DE-FOA-0003195 Grid Resilience and Innovative Partnerships.pdf

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Grid Deployment Office (GDO) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED)

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – Grid Resilience and

Innovative Partnerships (GRIP)

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0003195 FOA Type: Initial

Assistance Listing Number: 81.254

SUMMARY OVERVIEW OF KEY INFORMATION: Grid Innovation and Partnerships (GRIP) Program Issuing Agency Grid Deployment Office (GDO), in conjunction with the Office of Clean Energy

Demonstrations (OCED) Program Overview The GRIP program will provide funding to modernize the American electric grid and to maximize the benefits of the clean energy transition as the nation works to curb the climate crisis, empower workers, and advance environmental justice.

Objective 1. Transform the U.S. electric grid at the transmission and distribution levels by increasing resilience in the face of extreme disruptions, enabling data-rich and flexible grid performance, and spurring innovation at all stages of project ideation and execution;

2. Prioritize energy justice as an essential component of infrastructure development by dramatically altering the relationship between energy providers and their communities; and

3. Catalyze and leverage private sector and non-federal public capital for impactful technology and infrastructure deployment.

Topic Areas Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience Grants (40101(c)) Topic Area 2: Smart Grid Grants (40107) Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation Program (40103(b))

Eligible Applicants Topic Area 1

• electric grid operator;

• electricity storage operator;

• electricity generator;

• transmission owner or operator;

• distribution provider;

• fuel supplier;

• And any other relevant entity, as determined by the Secretary.

Topic Area 2

• institutions of higher education;

• for-profit entities;

• non-profit and not-for-profit entities; and

• state and local governmental entities, and tribal nations.

Topic Area 3

• a State;

• a combination of 2 or more States;

• an Indian Tribe;

• a unit of local government; and

• a public utility commission.

For all Topic Areas, eligibility is restricted to Domestic Entities.

Funding It is anticipated that this FOA will provide Federal funding of $3.9 billion for Fiscal Years 2024-2025.

Topic Area 1: approximately $918 million Federal funding; 100% cost match (small utility exception of 1/3 cost match).

Topic Area 2: approximately $1,080 million Federal funding; 50% cost share Topic Area 3: approximately $1,820 million Federal funding; 50% cost share

Deadlines January 12, 2024 at 5pm ET: Concept Papers Due (All Topic Areas) April 17, 2024 at 5pm ET: Full Applications Due (Topic Area 1 & 3) May 22, 2024 at 5pm ET: Full Applications Due (Topic Area 2)

FOA Issue Date: November 13, 2023 1st Informational Webinar: November 20, 2023 2nd Informational Webinar TBD* GRIP Community Benefits Plan Webinar TBD* Additional Webinars: TBD* Submission Deadline for Concept Papers (Topic Area 1): 1/12/2024 Submission Deadline for Concept Papers (Topic Area 2): 1/12/2024 Submission Deadline for Concept Papers: (Topic Area 3): 1/12/2024 Expected Date for Concept Paper Notifications (All Topic Areas) February 2024 Submission Deadline for Full Applications (Topic Area 1): 4/17/2024 Submission Deadline for Full Applications (Topic Area 2): 4/17/2024 Submission Deadline for Full Applications (Topic Area 3): 5/22/2024 Expected Date for Pre-Selection Interviews (All Topic Areas) July – August 2024 Expected Date for DOE Selection Notifications (Topic Area 1): Summer/Fall 2024

Expected Date for DOE Selection Notifications (Topic Area 2): Summer/Fall 2024 Expected Date for DOE Selection Notifications (Topic Area 3): Summer/Fall 2024 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations (Topic Area 1): Winter 2024/2025 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations (Topic Area 2): Winter 2024/2025 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations (Topic Area 3): Winter 2024/2025

Additional webinars will be announced via an amendment to the FOA.

• Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5 p.m. ET on the due date(s) listed above to be eligible to submit a Full Application.

• To apply to this FOA, applicants must register with and submit application materials through Exchange at https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov/, the online application portal.

• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) - Each applicant (unless the applicant is excepted from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110) is required to: (1) register in the SAM at https://www.sam.gov before submitting an application; (2) provide a valid UEI number in the application; and (3) maintain an active SAM registration with current information when the applicant has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. Designating an Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) and obtaining a special password called an MPIN are important steps in SAM registration. DOE may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DOE is ready to make a federal award, DOE will determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

More information about SAM registration for applicants is found at:

https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465 eaccac4bcbcb.

NOTE: If clicking the SAM links do not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser

NOTE: Due to the high number of UEI requests and SAM registrations, entity legal business name and address validations are taking longer than expected to process.

