EERE eXCHANGE: FAQs

Question 1: On the FOA and related materials for the Rooftop Solar Challenge II opportunity, there is a mention of a tentative webinar to be held on January 8th. Is this still taking place, and if so, could you pass along registration or call-in information?
Answer 1:

Please see below for scheduling and registration information for the Rooftop Solar Challenge II Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Concept Paper and Full Application webinars:

Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA: Concept Paper Webinar

Date: Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST

This webinar will focus on the Concept Paper stage of the Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA application process. Applicants will be able to submit questions on any topic related to the Concept Paper up to three (3) business days prior to the webinar. Relevant questions submitted prior to the deadline will be answered during the webinar and in writing, and will be posted to the Exchange website. Questions may be submitted to RooftopChallenge@go.doe.gov with the subject line “Concept Paper Webinar Question.”

If you wish to attend, you must register for the webinar at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/894277008

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements

PC-based attendees

Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Mac®-based attendees

Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Mobile attendees

Required: iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or Android tablet

Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA: Full Application Webinar

Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST

This webinar will focus on the Full Application stage of the Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA application process. Applicants will be able to submit questions on any topic related to the FOA up to three (3) business days prior to the webinar. Relevant questions submitted prior to the deadline will be answered during the webinar and in writing, and will be posted to the Exchange website. Questions may be submitted to RooftopChallenge@go.doe.gov with the subject line “Full Application Webinar Question.”

If you wish to attend, you must register for the webinar at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/880300145

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements

PC-based attendees

Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Mac®-based attendees

Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Mobile attendees

Required: iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phone or Android tablet

Question 2: If a recipient of Rooftop Solar Challenge 1 funding is successful in its application for RSC2 funding, is there a way to bridge the funding gap between Feb 14, 2013 and the May decision date for RSC 2?
Answer 2:

The Rooftop Solar Challenge II (RSC II) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is an independent and separate announcement, and any awards made under the RSC II FOA will be new awards, which will not correspond or tie to the awards made under the Rooftop Solar Challenge I (RSC I) FOA. In addition, selection for award under the RSC I FOA does not guarantee an award under the RSC II FOA. Therefore, DOE will not be able to bridge the funding between awards made under RSC I with any awards made under RSC II.

Question 3: I normally do Information Systems, but I want to divert into solar energy and I found a grant with you as the contact: CFDANumber 81.117 -- Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Dissemination, Outreach,Training and Technical Analysis/Assistance. The problem is that I am not eligible; I have been searching the site for several months and not found any for which I qualify. I am wondering, since you are the expert, if you could point me in the right direction.
Answer 3:

Thank you for your interest in solar-related funding opportunities.

Unfortunately, the only information we can provide to you is that which is already publicly available. DOE representatives are not able to disclose future Funding Opportunities or plans. Please check the websites below periodically for new Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs).

The Department of Energy’s Golden Field Office posts funding opportunity announcements on EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov, on FedConnect at https://www.fedconnect.net, and on Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov,. Not all FOAs are available in both the EERE eXCHANGE website and FedConnect, however all FOAs are posted at Grants.gov.

At the eXCHANGE website, simply scroll through the opportunities on the main page.

To view the Golden Field Office’s current opportunities at the FedConnect website, click on “Search Public Opportunities” on the right side of the screen. Under “Search Criteria”, select “Issuing Office”, enter “Golden Field Office”, and then click on “Search” to bring up the list of funding announcements. When you select a particular announcement, there will be a list of documentation on the right side of the screen. Click on any attachment to view it.

At Grants.gov, click on “Find Grant Opportunities”, then choose one of the search options to locate opportunities of interest to your organization.

Question 4: We are just bringing a brand new product on the market that is “Click and Play” and can be installed on every home roof. We are based in GA-USA, and we created roof tiles with integrated solar cells, which include a unique cooling and locking system. Can you let me know if it would still make sense to apply for the DE-FOA-0000788: Rooftop Solar Challenge II based on where we are in the process?
Answer 4:

As stated in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

Question 5: Our Company is intending to submit an application to participate in the SunShot Rooftop Challenge II; however, we are very concerned with the deadline of March 8. Adding an additional month to the deadline would be most beneficial and could make the difference in our ability to submit an application. Additional time would also allow us to devote the necessary time to complete a better application for Rooftop Challenge II. Is there any thought of extending this deadline? Secondly, can you confirm whether the population minimum (and therefore, the letters of commitment and Market Scores) applies to just those municipalities that are participating in the permitting and zoning processes or whether that total can include municipalities that are participating in the financing processes, but not the permitting/zoning.
Answer 5:

At this time the Department of Energy (DOE) does not anticipate extending the deadline for the Rooftop Solar Challenge II Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). However, if an extension is granted, an Amendment to the FOA will be posted and available on the EERE Exchange website https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Prospective applicants registered to receive notifications of FOA Amendments in Grants.gov will be notified via automatic notification.

All participating jurisdictions count towards population totals, regardless of market maturity levels or project focus.

