Attachment 1 Statement of Work RFP-2025-10313.pdf

APPENDIX A

STATEMENT OF WORK

"Building America Subject Matter Expert Technical Support "

May 15, 2025

1.0

2.0

3.0

BACKGROUND

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a national laboratory owned by the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE). NREL is the only federal laboratory dedicated to research, development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. NREL is managed and operated for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy (Alliance), the “M&O Contractor”.

The Building Technologies Office (BTO) is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The Residential Buildings Integration (RBI) program goals are to lower energy costs for residents, and increase the deployment of retrofits and adoption of energy efficient building practices to enable an integrated energy system that is affordable, reliable, resilient, and secure. NREL provides technical support to BTO to advance and expand building technologies to enhance the affordability, comfort, resilience, and health while supporting a reliable energy system in buildings.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this work effort is to engage leading subject matter experts (SMEs) in research, field validation, analysis, dissemination, and technical support efforts to address industry needs related to energy efficient building technologies and practices. This work focuses on technical topics including, but not limited to, moisture, humidity, infiltration, envelope upgrades, new construction, retrofits, and whole home solutions.

SCOPE OF WORK

To meet the objective, the scope of the work the Subcontractor shall perform entails the following:

3.1 The Subcontractor shall be responsible for providing specific technical assistance and research and development tasks to support NREL and the BTO. Work to be performed will consist of specific tasks that will be defined by NREL on an as-needed basis. When NREL determines there is a need for technical assistance or research and development work, NREL will develop a detailed Statement of Work that will define the objective, describe the work effort, and specify the deliverables and their due dates.

https://www.nrel.gov/ https://www.nrel.gov/ http://www.allianceforsustainableenergy.org/

Most of the task assignments will have a period of performance ranging from a few weeks up to one (1) year. The Subcontractor shall assist NREL with a wide range of activities which generally include responses to requests for information, development of technical content, research, and analysis. Additionally, some tasks may require short notice (2 business days) with short turnaround periods (5 business days) for final delivery.

4.0 TASKS

The Subcontractor shall complete assignments that will generally include tasks from any or all of the following areas:

• Technical Challenges.

• Field Validation. The Subcontractor shall design and conduct lab or field experiments to determine energy, durability, indoor environmental quality, and/or moisture performance and present results to answer identified research questions through following activities such as test plan design, instrumentation and monitoring, data collection, analysis, and presenting of results.

• Modeling and Analysis. The Subcontractor shall perform energy and hygrothermal modeling and simulations studies to evaluate potential performance of building technologies and practices in new and existing homes. This work shall include related analysis and actionable results to overcome technical barriers identified by industry stakeholders.

• Industry Analysis. The Subcontractor shall conduct industry or market analysis to identify, evaluate, and communicate the gaps, challenges, and trends that are most relevant to industry stakeholders. Topics for analysis may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Building characterization and equipment data, utility billing data, and emerging technology adoption rates

• Regulations, policies, financing, and cost effectiveness

• Market Scaling. The Subcontractor shall support accelerated adoption of efficient, affordable, reliable, and resilient building technologies and practices in new and existing homes. This work shall support above-code programs, energy retrofit programs, production builders, and other strategic industry stakeholders through design guidance and review, community engagement, implementation support, technical assistance, or related support activities.

• Knowledge Transfer. The Subcontractor shall develop publications and other outputs based on the tasks listed above and on building science research results to provide actionable guidance and information to industry stakeholders. This will include best practices, guidelines, datasets, fact sheets, how-to guides, videos, tools, curriculum and training content, and other outreach efforts to accelerate the adoption of energy efficient practices and increase economic opportunities.

*National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

NEPA reviews conducted by NREL (and possibly by DOE) will be required prior to the Subcontractor initiating any field validation and or experimentation.

5.0

6.0

REVIEW MEETINGS AND TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

The Subcontractor may be required to participate in meetings in person or via teleconferences as appropriate. The Statement of Work for each Work Order will define the travel requirements and review meetings.

DELIVERABLES

For each Work Order, the Statement of Work will specify the required deliverables. Typical deliverables will include, but not be limited to the following:

• Technical reports or report contributions

• Fact sheets and case studies

• Trade publication articles, blogs, or related outputs providing information about a current topical issue to industry stakeholders

• In-person presentations and/or webinars to NREL and other audiences

• Journal and/or conference papers

• Written comments and relevant sources on peer reviewed documents

• Documentation of successful engagement with market and industry stakeholders

• Technical and educational content for training

• Agendas, attendee information, and content related to outreach activities such as conferences, workshops, webinars, presentations, trainings, and facilitation efforts.

