FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003214_Amd_000001.pdf

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FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

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

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – Joint Office of Energy and Transportation: Communities Taking Charge Accelerator, Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Opportunity Announcement

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0003214 FOA Type: Amendment 000001

Assistance Listing Number: 81.086

FOA Issue Date: April 16, 2024 Submission Deadline for Concept Papers: May 20, 2024, 5:00 pm ET Anticipated Date of Concept Paper Notification: June 13, 2024 Submission Deadline for Full Applications: July 16, 2024 5:00 pm ET Expected Submission Deadline for Replies to Reviewer Comments:

August 30, 2024 5:00 pm ET

Expected Date for DOE Selection Notifications: December 2024 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations: December 2024 – April 2025

• Applicants must submit Concept Papers by 5:00 pm ET on the due date listed above to be eligible to submit a Full Application. Late applications will not be accepted. Applicants are highly encouraged to submit prior to the deadline.

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

https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ ii

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

Due to the high demand for 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.

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

AMENDMENTS

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

Amendment No. Date Description of Amendment

000001 07/01/2024 • Section I.B was updated with clarification examples in Topic 3

• Section II.A.i Estimated funding table was updated to accurately reflect Topic Area titles

• Section IV.D.ix Summary for Public Release was updated with additional and revised requirements

• Updated Table of Contents accordingly iv

Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................iv

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Program Purpose

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals

B. Topic Areas C. Applications Specifically Not of Interest D. Community Benefits Plan: Job Quality and Equity E. Authorizing Statutes F. Notice of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-Specific Requirements

II. Award Information

A. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding

ii. Period of Performance

iii. New Applications Only

B. DOE Funding Agreements

i. Cooperative Agreements

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

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

i. Domestic Entities

ii. Foreign Entities

B. Cost Sharing

i. Legal Responsibility

ii. Cost Share Allocation

iii. Cost Share Types and Allowability

iv. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs

v. Cost Share Verification

vi. Cost Share Payment

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

i. Requirements for DOE/NNSA and non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs Included as a Subrecipient F. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Full Applications Eligible for Review G. Questions Regarding Eligibility

IV. Application and Submission Information

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

i. Full Application Content Requirements

ii. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

iii. Technical Volume

iv. Resumes

v. Letters of Commitment

vi. Community Partnership Documentation v

vii. Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO)

viii. Budget Justification Workbook

ix. Summary for Public Release

x. Summary Slide

xi. Subrecipient Budget Justification (if applicable)

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

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

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

xv. Waiver Requests (if applicable)

xvi. Open-Source Software Distribution Plan (Topic 3 only)

xvii. Data Management Plan (Topic 3 only)

xviii. Community Benefits Plan: Job Quality and Equity

xix. Community Benefits Plan Budget Justification

xx. Current and Pending Support

xxi. Locations of Work

xxii. Transparency of Foreign Connections

xxiii. Potentially Duplicate Funding Notice

E. Content and Form of Replies to Reviewers Comments (Optional Submission) F. Post Selection Information Requests G. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) H. Submission Dates and Times I. Intergovernmental Review J. Funding Restrictions

