FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003425.pdf

NOFO Part 1 for Review

Financial Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity

Part 1

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity Aligning Manufacturability & Pre-production Design (AMPD) for Storage Technologies Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003425

Application due: March 17, 2025 at 5:00PM ET

Modifications to this NOFO will be posted on Grants.gov and the FedConnect portal.

Grants.gov and FedConnect will automatically notify applicants when a NOFO modification is processed. Applicants must be registered to this NOFO in Grants.gov to receive email notifications. Register in FedConnect as an interested party to this NOFO for announcement messages. It is recommended that you register as soon after release of the NOFO as possible to ensure you receive timely notice of any modifications or other announcements. See Registration Requirements in Part 2 of this NOFO.

NOFO Part 1 for Review

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Navigating the Notice of Funding Opportunity

I. BASIC INFORMATION

A. Key Facts

1. Funding Details

2. Period of Performance

B. Executive Summary C. Agency Contact Information

II. ELIGIBILITY

A. Eligible Applicants

1. Domestic Entities

2. Foreign Entity Participation

3. Ineligible Participants

B. Limitation on Number of Full Applications Eligible for Review C. Cost Sharing

1. Cost Share Requirements

D. FFRDC Eligibility Criteria

1. DOE and Non-DOE FFRDCs as a Subrecipient

III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Background and Purpose B. Objectives C. Expected Performance Goals D. Teaming Partnerships E. Applications Specifically Not of Interest F. Statement of Substantial Involvement G. Statutory Authority

IV. APPLICATION CONTENT AND FORM

A. Summary B. Application Content Requirements

1. Covered Individual Definition, Designation, and Responsibility

2. Summary of Application Requirements

3. Technical Volume

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C. Funding Restrictions

V. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

A. Required Registrations

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

2. FedConnect

3. Grants.gov

B. Application Package

1. Grants.gov

C. Submission Date and Times D. Intergovernmental Review

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Standards for Application Evaluation B. Responsiveness Review C. Review Criteria

1. Compliance Criteria

2. Technical Review Criteria

D. Other Selection Factors

VII. SELECTION AND AWARD NOTICES

VIII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

1. Real Property and Equipment

2. Rights in Technical Data

3. Cost Share Payment

4. Promotional Video

B. Questions and Support

1. Questions

2. Support

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

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Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1 Before You Begin

Before You Begin Navigating the Notice of Funding Opportunity The OMB Memorandum M-24-11 directs federal agencies to reduce the burden on applicants in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process and limit the length of the NOFO information requests.

With Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 NOFOs, DOE has separated the NOFO into two parts.

The NOFO Part 1 describes the specific DOE programmatic goals and evaluation criteria, eligibility, and other components that are specific to each funding opportunity. The NOFO Part 2 includes the fixed DOE requirements that generally do not change from NOFO to NOFO, including standard information for the application phase, expectations for award negotiations, and post-award requirements. Applicants must review both the NOFO Part 1 and the NOFO Part 2 prior to applying. To facilitate navigation, you will find references throughout this document to additional information found in NOFO Part 2.

There are several required one-time actions applicants must take before applying to this NOFO. Some of these actions may take several weeks, so it is vital applicants build in enough time to complete them.

Failure to complete these actions could interfere with application or negotiation deadlines or the ability to receive an award if selected. If you have previously completed the necessary registrations, make sure your registration is active and up to date. All registrations are free. Please refer to NOFO Part 2, Get Registered, for additional information.

This announcement is published in conjunction with NOFO Part 2 version 1.0.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/M-24-11-Revisions-to-2-CFR.pdf

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Section I: Basic Information

I. Basic Information A.Key Facts

Issuing Agency Department of Energy, Office of Electricity, Energy Storage

Funding Opportunity Title

Aligning Manufacturability & Pre-production Design (AMPD) for Storage Technologies

Announcement Type Initial

Funding Opportunity Number

DE-FOA-0003425

Funding Instrument Cooperative Agreements

Assistance Listing Number

81.122 Electricity Research Development and Analysis

Funding Opportunity Description

The AMPD NOFO is soliciting applications to improve the manufacturability of energy storage technologies through pre-production design innovations, setting the stage for manufacturing scale-up to meet the energy storage needs of American consumers.

Objective(s) The design innovations resulting from successful projects, whether targeting a material, subcomponent, component, or system, should put one or more energy storage technologies on a path to advance from a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and a Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) of at least 4 to a TRL and MRL of at least 5.

Topic Areas Single Topic Area

Eligible Applicants Domestic Entities (Institutes of higher education; for-profit entities;

non-profit entities; state and local government entities and Indian Tribes). Please refer to Section II (Eligibility) for more detail.

