FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003014_Amd_000001.pdf

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management

(FECM)

REGIONAL INITIATIVE FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

PARTNERSHIPS (RITAP) TO ADVANCE DEPLOYMENT OF

BASIN-SCALE CARBON TRANSPORT AND STORAGE AND

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number:

DE-FOA-0003014

FOA Type: Modification 0001

Assistance Listing Number:

Federal Assistance Program 81.089, Fossil Energy Research and

Development

FOA Issue Date: 12/01/2023 Submission Deadline for Full Applications: 02/13/2024 8:00 PM ET

Expected Date for Selection Notifications: 06/05/2024 Expected Date for Award: 09/20/2024

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 2 of 121

Amendments

All Amendments to the FOA are [HIGHLIGHTED] in the body of the FOA.

Amendment No. Date Description of Amendment

0001 01/11/2024 Modification 0001 was issued to revise the following:

• Extend deadline to 02/13/2024 8:00 PM ET

• Incorporate revisions on Pages 13, 14 and 17.

Changes highlighted in yellow highlight.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 3 of 121

Registration Requirements

There are several one-time actions that must be completed before submitting an application in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) (e.g., register with the System for Award Management (SAM), obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, register with Grants.gov, and register with FedConnect.net to submit questions). It is vital that applicants address these items as soon as possible. Some may take several weeks, and failure to complete them could interfere with an applicant’s ability to apply to this FOA.

➢ SAM Applicants must register with SAM at https://www.sam.gov/ prior to submitting an application in response to this FOA (unless the applicant is exempt from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110). Designating an Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) and obtaining a special password called an MPIN are important steps in SAM registration. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. The applicant must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or 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=650d493e1bab7c105 465eaccac4bcbcb.

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

Due to the high demand of SAM registrations and UEI requests, entity legal business name and address validations are taking longer than expected to process. Entities should start the SAM and UEI registration process as soon as possible. If entities have technical difficulties with the SAM registration or UEI validation process they should utilize the HELP feature on SAM.gov. SAM.gov will work entity 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.

➢ UEI 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.

➢ Grants.gov - Applicants must register with Grants.gov and set up your WorkSpace. You cannot submit an application through Grants.gov unless you are registered. Please read the registration requirements carefully and start the process immediately.

https://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 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 4 of 121

1) The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must register at:

https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/OrcRegister

2) An email is sent to the E-Business (E-Biz) POC listed in SAM. The E-Biz POC must approve the AOR registration using their MPIN from their SAM registration.

More information about the registration steps for Grants.gov is provided at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html

In addition:

o Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the UEI for the organization in the UEI field while adding a profile.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html o EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role.

NOTE: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as a user with the AOR role;

this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html

To track your role request, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html

Questions relating to the registration process, system requirements, or how an application form works must be directed to Grants.gov at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/OrcRegister https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html mailto:support@grants.gov

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 5 of 121

➢ FedConnect.net - Applicants must register with FedConnect to submit questions.

FedConnect website: www.fedconnect.net.

See Section IV for Application and Submission Information (including how to create a WorkSpace).

http://www.fedconnect.net/

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 6 of 121

Table of Contents

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Authorizing Statutes B. Background/Description

i. Background and Purpose

ii. Research and Development Community Benefits Plan (April 2023)

C. Objectives D. Applications Specifically Not of Interest

II. Award Information

A. Type of Application B. Type of Award Instrument C. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding, Number of Awards, Anticipated Award Size, and Maximum DOE Share

ii. Estimated Project Period of Performance

III. Eligibility Information

A. General B. Eligible Applicants

iii. Federal Entities C. Cost Sharing

i. Cost Share Requirements

ii. Legal Responsibility

iii. Cost Share Allocation

iv. Cost Share Types and Allowability

v. Cost Share Verification

vi. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs

D. Compliance Criteria E. Responsiveness Criteria F. Number of Submittals Eligible for Review G. Questions Regarding Eligibility

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Form and Content Requirement B. Full Applications

i. Application Package

ii. Content and Form of Full Application

iii. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

iv. Project/Performance Site Location(s)

v. Other Attachments Form

vi. Project Narrative File – Mandatory Other Attachment

vii. Summary for Public Release File (April 2023)

viii. Project Management Plan

ix. Resume File (April 2023)

x. SF 424A Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs (SF424) File

xi. Budget Justification File

xii. Subaward Budget Justification (if applicable)

xiii. Budget for DOE/NNSA FFRDC/NLs or non-DOE/NNSA FFRDC/NLs, (if applicable)

xiv. Authorization for DOE/NNSA FFRDC/NLs or non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs/NLs (if applicable)

xv. Environmental Questionnaire

xvi. Cost Share Commitment Letters (if applicable)

xvii. SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable)

