are relatively new. Are there any restrictions on using new technology?
Answer 6:

To be eligible under the subject Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), use of commercially proven warrantied clean energy technology is required. The definitions under Appendix A of the FOA as included below for reference. Therefore, if the proposed vertical axis turbines meet the commercially proven warrantied requirement as defined below, it would be eligible.

Commercially proven” for the purposes of this FOA, means the technology must be at least a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 9, where TRL 9 is “Commercial-Scale Production/Application” and represents an in-service application of the technology in its final form and under mission condition and at TRL 9, the actual, commercial-scale system is proven through successful mission operations, whereby it is fielded and being used in commercial application. Information relative to the technology and its TRL should be provided as part of the application. For more on TRL, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_readiness_level.

Warrantied,” for the purposes of this FOA, is to have a guarantee or promise which provides assurance by one party to the other party that specific facts or conditions are true or will happen. This factual guarantee may be enforced, regardless of materiality, and allows for a legal remedy, if that promise is not true or followed. For purposes of this FOA, DOE expects that a warranty will cover defects in materials and workmanship and potentially the replacement of parts and labor for the failed components (or a portion thereof) for a specified period of time. The warranty should also describe the conditions under which the warranty will be honored. Additionally, depending on the type of energy efficiency measure, energy generating system(s), or integrated energy system(s), performance, function, or degradation may be included as part of the warranty and thereby the warranty guarantees minimum standards of quality such as availability or amount of power production, and includes the terms under which those standards are honored.

Question 7: Are Native Hawaiians Homesteads eligible to apply?
Answer 7:

Statute defines who is eligible for funding under the Office of Indian Energy Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) and Native Hawaiians are not included as eligible to receive funding.  For eligible applicants, see Section III.A. of the FOA.

Question 8: Can we use money from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Good Jobs Challenge if our projects align?
Answer 8:

Per Section III.B. of the Funding Opportunity Announcement: “If funds from a federal source are being proposed either as additional federal funds against the total project costs or as non-federal cost share, as allowed by law, the Applicant must provide a commitment letter from the federal agency as part of the application that specifically commits those funds and identifies the statutory authority that allows those funds to be used for the project being proposed. Additionally, if those funds are to be used as non-federal cost share, the commitment letter must also include the excerpt from the statutory authority that allows those funds to be used as non-federal cost share. These commitment letters will be reviewed to determine allowability, by DOE Legal Counsel and the Contracting Officer, prior to accepting funds as either additional federal project funds or non-federal cost share from other federal sources.” [Emphasis added]

Therefore, you will need to contact the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to determine whether funds through the Good Jobs Challenge are eligible for use as non-federal cost share and obtain (1) a commitment letter from the federal agency that specifically commits those funds and identifies the statutory authority that allows those funds to be used for the project being proposed, and if those funds are to be used as non-federal cost share, (2) includes the excerpt from the statutory authority that allows those funds to be used as non-federal cost share.

Question 9: Are service areas eligible? We do not have a reservation.
Answer 9:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

Section III.A. of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) identifies eligible Tribal Land. Specifically, “Tribal Lands,” for the purposes of this FOA, is defined as:

(a) “Indian land” (see definition below);

(b) lands held in fee simple (purchased or owned) by an Indian Tribe, Intertribal Organization, Tribal Energy Development Organization, or other eligible Applicant;

(c) lands held under a long-term land lease (as a minimum, for the useful life of the proposed project) by an Indian Tribe, Tribal Energy Development Organization, or other eligible Applicant; and

(d) land that was conveyed to a Native Corporation pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. § 1601, et seq.) and subsequently conveyed to another entity, provided that entity is either a Native village or Tribal governmental entity or the land is held, invested, managed for and on behalf of a Native village or Tribal governmental entity.”

Further, “Indian Land” was expanded in statute to include: “any land located in a census tract in which the majority of residents are persons who are enrolled members of a federally recognized Tribe or village.” [Emphasis added]

Therefore, if any of the situations above apply, then those lands would be eligible.

Question 10: On page 39 of the FOA it reads “Applicants may submit more than one application to this FOA (including more than one application under a particular Topic Area or Subtopic Area), provided each application is for a distinctively different project and each application addresses only one Subtopic 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; unrelated projects cannot be consolidated in a single application.” If we apply under Subtopic 2a and 2b for 2 awards, With a project that is looking to fundamentally develop community scale solar AND community scale storage simultaneously for the same Tribal entity, would applying for both qualify as "distinctly different?" And would two applications be required, or would one consolidated application be preferred?
Answer 10:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

 

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

 

If the community-scale storage project proposed under Topic Area 2.b. is intended to be combined with the community-scale solar project proposed under Topic Area 2.a., these would not be considered distinctly different as combining them results in a single project and per Section I.B. (page 20), “[u]nder Subtopic Area 2.b. community storage systems are not intended to be combined with an energy generating system(s).” If the intent is to combine the community-scale solar project and community-scale storage project, please review the applicability of Topic Area 3.b.

 

If, however, the community-scale solar project is distinct and separate from the community-scale storage project and the only similarity is the Applicant, then two separate applications must be submitted (one application for the community-scale solar project under Subtopic Area 2.a. and one application for the community-scale storage project under Subtopic Area 2.b.) since Section III.E. of the FOA specifically states “each application addresses only one Subtopic Area”.

