FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003096_Amd_000001.pdf

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FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Deployment Office (GDO)

Puerto Rico – Energy Resilience Fund

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0003096 FOA Type: Modification 000001

Assistance Listing Number: 81.254

FOA Issue Date: July 31, 2023 FOA Modification 000001 Issue Date: August 11, 2023 Submission Deadline for Full Applications: September 18, 2023, 5:00pm ET Expected Date for DOE Selection Notifications: October 26, 2023 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations: December 27, 2023

• To apply to this FOA, Applicants must register with and submit application materials through the Clean Energy Infrastructure Funding Opportunity Exchange (INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE) at https://infrastructure-eXCHANGE.energy.gov, online application portal.

• Applicants must designate primary and backup points-of-contact in INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE with whom DOE will communicate to conduct award negotiations. If an application is selected for award negotiations, it is not a commitment to issue an award.

It is imperative that the Applicant/selectee be responsive during award negotiations and file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov mailto:infrastructureexchangesupport@hq.doe.gov https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov/

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meet negotiation deadlines. Failure to do so may result in cancelation of further award negotiations and rescission of the selection.

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

NOTE: Due to the high number of UEI requests and SAM registrations, entity legal business name and address validations are taking longer than expected to process. Entities should start the UEI and SAM registration process as soon as possible. If entities have technical difficulties with the UEI validation or SAM registration process, they should use the HELP feature on SAM.gov. SAM.gov will address service tickets in the order in which they are received and asks that entities not create multiple service tickets for the same request or technical issue.

Additional entity validation resources can be found here: GSAFSD Tier 0 Knowledge Base - Validating your Entity.

Applicants requiring translation assistance to submit applications in English under this FOA must contact DOE no later than two weeks prior to the application due date at GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov.

file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov mailto:infrastructureexchangesupport@hq.doe.gov https://www.sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/help https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1 file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov

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Modifications

Mod. No. Date Description of Modification 000001 08/11/2023 The Spanish translation of this Funding Opportunity

Announcement (DE-FOA-0003096) has been amended from the original translation that was uploaded to the Clean Energy Infrastructure Funding Opportunity Exchange (INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE) on July 31st. This amended version corrected words that were incorrectly translated;

changed phrasing to better express the intent of the original English version; and added English terminology when a literal translation is inappropriate such as the name of an enacted statute, act, or reference to regulations. This new amended version is to be used as the official FOA translation.

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i

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, and register with the Clean Energy Infrastructure Funding Opportunity Exchange (INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE).

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. 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 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=650d493e1bab7c105465 eaccac4bcbcb.

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. Full registration in SAM is not required to obtain an UEI for subaward reporting.

➢ INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY EXCHANGE (INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE)

– Register and create an account on INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE at https://infrastructure-eXCHANGE.energy.gov . This account will allow the user to apply to any open FOAs that are currently in INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE.

file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov mailto:infrastructureexchangesupport@hq.doe.gov 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

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ii

It is recommended that each organization or business unit, whether acting as a team or a single entity, use only one account as the contact point for each submission.

Applicants should also designate backup points of contact so they may be easily contacted if deemed necessary. This step is required to apply to this FOA. The INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE registration does not have a delay; however, the remaining registration requirements below could take several weeks to process and are necessary for a potential Applicant to receive an award under this FOA.

Questions related to the registration process and use of the INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE website should be submitted to: INFRASTRUCTURE-eXCHANGESupport@hq.doe.gov.

➢ FedConnect.net – Register in FedConnect (https://www.fedconnect.net). To create an organization account, your organization’s SAM MPIN is required. For more information about the SAM MPIN or other registration requirements, review the FedConnect Ready, Set, Go! Guide at https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Marketing/Documents/FedConnect_Ready_S et_Go.pdf.

➢ Grants.gov – Register in Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) to receive automatic updates when Amendments to this FOA are posted. Please note that Full Applications will not be accepted through Grants.gov.

