Question 1:
Please provide a link for registering for the Informational Webinar scheduled for November 13, 2014 for the subject funding opportunity
• DE-FOA-0001108 SUSTAINABLE AND HOLISTIC INTEGRATION OF ENERGY STORAGE AND SOLAR PV (SHINES)
Answer 1:
The webinar registration link has
been posted on the DOE EERE Exchange website.
Question 2:
My company is interested in applying this FOA. I notice that the
application deadline is Nov 14, 2014 but the application package is
still not available on the FOA website. This may leave insufficient
time for our company to complete the application process. We are
participating FOA for the first time and lack experiences. Any
guidance you could provide us would be greatly appreciated.
Answer 2:
The SHINES Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) has
been posted on the EERE Exchange Website. The FOA number is
DE-FOA-0001108. The FOA provides
instructions on how to apply, and lists the documents that will need to be
submitted as part of the application process. The Concept Paper submission
deadline is 12/16/2014 5:00 PM ET, and the Full Application submission deadline
is 3/19/2015 5:00 PM ET.
Question 3:
Can you please point me to a better link to download the application package for: Sustainable and Holistic IntegratioN of Energy storage and Solar PV (SHINES)?
Answer 3:
The SHINES Funding Opportunity Announcement, and SF-424
Application for Federal Assistance can be found on the EERE Exchange Website
under DE-FOA-0001108. The FOA document provides instructions on how to apply,
and lists the documents that need to be submitted with the application.
Question 4:
My questions regard SHINES - Funding Number: DE-FOA-0001108
A webinar is scheduled for Nov 13th
o Can you let me know the link to sign up for that webinar?
o Or can you put my email on a stakeholder list that will receive any further updates?
Also, one of the required documents “Budget Justification (EERE 159)” uploads to an unreadable htm version - versus the xlsx file.
o I downloaded “EERE 159 Detailed Budget Justification” (OMB Number: 1910-5162) from another link.
Is that the correct document?
Answer 4:
1)
The Webinar
Registration has been posted on the EERE Exchange website.
2)
The Budget
Justification (EERE 159) document under the Required Application Documents
Section can be downloaded as a .xlsx file. You may also try using a different
internet browser. Please contact EERE Exchange Support at EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov if you continue to have problems downloading the
document.
Question 7:
Page 21 says: "Applications that produce fuels will not be reviewed".
Would you please define fuel?
Answer 7:
For the purpose of the FOA, fuel is defined as
any material that’s combusted to produce heat or power.
Question 8:
From page 9 of the FOA under the section titled “The SHINES Solution”, may the solar PV plant or energy storage grid be space-based? My company is interested in submitting for this FOA. We have a new business concept as a solution for high power and high energy at a lower expected cost to first power.
Answer 8:
As stated in Section I.D of the FOA, "It is the
expectation of DOE for the deployment to occur in a setting/s that is
applicable to a range of conditions widely prevalent across the country, in
either actual residential or non-residential buildings shown to be widespread
across the nation, with building occupants performing their normal
functions."
Question 9:
Does 50% cost share mean that we need to match each DOE dollar with one recipient dollar, or does it mean each DOE dollar needs to be matched with $0.50 from the recipient?
Answer 9:
Per the FOA: The cost share
must be at least 50% of the total allowable costs for demonstration projects
(i.e., the sum of the Government share, including FFRDC costs if applicable,
and the recipient share of allowable costs equals the total allowable cost of
the project) and must come from non-Federal sources unless otherwise allowed by
law. (See 10 CFR 600.30 for the applicable cost sharing requirements.) See
Appendix B – Cost Sharing Information in the FOA for additional information on
how cost share is calculated.
Question 10:
I was reading the page linked below and wondered if this was an active opportunity to submit a bid or if it is simply a notice of a potential future FOA being released?
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=268845
If this is to be released do you have an intended date?
Answer 10:
The link above is not the location for the active
opportunity, since it was a Notice of Intent.
The SHINES Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) has been posted on the
EERE Exchange Website. The FOA number is DE-FOA-0001108. The FOA provides instructions on how to
apply, and lists the documents that will need to be submitted as part of the
application process. The Concept Paper submission deadline is 12/16/2014 5:00
PM ET, and the Full Application submission deadline is 3/19/2015 5:00 PM ET.
Question 11:
Energy storage includes many (and more) technologies as labeled on Figure 9 of the FOA. Is thermal energy storage appropriate to consider under this FOA? Our work indicates that a system with solar PV, thermal energy storage, and smart inverters can increase PV penetration and provide load management capabilities.
Answer 11:
Thermal energy storage could be part of the proposed SHINES
solution.
Question 12:
It seems that our project would be a perfect fit for the SHINES since it will provide storage capability that address the primary issue that is limiting the ability to add additional solar generation on the island, and also addresses many of the Duck curve issues that CA and other states will be facing over the next few years with increased penetration of inflexible renewable generation such as solar and wind.
Can you please contact me to see if this project would be a good fit for the funding under the RFP?
Answer 12:
Thank you for your interest in the requirements of the
Department of Energy. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) posted
at the EERE eXCHANGE website is comprehensive and designed to allow prospective
applicants to assess their proposed projects versus the requirements and
criteria of the FOA. We cannot predetermine the suitability or viability
of a proposal in advance of the merit review process. It is up to
prospective applicants to review the requirements of the FOA and assess the
merits of their proposed project to determine whether to submit an application.
We appreciate your continued pursuit of renewable energy
research and development and look forward to assisting you in future inquiries.
Question 13:
I support the U.S. Army's Office of Energy Initiatives with portfolio project development. We have a project in the planning stages that would be a great candidate for this. Currently, there is a small grant being used to satisfy a portion of the funding from the utility. Can this be used as part of the development side's 50% contribution? Can this be used in conjunction with this EERE grant?
Answer 13:
Per the Department of Energy, Code of Federal Regulations (10
CFR 600.30(d)), and Section III.B. of the FOA, cost share shall be provided by
non-Federal funds unless otherwise authorized by statute. Please refer to 10
CFR 600.30 for additional information.