i. Allowable Costs

ii. Pre-Award Costs

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

iv. Construction

v. Foreign Travel

vi. Equipment and Supplies

vii. Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

viii. Davis-Bacon Act Requirements

ix. Lobbying

x. Risk Assessment

xi. Invoice Review and Approval

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

xiii. Affirmative Action and Pay Transparency Requirements

xiv. Foreign Collaboration Considerations

V. Application Review Information

A. Technical Review Criteria

i. Concept Papers

ii. Full Applications

iii. Criteria for Replies to Reviewer Comments

B. Standards for Application Evaluation C. Other Selection Factors

i. Program Policy Factors D. Evaluation and Selection Process

i. Overview

ii. Pre-Selection Clarification

iii. Recipient Responsibility and Qualifications

iv. Selection

E. Anticipated Notice of Selection and Award Negotiation Dates vi

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

i. Ineligible Submissions

ii. Concept Paper Notifications

iii. Full Application Notifications

iv. Successful Applicants

v. Alternate Selection Determinations

vi. Unsuccessful Applicants

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Registration Requirements

ii. Award Administrative Requirements

iii. Foreign National Participation

iv. Subaward and Executive Reporting

v. National Policy Requirements

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

vii. Flood Resilience

viii. Applicant Representations and Certifications

ix. Statement of Federal Stewardship

x. Statement of Substantial Involvement

xi. Subject Invention Utilization Reporting

xii. Intellectual Property Provisions

xiii. Reporting

xiv. Go/No-Go Review

xv. Conference Spending

xvi. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements

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

xviii. Participants and Collaborating Organizations

xix. Current and Pending Support

xx. U.S. Manufacturing Commitments

xxi. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

xxii. Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

xxiii. Human Subjects Research

xxiv. 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. Title to Subject Inventions K. Government Rights in Subject Inventions L. Rights in Technical Data M. Copyright N. Export Control O. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment P. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) vii

Q. Annual Independent Audits

Appendix A – Cost Share Information

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

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

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

Appendix E – Open-Source Software Distribution Plan

Appendix F – List of Acronyms

Questions about this FOA? Email: FOA3214@netl.doe.gov Problems with EERE eXCHANGE? Email EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov Include FOA name and number in subject line.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

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

Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), is issuing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – Joint Office of Energy and Transportation: Communities Taking Charge Accelerator, Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Opportunity Announcement”.

Awards made under this FOA will be funded, in whole or in part, with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act1, more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

The BIL is a once-in-a-generation investment in modernizing and upgrading American infrastructure to enhance U.S. competitiveness, driving the creation of good-paying union jobs, tackling the climate crisis, and securing environmental justice and economic opportunity for disadvantaged communities2. The BIL appropriates more than $62 billion to the Department of Energy (DOE)3 to invest in American manufacturing and workers; expand access to energy efficiency and clean energy; deliver reliable, clean, and affordable power to more Americans; and demonstrate and deploy the clean-energy technologies of tomorrow through clean energy demonstrations.

DOE’s BIL investments will support efforts to build a clean and equitable energy economy that achieves a zero-carbon electricity system by 2035, and to put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions economy-wide by no later than 20504 to benefit all Americans.

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

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

2and M-23-09, DOE recognizes disadvantaged communities all Federally Recognized Tribes and Tribal entities as well as all census tracts identified as disadvantaged. Established by Executive Order 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, the Justice40 Initiative sets a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments in climate, clean energy, and other areas flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. Pursuant to M-21-28 and M-23-09, issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget, White House Council on Environmental Quality, and White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, DOE recognizes disadvantaged communities as the census tracts that are identified as disadvantaged by the CEJST, as well as all Federally Recognized Tribes and Tribal entities. For information about whether a particular DOE program is covered under the Justice40 Initiative, please see DOE’s Justice40 Initiative webpage.

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

mailto:FOA3214@netl.doe.gov mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684 https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23-09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad https://www.whitehouse.gov/environmentaljustice/justice40/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/M-21-28.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23-09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 https://www.energy.gov/justice/justice40-initiative https://www.energy.gov/justice/justice40-initiative https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-fact-sheet-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal-will-deliver-american-workers-families-and-0 https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-fact-sheet-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal-will-deliver-american-workers-families-and-0 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/ subject line.

The BIL includes a historic $7.5 billion dedicated investment to build out a national network of Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers. As part of this investment, the BIL includes $300 million to establish a Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to study, plan, coordinate, and implement issues of joint concern between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The Communities Taking Charge Accelerator FOA and related activities align with the Joint Office mission to provide a modernized and interagency approach to support the deployment of zero-emission, convenient, accessible, and equitable transportation infrastructure. The activities to be funded under this FOA support BIL section Title VIII, Division J, Federal Highway Administration - Highway Infrastructure Program.