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 7 of 121

xviii. Waiver Requests (if applicable) (April 2023)

xix. Data Management Plan

xx. R&D Community Benefits Plan (April 2023)

xxi. Current and Pending Support (April 2023)

xxii. U.S. Competitiveness

xxiii. Transparency of Foreign Connections xxiv.Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice

C. Post Selection Information Requests (April 2023) D. Submission Dates and Times E. Intergovernmental Review F. Other Submission and Registration Requirements

i. Registration Process

ii. Where to Submit

iii. Full Application Proof of Timely Submissions

iv. Electronic Authorization of Applications and Award Documents

G. Funding Restrictions (April 2023) H. Pre-Award Costs I. Pre-Award Costs Related to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Requirements J. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver) (April 2023)

i. Requirement

ii. Failure to Comply

iii. Waiver

K. Foreign Travel L. Equipment and Supplies M. Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects (April 2023)

V. Application Review Information

A. Review Criteria

i. Compliance/Responsiveness Review

ii. Full Application Merit Review Criteria

B. Other Selection Factors

i. Program Policy Factors

C. Other Review Requirements

i. Risk Assessment (May 2023)

ii. Recipient Responsibility and Qualifications (May 2023)

D. Review and Selection Process

i. Merit Review

ii. Selection

iii. Discussions and Award

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Notices

i. Ineligible Submissions

ii. Full Application Notifications

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Award Administrative Requirements

ii. Unique Entity Identifier Requirements and System for Award Management (April 2023)

iii. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements

iv. Foreign National Participation (April 2023)

v. Export Control (April 2023)

vi. Statement of Federal Stewardship

vii. Statement of Substantial Involvement

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

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 8 of 121

ix. Conference Spending

x. Indemnity

xi. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

xii. Participants and Collaborating Organizations

xiii. Current and Pending Support

xiv. Fraud, Waste and Abuse (April 2023)

xv. Human Subjects Research (April 2023)

xvi. Real Property and Equipment

C. Reporting

i. Reporting Requirements

ii. Subaward and Executive Reporting

D. Applicant Representations and Certifications

i. Lobbying Restrictions

ii. Nondisclosure and Confidentiality Agreements Representations

iii. Corporate Felony Convictions and Tax Liabilities Representations (March 2014)

VII. Questions/Agency Contacts

A. Questions B. Agency Contact

VIII. Other Information

A. Modifications B. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate C. Commitment of Public Funds D. Treatment of Application Information (April 2023) E. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel F. Intellectual Property Developed Under This Program (September 2021) G. Program Covered Under Special Protected Data Statute (December 2014) H. Energy Data eXchange (EDX) Requirements (December 2022) I. Notice Regarding Eligible/Ineligible Activities J. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability K. Notice of Potential Disclosure Under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) L. Requirement for Full and Complete Disclosure M. Retention of Submissions N. Protected Personally Identifiable Information O. Annual Compliance Audits P. Accounting System Q. Indirect Rates R. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment (April 2023) ..87 S. Prohibition Related to Foreign Government-Sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs (April 2023) T. Implementation of Executive Order 13798, Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (November 2020)

U. Affirmative Action and Pay Transparency Requirements V. Foreign Collaboration Considerations

IX. Appendices

Appendix A – Cost Share Information

Appendix B – Waiver Requests: Foreign Entity Participation and Performance of Work in the United States .96

i. Waiver for Foreign Entity Participation as the Prime Recipient

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

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 9 of 121

Appendix C – Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials - Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects (April 2023)

Appendix D – Statement of Project Objectives Template

Appendix E – Project Management Plan Template

Appendix F – Data Management Plan

Appendix G – R&D Community Benefits Plan Guidance

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 10 of 121

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Authorizing Statutes

The programmatic authorizing statutes are Public Law (PL) 95-91, DOE Organization Act and PL 109-58, Energy Policy Act 2005, Sec. 963, as amended, codified at 42 U.S.C. § 16293.

Awards made under this announcement will fall under the purview of 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200 as amended by 2 CFR Part 910.