Question 14:
I am very interested in sending an application to this opportunity. However, we are a very small company. I was wondering there is requirement for the size of the company to qualify for this opportunity. Also, do you have any format that we can follow for one page summary?
Answer 14:
There is not a requirement for size of company in the SHINES
FOA. For-profit entities, educational institutions, and nonprofits that are
incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular State or
territory of the United States are eligible to apply for funding as a Prime
Recipient or Subrecipient. Please see page 24 of the FOA for the Eligible
Applicants section. See page 33 of the FOA for Content and Form of the Concept
Paper.
Question 15:
I am interested in the SHINES program. The web site lists 11/14/2014 for the application closing date. Does that mean the due date for a white paper is that date?
Answer 15:
The Submission Deadline for Concept Papers ("white
paper") is December 16, 2014 5:00pm ET. Please see the cover page of the
FOA for submission deadlines.
Question 16:
1. At pre-application(concept paper stage), can we list the potential team members? I am not so sure we will get the written agreement without SHINES founding. I am sure we will get the agreement when the concept paper is accepted as "encourage".
2. After submitting the pre-application, we may raise more fundings from different sources. My question is if we can change or add a lead organization in the full application stage without changing the Prime Recipient.
Answer 16:
1. See the Concept
Paper Addendum on page 34 of the FOA, which requires the applicant to describe
the qualifications, experience, and capabilities of the proposed Project Team.
Please note that there is a 2 page maximum for the Addendum.
2. Full Applications
submitted under this FOA must provide information about the Applicant’s team
members participation. See page 34 of the FOA for Content and Form of the Full
Application. It is
acceptable to change or add an organization in the Full Application stage
without changing the Prime Recipient, after submission of the concept paper,
however, any changes must be made prior to submission of the Full Application
in EERE Exchange.
Question 17:
I was just looking for some clarification on the above grant before starting the process. Is this grant opened to residential owners?
Answer 17:
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are eligible to
apply for funding as a Prime Recipient or Subrecipient. Please see page 24 of
the FOA for the Eligible Applicants section.
Question 18:
My company would like to drive R&D through joint/cooperative agreements across multiple universities. My goal is to share knowledge and subject expertise between differing tiered institutions while opening new avenues for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral research. Would these agreements fall under outreach?
Answer 18:
Applicants are
encouraged to see pages 2-21 of the FOA for funding opportunity details
including technical area of interest and required scope of work among
other requirements for eligibility, compliance and responsiveness.
Question 19:
Will it be possible to obtain an attendee list from this webinar?
Answer 19:
The attendees of this webinar did not give consent to DOE to publish their information; therefore, DOE will not be able to provide a list as requested.
Question 20:
I was unable to hear the audio for the SHINES FOA Webinar on November 13, 2014.
Answer 20:
The SHINES FOA Webinar had technical difficulties and has been rescheduled for November 18, 2014. Please register at the link below.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/656418777
Title: SHINES FOA
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 Pm EST
Question 28:
I will be travelling on Tuesday. Can a recording of the new Webinar be shared? I have registered in case I can get access on the road.
Answer 28:
The Webinar on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 will be recorded and
posted on the EERE Exchange Website.
Question 29:
I have a procedural question about the SHINES grant application process. I understand that Concept Papers will be due by 12/16/2014 and that Full Applications will then be due by 3/19/2014. My question is – will the Concept Paper be used by DOE to down-select and applicants for the Full submission – or will all respondents who submit a Concept Paper be eligible to submit a Full Application?
Answer 29:
Section IV (Application and
Submission Information) of the FOA describes the Concept Paper process.
Only applicants who have
submitted an eligible Concept Paper will be eligible to submit a Full
Application. EERE makes an independent assessment of each Concept Paper based
on the criteria in Section V.A.1 of the FOA. EERE will encourage a subset of
Applicants to submit Full Applications. Other Applicants will be discouraged
from submitting a Full Application. An applicant who receives a “discouraged”
notification may still submit a Full Application. EERE will review all eligible
Full Applications. However, by discouraging the submission of a Full
Application, EERE intends to convey its lack of programmatic interest in the
proposed project in an effort to save the Applicant the time and expense of
preparing an application that is unlikely to be selected for award
negotiations. Such assessments do not necessarily reflect judgments on the
merits of the proposed project.
A notification letter
encouraging the submission of a Full Application does not authorize the
Applicant to commence performance of the project. Please refer to Section
IV.I.2 of the FOA for guidance on pre-award costs.
Question 30:
Your website says December 15th as the deadline for concept papers, while the FO description PDF says December 16th.
Answer 30:
Please see the EERE Exchange
website as well as the cover page of the FOA for submission deadlines.
Question 31:
Our organization is a global producer of energy storage system with a proprietary sodium-nickel-chloride technology. We have deployed multi-mega-watt-hours of storage systems in Europe and US. Based on the description this seems more focused on technology than typical EPC work.
Is applicant expected to secure a project site and absorb all expenses accruing for interconnection/permitting in addition to development of a turn-key system? Whom do you think of as an ideal applicant? i.e. EPC, Utility, PCS producer, Site Control system developer.
Answer 31:
Please refer to: Table 1 in the FOA for metrics and teaming
requirements for the SHINES solution, Section I.D. for FOA required scope of
work and further information on teaming requirements, Section III.A. for
eligible applicants, and Section III.B for cost share requirements.
Question 36:
Can I apply if I am located in Burundi?
Answer 36:
Foreign entities, whether for-profit or otherwise, are eligible
to apply for funding under this FOA; however, all Prime Recipients receiving
funding under this FOA must be incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the
laws of a State or territory of the United States.
If a foreign entity applies for funding as a Prime Recipient, it
must designate in the Full Application a subsidiary or affiliate incorporated
(or otherwise formed) under the laws of a State or territory of the United
States to be the Prime Recipient. The Full Application must state the nature of
the corporate relationship between the foreign entity and domestic subsidiary
or affiliate.
