FundOpp_DE-FOA-0002881.pdf

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Joint Office of Energy and Transportation Through the Department of Energy (DOE)

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Joint Office of Energy and

Transportation Ride and Drive Electric, Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Opportunity Announcement

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0002881

FOA Type: Initial Assistance Listing Number: 81.086

FOA Issue Date: 5/18/2023 Submission Deadline for Concept Papers: 6/16/2023, 5:00pm ET Expected Release Date of Concept Paper Recommendations: 6/28/2023 Submission Deadline for Full Applications: 7/28/2023, 5:00pm ET Expected Timeframe for DOE Selection Notifications: September 2023 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations: October 2023 – January 2024

• Applicants must submit Concept Papers by 5:00pm ET on the due date listed above to be eligible to submit a Full Application.

mailto:DE-FOA0002881@netl.doe.gov

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NOTE: REGISTRATION/SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Registration Requirements

There are several one-time actions you must complete in order to submit an application in response to this Announcement (e.g., obtain a Universal Entity Identifier (UEI) number, register with EERE eXCHANGE.gov, register with the System for Award Management (SAM), register with Grants.gov, and, if selected for award, be registered in FedConnect). Applicants who are not registered with SAM and Grants.gov, should allow at least 44 days to complete these requirements. It is suggested that the process be started as soon as possible.

Applicants must obtain an UEI from the SAM to uniquely identify the entity. The UEI is available in the SAM entity registration record. NOTE: Subawardees/subrecipients at all tiers must also obtain an UEI from the SAM and provide the UEI to the Prime Recipient before the subaward can be issued.

• 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) Be registered in the SAM at https://www.sam.gov before submitting its application;

(2) provide a valid UEI number in its application; and (3) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. 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, 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.

NOTE: Due to the high demand 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 utilize 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://www.sam.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1

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More information about SAM registration for applicants is found at:

https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eac cac4bcbcb .

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

NOTE: Subawardees/subrecipients at all tiers must also obtain an UEI from the SAM and provide the UEI to the Prime recipient before the subaward can be issued. Full registration in SAM is not required to obtain an UEI for subaward reporting.

Applicants must register through the EERE eXCHANGE.

EERE eXCHANGE website: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/

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

• Applicants must designate primary and backup points-of-contact in EERE Exchange with whom EERE 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.

Applicants must register with the SAM.

SAM website: http://www.sam.gov/ NOTE: Designating an Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) and obtaining a special password called an MPIN are important steps in SAM registration. The applicant must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application under consideration. More information about SAM registration for applicants is found at https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4bc bcb.

Applicants must register with Grants.gov.

Grants.gov website: http://grants.gov/ Applicants must register with Grants.gov in order to receive automatic updates, in the event that Amendments to this FOA are posted. However, please note that applications will not be accepted through Grants.gov. More information about the registration steps for Grants.gov is provided at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcbcb https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcbcb https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcbcb https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcbcb http://grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html

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Applicants must register with FedConnect.

FedConnect website: www.fedconnect.net.

In the event that an application is selected for negotiation of award, Applicants must be registered with FedConnect to receive the award. For more information regarding registration with FedConnect review the FedConnect Ready, Set, Go! Guide at https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Marketing/Documents/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go.p df.

Submission Requirements All application submissions are to be made via the EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. To gain access to the EERE eXCHANGE system, the applicant must first register and create an account on the main EERE eXCHANGE site. This account will then allow the user to submit an application for open EERE Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) that are currently in EERE Exchange. It is recommended that each organization or business unit, whether acting as a team or a single entity, utilize one account as the appropriate contact information for each submission.

Applicants will receive an automated response when the Application is received; this will serve as a confirmation of EERE receipt. Please do not reply to the automated response. A “User Guide” for the EERE eXCHANGE can be found on the EERE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx after logging in to the system.

To receive notices via email regarding an FOA in EERE Exchange, such as amendments to the announcement or the posting of new questions and answers from eXCHANGE you must initiate an application submission to the FOA of interest. Please note that you must finalize and submit your application before the specified due date and time to be considered for award.

Questions Questions related to the use of the EERE eXCHANGE website or technical issues concerning the application submittal should be submitted to EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov.