FedConnect URL and Helpdesk

FedConnect NOFO URL FedConnect Helpdesk https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Default.htm

Grants.gov URL and Helpdesk

Grants.gov URL Grants.gov Support

KEY DATES

Notice of Funding Opportunity Issue Date:

01/16/2025

Application Deadline:

03/17/2025

Anticipated Selection Notification Date:

06/23/2025

Anticipated Award Date:

09/22/2025

Estimated Period of Performance:

09/22/2025 - 09/22/2028 http://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/?doc=DE-FOA-000XXXX&agency=DOE https://fcsupport.unisonglobal.com/support/home https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Default.htm https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/support/

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Section I: Basic Information

1. Funding Details

Single Topic Area

• Approximate total available funding: $8,000,000 in FY25

• Approximate number of awards: 4

• Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: $2,000,000

• Minimum cost share required: 20% of total project costs

• Approximate award project period: 36 months

• Anticipated length of budget periods: 36 months

2. Period of Performance

DOE anticipates making awards comprised of one budget period. Project continuation will be contingent upon several elements, including satisfactory performance and DOE’s Go/No-Go decision. For a complete list and more information on the Go/No-Go review, see the NOFO Part 2, Award Administration Information.

In conjunction with the award, recipients will be required to participate in a promotional showcase video created by DOE after awards are distributed. For more information about the promotional video, see VIII.A.4 Promotional Video.

B.Executive Summary The objective of this NOFO is to facilitate innovative energy storage technology material, subcomponent, component, or system pre-production design to improve the manufacturability of one or more energy storage technologies. The R&D projects supported by this NOFO will improve the manufacturability of an energy storage technology and advance the TRL and MRL of the technology in the United States. Results may benefit a consortium of developers if the design challenges are widely shared within an industry. Manufacturability improvements can reduce technology production costs for the energy storage technology in question. Identifying and implementing design innovations will align pre-production storage system design to set the stage for manufacturing scale-up.

By advancing the TRL and MRL of an energy storage technology, supported projects can contribute to electrification of the national grid, supporting the Administration’s goal to achieve a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.1 R&D projects that improve manufacturability of an energy storage material, subcomponent, component, or system that reduces the technology production cost may also contribute to the Long Duration Storage Shot™ to reduce storage costs by 90% in storage systems that deliver 10+ hours of duration by 2030.2

1 The White House. “FACT SHEET: President Biden to Catalyze Global Climate Action through the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate.” The White House, 20 Apr. 2023 (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/20/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-catalyze-global-climate-action-through-the-major-economies-forum-on-energy-and-climate/).

2 U.S. Department of Energy. “Long Duration Storage Shot.” Energy.gov, 2021 (https://www.energy.gov/eere/long-duration-storage-shot).

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/20/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-catalyze-global-climate-action-through-the-major-economies-forum-on-energy-and-climate/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/20/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-catalyze-global-climate-action-through-the-major-economies-forum-on-energy-and-climate/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/20/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-catalyze-global-climate-action-through-the-major-economies-forum-on-energy-and-climate/ https://www.energy.gov/eere/long-duration-storage-shot https://www.energy.gov/eere/long-duration-storage-shot

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Section I: Basic Information

Manufacturability improvements have the potential to secure America’s clean energy supply chain by encouraging deployment of energy storage technologies that meet cost feasibility and supply chain sustainability metrics.3

In this NOFO, DOE strongly encourages applicants to form teaming partnerships of multiple entities and propose engagement strategies that foster collaboration and dissemination of data, results, and lessons to benefit the energy storage community. Partnerships could comprise multiple technology developers or producers (e.g., of energy storage materials, subcomponents, components, or systems) and research institutions with complementary knowledge and expertise.

C.Agency Contact Information Office of Electricity U.S. Department of Energy 1000 Independence Ave SW Washington, D.C. 20585

Questions regarding this NOFO must be submitted through the FedConnect portal.

DISCLAIMER: Applicants are discouraged from submitting information considered proprietary unless it is deemed essential for proper evaluation of the application. If the application contains information that the applicant organization considers to be trade secrets, information that is commercial or financial, or information that is privileged or confidential, the pages containing that information must be identified as specified in the application instructions. When such information is included in the application, it will be withheld from public disclosure to the extent permitted by law, including the Freedom of Information Act, with the understanding that the information will be used or disclosed only for evaluation of the application. The information contained in the application will be protected by DOE from unauthorized disclosure, consistent with the need for merit review of applications of financial assistance awards to assure the integrity of the competitive process and the accuracy and completeness of the information. If a federal financial assistance award is made as a result of or in connection with an application, the federal government has the right to use or disclose the information to the extent authorized by law. This restriction does not limit the federal government’s right to use the information if it is obtained without restriction from another source.