Entities should start the UEI and SAM registration process as soon as possible. If entities have technical difficulties with the UEI validation or SAM registration process, they should use the HELP feature on SAM.gov. SAM.gov will address service tickets in the order in which they are received and asks that entities not create multiple service tickets for the same request or technical issue. Additional entity validation resources can be found here: GSAFSD Tier 0 Knowledge Base - Validating your Entity.

https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465%20eaccac4bcbcb https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465%20eaccac4bcbcb https://sam.gov/content/help https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1

• Applicants must designate primary and backup points-of-contact in Exchange with whom DOE will communicate to conduct award negotiations. If an application is selected for award negotiations, it is not a commitment to issue an award. It is imperative that the applicant/selectee be responsive during award negotiations and meet negotiation deadlines. Failure to do so may result in cancelation of further award negotiations and rescission of the selection.

i

Table of Contents

Table of Contents.................................................................................................................................................... i

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Technology Space and Program Purpose

ii. Strategic Goals

iii. Priority Areas for Investment

iv. Elements of a Successful Application

v. Teaming Partner List (Optional)

B. Topic Areas

i. Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience Grants (40101(c))

ii. Topic Area 2: Smart Grid Grants (40107)

iii. Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation Program (40103(b))

iv. Applications Specifically Not of Interest

C. Community Benefits Plan: Job Quality and Equity D. Authorizing Statutes E. Notice of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law–Specific Requirements

II. Award Information

A. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding

ii. Period of Performance

iii. New Applications Only

B. DOE Funding Agreements

i. Cooperative Agreements (applies to Topic Area 3 ONLY)

ii. Grants (applies to Topic Area 1 and 2 ONLY)

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

i. Topic Area 1 (Section 40101(c))

ii. Topic Area 2 (Section 40107)

iii. Topic Area 3 (Section 40103(b))

iv. General Requirements for Eligible Applicants for Topic Areas 1, 2, and 3

v. Restricted Eligibility (applies to Topic Area 1 and Topic Area 3 ONLY)

B. Cost Sharing

i. Legal Responsibility

vi. Cost Share Allocation

vii. Cost Share Types and Allowability

viii. Cost Share Verification

C. Compliance Criteria D. Responsiveness Criteria E. Other Eligibility Requirements (Reserved) F. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Full Applications Eligible for Review G. Questions Regarding Eligibility

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Application Process

i. Additional Information on Exchange

B. Application Forms ii

C. Content and Form of the Concept Paper D. Content and Form of the Full Application

i. Full Application Content Requirements

ii. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

ii. Technical Volume

iii. Resumes

iv. Letters of Commitment

v. Community Partnership Documentation

vi. Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO)

vii. Budget Justification Workbook

viii. Summary/Abstract for Public Release

ix. Summary Slide

x. Subrecipient Budget Justification (if applicable)

xi. Environmental Questionnaire

xii. SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (required)

xiii. Waiver Requests (if applicable)

xiv. Community Benefits Plan: Job Quality and Equity

xv. Community Benefits Plan Budget Justification

xvi. Current and Pending Support

xvii. Report on Resilience Investments (Topic Area 1 ONLY)

xviii. EIA 861 Report (Topic Area 1, small utilities ONLY)

xix. Locations of Work

xx. Project Description and Assurances Document (PDAD)

xxi. Transparency of Foreign Connections

xxii. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice

E. Post Selection Information Requests F. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) G. Submission Dates and Times H. Intergovernmental Review I. Funding Restrictions

i. Allowable Costs

ii. Pre-Award Costs

iii. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

iv. Construction

v. Foreign Travel

vi. Equipment and Supplies

vii. Build America Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

viii. Davis-Bacon Act Requirements

ix. Lobbying

x. Risk Assessment

xi. Invoice Review and Approval

xii. Prohibition Related to Foreign Government-Sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs

xiii. Affirmative Action and Pay Transparency Requirements

xiv. Foreign Collaboration Considerations

V. Application Review Information

A. Technical Review Criteria

i. Concept Papers

ii. Full Applications

B. Standards for Application Evaluation C. Other Selection Factors

i. Program Policy Factors D. Evaluation and Selection Process iii

i. Overview

ii. Pre-Selection Interviews

iii. Pre-Selection Clarification

iv. Recipient Responsibility and Qualifications

v. Selection

E. Anticipated Notice of Selection and Award Negotiation Dates

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

i. Ineligible Submissions

ii. Concept Paper Notifications

iii. Full Application Notifications

iv. Successful Applicants

v. Alternate Selection Determinations

vi. Unsuccessful Applicants

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Registration Requirements

ii. Award Administrative Requirements

iii. Foreign National Participation (Updated April 2023)