➢ Electronic Authorization of Applications and Award Documents – Submission of an application and supplemental information under this FOA through electronic systems used by the DOE, including INFRASTRUCTURE eXCHANGE and FedConnect, constitutes the authorized representative’s approval and electronic signature.

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iii

Table of Contents Registration Requirements ...........................................................................................................................i

Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................iii

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Program Purpose and Strategic Goals

ii. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

iii. Definitions

B. Topic Areas

i. Topic Area 1: Third-Party Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment

ii. Topic Area 2: Community-Sponsored Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment

iii. Topic Area 3: Beneficiary Education, Training, and Consumer Protection

C. Applications Specifically Not of Interest

D. Authorizing Statutes

II. Award Information

A. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding

ii. Period of Performance

iii. New Applications Only

B. DOE Funding Agreements

i. Cooperative Agreements

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Cost Sharing

i. Legal Responsibility

ii. Cost Share Allocation

iii. Cost Share Types and Allowability

iv. Cost Share Verification

v. Cost Share Payment

C. Compliance Criteria

D. Responsiveness Criteria

i. Qualifications Statement

E. Limitations on Number of Full Applications Eligible for Review

F. Questions Regarding Eligibility

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Application Process

i. Additional Information on Clean Energy Infrastructure Funding Opportunity eXCHANGE

B. Application Forms file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov

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iv

C. Content and Form of the Full Application

i. Full Application Content Requirements

ii. Cover Page

iii. Summary/Abstract for Public Release

iv. Qualifications Statement

v. Deployment Strategy – Topic Areas 1 and 2

vi. Project Plan – Topic Area 3 Only vii.Resumes

viii. Letters of Commitment

ix. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

x. Budget Justification Workbook

xi. Subrecipient Budget Justification xii.SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

xiii. Waiver Requests: Foreign Entities and Foreign Work (if applicable)

xiv. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice (if applicable)

D. Post Selection Information Requests

E. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

F. Submission Dates and Times

G. Intergovernmental Review

H. Funding Restrictions

i. Allowable Costs

ii. Pre-Award Costs

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

iv. Foreign Travel

v. Equipment and Supplies

vi. Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects vii.Risk Assessment

viii. Invoice Review and Approval

ix. Prohibition related to Foreign Government-Sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs

x. Affirmative Action and Pay Transparency Requirements

V. Application Review Information

A. Compliance/Responsiveness Review

B. Technical Review Criteria

i. Full Applications

C. Standards for Application Evaluation

D. Other Selection Factors

i. Program Policy Factors

E. Evaluation and Selection Process

i. Overview

ii. Pre-Selection Clarification

iii. Recipient Responsibility and Qualifications

iv. Selection

F. Anticipated Notice of Selection and Award Negotiation Dates file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov

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v

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

i. Ineligible Submissions

ii. Full Application Notifications

iii. Applications Selected for Award Negotiations

iv. Alternate Selection Determinations

v. Unsuccessful Applicants

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Registration Requirements

ii. Award Administrative Requirements

iii. Foreign National Participation (April 2023)

iv. Subaward and Executive Reporting

v. National Policy Requirements

vi. Environmental Review in Accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) vii.Flood Resilience viii.Applicant Representations and Certifications

ix. Statement of Federal Stewardship

x. Statement of Substantial Involvement

xi. Program Guidelines – Topic Areas 1 and 2 xii.Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO) xiii.Intellectual Property Provisions xiv.Reporting xv.Go/No-Go Review xvi.Conference Spending xvii.Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements xviii.Implementation of Executive Order 13798, Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty xix.Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance xx.Fraud, Waste and Abuse xxi.Human Subjects Research xxii.Real Property and Equipment

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. Rights in Technical Data

K. Copyright file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov

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vi

L. Export Control

M. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment

N. Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

O. Annual Independent Audits

Appendix A – Cost Share Information

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

Appendix C – Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials Buy America Requirement for Infrastructure Projects

Appendix D – List of Acronyms

Appendix E – Statement of Project Objectives file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov