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

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

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

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

The transition to electrified transportation is occurring rapidly: Since President Biden took office, EV sales have more than quadrupled, with more than four and a half million EVs on the road. In 2023, over 1.4 million EVs were sold, and EV ownership is more affordable than ever before, with prices down over 20% from one year ago. The number of publicly available charging ports has also grown by over 70 percent, to over 175,000 public charging ports.

Federal investments will accelerate this transition and catalyze additional private sector investment. More than $25 billion of investment in the U.S. EV charging network has been announced to date, including more than $10 billion from the private sector. States are accelerating progress on deploying EV chargers using federal formula funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) program. Over $2.4 billion has been made available through the NEVI program, and many States such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Hawaii are already bringing NEVI-funded charging stations online. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also continue to support the transition to clean transit mailto:FOA3214@netl.doe.gov mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov subject line.

and school bus fleets, improve facilities, and advance workforce development.

Earlier this year, the EPA announced nearly $1 billion in awards for clean school buses across the nation through the U.S. EPA Clean School Bus Program Grants Competition. And on February 8. 2024, the FTA made nearly $1.5 billion available for the Low or No Emission and Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Programs.

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

As part of the whole-of-government approach to advance equity and encourage worker organizing and collective bargaining,5 this FOA and any related activities will seek to encourage meaningful engagement and participation of workforce organizations, including labor unions, as well as disadvantaged communities and underrepresented groups, including Indian Tribes 6. Consistent with Executive Order 14008,7 this FOA is designed to help meet the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments in climate, clean energy and other areas flow to disadvantaged communities (also known as Justice40 communities), identified CEJST; and to drive creation of accessible, good-paying jobs with the free and fair chance for workers to join a union.

The Communities Taking Charge Accelerator FOA will seek to advance the mission and vision of the Joint Office by addressing discrete challenges to making it possible for everyone to ride and drive electric. In particular, this FOA will make strategic investments at the local level that address key barriers to expanding access to electrified mobility options for individuals without home charging; accelerating the transition to electrified micro, light, and medium duty fleets; and maturing the implementation of managed charging systems to mitigate impacts and optimize usage of the grid.

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals The Communities Taking Charge Accelerator FOA seeks applications that will help further the Joint Office’s vision of a future where everyone can ride and

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

5 EO 14025, “Worker Organizing and Empowerment,” April 26, 2021.

5 EO 14052, “Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” November 18, 2021.

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

7 EO 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” January 27, 2021.

mailto:FOA3214@netl.doe.gov mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-02-22/pdf/2023-03779.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/04/29/2021-09213/worker-organizing-and-empowerment https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/11/18/2021-25286/implementation-of-the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2000/11/09/00-29003/consultation-and-coordination-with-indian-tribal-governments https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/26/memorandum-on-tribal-consultation-and-strengthening-nation-to-nation-relationships/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/26/memorandum-on-tribal-consultation-and-strengthening-nation-to-nation-relationships/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad subject line.

drive electric. This FOA will fund innovative approaches to expanding EV adoption and charging access, particularly at the local level in urbanized areas where land use, density, car ownership rates, grid considerations, and other factors create unique needs and considerations for electrifying the transportation network where the demand for transportation access is at its highest density. Detailed technical descriptions of the specific topics are provided in the sections that follow.

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

The Teaming Partner List will be available on EERE eXCHANGE and will be regularly updated to reflect new teaming partners who provide their organization’s information.

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

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

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

B. Topic Areas The following topics are included in this funding opportunity. Applications can be proposed exclusively as planning projects, exclusively as demonstration and/or deployment projects, or as a combination of both planning and demonstration and/or deployment.