Question 6: Can you let me know if the following links are working?. When I click on these nothing is happening. It’s asking me to sate the LINK?? I am trying to find out what specifics do I need to provide in supporting documents. I got a supporting document of 14 pages but not sure if I hit all your requirements.
Answer 6:

Please contact the EERE Exchange Helpdesk at EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov for questions regarding technical problems with the links to the EERE Exchange Applicant User Guide and User Registration Manual.

In order to verify that you have all of the required supporting documents, please see the Funding Opportunity Announcement, “Section IV – Application and Submission Information; A. Application Forms”. This section includes all of the necessary information on submitting the required documents.

Question 7: I have read the link in grants.gov as below . We are Non Profit Organization in Pakistan. Can we proposed a concept note or proposal for pakistan?
Answer 7:

Eligibility for award under the Rooftop Solar Challenge II Funding Opportunity Announcement is restricted to Applicants:

· Located in the United States; and

· State or territorial governments; or

· Local governments; or

· Consortia, made up of regional or statewide teams of local, governments, large single jurisdictions, or Tribal governments; or

· Non-profit or for-profit entities authorized to act on behalf of a consortia of state and/or local governments, and

· The total population represented or impacted by an Applicant for this FOA must be 1,000,000 or greater as defined by the 2010 report of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Additional eligibility requirements are provided in “Section III – Eligibility Information” of the Funding Opportunity Announcement. Please review this section for all eligibility requirements.

Question 8: I have a question about DE-FOA-0000788. In the Concept Paper Phase, applicants are required to submit a summary slide with requested DOE funding, proposed cost share, and total budget for the entire project period. Is it possible for an applicant to modify any of those budget numbers between the time of the Concept Paper and the Full Application, or are the numbers in the Concept Paper binding?
Answer 8:

Yes, it is possible to modify any budget numbers between the time of the Concept Paper and the Full Application, as long as the minimum required cost share is still met.

Question 9: Are letters of commitment and SM3 scorecards required from all participating jurisdictions, or is a representative sample sufficient? This question applies for Topic Area A efforts which may not be geographically based, and also for Topic Area B efforts which may be statewide and involve a large, expanding pool of participating communities.
Answer 9:

See the following table for letters of commitment and SM³ Indicator requirements.

Application Stage:	Concept Papers	Full Application	Award Negotiation and Finalization
Due Date:	January 2013	March 2013	April-May 2013
SM³ Indicator Data Required from Jurisdictions?	No.	Yes.	Yes.
SM³ Indicator Data Required	None.	Data from at least 5 participating jurisdictions representing at least 25% of the expected population that the project will represent.	Data must be entered from all participating jurisdictions prior to award finalization. Delays in data collection may result in termination of Award negotiations.
Letters of Commitment/Support from Jurisdictions?	Recommended, not required.	Required from all participating jurisdictions.	Required from all participating jurisdictions.

Applicants must provide a Letter of Commitment from the chief elected official of each participating jurisdiction that confirms that the jurisdiction will contribute cost-share to the project in the form of staff time or other resources, and will make personnel in relevant city departments available as needed to support the objectives proposed. The participating jurisdictions must submit Letters of Commitment if they are intended to contribute to the 1,000,000 population minimum required to apply to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). Further, DOE expects all jurisdictions that agree to participate in activities as part of the Rooftop Solar Challenge II (RSC II) FOA to provide SM³ indicators.

Question 10: Can a prime recipient also be a sub-recipient on a separate application, either within the same Topic Area or in a different Topic Area?
Answer 10:

Yes, a Prime Recipient on an application may also apply as a sub-recipient on a separate application.

Question 11: Are communities who have received funding in RSCI eligible to participate in RSCII?
Answer 11:

Yes, communities that received funding under the Rooftop Solar Challenge I (RSC I) FOA are eligible to participate in the Rooftop Solar Challenge II (RSC II) FOA, subject to the eligibility requirements provided in “Section III – Eligibility Information” of the FOA.

Question 12: Does previous soft cost reduction success need to be demonstrated within the same geographic area for which the application is seeking funding?
Answer 12:

No, this is not a requirement.

Question 13: Can you clarify if an applicant to the Rooftop Solar Challenge II must address each of the four Action Areas (Permitting/Interconnection, Financing, Planning/Zoning, and Net-Metering) within a single application proposal or can a proposal address just a single Action Area?
Answer 13:

The four action areas were designed so that awardees that succeed in all action areas will have the necessary policy and process framework in place to support a robust solar market in their region. While success in one action area would represent important progress, it is only with results in all four action areas that awardees will truly reap the economic and environmental benefits associated with a healthy solar energy market. Therefore, Applicants should propose compelling and innovative means of achieving improvements and standardization in the four action areas.

Question 14: While we didn’t learn about the new FOA in time to submit a letter of intent, San Francisco is planning to apply for the next Rooftop Solar Challenge, and would appreciate being put on the email distribution list of for the webinar and related FOA updates.
Answer 14:

Submitting a Letter of Intent to Apply is strongly encouraged but not mandatory. However, only Applicants that submit a compliant and responsive Concept Paper are eligible to submit a Full Application to the Rooftop Solar Challenge II Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). In order to receive automatic notifications regarding newly issued FOA’s or FOA Amendments, please register in www.Grants.gov. However, please note that applications and Concept Papers will NOT be accepted through Grants.gov.