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I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Program Purpose and Strategic Goals In December 2022, Congress appropriated $1 billion in the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act for activities to improve the resilience of the Puerto Rican electric grid, including renewable energy and storage solutions for vulnerable households and communities. Per the Act, these activities will include resilience investments for low-and-moderate income households and households with individuals with disabilities.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Deployment Office (GDO) established the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF) to administer the $1 billion through a program focused on both residential and community-based energy resilience investments, including but not limited to solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage deployments, as well as community partnerships and other activities to grow Puerto Rico’s clean energy economy. This first Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under the PR-ERF has three Strategic Goals1:

1. Enhance energy resilience for vulnerable households through the rapid installation of rooftop solar PV and battery storage systems. Through this first funding opportunity, DOE aims to incentivize the installation of roughly 30,000-40,000 residential systems.

2. Reduce energy burden (i.e., the percentage of gross household income spent on energy costs) for program beneficiaries.

3. Support the growth of the clean energy workforce in Puerto Rico, as well as support education and protection for beneficiaries.

To accomplish these goals, this FOA has three (3) Topic Areas. The three Topic Areas are as follows:

• Topic Area 1: Third-Party Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment

• Topic Area 2: Community-Sponsored Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment

• Topic Area 3: Beneficiary Education, Training, and Consumer Protection

Qualified solar companies, nonprofits, and electric cooperatives will be eligible for award to deploy rooftop solar PV and battery storage systems for beneficiaries. Beneficiaries include (1) very low-income single-family households

1Future PR-ERF solicitations may have a broader scope and different strategic goals.

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where an individual with an energy dependent disability resides; or (2) very low-income single-family households located in a Last Mile Community (see Definitions section for more information).

In a separate but related opportunity, DOE is launching the Solar Ambassadors Prize to incentivize community-based organizations, nonprofits, and certain for-profit entities to help identify qualified beneficiaries in the Topic Area 1 Third- Party Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment Program.

ii. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility It is the policy of the Biden Administration that2:

The Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. Affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our government. Because advancing equity requires a systematic approach to embedding fairness in decision-making processes, executive departments, and agencies (agencies) must recognize and work to redress inequities in their policies and programs that serve as barriers to equal opportunity.

By advancing equity across the Federal Government, we can create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone. This funding opportunity is solely focused on supporting low- and moderate- income communities and households that include individuals with energy dependent disabilities in Puerto Rico. Applicants are highly encouraged to include individuals from groups historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) on their project teams and companies with local presence in Puerto Rico. Further, Minority Serving Institutions, Minority Business Enterprises, Minority Owned Businesses, Woman Owned Businesses, Veteran Owned Businesses, or entities located in an underserved community that meet the eligibility requirements are encouraged to participate on an application as a proposed partner to the prime Applicant.

Accordingly, the Selection Official may consider these types of entities as part of the selection decision. (See Section V.D.i. of the FOA.)

2 Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.

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iii. Definitions

• Applicant: Entity that applies for direct DOE financial assistance under this

FOA for all three Topic Areas.

• Awardee: Applicant entity that receives a financial assistance award for any of the Topic Areas in this FOA.

• Beneficiary: Individual, family, or privately owned household that receives direct services or benefits from this FOA. Beneficiaries include (a) very low-income single-family households where an individual with an energy dependent disability resides (no geographic restriction); or (b) very low-income single-family households located in a Last Mile Community.

• Community-Based Organization (CBO): Nonprofit organization that serves a particular community, geographic area, or demographic, as outlined in this funding opportunity announcement.

• Energy Burden: Percentage of gross household income spent on energy costs.

• Energy Cooperative3: Cooperatives organized in accordance with Puerto Rico Act 258-2018; with the purpose of satisfying the individual and common needs of electric energy services of its members and their communities, through systems of and/or communities through electric power generation, transmission and distribution, in accordance with the Energy Bureau Regulations4.

• Individual with Energy Dependent Disability: an individual that relies on electricity-dependent or battery-dependent medical equipment or assistive technology to live independently or to assist in performing activities to daily living. This includes individuals who are unable to control body temperature and therefore require heating or cooling systems to prevent injury or death, as well as those that rely on medication that is required to be refrigerated5.