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Topic Topic Title

Topic 1 Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility

Topic 2 Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets

Topic 3 Managed Charging for Clean Reliable Energy

Topic 1: Solving for No-Home Charging: Expanding Charging Access for Privately Owned E-Mobility

Topic 1 Introduction and Background The Joint Office is committed to equitable deployment of EV charging infrastructure and transportation and mobility access options. As EV adoption continues, attention is being paid to individuals who may be renters or living in multifamily housing without convenient access to EV charging at home. According to a National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) report, as EV adoption continues to scale up in the U.S., up to 25% of EV drivers will lack access to home charging. NREL’s analysis estimates that 1.2 million public chargers and 28 million private chargers will be necessary by 2030. While publicly accessible charging in commercial areas and workplace charging will play a role in filling that gap, other innovative solutions in and adjacent to residential areas are needed to support EV drivers without home charging (i.e. “no-home charging”). Finally, as EV adoption continues, new, often tech-enabled solutions such as managed charging, reservation systems, as well as curb management and compliance strategies will be needed to support public charging at scale.

Electric (e)-micromobility options such as e-bikes, cargo e-bikes, and e-scooters can help provide equitable zero-emission mobility access at considerably lower cost for all households, but especially in dense, urban environments where trips are shorter distances and there is protected street infrastructure to support safe riding. According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, in 2021, 52% of all trips (including all modes of transportation for passenger trips, freight and goods movement, and first/last mile multimodal connections) were less than three miles; with 28% of trips being less than one mile. These short trips can potentially be served by a micromobility device.

Privately-owned e-micromobility is surging: e-bike sales in the U.S. increased 269% between 2019 and 2022. The increased demand of this highly popular mobility option demonstrates the need to provide safe and secure charging access, especially for residents of multifamily housing in dense neighborhoods where potential impacts from battery fires may be more significant, making charging indoors potentially dangerous.

mailto:FOA3214@netl.doe.gov mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/81065.pdf https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy23osti/85654.pdf https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/fotw-1230-march-21-2022-more-half-all-daily-trips-were-less-three-miles-2021 https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/10/17/electric-bikes-cars-cost-testing/ subject line.

Topic 1 Objective The objective of this topic is to fund planning and/or demonstration and/or deployment projects that explore innovative e-mobility charging solutions for individuals without access to home charging for their electric vehicles and mobility devices (e.g. cars, e-bikes, e-scooters, electric wheelchairs, etc.). Topic 1 applications may cover one or more of the following project concepts (but are not limited to the concepts listed):

• Innovative public charging models that address challenges for residents of multifamily housing and those without safe access to home charging, which may include:

o Curbside reservation-based charging for long-dwell use (e.g., overnight);

o Lower investment curbside charging options such as “bring your own cord” or solutions that leverage existing street furniture;

o Innovative charging solutions for multifamily accessory parking;

o Secure storage with charging for privately-owned e-micromobility devices

(e.g., dense urban neighborhoods, multifamily buildings, campus/dorm facilities, etc.); and o Multimodal community charging hubs, which can support the charging of multiple vehicles across transport modes (including e-micromobility, transit, etc.)

• EV charging deployment strategies that lower costs and/or charging times;

• Affordable, equitable charging rate design, including:

o Rates charged to drivers; and o Payments for individuals reliant on public charging.

Applications can be proposed exclusively as planning projects, exclusively as demonstration and/or deployment projects, or as a combination of both planning and demonstration and/or deployment projects. Applicants may include one or multiple planning activities and/or one or multiple demonstration and/or deployment activities within a single application. Applicants should identify proposed activities as separate tasks within the Workplan and related budget (see Section IV.D – Content and Form of the Full Application).

Planning Projects

Planning projects may be most suitable for communities in nascent stages of providing charging access for EV drivers or riders without home charging. Planning projects could include, but are not limited to, a collection of activities such as:

• Needs assessments;

• Feasibility analyses to inform an upcoming procurement;

• Site analysis for a future pilot;

• Securing necessary permits;

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• Pre-construction engineering design and planning activities;

• Community engagement to collect feedback on a proposed project;

• Impacts/policy analysis to inform potential negative impacts from a project and mitigation measures (e.g. housing cost increases, traffic increases, fire safety risk);

• Creating a strategic plan or designing a new program and its guidelines; and

• Developing or updating local regulatory codes, zoning, and/or permitting changes to accelerate the deployment of charging.