3 U.S. Department of Energy. America’s Strategy to Secure the Supply Chain for a Robust Clean Energy Transition.

2022 (https://www.energy.gov/policy/articles/americas-strategy-secure-supply-chain-robust-clean-energy-transition).

https://www.energy.gov/policy/articles/americas-strategy-secure-supply-chain-robust-clean-energy-transition https://www.energy.gov/policy/articles/americas-strategy-secure-supply-chain-robust-clean-energy-transition

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Section II: Eligibility

II. Eligibility To be considered for substantive evaluation, an applicant’s submission must meet the criteria set forth below. If the application does not meet these eligibility requirements, it will be considered ineligible and removed from further evaluation and ineligible for any award. DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to this NOFO must be submitted. The decision whether to apply in response to this NOFO lies solely with the applicant. The information included here is specific to eligibility requirements for this NOFO. For eligibility requirements applicable to all NOFOs, please consult the NOFO Part 2, Eligibility.

A.Eligible Applicants To be considered for substantive evaluation, an applicant’s submission must meet the criteria set forth below. If the application does not meet these eligibility requirements, it will be considered ineligible and removed from further evaluation.

DOE strongly encourages applicants to form teaming partnerships of multiple eligible entities.

Partnerships could comprise multiple technology developers or producers (e.g., of energy storage materials, subcomponents, components, or systems) and research institutions with complementary knowledge and expertise. See III.D Teaming Partnerships for more information.

1. Domestic Entities

Domestic entities are eligible to apply as recipients or subrecipients. The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as a recipient or subrecipient of this NOFO:

• Institutions of higher education;

• For-profit organization;

• Non-profit organization;

• State and local governmental entities; and

• Indian Tribes, as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance

Act, 25 U.S.C. § 53044

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

4 “Indian Tribe,” for the purposes of this NOFO and as defined in in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. § 5304), means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. § 1601, et seq.], which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. Federally Recognized Indian Tribes are also considered disadvantaged communities for the purposes of Justice40 requirements in this NOFO per https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23- 09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:25%20section:5304%20edition:prelim) https://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/92/203.pdf#:~:text=688%20PUBLIC%20LAW%2092-203-DEC.%2018%2C%201971%20%5B85%20STAT.,and%20for%20other%20purposes.%20Alaska%20Native%20Claims%20Settlement https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:43%20section:1601%20edition:prelim) https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23-09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/M-23-09_Signed_CEQ_CPO.pdf

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Section II: Eligibility

Participant Limitations Participation of the following entities are limited as follows.

• DOE Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)5 are eligible to apply for funding as a subrecipient but are not eligible to apply as a recipient.

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

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

2. Foreign Entity Participation

In general, foreign entities are not eligible to apply as either a recipient or subrecipient. In limited circumstances, DOE may approve a waiver to allow a foreign entity to participate as a recipient or subrecipient.

A foreign entity may submit an application to this NOFO, but the application must be accompanied by an explicit written waiver request. Likewise, if the applicant seeks to include a foreign entity as a subrecipient, the applicant must submit a separate explicit written waiver request in the application for each proposed foreign subrecipient. Please see NOFO Part 2, Application Content Requirements for the requirements for submission of a foreign entity waiver request. The applicant does not have the right to appeal DOE’s decision concerning a waiver request.

Prime recipients and subrecipients must be legally formed in the United States, have majority domestic ownership and control, and have a physical location for business operations in the United States.

Entities that are organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of the United States or 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 recipient or subrecipient.

Foreign Entity Participation A foreign entity is eligible to apply for funding as a recipient if it designates in the application a subsidiary or affiliate incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a state or territory of the United States to be the recipient. The application must state the nature of the corporate relationship between the foreign entity and domestic subsidiary or affiliate.

Foreign entities may request a waiver of the requirement to designate a subsidiary in the United States as the recipient in the application (i.e., a foreign entity may request that it be the recipient). To do so, the applicant must submit an explicit written waiver request in the application.

NOFO Part 2, Application Content Requirements lists the information that must be included in a request to waive this requirement. The applicant does not have the right to appeal DOE’s decision concerning a waiver request.

Performance of Work in the United States

5 FFRDCs are public-private partnerships that conduct research for the U.S. government. A listing of FFRDCs can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ffrdclist/.

http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ffrdclist/

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Section II: Eligibility

All work for the awards under this NOFO must be performed in the United States. To request a waiver of this requirement, the applicant must submit a written waiver request in the application. Absent an approved waiver, such costs will not be allowable under the award. The NOFO Part 2, Application Content Requirements lists the requirements for submission of a foreign work waiver request.

3. Ineligible Participants The following entities, whether foreign or domestic, are ineligible for participation in this NOFO in any form, including as a recipient, subrecipient, or subcontractor.