• Last Mile Community: A census block that (a) has a high percent of very low-income households6, and (b) experiences frequent and prolonged power outages. Solar Ambassador organizations will perform outreach activities in Last Mile Communities to identify qualifying households.

• Very Low-Income Single-Family Household: A household in which at least one individual is enrolled in or receives benefits from one or more of the following government assistance programs: Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP), or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

• Nonprofit: See 2 CFR 200.1.

3 20191008-Resolution-MI20190004.pdf (pr.gov) 4 9117-Regulation-on-Energy-Cooperatives.pdf (pr.gov) 5 This is a non-exhaustive list of examples of medical devices considered to rely on electricity-dependent or rechargeable battery-dependent medical equipment or assistive technology: ventilator, bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machine, enteral feeding machine, intravenous (IV) infusion pump, suction pump, at-home dialysis machine, electric wheelchair, electric scooter, electric bed equipment in the past 13 months; oxygen concentrator equipment in the past 36 months;

implanted cardiac devices that include left ventricular assistive device (LVAD), right ventricular assistive device (RVAD), bi-ventricular assistive device (BIVAD), total artificial heart (TAH) in the past 5 years.

6 Income data from the Puerto Rico Solar-for-All: LMI PV Rooftop Technical Potential and Solar Savings Potential (NREL), with underlying data from the Census Bureau 2011–2015 American Community Survey file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov mailto:infrastructureexchangesupport@hq.doe.gov https://energia.pr.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/10/20191008-Resolution-MI20190004.pdf https://energia.pr.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/10/9117-Regulation-on-Energy-Cooperatives.pdf https://data.nrel.gov/submissions/144

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• Recipient: See 2 CFR 200.1.

• Resilience: Ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions and recover rapidly from operational disruptions. Resilience includes the ability to withstand and recover from deliberate attacks, accidents, or naturally occurring threats or incidents.

• Subaward: See 2 CFR 200.1.

• Subrecipient: See 2 CFR 200.1.

• Single-family House: Fully detached house, semidetached (side-by-side) house, row house, or townhouse.

• Third-Party Owner: Entity other than a homeowner that owns and maintains a solar PV and battery storage system on the home’s roof. Under a third-party ownership model for solar PV and battery storage, the homeowner can contractually use the electricity generated and energy stored in the battery without holding title to the equipment.

o Lease/Lease Agreement: A lease is a type of third-party ownership where a homeowner pays a fee to use the solar PV and battery storage system on the homeowner’s rooftop.

o Power Purchase Agreement (PPA): A residential PPA is a type of third-party ownership where residents of a household where solar PV and battery storage has been installed and is owned by a third-party owner pays the third-party owner a per-kilowatt-hour rate for the electricity produced and used by the household.

B. Topic Areas

i. Topic Area 1: Third-Party Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment Topic Area 1 solicits qualified solar companies to deploy third-party residential rooftop solar PV and battery storage system7, using commercially available technology, to enhance resilience and provide other benefits as listed above.

DOE anticipates awarding a total of between $380M and $400M, with up to 5 separate awards. The goal of this Topic Area is to deploy systems to qualified beneficiaries at scale, as efficiently as possible.

Applicants will develop two documents to form the core of their application packages: a Qualifications Statement and a Deployment Strategy. These documents are intended to demonstrate how Applicants will cost effectively maximize the number of household installations and the reduction to household energy burden, while providing sufficient generation and storage capacity to enhance household critical load resilience.

7 In order to meet the strategic objective of enhancing energy resilience, standalone solar PV installations will not be considered an eligible activity.

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Qualified Applicants are solar and storage companies with an existing presence in Puerto Rico, an established business model for third-party ownership and operations and maintenance (O&M), financial and regulatory good standing, and who can demonstrate a strong operational track record of resilient solar PV and battery storage installation.

For this Topic Area, the DOE’s network of partner Solar Ambassadors8 , and not Awarded installers, will engage in outreach efforts to identify beneficiaries.

Beneficiaries are either:

(a) Very low-income single-family households where an individual with an energy dependent disability resides; or

(b) Very low-income single-family households located in a Last Mile Community.