iv. Subaward and Executive Reporting

v. National Policy Requirements

vi. Environmental Review in Accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

vii. Flood Resilience

viii. Applicant Representations and Certifications

ix. Statement of Federal Stewardship

x. Statement of Substantial Involvement (Applies to Topic Area 3 ONLY)

xi. Intellectual Property Provisions

xii. Reporting

xiii. Go/No-Go Review

xiv. Conference Spending

xv. Indemnity

xvi. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements

xvii. Real Property and Equipment

xviii. Implementation of Executive Order 13798, Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty

xix. Participants and Collaborating Organizations

xx. Current and Pending Support

xxi. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

xxii. Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

xxvi. Human Subjects Research

xxvii. Cybersecurity Plan (Applies to Topic Areas 2 & 3 ONLY) xxviii. Domestic Content Commitments

VII. Questions/Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

A. FOA Modifications B. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate C. Commitment of Public Funds D. Treatment of Application Information E. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel F. Notice Regarding Eligible/Ineligible Activities G. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability H. Requirement for Full and Complete Disclosure iv

I. Retention of Submissions J. Rights in Technical Data K. Copyright L. Export Control M. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment N. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) O. Annual Independent Audits P. Informational Webinars

Appendix A – Cost Share Information

Appendix B – Sample Cost Share Calculation for Blended Cost Share Percentage

Appendix C – Waiver Requests For: 1. Foreign Entity Participation; and 2. Foreign Work

Appendix D – Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials

Appendix E – Statement of Project Objectives

Appendix F – Project Description And Assurances Document Template (PDAD)

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

The Grid Deployment Office (GDO), in conjunction with the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), is issuing this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).

Awards made under this FOA will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,1 more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

BIL is a once-in-a-generation investment in modernizing and upgrading American infrastructure to enhance U.S. competitiveness, drive the creation of good-paying union jobs, tackle the climate crisis, and ensure strong access to economic and environmental benefits for disadvantaged communities.2 BIL appropriates more than $62 billion to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)3 to invest in American manufacturing and workers; expand access to energy efficiency and clean energy;

deliver reliable, clean, and affordable power to more Americans; and demonstrate and deploy the technologies of tomorrow through clean energy demonstrations.

DOE’s BIL investments will support efforts to build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves a zero-carbon electricity system by 2035, and to put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 20504 to benefit all Americans. As new load and generation come online as the market moves in line with these goals, deploying the projects that will support a more resilient and reliable grid will be critical. At present, aging grid infrastructure leaves the grid increasingly vulnerable to attacks.5 The increasing frequency of extreme weather events is leading to energy supply disruptions that threaten the

1 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Public Law 117-58 (November 15, 2021).

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684. This FOA uses the more common name Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

2 Pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” January 27, 2021, and the Office of Management and Budget’s Interim Justice40 Implementation Guidance M-21-28 and M-23-09, DOE recognizes disadvantaged communities as defined and identified by the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), located at https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/. DOE’s Justice40 Implementation Guidance is located at https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022- 07/Final%20DOE%20Justice40%20General%20Guidance%20072522.pdf.

3 U.S. Department of Energy. November 2021. “DOE Fact Sheet: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Will Deliver for American Workers, Families and Usher in the Clean Energy Future.” https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-fact-sheet-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal-will-deliver-american-workers-families-and-0 4 E.O. 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” January 27, 2021.

5 See ICF International, Electric Grid Security and Resilience: Establishing a Baseline for Adversarial Threats, at 26 (June 2016).

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684 https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/ https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-07/Final%20DOE%20Justice40%20General%20Guidance%20072522.pdf https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-07/Final%20DOE%20Justice40%20General%20Guidance%20072522.pdf https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-fact-sheet-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal-will-deliver-american-workers-families-and-0 https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-fact-sheet-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal-will-deliver-american-workers-families-and-0 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/ economy, put public health and safety at risk, and can devastate affected communities all over the country.

DOE will invest approximately $3.9 billion across three programs covered by this FOA – each with specific statutory requirements– for the Fiscal Years (FY) 2024 through FY 2025 to deploy technologies to increase grid reliability and resilience.

Together DOE refers to these programs as the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program. The activities to be funded under this FOA support BIL sections 40101(c), 40107, and 40103(b)6 as well as the broader government-wide approach to modernize the American electric grid and to maximize the benefits of the clean energy transition as the nation works to curb the climate crisis, empower workers, and advance environmental justice. The GRIP Program focuses on these BIL sections:

Section 40101(c): Grid Resilience Grants Section 40107: Smart Grid Grants Section 40103(b): Grid Innovation Program

i. Technology Space and Program Purpose

Climate change is increasing the threats to our power system infrastructure.