If a Foreign entity wishes to forego this requirement and serve
as the Prime Recipient itself, it may submit a waiver request to EERE as part
of its Full Application requesting permission to do so. The waiver request must
include the following information:
·
Entity name;
·
Country of incorporation;
·
Description of the work to be performed by the entity for whom
the waiver is being requested; and
·
Countries where the work will be performed.
In the waiver request, the Applicant must demonstrate to the
satisfaction of EERE that it would further the purposes of this FOA and is
otherwise in the interests of EERE to have a foreign entity serve as the Prime
Recipient. The Contracting Officer may require additional information before
considering the waiver request.
Please see page 24 of the FOA for the Eligible Applicants
section.
Question 37:
I just attended the informational webinar for SHINES FOA. Is it possible for me to get the slides that were presented in the webinar?
Answer 37:
The SHINES FOA Webinar
PowerPoint has been Posted on the Exchange Website under the FOA Documents
Section.
Question 38:
Our University has its own on-campus utility. It is similar to a municipal utility in that it is owned by, and supplies power to the University. Does the University utility qualify for the SHINES FOA?
Answer 38:
The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) presents the
information to allow prospective applicants to assess their proposed projects
versus the requirements and criteria of the FOA. DOE cannot predetermine the suitability
or viability of a proposal in advance of the submission and/or merit review
process. It is up to prospective applicants to review the requirements of the
FOA and assess the merits of their proposed project to determine whether to
submit an application.
Question 39:
Our University has existing PV arrays on campus. Is it possible to use a pre-existing PV array so long as all other stated requirements are met?
Answer 39:
Please see Table 1 of the FOA, for the Infrastructure
criteria.
Question 40:
I have a question or need clarification about the requirement that the deployment/demonstration be for residential or non-residential buildings, or residential or non-residential applications. In one part of the webinar and FOA when discussing the ‘Design’ section of the required scope of work, a reference is made to a residential or non-residential application (see slide 16 of webinar and page 19 section I. D.1. of FOA). In another part of the webinar and FOA in the ‘Development and Deployment’ section of the required SOW, reference is made to residential or non-residential buildings (see slide 17 of webinar, and page 20 section I. D.2. of FOA).
A commercial-scale solar power plant (up to 2MW) qualifies as a non-residential application that may be grid-connected, have smart inverters, be interoperable, have energy storage, etc. but would not necessarily be a non-residential building “of the type shown to be widespread across the nation.” Would a solution using a commercial-scale solar power plant with a SHINES solution be acceptable if it would addresses all of the requirements except a “non-residential building of the type shown to be widespread across the nation.” Please advise and clarify.
Answer 40:
The terms “buildings” and “applications” are used
interchangeably in the context referenced in the question.
Question 41:
Where can we find the recording of the Webinar from 11/18?
Answer 41:
The information presented during the webinar is included in the
PowerPoint Presentation posted on the EERE Exchange website under the FOA
Documents Section.
Question 42:
During the webinar it was stated that the roundtrip efficiency of the energy storage system should be higher than 90%. If we have energy storage technology that has roundtrip efficiency of about 75% but ca last over 100,000 cycles, will this technology be accepted.
Otherwise there are a whole class of redox flow batteries that have low cost, long life that will be eliminated from consideration because of the round-trip efficiency requirements.
Answer 42:
SHINES solutions are expected to meet the metrics in Table 1
of the FOA. If the proposed SHINES solution includes components that deviate
from the target component metrics, it is incumbent on the proposals to
convincingly demonstrate meeting all of the SHINES system capabilities, cost,
performance and other targets stated in Table 1 and elsewhere in the FOA. Note
that DOE cannot predetermine the suitability or viability of a proposal in
advance of the submission and/or merit review process. It is up to prospective
applicants to review the requirements of the FOA and assess the merits of their
proposed project to determine whether to submit an application.
Question 43:
The link to the definitions is broken. Can you provide the current link?
Answer 43:
The TRLs have been posted on the Exchange Website under the FOA
Documents Section.
Question 44:
Are there any restrictions or limitations on the number of SHINES FOA applications on which a single subcontractor may participate in?
Answer 44:
There are no restrictions or
limitations on the number SHINES FOA applications on which a single
subcontractor may participate in.
Question 45:
Would a SHINES solution involving a utility-scale 2MW solar power plant connected to the grid be deemed as responsive to the FOA as it would not be connected to a building or structure with a management system but would have an energy management system to monitor and manage storage and distribution to the grid depending on the load demand characteristics of the system/network? Thank you for your assistance.
Answer 45:
The Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) presents the information to allow prospective applicants to
assess their proposed projects versus the requirements and criteria of the FOA.
DOE cannot predetermine the suitability or viability of a proposal in advance
of the submission and/or merit review process. It is up to prospective
applicants to review the requirements of the FOA and assess the merits of their
proposed project to determine whether to submit an application.
Question 46:
Please advise if equipment use in a national lab qualifies as in-kind cost share.
Answer 46:
Because FFRDCs and GOGOs are
funded by the Federal Government, costs incurred by FFRDCs and GOGOs generally
may not be used to meet the cost share requirement. FFRDCs may contribute cost
share only if the contributions are paid directly from the contractor’s Management
Fee or another non-Federal source.
Question 47:
In the FOA Concept Paper Content Requirements section of the FOA, the only sections listed are the Technology Description and Addendum. Should a cover sheet be included with relevant contact info, estimated total project cost, etc. similar to other DOE concept papers and FOAs? If so, will it be exempt from the page limits for the Technology Description or Addendum? Also, can company logos be included in the footer similar to other DOE concept papers and FOAs?
Answer 47:
Applicants should include all relevant and required information within
the content and format of the concept paper as currently given in the FOA.
Question 49:
The FOA provides no guidance on where to show title, contact info or estimated budget which is typically included on the cover page. Please advise.
Answer 49:
Concept papers must be submitted through the EERE Exchange
website. When concept papers are submitted, applicants will be prompted to
enter information into Exchange such as applicant, lead organization,
organization type, funds and costs, project title, abstract, team members,
etc., which will be included with your submission package.