DELIVERABLE ADDRESS:

The Subcontractor shall clearly label all deliverables to include:

• The subcontractor’s name

• NREL’s subcontract number

• NREL Technical Monitor’s name

• Deliverable date, and

• Deliverable description.

Electronic deliverables shall be sent via email to the Technical Monitor as follows:

, Technical Monitor e-mail: **@nrel.gov

• One (1) master electronic version, including graphics

DELIVERY OF DATA

A copy of all data (as that term is defined in this Subcontract) first produced in the performance of this Subcontract is an additional deliverable of this Subcontract and shall be provided to the technical monitor as a condition of final payment, in accordance with the Subcontract. For all deliverables, make particular note of the requirements provided in the Rights in Data clause of this Subcontract regarding data not first produced in the performance of this Subcontract.

7.0 ELECTRONIC REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBCONTRACT REPORT DELIVERABLES

It is NREL’s intention to publish subcontract report deliverables containing publicly available information (e.g. non-confidential, non-protected, non-proprietary information) for distribution on the internet.

The subcontractor shall provide the final approved version of report deliverables in accordance with the electronic reporting requirements described below.

The technical monitor may specifically direct the subcontractor to provide reports in one or more of the file format standards provided below:

7.1 The subcontractor shall submit all report deliverables (including status, annual, or final reports) as electronic files in Adobe .pdf format, preferably with all graphics and images embedded within the document.

7.2 All final approved version submissions shall be delivered to NREL via e-mail to the NREL Technical Monitor.

7.3 If it is not possible to include all of the graphics and images (figures, illustrations, and photographs) in the same file as the text, NREL will accept the text in Adobe .pdf formats and the graphics and images as separate electronic graphic or image files*.

The accepted standard for page layout and graphics is the Adobe Creative Suite of programs.

*The acceptable graphic or image file formats are: .eps, .tif, .gif, .jpg, .wmf, .emf, .pct, .png, .bmp, .psd, .ai, .fh, .qif, .fpx, cdr. The preferred resolution for graphics or images is 300 dpi. Include all fonts used in creating the file.

7.4 For animation, video, or multi-media elements, CD-ROM, DVR and thumb drive are acceptable technical deliverable media.

7.5 For all calculations in support of subcontract reports that are conducted in ASPEN+, an electronic copy of INPUT, REPORT and BACKUP (if Model Manager is used) must be submitted with all reports. Additionally, if costing or sizing calculations are conducted in a spreadsheet [no process calculations (heat and material balances) in spreadsheet format are permitted], a copy of the fully documented MS Excel file shall be supplied.

7.6 A fully executed model release shall be supplied to NREL with all photographs and images, regardless of whether such photographs or images are delivered to NREL electronically or in hard copy. Such model release shall certify that the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, Management and Operating Contractor for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy is granted a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish such photographs in any medium or reproduce such photographs or allow others to do so for United States Government purposes. Model releases are required in all situations in which a reasonable person would respond in the affirmative to the question – could someone, other than the model himself/herself, recognize the person in this photograph or image? All model releases shall be provided to the subcontract associate as a condition of final payment, in accordance with the subcontract. To obtain a Subcontractor Model Release form, please contact images@nrel.gov.

8.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IN SUBCONTRACTOR PUBLICATIONS

In any scientific or technical report or article, conference paper, journal article, etc. based on or containing data first produced in the performance of this subcontract and published in academic, technical or professional journals, symposia proceedings or similar works, the subcontractor shall use this acknowledgement stating, “This [article, conference paper, journal article, etc.] was developed based upon funding from the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, Managing and Operating Contractor for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy.”

9.0 COPYRIGHT PERMISSION/AUTHORIZATIONS

The subcontractor is responsible for obtaining copyright permissions and/or authorizations for all information and/or data, as applicable that is incorporated into all final technical reports.

Electronic copies of these copyright permissions and/or authorizations shall be provided to the at the email address provided below. The subcontractor shall also provide a written certification to the Technical Monitor as to such permissions and/or authorizations as a condition of final payment. The subcontractor’s (including all lower tier subcontractors, as applicable) certification shall specify that “I have obtained all necessary and legally required copyright permissions and/or authorizations for any and all information, data, graphs, images, etc., as applicable, that is incorporated into the final Technical Report titled __________________________, delivered under this Subcontract No.__________. Copies of these permissions and/or authorizations are attached.”

mailto:images@nrel.gov