Question 11: A simple summary of our project is deploying solar, batteries and smart breaker panels on critical tribal buildings to ensure they have power during any grid outage while also supplying clean energy to reduce the overall cost burden to the tribe. These building include fire, police, emergency response, health care, water, wastewater, communications and tribal administration that can be used to house and feed members if the power is out or natural disaster. Block grant resilience funds are being used to fund the batteries, inverters and installation of this equipment and we’d use these funds to provide the solar and additional batteries for additional sites the block grant funds do not cover. Uniquely, we will be utilizing four quadrant inverters to correct the Power factor and phase balance at each premise to optimize energy efficiency of every electric consuming device on the premise. We will be working with the local utility for historical data and show these EE improvements as well as the cost reduction for the overall tribe while enabling resiliency for all of these buildings in the event of outage. If possible, we will also work with the utility to measure the overall grid efficiency improvements on the feeder for correction of power factor and phase balance. 1. Can grant funds from the DOE resilience block grant be used for cost matching for this FOA? 2. Can EECBG grant funds from DOE be used for cost matching for this FOA? 3. Can a contractor contribute a portion of their hours for design engineering, installation and testing for cost matching in this FOA? 4. Can the utility contribute their time and effort for support for cost matching to this FOA?
Answer 11:
    1. Federal funds can only be used as non-federal cost share if the statute under which those funds were provided explicitly states that those funds can be used as non-federal cost share. Per Section III.B. of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA): “If funds from a federal source are being proposed either as additional federal funds against the total project costs or as non-federal cost share, as allowed by law, the Applicant must provide a commitment letter from the federal agency as part of the application that specifically commits those funds and identifies the statutory authority that allows those funds to be used for the project being proposed. Additionally, if those funds are to be used as non-federal cost share, the commitment letter must also include the excerpt from the statutory authority that allows those funds to be used as non-federal cost share. These commitment letters will be reviewed to determine allowability, by DOE Legal Counsel and the Contracting Officer, prior to accepting funds as either additional federal project funds or non-federal cost share from other federal sources.” [Emphasis added] As such, you will need to reach out to the DOE Office(s) administering those grant funds to determine whether the statute under which those funds were provided explicitly states that those funds can be used as non-federal cost share.
    2. See #1 above.
    3. A contractor may “contribute a portion of their hours for design engineering, installation and testing for cost matching in this FOA” (see Section III.B. of the FOA); however, once a contractor provides cost share that entity becomes a Subrecipient and is subject to all terms and conditions of the grant. Specifically, per Section III.B.4: “Project Teams may provide cost share in the form of cash or in-kind contributions; however, ultimately the Recipient of the federal award is solely responsible for providing the required, verifiable cost share, if an award is made, even if the cost share is being provided by a Subrecipient(s). Note that Subrecipients who provide cost share, either as cash or as in-kind contributions, or an entity that is deemed a Subrecipient per 2 CFR § 200.1 and 2 CFR § 200.331(a), are subject to all terms and conditions of the grant.” Also, be aware that, those commitments must also be included in the Participant Letters of Commitment and Cost Sharing File (see Section IV.C.7 of the FOA).
    4. See #3 above.
Question 12: Can the drilling of geothermal production wells for a power plant be paid for using funds under this FOA? Is the 12-month verification period included in the 2-4 year period of performance? Or can it be in year 5?
Answer 12:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

The use of a geothermal resource for power production is not specifically precluded under the subject FOA; however, only activities which directly result in the installation of equipment to generate electricity and/or heating or cooling will be considered. Per Section I.C. of the FOA, the following applications are specifically not of interest, ”[a]pplications that fall outside the technical parameters specified in Section I.B. of the FOA” and “[a]pplications proposing studies, design, and engineering (excluding final design and engineering), or development (pre-construction) activities; or any other activity which does not directly result in the installation of equipment to generate electricity and/or heating or cooling, reduce energy use, or enhance energy storage and delivery infrastructure.” [Emphasis added]

Specifically, geothermal drilling typically involves identifying and assessing the geothermal resource and would not, in and of itself, result in the installation of equipment to generate electricity and/or heating or cooling. Further, as stated under Section I.B. relative to Subtopic Area 2.a., Topic Area 3., and Subtopic Area 4.a. of the FOA states, applications “must demonstrate the availability of the renewable energy resource for the life of the project, and applications proposing geothermal, or biomass systems must also demonstrate the sustainability of the resource.” [Emphasis added]

Based on the above, geothermal drilling would not, in and of itself, result in the installation of equipment to generate electricity and/or heating or cooling and would be required prior to submitting an application to demonstrate the availability and sustainability of the resource.  A geothermal drilling project, therefore, would not be of interest under this FOA.

Regarding the period of performance, per the Executive Summary (page 1) and Section II.A.2. (page 29), “DOE anticipates making awards with a period of performance of approximately two (2) to four (4) years, which must include a mandatory 12-month verification period.” [Emphasis added] Therefore, the period of performance proposed must include the 12-month verification period; however, the period of performance may be longer than four (4) years.

Question 13: Will previously funded recipients of a grant from the Office of Indian Energy be considered for funding under this FOA? If previous funding does not disqualify a tribe, is amount received and number of years that have passed since previous funding taken into account?
Answer 13:

Previously funded Recipients of a grant from the Office of Indian Energy are eligible to apply under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA); however, as described in the FOA, the Selection Official may consider whether an applicant has previously received a grant from the Office of Indian Energy as a Program Policy Factor in making his/her decision of which applications to select for award negotiations. As part of that analysis, the Selection Official could also consider the amount provided and the number of years that have passed since previous funding was provided in making his/her decisions.

Question 14: I was looking online for directions from DOE on what the agency considers a Comprehensive Feasibility Study, and all I could find was this paragraph: "A comprehensive feasibility study (...) clearly identifies the need, demonstrates the rationale for selecting the proposed clean energy generating system(s) as opposed to other options, demonstrates the availability of the resource, demonstrates the technical and economic viability, including financial sustainability, of the proposed clean energy generating system(s), and (...) is provided as part of the application." Is there a template or additional guidance published for potential applicants?
Answer 14:

There is no specific format prescribed for the required comprehensive feasibility study, nor is a template available. The application, including the comprehensive feasibility study, will be reviewed relative to the technical review criteria under Section V.A. and therefore, the comprehensive feasibility study should, among the other items identified, demonstrate the technical and economic viability, including financial sustainability, of the proposed project.

Question 15: 1) If a regional tribal organization, which is directly eligible per the eligibility terms of this grant, desires to develop a community scale project that is implemented within multiple communities, could this be considered as a single project? Specifically, could deployment of two community scale battery/renewable energy generating systems be deployed in two geographically distinct communities as part of a single application under Topic Area 2? There appears to be evidence of previous grant awards being provided to statewide/regional entities where projects are implemented to benefit a variety of Tribes which are member organizations. There appears to be specific language to implement multiple energy generating systems as part of Topic Area 2. Other questions: 2) Can "community" be defined to include two geographically distinct, non grid connected communities? 3) Can two geographically separate tribal communities be considered to be a single community if both tribal communities are members of the same eligible regional organization? 4) Can "community scale" be defined to include two energy generating and/or storage systems that will provide benefits to two geographically distinct tribal communities represented by a single eligible entity?
Answer 15:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

The FOA does not preclude multiple installations in two geographically distinct locations, provided both proposed sites meet the requirements of the Topic Area and the Applicant and application meet the eligibility requirements published in the FOA.

Per Section I.B.2. of the FOA, applications being sought under Topic Area 2 are for the deployment of “(1) community-scale clean energy generating system(s) (Subtopic Area 2.a.) or (2) community-scale energy storage on Tribal Lands (Subtopic Area 2.b.).” [Emphasis added]

More specifically, per Section I.B. (page 10) “Applications exclusively proposing clean energy generating system(s) will only be accepted under Subtopic Area 1.a. and Subtopic Area 2.a. Applications exclusively proposing energy efficiency measure(s) will only be accepted under Subtopic Area 1.b. Applications proposing a combination of clean energy generating system(s) and energy efficiency measure(s) will only be accepted under Subtopic Area 1.c. Applications exclusively proposing energy storage will only be considered under Subtopic Area 2.b. and applications proposing integrated energy system(s) will only be considered under Topic Area 3 and Subtopic Area 4.a. Projects proposing energy infrastructure will only be accepted under Subtopic Area 4.b” [Emphasis added] See Appendix A for the definition of Integrated Energy System(s).

