Frequently Asked Questions

Answer: Applicants may submit multiple applications.  Applicants should submit one concept paper and an application package for each proposed venue.  See Section IV of the Funding Opportunity Announcement for concept paper requirements and full application requirements.

The awardee under this FOA will not be involved in DOE’s selection of the 2013 Solar Decathlon collegiate teams.  The awardee is responsible for selection and administration of all subcontracts associated with their proposed project under this FOA, including any contractual requirements associated with meeting the mandatory requirements outlined in Section 1 of the FOA.

DOE will be involved in varying degrees to facilitate active collaboration and coordination among DOE, the applicant and any partners involved in the award. This involvement may include participation in planning meetings, scheduling and arranging logistical details of the event. Federally Funded Research & Development Centers (FFRDCs) including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and other stakeholders may also provide safety and health expertise, technical assistance, and other support where needed, to assist the recipients in achieving project goals DOE will be involved in varying degrees to facilitate active collaboration and coordination among DOE, the applicant and any partners involved in the award. This involvement may include participation in planning meetings, scheduling and arranging logistical details of the event. Federally Funded Research & Development Centers (FFRDCs) including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and other stakeholders may also provide safety and health expertise, technical assistance, and other support where needed, to assist the recipients in achieving project goals.  DOE’s involvement in the event will be negotiated and included in the resulting award.

No, an institution of higher education is eligible to both apply for the funding opportunity announcement, and compete in the Solar Decathlon competition.

The Applicant’s proposed dates can be flexible depending on the location of the event. Please provide your preferred and optional dates for hosting the event so that DOE can evaluate the appropriateness of the proposed dates.

All mandatory site items as identified in Section 1 of the FOA must be provided by the applicant.  Applicants may propose activities beyond the minimum requirements outlined in the FOA.  The cost of all mandatory requirements and optional activities should be included in the applicant’s total proposed budget. Other services needed to support the Solar Decathlon Event, such as Sanitation, Security, Utilities, etc may be proposed by the applicant or DOE may choose to provide these services depending on the plan proposed by the applicant.  Although DOE plans to do its’ own Outreach, Advertising and Marketing, the Applicant is encouraged to provide a plan to supplement DOE’s efforts with their own Outreach Strategy.

The requirements for the cover page stated in Section IV are minimum requirements.  The cover could also include additional text and/or photos or diagrams.

The kinds of support the DOE is looking for does not have to be direct financial support to the university teams. All mandatory support items as identified in Section 1 of the FOA must be provided by the applicant.  Applicants may propose support activities beyond the minimum requirements outlined in the FOA.  The cost of all mandatory requirements and optional activities should be included in the applicant’s total proposed budget.  In the case of lodging and other services for the teams, it is not expected that the applicant incur these costs.

The selected recipient must ensure all mandatory site items are provided for the event as identified in Section I of the FOA.  Applicants may propose activities beyond the minimum requirements outlined in the FOA.  The cost of all mandatory requirements and optional activities should be set forth in the applicant’s total proposed budget, which will consist of DOE funds and applicant share as set forth in Section III.B. of the FOA.  Applicants should review Appendix D – Budget Justification of the FOA for further information on preparing a budget for project costs.   Sanitation facilities do not need to exist at the site and can be provided in the form of temporary sanitation facilities.  The cost of securing these facilities and maintaining them during them during the event should be included application as part of the total project cost.

Applicants should include members of the competing teams, organizers and volunteer staff when considering facility needs such as sanitation facilities, water and other supporting infrastructure.  Cost recovery through sales of certain amenities, such as drinking water is acceptable; applicants should include their assumptions with regard to how these items/amenities will be made available to attendees in their application.

If an applicant does not have the specific site identified by the Nov. 7 deadline, they may still submit a Concept Paper indicating the general area where the event would be held.  The specific site must be identified by the Application Due Date to be considered.

The selected recipient must ensure all mandatory site items are provided for the event as identified in Section I of the FOA.  Applicants may propose activities beyond the minimum requirements outlined in the FOA.  The cost of all mandatory requirements and optional activities should be set forth in the applicant’s total proposed budget, which will consist of DOE funds and applicant share as set forth in Section III.B. of the FOA.  Applicants should review Appendix D – Budget Justification of the FOA for further information on preparing a budget for project costs.