Disruptive weather events are intensifying and are broadening in scope, impacting larger areas at a time. Other climate impacts like droughts are long-lasting, compounding the potential impact of disruptive events and other threats such as wildfires, floods, and mudslides. Previous methods and approaches to prepare for disruptions are no longer sufficient to meet the increasing threats to the power system. Increasing interdependencies between critical infrastructure systems will continue to impact our power system.

With these trends in mind, building a more resilient and reliable grid is critical.

Studies indicate a more resilient and reliable grid must inherently have the following characteristics: increased grid reliability and flexibility, the ability to easily interconnect new clean energy to enhance generation mix diversity, and improved system cost-effectiveness.7 There is currently insufficient development of projects to support these characteristics, particularly projects that would achieve the following outcomes: 1) increasing transfer capacity between regions,

2) addressing the most consequential system challenges, such as increasing interconnection queue time for clean energy, and 3) increasing supply of diverse location-constrained energy resources to enhance resource adequacy and

6 42 USC § 18711(c); 42 USC § 18712(b); 42 USC § 17386 7 National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Interconnections Seam Study. October 2020.

https://www.nrel.gov/analysis/seams.html https://www.nrel.gov/analysis/seams.html reduce outages.8 Therefore, DOE is eager to leverage federal dollars under the GRIP program to bring together state, Tribal, community, and industry stakeholders to support these outcomes and others of equal or greater public benefit to build the grid that America needs. The GRIP program, which is open to proposals across the transmission and distribution system, is one key mechanism available to support transformative and high-impact transmission projects, especially those for which federal funding would reduce the risk of a novel investment or development strategy that can provide a replicable path to additional project activity.

DOE is looking to leverage funding to unlock transformative projects that would not otherwise be built and deployed across the transmission system and/or distribution system without the support provided by the GRIP program. With the funding provided by the BIL across these three programs, there is an opportunity to not only invest in power system infrastructure that addresses critical national, interregional, and regional needs, but also a unique chance to build partnerships between states, local governments, Tribes, and power system operators that align industry objectives with broader regional, interregional, and national goals to enhance reliability, all-hazards resilience, and efficiency of the electric grid. A comprehensive approach that considers all the opportunities available within the BIL can result in more coordinated efforts across relevant stakeholders that can ultimately guide investment strategies for improving resilience beyond what the BIL can directly support.

Concurrently, infrastructure investments in power system resilience offer the opportunity to include a diverse set of populations, including underserved and disadvantaged communities, in the development of resilience strategies that focus on communities and equitable access to opportunities and the benefits that derive from them. DOE believes there are significant benefits to be realized by coordinating the implementation of the three BIL programs focused on power sector infrastructure, grid reliability and resilience.

This FOA supports the Administration’s goals by facilitating the modernization of our electrical grid, enhancing energy efficiency, reducing emissions, driving the development of a robust workforce, and bolstering delivery of reliable, clean, and affordable energy to American families and businesses.

8 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). “Queued Up: Characteristics of Power Plants Seeking Transmission Interconnection.” April 2022. https://emp.lbl.gov/queues https://emp.lbl.gov/queues

As part of the whole-of-government approach to advance equity and encourage worker organizing and collective bargaining,9,10,11 and in alignment with BIL sections 40101(c), 40107, and 40103(b), this FOA and any related activities will seek to encourage meaningful engagement and participation of workforce organizations, including labor unions, as well as underserved communities and underrepresented groups, including Indian Tribes.12 Consistent with Executive Order 14008,13 this FOA is designed to help meet the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments in clean energy and climate solutions be delivered to disadvantaged communities, as defined and identified by CEJST pursuant to the Executive Order, and to drive creation of accessible, good-paying jobs with the free and fair chance for workers to join a union.

ii. Strategic Goals

This FOA seeks applications to address three goals:

1. Transform the U.S. electric grid at the transmission and distribution levels by increasing resilience in the face of extreme disruptions, enabling data-rich and flexible grid performance, and spurring innovation at all stages of project ideation and execution;

2. Prioritize energy justice as an essential component of infrastructure development by dramatically altering the relationship between energy providers and their communities; and

3. Catalyze and leverage private sector and non-federal public capital for impactful technology and infrastructure deployment.

1. Transform the U.S. electric grid at the transmission and distribution levels by increasing resilience in the face of extreme disruptions, enabling data-rich and flexible grid performance, and spurring innovation at all stages of project ideation and execution.

As stated above, shifts in customer and generator behavior and composition and the impacts of a changing climate are driving the need for a transformational modernization of the electric grid. For purposes of this FOA, those needs will be

9 E.O. 13985, “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,” January 20, 2021. E.O. 14091, “Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,” February 16, 2023.