• In accordance with 2 CFR 200.214, entities banned from doing business with the U.S.

government, such as entities debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participating in federal programs.

• Entities identified on Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control Treasury’s Sanctions Program Specially Designated Nationals list are prohibited from doing business with the United States Government and are not eligible. See OFAC - Sanctions List Service (treas.gov).

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

• Entities of Concern are prohibited from participating in projects selected under this NOFO (see NOFO Part 2, Eligibility, Other Eligibility Information, Entity of Concern Prohibition section for details and definitions).

• DOE employees, employees of sponsoring organizations, DOE support service contractors, members of their immediate families (e.g., spouses, children, siblings, or parents), and persons living in the same household as such persons, whether or not related, are not eligible to participate in the NOFO.

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

B.Limitation on Number of Full Applications Eligible for Review

An entity may submit multiple applications for this NOFO as long as each application describes a unique, scientifically distinct project. If an entity submits duplicate applications, the DOE will only review the last submission. This limitation does not prohibit an applicant from collaborating on other applications that describe a unique, scientifically distinct project (e.g., as a potential subrecipient or partner).

C.Cost Sharing Applicants are expected to follow through on estimated cost share commitments proposed in their applications if selected for award negotiations. Please refer to the NOFO Part 2, Eligibility for more information on Cost Sharing.

https://sanctionslist.ofac.treas.gov/Home/SdnList

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Section II: Eligibility

1. Cost Share Requirements

The cost share must be at least 20% of the total project costs6 for research and development.7

D.FFRDC Eligibility Criteria

1. DOE and Non-DOE FFRDCs as a Subrecipient

As long as they have no conflict, DOE and non-DOE FFRDCs may be proposed as a subrecipient on another entity’s application subject to the following guidelines:

Authorization for non-DOE FFRDCs The federal agency sponsoring the FFRDC must authorize in writing the participation of the FFRDC on the proposed project and this authorization must be submitted with the application. The participation of a FFRDC must be consistent with that federal agency’s authority under its award.

Authorization for DOE FFRDCs The cognizant Contracting Officer for the FFRDC must authorize in writing the participation of the FFRDC in the proposed project and this authorization must be submitted with the application. The following wording is acceptable for this authorization:

Authorization is granted for the Laboratory to participate in the proposed project. The work proposed for the Laboratory is consistent with or complementary to the missions of the Laboratory and will not adversely impact execution of the DOE assigned programs at the Laboratory.

Funding, Cost Share, and Subaward with FFRDCs The recipient and FFRDC are responsible for entering into an appropriate subaward that will govern, among other things, the funding of the FFRDC portion of the work from the recipient under its DOE award. Such an agreement must be fully executed prior to the FFRDC starting work directly allocable to the financial assistance award. DOE funds the recipient, and the recipient will fund the FFRDC through a subaward.

Cost share calculations will be based on the total cost of the project (e.g., recipient and subrecipient, including FFRDC, portions).

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

6 Total project costs are the sum of the government share, including FFRDC costs (if applicable), and the recipient share of project costs.

7 Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-58, sec. 988. Also see 2 CFR 200.306 and 2 CFR 910.130 for additional cost sharing requirements.

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Section II: Eligibility

Limit on FFRDC Effort The FFRDC effort, in aggregate, shall not exceed 50% of the total project cost.8

8 Total project cost is the sum of the government share, including FFRDC costs if applicable, and the recipient share of project costs.

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Section III: Program Description

III. Program Description A.Background and Purpose The Aligning Manufacturability & Pre-production Design (AMPD) for Storage Technologies notice of funding opportunity (NOFO or AMPD NOFO) is soliciting applications to improve the manufacturability of energy storage technologies through pre-production design innovations, setting the stage for manufacturing scale-up to meet the energy storage needs of American consumers. Additionally, DOE is invested in advancing innovative energy storage technologies from early-stage R&D to widespread commercialization. The Energy Storage Grand Challenge (ESGC)9 serves as the DOE-wide coordinating body for energy storage efforts. A goal of the ESGC is to develop and domestically manufacture energy storage technologies that can meet all marketplace demands by 2030.

DOE’s Office of Electricity (OE) provides national leadership to ensure that the Nation’s energy delivery system is secure, resilient and reliable. Through research and development, OE develops new technologies to improve the infrastructure that effectively and securely brings electricity into our homes, offices, and factories.10 OE’s Energy Storage Division ensures that next generation energy storage technologies can serve as resiliency assets that are cost-effective, safe, and reliable. The OE Energy Storage Division supports applied materials development to identify safe, low-cost, and earth-abundant elements that enable cost-effective stationary storage. Improving the manufacturability of energy storage technologies will enable the advancement, production, and commercialization of energy storage solutions needed by consumers.