Questions related to the content of the Funding Opportunity Announcement must be submitted to DE-FOA-0002881@netl.doe.gov and shall be submitted no later than five (5) business days prior to the application due date and time. Questions submitted after that date may not allow the Government sufficient time to respond.

All questions and answers related to the content of this FOA will be posted at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx. Applicants are encouraged to check the FAQ prior to submitting a question. DOE will try to respond to questions within 5 business days. Applicants are encouraged to review the posted questions and answers daily. Please note that you must first select this FOA Number in order to view the questions and answers specific to this FOA.

http://www.fedconnect.net/ https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Marketing/Documents/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go.pdf https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Marketing/Documents/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go.pdf https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov mailto:DE-FOA-0002881@netl.doe.gov https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................................. v

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Program Purpose

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals

iii. FOA Teaming Partner List (Optional)

B. Topics C. Applications Specifically Not of Interest D. Community Benefits Plan: Job Quality and Equity E. Authorizing Statutes F. 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

ii. Funding Agreements with Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDCs)

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

i. Domestic Entities

ii. Foreign Entities

B. Cost Sharing

i. Legal Responsibility

ii. Cost Share Allocation

iii. Cost Share Types and Allowability

iv. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs

v. Cost Share Verification

C. Compliance Criteria D. Responsiveness Criteria E. Other Eligibility Requirements

i. Requirements for DOE/NNSA and Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs Included as a Subrecipient 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 EERE Exchange

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

i. Full Application Content Requirements

ii. Technical Volume

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iii. Resumes

iv. Letters of Commitment

v. Community Partnership Documentation

vi. Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO)

vii. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

viii. Budget Justification Workbook

ix. Summary for Public Release

x. Summary Slide

xi. Subrecipient Budget Justification (if applicable)

xii. Budget for DOE/NNSA FFRDC (if applicable)

xiii. Authorization for Non-DOE/NNSA or DOE/NNSA FFRDCs (if applicable)

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

xv. Waiver Requests (if applicable)

xvi. Open-Source Software Distribution Plan

xvii. Community Benefits Plan: Job Quality and Equity

xviii. Locations of Work

xix. Transparency of Foreign Connections

xx. Potentially Duplicate 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. 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

i. Overview

ii. Pre-Selection Clarification

iii. Recipient Responsibility and Qualifications

iv. Selection

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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. Applicants Selected for Award Negotiations

v. Unsuccessful Applicants

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Registration Requirements

ii. Award Administrative Requirements

iii. Foreign National Participation

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

xi. Subject Invention Utilization Reporting

xii. Intellectual Property Provisions

xiii. Reporting

xiv. Go/No-Go Review

xv. Conference Spending

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. U.S. Manufacturing Commitments

xxi. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

xxii. Data Management Plan (Required for Topics 2A, 3A and 3B)

xxiii. Fraud, Waste and Abuse

xxiv. Human Subjects Research

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 I. Retention of Submissions J. Title to Subject Inventions K. Government Rights in Subject Inventions L. Rights in Technical Data M. Copyright

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N. Export Control O. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment P. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Q. Annual Independent Audits

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

1. Waiver for Foreign Entity Participation

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

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

Appendix E – List of Acronyms

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Overview of Key Information

Agency: Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

Overview: Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the Joint Office will provide funding for:

1. Electric vehicle (EV) charging resiliency planning for continuity of operations and services for all EV users;

2. Equitable business model development and deployment for EV charging;

3. Workforce development to support EV charging;

4. Increased industrial capacity, competition, and redundancy for validation testing and certification in the United States of Alternating Current (AC) Level 2 and/or Direct Current (DC) fast chargers;

5. Assessing performance and reliability of DC fast charging stations.

Deadlines:

• June 16, 2023 at 5pm ET: Concept papers due

• July 28, 2023 at 5pm ET: Full Applications due

Funding Overview: It is anticipated that this FOA will provide federal funding of $51 million for awards 24-30 months in duration.

Eligible Applicants: The following types of entities are eligible to participate as prime recipients or subrecipients:

1. Institutions of higher education;

2. For-profit entities;

3. Nonprofit entities;

4. State and local governmental entities,

5. Indian tribes;

6. Incorporated Consortia; and

7. Unincorporated Consortia.

DOE/NNSA and non-DOE Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) are eligible to apply for funding as a subrecipient, with certain restrictions as specified in Section III.A.i. of the FOA. All FFRDCs are excluded from applying as a prime recipient.

