FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003497.pdf

NOFO Part 1 for Review

Financial Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity

Part 1

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) Blue-Sky Training Program for Grid Scale Energy Storage Systems Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003497

Application due: February 2, 2025

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

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. Restricted Eligibility

2. Domestic Entities

3. Foreign Entity Participation

B. Limitation on Number of 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. Program Purpose B. Program Goals and Objectives C. Expected Performance Goals D. Topic Area 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

Version 1.0 Page 3 of 30

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

B. Questions and Support

1. Questions

2. Support

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

Version 1.0 Page 4 of 30

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 links throughout this document to additional information found in 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

Version 1.0 Page 5 of 30

Section I: Basic Information

I. Basic Information A.Key Facts

Issuing Agency Department of Energy, Office of Electricity (OE)

Funding Opportunity Title

Blue-Sky Training Program for Grid Scale Energy Storage Systems

Announcement Type Initial

Funding Opportunity Number

DE-FOA-0003497

Funding Instrument Cooperative Agreement

Assistance Listing Number

No.: 81.122 Electricity Research Development and Analysis

Funding Opportunity Description

Development of education and training programs for emergency response to unanticipated energy storage system (ESS) failure.

Program Goals & Objective(s)

This NOFO aligns with the Administration’s priority to protect our nation’s energy infrastructure from cyber threats, physical attack, and natural disaster.

Topic Area(s) • Development of ESS Emergency Response Plan & Training and Safety Validation Report

Eligible Applicants Eligibility will be restricted to prime applicants that, as of the closing date for this NOFO, are one of the following:

(1) Owners/Operators of a utility scale ESS or a facility sited ESS that is 100 kW or greater in size, such as those used to support commercial, industrial, and public service facilities,

(2) a host site entity with access to a utility scale or facility sited ESS that is 100 kW or greater in size,

(3) an entity with an agreement that grants an appropriate level of access a utility scale or facility sited ESS that is 100 kW or greater in size needed to conduct in person site visits and exercises described in this NOFO

The following types of entities are eligible to participate as sub applicants:

KEY DATES

Notice of Funding Opportunity Issue Date:

December 6, 2024

Application Deadline:

February 2, 2025

Anticipated Selection Notification Date:

June 17, 2025

Anticipated Award Date:

September 15, Estimated Period of Performance:

September 15, 2025 – September 14, 2026

Version 1.0 Page 6 of 30

Section I: Basic Information

• Institutions of higher education;

• For-profit organization;

• Nonprofit 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. § 5304

FedConnect URL and Helpdesk

FedConnect NOFO URL FedConnect Helpdesk

Grants.gov URL and Helpdesk

Grants.gov URL Grants.gov Support

1. Funding Details

• Approximate total available funding: $4,125,000

• Approximate number of awards: 15

• Approximate dollar amount of individual awards: $275,000

• Minimum cost share required: Cost share is not required for this NOFO

• Approximate award project period: 12 months

• Anticipated length of budget periods: 12 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.

B.Executive Summary The Office of Electricity provides leadership to ensure that the Nation’s energy delivery system provides reliable, resilient, secure, and affordable electricity. Maintaining a robust electricity grid is critical as the nation experiences rapid transformation in how electricity is both generated and consumed due to trends in how the generation mix is changing, the amount and location of electricity demand, and increasing number of threats to infrastructure security and reliability. In OE, The Energy Storage program accelerates development of bi-directional electrical energy storage technologies to serve as a key component of a reliable, resilient, and affordable future-ready grid. The program’s Storage Validation portfolio is focused on supporting activities that reduce commercialization and deployment barriers for emerging energy storage technologies to facilitate safe and effective use of these systems.

The energy industry has experienced a number of high-profile threats to infrastructure including multiple extreme weather/climate events, intentional attacks on electric grid infrastructure, and a ransomware attack on a major oil and gas pipeline. As more ESS continues to be deployed in the field, stakeholders must consider how to properly plan and prepare for threats that may have similar http://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/?doc=DE-FOA-000XXXX&agency=DOE https://fcsupport.unisonglobal.com/support/home https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/support/

Version 1.0 Page 7 of 30

Section I: Basic Information potentially negative impacts as described in these other energy sector emergency events. Recent ESS fires demonstrate the serious consequences that can arise from an ESS emergency event. It also highlights the risk of not having clearly defined emergency response and prevention measures for those involved in managing and responding to such events.

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.

Version 1.0 Page 8 of 30

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.