10 E.O. 14025, “Worker Organizing and Empowerment,” April 26, 2021.

11 E.O. 14052, “Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” November 18, 2021.

12 E.O. 13175, November 6, 2000, “Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments,” charges all executive departments and agencies with engaging in regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with Tribal officials in the development of federal policies that have Tribal implications. Memorandum on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships | The White House.

13 E.O. 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” January 27, 2021.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/26/memorandum-on-tribal-consultation-and-strengthening-nation-to-nation-relationships/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/26/memorandum-on-tribal-consultation-and-strengthening-nation-to-nation-relationships/ addressed through each of the Topic Area priorities described in Section I.B.

Projects will be funded under this FOA with the objective to address the urgent demands of aging infrastructure, increasing climate change-induced natural disasters, a transition to clean energy generation sources, and the increasing preponderance of distributed, electrified, and renewable resources on the grid.

The priorities of the Topic Areas as a whole are to:

i. increase regional and interregional electricity transfer capacity

ii. increase system resilience in the face of climate change-induced natural disasters

iii. address the most consequential system challenges that contribute to the increasing interconnection queue time for clean energy

iv. enable data-rich and flexible grid performance

v. spur innovation at all stages of project ideation and execution

vi. facilitate clean energy deployment, generation mix diversity, and other system benefits

2. Prioritize energy justice as an essential component of infrastructure development by dramatically altering the relationship between energy providers and their communities.

An objective of this FOA and resulting projects is to dramatically alter the relationship between energy providers and their communities. GRIP projects will see applicants working in collaboration with communities to ensure their voices are incorporated in the planning and execution of grid modernization projects, with the intent to prioritize energy justice. This mission is particularly relevant for disadvantaged communities and Tribes impacted by grid development projects, and the impact on these communities will be carefully considered as part of award funding decisions.

The projects funded under this FOA will demonstrate clear additionality and innovation in community and labor engagement, and a departure from a “business-as-usual” approach. BIL funding provides the opportunity to fund various initiatives that would not otherwise be possible, and which will improve the lives and livelihood of communities by reducing energy burden for the most disadvantaged, improving communication with customers and reducing restoration times before and during outages, providing good paying jobs and training for the community, and reducing negative environmental impacts for communities, among others.

In keeping with the Administration’s goals, and as an agency whose mission includes strengthening our country’s energy prosperity, DOE seeks projects that should not only contribute to the country’s energy technology and climate goals, but also meet the following four priority goals: (1) support meaningful community and labor engagement; (2) invest in the American workforce; (3) advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; and (4) contribute to the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities (the Justice40 Initiative).

3. Catalyze and leverage private sector and non-federal public capital for impactful technology and infrastructure deployment and foster an environment for sharing of best-practices and replication throughout the industry.

DOE is interested in leveraging Federal infrastructure funding to maximize grid infrastructure deployment at-scale through applications that leverage private sector and non-federal public capital to advance deployment goals. Successful projects will demonstrate how federal investments under the GRIP program can lead to additional future investments by industry, communities, venture capital, and other private debt and equity capital. Investments should prioritize grid improvements especially in cases where GRIP investments can overcome institutional barriers and perceived risk to both deliver beneficial grid outcomes and demonstrate an approach suitable for replication. Further, projects will provide innovative and thoughtful mechanisms for collaboration and replication across the industry, enabling technology solutions and best practices for wider adoption beyond the scope of this program.

iii. Priority Areas for Investment

Below are a list of Projects and Technologies that are a high priority for this FOA:

• Projects that cover multiple utility service territories and will evolve and share utility best practices that increase resilience against extreme weather and adapt to the changing energy and technology landscapes.

• Projects that address substation hardening, including the automation and digitization of substations, and/or coordination with upgrades that enable distributed energy resource integration and electrification readiness.

• Projects that propose to construct new transmission infrastructure to resolve a specific and identified contingency condition that the applicant has been unable to resolve using standard investment and planning approaches.

• Projects that significantly increase the transmission capacity of existing rights-of-way using advanced conductors, grid-enhancing technologies, or high-voltage direct current in coordination with investments that enable integration and full utilization of high-capacity corridors.

• Projects that will deploy solutions to increasing the processing of interconnection applications and minimize the queue-related delays for clean energy and electrification loads at both the transmission and distribution levels.

• Projects that in combination with priority investments will foster growth of a highly skilled power sector workforce and minimize workforce constraints associated with power sector innovation.