Question 15: To whom should letters of support be addressed?
Answer 15:

Please address the Letters of Support to the United States Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Golden Field Office, Office of Financial Assistance. Please include the Funding Opportunity Announcement name and number.

Question 16: I already emailed EERE Exchange Support but the RSCII FOA is not listed in the dropdown box to create a concept paper.
Answer 16:

The Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA should now be available in the dropdown menu box to create a concept paper.

Question 17: If we did not submit a Letter of Intent before January 11, 2013 is it too late for our organization to apply for this Funding Opportunity? We could submit a letter by tomorrow along with a concept paper by the 25th.
Answer 17:

Submitting a Letter of Intent to Apply is strongly encouraged but not mandatory. However, only Applicants that submit a compliant and responsive Concept Paper are eligible to submit a Full Application to the Rooftop Solar Challenge II Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). In order to receive automatic notifications regarding newly issued FOA’s or FOA Amendments, please register in www.Grants.gov. However, please note that applications and Concept Papers will NOT be accepted through Grants.gov.

Question 18: Below is the type of business I'm going to launch in partnership with a certified PV installer. Although our businesses are separate we'll be an asset to the community. Since my business is the newest, I'll need some Start-Up financing. Would the Rooftop Solar Challenge II be a program the fit a community development project? if not, would you suggest other sources I might try.
Answer 18:

Thank you for your interest in the Department of Energy programs. 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. The Department of Energy posts FOA’s on FedConnect at https://www.fedconnect.net, on Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov, and on EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. Not all FOAs are available in both the EERE eXCHANGE website and Fedconnect, however all FOAs are posted in Grants.gov.

Question 19: 1. After submitting the Concept Paper, when will applicants receive the notification letter from DOE with their Concept Paper score? 2. As a Rooftop Solar Challenge I awardee, we have already completed Market Maturity Indicator Scorecards for our partnering jurisdictions. However, for RSC II, we plan to add jurisdictions to our team. Will we need to complete Scorecards for the new jurisdictions as well as update the Scorecards for the existing jurisdictions? 3. When will we have access to the Solar Metrics online portal?
Answer 19:

1. Applicants will be promptly notified of DOE’s determination to encourage or discourage the submission of a Full Application. DOE sends a notification letter by email to the technical and administrative points of contact designated by the Applicant in EERE eXCHANGE. DOE provides Applicants with feedback in the notification letter in order to guide the further development of the proposed project.

2. DOE will host a webinar for Applicants to detail the process for inputting Solar Market Maturity Indicators following the concept paper phase of the application (Date TBD – will be posted on EERE eXCHANGE website).

3. Applicants will have access to the Solar Metrics online portal following the concept paper stage.

Question 20: Can a local government be a part of two separate applications under this FOA where it is not the lead applicant in either one?
Answer 20:

Yes, a local government can be part of two separate applications as long as they’re not the lead on both applications. Prime Applicants are not able to submit more than one application to this FOA.

Question 21: On page 33 of the FOA, it states that applicants should plan on a start date near May 13, 2012. Can you please indicate the correct date?
Answer 21:

Assume a project start date near May 13, 2013.

Question 22: On page 31, it states that resumes can be two pages in length, but on page 32, it states that resumes must be one page. Are two-page resumes permitted in the final application?
Answer 22:

Resumes should not exceed one (1) page.

Question 23: I was just made aware of the Rooftop Challenge and have not submitted a LOI by the deadline. Am I excluded because I missed this date?
Answer 23:

The first step to apply for funding under this FOA is to submit a Concept Paper. The Concept Paper describes the success the Applicant has had in fostering soft cost reductions at the local level, as well as the a concise description of the proposed project/solution and its novelty. Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by the Concept Paper due date to be eligible to submit a Full Application. As the Concept Paper due date was January 25, 2013, no additional Concept Papers will be accepted under this FOA.

Please check the websites below periodically for new Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs).

The Department of Energy’s Golden Service Center posts FOA’s on FedConnect at https://www.fedconnect.net, on Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov, and on EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. Not all FOA’s are available in both the EERE eXCHANGE website and Fedconnect, however all FOA’s are posted in Grants.gov.

Question 24: Our Phase II team includes several Rooftop Solar Challenge Phase I participants. The FOA explains that applicants will be able to access their existing accounts, and will be able to add indicators for the “future” Market Snapshot score following the concept paper stage. Is there be a way to automatically merge all of our indicators from different Phase I teams into the Market Maturity Model when we apply in Phase II?
Answer 24:

The Solar Metrics portal will allow for merging of existing teams and data. Additional details on this process and entering Solar Market Maturity Indicators into the Solar Metrics portal will be provided in the upcoming Full Application webinar, currently scheduled for 2/26/2013. See below for registration details:

Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA: Full Application Webinar

Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST

This webinar will focus on the Full Application stage of the Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA application process. Applicants will be able to submit questions on any topic related to the FOA up to three (3) business days prior to the webinar. Relevant questions submitted prior to the deadline will be answered during the webinar and in writing, and will be posted to the Exchange website. Questions may be submitted to RooftopChallenge@go.doe.gov with the subject line “Full Application Webinar Question.”