Question 51:
My understanding of LCOE for this FOA is that a third party (not the owner of PV module(s)) wants to estimate return on investment: energy storage, smart inverters, etc need to be purchased so that the SHINES solution would enable integration of an existing PV module(s) into the grid. This is probably why the cost of PV modules along with their installation costs is not a part of LCOE.
Is this correct?
If this is correct, then it is unclear to me how the $.14/kWh of this LCOE makes the overall system viable. For example, in the residential sector, the homeowner needs to purchase and install PV modules before SHINES solution can be applied. But the homeowner also seeks return on investment, which is currently realized by utility paying back to the PV owner for the electricity generated. If the homeowner gets paid more than for a kWh generated, should not that price be subtracted from the $0.14/kWh?
Answer 51:
Please refer to Table 1 on Page 18 of the SHINES FOA, under
the Area of Focus titled "SHINES solution cost reduction" for costs
that should be included in determining the LCOE of the proposed SHINES
solution.
Question 52:
Would you be able to clarify a question regarding SHINES program budget? If income is generated due to the program, does it go entirely to the recipient’s cost-share portion, or is it allocated across the Federal and recipient portions of the budget?
Answer 52:
DOE anticipates that if a
Recipient earns program income during the project period as a result of a
SHINES FOA Award, the Recipient must deduct the program income from the total
allowable project costs to determine the net allowable costs on which the Federal
share is based; however, DOE reserves the right to utilize other program income
methods provided in 10 CFR 600.124, 600.225, or 600.314.
Note that each proposed SHINES
solution and its associated information presented by Applicants will be
evaluated utilizing merit review criteria given in Section V of the FOA.
Question 53:
Are Federally recognized Tribes or their instrumentalities eligible to apply?
Answer 53:
State, local, and tribal government
entities are eligible to apply for funding as a Prime Recipient or
Subrecipient. Federal agencies and instrumentalities (other than DOE) are
eligible to apply for funding as a subrecipient, but are not eligible to apply
as a prime recipient. Please see page 24 of the FOA for the Eligible Applicants
section.
Question 54:
Are researchers at Canadian universities eligible to apply?
Answer 54:
Foreign entities, whether
for-profit or otherwise, are eligible to apply for funding under this FOA.
Other than as provided in the
“Individuals” or “Domestic Entities” sections above, all Prime Recipients
receiving funding under this FOA must be incorporated (or otherwise formed)
under the laws of a State or territory of the United States. If a foreign
entity applies for funding as a Prime Recipient, it must designate in the Full
Application a subsidiary or affiliate incorporated (or otherwise formed) under
the laws of a State or territory of the United States to be the Prime
Recipient. The Full Application must state the nature of the corporate
relationship between the foreign entity and domestic subsidiary or affiliate.
If a Foreign entity wishes to
forego this requirement and serve as the Prime Recipient itself, it may submit
a waiver request to EERE as part of its Full Application requesting permission
to do so.
Please see page 24 of the FOA
for the Eligible Applicants section.
Question 58:
We are interested in submitting a concept paper for the DOE SHINES FOA but see no specifications about its format or length. Could you please clarify the expectations for this document?
Answer 58:
Please see page 33 of the FOA for Content and Form of the
Concept Paper.
Question 59:
May utilities apply for a federal entity that we are completing a Utility Energy Service Contract with?
Answer 59:
Federal agencies and
instrumentalities (other than DOE) are eligible to apply for funding as a
subrecipient, but are not eligible to apply as a prime recipient. Please see
page 24 of the FOA for the Eligible Applicants section.
Question 60:
We are in discussion with a utility that wants to support multiple applications.
Can I please check that they can participate in multiple submissions from different companies?
Answer 60:
There
are no restrictions or limitations on the number of SHINES FOA applications on
which a utility may participate in.
Question 61:
As I reviewed page 24, I read that unless the federal customer is a DOE site (LLNL, Sandia Labs, etc.), it cannot be a "Prime Recipient". Can a utility or domestic entity serve as a "Prime Entity" with a Federal entity serving as the "Subrecipient"? Can you also clarify whether a utility provider can be both the "Utility" Team member and the "Prime Recipient"?
Answer 61:
A utility or domestic entity is eligible to
be a Prime Recipient and may have a Federal agency or instrumentality as a
Subrecipient. A utility provider may be
both the Prime Recipient and a "Utility Team Member" on an
application.
Question 62:
We read the FOA 0001108, and noted that the deployment should occur in either actual residential or non-residential building - See Page 20 - and that the size of the system should be between 5 KW and 2 MW. Are small utility scale solar PV and energy storage projects which interconnect to a utility's substation, but are not intended to power one specific building, eligible for the SHINES program?
Answer 62:
Table 1 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) document provides
the requirements for SHINES solutions. The FOA further presents the information
to allow prospective applicants to assess their proposed projects versus the
requirements and criteria of the FOA. DOE cannot predetermine the suitability
or viability of a proposal in advance of the submission and/or merit review
process. It is up to prospective applicants to review the requirements of the
FOA and assess the merits of their proposed project to determine whether to
submit an application.
Question 63:
Regarding the SHINES cost share requirement – is the following scenarios allowable at a non DOE federal location:
1. If a non DOE Federal Agency is the sub-recipient of the SHINES funding, can this Federal Agency utilize its appropriated, allocated or budgeted money for the implementation of an energy project (PV/Battery Project) on its site as their 50% of the Cost Share (matching funds)?
(Prime Recipient incurs the upfront cost for 100% of the project and is repaid in full – e.g. 50% from SHINES funding, 50% from Sub-recipient’s federally appropriated/budgeted funding)
2. If a non DOE Federal Agency is the sub-recipient of the SHINES funding, can this Federal Agency utilize money from third party financing as their 50% of the Cost Share (matching funds)? (third-party financing to be repaid by non DOE Federal Sub-recipient over a ten/twenty year period). (Prime Recipient incurs the upfront cost for 100% of the project and is repaid in full – e.g. 50% from SHINES funding, 50% from Sub-recipient’s funding via 3rd party financing)
Answer 63:
The cost share must be at
least 50% of the total allowable costs (i.e., the sum of the Government share,
including FFRDC costs if applicable, and the recipient share of allowable costs
equals the total allowable cost of the project) and must come from non-Federal
sources unless otherwise allowed by law. (See 10 CFR 600.30 for the applicable
cost sharing requirements.) Third-party cost share is acceptable to the extent
the cost share is allowable under the applicable Federal cost principles, as
described in Section IV.I.1 of the FOA, and so long as the funding was not
provided by the Federal Government. In addition, cost share must be verifiable
upon submission of the Full Application.