Key Benefits:

• Development of specific and actionable plans and strategies that ensure continuity of operations and services of EV charging infrastructure for all EV users in a given region;

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• Help communities identify, develop, and test business models, such as for shared mobility or fleet-based services, that complement or integrate operation of EV charging infrastructure;

• Help develop a high-quality workforce within the electrified transportation industry to support the deployment and maintenance of equipment related to EV charging (i.e., electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE);

• Increase industrial capacity, competition, and redundancy for validation testing and certification in the United States of DC fast chargers with rated power capacity between 150 kW and 1 MW;

• Assess the performance and reliability of DC fast charging (DCFC) stations across the United States; and

• Create opportunities for underserved communities and groups, measured through metrics such as new jobs and training resources, partnerships with Minority Serving Institutions and Indian tribes, engagement with labor organizations, community engagement activities, and other relevant indicators from the Community Benefits Plan (see Section IV.D.xvii of the FOA).

Topics: The following five topics are included in this funding opportunity.

See Section I.B. of the FOA for more details on the Topics.

Topic 1: Enhancing EV Charging Resiliency Topic 2A: Community-Driven Models for Electric Vehicle Charging Deployment Topic 2B: Workforce Development Topic 3A: Increasing Commercial Capacity for Testing and Certification of High-Power Electric Vehicle Chargers Topic 3B: Validating Public EV Charging Infrastructure Real-World Performance and Reliability

Anticipated Award Size, Funding Amount, and Cost Sharing Requirement

Topic Topic Title Anticipated Number of

Awards

Minimum Required

Non-Federal Cost Share

Anticipated Cost Share per

Award Total

Anticipated Federal Share

Award Size (Fed

Share)

Applicant Share

Topic

Enhancing EV Charging Resiliency 10 - 15 20% $1M -

1.5M $250K -

375K Up to $17M

Topic 2A

Community-Driven Models for Electric Vehicle Charging Deployment

5 - 8

0% (non-deployment), 50% (deployment)

$250K - 1.5M $0 - $750K Up to $10M

Topic 2B Workforce Development 5 - 10 0% $1M -

1.5M N/A Up to $10M

Topic 3A

Increasing Commercial Capacity for Testing and Certification of High-

2 - 3 50% $2M - 3M $2M - 3M Up to $6M

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Power Electric Vehicle Chargers

Topic 3B

Validating Public EV Charging Infrastructure Real-World Performance and Reliability

2 - 4 0% $2M - 4M N/A Up to $8M

TOTAL Up to $51M

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I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office), through the U.S.

Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), is issuing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Joint Office of Energy and Transportation Ride and Drive Electric, Fiscal Year 2023 Funding Opportunity Announcement” (Ride and Drive Electric FOA). Awards made under this FOA will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act1, more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

The 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, environmental, and other benefits for disadvantaged communities2. The BIL appropriates more than $62 billion to the 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 clean-energy technologies of tomorrow.

The BIL includes a historic $7.5 billion dedicated investment to build out a national network of EV chargers. As part of this investment, the BIL includes $300 million to establish a Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office) to study, plan, 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 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, DOE recognizes DACs as defined and identified by the White House Council of 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 mailto:DE-FOA-0002881@netl.doe.gov mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov 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 subject line.

coordinate, and implement issues of joint concern between the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Transportation. This Ride and Drive Electric FOA and related activities align with the Joint Office mission to provide a modernized and interagency approach to support the deployment of zero-emission, convenient, accessible, equitable transportation infrastructure. The activities to be funded under this FOA support BIL section Title VIII, Division J, Federal Highway Administration - Highway Infrastructure Program.

i. Program Purpose

The Biden Administration has laid out a bold agenda to modernize and transform the nation’s infrastructure, tackle the climate crisis, support good-paying American jobs, and ensure a just and equitable transition. Transportation is the sector that contributes most to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

Transportation electrification has a key role to play in realizing all these outcomes and the Administration has established key targets to achieve by 2030:

