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["INSTRUCTIONS"]
[1,"All questions pertaining to this funding opportunity announcement should be emailed to H2FCFOA@ee.doe.gov."]
[2,"All questions pertaining to EERE Exchange should be emailed to EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov. Include FOA name and number in subject line."]
[3,"All questions and answers pertaining to this FOA will be posted on EERE Exchange within this spreadsheet."]
[4,"DOE will attempt to respond to a question within 3 business days, unless a similar question and answer has already been posted in this spreadsheet. "]
[5,"All questions should be submitted not later than 3 business days prior to the application due date. Questions submitted after this date will not be answered."]
[6,"Questions are assigned a number in accordance with when they are reviewed by DOE.  "]
[7,"Questions are assigned a topic area by DOE when reviewed."]
[]
["TIPS"]
[1,"Applicants may sort questions and answers in the question tabs of this spreadhseet by selecting the drop-down box arrow on the column headers and selecting any of the listed attributes."]
[2,"Applicants may search for questions and/or keywords by holding CTRL+F on the keyboard and typing in a phrase or keyword."]

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["ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTION AND ANSWER LOG"]
["DE-FOA0003213 - Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office FOA to Advance the National Clean Hydrogen Strategy"]
["Question #","Date Submitted","Topic","Question","Answer"]
[1,"2023-12-15","Labs/FFRDCs","Is a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) required for an FFRDC to participate? Should a CRADA not be required, how will that be communicated to the FFRDC's DOE Site Office?","A CRADA is only required if a DOE National Laboratory or FFRDC is a subrecipient to the proposed project and the prime recipient of an award funds the FFRDC directly, rather than funded internally from DOE to the FFRDC. This is standard procedure for FFRDC participants and would be communicated at time of award."]
[2,"2023-12-18","Technical Topics","Are Drayage Trucks and Yard Tractors the only types of port equipment not of interest for Topic 3 (Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Port Equipment) applications? Would any of the following also not be of interest: Forklifts, Boom lifts, Skid Steers, Wheel Loaders, Dozers, Reach stackers, and Track loaders?","Only drayage trucks and yard tractors are specifically not of interest for Topic 3 under this FOA. Forklifts, boom lifts, skid steers, wheel loaders, dozers, reach stackers, and track loaders are of interest."]
[3,"2023-12-18","Technical Topics","For topic #1, components for hydrogen fueling of medium- and heavy- duty vehicles, how is EERE defining vehicles that can qualify for this FOA?","Applications under this Topic are not limited to specific vehicles so long as they meet the other requirements of the Topic and align with the objectives laid out in the FOA. These objectives are in alignment with the vehicle improvement strategies and technology solutions for different travel modes that are needed to reach a net-zero economy in 2050, as described in the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. "]
[4,null,"Technical Topics","Are geologic hydrogen project concepts/technologies of interest under Topic 4 of this FOA?","Applications are not restricted to the type of hydrogen production, infrastructure, or end use, as long as they meet the other requirements of the FOA Topic."]
[5,"2023-12-19","Eligibility","Are DOE/NNSA FFRDCs operated by a 501c3 designated LLC eligible to apply for topic 5?","DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are not eligible to apply to Topic 5 regardless of the nature of the DOE/NNSA FFRDC administrator. "]
[6,"2023-12-19","Application Content/Format","Are SF-LLL’s required for DOE/NNSA FFRDCs?","No, the SF-LLL is not required for DOE/NNSA FFRDCs."]
[7,"2023-12-20","Cost Sharing","Are institutions of higher education and non-profit groups who are leading proposals required to provide the full 20% cost share amount for the award?","Applicants under Topic 1 will be required to provide 20% cost share regardless of their status as Institutions of higher education (IHEs) or nonprofit. The exemption for IHEs and non-profits provided under 42 USC § 16352(b)(4) is expected to expire prior to awards being issued under this FOA."]
[8,"2023-12-20","Other","Is this FOA posted on grants.gov?","This FOA is only posted on https://eere-eXCHANGE.energy.gov. UPDATE: the FOA is now also posted on Grantsgov at https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/351997."]
[9,"2023-12-21","Other","There appears to be an error with the URL for the FOA. I have tried saving this document onto multiple devises using multiple browsers, however an error message is received and I am unable to open the PDF version of this document.","If you are attempting to access the FOA via the link in an email that was sent to our mailing list, we are aware that some system security settings may prevent downloading files from links embedded in email. Please try downloading the document directly from the landing page on EERE eXCHANGE, either by locating this FOA from the EERE eXCHANGE home page or by copy and pasting the URL directly into your browser: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaIdf30521b2-f38e-4525-a8d7-5c68602063b7 "]
[10,"2023-12-21","Eligibility","Topic 5: Teaming Arrangements - Can a university that is not an MSI, HBCU, or TCU be a subrecipient of this grant or participate in any other way?  For example what if the leading institution is an MSI, HBCU, TCU but collaborates with a university that is not ?","Non-profit universities that are not MSIs, HBCUs, or TCU are eligible to participate as subrecipients so long as applications meet the objectives and other requirements of the FOA Topic."]
