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: We are is interested in this opportunity, is there more information regarding this funding announcement.
Answer 1:

More information can be found on EERE Exchange at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/#FoaId47df7cd5-5f75-4e14-954b-bce53b93cdca. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) itself can be found under “FOA Documents” and the other required forms found by clicking “View Required Application Documents”. Please also consider joining the webinar scheduled for March 1, 2016 from 3:00-5:00 pm Eastern. In addition to describing the FOA, the webinar will describe who is eligible to apply, what the application needs to include, cost share and other requirements, how to ask questions, and how applications will be selected for funding.

 

Register for the Webinar:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1340168707350748930

 
Question 2: Do all subcontracts need to be registered in the EERE Exchange or just the prime applicant?
Answer 2:

Only the prime applicant need be registered in EERE Exchange to submit an application.

 
Question 3: a) Is a hyphen (-) required as part of the “ControlNumber” portion of the file name? Example: 1453-1234_LeadOrganization_TechnicalVolume.pdf, or 14531234_Lead Organization_TechnicalVolumn.pdf b) Is an acronym acceptable for the “Lead Organization” portion of the file name, or must the specific organizational name be used? Example: 1453-1502_Lead Organization_TechnicalVolume.pdf, or 1453-1234_ABCD_TechnicalVolume.pdf
Answer 3:

a)  Per Section IV.A. of the FOA, .C. of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “[a] control number will be issued when an Applicant begins the Exchange application process.” As the hyphen (-) is part of the EERE Exchange-provided control number, it is required. Example: 1453-1234_Lead Organization_App424

b)  An acronym is acceptable as part of the file name; however, a full name is preferred, unless the length of the file name becomes exceptionally long. For example, 1453-1234_Department of Energy_App424 rather than 1453-1234_DOE_App424

Question 4: We currently have a Cooperative Agreement with the Office of Indian Energy, which ends on December 31, 2016. Is it allowable to set a start date after that agreement ends (e.g., January 2017)?
Answer 4:

DOE prefers not have two separate concurrent agreements for the same type of activities. Therefore, if selected, the start date would be negotiated to avoid two separate concurrent agreements.  For planning purposes, selection notifications are expected to be made Summer 2016 and award negotiations will be during Fall 2016.

Question 5: Can you confirm whether a subcontractor can be utilized in a proposed project? We note that section B (Applications Specifically Not of Interest) includes applications proposing the “procurement of project services.”
Answer 5:

The use of contracted services is not specifically excluded, except as indicated in Section I.B. (Applications Specifically Not of Interest) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), that precludes “[p]rocurement of project related services”. In this instance “procurement related services” would include such services as those to conduct a project-specific resource assessment, environmental study, or market analysis. In other words, the intent is not for the organizations to develop specific projects, but rather to be an information resource to member Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages.

 

Although a proposed project may include consultants, contractors, and vendors, an application would not be of interest under this FOA if it were to solely rely on outside entities. As specified in the FOA, eligibility “under this FOA is restricted to (1) “Alaska Native Regional Corporations”; and (2) “Inter-tribal Organizations” that, as part of their applications, provide written evidence of their authority to submit an application to this FOA on behalf of two or more Indian tribes.”

 

Question 6: Page 44 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), Section VIII.G. Notice Regarding Eligible/Ineligible Activities states, “[e]ligible activities under this FOA include those which promote the understanding and deployment of clean energy technologies.” Would technical assistance in the form guidance towards understanding funding options such as grants or loans for future projects or training be an allowable activity under this FOA?
Answer 6:  

Section VIII.G on page 44 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is specifically addressing the ineligibility of activities related to encouraging or supporting political activities such as the collection and dissemination of information related to potential, planned or pending legislation. [Emphasis added]

 

Per Section III.F of the FOA, the decision to submit lies solely with the applicant.  Although DOE will not advise on a pending application or make eligibility determinations in advance of receiving applications, generally, informational resources on funding options and sources and training to member Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages would be considered technical assistance related activities under this FOA.  Please also refer to Section I.A of the FOA for the intended scope and Section I.B for activities specifically not of interest.
Question 7: Where can I find the slides for the informational webinar that was held for this FOA?
Answer 7:

The slides for the webinar held March 1, 2016 are available on the Office of Indian Energy website at:

http://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/downloads/doe-establishment-inter-tribal-technical-assistance-energy-providers-network. 