B. Background/Description

i. Background and Purpose

Over the past several years, enhancements to Federal tax incentives and investments in carbon management (CM) projects with funds appropriated under the FY21 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law- BIL have improved the economic outlook for implementing commercial carbon capture, transport, and storage as part of nation’s decarbonization strategy. As a result, private-sector entities have begun to formulate plans across all the suitable geologic basins in the United States for large storage facilities and regional ‘CM hubs,’ each consisting of multiple carbon sources, storage reservoirs, and transport systems, such as pipelines, that link the sources and storage locations. The demand for technical assistance in these endeavors has grown substantially, with a need for greater specificity on potential storage resources and impacted communities within a region defined by geologic basins. Given the multitude of stakeholders looking to develop storage projects within a given basin, the creation of widely distributed, place-based technical assistance partnerships focused on the basin scale makes sense going forward to ensure carbon storage resources continue to be managed safely and efficiently.

DOE’s Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships Initiative, which lasted from 2003 through 2019, was highlighted by six successful large-scale geologic carbon storage experiments (over 11 million metric tons of CO2 safely stored collectively) and the establishment of regional teams possessing first-hand experience in conducting such projects. Building on these successes, DOE competitively awarded four new R&D projects under the FY19 Funding Opportunity Announcement titled “Regional Initiative to Accelerate CCUS Deployment” (DE-FOA-0002000). Collectively known as the “Regional Initiatives (RIs),” these four projects have a common overall objective – to identify and address challenges facing commercial deployment

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 11 of 121 of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Each of the four projects is charged with providing a broad range of technical, procedural, and outreach assistance to CCS efforts across a rather broad region of the United States, as listed below:

• Midwest Regional Carbon Initiative - Northeastern/Mid-Atlantic U.S. and Illinois Basin

• Southeast Carbon Sequestration Partnership – Southeastern U.S.

• Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership – Great Plains Region

• Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership – Southwestern and Western

U.S.

The following four activities are common to all four RI projects: (1) Addressing Key Technical Challenges; (2) Facilitating Data Collection, Sharing, and Analysis; (3) Evaluating Regional Infrastructure; and (4) Promoting Regional Technology Transfer. Overall, the RIs are providing stakeholders in each region with crucial information to fill the cost and performance knowledge gaps as needed to enable deployment of carbon management activities, including CCS for industrial and power sector emissions mitigation and storage-based carbon dioxide removal. The five-year performance period of these projects is scheduled to end in September 2024.

To help address the rapidly increasing demand for technical assistance, DOE issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0002799) which closed in December 2022 titled “Regional Initiative to Accelerate CCUS Deployment: Technical Assistance for Regional Carbon Management Hubs.”

Project selections under this FOA were announced in July 2023. One of the main objectives of this FOA (Area of Interest 1) is to allow multiple entities, including but not limited to the existing RI projects, to provide technical and community engagement assistance to developers of specific, well-defined, large-scale storage facilities or regional CM hubs. The type of assistance provided by these projects is similar in nature to the assistance provided by the projects funded via DE-FOA-0002000, except that it is focused on more localized needs and will include a greater emphasis on community engagement as well as diversity, equity, inclusion, job creation, and economic justice issues. These projects fill a critical short-term need for data collection/ analysis/ sharing as well as an increased level of technical and community engagement at the more localized scale of a single storage facility or CM hub rather than over a broad region.

The projects selected under Area of Interest 2 of DE-FOA-0002799 are being performed by State Geologic Surveys (or organizations with similar responsibilities) and have a slightly different objective; these projects focus primarily on assembling, organizing, and analyzing geologic data as a means of facilitating the development of future large-scale storage facilities or CM

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 12 of 121 hubs within their respective States. Each of the newly-selected projects under DE-FOA-0002799 (both Areas of Interest) has a two-year duration (expected fall 2023 – fall 2025) and will be performed and managed independently from the current RI project that covers the broad region in which the large-scale storage facility or CM hub (or State) is located.

The projects awarded under DE-FOA-0002000 and DE-FOA-0002799 have set the stage for DOE to transition decades of experience and expertise on geologic carbon storage into a technical assistance program with the aim to accelerate the growth of a CM industry that is equitable and environmentally responsible. The Regional Initiative Technical Assistance Partnership (RITAP) projects selected under DE-FOA-0003014 will build on the knowledge and experience gained from past and current efforts to address the unique challenges and opportunities of multiple CCS and storage-based CM projects developed within a single geologic basin. Challenges may include properly siting storage projects to avoid pressure interference between neighboring storage facilities, pore space and mineral rights issues, transportation rights-of way, diverse regulatory jurisdictions, etc. The projects would provide a valuable public information resource for developers of carbon storage sites that need assistance in addressing these challenges and affected communities that seek to participate in the resolution of these challenges.

ii. Research and Development Community Benefits Plan (April 2023)

DOE is committed to investing in research and development (R&D) innovations that deliver benefits to the American public and leads to commercialization of technologies and products that foster sustainable, resilient, and equitable access to clean energy. Further, DOE is committed to supporting the development of more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplaces to help maintain the nation’s leadership in science and technology.