Example Planning Projects include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting an inventory of available capacity and ownership of street furniture or other assets in the public-right-of-way to assess the potential for deploying e-mobility charging (and storage) solutions that leverage existing power supplies such as utility poles or streetlights;

• Designing new incentive programs for municipal and utility partners to retrofit residential buildings with EV and e-micromobility charging;

• Community engagement activities to collect feedback from members of an affordable housing facility to co-create an e-mobility program for car-free residences, such as an EV carshare service;

• Modernizing public realm and curbside rules and requirements to enable more publicly available charging;

• Coordination and reservation strategies for charging infrastructure in multifamily accessory parking lots;

• Amending architectural, building, and energy codes to explore the benefits of power sharing and right-sizing panel upgrades for e-mobility charging at multifamily housing;

• Updating local parking regulations to support curbside charging;

• Development of template lease language, technical best practices, communication and education to property owners, or other means of expanding access to EV charging or e-micromobility charging;

• Designing vouchers, subscriptions, mobility wallets, universal payment methods, transit pass interoperability, and other programs that offer subsidized public charging rates for low-income residents;

• Development of site plans for charging and parking privately-owned electric micromobility options; and

• Creating new or additional internal, institutional capacity such as task forces, departmental offices, staff positions, tool development, internal process reforms or other capacity building to accelerate the reviews/approvals of EV projects within a utility’s interconnection project approval.

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Demonstration and/or Deployment Projects

Proposed demonstration and/or deployment pilot projects will implement forward-looking concepts for how to best provide charging access for renters, multifamily housing residents, and others without home charging, and should result in lessons learned that can be scalable and repeatable in other communities around the country.

Projects are encouraged to actively explain and include a process/budget for the dissemination of project info and replication in other communities. Projects may want to partner with other organizations or national labs that have the outreach capability to support this. Applicants are encouraged to address major barriers to individuals currently without access to home charging or tackle challenges associated with charging at scale – including improved cord management, reduced theft, faster permitting times, improved fire safety, reduced cost through innovative business models, and leveraging existing electricity infrastructure. These projects should have clear objectives and metrics that will inform best practices around further deployment of e-mobility chargers and associated mobility systems funded by other federal grant programs.

Demonstration and/or deployment projects can deploy Level 1, Level 2, or Direct Current (DC) Fast Chargers.

Example Demonstration and/or Deployment Projects include, but are not limited to:

• Testing the role of incentives and enforcement strategies to ensure high uptime and utilization levels of public charging as well as promote compliance and broader curbside management;

• Demonstrations of new business, operational, and hardware models for EV charging - including curbside, bring your own cord, utility pole or streetlight enabled, mobile or valet, etc.;

• Demonstrations of new charging models that support secure parking and safe charging of privately owned e-micromobility devices;

• Demonstrations of new hardware and software models for EV charging including load control management systems, smart charge management either passive or active;

• Launching an incentive program to facilitate retrofitting of residential buildings to support EV and e-micromobility charging;

• Piloting mobility wallets and other incentive programs that provide subsidized rates for income-qualifying individuals reliant on public charging and may include interoperability with transit passes;

• Piloting curbside charging with novel technology, street and public right-of-way treatments designed to minimize competing demands at the curb, accessibility concerns, and potential conflicts with other modes and users such as subject line.

pedestrians, bicyclists, etc. in commercial, residential or commercial-adjacent locations; and

• Installation of shared secure storage of electric bikes and other micromobility devices adjacent to multifamily housing.

Topic 1 General Requirements Applications must include:

• Geographic area of the proposed community served (e.g., city, county, neighborhood);

o Applicants must include a map of the proposed geographic area and call out applicable Justice40 communities (by census tract, or partial tract), as identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool,8 that will be served by the project (this can include being served either by location or other relevant benefits but should be clearly articulated). All Federally Recognized Tribes and Tribal entities are considered Justice40 or disadvantaged communities for the purposes of the Justice40 Initiative, regardless whether they have land. The community should be identified as a Tribal entity and/or as a Justice40 community using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. Applicants may also utilize the EV Charging Justice40 Map to provide additional context on the Justice40 community.