Designing to improve manufacturability shares similarities with the engineering concept known as design for manufacturing (DFM) which is applied to increase production quality, increase production volumes, and/or decrease costs by designing parts to work well for the intended process.11 DFM is a design method that was originally developed in the mid-1980s as part of an integrated product development framework to improve industrial production sectors, but it has since been applied to other production sectors.12

The life-cycle for a technology generally comprises design, production, operation, and end-of-life management phases. An important element of energy storage technology development is establishing viable designs with the manufacturability of the technology in mind before production, providing the opportunity to improve manufacturability at the pre-production phase. This phase can include considerations for energy storage technology materials, form factors, subcomponents, components, or systems, though specifics can vary across technology. For example, developing an electrochemical

9 U.S. Department of Energy. “Energy Storage Grand Challenge.” Energy.gov (https://www.energy.gov/energy-storage-grand-challenge/energy-storage-grand-challenge).

10 U.S. Department of Energy. “About the Office of Electricity.” Energy.gov (https://www.energy.gov/oe/about-office-electricity).

11 DOE Industrial Efficiency & Decarbonization Office (IEDO) Build4Scale – Training Modules Hub teaches manufacturing fundamentals to energy hardware innovators (https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2021-07/Module_3D.pdf).

12 Duarte, Paulo Cesar, et al. “Integrated Product Development and Lifecycle Management in Building Production – a Case Study for Logistic of Mortar Distribution in Building Sites.” Journal of Building Engineering, vol. 32, Nov. 2020, p. 101802, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2020.101802).

https://www.energy.gov/energy-storage-grand-challenge/energy-storage-grand-challenge https://www.energy.gov/oe/about-office-electricity https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2021-07/Module_3D.pdf

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Section III: Program Description battery will likely include design considerations for cells, modules, racks, and containers. These design changes can be in the form of strategies, techniques, or tools that improve various characteristics of the technology, including safety, performance, and the ease of producibility, also known as manufacturability.

For this NOFO, “pre-production” refers to energy storage technologies that have a Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) of 7 ("Capability to produce systems, subsystems, or components in a production representative environment”) or lower.13 MRL 7 indicates that “system detailed design activity is nearing completion” and that “[t]echnologies should be on a path to achieve [a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 7]”.14 Pre-production manufacturability challenges may relate to energy storage technology materials, subcomponents, components, or systems. Design solutions to improve manufacturability may impact a variety of metrics related to production costs, the levelized cost of storage (LCOS), commercial viability, synthesis and testing protocols (including safety considerations), equipment and material considerations, geographic or logistical constraints, and end-of-life considerations. Moreover, design innovations that improve manufacturability may ultimately lead to enhanced quality assurance and reduction in the overall cost to consumers.

Domestic industrial-scale stationary storage manufacturing capacity is an important aspect of overcoming the challenge of making domestic energy storage technologies cost-competitive and overcoming barriers to widespread deployment. For example, for the last few years, manufacturers have been typically sold out of battery modules on a rolling six (6) to twelve (12) month basis, making availability of cells difficult and driving cost increases for the stationary storage market with smaller orders.15 In another example, a recent DOE analysis indicated that 10-15 GW/year of manufacturing capacity will be needed by 2035 to support mature technology deployment at scale for long duration energy storage.16 The same long duration energy storage analysis found that compressed air energy storage, liquid air energy storage, and lithium-ion batteries have high risk for manufacturing and assembly capacity, while some varieties of thermal energy storage and electrochemical batteries were found to have medium risk.

Many companies struggle to meet the challenging investment and time demands required to mature an energy storage technology from the lab to a viable market product, but not all succeed. The projects supported by the AMPD NOFO will result in early-stage design innovations that not only improve manufacturability, but also provide additional benefits. Potential impacts of AMPD NOFO-supported projects include compressing lengthy and uncertain storage technology development timelines, cutting capital costs for consumers, and strengthening the community of domestic manufacturers. For this

13 Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Manufacturing Technology Program. Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) Deskbook. 2011. (https://www.dodmrl.com/MRL_Deskbook_V2.pdf).

14 U.S. Government Accountability Office. Assessment Guide Technology Readiness Best Practices for Evaluating the Readiness of Technology for Use in Acquisition Programs and Projects Preface. 2016.

(https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-16-410g.pdf).

15 Viswanathan, Vilayanur, et al. Energy Storage Grand Challenge 2022 Grid Energy Storage Technology Cost Performance Assessment. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Report No. PNNL-33283 (https://www.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/media/file/ESGC Cost Performance Report 2022 PNNL- 33283.pdf).