Question 8: This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) references “Alaska Native Regional Corporations” and “Inter-tribal Organizations,” however not Alaska Native Village Corporations. We are a non-profit representing Alaska Native Village Corporations, and my question is whether-or-not we would qualify as an “Inter-tribal Organization”?
Answer 8:

Per Section III.F 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.”

 

Section III.A of the FOA which states, “eligibility for award under this FOA is restricted to (1) “Alaska Native Regional Corporations”; and (2) “Inter-tribal Organizations” that, as part of their applications, provide written evidence of their authority to submit an application to this FOA on behalf of two or more Indian tribes.”

 

Per the FOA, ““Indian tribe,” for purposes of this FOA, means any “Indian tribe, Band, Nation or other organized group or community” (including Alaska Native villages, but not regional or village corporations) which are recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.” [Emphasis added]

 

Additionally, page 2 of the FOA states, “[f]or the purposes of this FOA, “Inter‐tribal Organization” means an organization comprised of two or more Indian tribes, established under congressional, state, or tribal law to act on behalf of the participating Indian tribes. “Inter‐tribal Organizations” may include, but are not limited to, inter‐tribal councils, regional tribal organizations or associations, Alaska Regional Development Organizations (ARDORs), and tribal federations.” [Emphasis added] 
Question 9: Do Davis-Bacon wage rates apply to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)?
Answer 9: Unless otherwise required by law, the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts apply only to contractors and subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works.  As such, Davis-Bacon wage rates will not apply to projects funded under this FOA. 
Question 10: Per Section II.3. (New Applications Only) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “DOE will accept only new applications under this FOA. DOE will not consider applications for renewals of existing DOE‐funded awards through this FOA.” Does this mean that other awards have been made for similar work? If so, can you direct us to those successful awardees and what their applications tried to accomplish? We would want to try to learn from their successes/mistakes and work to make sure that we try not to duplicate what is already being done.
Answer 10: Section II.3 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is standard language pertaining specifically to using this FOA to obtain supplemental funding for an existing grant. It is not intended to imply prior grants have been made for the activities sought under this FOA. This competitive funding opportunity has not been offered by DOE nor the Office of Indian Energy in the past. 
Question 11: We are the Alaska Regional Development Organization (ARDOR) and are developing an application that includes a tiered approach. The concept is that the we would provide overall, and high level coordination of projects and the resources that communities need to keep their (self-identified) energy priorities moving forward, coordinating regional stakeholder meetings, and managing findings. We plan to enlist an energy coordinator in each of the Alaska Native Regional Corporations (ANCs) we cover, that will conduct more specific data collection and community assistance, writing applications and supporting permitting for specific projects. We will also retain the services of specialized energy contractors under this project. Some of the ANC regions, have indicated they would like to apply for this FOA independently, though still support our regional approach. Will our application be negatively impacted if the ANC specific regions submit their own application under this FOA? What are the implications of one region potentially receiving overlapping Technical Assistance grants (but still supporting both)?
Answer 11:

Per Section III.E, Limitation on Number of Applications Eligible for Review (page 11 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)), “[e]ligible entities may only submit one application to this FOA.” However, as each entity as you’ve describe is a separate and distinct entity, each could submit an application. However, if multiple applications were selected for award and represent the same Alaska Native villages, DOE would negotiate with each applicant to ensure that the funded activities were not duplicative. Be aware, however, that per the FOA (Section V.C), the Selection Official may consider program policy factors in determining which applications to select for award negotiations, one of which is geographic diversity.

Also, be aware that per Section I.B of the FOA (page 4), “[p]rocurement of project related services” are not of interest and will not be considered. As more fully described in the response to Frequently Asked Question #5 as follows:

“The use of contracted services is not specifically excluded, except as indicated in Section I.B. (Applications Specifically Not of Interest) of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), that precludes “[p]rocurement of project related services”. In this instance “procurement related services” would include such services as those to conduct a project-specific resource assessment, environmental study, or market analysis. In other words, the intent is not for the organizations to develop specific projects, but rather to be an information resource to member Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages. Although a proposed project may include consultants, contractors, and vendors, an application would not be of interest under this FOA if it were to solely rely on outside entities. As specified in the FOA, eligibility “under this FOA is restricted to (1) “Alaska Native Regional Corporations”; and (2) “Inter-tribal Organizations” that, as part of their applications, provide written evidence of their authority to submit an application to this FOA on behalf of two or more Indian tribes.””