Therefore, as described in your question, the ‘battery/renewable energy generating systems’ does not appear to meet the requirements of Topic Area 2; however, the proposed project may be consistent with the types of projects being sought under Topic area 3 (Integrated Energy System(s) for Autonomous Operation).

Per Section I.B.2. (page 18), “For the purposes of Topic Area 2 [Community-Scale Clean Energy Generating System(s) or Community Energy Storage Deployment], “community-scale” means serving a “substantial” number of the total buildings within a community, or a “substantial” portion of the community’s energy load, or an entire tribal community. For the purposes of this FOA, “substantial” means of “ample or considerable amount”.” [Emphasis added] Per Section I.B.3.b. (page 22), “Under Subtopic Area 3.b. [Tribal Community Resilience], the DOE Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications to install community-scale integrated energy system(s) for autonomous operation (independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid) to power a “substantial” number of Essential Tribal Buildings within a community, or a “substantial” portion of the community’s energy load, or an entire tribal community for community resilience, where for the purposes of this FOA, “substantial” means of “ample or considerable amount”.” [Emphasis added]

As defined under Appendix A, ““Community” for the purposes of this FOA, means a group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.” [Emphasis added]

Therefore, based on the FOA definition of “community”, ‘two geographically separate tribal communities’ would not be considered a single community, unless the members of both tribal communities reside in a specific locality, share a government, and may have common cultural and historic heritage.

Please review the applicant eligibility requirements under Section III.A. to ensure the ‘regional tribal organization’ meets the eligible requirements of being: “(1) an Indian Tribe; (2) Intertribal Organization; or (3) Tribal Energy Development Organization; and (4) on whose Tribal Lands the project(s) will be located”, as those terms are defined in the FOA.

Question 16: I am working with a federally recognized Tribe on ongoing efforts to apply for federal grants to fund tribal energy projects. A "Comprehensive Feasibility Study" has been required for multiple FOAs issued through your office in Q4 '22 and Q1 '23 -- specifically DE-FOA-0002771, DE-FOA-0002774, and DE-FOA-0002975. We currently do not have a completed Feasibility Study for our priority tribal energy project, so we're trying to determine the cost vs. benefit of investing in a Comprehensive Feasibility Study at this point. Should we expect that future funding opportunities issued through the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs will also require a Comprehensive Feasibility Study?
Answer 16:

It is anticipated that for clean energy technology deployment Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) that a comprehensive feasibility study would be required since it demonstrates the rationale for selecting a proposed clean energy technology, the availability of the resource (if applicable), and the technical and economic viability, including financial sustainability of a proposed clean energy project. A comprehensive feasibility study is the foundation upon which a proposed project is based.

Question 17: I am reaching out with a question about the contents of DE-FOA-0002975 – specifically the “Cost Share Types and Allowability” section of the NOFO. The NOFO states that a proposed “cost share must be verifiable at the time of submission of the application”. What qualifies as verification? Can you provide some examples that provide greater detail as to the minimum required standard for verification?
Answer 17:

Despite the quoted language from the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), an applicant’s cost share must be “available or accessible” at the time of application submission, rather than “verifiable”; if a grant is awarded, cost share will be verified from the Recipient’s records, once invoiced. 

More specifically, page 6 of the FOA states: “cost share must be available or accessible at the time of submission of the application, as described below. A written assurance (e.g., commitment) must be provided at the time of application submission. The written assurance (e.g., commitment) is a binding guarantee that funds are available or, with respect to the use of equipment, contributed labor hours, or unrecovered indirect costs, accessible. Cost share commitments cannot be dependent on some future event, such as receiving a grant, obtaining a loan, or securing an investor. Furthermore, although the cost share requirement applies to the project as a whole (including work performed by members of the Project Team other than the Recipient) the Recipient is ultimately and legally responsible for the entire amount of cost share, if an award is made. In addition, if an award is made, cost share will be verified, once invoiced.” [Emphasis added]

Further, Section III.B.4.  states, “[c]ost share contributions must be specified in the project budget, verifiable from the Recipient’s records, and necessary and reasonable for proper and efficient accomplishment of the project.” [Emphasis added]

Therefore, the cost share must be available and accessible at the time of submission of the application, Applicants are required to provide written assurances of their cost share contributions in their applications, and if an award is made, cost share will be verified from the Recipients records, once invoiced.

Question 18: We are seeking funds to add bioenergy to power a sawmill facility and to heat the kiln using sawmill byproducts and slash. Will this qualify for the clean energy grant?
Answer 18:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

Per Section I.B., ““Clean Energy Generating System(s)” for the purposes of this FOA include: (1) renewable energy system(s), or (2) combined heat and power system(s) using renewable fuels such as biomass, biogas, renewable natural gas, or renewable hydrogen. See definitions under Appendix A.

Therefore, a combined heat and power system(s) using biomass or biogas would be eligible under the subject FOA, provided the Applicant, application, and proposed project meet the eligibility and all of the other requirements specified in the FOA, including being based on a comprehensive feasibility study. Further, applications submitted under Topic Area 2.a. (Community-Scale Clean Energy Generating) System(s)) and Topic Area 3 (Integrated Energy System(s) for Autonomous Operation), must “demonstrate the availability of the renewable energy resource for the life of the project, and applications proposing geothermal, or biomass systems must also demonstrate the sustainability of the resource.” [Emphasis added]

Question 19: Below are a couple of questions regarding the DOE Office of Indian Energy’s Clean Energy Technology Deployment Grant that I was hoping you could clarify. • The first is with regard to whether or not grant funds may be used to hire a project manager (tribal or otherwise) to take care of the day-to-day operations of the project. • The second is – what steps need to be taken to shift the 80% grant with 20% match to a 90% grant with 10% match?
Answer 19:

Please see responses below:

  • There is no prohibition in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) regarding the use of funds for direct labor, such as for a project manager. 
  • See Section III.B.2. and Section V.C.12 of the FOA for information on requesting a cost share reduction from 20% to 10%. Cost share reductions from the required 20% to 10% will be based on financial need, specifically (1) poverty rate, or (2) median household income of the tribal community as a percentage of statewide median household income. The instructions for calculating eligibility for a reduction and the template to request a cost share reduction is available for download from IE-Exchange at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov/ under ‘Application Forms and Templates’.  The cost share reduction request would be one of the documents to be included as part of an application. The full list of required documents can be found in Table 3 beginning on page 42 of the FOA document.  

 

For more on the FOA and application requirements, including a recording of the information webinar, see https://ie-exchange.energy.gov/.

 

Question 20: We are preparing for a next round proposal for the solar powering of several tribal health buildings. It would be great if you could guide me regarding several questions: • Which previous Notice of Funding Availability should I use as a guide, ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS 2020 or Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands 2023? • Do you anticipate a future offering in December 2023? • Would match be anticipated at 20% or 50%?
Answer 20:

Thank you for your interest. See responses below.