Question 64:
With respect to the team members, the FOA lists that the project team should include “at least one utility, and is also expected to have a PV module supplier/solar installer, inverter company, energy storage supplier, and other key stakeholders as applicable…” (pg. 18), we had a few questions:
a. Are teams required to have each of these participants as part of the team?
b. Would it be possible to cite multiple component OEMs where said component is fully commoditized and various products are functional equivalents?
c. Would it be possible to cite certain component OEMs under consideration in the concept paper (i.e. list 3-4 PV inverter companies and energy storage suppliers) with a goal to down select prior to the full application submission?
d. Would an Independent Power Producer (IPP) qualify as a utility under the requirements of the FOA?
e. Would an IPP that has a subsidiary solar installer/integrator qualify as the “solar module supplier/solar installer” under the requirements of the FOA?
Answer 64:
a.
The project teaming
requirements are stated on page 18 of the FOA.
b.
Table 1 of the
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) document and the Required Scope of Work
given in Section I.D. of the FOA, provide the requirements for SHINES
solutions. The FOA further presents information to allow prospective applicants
to assess their proposed projects relative to the requirements and criteria of
the FOA. DOE cannot predetermine the suitability or viability of a proposal in
advance of the submission and/or merit review process. It is up to prospective
applicants to review the requirements of the FOA and assess the merits of their
proposed project to determine whether to submit an application.
c.
It is acceptable to
change or add an organization in the project team for the Full Application as
long as the Prime Applicant is the same that stated in the concept paper and
the project teaming requirements in the FOA are met. Such changes must be made
prior to submission of the Full Application in EERE Exchange.
d.
IPPs do not qualify
as utilities for the purposes of this FOA.
e.
The project teaming
requirements are stated on page 18 of the FOA. The FOA further presents
information to allow prospective applicants to assess their proposed projects
and teaming relative to the requirements and criteria of the FOA. DOE cannot
predetermine the suitability or viability of a proposal in advance of the
submission and/or merit review process. It is up to prospective applicants to
review the requirements of the FOA and assess the merits of their proposed
project to determine whether to submit an application.
Question 66:
The FOA states that a concept paper and full application should include a single concept or technology. Is it possible to submit a concept paper and full application that maintains a similar overall concept and goal, yet with two permutations of a subset of the team composition (e.g. two different PV system configurations) and a down select milestone after year 1?
Answer 66:
Table 1 of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
document and the Required Scope of Work given in Section I.D. of the FOA,
provide the requirements for SHINES solutions. The FOA further presents
information to allow prospective applicants to assess their proposed projects
relative to the requirements and criteria of the FOA. DOE cannot predetermine
the suitability or viability of a proposal in advance of the submission and/or
merit review process. It is up to prospective applicants to review the requirements
of the FOA and assess the merits of their proposed project to determine whether
to submit an application.
Question 67:
To whom it may concern:
We are professors at a University that are already collaborating with a battery company, a solar installation company, and professors across campus with interests in every topic listed in the DoE solicitation. Obviously we and our industry partners were excited to see this solicitation.
We see one potential stumbling block. We are professors, and our primary mandate is research and education. As we build a test bed as part of this DoE project, we and our graduate students will be considering more far-reaching goals. In particular, renewable integration on the scale of interconnected micro-grids, or on the scale of a large balancing authority.
Our question is, can our budget include funding for research, including graduate student support and travel?
Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer.
Answer 67:
All applicants to the FOA will be required to propose and
perform all three activities in their entirety, as part of the overall project
as stated on pages 19-21 of the FOA.
Please refer to Section IV.I.1 on page 47 of the SHINES FOA
for Allowable Costs. All expenditures must be allowable, allocable, and
reasonable in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles.
Refer to the following applicable Federal cost principles
for more information:
• 2 CFR 220
for Educational Institutions;
• 2 CFR 225
for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments;
• 2 CFR 230
for Non Profit Organizations; and
• FAR Part
31 for For-Profit entities.
Question 68:
We’ve selected a site in the sun-belt for our system due to its high solar incidence. We’re hearing other proposers are using sites in wetter areas up in the NE having a low solar incidence and betting on the fact that they won’t have to prove in their proposal that they can really achieve the LCOE of $0.14/kwh. Apparently they plan to on eventually getting a government subsidy. Is DOE going to do some kind of a sanity check on proposals that don’t pass the giggle factor before award? Will there be a requirement in the RFP to justify claims that the LCOE can be met in light of obvious deficiencies?
Answer 68:
Please refer to Table 1 of the Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) document under the area of focus “SHINES solution cost
reduction”, and the Required Scope of Work given in Section I.D. of the FOA,
for information on determining LCOE. In addition, please refer to Section V.D.
of the FOA for the Evaluation and Selection Process.
Question 69:
Is it required that an application include partnering with a utility or can it be waived?
Answer 69:
As stated in Table 1 of the FOA, the project team proposed by
applicants is required to include at least one utility. This requirement cannot
be waived.
Question 70:
Regarding the calculation for meeting $0.14/kWh LCOE, are we correct in assuming that state, local, and federal subsidies and tax incentives cannot be counted in the calculation to reach this goal? If this is correct then applicants proposing projects in areas having a low solar DNI must find other ways to rationalize the cost of solar power generation than government subsidies. Are our assumptions here correct?
Also, can utility’s incentives based on frequency regulation, demand response, demand charge reduction, time of day charging be included in the calculation?