16 U.S. Department of Energy. “Long Duration Energy Storage - Pathways to Commercial Liftoff.”

Pathways to Commercial Liftoff, 23 Oct. 2024 (https://liftoff.energy.gov/long-duration-energy-storage).

https://www.dodmrl.com/MRL_Deskbook_V2.pdf https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-16-410g.pdf https://www.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/media/file/ESGC%20Cost%20Performance%20Report%202022%20PNNL-33283.pdf https://www.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/media/file/ESGC%20Cost%20Performance%20Report%202022%20PNNL-33283.pdf https://liftoff.energy.gov/long-duration-energy-storage https://liftoff.energy.gov/long-duration-energy-storage

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Section III: Program Description reason, DOE strongly encourages applicants to form teaming partnerships of multiple entities and to propose engagement strategies that significantly benefit the larger energy storage community.

B.Objectives The objective of the AMPD NOFO is to facilitate innovative energy storage technology material, subcomponent, component, or system design to improve the pre-production manufacturability of one or more energy storage technologies. Identifying and implementing design innovations will align pre-production storage system design to set the stage for manufacturing scale-up.

The AMPD NOFO supports OE Energy Storage Program priorities to enable a reliable, resilient, secure, and affordable electricity grid by accelerating the development and manufacturability of bi-directional electrical energy storage technologies as a key component of the future-ready electricity grid.

Addressing domestic pre-production manufacturability challenges that energy storage technology developers face when making design decisions that impact production of the technology, including scale-up, will help expand the portfolio of technology options to meet customer needs.

The scope of the AMPD NOFO is to support design solutions that address specific, clearly identified manufacturability challenges, including, but not limited to, the selection, modification, or development of the size, shape, or composition of a material, subcomponent, component, or system. The design innovations will clearly and directly benefit one or more energy storage technologies that discharge energy in the form of electricity to support stationary, non-mobility applications (including, but not limited to, grid-scale or grid-connectable applications).

The pre-production design innovations must improve the manufacturability of energy storage technologies and increase the TRL and MRL of the technologies. These design innovations can be in the form of strategies, techniques, or tools that improve manufacturability and reduce overall technology production cost. The AMPD NOFO-supported projects must improve manufacturability metrics and/or indicators (which may be technical or non-technical), such as the estimated production cost, time to produce, production volumes, supply chain issues, and product quality.

The design innovation, whether it targets a material, subcomponent, component, or system, should advance one or more energy storage technologies from a TRL of at least 4 (“Component and/or system validation in laboratory environment”) and an MRL of at least 4 (“Capability to produce the technology in a laboratory environment”) to a TRL of at least 5 (“Laboratory scale, similar system validation in relevant environment”) and an MRL of at least 5 (“Capability to produce prototype components in a production relevant environment”).

C.Expected Performance Goals The design innovations resulting from successful projects, whether targeting a material, subcomponent, component, or system, should put one or more energy storage technologies on a path to advance from a TRL of at least 4 (“Component and/or system validation in laboratory environment”) and an MRL of at least 4 (“Capability to produce the technology in a laboratory environment”) to a TRL of at least 5 (“Laboratory scale, similar system validation in relevant environment”) and an MRL of at least 5 (“Capability to produce prototype components in a production relevant environment”).

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Section III: Program Description

Additionally, in conjunction with the award, recipients will be required to participate in a promotional showcase video created by DOE after awards are distributed. For more information about the promotional video, see VIII.A.4 Promotional Video.

D.Teaming Partnerships DOE strongly encourages applicants to form teaming partnerships of multiple entities and to propose engagement strategies that foster collaboration and dissemination of data, results, and lessons to benefit the energy storage community. Partnerships could comprise technology developers or producers (e.g., of energy storage materials, subcomponents, components, or systems) and research institutions with complementary knowledge and expertise. Members of an applicant team will be considered covered individuals, consistent with IV.B.1 Covered Individual Definition, Designation, and Responsibility. The roles of each entity in the partnership should be described consistent with IV.B.3 Technical Volume.

E. Applications Specifically Not of Interest The following types of applications will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be reviewed or considered (please also refer to VI.B Responsiveness Review below):

• Applications that fall outside the technical parameters specified in III.A Background and Purpose and III.B Objectives above.

• Applications for proposed technologies that are not based on sound scientific principles (e.g., violates the laws of thermodynamics).

• Design innovations that do not focus on pre-production.

• Design innovations that improve only the performance or operational characteristics of energy storage technology materials, subcomponents, components, or systems without a clear, direct improvement to manufacturability.

• Design innovations that improve the manufacturability of energy storage technologies for mobility applications or energy storage technologies that do not have the capability to both charge and discharge energy in the form of electricity.

• Design innovations that improve the manufacturability of non-energy storage technologies, including power electronics not essential to the function of the energy storage technology, or other grid components.