Applicants may propose to meet the mandatory and optional project requirements through the use of existing facilities/resources, temporary facilities/resources, or any combination thereof.  The cost of all mandatory requirements and optional activities should be set forth in the applicant’s total proposed budget, which will consist of DOE funds and applicant share as set forth in Section III.B. of the FOA.  Applicants should review Appendix D – Budget Justification of the FOA for further information on preparing a budget for project costs. 

Concept Papers and Full Applications should be submitted by the entity that would be receiving the award under this FOA or by their authorized representative.  The applicant may be any type of entity that meets the eligibility requirements in Section III, Part A of the FOA.  No preference will be given to applications directly from a state or local government.  All applications will be evaluated against the criteria identified in Section V of the FOA.

Sale of commemorative items will not be prohibited.  Restrictions will apply on references to the U.S. Department of Energy or the Solar Decathlon, including the use of the DOE and Solar Decathlon logos.  Any revenue earned by the awardee from the event will be considered program income.  Rules governing program income will apply and such income shall be included in the negotiated award budget.

Yes, industry partners that provide cost sharing may be counted toward sponsorship of the event, depending on level of contribution.

Sponsorship recruitment is not a mandatory requirement.  Applicants may propose sponsorship development efforts to support their proposed project, including any ancillary events they include to complement the collegiate competition, as appropriate. 

The sponsorship program for the 2013 event has not been updated.  Each year the DOE assesses lessons learned and revises/improves/updates the sponsorship program.  DOE expects the sponsorship program and contribution levels to be similar, but the revised program will not be finalized until early 2012.  DOE will work to accommodate potential partnerships and sponsors proposed by the applicants, but DOE cannot make any assurances at this time.

The applicant should assume the role of the local Event Manager for all activities other than those directly related to the collegiate competition. 

DOE will be responsible for management of the contest, including the workers safety, competition instrumentation and monitoring, and competition code compliance.  The applicant will be responsible for any local public safety and code compliance requirements associated with the event as a whole.

Although DOE plans to do its own Outreach, Advertising and Marketing, the Applicant is encouraged to provide a plan to supplement DOE’s efforts with their own Outreach Strategy.

The selected recipient must ensure all mandatory site items are provided for the event as identified in Section I of the FOA.  Applicants may propose activities beyond the minimum requirements outlined in the FOA.  The awardee is responsible for selection and administration of all subcontracts associated with their proposed project under this FOA, including any contractual requirements associated with meeting the mandatory requirements outlined in Section 1 of the FOA.  The cost of all mandatory requirements and optional activities should be set forth in the applicant’s total proposed budget, which will consist of DOE funds and applicant share as set forth in Section III.B. of the FOA.  Applicants should review Appendix D – Budget Justification of the FOA for further information on preparing a budget for project costs. 

The selected recipient must ensure all mandatory site items are provided for the event as identified in Section I of the FOA.  Applicants may propose activities beyond the minimum requirements outlined in the FOA.  The awardee is responsible for selection and administration of all subcontracts associated with their proposed project under this FOA, including any contractual requirements associated with meeting the mandatory requirements outlined in Section 1 of the FOA.  The cost of all mandatory requirements and optional activities should be set forth in the applicant’s total proposed budget, which will consist of DOE funds and applicant share as set forth in Section III.B. of the FOA.  Applicants should review Appendix D – Budget Justification of the FOA for further information on preparing a budget for project costs. 

Cost recovery for transportation, parking and other amenities is acceptable; applicants should include their assumptions with regard to how these items/amenities will be made available to attendees in their application.   Any revenue earned by the awardee from the event will be considered program income.  Rules governing program income will apply and such income shall be included in the negotiated award budget.

While it is DOE’s preference that admission be free of charge to the house display event, charging an admission fee is not expressly prohibited.  Applicants should include any assumptions with regard to admission fees to the house display event and any ancillary events when developing their estimate of the number of attendees per day; these assumptions should be included in the applicant’s application.  Any revenue earned by the awardee from the event will be considered program income.  Rules governing program income will apply and such income shall be included in the negotiated award budget.