1. Restricted Eligibility In accordance with 2 CFR 910.126, Competition, eligibility will be restricted to prime applicants that, as of the closing date for this NOFO, are one of the following:

(1) Owners/Operators of a utility scale ESS or a facility sited ESS that is 100 kW or greater in size, such as those used to support commercial, industrial, and public service facilities,

(2) a host site entity with access to a utility scale or facility sited ESS that is 100 kW or greater in size,

(3) an entity with an agreement that grants an appropriate level of access a utility scale or facility sited ESS that is 100 kW or greater in size needed to conduct in person site visits and exercises described in this NOFO.

2. Domestic Entities Domestic entities are eligible to apply as prime applicants if they meet the eligibility restrictions described above, or sub applicants.

The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as sub applicants of this NOFO:

• Institutions of higher education;

• For-profit organization;

• Nonprofit 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. § 53041

1 “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

Version 1.0 Page 9 of 30

Section II: Eligibility

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.

3. 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.

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

• DOE FFRDCs2 are eligible to apply for funding as a subrecipient but are not eligible to apply as a recipient.

2 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/

Version 1.0 Page 10 of 30

Section II: Eligibility

• 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 typically not eligible to apply as a recipient.

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

Performance of Work in the United States 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 an explicit 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.

Ineligible Participants The following entities are ineligible for participation in this NOFO 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.

Entity of Concern Prohibition 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).

B.Limitation on Number of Applications Eligible for Review An entity may submit multiple applications for each topic area of 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 (e.g., as a potential sub applicant).

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

Version 1.0 Page 11 of 30

Section II: Eligibility

1. Cost Share Requirements Cost sharing is not required under this NOFO.

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 use of the FFRDC on the proposed project and this authorization must be submitted with the application. The use of a FFRDC must be consistent with its authority under its award.

Authorization for DOE FFRDCs The cognizant Contracting Officer for the FFRDC must authorize in writing the use of the FFRDC on 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 FA award. The DOE funding office will provide funding for the DOE FFRDC or non-DOE FFRDC, participating as a sub awardee through the DOE financial assistance award to the recipient.

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

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.

Limit on FFRDC Effort The FFRDC effort, in aggregate, shall not exceed 25% of the total project cost.3

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

Version 1.0 Page 12 of 30

Section III: Program Description

III. Program Description A.Program Purpose The Blue-Sky Training Program (BSTP) aims to enhance community safety for utilities with ESS. As storage technologies continue to be deployed, it is critical that communities are “storage ready” and that necessary stakeholders are brought to the table to ensure a new or existing ESS will operate safely and reliably. In localities across the country, uncertainty over proper response procedures to cyber or physical security threats and unanticipated failures of ESS can delay or even prevent deployment. As identified in the 2024 DOE Energy Storage Safety Strategic Plan4, gaps in this area include increasing knowledge about ESS safety prior to an incident, increasing situational awareness during an incident, and managing the aftermath of an incident.

B.Program Goals and Objectives The BSTP will educate and train first responders, law enforcement agencies, local communities, utilities, authorities having jurisdictions (AHJs), and others on how to respond to unanticipated ESS failures including those caused by cyber threats, physical threats, and other unanticipated operational failures.

Detailed technical descriptions of the specific Topic Areas are provided in the sections that follow.

C.Expected Performance Goals Anticipated major objectives and outcomes include but are not limited to:

1. Provide resources to bring community stakeholders to the table that may traditionally not be involved in decision making around ESS deployment, operation, and safety planning.

2. Development of emergency response plans and trainings that participating community stakeholders, including first responders and AHJs, will walkthrough at an ESS site.

3. Development of a safety validation report which describes site-wide criteria that will need to be met to verify that the needed safety measures/functions are incorporated into the ESS site.

4. Conduct tabletop exercise and on-site boots-on- the-ground drills that is anticipated to bring stakeholders together to address safety, emergency response, and security concerns in deploying and operating energy storage technologies.

D.Topic Area This NOFO contains one Topic Area:

Development of ESS Emergency Response Plan and Training and Safety Validation Report:

The topic area is focused on the development two main deliverables: a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan and Training (ERPT) program and Safety Validation Report (SVR). These deliverables will involve a specific ESS deployment to address and mitigate threats, manage risk, and outline roles and responsibilities to ensure the safety of the hosting community, personnel, and utility assets.

4 Energy Storage Safety Strategic Plan https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/EED_2827_FIG_SafetyStrategy%20240505v2.pdf

Version 1.0 Page 13 of 30

Section III: Program Description

A pre-established Statement of Project Objectives (SOPOs) has been developed for this NOFO, provided in Attachment 1. Applicant selection will be contingent on the use and adherence to the SOPO.