• Projects that focus on manufacturing facilities or equipment for manufacturing of energy storage technologies.

• Projects that focus on manufacturing processes, approaches, or strategies (e.g., 3-D printing or automation).

• Projects that only support manufacturing workforce efforts or training programs, or manufacturing standards, regulations, or policies, without a clear, direct improvement to manufacturability.

• Manufacturability improvements for flow battery membranes; system design, and manufacturing scale-up of flow battery production; and cost-effective integration of flow battery systems. This is to avoid program overlap with DE-FOA-0003326: Platform Technologies for Transformative Battery Manufacturing, Subtopic 1.2 Processes and Design for

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Section III: Program Description

Manufacturability of Flow Batteries, which closed on May 7, 2024.17

• Projects that focus on hydrogen as the energy storage medium.

F. Statement of Substantial Involvement DOE anticipates awarding cooperative agreements under this NOFO, which include a statement of DOE’s “substantial involvement” in the work performed under the resulting awards. For cooperative agreements, DOE does not limit its involvement to the administrative requirements of the award.

Instead, DOE has substantial involvement in the direction and redirection of the technical aspects of the project. DOE’s substantial involvement in resulting awards may include the following:

A. DOE shares responsibility with the recipient for the management, control, direction, and performance of the project.

B. DOE may intervene in the conduct or performance of work under this award for programmatic reasons. Intervention includes the interruption or modification of the conduct or performance of project activities.

C. DOE may redirect or discontinue funding the project based on the outcome of DOE’s evaluation of the project at the Go/No-Go decision point(s).

D. DOE participates in major project decision-making processes.

E. Reviewing project plans, including as required: project management, testing, cybersecurity, interoperability, data management, and technology transfer/commercialization plans in a timely manner, including recommending alternate approaches if the plans do not address critical programmatic objectives.

F. Conducting periodic reviews to ensure adequate progress and that the work accomplishes the program and project objectives. Recommending alternate approaches or shifting work emphasis, if needed.

G. Reviewing scientific/technical reports to ensure programmatic needs and the requirements of the Financial Assistance award instrument, including intellectual property rights, are satisfied, including providing comments to the recipient in a timely manner.

H. Promoting and facilitating technology transfer activities, including disseminating program results through presentations and publications.

I. Serving as scientific/technical liaison between recipients and other DOE programs.

G.Statutory Authority The programmatic authorizing statute is:

• Public Law (PL) 95-91, DOE Organization Act

• Energy Act of 2020 Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title III, §3201, codified as 42 U.S.C. § 17232

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

17 U.S. Department of Energy. “DE-NOFO-0003236: Platform Technologies for Transformative Battery Manufacturing.” EERE EXCHANGE: Funding Opportunities, May 7, 2024 (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#NOFOId53aa8240-df4b-4bc3-80b4-af5547897562).

https://www.congress.gov/bill/95th-congress/senate-bill/826 https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/BILLS-116HR133SA-RCP-116-68.pdf https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#NOFOId53aa8240-df4b-4bc3-80b4-af5547897562 https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#NOFOId53aa8240-df4b-4bc3-80b4-af5547897562

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Section IV: Application Content and Form

IV. Application Content and Form This section includes application information specific to this NOFO Part 1. Refer to the NOFO Part 2, Application Content and Form for standard information that applies to all DOE NOFOs such as formatting and content requirements, and funding restrictions.

A.Summary The application process includes:

Application Submission Phase Eligibility for Submission

Application Must be submitted by the specified due date and time to be eligible for comprehensive merit review.

B.Application Content Requirements Each application must be limited to a single concept. Applications must conform to the following requirements and must not exceed the stated page limits. Please refer to the NOFO Part 2, Application Content and Form for a complete list of application requirements. Detailed guidance on the content and form of NOFO-specific requirements is provided following the 0.B.2 Summary of Application Requirements table below.

1. Covered Individual Definition, Designation, and Responsibility

Several of the Application Content Requirements listed below and in the NOFO Part 2 are required of covered individuals.

“Covered Individual” means an individual who (a) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the development or execution of the scope of work of a project proposed for funding by DOE, and (b) is designated as a covered individual by DOE.

DOE designates as covered individuals any principal investigator (PI); project director (PD); co-principal investigator (Co-PI); co-project director (Co-PD); project manager; and any individual regardless of title that is functionally performing as a PI, PD, Co-PI, Co-PD, or project manager.

In addition, DOE designates technical staff (e.g., postdoctoral fellows/researchers and graduate students) as covered individuals for the purpose of this funding opportunity.

DOE may further designate covered individuals during award negotiations or the award period of performance.