If you wish to attend, you must register for the webinar at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/880300145

Question 25: Would like to find application for grant for solar energy rooftop grant.
Answer 25:

The full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is posted on the EERE eXCHANGE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Applications must be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE website to be considered for award. The applicant must first register and create an account on the EERE eXCHANGE website. A User Guide for the EERE eXCHANGE can be found on the EERE website http://eere.energy.gov/financing/exchangeExchange/Manuals.aspx after logging in to the system. Information on how to locate and submit documents is provided in the full FOA.

Question 26: To my knowledge, the feedback for the concept paper has not been released. When can we expect this information and will it affect the date of the full application webinar tentatively scheduled for February 15?
Answer 26:

Only Applicants that submitted a compliant and responsive Concept Paper are eligible to submit a Full Application. The DOE is currently reviewing all submitted Concept Papers against the criteria posted in the FOA. DOE anticipates notifying the applicants, that submitted a compliant Concept Paper, of DOE’s determination to encourage or discourage the submission of a Full Application prior to the Webinar for Full Applications, which is currently scheduled for February 26, 2013 at 3:00pm EST.

Applicants may submit a Full Application even if they receive a notification discouraging them from doing so. By discouraging the submission of a Full Application, DOE intends to convey its lack of programmatic interest in the proposed project. Such assessments do not necessarily reflect judgments on the merits of the proposed project. The purpose of the Concept Paper phase is to save Applicants the considerable time and expense of preparing a Full Application that is unlikely to be selected for award negotiations.

A notification letter encouraging the submission of a Full Application does not authorize the Applicant to commence performance of the project.

Question 27: Where should Letters of Support be addressed?
Answer 27:

Letters of Support can be addressed to the Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Golden Service Center. However, all Letters of Support should be submitted with the Full Application in EERE Exchange by the deadline for Full Applications.

Question 28: Our proposal will involve a state agency reaching out to all the municipalities in the state to encourage them to adopt a particular innovation. It is impossible at this point to know which municipalities will ultimately adopt the innovation, but we are confident that we will achieve significant market penetration. Is there any way within the Solar Market Maturity Model that we can set a project objective (e.g., having improved solar zoning rules adopted by at least 25 municipalities representing 400,000 people) and then be judged on whether we achieve that objective should we receive a grant award?
Answer 28:

This is not possible within the Solar Metrics Portal. However, the applicant may include such goals within the Statement of Project Objectives that is required to be submitted with the Full Application.

Question 29: In a multi-state project, can the partner jurisdictions be the individual states or is it necessary for the partner jurisdictions to be specific identified municipalities within those states?
Answer 29:

The partner jurisdictions should be specifically identified municipalities within the states. Applicants may also aggregate and average Solar Market Maturity Metrics for an entire state and track those separately, as well.

Question 30: On page 34, the FOA indicates that one traveler should attend the annual review meeting and one traveler should attend the final presentation at DOE. Does that apply only to primary recipients or also to sub-recipients?
Answer 30:

The FOA states that one traveler from the Prime Recipient should plan for travel. Sub-recipients should not plan to travel as part of this activity.

Question 31: For the Other Sources of Funding Disclosure (page 36), if we have a project with an organization serving as primary applicant and with other sub-recipient organizations receiving significant shares of the funding, do representatives of those organizations count as Co-PIs and therefore have to disclose other sources of funding, or does this only refer to the Investigators from the lead organization?
Answer 31:

DOE anticipates amending the FOA to remove the Other Sources of Funding Disclosure requirement.

Question 32: I am hoping to clarify what applicants should provide to fulfill the requirements of section ‘14. Other Sources of Funding Disclosure’, page 36 of the FOA. The FOA indicates that applicants should disclose “financial assistance received by the Principle Investigator(s)” and “key personnel”. So, are we to disclose what is received by the PI and key personnel as individuals or by the organizations they currently represent for the purposes of this FOA. For example, the PI in our application recently joined the organization, so do we need to disclose federal funding that he may have received while working elsewhere or that our organization receives and has received over the last five years?
Answer 32:

DOE anticipates amending the FOA to remove the Other Sources of Funding Disclosure requirement.

Question 33: For proof of cost share. If the applicant envisions a program that includes an RFP process to identify a yet unknown community for participation in a group purchase campaign, but that RFP process stipulated cost share as a condition of participation, can the cost share be projected and applied to the overall budget without a formal letter of commitment from that yet unnamed community? Can evidence based on existing group purchase campaigns led by communities be used to project cost share?
Answer 33:

Yes the cost share can be projected and applied to the overall budget without a formal letter of commitment from that yet unnamed community. However, it must be noted that the Prime Applicant is responsible for meeting all cost share requirements, whether or not you can find an appropriate cost share partner.

For information on allowability of costs please see Section IV.B.1 – Allowable Costs, of the Funding Opportunity Announcement to see what are considered allowable costs for your entity type.

All expenditures must be allowable, allocable, and reasonable in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles.

For for-profit entities, the allowability of costs is determined through reference to the for-profit cost principles in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (48 C.F.R. Part 31).