• A description of the project’s objectives, metrics of success, and overall approach;

• A description of the potential project benefits, as relevant to the specific application:

o How the project expands access to charging and electric mobility options;

o Whether the project will result in any anticipated regulatory, permitting, or other policy changes that will result in faster, lower cost, or more efficient deployment of electric vehicle supply equipment;

o The anticipated resulting cost to EV drivers [i.e. cost/kwh relative to residential rates];

o Any project elements that enhance grid resilience, integrate renewable energy sources, minimize grid demands, avoid infrastructure upgrades, reduce the cost of electric supply, or leverage vehicle-grid-integration (VGI) capabilities.

• A description of how the project will resolve unanswered questions and advance best practices in developing a robust, equitable, multimodal, grid-sensitive charging network, as well as what new knowledge will be created in support of

8 See OMB, CEQ, & CPO, M-23-09, Addendum to the Interim Implementation Guidance for the Justice40 Initiative, M-21-28, on using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) (Jan. 27, 2023), https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23-09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf.

mailto:FOA3214@netl.doe.gov mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/#3/33.47/-97.5 https://anl.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=33f3e1fc30bf476099923224a1c1b3ee https://anl.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=33f3e1fc30bf476099923224a1c1b3ee https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23-09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf subject line.

this topic area and any work products the applicant plans to create to help with future replicability (reports, lessons learned, tools, etc.); and

• [For planning-only projects] A description of how the applicant plans to leverage these planning activities in support of future implementation or rapid scaling of project(s) (i.e. identifying funding programs that may be applied to in the future to support implementation, identifying how these planning activities connect with other pre-existing programs or long-range plans).

Topic 1 Teaming Arrangements Teams are highly encouraged to select Project Partners across multiple disciplines including land use and urban design, transportation, energy, labor, community engagement, and equity.

Teams are encouraged to include entities across the following types:

• Units of local, regional, or Tribal government;

• Local authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) concerning building or fire codes and permitting;

• Electric utilities and/or utility regulators;

• Transit and public mobility service providers;

• Mobility operators;

• Charging network operators;

• Charging software providers;

• Charging providers;

• Relevant workforce training (e.g., EVITP) providers;

• Infrastructure providers;

• Real estate developers;

• Property managers;

• Consulting firms;

• Community organizations;

• Labor organizations;

• Academic institutions;

• National laboratories;

• Department of Energy-designated Clean Cities coalitions9.

Topic 1 Special Deliverables

• Applicants must plan and budget for participation in the Joint Office annual meeting. Awarded projects will provide a technical presentation and/or poster to detail the plans, progress, and results of the technical effort. Awarded projects

9 https://cleancities.energy.gov/coalitions/locations/ mailto:FOA3214@netl.doe.gov https://cleancities.energy.gov/coalitions/locations/ subject line.

will also share best practices and exchange ideas across similar projects in the topic area.

• Applicants will be strongly encouraged to participate in a Joint Office Technical Assistance “Communities Cohort” - a bi-monthly virtual peer-to-peer exchange sharing best practices, technical assistance and troubleshooting with implementation of their project.

Topic 1 Other Considerations

• Given that multifamily housing residents tend to have lower rates of car ownership, projects are not limited to charging solutions exclusively for EV drivers and are encouraged to include charging capability and support for multiple mobility options such as carsharing, e-bikes and scooters, and other shared mobility modes; and

• Projects that incorporate e-micromobility should be designed to support UL certified devices.

Topic 1 Discouraged Applications

• Projects that cannot implement proposed solutions by members of the Project

Team due to lack of jurisdiction or authority.