Answer 70:
The LCOE target for year 2020 for the entire SHINES solution should be
determined without any changes to federal, state or local legislation enacted
as of this FOA’s issue date. In addition, please refer to Table 1 in the SHINES
FOA, specifically under the “Benefits” and “SHINES solution application” areas
of focus, and to Section 1.D for FOA Required Scope of Work. Note that each
proposed SHINES solution and its associated information presented by Applicants
will be evaluated utilizing merit review criteria given in Section V of the
FOA.
Question 71:
Can we propose an alternate battery configuration having a <90% RT efficiency if we can demonstrate that the energy saving in battery production more than offsets the RT efficiency issue? For example, Li Ion batteries have a RT efficiency that could meet the 90% figure of merit, however it takes double the energy to manufacture these batteries as does a Zinc-Based or Vanadium-based battery. This is evidenced by the cost differential in the batteries of $500/kwh vs. $150-200/kWh and the fact that energy costs directly parallel total manufacturing cost. Given our real objective is to demonstrate that we can reach $0.14/kWh it would seem fair to open the competition up and let us make our case.
Answer 71:
The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) presents the information to
allow prospective applicants to assess their proposed projects versus the
requirements and criteria of the FOA. Applicants are encouraged to submit
concept papers in accordance with Section IV.C in the FOA for Content and
Format of the Concept Paper and SectionV.A.1 for Technical Review Criteria for
Concept Papers. DOE cannot predetermine the suitability or viability of a
proposal in advance of the submission and/or merit review process. It is up to
prospective applicants to review the requirements of the FOA and assess the
merits of their proposed project to determine whether to submit an application.
Question 75:
We will submit our concept paper shortly. I was wondering if the LCOE should be calculated using SAM for the concept paer? If so, which option do I have to choose to get PV + storage.
Answer 75:
There is no specific requirement that LCOE
should be calculated using SAM for the concept paper.
Question 76:
We are submitting a Concept Paper for the SHINES FOA number DE-FOA-0001108, CFDA Number: 81.087.
Your instructions state the Control Number must be displayed on each page (see p32 of the FOA). What exactly is this number?
Answer 76:
Applicants will receive a control number once the concept paper
submission process has been initiated in EERE eXCHANGE.
Question 77:
Please clarify the cost sharing requirement for the SHINES FOA. The FOA states that 50% cost share is required but when uploading the project cost information on the website the cost share requirement is listed as 20%.
Answer 77:
Per the FOA, the minimum cost
share is 50%. The EERE Exchange website has been updated to reflect the
correct minimum cost share.
Question 80:
1. The Primary Recipient (Domestic Entity) can invest 100% of the cost of the project and but can only receive up to 50% of that cost reimbursed via the SHINES funding?
2. In the case that the federal agency (e.g. DOD – AF/ARMY) is the Sub-recipient and receiving the equipment, they (AF/Army) could not reimburse the Primary Recipient (Domestic Entity) for other half of their investment since that payment would come from the Army’s budget (i.e. federal funds)? (50% SHINES + 50% Sub-recipient’s AF/ARMY funds)
Reading the statute and the explanation, is not clear that the Primary Recipient can be reimbursed for the full investment. Is there another way the Primary Recipient can be reimbursed for the full investment? Is someone available from the SHINES SUNSHOT team to discuss my question?
Answer 80:
DOE will only reimburse up to
50% of the total costs of the project. And DOE will only reimburse for
costs that are allowable under Federal cost principles, allocable to the
project, and reasonable.
Cost share must come from
non-Federal sources unless otherwise allowed by law. (See 10 CFR 600.30 for the
applicable cost sharing requirements.) The Prime Recipient may not use Federal
funding or property (e.g., Federal grants, equipment owned by the Federal
Government) as cost share. The cost sharing requirements can be found in
Section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005).
A recipient cannot use funds
from another agency to make up their cost share requirement. DOE seeks to
fund entities that are interested in developing the technology and capabilities
described in the FOA; however, a successful applicant must be willing to fund
50% of the project with non-federal funding.
Question 81:
We are reviewing the performance REQUIREMENTS for the energy storage integration and we do not believe that they are realistic technical metrics that can be met by ANY energy storage technologies - even theoretically. In addition they are written in a manner that is very imprecise in terms of exactly what the requirements need to be to meet the PV SHINES FOA. We would very much like the opportunity to discuss the specific technical aspects of the requirements to ensure that our proposal can meet these requirements. We are specifically referring to the following:
Over their 25 year service lifetime, the SHINES solutions must satisfy all of the following:
• perform ≥ 18,000 cycles (charge and discharge) with DoD 100% of PV capacity within 1 hour;
• perform ≥ 50,000 cycles (charge and discharge) with DoD no less than 40% of PV capacity within 1 minute;
• have ≥ 90% roundtrip efficiencies for each cycle.; operate at rated power for at least 4 hours with less than 5% internal energy loss in a fully charged state.
Answer 81:
Unfortunately, DE-FOA-0001108, “SHINES”, is a competitive
solicitation and private discussions, while the announcement is open, are
prohibited. All questions regarding this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
must be sent to sishines@ee.doe.gov.
All questions asked through this email will be answered through the EERE
eXCHANGE system and will be available to all interested parties.
Questions and responses will be posted on the EERE exchange website, which is
available at: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx?FoaId=1767d3fc-9c9e-4c93-bb3e-6d93ecf0105f,
after selecting the applicable FOA from the drop down menu. Please be advised
that proprietary or personally identifiable information (PII) will be removed
from questions prior to posting on the EERE Exchange website. DOE will try to
respond to a question within 3 business days, unless a similar question and
answer have already been posted on the website.
Question 82:
Can you give applicants an update regards approximately when the results of DOE Concept Paper Reviews will be provided to applicants?
Answer 82:
EERE will send a notification letter by email to the technical
and administrative points of contact designated by the Applicant in EERE
Exchange. Applicants will be notified of the results of the Concept Paper
Review within the next couple weeks.
Question 83:
I had a question about DUNS registration, that I sent to EE-Exchange support. I am trying to complete the registration process before submitting a full application.
I see the registered name for the organization, but I am not affiliated with this name/number. I have obtained the DUNS number from internal sources - do I need to be affiliated with the DUNS number to continue on with SAMS registration? Or if I just know the DUNS number will that be enough to continue to SAMS registration?