For nonprofit organizations not listed in Appendix C to OMB Circular A-122 (codified at 2 C.F.R. Part 230), the allowability of costs through reference to the cost principles for nonprofit organizations in OMB Circular A-122 (10 C.F.R. § 600.127).

For institutions of higher education, the allowability of costs through reference to OMB Circular A-21, “Cost Principles of Educational Institutions” (codified at 2 C.F.R. Part 220).

Question 34: I logged into the EERE exchange to check on the status of our RSC II Concept Paper and see that the status now shows “Review Complete.” This is very encouraging as I’ve been keeping my resources on standby waiting for a positive response on the Concept Paper. Does this mean we should go ahead and begin working on the full application right away?
Answer 34:

Although the submission status in EERE Exchange indicates “Review Complete”, Applicants should open their submission in EERE Exchange and review the comments provided in detail prior to working on submitting the full application.

Question 35: Are incentives (e.g., rebates/waived application fees) considered allowable costs under RSC II?
Answer 35:

Please see Section IV.B.1 – Allowable Costs of the Funding Opportunity Announcement to see what are considered allowable costs for your entity type.

All expenditures must be allowable, allocable, and reasonable in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles.

For for-profit entities, the allowability of costs is determined through reference to the for-profit cost principles in the Federal Acquisition Regulations (48 C.F.R. Part 31).

For nonprofit organizations not listed in Appendix C to OMB Circular A-122 (codified at 2 C.F.R. Part 230), the allowability of costs through reference to the cost principles for nonprofit organizations in OMB Circular A-122 (10 C.F.R. § 600.127).

For institutions of higher education, the allowability of costs through reference to OMB Circular A-21, “Cost Principles of Educational Institutions” (codified at 2 C.F.R. Part 220).

Question 36: We see that the review of our concept paper has been completed. Can you please let us know when we can expect a notification of whether or not a full application from CUNY will be encouraged?
Answer 36:

The DOE has completed the review of Concept Papers submitted under the Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA. Please log into Exchange, open your submission, and review the comments provided.

Question 37: This question relates to the cost share requirement. Is the applicant required to have all of their cost share dollars addressed within their letters of commitment or is it acceptable to have other partners in the budget to donate cost share that have not yet committed to the project?
Answer 37:

Yes, it is acceptable to have other partners in the budget to donate cost share that have not yet committed to the project. However, Applicants should have a letter of commitment from each third party contributing cost share (i.e., a party other than the organization submitting the application) stating that the third party is committed to providing a specific minimum dollar amount of cost share. Upon selection for award negotiations, the Prime Recipient must confirm in writing that the proposed cost share is allowable in accordance with applicable Federal cost principles.

In addition, it must be noted that the Prime Recipient is responsible for meeting all cost share requirements, whether or not you can find an appropriate cost share partner. Also, please keep in mind that Merit Review Criterion 4 includes “adequacy of support as evidenced by letters of commitment and letters of support.

Question 38: One of the cities participating in our RSC2 proposal also was an RSC 1 city but was not the lead and does not have direct access to the RSC1 Solar Metrics POrtal. How can they directly input their present and past data as a part of the RSC2 application?
Answer 38:

Only one log-in per team will be provided. Further details regarding the Solar Metrics Online Portal will be provided in the upcoming Full Application Webinar currently scheduled for March 5, 2013 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST.

Question 39: If we submitted letters of commitment from the chief elected official as part of our Concept Paper, do we need to resubmit them with our Final Application?
Answer 39:

Yes, all Letters of Support and Letters of Commitment should be included in the Full Application.

Question 40: If an organization contributes cash or services as a cost share to our project, are there any tax or accounting implications to the contributing organization? We have a partner that would like to contribute a cost share to our project but their General Counsel wants to clarify any tax implications before they submit a letter of commitment.
Answer 40:

Cost Share expenditures, whether cash or services, must be tracked and managed in accordance with the applicable Financial and Program Management requirements in 10 CFR 600.

Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations should refer to 10 CFR 600.120-121.

State and Local Governments should refer to 10 CFR 600.220.

For-Profit Organizations should refer to 10 CFR 600.310-311.

The DOE cannot determine if there are any tax implications to the contributing organization. Therefore, that organization should refer its licensed tax professional or legal counsel for potential tax implications on Federal funds and cost share expenditures.

Question 41: Pages 28 (final box) and p 49 (last paragraph) of the FOA have inconsistent and different requirements for third party cost share partners. One calls for "%age of the project" the other doesn't; one calls for "duration and timing of the commitment" the other doesn't. Which format is correct or may either be used?
Answer 41:

Either format may be used.

Question 42: How do we input the "future" Market Snapshot Score? Is there a way to capture present and past SOlar Metrics entered as part of a RSC 1 project or do we need to reenter all data?
Answer 42:

The Solar Metrics portal will allow for merging of existing teams and data. Additional details on this process and entering Solar Market Maturity Indicators into the Solar Metrics portal will be provided in the upcoming Full Application webinar, currently scheduled for 3/5/2013.