Further, per Section III.F of the 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.”

 
Question 12: On page 1 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), it states, “DOE is soliciting applications from “Alaska Native Regional Corporations” and “Inter‐tribal Organizations” to provide technical assistance on a regional basis…” Can you provide additional explanation of what is meant by “on a regional basis”?
Answer 12: A “region,” for purposes of this FOA, means the area represented by the member Indian tribes including Alaska Native villages of the eligible applicant, where the eligible applicant is either an Inter-tribal Organizations or Alaska Native Regional Corporations as defined in the FOA. 
Question 13: In regard to the Workplan component, page 15 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) states, “5 page limit including milestone table and project.” In order to comply with the stated 5 page limit and to avoid duplication of information, can the Milestone Summary Table be used to fulfill both the Milestone Summary Table requirement and also the requirements starting on page 60 (Appendix C – Workplan Format) starting with “Phase” and going on to Task, Subtask, and Milestone outline?
Answer 13:

Per page 15 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the Workplan including milestone table and project schedule is limited to 5 pages. On page 19 the FOA states in bold, “[n]ote that similar may be requested in separate sections of the Technical Volume or in the Workplan”. Specifically, the table on pages 21 and 22, detail the required content of the Workplan and Appendix C provides a template format. Per page 22, “[n]ote: As the Workplan is a stand‐alone document, the project objectives and project summary may duplicate some of the information provided in the Project Overview or Project Description and Outcomes sections of the Technical Volume. [Emphasis added]"

The Workplan shall contain a concise detailed narrative description of the specific activities or tasks to be conducted during the period of the project, whereas the milestone table is intended as a summary of those tasks.

 
Question 14: The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seems to have two conflicting statements. Bullet “Level of Involvement and Cost Sharing” on page 20 states, “[l]etters of support by anyone besides member Indian tribes and participants in the proposed project are not required or desired, and should not be provided as part of the application.” However, at the top of page 24, the FOA states, “[l]etters of support by anyone not participating in the proposed project are not required or desired, and should not be provided as part of the application.” Our specific question is: can we include Letters of Support in our application from our member Tribes?
Answer 14: Per page 20, “[l]etters of support by anyone besides member Indian tribes and participants in the proposed project are not required or desired, and should not be provided as part of the application.” In this instance, member Indian tribes are considered participants, therefore, letters of support from member Indian tribes are encouraged and welcome. 
Question 15: (1) Please describe the specific responsibilities and time commitment of the Technical Contact and Business Contact as it relates to interfacing with DOE. (2) Page 7 of the FOA states, “[i]n an effort to build a network of those selected regional technical assistance providers and ensure their energy representatives have consistent energy information and skills necessary to assist their member Indian tribes, the Office of Indian energy will provide training during the first year of the grant and provide access to DOE resources and energy experts throughout the grant period. As such, travel costs for five one‐week trips to Golden, Colorado should be included in the proposed budget.” How many representatives from each award recipient will be expected to attend the five DOE training sessions?
Answer 15:

(1) Per page 22 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), “[t]he Applicant’s “Business Contact” must be a representative of the Applicant authorized to act on behalf of the Applicant in the daily administration of the grant and to negotiate the agreement (not necessarily the signatory). Note that all DOE official written correspondence related to this announcement, or agreement, if one is awarded, would be addressed to the “Business Contact”. Also per page 22 of the FOA, “[t]he Applicant’s “Technical Contact” is one authorized to act as project manager on behalf of the Applicant and would be the prime point of contact for DOE’s Project Officer during the project performance, if an agreement is awarded.”