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 the Responsiveness Review section below):

• Applications that fall outside the technical parameters specified in the Topic Areas section above.

• Demonstration of new or developing technology.

• Fundamental or laboratory Research and Development.

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. DOE may review project plans, including as required: project management, testing, cybersecurity, interoperability, data management, and technology transfer/commercialization plan in a timely manner and then recommend alternate approaches if the plans do not address critical programmatic objectives.

F. DOE will conduct periodic reviews to ensure adequate progress and that the work accomplishes the program and project objectives. DOE may recommend alternate approaches or shifting work emphasis, if needed.

G. DOE may review scientific/technical reports to ensure programmatic needs and the requirements of the Financial Assistance award instrument, including intellectual property rights, are satisfied. If necessary, DOE will provide comments to the Recipient in a timely manner.

H. DOE may promote and facilitate technology transfer activities, including disseminating program results through presentations and publications.

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

G.Statutory Authority The programmatic authorizing statute is:

Version 1.0 Page 14 of 30

Section III: Program Description

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

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

Awards made under this announcement will fall under the purview of 2 CFR Part 200 (rev. date 10/01/2024) as adopted and supplemented by 2 CFR Part 910.

Version 1.0 Page 15 of 30

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 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.

For the purposes of this NOFO, a Covered Individual means:

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.

Version 1.0 Page 16 of 30

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 TechnicalVolume.pdf Letters of Commitment PDF 1 page each LOC.pdf

Project Management Plan PDF n/a 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 (Non-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

Transparency of Foreign Connections PDF n/a BusinessSensitive_TFC.pdf Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice PDF n/a PDFN.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 Summary.pdf Summary Slide MS

Power Point

1 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 Technical Review Criteria.

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

Version 1.0 Page 17 of 30

Section IV: Application Content and Form

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, and must include all information below. The applicant should consider the weighting of each of the technical review criteria (see Technical Review Criteria) when preparing the Technical Volume.

Cover Page:

The cover page must include all of the following:

• The project title

• Specific NOFO topic areas (if applicable)

• Technical and business POCs (e-mail addresses and telephone numbers)

• Senior/key personnel and other covered individuals

• The project team, including recipient name, entity type and names of all team member 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 to capture, at a minimum, all of the required sections identified in this table.

Project Objectives This section should provide a clear, concise statement of the specific objectives/aims of the proposed project.

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

Statement of Project Objectives Applicants must clearly describe their approach, methodology, and capabilities for executing the established SOPO to ensure a comprehensive understanding.

Relevance and Outcomes/Impacts This section should explain the relevance of the effort to the objectives in the program announcement and the expected outcomes and/or impacts. The justification for the proposed project should include a clear statement of the importance of the project in terms of the utility of the outcomes and the target community of beneficiaries.

Version 1.0 Page 18 of 30

Section IV: Application Content and Form

Roles of Participants For multi-organizational or multi-investigator projects, describe the roles and the work to be performed by each participant/investigator, business agreements between the applicant and participants, and how the various efforts will be integrated and managed.

Multiple Principal Investigators The applicant, whether a single organization or team/partnership/consortium, must indicate if the project will include multiple PIs. This decision is solely the responsibility of the applicant. If multiple PIs will be designated, the application must identify the Contact PI/Project Coordinator and provide a "Coordination and Management Plan" that describes the organization structure of the project as it pertains to the designation of multiple PIs. This plan should, at a minimum, include:

• Process for making decisions on scientific/technical direction;

• Publications;

• intellectual property issues;

• communication plans;

• procedures for resolving conflicts; and

• PIs' roles and administrative, technical, and scientific responsibilities for the project.

Facilities and Other Resources Identify the facilities (e.g., office, laboratory, computer, etc.) to be used at each performance site listed and, if appropriate, indicate their capacities, pertinent capabilities, relative proximity, and extent of availability to the project. Describe only those resources that are directly applicable to the proposed work. Provide any information describing the other resources available to the project such as machine and electronics shops.

Equipment List important items of equipment already available for this project and, if appropriate, note the location and pertinent capabilities of each. If you are proposing to acquire equipment, describe comparable equipment, if any, already at your organization and explain why it cannot be used.

Identification of Potential Conflicts of Interest or Bias in Selection of Reviewers (Not Included in Page Limitation) Provide the following information in this section:

Collaborators and Co-editors: List in alphabetical order all persons, including their current organizational affiliation, who are, or who have been, collaborators or co-authors with you on a research project, book or book article, report, abstract, or paper during the 48 months preceding the submission of this application. Also, list any individuals who are currently, or have been, co-editors with you on a special issue of a journal, compendium, or conference proceedings during the 24 months preceding the submission of this application. If there are no collaborators or co-editors to report, state "None."