To support the goal of building a clean and equitable energy economy, projects funded under this Funding Opportunity Announcement are expected to (1) advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA);

(2) contribute to energy equality; and (3) invest in America’s workforce. To ensure these objectives are met, applications must include a R&D Community Benefits Plan (R&D Community Benefits Plan) that addresses the three objectives stated above. See Section IV, “Application and Submission Information, R&D Community Benefits Plan” and the “R&D Community Benefits Plan” Appendix for more information on the R&D Community Benefits Plan content requirements.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 13 of 121

C. Objectives

The overall objective of DE-FOA-0003014 is to accelerate the equitable and environmentally responsible deployment of storage-based CM projects in specific geologic basins by establishing partnerships comprised of participants with extensive technical, managerial, regulatory, and business expertise specific to carbon transport and storage. Each partnership will have the capability to provide project developers, regulators, community advocacy groups, labor organizations, and other affected stakeholders with objective, unbiased technical assistance within a region defined by a specific geologic basin in which multiple proposed carbon storage facilities are or will be located. For the purposes of this FOA, a carbon storage facility consists of: (1) one or more storage reservoirs, with permeability and porosity demonstrated to allow sufficient injection and storage of CO2; and (2) one or more impermeable seals, which overlay the reservoir(s) and serve as barriers to upward migration of stored CO2.

Projects selected under this FOA will set up multidisciplinary partnerships as a resource for stakeholders in their efforts to address the challenges within a specific geologic basin region. Applicants will be expected to define the geographical boundaries of the proposed on- or offshore basin, which may include basins where dedicated CO2 storage in depleted oil and gas fields or in naturally occurring CO2 reservoirs may occur. Figure 1 provides some examples of the geologic basins for which new projects may be sought under this FOA; however, applications may also be sought for other basins. Applicants may also define sub-basins within the basins shown in Figure 1 in which their technical assistance activities would be directed.

Applications that focus on technical assistance in basins where CO2 storage occurs exclusively or primarily in saline reservoirs without hydrocarbon production are specifically encouraged. However, applications will be accepted for work in basins that includes projects involving dedicated CO2 storage in depleted oil and gas fields, CO2-Enhanced Oil Recovery in combination with stacked dedicated storage of CO2, or in naturally occurring CO2 reservoirs or geologic domes, provided that the technical assistance (a) is directed exclusively to the transition from hydrocarbon production to dedicated CO2 storage operations and associated post injection site care; and (b) is not provided to directly help operators improve hydrocarbon production.

Applicants will also define the specific key stakeholders and commercial interests within their proposed basinal region and the types of assistance they will provide to these stakeholders. The form of assistance is expected to be a subset of the types of assistance provided by recipients of previous Regional Initiative awards under DE- FOA-0002000 and DE-FOA-0002799.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 14 of 121

Figure 1 - Geologic Basins of the U.S.

Technical assistance provided by award Recipients should emphasize the following activities:

• Expanding and strengthening technical assistance to community stakeholders to raise technical understanding of CCS as well as associated benefits and risks, and to build a stronger social sciences capacity and expertise.

• Helping to train the next generation of technical professionals in the CCS field by assisting in the development of education and training programs at regional universities, trade schools, and/or within labor organizations’ training programs. This may include development of curriculum for full college-level degrees in carbon storage or management and/or vocational training in welding, drilling, etc. specific to CO2 transport and storage.

• Continuing carbon storage resource assessments to support project developers, communities, resource managers and permitting agencies to maintain efficient development of these resources. This may include gathering of pre-existing information to build or enhance database and geographic information systems and models to support stakeholder groups. This does not include field work such as drilling, well testing, core collection, core analysis, or acquisition of seismic or other geophysical data. It also does not include interpretation, processing, or analysis of new or pre-existing seismic or other geophysical data.

• Identifying value-added crosscutting opportunities such as recovery of geothermal energy and critical minerals, and discovery of hydrogen and energy storage resources.

• Technical assistance should focus on the following:

• Project management and data sharing plans. Applicants will provide advice, data, and apply best practices for project

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 15 of 121 development, regulatory compliance, community engagement, tax incentives, and other areas as necessary to support the most responsible and equitable deployment of multiple carbon storage projects within a basin.