Cost recovery for transportation, parking and other amenities is acceptable; applicants should include their assumptions with regard to how these items/amenities will be made available to attendees in their application.   Any revenue earned by the awardee from the event will be considered program income.  Rules governing program income will apply and such income shall be included in the negotiated award budget.

Applicants should estimate their total budget to the best of their ability at the time they submit their Concept Papers. These budget numbers are not binding and can be changed prior to submission of the full application. A detailed cost breakdown is not required for the Concept Paper. Applicants should identify known partners at the time they submit their Concept Paper. Again, this is not considered binding and can be modified prior to submitting a full application. The purpose of the Concept Paper is for DOE to be able to provide feedback to applicants on their concept prior to applicants submitting their full application.

Please see http://eere.energy.gov/financing/exchange/Manuals.aspx.

Recipients are required to share a minimum of 50% (half) of the total allowable costs.  Cost share can be provided in the form of in-kind or cash contributions directly from the recipient or its partners on the project.  Please see Appendix C of the Funding Opportunity Announcement for examples.

Please refer all question that pertain directly to the Solar Decathlon student competition to http://www.solardecathlon.gov/apply.html.

Please section IV. Subsection C. of the Funding Opportunity Announcement regarding requirements for submitting the concept paper.

No, there will be no flexibility for the date regarding submission of the concept paper.  We encourage anyone who thinks they might submit a full application to submit a brief concept paper to ensure their eligibility to apply.  Submitting a concept paper is non-binding.

The control number is the reference number that will be used duration of the specific FOA application process.

The abstract is a description of the applicant’s project that is being presented in the application.  In accordance with the EERE eXCHANGE instructions the abstract should match the description provided in the application package.

If a concept paper was not submitted by the deadline 11/07/2011 7:59 PM EST, they will not be accepted, additionally applications will not be considered if a concept paper was not received by the previously mentioned deadline.

The maximum amount of funding DOE will provide is up to $1,000,000.

Third parties who are both in a supporting role and also providing cost sharing for the project need only submit a single letter.

DOE anticipates providing feedback to applicants on their Concept Papers by early next week (the week of November 13).  Applicants will be notified as to whether they are encouraged to or discouraged form submitting a full application.  Those applicants who are discouraged will not be prohibited from submitting a full application under this announcement.  The requirements for the full application are outlined in Section IV D. of the FOA.  Full applications can be submitted as soon as DOE completes its review of the Concept Papers.

At this time, DOE does not anticipate revising the due date for full applications under this Announcement.

DOE anticipates providing feedback to applicants on their Concept Papers by the early portion the week of November 13.  Applicants will be notified via email as to whether they are encouraged to or discouraged form submitting a full application once all of the Concept Paper are have been reviewed.  Those applicants who are discouraged will not be prohibited from submitting a full application under this announcement. 

Sponsorships that DOE secures for services needed for the Solar Decathlon will be outside of this award. Applicants should provide a plan and budget that includes all the required elements listed in the FOA. Applicants should assume that DOE will not share in more than 50% of the total project cost, with $1 million being the maximum amount of the DOE share.

Please note that DOE would expect the contractual costs to vary greatly depending on the applicant’s proposed venue, existing infrastructure available at that venue and the scope of the proposed project.  For the 2011 event, major contractual costs were as follows:  DOE expended approximately $500,000 total for sanitation (portable toilets, trash and clean-up), emergency/on-site medical, office trailers and furnishings, and tents and furnishings.  Additionally, DOE expended approximately $75,000 for telecommunications service.  DOE estimates that the telecommunications provider contributed an additional $70,000 above DOE’s cost towards the total cost of underground fiber optic cable installation.  Finally, DOE expended approximately $80,000 for on-site security for the duration of the event. Because of the venue, there were no lease costs associated with securing the site.

Letters of Support and Letters of Commitment from third parties should be addressed to the applicant.

No, due to the competitive process DOE will not be sharing the number of applicants.  Again due to the competitive process all questions and answers must be submitted through public forum process.

Please see section I of the FOA for site requirements.

Lots are 78 ft (23.8 m) east to west by 60 ft (18.3 m) north to south.  Lots need a minimum of four feet easement between each lot for equipment and/or cabling runs.  There also has to be provisions for walking "streets" and paths, and heavy vehicle access during set-up and take-down.  Thus the need for 6-7 acres, minimum.  More is better.