Topic Area 1 awardees (solar companies) will not be responsible for initial outreach to potential beneficiaries and beneficiary intake. DOE will screen beneficiary applications and provide a beneficiary list directly to solar companies to design and deploy rooftop solar and battery storage systems sized for critical load resilience.

Applicants will be responsible for taking the approved beneficiary list and performing business-as-usual site visits, solar and storage designs, permitting, installation and inspection, consumer education and training related to the specific installation, submittal of interconnection application, 20-25 years of operations and maintenance (including equipment replacement), and other relevant services considered best practice in third-party ownership models.

Successful Applicants will be required to demonstrate a proposed pricing structure that allows for minimal-to-no upfront cost to the beneficiary and affordable PPA/lease payments for the duration of the agreement. Cooperative agreements under this FOA will require that certain terms and conditions be included in the underlying PPA/lease agreements. Applicants selected for award will receive detailed guidelines on these required terms and conditions during negotiations.

Topic Area 1 cooperative agreements may include up to three phases of work.

Prior to the Planning Phase (Phase 1), Applicants selected for award will receive detailed Program Guidelines during negotiations to inform the development of a more detailed Deployment Plan as described in Section VI.B.xi. of the FOA.

• Planning Phase (Phase 1): Applicants will develop a detailed Deployment

Plan (see Appendix E-Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO) for details).

This phase is estimated to take 5 months. At the end of this phase there will

8 DOE will partner with a network of community-based organizations – Solar Ambassadors – that will perform outreach activities to identify qualifying households and assist them with registering to participate as beneficiaries in this Topic Area.

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be a Go/No-Go decision point to determine if the Deployment Plan meets the DOE’s program objectives.

• Initial Deployment Phase (Phase 2): After 100 installs, a random selection of the installations and beneficiaries will be inspected and audited to ensure compliance with the guidelines in the FOA. Random beneficiaries will be interviewed to measure the reduction in household-level energy burden, and that systems are performing as anticipated. At the end of this phase there will be a Go/No-Go decision point to see if the Awardee will advance to Full Deployment Phase.

• Full Deployment Phase (Phase 3): After each 12-month period since the award date, a random selection of installations and beneficiaries will be inspected and audited for compliance with the guidelines.

Awardees are expected to provide no less than 5% cost share for all three phases. Deployments would occur over a maximum 5-year timeframe.

DOE has issued a NEPA Categorical Exclusion for the Planning Phase (Phase 1) of the Topic Area. Applicants selected for award will be required to adhere to NEPA requirements specific to Deployment Phases (Phase 2 and Phase 3). DOE plans to initiate a programmatic environmental assessment to evaluate the potential impacts of the program and to identify possible mitigations or limitations.

Awardees will receive additional guidance prior to initiating the Initial Deployment Phase (Phase 2).

Applicants will comply with certain technical and operational requirements, as outlined in the table below. Detailed requirements will be provided in forthcoming Program Guidelines, but will not deviate from the high-level specifications listed here:

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ii. Topic Area 2: Community-Sponsored Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment Topic Area 2 solicits applications from nonprofits and energy cooperatives to deploy residential solar PV and battery storage installations, using commercially available technology, to enhance resilience and provide other benefits as listed above. DOE anticipates awarding a total of between $20M and $40M under this topic area, with up to 10 separate awards.

Applicants will develop two documents to form the core of their proposal packages: a Qualifications Statement and a Deployment Strategy. These documents are intended to demonstrate how Applicants will cost effectively maximize the number of household installations and the reduction to household

9 The range in critical load percent will mainly be due to presence of energy-dependent medical equipment.

TOPIC AREA 1: TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Asset Ownership Model

Third-Party Ownership (lease or PPA)

Equipment Type New

System Size - Solar PV 3-5 kW

System Size - Battery 10-20 kWh

Load Covered by PV & Battery System

Critical Load (25%-75% of total household load)9

O&M (to match lease or PPA term)

20-25 years

Performance Guarantee

Solar PV and battery will require performance guarantees

Insurance Installer/O&M provider must maintain insurance on the system for the duration of the agreement

Allowed “Solar Ready” Investments

Roof repair, incidental electrical work, communications equipment

Installation Labor In accordance with all applicable codes, standards, and workforce regulations

Interconnection Net metering application submission required by the installer

Ability to Island Yes

Remote Monitoring/Dispatch

Systems must be installed to allow for remote monitoring and be aggregation-ready to participate in grid services programs

Customer Acquisition None. Instead, to be performed by Solar Ambassadors and screened for eligibility by DOE.