Answer 83:
The organization listed in the full application as the Prime
Recipient must be registered in SAM and have a DUNS number .
Question 84:
Please verify the change for the SHINES Full Application Submission Deadline is 3/26/2015 5:00 PM ET.
Answer 84:
The Submission Deadline for Full Applications is March 26, 2014 5:00pm ET. Please see the cover page of the FOA for submission deadlines.
Question 85:
On p. 15 - 16 of the original FOA publication, it was mentioned that a customized version of the SAM model would be provided for LCOE calculations and assumptions. Is this available, and how do I access it? If it's not available, when can we expect it to be?
Answer 85:
As stated on page 16 of the FOA, SunShot will provide only
Applicants selected for award under this solicitation, a customized version of
the System Advisor Model (SAM).
Question 87:
Does the proposed project need to meet the requirements of all the Areas in the metrics, or only need to meet requirements that is relevant to proposed technology? For example, if we develop a power electronic device meet the cost reduction goal, do we have to consider how to meet the requirements of the energy storage performance?
Answer 87:
Please refer to Table 1 in the SHINES FOA for the list of all the metrics that are required to be met by all the proposed SHINES solutions.
Question 88:
The EERE-159 on the indirect tab indicates an indirect rate proposal is required if one does not currently exist and indirect if proposed as part of the budget. Must that indirect rate proposal be submitted as part of the SHINES proposal or when a recipient is selected for award?
Answer 88:
An indirect rate proposal is not required to be submitted as part of an application package; however, per Section IV.E. of the FOA (page 46) if selected for an award, EERE reserves the right to request additional or clarifying information for any reason deemed necessary, including but not limited to:
• Indirect cost information
• Other budget information
• Commitment Letters from Third Parties Contributing to Cost Share, if applicable
• Name and phone number of the Designated Responsible Employee for complying with national policies prohibiting discrimination (See 10 CFR 1040.5)
• Representation of Limited Rights
Question 89:
We are interested in giving a proposal for Sustainable and Holistic Integration of Energy Storage and Solar PV (SHINES) Funding Opportunity (DE-FOA-0001108). Since we have not submitted any concept paper in advance, I am wondering if we are able to present full application. I would be delighted if you let me know at your earliest convenience. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.
Answer 89:
Per Section IV. (page 31) of the FOA, only applicants who have submitted an eligible Concept Paper will be eligible to submit a Full Application. EERE will not review or consider submissions submitted through means other than EERE Exchange, submissions submitted after the applicable deadline, and incomplete.
Question 90:
Where can I find the FOA submittal documents?
Answer 90:
The FOA submittal documents are visible under the Full Application Attachments Section. You must login to your EERE Exchange account to see the files.
Question 91:
Please clarify if the ceiling amount of $5,000,000 includes cost share or if this amount reflects the awarded amount excluding the required cost sharing portion? Meaning, if a proposal requests funds of $5 million and proposes cost share of $5 million, is the total amount of $10 million acceptable for this funding opportunity?
Answer 91:
As stated on pages 1 and 21 of the FOA, EERE anticipates making awards that range from $500,000 to $5,000,000.
The cost share must be at least 50% of the total allowable costs for demonstration projects (i.e., the sum of the Government share, including FFRDC costs if applicable, and the recipient share of allowable costs equals the total allowable cost of the project) and must come from non-Federal sources unless otherwise allowed by law. (See 10 CFR 600.30 for the applicable cost sharing requirements.)
To assist Applicants in calculating proper cost share amounts, EERE has included a cost share information sheet and sample cost share calculation as Appendices B (pages 75-78) and C (page 79-80) to this Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Question 92:
I would like to make sure we know the correct deadline submission of DE-FOA-0001108. In the FOA itself, under DE-FOA-0001108 the deadline is listed as 3/26/2015 5 PM ET for Full Application, and under DE-FOA-0001108 in the FAQ section, in the answer below, the deadline is stated to be 3/19/2015 5:00 PM ET for Full Application. Which deadline is correct?
Question 10: I was reading the page linked below and wondered if this was an active opportunity to submit a bid or if it is simply a notice of a potential future FOA being released? http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=268845 If this is to be released do you have an intended date?
Answer 10:
The link above is not the location for the active opportunity, since it was a Notice of Intent. The SHINES Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) has been posted on the EERE Exchange Website. The FOA number is DE-FOA-0001108. The FOA provides instructions on how to apply, and lists the documents that will need to be submitted as part of the application process. The Concept Paper submission deadline is 12/16/2014 5:00 PM ET, and the Full Application submission deadline is 3/19/2015 5:00 PM ET.
Answer 92:
The FOA was modified on January 26, 2015 to extend the submission deadline for Full Applications to March 26, 2015 5:00 ET. Question 10 was posted on 11/6/2014 prior to the FOA Modification to extend the deadline.
Question 93:
I am unable to find the Required Application Documents. How can I get a copy of the documents?
Answer 93:
The EERE Exchange site has been updated to allow applicants to download the Required Application Documents.
Question 95:
The last modification to the FOA changed the funding path for sub recipients so that they will receive funding through the prime recipient. Given that the subs are no longer getting funding from EERE directly, are the form 159 and FWP still required from an FFRDC sub?
Answer 95:
If a DOE/NNSA FFRDC is a subrecipient on an application and the total project costs for the DOE/NNSA FFRDC work is $250,000 or more, a separate EERE 159 will need to be submitted for the DOE/NNSA FFRDC. A Field Work Proposal does not need to be submitted for FFRDC subrecipients, since the Prime Recipient is responsible for initiating an agreement (e.g., Work for Others, CRADA, or TSA) with any FFRDC Project Team. If the FFRDC is the Prime Applicant, a Field Work Proposal will need to be submitted as part of the full application package.
Question 96:
1) Since there is only one place to upload a Subaward 159 Budget form, should we combine all tabs of the 8 subaward EERE 159 Detailed Budget forms into one file resulting in a file with 12 x 8 = 96 tabs?