  • Each Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is unique, and the requirements may vary between FOAs, so please ensure you review each FOA once issued to ensure you fully understand the requirements specified in that particular FOA. With that understanding, the Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands - 2023 (DE-FOA-0002975) FOA can be referred to as a possible guide for future opportunities. 
  • The timing relative to the issuance of future FOAs is undetermined but will be dependent, in part, on Congressional passage of a FY2024 budget.
  • Cost share required under future FOAs will be dependent on the particular FOA. Recent statutory changes to Title V of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, however, have established reduced cost share requirements and future required cost share will be consistent with those provisions.

 

Question 21: We are planning a renewable energy generation project on Alaska Native Corporation lands where we’re planning to apply for DOE funds. We have modeled our project using a 50-60% Investment Tax Credit project payback. My question is whether there would be a discount to the ITC/PTC available based on receiving funding from the DOE for this project? Or, could the ITC/PTC not be available to us at all?
Answer 21:

Questions regarding how the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), would treat federal grant funds relative to Investment Tax Credits (ITC) or Production Tax Credits (PTC) would need to be posed to the IRS or a financial advisor. Please consult with the IRS or seek legal counsel. DOE cannot advise you on taxes or tax credits.

However, if investment or production tax credits are monetized and received and contributed to the project during the grant period, those monetized tax credits can be used as cost share against Office of Indian Energy funds on a grant. Additionally, direct payments in lieu of tax credits are not considered federal funding after receipt by a grantee and may also be used as cost share, provided those funds are received and contributed to the project during the grant period.

Please see Section III.B.4., Cost Share Types and Allowability, beginning on page 36 of the funding opportunity announcement for sources of funds which may not be used to meet cost share.

Question 22: I would like to know if a microgrid project to add solar panels and Battery Energy Storage System interconnected with the Grid and a Backup generator would qualify for inclusion under Subtopic Area 1.c.: Clean Energy Generating System(s) and Energy Efficiency Measure(s).
Answer 22:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following:

Integrated energy system(s) as defined in the FOA are only eligible under Topic Area 3 and Subtopic Area 4.a. Under Subtopic Area 1.c., a clean energy generating system(s) can be proposed in addition to a single or multiple energy efficiency measures. And therefore microgrids (or Integrated Energy Systems as defined in the FOA) are not eligible under Subtopic Area 1.c. Please review the Topic Areas carefully to determine under which Topic Area your project may be eligible.  

Question 23: I am applying for DE-FOA-0002975 CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS-2023 and I need clarification on the award amounts. Regarding Topic 3.b., page one of the FOA lists the maximum as $5,000,000 while on page 29 it is listed $4,000,000. Which is the correct maximum amount? Please clarify which amount is the maximum to be requested for Topic 3.b.
Answer 23:

Thank you for bringing this discrepancy to our attention. The maximum amount of DOE funding per individual award for Topic Area 3.b. is $5,000,000.

Question 24: 1) As it pertains to Topic Area 2.a., we had question on the “community scale” requirement relating to “serving a substantial portion of the community’s energy load.” a. Does the generation system need to be tied to the community grid or could the generation system feed a utility grid to provide a substantial amount of the energy use of the community? b. How broadly is “benefit the eligible entity and tribal community” be defined? 2) Further, in regard to the provision allowing 100% of the electricity for the generating system to be sold, do the eligible entity’s or tribal members’ bill need to be directly offset or is generating enough energy to offset the bills of the entity or tribal members sufficient? 3) One other question pertains to subrecipient guidance: If the tribal/eligible entity has selected an EPC contractor to support the project through execution, should they be a subrecipient and, if so, does the tribal/eligible entity need to secure approval of a non-competitively selected subrecipient before the grant application is submitted with the subrecipient’s BUDGET JUSTIFICATION WORKBOOK FORM?
Answer 24:
  1. As stated under Section I.B.2.a. beginning on page 18 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “Applications for commercial or utility-scale projects intended solely for revenue generation through the export of electricity off Tribal Lands for commercial sale are not of interest under this FOA (see Section I.C.), unless (a) revenue from the sale of a portion of that electricity will benefit the eligible entity and the tribal community or (b) revenue from the exported electricity is used to offset the eligible entity’s or tribal members’ electricity bills. More specifically:

(a)   if a proposed energy generating system(s) meets the requirements under Subtopic Area 2.a., a portion of the electricity may be sold, provided revenue from the sale benefits the eligible entity and the tribal community; or

(b) if revenue from the export of electricity from the energy generation system(s) under Subtopic Area 2.a. is used to offset the eligible entity’s or tribal members’ electricity bills, 100% of the electricity may be sold.

If electricity is proposed for export under either (a) and (b) above, an explanation of how the revenue from the sale of that electricity will benefit the eligible entity and the tribal community, or how the revenue will be used to offset the eligible entity’s or tribal members’ electricity bills, whichever is applicable, is required as part of the Technical Volume”

 

  1. Therefore, subject to the limitations above, the generation system can either be connected to the local community distribution system or the utility grid.
  2. The “benefit the eligible entity and tribal community” is not specifically defined in the FOA. Each application will be reviewed based on the explanation of how the revenue from the sale of that electricity will benefit the eligible entity and the tribal community, or how the revenue will be used to offset the eligible entity’s or tribal members’ electricity bills, whichever is applicable.  

 

  1. See #1 above and Section I.B.2.a. of the FOA.

 

  1. As described in Section IV.C.10. of the FOA, a Subrecipient Budget Justification Workbook is only required for “each Subrecipient (i.e., subawardee 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).” Section IV.C.10. also states, “Budget information for any Vendor (i.e., entity contracted to provide goods and services within normal business operations, who provides similar goods or services to many different purchasers, and operates in a competitive environment and who is not providing cost share) should not be included as part of the Subrecipient Budget Justification Workbook form, but rather included as part of the Budget Support file below (Section IV.C.11.). See the Budget Support template for more instructions.”

 

Therefore, if the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor is not providing cost share, does not have a vested interest, and is only providing goods and services within normal business operations, who provides similar goods or services to many different purchasers, and operates in a competitive environment, then the EPC contractor would be considered a Vendor and those costs should not be included as part of the Subrecipient Budget Justification Workbook form, but rather included within the Budget Justification Workbook under Contractual and supplemental information included as part of the Budget Support file.

 

If the EPC contractor does not meet the definition of a Vendor, a Subrecipient Budget Justification Workbook form is only required if the Subrecipient is expected to perform work estimated to be more than $250,000 or 25 percent of the total work effort (whichever is less).