1. Build an affordable, reliable, and convenient national network of 500,000 public EV charging ports.

2. Have EVs account for 50% of light-duty vehicle sales in the United States.

With more than 3 million EVs on the road and over 140,000 public charging ports, the transition to electrified transportation is occurring rapidly. Federal investments will accelerate this transition and catalyze additional private sector investment. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 alone, the Federal Highway Administration released $1.5 billion in funding under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program to begin the effort to electrify over 75,000 miles of the national highway system, the Federal Transit Administration awarded over $1.1 billion towards projects that will more than double the nation’s fleet of zero emission buses, and the Environmental Protection Agency announced $1 billion in funding for Clean School Buses after receiving unprecedented demand in funding applications. The actions build on well over $100 billion that the private sector has invested in EV, battery, and EV charging manufacturing in the United States to date.

It is critical that the transition to electrified transportation be inclusive and equitable in providing benefits to all Americans, while creating high quality jobs.

This Ride and Drive Electric FOA and any related activities seek to encourage the mailto:DE-FOA-0002881@netl.doe.gov mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov subject line.

meaningful engagement and participation of underserved communities and underrepresented groups including Tribes. Consistent with Executive Order 14008, this FOA is designed to support the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities in accordance with the President’s Justice40 Initiative.

The Ride and Drive Electric FOA will seek to advance the mission and vision of the Joint Office by addressing discrete challenges to a convenient, affordable, reliable, secure, and equitable EV charging network by enhancing institutional capacity, encouraging holistic approaches, fostering inclusive and equitable outcomes, and ensuring a world-class customer experience.

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals

This Ride and Drive Electric FOA seeks applications to address discrete barriers to a future where everyone can ride and drive electric. Specifically, this FOA will directly advance the goal of building a national network of EV chargers for all Americans by supporting EV charging reliability, resiliency, equity, and workforce development. Enhancing and expanding EV infrastructure nationwide will also indirectly contribute to the goal of having 50% of all new light-duty vehicle sales be electric by 2030. Detailed technical descriptions of the specific Topics are provided in the sections that follow.

iii. FOA 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 an application to express their interest to other applicants and to explore potential partnerships.

The Teaming Partner List will be available on EERE eXCHANGE and 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 EERE 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 subject line.

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. Topics All work for projects selected under this Ride and Drive Electric FOA must be performed in the United States. See Section IV.J.iii. and Appendix C.

Topic Title

1 Enhancing EV Charging Resiliency Equitable Access and Opportunity in Electrification

2A Community-Driven Models for Electric Vehicle Charging Deployment 2B Workforce Development

Improving EV Charging Performance and Reliability

3A Increasing Commercial Capacity for Testing and Certification of High-Power Electric Vehicle Chargers

3B Validating Public EV Charging Infrastructure Real-World Performance and Reliability

Topic 1: Enhancing EV Charging Resiliency

Topic 1 Introduction and Background The U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization states, “the electrification of cars, trucks, and buses and providing the necessary infrastructure to charge them is underway and must accelerate.” Resiliency planning for electric charging infrastructure is critical as transportation electrification grows in prevalence and importance. There is an increasing need to ensure that communities and energy systems are appropriately prepared for disruptive events that could compromise access to charging services that they increasingly rely on for subject line.

large portions of a localized population. More specifically, there is a growing need for state, regional, and local entities, as well as electric utilities, charging station operators and charging network providers, and automakers, to develop resilience strategies and plans for EV charging networks to ensure adequate and equitable access to reliable EV charging services. These plans will need to account for intermittent or sustained power outages, disruptive and increasingly severe weather (heat storms, snowstorms, fire, flooding, hurricanes, etc.), supply chain constraints, and other failure modes that can lead to electric disruptions. In addition to robust plans and underpinning policies, it is also expected that key technologies and services (e.g., on-site energy storage and generation, microgrids, portable power/charging services, bi-directional power, battery swapping) will need to be demonstrated and validated to inform broader adoption and applicability.

Topic 1 Objective This topic will establish and fund a cohort of diverse teams from across the United States to develop, share, and refine specific and actionable plans and strategies that ensure continuity of operations and services of EV charging infrastructure for all EV users in a given region. Plans developed in these projects will enhance ongoing federal investments in EV charging and transportation electrification – including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) and Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Programs, Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emissions Transit Program, and Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program – as well as complementary or similar investments at the state and local levels.