See below for registration details:

Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST

This webinar will focus on the Full Application stage of the Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA application process. Applicants will be able to submit questions on any topic related to the FOA up to three (3) business days prior to the webinar. Relevant questions submitted prior to the deadline will be answered during the webinar and in writing, and will be posted to the Exchange website. Questions may be submitted to RooftopChallenge@go.doe.gov with the subject line “Full Application Webinar Question.”

If you wish to attend, you must register for the webinar at:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/880300145

Question 43: [From Page 12 of FOA (Amendment 1)] “Applicants must provide a Letter of Commitment from the chief elected official of each participating jurisdiction that confirms that the jurisdiction will contribute cost-share to the project in the form of staff time or other resources, and will make personnel in relevant city departments available as needed to support the objectives proposed.” If we do not require cost-share from all the ‘participating jurisdictions’ to meet eligibility criteria, can our team ask that some jurisdictions just provide letters expressing their commitment to “make personnel in relevant city departments available as needed to support the objectives proposed”? The concern we have is that it will shrink the total number of willing jurisdiction partners if we insist on specific hour/$$ commitments in all instances.
Answer 43:

Yes, if the Primary Applicant does not require or need cost share from all the participating jurisdictions to meet the cost share requirement, the Primary Applicant has the discretion to ask that some jurisdictions just provide letters expressing their commitment to “make personnel in relevant city departments available as needed to support the objectives proposed”?

However, please keep in mind that the cost share must be at least 20% of the total allowable costs (i.e., the sum of the Government share, including Federally Funded Research and Development Center [FFRDC] contractor 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 Part 600 for the applicable cost sharing requirements.)

If the cost share contributed by participating jurisdictions is counted toward the cost share requirement, Applicants should have a letter from each third party contributing cost share (i.e., a party other than the organization submitting the application) stating that the third party is committed to providing a specific minimum dollar amount of cost share. All Letters of Commitment must be attached as an Appendix to the Project Narrative File. Identify the following information for each third party contributing cost share: (1) the name of the organization; (2) the proposed dollar amount to be provided; (3) the amount as a percentage of the total project cost; and (4) the proposed type of cost share – cash, services, or property. Letters of Commitment from parties participating in the project, exclusive of vendors, who will not be contributing cost share, but will be integral to the success of the project, should be included as part of this Appendix to the Narrative. Letters of Commitment will not count towards the Project Narrative page limit, but should be kept to 1 page per letter.

Question 44: [From Page 17 of FOA (Amendment 2)] – “DOE also reserves the right to determine for which Topic Area an application qualifies, regardless of the Applicant’s request.” Will the DOE make determinations of the Topic Area prior to, or after, full applications have been submitted? Will a submission under Topic Area A negatively impact the applicant’s ability to ultimately achieve funding under Topic Area B?
Answer 44:

If DOE makes a determination on the Topic Area an application is qualified under, then the determination will be made after full applications are submitted. This will not negatively impact the review of the application.

Question 45: Are 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations eligible to be subcontractors on “DE-FOA-0000788: ROOFTOP SOLAR CHALLENGE II” provided that no funds are used for lobbying purposes in full compliance with the award?
Answer 45:

Yes, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations are eligible to be subcontractors under an award made under “DE-FOA-0000788: ROOFTOP SOLAR CHALLENGE II” provided that no funds are used for lobbying purposes in full compliance with the award, and the agreements/contracts are executed in accordance with applicable Federal regulations.

Question 46: Do you need official 501(c)(3) status to apply?
Answer 46:

In accordance with 10 CFR 600.6(b), eligibility for award is restricted to Applicants:

· Located in the United States; and

· State or territorial governments; or

· Local governments; or

· Consortia, made up of regional or statewide teams of local, governments, large single jurisdictions, or Tribal governments; or

· Non-profit or for-profit entities authorized to act on behalf of a consortia of state and/or local governments, and

· The total population represented or impacted by an Applicant for this FOA must be 1,000,000 or greater as defined by the 2010 report of the U.S. Census Bureau.

DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential Applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the Applicant.

Question 47: Please differentiate between the following numbers on the SF-424: Applicant Identifier, Federal Identity Identifier, Federal Award Identifier.
Answer 47:

The following fields on the SF-424 are not required to be completed: Applicant Identifier, Federal Identity Identifier, and Federal Award Identifier.

Question 48: Does the population of Phase I cities participating in Phase II count toward the 1 million population threshold?
Answer 48:

Yes, the population of cities participating in Rooftop Solar Challenge II (RSC) count toward the 1 million population requirement. RSC II population requirements are not affected by participation in RSC I.

Question 49: We are receiving a discounted software license as well as discounted legal fees for our grant proposal. Can you confirm that the discounted amount be counted as match/cost-share? (eg. the difference between standard market rates and the rates we are being charged).
Answer 49:

Please see Section IV. B. 1 Allowable Costs, which references the specific Federal Cost Principles regarding allowability of costs (Federal Share and Cost Share). Please also refer to 10 CFR 600.123 Cost sharing or matching, 10 CFR 600.222 Allowable Costs, or 10 CFR 600.313 Cost sharing or matching and 10 CFR 600.318 Fee and Profit, as applicable.