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Section IV: Application Content and Form

2. Summary of Application Requirements

Component File Format

Page Limit

File Name

Application for Federal Assistance

(SF-424)

Form n/a n/a

Technical Volume PDF 15 pages

TechnicalVolume.pdf

Letters of Commitment PDF 1 page each

LOC.pdf

Impacted Indian Tribes Documentation PDF n/a ImpactedTribes.pdf Statement of Project Objectives MS

Word 5 pages SOPO.doc or .docx

Project Management Plan PDF 20 pages

PMP.pdf

Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

MS

Excel n/a SF-424A.xls or .xlsx

Budget Justification Workbook MS Excel n/a Budget_Justification.xls or .xlsx

Subrecipient Budget Justification MS Excel n/a Subrecipient_Budget_Justification.x ls or .xlsx

Work Proposal for FFRDC, (see DOE O 412.1A)

PDF n/a WP.pdf

Authorization for Non-DOE or DOE FFRDCs

PDF n/a FFRDCAuth.pdf

Waiver for Foreign Entity Participation PDF n/a FEW.pdf Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

PDF n/a FWW.pdf

Resumes (Research and Development (R&D))

PDF 3 pages each

Resumes.pdf

Current and Pending Support (for each covered individual)

PDF n/a CPS.pdf

Digital Persistent Identifier (for each covered individual) n/a n/a Include in Current & Pending Support

Research Security Training Requirement (for each covered individual) n/a n/a Include in Current & Pending Support

Transparency of Foreign Connections PDF n/a BusinessSensitive_TFC.pdf Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice PDF n/a PDFN.pdf Data Management Plan PDF n/a DMP.pdf Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form n/a n/a Environmental Questionnaire PDF n/a ENV.pdf Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if applicable (SF-LLL)

PDF n/a SF-LLL.pdf

Certification Regarding Lobbying (OMB 4040-0013)

PDF n/a Cert Lobbying.pdf

Summary for Public Release PDF 1 page Summary.pdf https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0412.1-BOrder-a-chg1-AdmChg https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0412.1-BOrder-a-chg1-AdmChg

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Section IV: Application Content and Form

Summary Slide for Public Release MS Power Point

1 page Slide.pdf

3. Technical Volume The Technical Volume must conform to the following content and form requirements. This volume must address the technical review criteria as discussed in VI.C.2 Technical Review Criteria.

Applicants must provide sufficient citations and references to the primary research literature to justify the claims and approaches made in the Technical Volume. However, DOE and reviewers are under no obligation to review cited sources.

The Technical Volume to the application may not be more than 15 pages, including the cover page, table of contents, and all citations, charts, graphs, maps, photos, or other graphics or tables, and must include all information below. The applicant should consider the weighting of each of the technical review criteria (see VI.C.2 Technical Review Criteria) when preparing the Technical Volume.

Cover Page The cover page must include all of the following:

• The project title

• The recipient’s name (and organization, if applicable), and entity type(s)

• The project team (if applicable), including names of all team members, their respective organizations, and entity types

• Technical and business POC(s) (e-mail address(es) and telephone number(s))

• Senior/key personnel, and other covered individuals, and their respective organizations

• The project location(s)

• The proposed total federal funding level, cost share and period of performance

• The proposed federal funding level and cost share for each project participant

• Statements regarding confidentiality

A sample Technical Volume Cover Page is included as an attachment to this announcement.

Table of Contents Applicant’s table of contents should capture, at a minimum, all of the required sections identified below.

Introduction

• Describe, in detail, the energy storage technology material, subcomponent, component, or system that the project will target.

• Describe the pre-production manufacturability challenge that the project will improve.

• Provide a brief summary of the project’s overall objectives and significance.

Merit Review Criteria Discussion The section should be formatted to address each of the merit review criterion and sub-criterion listed in VI.C.2 Technical Review Criteria. Provide sufficient information so that reviewers will be able to evaluate the application in accordance with these merit review criteria. DOE will evaluate and consider only those applications that address separately each of the merit review criterion and sub-criterion. References should be included in the Bibliography section.

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Section IV: Application Content and Form

Technology Maturation This section should summarize the technology maturation approach. A Technology Maturation Plan (TMP) will be required as a deliverable under the award within 90 days after award, and a final TMP will be due within 90 days of project completion. A technology maturation plan template is provided as an attachment to the NOFO for reference. This section should address elements of the TMP including the following:

• Provide documentation describing the technology’s TRL and MRL at the beginning of the project.

• Define manufacturability metrics/indicators (technical and non-technical) to evaluate manufacturability (e.g., estimated production cost, time to produce, production volumes, supply chain issues, and product quality). Explain the selected metrics/indicators and estimate their value at the beginning of the project with supporting documentation.

• Summarize the necessary…