• Projects that have a significant impact on the transmission system, including projects that leverage advanced transmission technologies and can reduce or remove the existing technical, economic, and regulatory barriers, demonstrate enhanced operational flexibility or capacity, and that enhance reliability to accelerate wide scale transmission expansion and renewable energy interconnection.

• Projects that implement novel and replicable approaches to reducing energy burden and increasing resilience for disadvantaged communities, especially projects that increase access to cheaper generation resources and reduce the impact of infrastructure costs.

iv. Elements of a Successful Application

Responsive applications in all Topic Areas of this FOA will clearly explain:

• The impact of the project on the affected workforce, by retaining, improving, or creating new jobs that can be quantified by location and duration.

• The project’s clear physical scope and implementation plan.

• The replicability, extensibility, and scalability of the method, model, financing, planning, regulatory approach, technology, or other solution given the system in which it will be demonstrated.

• Estimated costs and value propositions for the proposed project including contribution to system cost effectiveness, as well as a relative value comparison to alternative approaches.

• How quantitative, measurable metrics relating to the intended improvements in grid outcomes will be utilized to evaluate success.

• How the proposed project will support data standards (e.g., Green Button Connect), interoperability, and non-discriminatory data access on a real-time and ongoing basis.

• How federal funding to address the risks identified in the application will increase the likelihood of securing additional public and/or private investment.

• How the project will invest in America’s workforce, meaningfully engage communities and stakeholders, advance energy, and environmental justice, and ensure diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

• The readiness, viability, and expected timing of the deployment strategy, including key milestones relating to critical financial, development, and implementation stages of the project.

• The project management strategy, including use of project funds to secure subrecipient or vendor expertise to support prime recipients on project management, accounting, environmental justice community engagement, federal reporting, and technical oversight.

o Note: this approach has been identified as a potential path forward to address resource limitations at recipient organizations. It is not required that external expertise and groups be included, but use of project funds to support these functions will be allowed in accordance with applicable federal cost principles (Section I.i Allowable Costs)

v. Teaming Partner List (Optional)

DOE is compiling a Teaming Partner List to facilitate the formation of project teams for this FOA. The Teaming Partner List allows organizations that may wish to participate on a project to express their interest to other applicants and explore potential partnerships.

Updates to the Teaming Partner List will be available in the Clean Energy Infrastructure Exchange (“Exchange") website. The Teaming Partner List will be regularly updated to reflect new teaming partners who provide their organization’s information.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: View the Teaming Partner List by visiting the Exchange homepage and clicking on “Teaming Partners” within the left-hand navigation pane. This page allows users to view published Teaming Partner Lists.

To join the Teaming Partner List, submit a request within Exchange. Select the appropriate Teaming Partner List from the drop-down menu, and fill in the following information: Investigator Name, Organization Name, Organization Type, Topic Area, Background and Capabilities, Website, Contact Address, Contact Email, and Contact Phone.

DISCLAIMER: By submitting a request to be included on the Teaming Partner List, the requesting organization consents to the publication of the above-referenced information. By facilitating the Teaming Partner List, DOE is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating the qualifications of the individuals and organizations that are identifying themselves for placement on this Teaming Partner List. DOE will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any applicants or requesting organizations for the development of such information.

B. Topic Areas

The proposed objectives, eligibility, and technical approaches for each of the three GRIP programs are outlined below.

• Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience Grants (BIL section 40101(c))

• Topic Area 2: Smart Grid Grants (BIL section 4010714)

• Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation Program (BIL section 40103(b))

i. Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience Grants (40101(c))

Objectives:

This program supports activities that reduce the likelihood and consequence of impacts to the electric grid due to extreme weather, wildfire, and natural disaster. The statutory language requires prioritization of projects that will generate the greatest community benefit (whether rural or urban) in reducing

14 Topic Area 2 is authorized under section 1306 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which was later amended by section 40107 of the BIL. The authority is codified at 42 USC §17386.

the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events.15 DOE particularly seeks projects that will progress the field in the following areas:

• Projects that address comprehensive transformational transmission and distribution technology solutions that will mitigate one or multiple specific hazards across a region or within a community, including but not limited to wildfires, floods, high wind events including tornadoes and hurricanes, and extreme temperatures (extreme heat or extreme cold).

Applications should demonstrate how risks associated with a specific hazard were identified and how proposed investments are targeted to mitigate those particular risks. Applications should also discuss any specific resilience needs and/or disproportionate impacts associated with severe or prolonged outages that are relevant to the region or community directly impacted by the proposed scope.

• Projects that enable a system operator to develop expertise in and demonstrate the benefits of modern approaches that go beyond a grid operator’s business-as-usual framework to providing improved system resilience. Proposals should describe the extent to which the proposed approach is industry-leading and how the applicant would leverage project success to de-risk the proposed approach for broader implementation.