 

Regardless of whether the EPC contractor is determined to be a Subrecipient or a Vendor, if the EPC contractor was selected non-competitively, that entity “must be expressly authorized by the DOE Contracting Officer in response to a written request from the Applicant. The request must be signed by an authorized representative and addressed to the DOE Contracting Officer. The approval request should be on the Applicant’s letterhead and include the justification for each of the non-competitive sole source selection(s), including: (1) the specific non-competitive category applicable under 2 CFR § 200.320(c); (2) any unique or exclusive qualifications; (3) time urgency, if any; (4) past working relationships; and (5) any other relevant information justifying the non-competitive selection.” The approval request (non-competitive sole source request) on Applicant letterhead and signed by an authorized representative needs to be included as an attachment in the Budget Support file. See Section VI.B.21. of the FOA and Questions #6 of the Budget Support template.

Question 25: Can multiple projects be submitted under different funding categories. Does this require the submittal of a separate proposal?
Answer 25:

Per the Executive Summary on page 2 and Section III.F., “Applicants may submit more than one application to this FOA (including more than one application under a particular Topic Area or Subtopic Area), provided each application is for a distinctively different project and each application addresses only one Subtopic 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; unrelated projects cannot be consolidated in a single application.”

 

Therefore, multiple projects may be submitted under the same or different Subtopic Areas (assuming that is what you mean by “funding categories”), provided each is for a distinctly different project and only addresses one Subtopic Area and each application is limited to a single unique and distinct project. An application is required for each distinct project and each application can address only one Subtopic Area; therefore, multiple applications are required for distinct projects or projects under different Subtopic Areas.

 

Question 26: We are inquiring whether our company is a strong fit to apply for the Clean Energy on Tribal Lands grant opportunity. We'd appreciate any guidance or response.
Answer 26:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

Per Section III.A of the FOA (beginning on page 30), “In accordance with EPAct 2005 authorities and consistent with 2 CFR § 910.126(b), eligibility for award under this FOA is restricted to: (1) an Indian Tribe; (2) Intertribal Organization; or (3) Tribal Energy Development Organization; and (4) on whose Tribal Lands the project(s) will be located.” Additionally, “[a]pplications may also be submitted on behalf of Indian Tribe(s) by an authorized “Tribal Organization”, provided evidence of that authority is included as part of the application.”

Unless your company meets those FOA eligibility requirements, therefore, it is not eligible to submit an application. More specifically, in and of itself, a company is not eligible unless the company is a Tribal Organization and evidence of the authority to apply on behalf of an Indian Tribe is included as part of the application, or the company is part of a Tribal Energy Development Organization, or an Intertribal Organization as those terms are defined in the FOA. See Section III.A or Appendix A for definitions.

Question 27: Hello, one of the members of my team met a DOE rep at the REZ conference last week. We are not a tribe, but we are an entity that is owned by a tribal member. Would we be able to apply for any of the funding opportunities listed in the link below? https://ie-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaId05e909d6-28a2-4a5a-ae35-676b7de91763
Answer 27:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

Per Section III.A of the FOA (beginning on page 30), “In accordance with EPAct 2005 authorities and consistent with 2 CFR § 910.126(b), eligibility for award under this FOA is restricted to: (1) an Indian Tribe; (2) Intertribal Organization; or (3) Tribal Energy Development Organization; and (4) on whose Tribal Lands the project(s) will be located.” Additionally, “[a]pplications may also be submitted on behalf of Indian Tribe(s) by an authorized “Tribal Organization”, provided evidence of that authority is included as part of the application.”

Unless your company meets those FOA eligibility requirements, therefore, it is not eligible to submit an application. More specifically, in and of itself, a company is not eligible unless the company is a Tribal Organization and evidence of the authority to apply on behalf of an Indian Tribe is included as part of the application, or the company is part of a Tribal Energy Development Organization, or an Intertribal Organization as those terms are defined in the FOA. See Section III.A or Appendix A for definitions.

Question 28: This is the first time I want to apply for a grant. It concerns a start-up in clean energy. We have several concepts in mind that could be suitable for Tribal Lands.
Answer 28:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.”

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

Per Section III.A of the FOA (beginning on page 30), “In accordance with EPAct 2005 authorities and consistent with 2 CFR § 910.126(b), eligibility for award under this FOA is restricted to: (1) an Indian Tribe; (2) Intertribal Organization; or (3) Tribal Energy Development Organization; and (4) on whose Tribal Lands the project(s) will be located.” Additionally, “[a]pplications may also be submitted on behalf of Indian Tribe(s) by an authorized “Tribal Organization”, provided evidence of that authority is included as part of the application.”

Unless your company meets those FOA eligibility requirements, therefore, it is not eligible to submit an application. More specifically, in and of itself, a company is not eligible unless the company is a Tribal Organization and evidence of the authority to apply on behalf of an Indian Tribe is included as part of the application, or the company is part of a Tribal Energy Development Organization, or an Intertribal Organization as those terms are defined in the FOA. See Section III.A or Appendix A for definitions.

Additionally, “concepts” as described in your question and non-commercial warrantied technology are not eligible under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). Specifically, only commercially proven warrantied technology is eligible, and only if it meets the requirements of the Topic Area under which it is proposed. See Appendix A of the FOA for the definition of “commercially proven” and “warrantied”, Section I.B. for Topic Area requirements, and Section I.C. for applications specifically not of interest.

Question 29: I have a question on the FOA Topic Areas. We are working with a Tribal community with an islanded microgrid in rural Alaska. They will be applying for a Solar/Battery project that will reduce cost of importing fuel with the goal of lowering the energy costs in the community and reducing reliance in imported diesel fuel. It is difficult to get fuel to this community and can be both logistically challenging and expensive. There is a good case to be made that the energy storage improves the system operation and technical feasibility and without it you don't receive as many of the benefits. The system will tie into the entire microgrid; thus, it will serve the entire Tribal community and be "community scale." Not just a subsection of buildings. We had hoped to apply under topic area 2.a. - which is for energy generating systems. Is the project which is PV and Battery be eligible under 2a? Given that this "interconnection infrastructure" can be justified in the Technical Volume.
Answer 29:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.”

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following information you may consider in determining whether to submit an application, based on the limited information provided in your question:

Section I.B. (beginning on page 9) of the FOA states, “Except for projects proposing energy efficiency measures (Subtopic Area 1.b.), projects proposed under Topic Area 1, Topic Area 2, and Topic Area 3 are intended for Tribal Building(s) that are either (1) grid-connected (which, for the purposes of this FOA, means the Tribal Building(s) are connected to the traditional centralized electric power grid), or (2) connected to a stand-alone (isolated) microgrid that operates autonomously from the traditional centralized electric power grid.”

As described in your question, the proposed system appears to be for Tribal Buildings that are “connected to a stand-alone (isolated) microgrid that operates autonomously from the traditional centralized electric power grid;” it may therefore be eligible under Subtopic Area 2.a., provided the proposed system meets the requirements of that Subtopic Area.