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energy burden, while providing sufficient generation and storage capacity to enhance household critical load resilience.

Qualified Applicants are nonprofit entities or energy cooperatives with an existing presence in Puerto Rico, financial and regulatory good standing, and demonstrating a strong operational track record to deploy solar PV and battery storage systems and provide O&M.

Applicants may propose a wide range of business models10 to deploy and maintain residential solar PV and battery storage systems. Applicants will be responsible for beneficiary outreach and customer acquisition 11, home inspection and design, certain activities to make a home “solar-ready”, installation and inspection, beneficiary education and training, submittal of interconnection application, a cost-effective plan for operations and maintenance and insurance, and other relevant activities. Cooperative agreements under this FOA will require that certain terms and conditions be included in the underlying PPA/lease agreements. Applicants selected for award will receive detailed guidelines on these required terms and conditions during negotiations.

Topic Area 2 cooperative agreements may include up to three phases of work.

Prior to the Planning Phase (Phase 1), Applicants selected for award will receive detailed Program Guidelines during negotiations to inform the development of a more detailed Deployment Plan as described in Section VI.B.xi. of the FOA.

• Planning Phase (Phase 1): Applicants will develop a detailed Deployment

Plan (see Appendix E -Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO) for details).

This phase is estimated to take 5 months. At the end of this phase there will be a Go/No-Go decision point based on performance.

• Initial Deployment Phase (Phase 2): After an initial tranche of installs, a random selection of installations and beneficiaries will be inspected and audited for each Applicant on a case-by-case basis to ensure compliance with the guidelines in this FOA. Random Beneficiaries will be interviewed to measure the reduction in household-level energy burden, and that systems are performing as anticipated. At the end of this phase there will be a Go/No-Go decision point to see if the Awardee will advance to Full Deployment Phase.

• Full Deployment Phase (Phase 3): After each 12-month period since the award date, a random selection of installations and beneficiaries will be inspected and audited for compliance with the guidelines in this FOA.

10 Topic Area 2 is not limited to third-party ownership.

11 Note that the Ambassador Prize is solely doing outreach for Topic Area 1.

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Awardees are expected to provide no less than 5% cost share for all three phases. Deployments would occur over a maximum 5-year timeframe.

DOE has issued a NEPA Categorical Exclusion for the Planning Phase (Phase 1) of the Topic Area. Applicants selected for award will be required to adhere to NEPA requirements specific to Deployment Phases (Phase 2 and Phase 3) as identified by DOE. DOE plans to initiate a programmatic environmental assessment to evaluate the potential impacts of the program and to identify possible mitigations or limitations. Awardees will receive additional guidance prior to initiating the Initial Deployment Phase (Phase 2).

Applicants will comply with certain technical and operational requirements, as outlined in the table below. Detailed requirements will be provided in forthcoming Program Guidelines, but will not deviate from the high-level specifications listed here:

12 The range in critical load percent will mainly be due to presence of energy-dependent medical equipment.

TOPIC AREA 2: TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Asset Ownership Model Any. (Models are not restricted to Third-Party Ownership, and can include beneficiary-owned, community-owned, Coop-owned, etc., but must be based on existing, successful models.)

Equipment Type New

System Size - Solar PV 3-5 kW

System Size - Battery 10-20 kWh

Load Covered by PV & Battery System Critical Load (25%-75% of total load)12

Operations and Maintenance Must have long-term O&M plan

Insurance Must have plan for insurance coverage

Allowed “Solar Ready” Investments Roof repair, incidental electrical work, communications equipment

Installation Labor In accordance with all applicable codes, standards, and workforce regulations

Interconnection Net metering application submission required by the installer, nonprofit, or cooperative.