2) Should we name this file using the following convention: ControlNumber_LeadOrganization_Subawardee1_Subawardee2_Subawardee3_........Subawardee8_Budget_Justification.xls?
3) Is the EERE 159 Budget Justification form required for subawards with a total cost of $250K or more, but a Federal Cost of Less than $250K. (e.g. $125K DOE +$125K cost share with a total cost of $250K).
Answer 96:
1) Applicants can merge all of the Sub Contractor Budget justification work sheets into a single Excel file and upload that file to the Sub awardees Budget Justification field. Applicants may also use the “Optional Files” option, and upload multiple files to the Additional Files field on their Upload and Submit tab.
2) Please use the following naming conventions when submitting EERE 159 Subrecipient Budgets under the “Optional Files” option: ControlNumber_LeadOrganization_Subawardee1, ControlNumber_LeadOrganization_Subawardee2, etc.
3) An EERE 159 budget Justification is required for subawards with a total project cost (DOE Share and Recipient Cost Share) of $250,000 or more.
Question 97:
Where can the Workplan be submitted on the EERE Exchange Website.
Answer 97:
The EERE Exchange Website has been updated to provide a location to upload a Workplan for the SHINES FOA.
Question 99:
What is the address that should be used for letters of support, letters of commitment, and Contracting Officer Authorization letters?
Answer 99:
Please address letters to the following address:
U.S. Department of Energy
Golden Field Office
Attn: Solar Contracting Officer
15013 Denver West Parkway
Golden, Colorado 80401
Question 100:
What does "Budget Period" refer to? The FOA doesn't specify a budget period. Does each awardee or subawardee set its own "Budget Period"?
Answer 100:
A Budget Period refers to a timeframe (e.g., 12 months) within a multi-year project’s Project Period which is divided for budget or funding purposes. Per Section II of the FOA, EERE may establish more than one budget period for each award and fund only the initial budget period(s). Funding for all budget periods, including the initial budget period, is not guaranteed. Before the expiration of the initial budget period(s), EERE may perform a down-select among different recipients and provide additional funding only to a subset of recipients.
In addition, EERE anticipates making awards that will run up to 36 months in length. Project continuation will be contingent upon satisfactory performance and go/no-go decision review. At the go/no-go decision points, EERE will evaluate project performance, project schedule adherence, meeting milestone objectives, compliance with reporting requirements, and overall contribution to the program goals and objectives. As a result of this evaluation, EERE will make a determination to continue the project, re-direct the project, or discontinue funding the project. Only those projects demonstrating a high probability of successfully meeting the program targets will be continued.
The end of the Budget Period will coincide with the go/no-go decision point.
Example of Project Period and Budget Periods
Project Period (36 months) | 01/01/2015 | 12/31/2017 |
Budget Period 1 (12 months) | 01/01/2015 | 12/31/2015 |
Budget Period 2 (12 months) | 01/01/2016 | 12/31/2016 |
Budget Period 3 (12 months) | 01/01/2017 | 12/31/2017 |
Question 104:
Can you please provide some clarity on the “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” requirement. Should all primary and sub recipients complete and submit the SF-LLL document even if they have NO lobbying activities to report or do we only submit the SF-LLL if we believe we have lobbying activities to report?
Answer 104:
Prime Recipients and Subrecipients are required to complete and submit SF-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” (http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/grants/sflllin.pdf) if any non-Federal funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence any of the following in connection with your application:
· An officer or employee of any Federal agency;
· A Member of Congress;
· An officer or employee of Congress; or
· An employee of a Member of Congress.
Prime Recipients and Subrecipients may not use any Federal funds to influence or attempt to influence, directly or indirectly, congressional action on any legislative or appropriation matters.
Question 105:
In Section III.B.3 of the FOA (Cost Share Types and Allowability), it is stated that “Every cost share contribution must be reviewed and approved in advance by the Contracting Officer and incorporated into the project budget before the expenditures are incurred.” Our question was around clarification as to how and when this review and approval process will take place.
Could you please provide additional explanation and/or detail around how and when the Contracting Officer will review and decide on cost share contributions?
Answer 105:
If an applicant is selected for negotiations of an Award, the DOE Contracting Officer will review cost share contributions during the negotiation process. See section VI.B.4. of the FOA for additional information on the notification of Successful Applicants.
Question 106:
Should supplemental information that was requested in the FOA (one page resumes, letters of support, etc.) to be place in an appendix be uploaded as an appendix to the technical volume document or as a separate document or as an attachment to the SF424?
Answer 106:
Resumes and letters of support should be included as an appendix to the Technical Volume.
Question 107:
One of the national labs is a sub recipient on our application. Their total cost is less than $250,000 and we, the prime recipient, intend to pay for the entirety of their costs as we will have a binary contract with them to conduct the work.
My question is, does the cost of the lab’s work count as part of our cost match or part of the DOE funding? Since we are paying for it, I assume it is part of our cost match.
Answer 107:
The value of the Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) portion of an award will be included in the award to the Prime Recipient. The proposed budget by the Prime Applicant must include all subcontracts including FFRDCs. Therefore, the FFRDC budget should be included in the contractual section of the Prime Recipient Budget Justification. The Prime Recipient Budget Justification must reflect Total Project Costs (DOE Share and Recipient Cost Share). Any of the Total Project Costs, including contractual costs, may be counted as recipient cost share, as long as the costs are allowable, allocable, and reasonable and approved by the DOE Contracting Officer during the negotiations of the Award.
Question 110:
If we received letters of commitment after the submission deadline, will DOE allow an after the fact submission of these types of materials after submission?
Answer 110:
Per Section IV.E. (page 46) of the FOA, if selected for award, EERE reserves the right to request additional or clarifying information for any reason deemed necessary, including but not limited to:
• Indirect cost information
• Other budget information
• Commitment Letters from Third Parties Contributing to Cost Share, if applicable
• Name and phone number of the Designated Responsible Employee for complying with
• National policies prohibiting discrimination (See 10 CFR 1040.5)
• Representation of Limited Rights Data and Restricted Software, if applicable
• Environmental Questionnaire