More specifically, the Business Contact’s and Technical Contact’s responsibilities might include, but are not limited to, the following:

Business Contact:
• Represent the organization relative to administrative and grant management;
• Maintaining registrations in System of Award Management (SAM);
• Maintaining registrations in FedConnect;
• Formally accepting the new award agreement and any modifications in FedConnect;
• Completing invoicing for the grant funds;
• Addressing any questions relative to indirect rates, financial systems, and audits; and
• Completing quarterly financial report submissions.

Note that these functions may be performed by single person or multiple people; however, for grant purposes, DOE is requesting a single individual be designated to represent the applicant organization as the Business Contact.

Technical Contact:
• DOE’s Project Officer point of contact;
• Acts as the Project Manager on behalf of the applicant organization;
• Completes the quarterly Progress Reports and Final Technical Report;
• Presents project progress at the Annual Program Review;
• Generally manages and/or implements the project on behalf of the recipient organization.

Note: In some cases, the recipient may designate one individual to act as both the Business Contact and Technical Contact.

As each organization varies, the amount of time allocated for these functions will vary. Each applicant will need to estimate the time and budget needed and include that information as part of their application.

(2) Each award recipient will be required to send at least one representative to attend the training sessions, preferably the individual designated as the “energy expert”.

 
Question 16: 1) Question 14 of this Funding Opportunity Announcement’s (FOA) Frequently Asked Questions stated, “(2) Each award recipient will be required to send at least one representative to attend the training sessions, preferably the individual designated as the “energy expert”.” Does this mean we can have multiple energy experts, and – if so – how many? For example, we would like to propose 1-to-2 people from each of our Tribal councils or staff to be energy experts along with several of our regional entities. By the time we do all the travel cost estimation, the costs would add up. So, we would like to maximize DOE’s offer to train “energy experts” for our region, but where is the limit? 2) Do we assume that the provided training would cover such topics as energy planning and energy project development, and are we able to solicit training suggestions? Also, page 3 of the FOA discusses five one-week trips to Golden, Colorado for training in the first year of the grant, and we are wondering if that expectation is realistic and whether-or-not a schedule of said trainings is available? 3) In your FOA, if the period extended beyond 3-periods, one would have to get permission from DOE. Do we ask for that permission before we submit or after? And if we did want to have more than 3-periods, what would be the additional parameters be for that request? Are periods basically described in a 365 day period or a described period of development?
Answer 16:
  1. A specific cap of individuals for each application has not been stipulated. As such, please consider your needs and your proposed budget and propose accordingly.

     

  2. The training is intended to cover energy planning and energy project development. However, suggestions are welcome. Please include any specific suggestions in your application. The training curriculum is evolving and to the maximum extent practical, will be structured to meet the needs of the network.

     

  3. Per page 5 of the FOA, “DOE anticipates making awards with project periods from three (3) to five (5) years, after which it is expected that the Inter-tribal technical assistance energy provider will be financially sufficient and can continue these efforts without further DOE support.” Therefore, the proposed duration of the project will be required as part of the application, and the actual duration negotiated, if the application is selected for negotiation. Further, the project period and period of performance is considered to be the entire duration of the project (i.e., one single period of three (3) to five (5) years), and should not be divided into multiple periods.

 
Question 17: Section III.A. (Eligible Applicants) on page 6 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) states, “Inter‐tribal Organizations” may include, but are not limited to, inter‐tribal councils, regional tribal organizations or associations, Alaska Regional Development Organizations (ARDORs), and tribal federations.” As there is no ARDOR for our region of Alaska, and seeing as we are a borough government, my question is, if our application includes supporting resolutions from multiple tribal governments within our region, would we be eligible as an “Inter-tribal Organization,” or is this statement in the FOA intended to limit eligibility to non-governmental organizations?
Answer 17:

Although DOE will not advise on a pending application or make eligibility determinations in advance of receiving applications, the FOA is limited to “Alaska Native Regional Corporations” and “Inter-tribal Organizations” that, as part of their applications, provide written evidence of their authority to submit an application to this FOA on behalf of two or more Indian tribes. Per page 6 of the FOA, ““Inter-tribal Organization,” for purposes of this FOA only, means an organization comprised of two or more Indian tribes, established under Congressional, State, or Tribal law to act on behalf of the participating Indian tribes (see definition below).”