Question 50: Having an existing login account that was used to upload data in Phase I, are we required to apply and open a new login account to enter data for Phase II?
Answer 50:

Yes. All applicants submitting an application in response to the Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA must request a new account regardless of whether they previously had access to the Solar Metrics Portal.

Question 51: On Page 28 of FOA lists required Components of a full application. Under the heading of Compliance Documents, it lists a form called “Disclosures for Eligibility Determination”. All other components have detailed guidance on the content and form, however this one does not have a description. On the EERE Exchange, this component isn’t on the list of required forms. What is this document?, how can we access it?, and is there any guidance to complete it?
Answer 51:

The Disclosures for Eligibility Determination document is intended or considered to be an applicant’s letters of commitment/support as noted in Section IV.A.4 Table 5, and therefore no template is provided for these documents.

Question 52: Once we apply for a solar metrics account through NREL, will we be able to go in and change the cities we listed? We have a good idea of what cities we want to use but one or two will depend on whether we can get past/present/future data by the submission deadline.
Answer 52:

For questions or technical issues with the Solar Metrics account, email SolarMetrics@nrel.gov. Responses will be directly sent to Applicants. Please keep in mind that all changes to the team and information must be made prior to the full application deadline specified in the FOA.

Question 53: Throughout the FOA there is reference to reducing solar soft costs but there is no standard dollar amount per watt or absolute dollar amount listed as to what that amount is or how it is calculated. There are now numerous studies on various components of solar soft costs which have reached different results, especially regarding customer acquisition costs. Is there any generally accepted DOE/NREL or other study that we should be using as the benchmark for these specific solar soft costs that our proposal is designed to reduce?
Answer 53:

DOE has not specified a methodology for calculating soft costs. Applicants may wish to cite sources for their calculations and projections for cost reduction targets.

Question 54: 1. The FOA states that “Projects should be divided into two budget periods, totaling up to 30 months. The first budget period will cover the first 18 months of the project, and the second budget period will cover the final year of the project.” However, Budget Justification Form PMC123.1 is set up to record three budget periods, and SF424-A asks for Total first year costs by quarter. Should these forms reflect the 18 month/12 month split or revert back to annual figures? 2. Although the FOA defines the required 20% cost share as a percentage of the Total Project Cost, the PMC123.1 form automatically calculates cost share as a percentage of the award. Can you confirm which is correct? 3. If the applicant does not have a federally approved fringe rate agreement, is an explanation of the process used to calculate fringe benefits sufficient justification?
Answer 54:

1: When filling out both the SF424A and PMC 123.1 please consider columns to represent Budget periods rather than one year increments. The first column in each form will represent 18 months, the second column will represent the second budget period (12 months).

2: required cost share as stated in 1. award summary is 20% of the total award allowable costs, meaning an applicant must provide 20% of the total proposed costs. For example, if an applicant requests a total project cost of $1,000,000, the applicant must provide $200,000 (cost share), while the federal share of the total project costs would be the remaining $800,000.

3: when submitting a budget that contains fringe benefit costs, those cost must be in compliance with the federal cost principles referenced in Section iv.b.1 allowable costs, as applicable, and the process used to calculate the fringe benefits, including the items of cost, should be provided.

Question 55: On Page 35 of the DE-FOA-0000788 FOA, section 10, the document states “ The SF424A provides columns for each individual budget-year as well as the cumulative project budget.” This does not appear to be the case. This does seem to be the case with the PMC123.1 form though. Should the instructions tell applicants (for the Lead Organization) to create a tab in SF424A with Budget Information for each year of support for the total project period, as well as a tab for the Cumulative Project Budget? So that the SF424A contains 4 tabs: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 and Cumulative? And that this is also the case for each sub-recipient’s SF424A form (performing at least $100,000 of the work).
Answer 55:

Please see the answer to question #54.

Question 56: If a sub-recipient plans to hire a consultant to conduct work which equates to greater than $100,000, does that consultant also need to submit a separate budget (SF-424a and Justification) just as all sub-recipients who will receive greater than $100,000? Or can this consultant’s budget be included in the sub-recipient’s budget?
Answer 56:

Yes, if a sub-recipient plans to hire a consultant to conduct work which equates to greater than $100,000, that consultant should submit a separate budget justification. The consultant’s budget should also be included in the sub-recipient’s budget under the contractual section.

Question 57: 1. Due to a changed political environment, one of our small county partners’ governing body has decided to not continue in the Rooftop Solar Challenge II grant application. May we withdraw the partner that is no longer participating and replace it with another jurisdiction? It is assumed that any substitutions would insure that we meet the 1 million population minimum and that any substitution will need to have SM3 scores for 2011, 2013, and a 2015 projection. Please advise if that assumption is incorrect. 2. During the webinar on March 7th, the SM3 scores that are required were listed as 2011, 2013, and 2015. For 2015, is that a projection to January 2015 or some other point in the year? How many months between 2013 and 2015 are to be assumed? 3. This question is for clarification regarding who is the appropriate utility entity to fill out the SM3 utility questions if the primary serving utility is in a deregulated market. Should the entity filling out the questions be the distribution company or the retailer?
Answer 57:

1: DOE is unable to advise regarding team composition. However, Applicants have the opportunity to re-submit revised application materials for any reason as long as the relevant submission is submitted by the specified deadline. In addition, eligibility requirements identified in the FOA must be met.