Topic 1 General Requirements Applications must:

• Describe the relevant geographic region and characteristics for which the resiliency plan will be developed;

• Identify both general and unique resiliency risks that widespread transportation electrification will pose to this geographic region and that the plan will address;

• Identify modeling or resiliency tools that will be utilized in the creation of the plan;

• Identify risks and risk mitigation strategies to both plan development and implementation;

• Identify and briefly describe any known existing resiliency plans, either general or specific to EV and traditional fuel infrastructure, and key experiences or lessons learned.

If no such plan exists, this should also be stated;

• Describe the overall project approach, including 1) the process and timeline for overall plan development, 2) parties and stakeholders to be engaged, 3) risk assessment subject line.

approach, 4) process for developing solutions, 5) potential pathway(s) to implementation, and any goals and metrics to improve infrastructure resiliency;

• Identify disadvantaged and/or underserved portions of the community, discuss how this plan will engage them and be responsive to unique impacts on their communities, as applicable;

• Describe the applicant’s experience working on resiliency planning and/or emergency management for transportation and/or electric power sectors as well as additional characteristics and experience that increase the team’s likelihood of successful plan development and implementation;

• Describe how the plan will be tested or evaluated, including with the relevant, local, regional, or state authorities with responsibility for providing emergency services;

• Describe the (e.g., how equipment reserves can reduce time to restore service or the duration that distributed energy resources could substitute for grid power); and

• Describe, if relevant, the applicant’s role in implementing key infrastructure programs and investments such as the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI), Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grants, Low or No Emissions Transit, Clean School Bus Programs or additional efforts related to electric grid resiliency, emergency planning, or general community resilience.

Topic 1 Teaming Arrangements Teams are encouraged to include state, regional, Tribal, and local authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) concerning resiliency and emergency operations (e.g., emergency management, transportation or energy departments, electric utilities, utility regulators, planning organizations, transit and public mobility service providers, sustainability, or climate offices) and charging station operators. Teams may also include community organizations, national laboratories, labor groups such as unions, Clean Cities Coalitions and/or private sector.

Topic 1 Special Deliverables None

Topic 1 Other Considerations

• Although it is not anticipated that applicants will deploy new equipment or infrastructure directly as part of this project, it is possible that the plans developed will recommend such equipment. If so, projects teams are encouraged to identify if they anticipate applying for or utilizing other federal, state, or local programs to support such equipment or infrastructure.

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Topic 1 Applications Discouraged

• Projects that cannot implement proposed solutions by members of the project team due to lack of jurisdiction or authority.

• Projects that exclusively analyze needs or assess risks without proposed solutions.

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Topic 2A: Community-Driven Models for Electric Vehicle Charging Deployment

Topic 2A Introduction and Background The Joint Office is committed to equitable4 deployment of EV charging infrastructure and transportation and mobility access options that provide positive outcomes for Justice405 and underserved communities.6 Installing EV chargers in or near Justice40 communities may increase access to clean transportation for community residents. However, new, and novel business models may be needed to ensure that communities reap the full range of benefits of EV charger deployment.7

Several efforts have recently been announced that explicitly connect electrification, mobility, and opportunity. These include carsharing programs and a partnership that combines electric vehicle and charger deployment with education and employment opportunities. Similarly innovative business models targeted at Justice40 and underserved communities could support national goals around transportation and equity.

Topic 2A Objective The objective of this topic is to fund projects that will assess, develop, and/or test business models that integrate EV and/or charger deployment in ways that deliver mobility, economic, or other benefits to Justice40 and underserved communities.

4 The term “equity” means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities;

5 In January 2023, the White House published a memo noting that agencies could shift from using “disadvantaged communities” to “Justice40 communities”: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23- 09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf.

6 The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the definition of “equity” in E.O. 13985. For purposes of this FOA, as applicable to geographic communities, applicants can refer to economically distressed communities identified by the Internal Revenue Service as Qualified Opportunity Zones; communities identified as disadvantaged or underserved communities by their respective States;

communities identified on the Index of Deep Disadvantage referenced at https://news.umich.edu/new-index-ranks-americas- 100-most-disadvantaged-communities/, and communities that otherwise meet the definition of “underserved communities” stated above.