Under Section I.B.2.a. (page 18), specific to Subtopic Area 2.a. (Community-Scale Clean Energy Generating System(s)), applications are being sought for the “deployment of community-scale energy generating system(s) to provide electricity and/or heating or cooling to a substantial number of the total buildings within a community, or a substantial portion of the total community’s energy load, or an entire tribal community.” As such, under Topic Area 2.a., only clean energy generating system(s) are being sought and, for the “purposes of this FOA include: (1) renewable energy system(s), or (2) combined heat and power system(s) using renewable fuels such as biomass, biogas, renewable natural gas, or renewable hydrogen,” not energy storage systems.  

Therefore, a solar photovoltaic (PV) system may be eligible as a clean energy generating system under Topic Area 2.a.; however, battery energy storage would not be eligible under Topic Area 2.a. See the definitions of “clean energy generating system(s)” and “renewable energy system(s)” in Appendix A.

You may, however, wish to consider whether your described project may be eligible under Topic Area 3 (Integrated Energy System(s) for Autonomous Operation), provided it meets the definition of an integrated energy system as defined under Section I.B. (page 10) and Appendix A. That definition requires that ““Integrated Energy System(s)” under Topic Area 3 and Subtotal Area 4.a. must, as a minimum, provide power to Essential Tribal Building(s) or unelectrified Tribal Buildings, respectively, and include: (1) clean energy generating system(s); (2) controls and management system(s); and (3) energy storage system(s). Such systems may also include (4) conventional energy generation device(s); however, conventional energy generation device(s) are eligible only if used solely as a dispatchable stand-by power source.”

Finally, for Topic Area 3 (see page 21), “some components of the proposed integrated energy system(s) may already exist and, therefore, not all of the components must be proposed for DOE funding; however, the integrated energy system(s) as a whole must meet the requirements under Topic Area 3.”

We therefore recommend that you read the FOA thoroughly to ensure the project meets the requirements published in the FOA.

Question 30: Will the Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands grant competition be open in subsequent years? We may not be ready to apply this year, but would be very interested in 2024.
Answer 30:

The timing and ability of the DOE Office of Indian Energy to offer future funding opportunities is dependent, in part, on Congressional passage of a FY2024 budget. As such, it is unknown whether or when this or similar funding opportunities will be offered in subsequent years.

Question 31: I am writing to request a 2-to-3-month extension to the Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands - 2023 (DE-FOA-0002975) grant application deadline.
Answer 31:

Currently, there are no plans to extend the due date of May 16, 2023 for applications in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).

However, if the FOA due date is extended or the FOA amended, anyone who is registered in grants.gov, has subscribed to the original FOA posting, and subscribed to opportunities, will receive a notification via email. For more information on how to subscribe in Grants.gov, see https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#t=Connect%2FSubscribeToOpportunities.htm. Note that applications will not be accepted through Grants.gov. Only complete applications submitted to IE-Exchange by the due date and time, will be considered.

Question 32: I am inquiring whether individual, standalone, off-grid solar systems (panels + batteries) for individual homes are the type of technology that can be funded under this program? This is NOT a microgrid nor is it connected to any local public utility or grid. I see that homes can indeed be considered tribal buildings.
Answer 32:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.”

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

Under Topic Area 4 (Powering Unelectrified Tribal Buildings) applications are being sought “to provide electric power to Tribal Building(s), which otherwise would be unelectrified, by deploying (1) integrated energy system(s) (Subtopic Area 4.a.) or (2) energy infrastructure (Subtopic Area 4.b.). Projects proposed under Topic Area 4 are intended for unelectrified Tribal Building(s), where “unelectrified” means Tribal Building(s) that are not connected to (1) the traditional centralized electric power grid, and not connected to (2) connected to a stand-alone (isolated) microgrid that operates autonomously from the traditional centralized electric power grid.” See Section I.B.4. beginning on page 24 of the FOA.

Per Section I.B.4.a. (Integrated Energy System(s) for Electrification), ““Integrated Energy System(s)” under Subtopic 4.a. must, as a minimum, provide power to unelectrified Tribal Building(s) and include: (1) clean energy generating system(s); (2) controls and management system(s); and (3) energy storage system(s). Such systems may also include (4) conventional energy generation device(s); however, conventional energy generation device(s) are eligible only if used solely as a dispatchable stand-by power source. Note that some components of the proposed integrated energy system(s) may already exist and, therefore, not all of the components must be proposed for DOE funding; however, the integrated energy system(s) as a whole must meet the requirements under Subtopic Area 4.a.”

Please review the FOA thoroughly to ensure your project and the applicant meet the requirements published in the FOA.

Question 33: Our Tribe is applying for category 1.c. We are wondering if energy efficiency monitoring equipment is an eligible expense, as we believe we will need some monitoring equipment to help us better monitor our proposed Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) upgrades.
Answer 33:

The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) does not preclude monitoring equipment from being proposed or the inclusion of the cost of that equipment in the proposed budget, except for energy conservation measures to induce a behavior change (see Section I.C. Applications Specifically Not of Interest). Specifically, per page 11 the FOA explicitly requires a mandatory 12-month monitoring period and that “a description of those verification methods must be included as part of the Technical Volume and the activity included as part of the Workplan (see Section IV.C., Content and Form of the Application).”

Question 34: I’ve been approached by a wonderful Pueblo asking for assistance in responding to the DE-FOA-0002075. Was there anything that needed to be submitted ahead of time to be eligible for this proposal? Some proposals require a concept paper or at least signing up.
Answer 34:

The funding opportunity announcement (FOA) can be found on IE-Exchange at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov. The FOA document contains all the requirements associated with this opportunity. Further, an audio recording and information webinar slides are available at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov and provide information on who is eligible to apply, what an application needs to include, cost share and other requirements, how to ask questions, and how applications will be selected for funding.

 

A concept paper is not required. Registration requirements can be found under Section VI.B.1. beginning on page 73 of the FOA.

Question 35: I would like to ask for any Grant Application Guidelines that apply to these two grants. As well as any idea of the amount of Tribal groups that applied for this? If there hasn’t been that much response we’d like to respond with that much more effort to see what we can do to connect Tribal communities with these programs. Thank you very much! DE-FOA-0002978 TRANSITIONING TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO CLEAN ENERGY – 2023 DE-FOA-0002975 Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands - 2023
Answer 35:

The Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) can be found on IE-Exchange at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov. The FOA document includes the requirements (or as referred to in your question, “guidelines”) associated with each of these opportunities. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) may also provide insight, along with the informational webinars which provide information on who is eligible to apply, what an application needs to include, cost share and other requirements, how to ask questions, and how applications will be selected for funding.

 

For the audio recording and the webinar slides for DE-FOA-0002975: Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands – 2023, see IE-EXchange (https://ie-exchange.energy.gov). For DE-FOA-0002978 Transitioning Tribal Colleges and Universities to Clean Energy  – 2023, the informational webinar will be Thursday, April 27 from 1-3 MDT.  Please see https://ie-exchange.energy.gov for the link to register for this informational webinar.