Graduate and Postdoctoral Advisors and Advisees: List the names and current organizational affiliations of your graduate advisor(s) and principal postdoctoral sponsor(s) during the last 5 years. Also, list the names and current organizational affiliations of your graduate students and postdoctoral associates.

Bibliography (Not included in page limitation) If applicable: Provide a bibliography for any references cited in the Technical Volume section. This section must include only bibliographic citations.

Version 1.0 Page 19 of 30

Section IV: Application Content and Form

C.Funding Restrictions Program-specific funding restrictions applicable to awards funded under this NOFO are identified below.

Standard funding restrictions are described in the NOFO Part 2, Funding Restrictions section.

Applicable Funding Restrictions

Title Location Additional Information

Allowable Costs NOFO Part 2 Applicable to awards made under this NOFO

Pre-Award Costs NOFO Part 2 Applicable to awards made under this NOFO

Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver Requirement)

NOFO Part 2 Applicable to awards made under this NOFO

Foreign Travel NOFO Part 2 Foreign Travel is not allowed for awards made under this NOFO

Lobbying NOFO Part 2 Applicable to awards made under this NOFO

Equipment and Supplies NOFO Part 2 Purchasing American-made equipment and supplies is applicable to this award.

Version 1.0 Page 20 of 30

Section V: Submission Requirements and Deadlines

V. Submission Requirements and Deadlines There are several one-time actions applicants must take before applying to this NOFO. Some of these 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. These requirements are outlined in detail in the NOFO Part 2, Get Registered.

A.Required Registrations

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

(SAM)

You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. To register, go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and click Get Started. From the same page, you can also click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

Each applicant must:

1. Be registered in SAM.gov before submitting an application;

2. Provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier in the application; and

3. Continue to maintain an active registration in SAM.gov with current information at all times during which you have an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal 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, the 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.

2. FedConnect Register in FedConnect at https://fedconnect.net. For more information about the registration requirements, review the FedConnect Ready, Set, Go! Guide at https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Marketing/Documents/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go.pdf. The SAM and UEI must be obtained before this registration can be initiated.

3. Grants.gov Register in Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/register to set up your WorkSpace and to receive automatic updates when amendments to the NOFO are posted. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well. An applicant cannot submit an application through Grants.gov unless registered. See step-by step instructions for applicants at How to Apply for Grants website at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://fedconnect.net/ https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Marketing/Documents/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go.pdf https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants

Version 1.0 Page 21 of 30

Section V: Submission Requirements and Deadlines

B. Application Package

1. Grants.gov The application package requirements are outlined in the Application Content and Form section above.

The application package forms for application requirements are included in Grants.gov. The application forms and instructions are available on Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/ under the NOFO number identified on the NOFO Cover Page.

Note: The maximum file size that can be uploaded to the Grants.gov website is 50MB. Files larger than 50MB cannot be uploaded and hence cannot be submitted for review. If a file is larger than 50MB but is still within the maximum page limit specified in the NOFO, it must be broken into parts and denoted to that effect. For example:

• TechnicalVolume_Part_1

• TechnicalVolume_Part_2

DOE will not accept late submissions that resulted from technical difficulties due to uploading files that exceed 50MB.

Electronic Authorization of Applications and Award Documents Submission of an application and supplemental information under this NOFO through electronic systems used by the DOE, including Grants.gov, constitutes the authorized representative’s approval and electronic signature.

C.Submission Date and Times All required submissions must be submitted to the Grants.gov site identified in the Key Facts section of NOFO Part 1 no later than 5 p.m. ET on the dates provided on Key Facts section.

There may be more than one deadline, depending on whether a letter of intent and a concept paper is required.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all required application documents at least 48 hours in advance of the submission deadline. Under normal conditions (i.e., at least 48 hours before the submission deadline), applicants should allow at least one hour to submit application documents. Once the application documents are submitted in the Grants.gov site identified in the NOFO Part 1, applicants may revise or update that submission until the expiration of the applicable deadline. If changes are made to any of these documents, the applicant must resubmit them before the applicable deadline.

DOE will not extend the submission deadline for applicants that fail to submit required information by the applicable deadline due to server/connection congestion.