 

Therefore, if the applying organization was established under Congressional, State, or Tribal law to act on behalf of the participating Indian tribes (at least two or more) and provides written evidence of their authority to submit an application to this FOA on behalf of two or more Indian tribes (as defined in the FOA), then the applicant would be eligible to apply. However, an entity given the authority solely by Tribal Council Resolution to act on behalf of an Indian tribe or tribes, would not, in and of itself, meet the definition of Inter-tribal Organization as the an Inter-tribal Organization would need be comprised of two or more Indian tribes and the organization established under law (Congressional, State, or Tribal). [Emphasis added]

 
Question 18: I’ve just been introduced to this opportunity and fear that there isn’t enough time to organize a plan from the ground up that effectively meets the intent of this program. Do you offer this opportunity on a yearly or frequent basis?
Answer 18:

It is anticipated that the Office of Indian Energy will continue to offer funding opportunities, however, funding is subject to annual Congressional appropriations and, as such, it is not possible to predict when the next opportunity will be made available or what type of projects or activities will be solicited. To be notified of future funding opportunities, please be sure to sign up for the Office of Indian Energy’s listserv at the bottom-right corner of our website at http://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/office-indian-energy-policy-and-programs or for current funding opportunities, see our funding page at http://energy.gov/indianenergy/funding.

 
Question 19: For the RFP that is currently out, are these inter-tribal agencies eligible to apply? 1) North Carolina Commission on Indian Affairs; 2) United Southern and Eastern Tribes; and 3) California Inter-Tribal Coalition.
Answer 19:

Per Section III.F of the 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, if those organizations meet the definition of an “Inter-tribal Organization” as defined in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), then they would be considered eligible. Per the FOA, ““Inter-tribal Organization,” for purposes of this FOA only, means an organization comprised of two or more Indian tribes, established under Congressional, State, or Tribal law to act on behalf of the participating Indian tribes (see definition below). “Inter-tribal Organizations” may include, but are not limited to, inter-tribal councils, regional tribal organizations or associations, Alaska Regional Development Organizations (ARDORs), and tribal federations.” Also note that as part of their applications, written evidence of their authority to submit an application to this FOA on behalf of two or more Indian tribes is required.

 

For more information on eligibility, please see the FOA, and the other questions to this FOA under Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

 
Question 20: The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) indicates that the period of performance is 3 to 5 years. How do we document our budget justification beyond 3 years?
Answer 20:

The EERE 335 Budget Justification form is a standard EERE document, and was made to be flexible for projects with multiple budget periods. However, for the purposes of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the entire duration of the proposed project will be a single budget period. There is no need to segregate costs by budget period or by year on the Budget Justification form.

 
Question 21: 1) Relative to the “Lead Organization” referenced in the required file naming convention, should we use the organization authorized by the Inter-tribal organization to file the documents, or the name of the Inter-tribal organization itself? 2) As the name of the organization is long, can the Inter-tribal Organization be named on the cover page and an acronym used in the file name?
Answer 21:
  1. For purposes of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the “Lead Organization” should be the “Eligible Applicant” as defined under Section III.A of the FOA (e.g., “Alaska Native Regional Corporations”; and “Inter-tribal Organizations”) and “Applicant” as defined on page 49 as the legal entity signing the application.”

  2. Relative to the use of acronyms used in lieu of a full “Lead Organization” name in the file name, please see the response to section b of Question #3 under the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) webpage at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx?FoaId=47df7cd5-5f75-4e14-954b-bce53b93cdca.

 
Question 22: 1) Box 9 (Type of Applicant) of the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance lists 22 options, including 4 that are tribal in nature (I: Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized); J: Indian/Native American Tribal Government (other than Federally Recognized); K: Indian/native American Tribally Designated Organization; and U: Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities) and also the option for “Other”. Which type should be selected for an Inter-tribal Organization. 2) In the EERE Exchange system, the “Full Application Details” includes a “General Section” where the applicant must identify their organization type. This section provides 10 options, including “Indian/Native American Tribal Government, “Non-Profit”, “Government Owned and Operated (GOGO)”, and “State and/or Local Government”. Which is correct for an Inter-tribal organization?
Answer 22:
  1. The options available on the SF-424 Application form may not fit every organization; however, each applicant should select the type that best describes your organization. Please note that selecting any particular “Type of Applicant” will not automatically disqualify an applicant; a comprehensive review of each application will be conducted, including a careful review to determine each applicant’s eligibility.

