Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL): Request for Information (RFI) Energy Efficiency Materials Pilot for Nonprofits | DE FOA 0002879

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002879

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Energy Efficiency Materials Pilot for Nonprofits is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Request for Information (RFI) focused on how DOE should design and run a grant program authorized by Section 40542 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The underlying law sets aside a total of $50 million across fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to support the provision of energy efficiency materials in buildings that are owned and operated by charitable nonprofit organizations. The RFI is being run by DOE's Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) (under the DOE Golden Field Office) to gather practical feedback before DOE decides whether and how to launch a formal funding program.

The central purpose of the future pilot, as described in the RFI, is to help charitable nonprofits reduce energy use and costs through cost-effective energy efficiency materials, with DOE signaling a strong interest in targeting organizations where the impact would be greatest and the need is clearest. DOE states that it intends to prioritize charitable nonprofits that can demonstrate financial need, propose strategies that are cost-effective, show high potential for measurable energy savings, and present a credible plan for evaluation, measurement, and verification of those savings. Just as importantly, DOE emphasizes an implementation approach that minimizes administrative burden and expands access for nonprofits that have limited internal capacity, limited staff time, or fewer resources to navigate complex federal processes. In other words, the RFI is not only about what should be funded, but also about designing a program that smaller or under-resourced nonprofits can realistically use.

DOE is specifically requesting input in five major areas that will shape any future Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). First, Outreach: DOE wants ideas on how to reach eligible nonprofits effectively, especially those that might not typically track federal energy programs or have grant-writing staff. Second, Technical Assistance: DOE is looking for guidance on the types of support nonprofits may need to identify appropriate materials, plan projects, understand procurement or compliance expectations, and complete any reporting requirements without excessive burden. Third, Criteria and Metrics: DOE is asking what eligibility criteria, scoring factors, and performance metrics would be fair, practical, and aligned with maximizing energy savings and public value, including how to assess financial need and energy savings potential. Fourth, Funding: DOE is gathering views on grant structure, award sizing concepts, cost share considerations (if any), distribution mechanisms, and how to make the funding usable for a wide range of nonprofit building types and conditions. Fifth, Partnerships and Community Benefits: DOE wants suggestions for how nonprofits might partner with local governments, utilities, community-based organizations, contractors, or other entities to deliver projects effectively while ensuring benefits reach communities, particularly those facing higher energy burdens.

A key point is that this notice is an RFI only, not an application-based grant competition. SCEP is not accepting applications for funding or financial incentives through this announcement, and DOE will not pay for the information submitted. DOE also makes clear that it may issue a FOA in the future that is informed by the RFI responses, but it may also choose not to issue any FOA at all. There is no guarantee that a funding program will be launched as a direct result of this RFI, and any future details such as award size, number of awards, and timing would depend on Congressional appropriations and direction. The listing notes an "ExpectedAwards: 0" and an "AwardCeiling: 2," which reinforces that this is not an active grant competition and that typical award details are not established at this stage.

For organizations or stakeholders who wanted to weigh in, DOE required that responses be submitted electronically by email to NonprofitRFI@doe.gov, with the deadline set at 5:00 PM Eastern Time on December 19, 2022 (the posting also shows an overall closing date of December 22, 2022, but the narrative instructions specify December 19 at 5:00 PM ET). Submissions had to be attached to the email in Microsoft Word (.docx) format, limited to 10 pages, using 12-point font and one-inch margins, and larger files over 25 MB were recommended to be compressed to help ensure delivery. Respondents could answer as many or as few questions as they wished, and DOE asked that answers be clearly tied to specific questions or topics where applicable. DOE also stated it would not respond to individual submissions and would not publish a public compilation of responses, and that any response would not be treated as a binding commitment by the respondent to pursue a project concept.

Administrative identifiers included Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0002879, CFDA 81.086, and an activity category of Energy. Eligibility is described broadly in the source data as "Unrestricted" subject to clarifications in the full text, which fits with an RFI posture meant to collect input from many types of stakeholders (nonprofits, technical assistance providers, state or local agencies, utilities, and others), even though the eventual pilot funding described by the statute is intended to benefit charitable nonprofits. The full RFI was posted on EERE Exchange (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/), which is DOE's platform for many energy efficiency and renewable energy solicitations and related notices.

• The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL): Request for Information (RFI) Energy Efficiency Materials Pilot for Nonprofits" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.086.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 10, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 22, 2022 This is a request for information - no applications are due. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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