 

Feel free to distribute information on these two opportunities.

Question 36: I would like to find out how I deploy the information on our battery storage solution for first nation communities to the relevant people with the aim of applying for the various tenders and deployment opportunities.
Answer 36:

To be eligible under the subject Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), use of commercially proven warrantied clean energy technology is required. The definitions under Appendix A of the FOA are included below for reference. Therefore, if the battery storage solution meets the commercially proven warrantied requirement as defined below, it would be eligible.

“Commercially proven” for the purposes of this FOA, means the technology must be at least a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 9, where TRL 9 is “Commercial-Scale Production/Application” and represents an in-service application of the technology in its final form and under mission condition and at TRL 9, the actual, commercial-scale system is proven through successful mission operations, whereby it is fielded and being used in commercial application. Information relative to the technology and its TRL should be provided as part of the application. For more on TRL, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_readiness_level.

Our charter by Congress is to provide Indian Tribes and tribal organizations financial and technical support in advancing their energy goals. Consistent with our mission and due to the competitive nature of this funding opportunity, we are unable to assist with any business arrangements between you and Indian tribes, or the marketing of your technology.

Question 36: I would like to find out how I deploy the information on our battery storage solution for first nation communities to the relevant people with the aim of applying for the various tenders and deployment opportunities.
Answer 36:

To be eligible under the subject Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), use of commercially proven warrantied clean energy technology is required. The definitions under Appendix A of the FOA are included below for reference. Therefore, if the battery storage solution meets the commercially proven warrantied requirement as defined below, it would be eligible.

“Commercially proven” for the purposes of this FOA, means the technology must be at least a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 9, where TRL 9 is “Commercial-Scale Production/Application” and represents an in-service application of the technology in its final form and under mission condition and at TRL 9, the actual, commercial-scale system is proven through successful mission operations, whereby it is fielded and being used in commercial application. Information relative to the technology and its TRL should be provided as part of the application. For more on TRL, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_readiness_level.

Our charter by Congress is to provide Indian Tribes and tribal organizations financial and technical support in advancing their energy goals. Consistent with our mission and due to the competitive nature of this funding opportunity, we are unable to assist with any business arrangements between you and Indian tribes, or the marketing of your technology.

Question 37: Regarding this grant with the May 16 deadline, what is the maximum dollar amount my client would be allowed to apply for? Thank you in advance for any guidance and clarification.
Answer 37:

The Executive Summary (page 1) and Section II.A.1. of the Funding Opportunity Announcement contain the maximum amount of DOE funding for each Subtopic Area. The maximum amount of DOE funding per individual award, depending on the Subtopic Area, is either $2,500,000 or $5,000,000, regardless of any cost share reduction.

Question 38: We have a question whether this grant may be applicable to a solar rehabilitation and repair project. Specifically, we are seeking clarification regarding the suitability of our proposed work on tribal properties to provide and install Clean Energy Generating System(s) and Energy Efficiency Measure(s) for tribal buildings (Topic 1C). In brief we wish to submit a proposal to rehabilitate thousands of failed solar modules and related infrastructure that, prior to their failure, were intended to generate clean energy for use by tribal buildings. The contractors failed to meet contractual obligations to the tribe and instead went out of business. The Solar Array has 16,000 solar modules. We need to test these modules and identify the bad modules, warranty them out, and replace them. The Tribe does not have funds to do this testing, which is required to get warranty relief, and is seeking grant funding to do so.
Answer 38:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.”

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

Per the Executive Summary (page 1) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and Section I.A. (page 8), the DOE’s Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications to “install clean energy generating system(s) and energy efficiency measure(s) for Tribal Building(s) (Topic Area 1)”. [Emphasis added] As described in your question, although the installation of new solar modules for a new clean energy generating system may be eligible under the FOA, the testing and identification of the bad modules in an existing system for warranty purposes would not be eligible for funding.

Question 39: Question for the DOE regarding Solar Canopies for Parking lots. From section C. APPLICATIONS SPECIFICALLY NOT OF INTEREST: proposing the cost of construction for a building(s) or structure(s) such as carports. Only the incremental costs associated with the installation of clean energy generating system(s), energy storage system(s), integrated energy system(s), or energy efficiency measures will be considered allocable to the proposed DOE funded project and not the cost of constructing the building(s) or structure(s), unless those structures are integral to the proposed project. We need to confirm from the DOE that Solar Canopy’s are integral to the proposed project and not considered a carport install.
Answer 39:

As stated in Section I.B. (page 12), “Costs associated with the construction of a building(s) or structure(s) such as carports (unless integral to the energy system(s) being proposed) will not be considered by DOE for reimbursement or as cost share; only the incremental costs associated with the installation of clean energy generating system(s), energy storage system(s), integrated energy system(s), or energy efficiency measure(s) will be considered allocable to the proposed DOE funded project.”

Therefore, if the solar panels are integral to the structure (i.e., form the roof structure), the cost of the structure may be considered for reimbursement by DOE or as cost share; however, if the solar panels are mounted to the carport structure, then the cost of the structure would not be considered for reimbursement by DOE or as cost share. Whether the solar panels are integral to the carport would depend on the design of the solar carport structure.

Question 40: Can a Tribe provide its project cost share(match) in the form of equipment purchase of a Grid Controller, equipment needed for the project under, Topic Area 3. Integrated Energy System(s) for Autonomous Operation and Tribal Community Resilience (Subtopic Area 3.b.)?
Answer 40:

A Tribe may purchase a piece of project equipment (the Grid Controller) with its own funds (not using grant funding provided by DOE); contribute that equipment in its entirety to the project, and use the full purchase price of that equipment as cost share under the grant, subject to 2 CFR 200.306 (Cost Sharing or Matching) and 2 CFR 200.313 (Equipment). However, once the equipment has been contributed to the project, it is subject to all regulatory requirements and limitations on project assets, which include but may not be limited to: DOE retains a vested interest in that equipment up to the fair market value of its federal share; the equipment cannot be encumbered by the recipient (e.g., used as collateral for a loan), and the equipment is subject to the disposition requirements of the grant at the end of the project, where the fair market value of the equipment will be treated on a pro-rata basis (see 2 CFR 200.313e (Disposition)).

Alternatively, if the Tribe purchases the equipment with its own funds (not using grant funding provided by DOE) and chooses to only contribute the use of that equipment during the grant period, only the lease or rental value of the equipment (not the full purchase price) will be counted as cost share.  Under this scenario, the Tribe retains sole ownership of the equipment, and the equipment is not subject to the disposition requirements of the grant.

