Amendment No. 1 to RFX-2025-10018 - 2025 Distributed Wind Turbine Competitiveness Improvement Project-1.pdf

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Managed and Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Request for Proposals Number RFX-2025-10018

AMENDMENT NO. 1

“2025 Distributed Wind Turbine Competitiveness Improvement Project”

Amendment Issue Date: 03/11/25 Due Date for Proposals: 03/28/25 Time Due: 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time

Solicitation Type Best Value Selection Firm Fixed Price with Price Participation Subcontract

Submit offers to the NREL RFP Contact below

NREL RFP Contact Kyndall Jackson, Subcontract Administrator National Renewable Energy Laboratory 15013 Denver West Parkway, MS RSF 030 Golden, CO 80401 Email: Kyndall.Jackson@nrel.gov

Amendment No. 1 is also hereby issued in response to questions received regarding the subject Request for Proposal (RFP) No. RFX-2025-10018. Please note that some questions may have been edited to address duplicate questions or to protect business-sensitive information provided in the original questions.

The essences of the original questions are not affected. Questions are in no particular order.

1. What does minimum price participation mean?

NREL Response: See the RFP and supporting documents for further information. It is the amount the proposing organization plans to put forth in support of the work. There is a minimum amount outlined in the RFP, but offerors can plan to contribute, either through direct funding or other supporting expenses, as part of the project.

2. What is the meaning of Listing?

NREL Response: Listing is essentially synonymous with certification. Certification is the term used for third-party conformity assessment of a wind turbine system to a particular standard; Listing is the term used for third-party conformity assessment of electrical components and systems. For example, an inverter will be 'listed' to a particular standard such s UL1741-SB.

3. Is this RFP subject to claw back?

NREL Response: Until subcontracts are signed, potentially, but this would be uncommon.

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4. It was mentioned that the name of the "Technology Commercialization" topic area was changed to reduce emphasis on market development. Can you elaborate a bit more? Could you provide an example of what NREL is looking for under this topic area?

NREL Response: Note that per the RFP, the result of a Technology Commercialization project is expected to be an implemented commercialization plan, engineering, or other pre-development work to support greater technology access, and development of partnerships that enables access to new or existing products in new markets at an impactful scale. This topic area does not cover the development of promotional materials and project-specific sales activities including lead generation, follow-up, locations specific design or permitting and closing costs. Reviewers suggest having the case studies suggested in this concept paper become a deliverable would help to share lessons learned for future efforts.

5. Is a project considered multiphase if it involves innovation on two components simultaneously, or does “multiphase” specifically refer to a project structured into three sequential phases?

NREL Response: Multi-phase projects are proposed efforts that include multiple topic areas, with a maximum of three phased topic areas, not multiple components, turbines or turbine systems. A System Optimization topic area can address development of multiple components as part of a wind turbine system. If a multi-topic area proposal is submitted, please note that go/no-go stages must be included between phases to re-assess progress before deciding to move forward as proposed.

6. What is the timeline for proposals to be assessed and approved and grant disbursed?

NREL Response: Typically proposals are selected and announced in June or early July with subcontracts (not grants) signed typically by early fall (September through November) but this is very dependent on any complications in subcontract negotiations.

7. Does the current CIP interest list include everyone who expressed interest on past CIPs?

NREL Response: Yes - if you have expressed interest in the past, you should be on the interested vendors list. If you have not received a CIP email with information on round 2025, please email Kyndall Jackson to be added (kyndall.jackson@nrel.gov).

8. Can cost sharing start counting as of submission date?

NREL Response: Yes, price participation may be contributed in the form of effort after a subcontract is awarded and also as offeror-owned materials, supplies, or equipment.

9. Can a multiphase project only receive funding for the initial phase?

NREL Response: Yes, for phased multi-topic area proposals, the primary (phase 1) effort will be evaluated and scored against the qualitative merit criteria listed above; follow-on project phase(s) will be evaluated based on the technical criteria for those topical areas and receive a positive or negative decision. Following proposal evaluation, NREL may choose to award the primary, phase one, effort but not the proposed follow-on phase(s).

10. How are DEIA/community benefits being scored this year?

NREL Response: DEIA elements are part of the Team Qualifications part of the merit criteria this round. However, due to an Executive Order entitled "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing", the following two criteria will not be evaluated nor scored for this solicitation: Under RFP section "Team/personnel/expertise" item d. Provide a project or organization diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility mission statement and philosophy that articulates how underrepresented groups (women, minorities, veterans, persons with disabilities) are to be considered as part of the project or through future employment; and e. what employee benefits, policies, resources, and initiatives exist to improve well-being and address the needs of employees across career stages and personal family circumstances (e.g., family support services/childcare, alternative and flexible work schedules, Veteran and military reservist support, and tuition reimbursement programs)?

11. The maximum award amounts are no longer calculated by turbine size?

NREL Response: Correct. Please note that some maximum award amounts have been increased and simplified; removing the calculation based on turbine size. Therefore, award amount requests must be reasonable and justified; requested award amounts and associated justification will be evaluated and scored.

As a reminder, each proposal must be submitted as an electronic PDF file by 2:00 p.m. Mountain Time on 03/28/2025. Please send submissions to Kyndall.Jackson@nrel.gov.

Please include confirmation of receipt and acceptance of this Amendment in your cover letter.

Thank you for your interest in this project. We look forward to receiving your proposal!

mailto:Kyndall.Jackson@nrel.gov

Submit offers to the NREL RFP Contact below