• Integrated carbon management strategies. Provide technical assistance to stakeholders that will support the deployment of multiple projects across the basin and the responsible management the basin. Applicants may engage with CarbonSAFE projects and projects supported by DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations that have a geologic carbon storage component.

• Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) plan development. Advise on the application of best practices in MRV planning for basin-scale monitoring of multiple storage projects, with a focus on acquiring information of greatest interest to affected communities.

• Pore and pressure space management and optimization. Advise on the use of best practice in the planning, development, and operation of projects to effectively manage subsurface pressures.

• Basinal/local impact assessments to better inform storage resource management strategies. Provide technical assistance on basinal or local impact performance/impact modeling and forecasting.

• Legal and regulatory issues affecting deployment (intra and interstate). Applicants will be required to work across permitting and resource agencies within the boundaries of the basin/sub-basin to facilitate sharing of best practices and encourage engagement with project developers and communities.

• Carbon transport, planning, and safety assistance – Where appropriate the applicant may provide assistance in best practices, education, and engagement focused on the planning of carbon transport infrastructure necessary for project and basin scale development of carbon storage.

Please note: Field work to collect, process, and interpret new geologic and geophysical data, which was within the scope of projects awarded under DE-FOA- 0002000 (and to a lesser extent, under Area of Interest 1 of DE-FOA-0002799) is NOT within the scope of projects to be awarded under DE-FOA-0003014. Similarly, the cost of field work performed by project partners will NOT be recognized as allowable cost share in awards made under DE-FOA-0003014.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 16 of 121

Work performed under this FOA may also be supportive of ongoing activities under the DOE CarbonSAFE Initiative:

• DE-FOA-0001999 (CarbonSAFE Phase III)

• DE-FOA-0002610 (CarbonSAFE Phase II);

and/or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL):

• Section 41004a - $937 million for large-scale CCUS pilots

• Section 41004b - $2.5 billion for demonstration scale carbon capture projects

• Section 40308 - $3.5 billion for regional DAC (Direct Air Capture) hubs

• Section 40303 - $100 million for FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) studies for CO2 transport systems (DE-FOA-0002730)

• Section 40304 - $2.1 billion available in loan guarantees for CO2 transport infrastructure

• Section 40305 - $2.5 billion for Carbon Storage Validation and Testing

(DE-FOA-0002711, CarbonSAFE Phases II, III, III.5, and IV)

• Section 40314 - $8 billion for hydrogen hubs including fossil-based H2 with carbon management.

Applicants are encouraged to consider how the projects they propose for this FOA could complement or directly support projects that have been, or are expected to be, awarded under these other funding opportunities. However, non-federal cost share approved for awards made under these other funding opportunities CANNOT be used as non-federal cost share in awards made under this FOA, and vice versa.

For technical assistance to both onshore and offshore projects, DOE encourages the inclusion or collaboration with non-governmental organizations (industry and trade organizations, colleges and universities, private research institutions, community-based organizations) and governmental organizations.

Award Recipients will be required to provide data acquired during their project into the National Carbon Sequestration Database and Geographical Information System (NATCARB). Data curation and management requirements will be discussed with DOE during award negotiation.

Technical elements that must be included in the application are as follows:

a) Maps of the proposed geologic basin/sub-basin in which technical assistance activities will be performed. This includes approximate outlines of the potential and proposed storage complexes within the basin/sub-basin, potential CO2 sources, CO2 transportation (pipeline) routes, general location of injection well(s), and any other logistical information relevant to management of carbon within the selected geologic basin/sub-basin.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 17 of 121

b) General descriptions of the geologic characteristics of the CO2 storage reservoir(s) and confining unit(s) within the basin/sub-basin, including approximate depth(s), rock types, proximity to known faults, history of oil, gas, wastewater disposal, and other subsurface activities.

c) General descriptions of the CO2 sources (anthropogenic or CDR) within the basin/sub-basin, including type of facility; type of capture technology expected;

status of capture technology; approximate cost and schedule for operation of capture equipment; approximate expected quantity and quality of CO2.

d) Descriptions of ongoing or potential CO2 capture, transport, and storage projects within the basin and their potential for interaction with respect to CO2 plumes, pressure fronts, transport pathways, and impacts on affected communities within the basin.

e) Description of the approach required to address competition for storage resources and/or synergism with other subsurface activities within the basin/sub-basin, which may include, but are not limited to, multiple CO2 storage operations, hydrogen storage, geothermal activity, etc.

f) Discussion of non-technical issues that must be resolved for effective storage-based carbon management in the region, such as Federal, State, and local regulations and permits required for carbon transport and storage, NEPA requirements for carbon storage activities, access to land, pore space, and transport rights-of-way, etc.

g) Description of the type of assistance that will provide the most benefit in resolving the technical, logistical, legal, and regulatory issues that are likely to affect deployment and commercial operation of storage-based carbon management projects in the basin/sub-basin.

h) Description of the approach to ensuring the Federal investments advance the following three (3) objectives: (1) advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA); (2) contribute to energy equity; and (3) invest in America’s workforce. Applicants must address all three (3) sections (see FOA Section IV.B.xx for additional detail).