7 https://publications.anl.gov/anlpubs/2022/05/175535.pdf subject line.

Projects can be some combination of an analysis, business model development, or limited scale pilot/deployment to provide proof of concept. The project may include limited test EV charger deployments (Level 2 or DCFC) to test business models, capped at 50% of total project budget.

Test deployment projects should be designed to inform further deployment of EV chargers and associated mobility systems funded by other taxpayer or ratepayer funding, including federal grant programs and tax incentives.

The Joint Office is interested in business models that benefit targeted communities by, for instance:

• Increasing revenue to local adjacent businesses (particularly small or independent businesses);

• Reducing costs by leveraging a “dig-once approach for multi-modal hubs;

• Creating good job opportunities, including unionized job opportunities;

• Increasing clean mobility options for carless households and individuals, especially options that improve access to employment, health care, child-care, and other social services;

• Providing affordable, reliable access to EV charging infrastructure;

• Training community organizations and businesses in best practices for acquiring, installing, maintaining, and monetizing EV chargers;

• Reducing charging costs by capturing value that EVs provide through grid services;

• Integrating electric mobility with the delivery of other critical services for community members;

o Examples include utilizing eligibility criteria for assistance programs (e.g., Low

Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), etc.) or integrating with programs that provide energy, housing, or transit assistance.

• Leveraging partnerships with established organizations, such as community development corporations and affordable housing entities, that provide services to disadvantaged community members.

Topic 2A General Requirements

Applications must include:

• A description of how the community will be engaged in defining the project, including a description of the planned community benefits / outcomes of the project;

• An outreach plan for broadly disseminating the project approach and learnings such that other communities can replicate project successes; and

• A plan for projecting, tracking, and reporting metrics quarterly. Metrics should include:

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o Metrics for verifying the business sustainability of the operating model;

o Justice40 metrics (see Section IV.D.xvii.4.B) to measure the benefits that flow to underserved communities from the developed business models/opportunities (address in the Community Benefits Plan).

Applications that include demonstration activities must also include:

• A description of the business model/s that the project team will analyze, assess, or demonstrate including, as applicable:

o The transportation/mobility services provided;

o The infrastructure to be deployed;

o The operating models for entities involved;

o The flow of goods and/or services;

o The financial flows to community members, including those that are underserved.

Topic 2A Specific Requirements Applications must specify:

• For each community committed to participating in the proposed project, describe:

o Geographic area (e.g., city, county, neighborhood);

o Project partners representing the community:

Whether the partner is committed to participating or prospected (hasn’t committed at time of application).

o If the community is identified as a Tribe and/or Justice40 community by federal tools and definitions (identify the used federal definition, e.g., EV Charging Justice40 Map8).

Topic 2A Teaming Arrangements

• Application teams are strongly encouraged to include active participation by community-oriented organizations, community-based organizations or other entities that play critical roles in communities. These organizations should have clearly documented roles, responsibilities, and budgets. Examples of key partners include:

o Disadvantaged Business Enterprises;

o Small and disadvantaged businesses;

o Regional or national transportation, fleet, or mobility service companies that want to partner with local businesses;

o Faith-based organizations;

8 https://www.anl.gov/esia/electric-vehicle-charging-equity-considerations https://www.anl.gov/esia/electric-vehicle-charging-equity-considerations subject line.

o Social service organizations, e.g., affordable housing, community development corporations, etc.;

o Community financing organizations (e.g., Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), credit unions, minority banks);

o Labor groups such as unions;

o Native American and Alaskan Native Tribes and affiliated organizations, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Pacific Islanders, and Native Hawaiians.

• Applicants are encouraged to include strategic partners such as local/regional governments; local transportation entities; utilities, and other electricity suppliers; and EV charging equipment installers, dealers, and manufacturers;

• Application teams are encouraged to include active participation by at least one designated/active Clean Cities coalition with clearly documented roles, responsibilities, and budget (coalition locations are available at https://cleancities.energy.gov/coalitions/).

