Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Request for Information (RFI): Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas | DE FOA 0002841

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): DOE "Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas" (ERA) RFI (DE-FOA-0002841)

1) What is this opportunity?

This opportunity is a Department of Energy (DOE) Request for Information (RFI) under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) titled "Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas" (ERA). It is an information-gathering effort intended to help DOE design and operate the future ERA Program.

2) Is this a grant or funding competition?

No. This is not a grant competition, not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), and not an application for financial assistance. The RFI does not provide funding by itself.

3) Will DOE fund my project if I respond to the RFI?

No. DOE states that no project will be supported as a direct result of responding to this RFI.

4) Why is DOE requesting information?

DOE is seeking ideas, needs, and recommendations from the public and interested stakeholders to shape how it will roll out and operate the ERA Program so it can deliver practical energy improvements for people living in rural or remote communities.

5) What kinds of input is DOE looking for?

DOE is looking for input on: (1) what outcomes the ERA Program should prioritize for residents of rural or remote areas; (2) what innovative energy projects could realistically achieve those outcomes while aligning with BIL authority; and (3) program design factors that influence how projects can be financed, built, maintained, and replicated.

6) What barriers and rural/remote conditions does DOE specifically want feedback on?

DOE highlights barriers and constraints that can be unique to rural places, including distance, weather, limited grid infrastructure, supply chain limitations, smaller local workforces, and fewer specialized contractors.

7) How does DOE want the ERA Program to address community benefits?

DOE specifically asks for ideas on how the program should incorporate community benefits, including energy and environmental justice (EEJ), diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), and the creation of quality jobs.

8) Is DOE looking for ways to share results or lessons learned?

Yes. A major focus is gathering ideas for how DOE should share lessons learned and measurable impacts broadly so that successes in one region can be adapted by other communities facing similar challenges.

9) Who is running this RFI inside DOE?

DOE indicates the responses will be used strictly for planning purposes as the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) develops the ERA Program.

10) How will DOE use the information submitted?

DOE states the information will be used strictly for internal planning purposes to inform ERA Program design and strategy. DOE may use what it learns to decide how to structure future support mechanisms for rural and remote energy solutions.

11) Will DOE publish the responses submitted to the RFI?

DOE states that the information collected will not be published, indicating responses are intended to inform internal program planning rather than serve as a public record of comments.

12) Will respondents be paid or reimbursed for preparing and submitting input?

No. DOE notes it will not pay for submitted information.

13) Who is eligible to respond?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the official RFI text.

14) What is the funding amount for this opportunity?

The award ceiling and expected awards are both listed as zero because this RFI does not provide funding.

15) Does DOE guarantee a future funding opportunity after this RFI?

No. DOE states it may or may not issue a future FOA after considering the input.

16) What types of support might DOE use later, based on what it learns?

DOE indicates it may choose different tools to support eventual implementation, potentially including technical assistance, prize competitions, future Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs), Other Transactional Authorities (OTAs), or Partnership Intermediary Agreements (PIAs).

17) What is the official funding opportunity number and CFDA number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0002841 and the CFDA number is 81.255.

18) Which DOE office posted the notice?

The notice was posted by the Department of Energy, Golden Field Office.

19) When was the RFI posted, and what was the submission deadline?

The posting date was October 27, 2022. Responses had to be submitted by 12:00 pm Eastern Time on November 28, 2022.

20) How were responses submitted?

Responses had to be submitted electronically as email attachments to ERA@hq.doe.gov.

21) Where can I find the full RFI details?

DOE directed respondents to the OCED Exchange site at https://oced-exchange.energy.gov/ and instructed them to search using the RFI document number.

22) What is the main purpose of submitting a response if there is no funding?

The purpose is to influence how DOE designs the ERA Program by sharing practical needs, recommendations, and project ideas that reflect real conditions in rural or remote communities.

23) Does this RFI define the final ERA Program rules and requirements?

No. The RFI is intended to inform program planning and design. DOE may use the feedback to shape future program approaches, but the RFI itself is not the final set of program requirements.