When completed, the work performed should:

• Provide information and assistance that accelerates the understanding of technical, regulatory, and logistical issues that are likely to affect commercial operation of multiple large-scale carbon storage facilities or CM hubs that could operate in the selected geologic basin of interest.

• Describe the commercial status of large-scale storage facilities or CM hubs that were operating or proposed at the outset of the award, the status at the end of the award, the type of assistance provided during the course of the project, and how this assistance affected the planning and/or operation of these facilities. The most successful projects will demonstrate that technical planning and/or community support of commercial carbon storage was improved as a direct result of project activities.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 18 of 121

• Provide data and analyses regarding potential impacts on communities, including disadvantaged communities, presented in formats that are accessible to members of the public and interested stakeholders.

D. Applications Specifically Not of Interest

The following types of applications will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be reviewed or considered (See Section III, Eligibility Information; Responsiveness Criteria):

• Submissions that fall outside the technical parameters specified in Section I.C, Funding Opportunity Description, Objectives of the FOA.

• Applications that propose to provide technical assistance that does not adequately focus on issues relevant to storage resources and projects in a specific geologic basin.

• Applications that propose to provide technical assistance over a single carbon storage complex that does not consider potential interactions with other carbon management activities within a geologic basin/sub-basin.

• Projects providing technical assistance primarily to stakeholders outside the United States.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 19 of 121

II. Award Information

A. Type of Application

DOE will accept only new applications under this announcement.

B. Type of Award Instrument

DOE anticipates awarding cooperative agreements under this funding opportunity announcement (See Section VI, “Award Administration Information; Statement of Substantial Involvement”).

C. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding, Number of Awards, Anticipated Award Size, and Maximum DOE Share

DOE expects to make Federal funding available for new awards under this FOA as follows:

Anticipated Individual Award Size Area of Interest

Estimated Federal Funding

Anticipated No. of

Awards DOE Share

Cost Share

Total

Maximum DOE Share of Award

1 Up to $40 million 4 - 10 $4M - $5M/

80% $1M - $1.25M/

20% $50 million $5 million

DOE may issue one, multiple or no awards.

APPLICATIONS WHICH EXCEED THE “MAXIMUM DOE SHARE OF AWARD”

SPECIFIED ABOVE WILL BE CONSIDERED NONCOMPLIANT (SEE SECTION III,

“ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION; COMPLIANCE CRITERIA”). DOE WILL NOT

REVIEW OR CONSIDER NONCOMPLIANT APPLICATIONS.

DOE may establish more than one budget period for each award and fund only the initial budget period(s). Funding for all budget periods, including the initial budget period, is not guaranteed. Funding for all awards and future budget periods are contingent upon the availability of funds appropriated by Congress for the purpose of this program and the availability of future-year budget authority.

ii. Estimated Project Period of Performance

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 20 of 121

DOE anticipates making awards with an estimated project period of performance of three (3)] years.

Typically, budget periods are established on an annual basis. In some cases, shorter or longer budget periods may be established for compelling programmatic or administrative reasons, such as to allow for project phases not evenly divisible with 12-month increments or to provide program personnel with logical decision points to evaluate whether the project should proceed.

III. Eligibility Information

A. General

To be considered for substantive evaluation, an applicant‘s submission must meet the criteria set forth below. If the application does not meet these initial requirements, it will be considered non-responsive, removed from further evaluation, and ineligible for any award.

B. Eligible Applicants

i. Domestic Entities The proposed prime recipient and subrecipient(s) must be domestic entities. The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as a prime recipient or subrecipient of this FOA:

1. Institutions of higher education;

2. For-profit entities;

3. Non-profit entities; and

4. State and local governmental entities, and Indian tribes nations.

To qualify as a domestic entity, the entity must be organized, chartered or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the United States; have majority domestic ownership and control;

and have a physical place of business in the United States.

DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are eligible to apply for funding as a subrecipient, but are not eligible to apply as a prime recipient. NETL is not eligible for award under this announcement and may not be proposed as a subrecipient on another entity’s application. An application that includes NETL as a prime recipient or subrecipient will be considered non-responsive.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 21 of 121

Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are eligible to participate as a subrecipient but are not eligible to apply as a prime recipient.