• Projects that are structured to encourage consistency of approach and dissemination of learnings by including participation of multiple eligible entities.

• Projects that aggregate resilience efforts across multiple service territories.

DOE encourages applicants to consider resilience in all aspects of the proposed project scope, including elements such as material selection (e.g., for replacement poles), concurrent vegetation management, and undergrounding, even if these elements are not the main focus of the proposed project. As described in Section I.A above, all projects proposed under this FOA should demonstrate that they will provide significant economic and justice benefits to communities, that they can leverage capital investment, and that they lead to repeatable solutions for other entities.

Some technical approaches of interest and priority investments include the following.

15 42 USC § 18711(c)(4)

Applicants will demonstrate a transformational, comprehensive approach to mitigating one or more specific hazards across a region or within a community.

Concurrently, DOE encourages applicants to align proposed grid resilience and grid hardening investments with broader State, Tribal, or regional resilience or energy security plans. DOE is particularly interested in applications that modernize system infrastructure and improve resilience outcomes with current service territory resilience and reliability metrics as a baseline, including clear qualitative explanations of resilience challenges facing a specific set of assets.

Applications in this area could include:

• Projects that demonstrate a clear strategic approach, supported with innovative uses of technology to assist in risk identification, project planning, and operation (e.g., improved forecasting, work order management, and crew deployment approaches).

• Substation hardening projects with automation and digitization scope, as well as substation hardening projects that are coordinated with upgrades to enable distributed energy resource (DER) integration and/or electrification-readiness.

• Improvement of system adaptivity specifically for resilience purposes, such as through deployment of Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR) and/or use of & smart reclosers and similar technologies.

• Projects that minimize or mitigate system conditions that exacerbate the risk of specific hazards (such as, but not limited to, wildfire occurrence) and may lead to wildfires or other system disturbances. This includes but is not limited to:

o Monitoring and control technologies, advance modeling software, and adaptive protection devices.

o Projects that include reconductoring and incorporating upgrades to the electric system as an ancillary requirement for hardening projects that prove overall resiliency benefits.

• Projects that cover multiple utility service territories and will evolve and share utility best practices in areas such as vegetation management, pole, and equipment replacement for storm hardening, and undergrounding.

This includes projects to establish new best practices that are resilient to increasing extreme weather as well as the changing energy and related technology landscapes.

• Advanced reconductoring approaches that expand transmission and distribution capacity along existing infrastructure and rights of way using materials, equipment, and operational approaches that advance beyond current typical industry practices. This includes conductors that increase capacity/ampacity 1.5x relative to the existing equipment and especially increase capacity or advanced conductors (modern composite and/or carbon cores).

• Approaches to construct new transmission (at or above 69 kV) infrastructure to resolve a specific, identified contingency condition, provided that applicants describe the nature of the condition and the impact of that condition on system resilience (generally or to a specific subset of customers). Applicants should include a clear explanation for why it has been unable to resolve the condition thus far under standard planning and investment approaches. Projects that satisfy these conditions are eligible for a higher maximum federal award (see Section

II.A).

In addition, there are a broad range of activities, technologies, equipment, and hardening measures to reduce the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events that are eligible for funding as specified in the applicable statutory language.

The following activities are NOT eligible16 for funding under Topic Area 1:

construction of: (I) a new electric generating facility; (II) a new large-scale battery-storage facility that is not used for enhancing system adaptive capacity during disruptive events; or (III) cybersecurity.

Additionally, new transmission lines at or above 69 kV will not be considered for funding, except in the case that applicant clearly demonstrates that the new transmission line either completes a radial loop or solves an N-1 contingency issue.

Topic Area 1 Requirements

• Small utility set-aside. Thirty percent (30%) of the total funding available for

Topic Area 1 will be set aside for small utilities, which are defined as entities that sell no more than 4,000,000 MWh of electricity per year.17 Entities

16 See BIL section 40101(e)(2), as codified at 42 USC § 18711(e)(2).

17 42 USC § 18711(c)(5) applying for this set aside must demonstrate their eligibility by submitting their total retail electricity sales to ultimate customers as reported to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Form 861 for the last reporting year.

In addition to submission of the Form 861, applications to Topic Area 1 must include a Project Description and Assurances Document (PDAD) certifying the applicant is a Small Utility (sells no more than 4,000,000 MWh of electricity per year). The PDAD template is provided as Appendix F.