Question 41: I am representing a tribe in Oklahoma that has interests in applying for the Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands (DE-FOA-0002975) Grant. The Tribe wishes to offset the majority of their electricity demands by way of solar connected directly to their facilities. The problem is that the local Co-Op (Utility) has a 100 kW AC cap (per meter) for all solar installations. Having said that, a 100 kW AC system will not be sufficient to provide adequate returns to warrant a new solar array. Our Question - Can the DOE, as part of this grant, help said Tribe come to an agreement with the local Co-Op to allow for a larger system? This Co-Op has a monopoly on power and the Tribe has been trying to generate and harvest their own power for quite some time.
Answer 41:

DOE cannot under this Funding Opportunity help the Tribe come to an agreement with the local electric cooperative to allow for a larger system. However, the DOE Office of Indian Energy provides technical assistance to tribes and tribal entities and the tribe is welcome to submit a technical assistance request through the Indian Energy website at www.energy.gov/indianenergy and we can explore with the Tribe the types of assistance which may be available.

Question 42: I am in the process of writing the above grant and came across an issue. The Tribe owns the building, but where the building is located, is NOT located on tribal land. The building they purchased is in a city located off the Reservation. Is this building eligible under the funding opportunity. If this grant does not apply here, will there be other opportunities for us to apply for an energy grant to purchase solar panels as a backup energy source?
Answer 42:

 

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.”

 

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

 

Per Section III.A., “eligibility for award under this FOA is restricted to: (1) an Indian Tribe; (2) Intertribal Organization; or (3) Tribal Energy Development Organization; and (4) on whose Tribal Lands the project(s) will be located.” [Emphasis added]

 

For the purpose of this FOA, Section III.A. further defines Tribal Lands as “(a) “Indian land” (see definition below); (b) lands held in fee simple (purchased or owned) by an Indian Tribe, Intertribal Organization, Tribal Energy Development Organization, or other eligible Applicant; (c) lands held under a long-term land lease (as a minimum, for the useful life of the proposed project) by an Indian Tribe, Tribal Energy Development Organization, or other eligible Applicant; and (d) land that was conveyed to a Native Corporation pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. § 1601, et seq.) and subsequently conveyed to another entity, provided that entity is either a Native village or Tribal governmental entity or the land is held, invested, managed for and on behalf of a Native village or Tribal governmental entity.” [Emphasis added]

 

We therefore recommend you consider these elements in making your decision whether to apply under this FOA. If the Tribal Building is located on lands held under fee simple (purchased or owned) by an Indian Tribe or lands held under a long-term land lease (as a minimum, for the useful life of the proposed project) by an Indian Tribe, the building located in the City may be eligible under this FOA. Please refer to the FOA document to determine whether the proposed project meets all the requirements of the FOA.

 

For other opportunities which may apply, please see the ‘Current Funding Opportunities’ on the DOE Office of Indian Energy website at www.energy.gov/indianenergy/current-funding-opportunities or subscribe to our newsletter at www.energy.gov/indianenergy to receive email updates.

 

Question 43: I am preparing a grant application for an eligible tribal entity, under Topic Area 4a. There are no subrecipients. Are contractors who are not yet under contract, but not partners in the application, required to provide letters of support?
Answer 43:

Per page 4 and Section IV.C.7. (page 50) of the Funding Opporutnity Annuncement (FOA), “Letters of commitment and cost sharing are required from all other project participants (excluding Vendors).” Therefore, if there are no subrecipients, participant letters of commitment and cost sharing are not required. Letters of support from Vendors (i.e., contractors) as defined in the FOA are not required.

 

Question 44: I have two questions regarding our DE-FOA-0002975 application: 1. For our project a neighboring City will be gifting an eight-acre plot of land to the Tribe which is applying for the grant so that it can be used as the location for the facility being proposed for funding. Can the value of this parcel be used for the 20% match? 2. Is there a section in the Grant that refers to applying for grant funds to pay for planning rather than construction?
Answer 44:

Please find responses below:

 

  1. The full value of the land cannot be used as cost share on the grant, only the fair market lease or rental value for the land for the period of the grant can be considered as cost share (see Section III.B.4. of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)).
  2. The intent of this FOA is for the installation of clean energy technology as such, funds under this opportunity cannot be used for planning. Per Section I.C. (Applications Specifically Not of Interest) of the FOA beginning on page 27, “studies, design, and engineering (excluding final design and engineering), or development (pre-construction) activities” are not of interest and applications proposing these activities will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be reviewed or considered. Please contact us at IndianEnergy@hq.doe.gov for other resources which may assist with planning.

 

Question 45: I represent tribe, and we know this is short deadline, yet the tribe needs to upgrade and central air system in their tribal center. We think we can get an estimate for work this week. But I need to know whether the application is too much for us to complete on this short deadline. I thought we possibly could be the estimate of work will not be that complex...but not sure what else might require more time than we have.
Answer 45:

As stated in Section III.F. Questions Regarding Eligibility (page 31) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision of whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.”

 

However, for your purposes in making that decision, we offer the following based on the limited information provided in your question:

 

Per Section I.B.1.b. (page 16), “Under Subtopic Area 1.b., the DOE Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications proposing either a single or multiple energy efficiency measures to Tribal Building(s). Under Subtopic Area 1.b., either a single energy efficiency measure or multiple energy efficiency measures may be proposed and either a single Tribal Building or multiple Tribal Buildings may be proposed. To be eligible under Subtopic Area 1.b., applications must: (1) Be based on energy audit(s) or industrial energy assessment(s) that clearly identifies the need, demonstrates the rationale for selecting the proposed energy efficiency measure(s) as opposed to other options, demonstrate the technical and economic viability, including financial sustainability, of the proposed energy efficiency measure(s), and those energy audits or industrial energy assessments provided as part of the application; (2) Include an estimate of the energy saved annually (amount, cost, and percentage) by the proposed energy efficiency measure(s) based on the actual energy used for existing buildings and projected savings for buildings currently being constructed or planned to be constructed during the proposed grant period; and (3) Use commercially proven warrantied technology (see the definition of “commercially proven” and “warrantied” under Appendix A).”

 

In addiiton to the Topic Area requirements above, applicants are required to register in IE-Exchange and obtained a control number that will be used as an identifier and will be required on all application documents; obtained a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number; has registered in SAM and will continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency; has registered in FedConnect.net in order to receive award documentation; has registered in Grants.gov in order to receive automatic updates when Amendments to this FOA are posted.  Further, an authorized representative of the applicant must also certify that those registrations have been completed and include that certification as part of their application.

 

In making your decision, please review the 19 application documents in Table 3 (beginning on page 42) of the FOA that are required for a complete application.

 

Question 46: I cannot find the Potentially Duplicate Funding Notice form. Please assist.
Answer 46:

A form has not been provided for the Potentially Duplicate Funding Notice. Please see Section IV.C.15 for instructions.

Question 47: I am unable to submit my application as it requires cost share of 20% even though I have requested a reduction to 10%. The system shows an error when I use 10% and will not let me submit my application.
Answer 47:

We are exploring the issue and a resolution. However, in the interim, please identify 20% in Exchange and submit your application.