Federal agencies and instrumentalities (other than DOE) are eligible to participate as a subrecipient, but are not eligible to apply as a prime recipient.

Entities banned from doing business with the United States government, such as entities debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participating in Federal programs, are not eligible.

Nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995, are not eligible to apply for funding.

ii. Foreign Entities

In limited circumstances, DOE may approve a waiver to allow a foreign entity to participate as a prime recipient or subrecipient. A foreign entity may submit a Full Application to this FOA, but the Full Application must be accompanied by an explicit written waiver request. Likewise, if the applicant seeks to include a foreign entity as a subrecipient, the applicant must submit a separate explicit written waiver request in the Full Application for each proposed foreign subrecipient.

The ”Waiver Requests: Foreign Entity Participation as the Prime Recipient and Performance of Work in the United States” Appendix lists the information that must be included in a foreign entity waiver request. The applicant does not have the right to appeal DOE’s decision concerning a waiver request.

iii. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers and National Laboratories

DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and National Laboratories (NL) are eligible to apply for funding as a Subrecipient (only) but are not eligible to apply as a Prime Recipient. Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs and National Laboratories are eligible to apply for funding as a Subrecipient but are not eligible to apply as a Prime Recipient.

NETL is not eligible for award under this announcement and may not be proposed as a subrecipient on another entity’s application. An application that includes NETL as a prime recipient or subrecipient will be considered non-responsive.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 22 of 121

Authorization. The cognizant contracting officer for the DOE/NNSA FFRDC/NL or the non-DOE/NNSA Federal agency sponsoring the FFRDC/NL contractor must authorize in writing the use of the FFRDC/NL on the proposed project and this authorization must be submitted with the application. The use of a FFRDC/NL must be consistent with its authority under its award and will not place the laboratory in direct competition with the domestic private sector.

The following wording is acceptable for this authorization:

"Authorization is granted for the [Name] Laboratory to participate in the proposed project. The work proposed for the laboratory is consistent with or complimentary to the missions of the laboratory, will not adversely impact execution of the [DOE/NNSA/or FEDERAL AGENCY] assigned programs at the laboratory, and will not place the laboratory in direct competition with the domestic private sector."

DOE will NOT fund DOE/NNSA FFRDCs participating as a subrecipient through the DOE field work authorization process. DOE will NOT fund non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs through an interagency agreement with the sponsoring agency.

Therefore, the prime recipient and FFRDC are responsible for entering into an appropriate subaward that will govern, among other things, the funding of the FFRDC portion of the work from the prime recipient under its DOE award. Such an agreement must be entered into before any project work begins.

The applicant should prepare the budgets using rates appropriate for funding the FFRDCs through subawards. The applicant’s cost share requirement will be based on the total cost of the project, including the applicant’s, the subrecipient’s, and the FFRDC’s portions of the project.

Responsibility. The applicant, if successful, will be the responsible authority regarding the settlement and satisfaction of all contractual and administrative issues, including but not limited to, disputes and claims arising out of any agreement between the applicant and the FFRDC/NL.

iii. Federal Entities

Federal agencies and instrumentalities (other than DOE) are eligible to apply for funding as a Subrecipient but are not eligible to apply as a Prime Recipient.

C. Cost Sharing

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 23 of 121

i. Cost Share Requirements

The cost share must be at least 20% of the total allowable costs for research and development projects (i.e., the sum of the Government share, including FFRDC/NL costs if applicable, and the recipient share of allowable costs equals the total allowable cost of the project) and must come from non- Federal sources unless otherwise allowed by law. See 2 CFR part 200.306 as amended by 2 CFR part 910.130 for the applicable cost sharing requirements.

DOE understands that projects selected under this FOA may require the use of existing data. For purposes of this FOA, DOE will consider data that is commercially available at an established market price to be an allowable cost under the project (either as DOE share or non-federal cost share) but DOE will not consider in-kind data (e.g., data, owned by an entity, that is not routinely sold commercially but is instead donated to the project and assigned a value) to be an allowable cost under the project, including as Recipient cost share. Estimation methods used by the Recipient to assign a value to in-kind data cannot be objectively verified by DOE and therefore will not be accepted by DOE as an allowable cost under any project selected from this FOA. Consequently, DOE will not recognize in-kind data costs in any resulting approved DOE budget.