Please see the Solar Decathlon 2011 Rules for examples

http://www.solardecathlon.gov/pdfs/2011_rules.pdf , see page 10 of the rules (or page 16 of the file) for lot size and house size.

Restrictions will apply on references to the U.S. Department of Energy or the Solar Decathlon, including the use of the DOE and Solar Decathlon logos.  DOE would anticipate sponsorship recognition consistent with previous years.  Applicants can visit the 2011 Decathlon web site (http://www.solardecathlon.gov/), including the sponsorship page, for the purposes of benchmarking their own efforts.  Specific details regarding advertising, sponsorship restriction, sale of commemorative items, etc, will be negotiated at the time of award.

*REVISED*

While it is not required, it is desirable that the Solar Decathlon event village be interconnected to an electric utility grid.  This interconnection requires that 400-500 kW, 3-phase power be available at the site.  For applicants proposing to provide a grid interconnection as part of their proposed project, the costs for providing this should be included in the total project cost.  Note that for past events, an event micro-grid connection has been provided in two ways – 1) through the use of one or more on-site generators, or 2) through interconnection to the local power grid.  Either option for providing power to the event site and competition homes would be considered acceptable. 

Please see section I Solar Decathlon Site for information pertaining to the average daily head count for the 2011 Decathlon (The 2011 Solar Decathlon had up to 10,000 attendees per day).

The costs of connecting the village grid to the public electric grid should be included as part of the recipient’s total project budget.

While the proposed project is expected to span multiple years, DOE anticipates that there will be only one budget period for an award under this FOA.  Thus, the estimated budget included in the SF424 should be for the total project cost. 

Volunteer staff will vary greatly depending on the venue, other ancillary activities at the venue and the anticipated number of attendees.  Applicants should provide their own estimate of volunteers needed specific to their proposed project.

The use of temporary structures has varied by event.  In general, space is needed for on-site registration and administration activities during the event.  Tents have also been secured for press events and award ceremonies. 

Clarification to answer #53 - this answer was provided with regard to any team specific requirements beyond the standard requirements list in the FOA. If generators are required to meet the requirements listed in the FOA, then the applicant should include the cost as part of their total project cost.

*REVISED*

While it is not required, it is desirable that the Solar Decathlon event village be interconnected to an electric utility grid.  This interconnection requires that 400-500 kW, 3-phase power be available at the site.  For applicants proposing to provide a grid interconnection as part of their proposed project, the costs for providing this should be included in the total project cost.  Note that for past events, an event micro-grid connection has been provided in two ways – 1) through the use of one or more on-site generators, or 2) through interconnection to the local power grid.  Either option for providing power to the event site and competition homes would be considered acceptable. 

Competition teams will be expected to comply with local code requirements.

Yes, a March 1 start would be considered reasonable for the application. Actual start date will be negotiated at time of award.

Yes, DOE would anticipate working with the recipient to incorporate the 2013 event into DOE's web site either through direct content or a link.

No.

All costs should be considered when an applicant is constructing their budget.

As noted in SECTION IV – Application and Submission Information of the FOA, the control number should be included in the full application submissions.  The control number is the same as was used for the Concept Paper.

DOE’s NEPA regulations can be found here: http://energy.gov/nepa/downloads/10-cfr-1021-department-energy-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing and The Council of Environmental Quality NEPA regulations can be found here: http://energy.gov/nepa/downloads/regulations-implementing-procedural-provisions-nepa.   Guidance on the preparation of a DOE Environmental Assessment can be found here: http://energy.gov/nepa/downloads/recommendations-preparation-environmental-assessments-and-environmental-impact.

The budget and timeline of an environmental assessment vary considerably depending on the scope of the project being evaluated.  We generally see EAs take from 4 to 10 months and cost from $50,000 to $100,000.

·         For this past quarter, the median cost for the preparation of 8 EAs was $83,000; the average cost was $160,000.

·         Cumulatively, for the 12 months that ended September 30, 2011, the median cost for the preparation of 42 EAs was $53,000; the average was $90,000.

·         For this past quarter, the median completion time of 17 EAs was 11 months; the average was 13 months.

·         Cumulatively, for the 12 months that ended September 30, 2011, the median completion time for 61 EAs was 10 months; the average was 11 months.