D. Intergovernmental Review This NOFO is not subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

Version 1.0 Page 22 of 30

Section VI: Application Review Information

VI. Application Review Information A.Standards for Application Evaluation Applications that are determined to be eligible will be evaluated in accordance with this NOFO and the guidance provided in the “DOE Merit Review Guide for Financial Assistance,” effective October 1, 2020, which is available at: https://energy.gov/management/downloads/merit-review-guide-financial-assistance-and-unsolicited-proposals-current.

B.Responsiveness Review The following applications will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be reviewed or considered:

• Project concepts or approaches not based on established scientific principles.

• Project concepts or approaches identified specifically as NOT of interest (see the Applications

Specifically Not of Interest section above).

C. Review Criteria

1. Compliance Criteria All applicant submissions for applications must:

• Comply with the applicable content and form requirements listed in Application Content Requirements and Submission Requirements and Deadlines of the NOFO Part 1 and 2;

• Include all required documents;

• Be uploaded successfully in Grants.gov indicated in the Key Facts section above including clicking the “Submit” button; and

• Comply with the submission deadline stated in Key Facts.

• The project team will require at least one (1) organization: First Responders, Local Authorities, Community Stakeholders.

DOE will not review or consider submissions submitted through means other than the Grants.gov site indicated in Key Facts, submissions submitted after the applicable deadline, or incomplete submissions.

If required in the Key Facts section, applicants must submit a letter of intent and a concept paper by 5:00 p.m. ET on the due date listed on the Key Facts section to be eligible to submit an application. If required, applicants who do not submit a letter of intent and concept paper are not eligible to submit an application.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all required application documents at least 48 hours in advance of the submission deadline. Under normal conditions (i.e., at least 48 hours before the submission deadline), applicants should allow at least one hour to submit application documents. Once the application documents are submitted in the Grants.gov site identified in the Key Facts section, applicants may revise or update that submission until the expiration of the applicable deadline. If changes are made to any of these documents, the applicant must resubmit them before the applicable deadline. DOE will not extend the submission deadline for applicants that fail to submit required information by the applicable deadline due to server/connection congestion.

https://energy.gov/management/downloads/merit-review-guide-financial-assistance-and-unsolicited-proposals-current https://energy.gov/management/downloads/merit-review-guide-financial-assistance-and-unsolicited-proposals-current

Version 1.0 Page 23 of 30

Section VI: Application Review Information

2. Technical Review Criteria Applications Applications will be evaluated against the technical review criteria shown below. All sub-criteria are of equal weight.

The following evaluation criteria will be utilized by the Technical Evaluation Committee and Federal Merit Review Panel members in conducting their evaluations of applications subjected to comprehensive merit review.

Review Criterion Overview

Criterion Weight Criterion 1: Education and Innovation 30% Criterion 2: Significance and Impact 25% Criterion 3: Management Approach 15% Criterion 4: Team and Resources 30%

CRITERION 1: EDUCATION AND INNOVATION (30%)

This criterion will evaluate the educational potential and innovation of the proposed project as detailed in the application. This criterion will also be used to gauge the degree of which the educational programs will prepare the community through the proposed solution in comparison to contemporary guidelines.

1. Level of the Applicant’s/project team’s understanding of the existing safety protocols and requirements as indicated by the degree of clarity and thoroughness articulated in the description of the proposed approach.

2. Extent to which the proposed project is innovative compared to previous and ongoing educational programs.

3. Adequacy of the plan to ensure significant engagement of multiple community stakeholder groups.

CRITERION 2: SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT (25%)

This criterion will evaluate the significance of implementation of the proposed project, and the resultant impact to operational efficiency, safety, resiliency, and reliability of electricity delivery systems.

1. Extent to which the proposed project outcomes meets or exceeds the goals specified in the

NOFO.

2. Degree to which the application clearly and convincingly describes/explains the likelihood of improved community response to an unanticipated ESS failure over existing safety plans.

3. Degree to which the application clearly and convincingly conveys broad safety preparedness impacts to utility-scale ESS sites.

4. The size of the ESS and the surrounding community potentially affected by a potential failure or emergency event.

5. Extent to which the proposed approach fosters collaboration and would lead to dissemination of data, results, and lessons learned to relevant entities not immediately involved with the project.

Version 1.0 Page 24 of 30

Section VI: Application Review Information

CRITERION 3: MANAGEMENT APPROACH (15%)

This criterion will evaluate the level of the Applicant’s management skills and the adequacy, appropriateness, and reasonableness of the proposed management strategy to achieve the stated goals and objectives of both the NOFO and the proposed project as articulated through the Project Management Plan (PMP).

1. Level of the…