• Report on Resilience Investments. As part of its application, an applicant must submit a report detailing past, current, and future efforts by the eligible entity to reduce the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events.18 The report must summarize any program and related approved funding that the applicant’s organization has implemented over the past 3 years to reduce the likelihood of events in which operations of the electric grid are disrupted, preventively shut off, or cannot operate safely due to extreme weather, wildfire, or a natural disaster. The report must also summarize current and future efforts planned over at least the next 3 years to reduce the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events.

In addition to submission of the report, applications to Topic Area 1 must include a PDAD that confirms the total amount (USD) of qualifying resilience investments that have been spent for the previous 3 years and the time period utilized for calculation of the reported amount. The PDAD template is provided as Appendix F.

• Funding supplemental to existing efforts. Grants under this program are in general intended to be supplemental to existing hardening efforts of applicants for any given year.19 “Existing hardening efforts” includes projects that have been funded in whole or part by a subaward under the Grid Resilience Formula Funding for States and Indian Tribes (BIL 40101(d)20) program. The applicant should describe in the technical volume how the grant funding provided by this program would result in proposed activities that are additional to efforts that would have been undertaken but-for the funding and will generate the greatest community or regional resilience benefit in reducing the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events. This may include the acceleration or expansion of planned activities that would not be accelerated or expanded but-for the funding. The narrative should reference the Report on

18 42 USC § 18711(c)(2)(B) 19 42 USC § 18711(c)(1)(A) 20 42 USC § 18711(d)

Resilience Investments to demonstrate how the proposed activities would be additional to existing planned investments.

• Biennial Report to Congress. Every two years, DOE will submit a report to

Congress covering data on the cost of projects, the types of activities funded, and the extent to which the ability of the power grid to withstand disruptive events has increased.21 Awardees will be required to track and report this data to DOE.

• BIL Section 40101(d), DE-FOA-0002736 (ALRD 2736). Per BIL section

40101(e)(2) (C) APPLICATION LIMITATIONS. —An eligible entity may not submit an application for a grant provided by the Secretary under subsection

(c) and a grant provided by a State or Indian Tribe pursuant to subsection (d) during the same application cycle.

If the applicant is a subawardee/contractor under an application submitted under BIL Section 40101(d), ALRD 2736, the applicant must describe the differences between the subject GRIP FOA 3195 application (40101(c)) and the ALRD 2736 (40101(d)) application in the PDAD. The PDAD template is provided as Appendix F.

Topic Area 1 Teaming Arrangements

Eligible applicants include electric grid operators; electricity storage operators;

electricity generators; transmission owners or operators; distribution providers;

fuel suppliers; and any other relevant entity as determined by the Secretary.22 Applicants must certify that the prime applicant is an eligible entity type as listed above via completion and submission of the PDAD. The PDAD template is provided as Appendix F.

It is important to ensure that States, Tribes or territories are engaged in the approach. The expectation of DOE is that regulatory stakeholders will be engaged in this process to ensure cost recovery may be achieved.

ii. Topic Area 2: Smart Grid Grants (40107)

Objectives

The 40107 Smart Grid Grants program is aimed at supporting projects that will achieve the goals and objectives set out in FOA Section I.A.ii through innovative

21 42 USC § 18711(i) 22 42 USC § 18711(a)(2) and ambitious uses of cutting-edge, market-ready technologies. These technologies can include new devices, materials, engineering designs, or software tools. DOE particularly seeks projects that will progress the field in the following areas:

• Projects that focus on the use of innovative materials, tools, and engineering approaches to improve system capacity and flexibility. Applications should clearly delineate the ways in which the proposed approach(es) are industry-leading and/or represent a significant advance in capabilities for the applicant.

• Projects that meaningfully improve grid operators’ ability to use data to deliver benefits to ratepayers and support policy goals. Applications should describe the types and sources of data and provide a qualitative description of the extent of the corpus of data available. In addition, proposals should specify how the project will improve one or more grid operators’ ability to use data for operational purposes, planning purposes, or both, and the extent to which the project will enable usage of data across silos within and across organizations.

• Projects that are structured to de-risk broad adoption of innovative technologies and approaches by including participation of multiple eligible entities (especially multiple grid operators) and a clear strategy for assessing the benefits of the proposed innovations.

As described in Section I.A above, all applications submitted under this FOA should demonstrate that they will provide significant economic and justice benefits to communities, that they can leverage capital investment, and that they lead to repeatable solutions for other entities.

Some technical approaches of interest and priority investments are discussed, but not limited to, the below.

Applicants are encouraged to coordinate with and support broader State, local, Tribal, and regional strategies on resilience, energy security, energy and environmental justice, and decarbonization. In addition, smart grid technologies funded and deployed at-scale under this program should have a pathway to wider market adoption such that the funding significantly encourages and facilitates the development of a smart grid and best practices for…