2: As stated in the FOA, the period of performance for the RSC II is expected to be 30 months. Assuming an approximate project start date of May 2013, as stated in the FOA, the Solar Market Maturity Indicators should reflect projected market conditions in late 2015.

3: Please consult with the entity with the relevant authority for specific indicators.

Question 58: We are targeting rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities in our state. Since our state’s population is relatively small, for the full application and final project, can the solar metrics model be run for all participating jurisdictions with less than a total population of 1,000,000 (25% of the 1 million), if it can be shown that the project will impact a statewide population of more than 1,000,000? Or more specifically for the project, do we need to have 1,000,000 people directly represented by the participating jurisdictions?
Answer 58:

Applicants may wish to include a statewide average in the Solar Metrics portal if their project is expected to impact the entire state. Applicants may also include individual jurisdictions in the Solar Metrics portal that wish to track progress.

Question 59: Are 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations eligible to be the lead applicant on “DE-FOA-0000788: ROOFTOP SOLAR CHALLENGE II”?
Answer 59:

Please reference Section III.A Eligible Applicants regarding eligibility to apply to the Rooftop Solar Challenge II FOA.

Question 60: If an applicant has recently submitted an Industry Verification Letter as part of work on an RSC I grant related to a participating jurisdiction, may that same letter be used for an RSC II application for that same jurisdiction?
Answer 60:

The RSCI and RSCII are distinct, separate Funding Opportunities. Applicants may only submit information pertinent to RSC II with the application. Such materials must explicitly state that they are in reference to the RSC II FOA.

Question 61: Can you please confirm that the CDFA# for the Rooftop Solar Challenge II full application is CDFA 81.117?
Answer 61:

81.117 is the correct CFDA number for this FOA.

Question 62: Will the go/no-go evaluation take place prior to month 18 or will the project have to halt to evaluate progress at month 18? Should a break or expectation of ceasing operations be planned into the timeline to account for the time it may take to render this decision? Referencing the section below. D. Period of Performance “At the go/no-go decision points, DOE will evaluate project performance, project schedule adherence, meeting milestone objectives, compliance with reporting requirements, and overall contribution to the SunShot goals and objectives. “
Answer 62:

It is anticipated that the go/no-go evaluation would take place prior to the end of month 18.

Question 63: Does the Solar Metrics submittal require a minimum of 5 jurisdictions, or do we only need to submit solar metrics for a minimum of 25% of the population for the full application?
Answer 63:

Assuming an applicant meets the 1,000,000 population minimum, the applicant should submit Solar Metrics indicators for the entire team if the team consists of less than 5 jurisdictions. If the team consists of more than 5 jurisdictions, then at least 5 jurisdictions that represent 25% of the total population must submit Solar Metrics indicators.

Question 64: Please advise if industry verification letters are required along with the data in the 2013 and 2015 Market Metrics surveys. A question and answer recently posted in the FAQ's implies that new industry verification is needed for the 2013 report, even though it was just furnished last month as part of RSC1 for those exact reports and the FAQ is vague even about 2015, though there is nothing to verify, since this is a projection.
Answer 64:

Applicants should provide industry verification of past and current market conditions, as well as an assessment of the credibility of future projections.

Question 65: Is there any chance of the submission deadline being extended? Please advise
Answer 65:

The submission deadline is currently set for 3/22/2013 at 5:00 PM EST, and will not be extended.

Question 66: In the FOA under the Required Documents Checklist for Full Applications, “Ineligibility Disclosure” is listed as a required document. There is nothing else in the FOA regarding this document. Is this required for all applications or is this only required if the institution is considered ineligible according to the Disclosure for Eligibility Determination (under investigation, debarred, suspended or insolvent)?
Answer 66:

Please reference Section III.C.2. Disclosures for Eligibility Determination. Applicants are required to disclose in their Full Applications if any of the conditions in Section III.C.2. exist.

Question 67: In the EERE-Exchange upload template, it has an upload box for a Solar Market Security Scorecard, labeled “REQUIRED” We are entering all of the SMMS’s into the Solar Metrics Portal, for this project. I understand that this will generate a confirmation number to be placed on Project Narrative Title Page. In the FOA, Appendix I – Solar Metrics Online Portal Overview it states: “All Applicants are required to enter their own data into the Solar Metrics online portal in accordance with application deadlines and requirements – DOE will not accept data through alternative means (e.g., Attachment 1).” What exactly are we to upload into this required section? Is a confirmation number on the title page sufficient?
Answer 67:

Applicants need to only finalize their submissions on the Solar Metrics portal and provide the confirmation number in their application materials. Applicants are NOT required to upload Scorecards to Exchange. The upload requirement has been removed from Exchange.

Question 68: When will DOE announce selections for this FOA?
Answer 68: DOE anticipates notifying applicants in mid- to late-July as to whether they have been selected for negotiations leading to an award.

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