Topic 2: Expanding E-Mobility Solutions through Electrified Micro, Light and Medium-Duty Fleets

Topic 2: Introduction and Background Electrification of high-usage mobility devices, equipment, and fleet vehicles present an opportunity for a full systems approach to reducing transportation related emissions.

Light and medium-duty vehicle fleets with their return-to-base operations, duty cycles, relatively smaller payloads, shorter routes, and minimal energy demands present a great opportunity for electrification when combined with appropriate charging needs.

Electrified light-duty and medium-duty vehicle fleets can support a variety of passenger and commercial services– including taxi service, carsharing, ride-hail, public transportation (e.g., paratransit, microtransit), app-based and on-demand food delivery services, as well as urban freight “last mile” delivery services. Shared micromobility options – like shared bikes and scooters – continue to experience a ridership boom.

According to the National Association of City Transportation Officials, there were 113 million trips taken on shared bikes and scooters in the United States in 2022.

Additionally, e-micromobility options such as electric bikes, scooters, mopeds, e-cargo bikes, and other microfreight vehicles can be leveraged for sustainable passenger and goods movement.

mailto:FOA3214@netl.doe.gov https://nacto.org/publication/shared-micromobility-in-2022/ subject line.

At the same time, there is a dramatic increase in demand for delivering goods.

According to the U.S. Census, e-commerce sales in 2022 accounted for 14.6% of total sales and continue to rise. E-commerce has created unprecedented expectations for increasingly expeditious at-home delivery. Streets, curbs, and parking facilities may not be designed for an influx of larger vehicles and/or more vehicles, especially those needing to idle or make frequent stops. Other system users such as bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers in dense urban commercial corridors bear the safety, health, and inconvenience risks of quick-turnaround delivery operations.

Fleet electrification (including shared micromobility) can reduce transportation sector emissions and improve air quality, as well as reduce operational expenses and maintenance needs. To ensure that electrified fleets can successfully operate, there are many important factors to consider– such as parking and charging options, fleet routes and timetables, frequency of use, affordability, access, and more.

Topic 2 Objective The objective of this topic is to fund projects that conduct planning and/or demonstration and/or deployment efforts around innovative charging and deployment solutions for electrified ultra-light, micro, light, and medium-duty fleets that transport people through shared rides, shared vehicles (including micromobility), or transit operations, and that transport goods to communities through last mile delivery vehicles.

Topic 2 projects may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following project concepts:

• Testing how electrified micro-cars, cars, trucks, vans, and cargo e-bikes can deliver goods in a low or zero-emission delivery zone;

• Development of management, reservation, and coordination strategies for charging multiple fleets at public and behind-the-fence charging infrastructure to reduce grid infrastructure needs and/or reduce overall costs to fleets;

• Needs assessment and energy/infrastructure planning for ancillary facilities and charging depots for equipment at industrial areas such as airports, ports, warehouses, depots, staging lots, etc.;

• Novel ways to measure and monitor reduction in greenhouse gas outputs, improved air quality, and effects on grid power consumption;

• Establishing curb management best practices for both electrified freight movement and personal mobility in commercial corridors;

• Infrastructure designating, permitting and charging for curb access for electrified freight movement and personal mobility in commercial corridors;

• Managed charging and/or bi-directional charging and virtual power plant demonstrations for idle fleet vehicles;

• Converting underutilized parking lots into charging depots to support delivery or other services;

mailto:FOA3214@netl.doe.gov https://www2.census.gov/retail/releases/historical/ecomm/22q4.pdf subject line.

• Converting internal combustion engine-powered medium-duty or public transportation fleet vehicles to electric through repowering (i.e., replacing an internal combustion engine with a battery powered system);

• Establishing operational efficiencies in charging shared bikes and scooters through battery swapping sites, station electrification, and other means that will result in cost savings that can be passed onto riders;

• Strategies or infrastructure that help app-based delivery, for-hire-drivers, and other workers have access to electrified mobility and charging options;

• New business models and opportunities for multi-use fleets for both public and private uses;

• Introducing novel micromobility form factors such as e-cargo and adaptive bikes into shared fleets to expand ridership access to families transporting goods (i.e.

groceries, home goods), as well as people including minors, seniors, people with disabilities, and other groups who struggle to use existing options; and

• Novel approaches to provide charging for electrified microtransit and transit bus services.