Topic 2A Special Deliverables

• A publicly releasable Community-Driven EV Charger Business Opportunities Report (due at the end of Budget Period 1 and no longer than 15 pages) that describes the progress of engagement with underserved communities to show evidence that the proposed approach meaningfully engages the communities and is financially viable, including:

o The resulting community buy-in and decision-making roles in the project delivery;

o The community identified priorities and concerns for Justice40;

o The impact of engagement on informing EV infrastructure siting and project design;

o The identified strategies to maximize economic benefits and EV charging access for communities;

o The potential business models/opportunities associated with the EV chargers, and the sustainability of the fleet-based mobility services model; and o The plan for deploying the identified business opportunity with private partners, community members and organizations.

• Interim Business Models Report (due at the end of Budget Period 1 and no longer than

15 pages) and Final Business Models Report (due at the end of the project and no longer than 30 pages) that describe the preliminary and final results including:

o Planned vs. actual results;

o Approach taken to track the financial flows of the project;

o Other key results such as levelized cost of charging;

mailto:DE-FOA-0002881@netl.doe.gov https://cleancities.energy.gov/coalitions/ subject line.

o Other ancillary revenue streams;

o Public sector incentives or funding, etc.; and o Economic and non-economic value (e.g., real estate value, recreational space, etc.) created that benefits the community.

Topic 2A Other Considerations

• None.

Topic 2A Applications Discouraged

• Applications prepared by teams that do not include groups or entities that represent underserved communities are discouraged as the input of these groups is vital to ensuring equitable deployment of community EV charging;

• Applications that include the purchase of land.

Topic 2B: Workforce Development

Topic 2B Introduction and Background The shift to EVs has the potential to create new, high-paying opportunities for workers in electrical and other trades, while also creating opportunities for the skilled incumbent workforce. A diverse, highly skilled American workforce is a critical pillar of this transition. The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) recently published National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements establishes a requirement that the workforce installing, maintaining, and operating FHWA funded chargers has appropriate licenses, certifications, and training and that all electricians installing, operating, or maintaining EV supply equipment have a certification from the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) or graduation or a continuing education certificate from a registered apprenticeship program. While EVITP provides a strong foundation, for electrical training regarding the installation of EV chargers, there are additional needs related to maintenance and operations of chargers that will be necessary to develop in a manner that also facilitates opportunity through good-paying American jobs. Strategies to augment the skills of the workforce in the EV charging industry may benefit from investments in:

• Registered apprenticeship programs;

• Pre-apprenticeship/apprenticeship readiness programs;

• Education programs that provide wrap-around or supportive services for workers facing barriers to career-track training and employment;

• Education programs that introduce students to transportation electrification careers through employment that includes simulated or hands-on training.

By identifying common challenges and opportunities, effective workforce partnerships can better align programs, provide supportive services/wrap-around supports, education and training curriculum, and other resources that serve both employers and employees. Through the partnerships funded by this Topic Area, project teams will be positioned to better understand the workforce needs of the regional labor market and create programs that support local skills training and job placement.

Development of a skilled workforce will help produce a nationwide network of 500,000 EV charging ports by 2030 that provides a convenient, reliable, safe, affordable, equitable, and Made in America charging experience for all users of EVs.

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Topic 2B Objective The objective of this topic is to support a diverse and highly skilled workforce within the electrified transportation industry to support the deployment and maintenance of EV charging related equipment including equipment that will be supported by the FHWA NEVI and CFI grant programs.

The key outcome of interest is expanded access to career-track training and employment in EVSE installation and maintenance work for a diversified pipeline of individuals.

Strategies for achieving this goal include but are not limited to:

• Investments in existing pre-apprenticeship programs and/or other pre-employment training programs, including expansion of supportive services that will make it more likely to graduate underrepresented populations;

• Funding of tuition or program costs for training programs that show a history of leading people into careers or registered apprenticeship that can be scaled;

• Creation of new pathways into registered apprenticeships, including pathways conducted in partnership with registered apprenticeship sponsors;

• Provision of stipends that will help people to thrive in training programs;

• Supportive services for registered apprentices and/or those enrolled in other pre-employment training programs to help expand access to jobs, especially those in underserved communities;

• Development of competency frameworks needed for maintenance of EV chargers with relevant partners…