Ability to Island Yes

Remote Monitoring/Dispatch Systems must be installed to allow for remote monitoring. It is encouraged that systems be installed to be aggregation-ready to participate in grid services programs

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iii. Topic Area 3: Beneficiary Education, Training, and Consumer Protection Topic Area 3 solicits applications to educate and train beneficiaries of residential solar PV and battery storage deployments in Puerto Rico. While solar companies do perform education and training activities for homeowners as part of their business-as-usual activities, DOE seeks trusted third-parties to enhance homeowners’ knowledge and understanding of the areas outlined below, as well as serve as a consumer protection resource to assist beneficiaries on an ongoing basis with system education, troubleshooting O&M issues, and interfacing with the Consumer Affairs Protection Bureau and other appropriate entities to resolve customer complaints. DOE anticipates awarding a total of between $5 and $10 million, with up to three awards (DOE will seek a diversity in awardees between consumer protection and education). There is no cost share requirement for Topic Area 3. Education, Training, and Consumer Protection services would occur over a maximum 5-year timeframe.

DOE has issued a NEPA Categorical Exclusion for Topic Area 3.

Qualified Applicants include nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, local government agencies, and for-profit entities with demonstrated successful experience delivering the education, training and consumer protection specified in this topic area. The Applicant and Team Members must have active operations, programs, or other activities in Puerto Rico. Awardees will provide direct assistance to energy consumers in Puerto Rico, specifically the beneficiaries of Topic Areas 1 and 2.

Applications should focus educational activities on the following areas:

• The benefits of solar PV and battery storage systems (resilience, cost savings, etc.),

• Preparedness for extreme weather events,

• Changing energy use during an outage,

• Understanding long-term operations and maintenance,

• Consumer Protection and how to resolve a complaint,

• Understanding contract terms of leases or PPAs, and

• Energy efficiency.

Education and training can take place before, during, and after installation of a solar PV and battery storage system. Direct education, train-the-trainer, and broader educational campaigns will be considered. Awardees will also include measures for ongoing consumer protection and advocacy for the 5-year project duration.

Topic Area 3 cooperative agreements may include up to two phases of work.

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• Planning Phase (Phase 1): Awardees will develop a detailed Project Plan (see Appendix E-Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO) for details). This phase is estimated to take 5 months. At the end of this phase there will be a Go/No-Go decision point based on evaluating the Project Plan against Topic Area objectives and consistent with DOE’s goals.

• Implementation Phase (Phase 2): Awardees execute the Project Plan for the duration of the 5-year period of performance. After each 12-month period since the award date, a random selection of beneficiaries will be interviewed and audited to ensure the Awardee’s compliance with the guidelines.

C. Applications Specifically Not of Interest

The following types of applications will be deemed nonresponsive for this FOA and will not be reviewed or considered (See Section III. of the FOA):

• Applications that fall outside the technical parameters specified in Sections I.A. and I.B. of the FOA such as installing other forms of generation (e.g.

diesel generation)

• Applications that do not focus on very low-income single-family households in Last Mile Communities or households with an individual with an energy dependent disability.

D. Authorizing Statutes

The programmatic authorizing statute is the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328), Division N, Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, Title IV, Electricity, which states that “$1,000,000,000, to remain available until expended, to carry out activities to improve the resilience of the Puerto Rican electric grid, including grants for low and moderate income households and households that include individuals with disabilities for the purchase and installation of renewable energy, energy storage, and other grid technologies: Provided, That the Department of Energy shall coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development on these activities.”

Awards made under this announcement will fall under the purview of 2 CFR Part 200 as amended by 2 CFR Part 910.

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II.Award Information

A. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding DOE expects to make $405-$450 million of federal funding available for new awards under this FOA, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. DOE anticipates making between 8 and 18 awards under this FOA. DOE may issue one, multiple, or no awards.