Applications can be proposed exclusively as planning projects, exclusively as demonstration and/or deployment projects, or as a combination of both planning and demonstration and/or deployment projects. Applicants may include one or multiple planning activities and/or one or multiple demonstration and/or deployment activities within a single application. Applicants should identify proposed activities as separate tasks within the Workplan and related budget (see Section IV.D – Content and Form of the Full Application).

Planning Projects

Proposed planning projects can conduct needs assessments, feasibility analyses to inform an upcoming procurement, site analysis for a future pilot, community engagement, create a strategic plan, or design a new program and its guidelines, or undergo regulatory, zoning, and/or permitting changes to accelerate the deployment of charging.

Example Planning Projects include, but are not limited to:

• Evaluations of the benefits of power sharing and right-sizing panel upgrades for depot charging as needed for fleet transition;

• Engagement and outreach to measure customer willingness to participate in a range of managed charging approaches;

• Amendments to local zoning codes, permitting processes, or other regulatory efforts to better enable grid planning and coordination to support fleet electrification;

subject line.

• Drafting parking, permitting, and curb management strategies or plans, in addition to related programming and infrastructure, that will help implement new regulatory paradigms for urban goods movement;

• Issuing a study, designing a program, developing model regulation, or other planning activities to support future pilots of novel utility rate structures to reduce costs for transportation related public services such as transit, school buses, car share, shared micromobility, and/or Transportation Network Company services (TNC);

• Strategic planning efforts to encourage the pooling of shared resources across multiple fleets undergoing electrification transitions including multimodal and co-location;

• The creation of permitting tools and resources that streamline new service requests and interconnection agreements to utilities that support fleet electrification needs;

• Creating new or additional internal, institutional capacity such as task forces, departmental offices, staff positions; and

• Evaluating the energy and infrastructure needs for ancillary facilities and charging depots to facilitate electrified fleets at industrial areas such as airports, ports, warehouses, depots, staging lots, etc.

Demonstration and/or Deployment Projects

Proposed demonstration and/or deployment pilot projects will implement forward-looking concepts for how to best provide electrification of high-usage mobility devices, equipment, and fleet vehicles, and should result in lessons learned that can be scalable and repeatable in other communities or industries around the country. Applicants are encouraged to address major barriers to electrification for sectors of transportation that have been more difficult to transition or have not been prioritized through other funding opportunities. Applicants are also encouraged to propose pilot projects that serve communities, sites, or geographic areas with unique needs for transportation electrification, including dense urban areas, ports, or airports. These projects should have clear objectives and metrics that will inform best practices to inform other federal grant programs, and other industrial sectors, to create or advance solutions for transportation electrification.

Example Demonstration and/or Deployment Projects include, but are not limited to:

• On-site management or app-based access for multi-fleet public or ‘behind the fence’ charging;

• Innovative or novel use of sensors or other physical hardware to measure energy consumption, air quality, safety, or other related factors at industrial areas such as airports, ports, warehouses, depots, staging lots, etc.;

subject line.

• Purchase of electric bikes, scooters, or light duty vehicles for shared fleet use;

greater consideration is given to enhancing existing fleets and/or replacing non-electric motorized vehicles;

• Purchase of electric micro-cars, light-duty vans or trucks, and e-cargo bikes or other devices for last-mile deliveries;

• Purchase of equipment and installation expenses related to electric micromobility and light duty vehicles for shared fleet charging infrastructure;

• Development (or pilot) of curb or off-street charging infrastructure exclusively for electric shared ride (i.e., pick-up/drop-off zones) and delivery vehicles;

• Development of corridor or zone-based battery and device…