To assist applicants in calculating proper cost share amounts, DOE has included a cost share information sheet and sample cost share calculation in the “Cost Share Information” Appendix of this FOA.

ii. Legal Responsibility

Applicants will be bound by the cost share proposed in their applications and incorporated into their award.

The cost share requirement applies to the project as a whole, including work performed by members of the project team other than the Prime Recipient.

The Prime Recipient is legally responsible for paying the entire cost share.

The Prime Recipient’s cost share obligation is expressed in the Assistance Agreement as a static amount in U.S. dollars (cost share amount) and as a percentage of the Total Project Cost (cost share percentage). If the funding agreement is terminated prior to the end of the project period, the Prime Recipient is required to contribute at least the cost share percentage of total expenditures incurred through the date of termination.

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 24 of 121

The Prime Recipient is solely responsible for managing cost share contributions by the Project Team and enforcing cost share obligation assumed by Project Team members in subawards or related agreements.

iii. Cost Share Allocation

Each Project Team is free to determine how best to allocate the cost share requirement among the team members. The amount contributed by individual Project Team members may vary, as long as the cost share requirement for the project as a whole is met.

iv. Cost Share Types and Allowability

Every cost share contribution must be allowable under the applicable Federal cost principles, as described in Section IV, “Application and Submission Information; Funding Restrictions”. In addition, cost share must be verifiable upon submission of the Full Application. Cost share may be provided in the form of cash or cash equivalents, or in-kind contributions. Cost share must come from non-federal sources (unless otherwise allowed by law), such as project participants, state or local governments, or other third-party financing. DOE Loan Guarantee cannot be leveraged by applicants to provide the required cost share or otherwise support the same scope that is proposed under a project.

Cost share may be provided by the prime recipient, subrecipients, or third parties (entities that do not have a role in performing the scope of work).

Vendors/contractors may not provide cost share. Any partial donation of goods or services is considered a discount and is not allowable.

Cash contributions include, but are not limited to personnel costs, fringe costs, supply and equipment costs, indirect costs and other direct costs.

In-kind contributions are those where a value of the contribution can be readily determined, verified and justified but where no actual cash is transacted in securing the good or service comprising the contribution. Allowable in-kind contributions include but are not limited to the donation of volunteer time or the donation of space or use of equipment.

Project teams may use funding or property received from state or local governments to meet the cost share requirement, so long as Federal Government did not provide the funding to the state or local government.

The Recipient may not use the following sources to meet its cost share obligations including, but not limited to:

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 25 of 121

• Revenues or royalties from the prospective operation of an activity beyond the project period;

• Proceeds from the prospective sale of an asset of an activity;

• Federal funding or property (e.g., Federal grants, equipment owned by the Federal Government); or

• Expenditures that were reimbursed under a separate Federal

Program.

Project Teams may not use the same cash or in-kind contributions to meet cost share requirements for more than one project or program.

Cost share contributions must be specified in the project budget, verifiable from the Prime Recipient’s records, and necessary and reasonable for proper and efficient accomplishment of the project. As all sources of cost share are considered part of total project cost, the cost share dollars will be scrutinized under the same Federal regulations as Federal dollars to the project. Every cost share contribution must be reviewed and approved in advance by the Contracting Officer and incorporated into the project budget before the expenditures are incurred.

Applicants are encouraged to refer to 2 CFR 200.306 as amended by 2 CFR

910.130 for additional cost sharing requirements.

Please refer to the “Cost Share Information” Appendix of the FOA.

v. Cost Share Verification

Applicants are required to provide written assurance of their proposed cost share contributions in their Full Applications.

Upon selection for award negotiations, applicants are required to provide additional information and documentation regarding their cost share contributions. Please refer to the “Cost Share Information” Appendix of the

FOA.

vi. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs

Because FFRDCs and NLs are funded by the Federal Government, costs incurred by FFRDCs and NLs generally may not be used to meet the cost share requirement. FFRDCs and NLs may contribute cost share only if the contributions are paid directly from the contractor’s Management Fee or

DE-FOA-0003014 Page 26 of 121 another non-Federal source. In such instance, the FFRDC and NLs must certify in writing that the cost share comes from non-Federal sources.

D. Compliance Criteria

A review of all submitted documents and information is performed to determine if the submissions are in compliance with the FOA requirements. All submitted information and documents must meet all Compliance Criteria listed below to be eligible for review or the submission will be considered noncompliant. DOE will NOT review or consider noncompliant submissions.

Full Applications are deemed compliant if:

• The Full Application complies with the maximum DOE share of the individual award size in Section II, “Award Information; Award Overview” of the FOA;

• The Full Application complies with the content and form requirements in…