The initial award amounts for Topic Areas 1 and 2 will be for the Planning Phase (Phase 1) only and limited to $100,000 of Federal funding. The award value for each agreement and associated budget incorporating the Deployment Phases (Phase 2 and Phase 3) will be based on Go/No-Go decisions made upon the completion of the Planning Phase (Phase 1) and will take into account the Deployment Plan created during the Planning Phase (Phase 1).

ii. Period of Performance For Topic Areas 1 and 2, DOE anticipates making awards with an estimated 5-month Planning Phase (Phase 1), up to a 5-year maximum for Deployments (Phase 2 and Phase 3), followed by a long-term O&M phase. DOE anticipates making Topic Area 3 awards comprised of a 5-month Planning Phase (Phase 1) followed by a 5-year maximum Implementation Phase (Phase 2). Awards may be comprised of one or more budget periods (i.e., phases) with Go/No-Go decision

Topic Area

Number Topic Area Title

Anticipated Number of

Awards

Anticipated Minimum

Award Size for Any One

Individual Award (Fed

Share)

Anticipated Maximum

Award Size for Any One

Individual Award (Fed

Share)

Approximate Total Federal

Funding Available for All Awards

Anticipated Period of

Performance for

Deployment (months)

Third-Party Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment

2-5 $80M $200M $380M-$400M 60

Community-Sponsored Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment

5-10 $500k $10M $20M-$40M 60

Beneficiary Education, Training, and Consumer Protection

1-3 $2M $5M $5M-$10M 60 file://prod65-fs3/common/Common/OE_PROGRAMS/Base%20Programs/PR%20ERF/FOA%20Document/GDO_FOA3096@netl.doe.gov

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points. Project continuation will be contingent upon several elements, including satisfactory performance and Go/No-Go decision review.

At the Go/No-Go decision points, DOE will evaluate project performance, project schedule adherence, the extent milestones and objectives are met, compliance with reporting requirements, and overall contribution to the program goals and objectives.

As a result of this evaluation, DOE may, at its discretion, authorize the following actions: (1) continue to fund the project; (2) recommend redirection of work under the project; (3) place a hold on federal funding for the project, pending further supporting data or funding; or (4) discontinue funding the project because of insufficient progress, change in strategic direction, or lack of funding.

iii. New Applications Only DOE will accept only new applications under this FOA. DOE will not consider applications for renewals of existing DOE-funded awards through this FOA.

B. DOE Funding Agreements

Through cooperative agreements and other similar agreements, DOE provides financial and other support to projects that have the potential to realize the FOA objectives. DOE does not use such agreements to acquire property or services for the direct benefit or use of the U.S. government.

i. Cooperative Agreements DOE generally uses cooperative agreements to provide financial and other support to Prime Recipients. Through cooperative agreements, DOE provides financial or other support to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by federal statute. Under cooperative agreements, the government and Prime Recipients share responsibility for the direction of projects.

DOE has substantial involvement in all projects funded via cooperative agreement. See Section VI.B.x. of the FOA for more information on what substantial involvement may involve.

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III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

An Applicant’s submission must meet the criteria set forth below to be considered for substantive evaluation.

i. Restricted Eligibility In accordance with 2 CFR 910.126, Competition, eligibility for prime award is restricted to:

• Topic Area 1 (Third-Party Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage

Deployment): Eligibility for prime award is restricted to domestic for-profit entity solar companies.

• Topic Area 2 (Community-Sponsored Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment): Eligibility for prime award is restricted to domestic nonprofit entities and energy cooperatives. Domestic for-profit entities, like solar companies, may be part of the subcontracting structure, but cannot be Prime Recipients.

• Topic Area 3 (Beneficiary Education, Training, and Consumer Protection):

Eligibility for prime award is restricted to domestic nonprofit entities, educational institutions, State and local governmental entities, and for-profit entities.

"Domestic” means: entities that are organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the United States and have a physical location for business operations in the United States.

ii. Subrecipient Eligibility For-profit entities, educational institutions, and nonprofit entities that are organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the United States and have a physical location for business operations in the United States are eligible to apply for funding as a subrecipient.

State and local governmental entities and Indian tribes…