     

  2. As with the SF-424 Application, EERE Exchange may not provide an applicant type that fits every organization. As stated above, please select the type that best describes your organization, realizing that selecting any particular “Type of Applicant” will not automatically disqualify an applicant; a comprehensive review of each application will be conducted, including a careful review to determine each applicant’s eligibility.

 
Question 23: In regard to budgeting, we are proposing a travel stipend to help off-set costs for our member Tribes, which would be a flat-rate offered to our member Tribes. Is it allowable to list this as a single budget line-item entry, listing “Travel Stipend for member Tribes” under Purpose of Travel? $Amount X (No. of Travelers) = Total (rather than having to enter the destination points for each individual traveler) Or, I could put this expense under “Other Direct Costs.” Which do you recommend?
Answer 23:

If proposed travel is not specifically a direct cost for an employee of the organization or that of a contractor, those travel costs or proposed travel stipends should be included as an “Other Direct Cost” and the justification for those costs included as part of the Budget Justification form. Please note that should the application be selected for negotiation, the budget will be more fully addressed.   

 
Question 24: (1) Regarding the cost sharing requirement, we have a consultant willing to reduce hourly rate and use the part not billed of the billing rate as the match. Can that be part of in-kind or part of cash match ...if so, which one, cash or in kind? (2) Also is a concept paper required for this FOA?
Answer 24:

1)   2 CFR 200.306 (e) states volunteer services furnished by third-party professional and technical personnel, consultants, and other skilled and unskilled labor may be counted as cost sharing or matching if the service is an integral and necessary part of an approved project or program. Rates for third-party volunteer services must be consistent with those paid for similar work by the non-Federal entity. In those instances in which the required skills are not found in the non-Federal entity, rates must be consistent with those paid for similar work in the labor market in which the non-Federal entity competes for the kind of services involved. In either case, paid fringe benefits that are reasonable, necessary, allocable, and otherwise allowable may be included in the valuation.


2)  Concept papers are not required under this FOA.  The closing date for the full application is April 14, 2016.

 


Question 25: 1) In the EERE application, we are to indicate the primary and additional addresses for the place of performance. Our project does not have these locations identified yet as this is a future effort based upon evaluation. Is it acceptable to indicate “various rural village locations within the state of…” ? Would we place our (the applicant’s) primary address in this section? 2) The FOA states all documents are to be uploaded as PDF files into the EERE application. The budget justification worksheet workbook EERE 335 is an Excel document. The submission list provided on page 15 of the FOA indicates “Microsoft Excel format” in bold type. Does this mean you want to see this document uploaded as an Excel document or should be PDF it first?
Answer 25:

1)  In the event a project location has not been finalized, it is acceptable to use another reasonable address as a place-holder, such as the applicant’s primary address.


2)  On page 12 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), it states, “Each file must be submitted in Adobe PDF format, unless stated otherwise.” Therefore, as stated on page 15 of the FOA, please submit the EERE 335 Budget Justification Workbook in Microsoft Excel Format. [Emphasis added]

Question 26: 1) The link to the example Gantt chart on page 22 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is not working. Would you please provide the link? 2) Pages 5 and 21 of the FOA state the Workplan may not be more than 5 pages. Please verify if both the Milestone Table and Gantt Chart are included in the stated 5 page limit. Can additional pages be used, if needed, or is it possible to reduce the font sizes from the Arial 11 point font size requirement specified in the FOA?
Answer 26:

1) The link for the example Gantt chart is at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantt_chart.

2) The Workplan should include all of the elements described in the Workplan table on pages 21 and 22 of the FOA, including task descriptions, a Milestone Summary Table, and Gantt Chart. The Workplan shall contain a concise detailed narrative description of the specific activities or tasks to be conducted during the period of the project, whereas the milestone table is intended to identify specific, measureable achievements, and the Gantt chart to illustrate a detailed schedule for the entire project. With that, each applicant must incorporate the required elements such that the entire Workplan is not more than 5 pages.