[11,"2023-12-26","Eligibility","For Topic 5, would H2 projects eligible for community engagement funding include those that are a part of a regional hydrogen hub that has been selected for award negotiations?","Please see Section IV.D.xx. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice on page 67 of the FOA."]
[12,"2023-12-26","Eligibility","For Topic 5, could a state government entity be a sub-recipient of funding or be a part of the application team (but not the prime applicant)?","For Topic 5, HFTO intends to restrict eligibility such that only Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Tribal entities, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and Minority-Serving Business Enterprises (MBEs) can apply as a prime recipient. This topic area also restricts subrecipients to any of the aforementioned groups as well as labor organizations."]
[13,"2023-12-28","Application Content/Format","The FOA requires Times New Roman, the Concept Paper Template Instructions state Calibri. Which Font should we use?","As stated in Section IV. Application and Submission Process on page 46 of the FOA, Calibri is the preferred font. "]
[14,"2024-01-01","Application Content/Format","DOE FFRDCs should address the required \"Authorization for DOE/NNSA FFRDCs\" to whom, name, title, and mailing address, please? ","Please refer to FOA, section IV.D.xii. Budget for DOE/NNSA FRDC. The requirements can be found in DOE Order 412.1A, Work Authorization System, Attachment 2, available at: https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0412.1-BOrder-a-chg1-AdmChg."]
[15,"2024-01-01","Labs/FFRDCs","In most cases, partnering FFRDCs will be funded independently of the project team.  Should those partnering FFRDCs still provide their project lead a completed sub-recipient budget justification for the Full Application submission if the FFRDCs' proposed federal share exceeds $250K or 25% of the total project costs?","A subrecipient budget justification workbook is not required for FFRDC subrecipients.  The FFRDC budget should be included in the Contractual tab of the prime recipient budget justification workbook. See also Section IV.D.xii - Budget for DOE/NNSA FFRDC (if applicable) of the FOA."]
[16,"2023-12-29","Application Content/Format","This is our first time trying to apply. Could you kinda please tell me what documents we need to submit first? Do you have any samples for our reference?","The process and documents are described in detail in Section IV. Application and Submission Process beginning on page 46 of the FOA. EERE does not provide samples for reference."]
[17,"2024-01-02","Other","Please advise on how to access the FOA. If the FOA isn’t accessible will any time be added on to the due date? ","The FOA is posted on EERE eXCHANGE. It can be accessed either by locating this FOA from the EERE eXCHANGE home page, under the DOCUMENTS section, or by copy and pasting the URL directly into your browser: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaIdf30521b2-f38e-4525-a8d7-5c68602063b7. Due dates listed in the FOA will not be extended. Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the Deadline: In the event an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov)."]
[18,"2024-01-02","Eligibility","The FOA states that for Topic 4, project teams must include at least one community organization. Does DOE have a definition or any eligibility criteria for what counts as a “community organization”?","A community organization means a public or private nonprofit organization of demonstrated effectiveness that is representative of a community or significant segments of a community and provides activities or services to individuals in the community."]
[19,"2024-01-02","Eligibility","I have a question about two statements that seem to contradict each other, seeking clarification re: the types of universities and colleges that are eligible to apply for this opportunity as subrecipients. In the FOA, on p.49, it states: For Topic 5, HFTO intends to restrict eligibility such that only Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Tribal entities, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and Minority-Serving Business Enterprises (MBEs) can apply as a prime recipient. This topic area also restricts subrecipients to any of the aforementioned groups as well as labor organizations. But the Q&A Log, Q10, states: Q: Topic 5: Teaming Arrangements - Can a university that is not an MSI, HBCU, or TCU be a subrecipient of this grant or participate in any other way?  For example what if the leading institution is an MSI, HBCU, TCU but collaborates with a university that is not ? A: Non-profit universities that are not MSIs, HBCUs, or TCU are eligible to participate as subrecipients so long as applications meet the objectives and other requirements of the FOA Topic. Can you please clarify which is correct? We are interested in partnering with an HBCU or MSI as a subrecipient, if that is allowed.","These statements do not contradict one another. HBCUs, MSI, and TCUs are highly encouraged to apply as primes under this topic, but other non-profit institutions, including universities, are also eligible to apply as primes and subrecipients. HFTO is seeking a pool of applications from a diverse group of institutions and organizations such that applicants are well-equipped to meet the objectives of the FOA Topic."]
[20,"2024-01-06","Application Content/Format","Can you clarify the expected concept paper format and requirements for Topic 5?  Is the format expected to follow the guidance listed for Concept papers on page 47 including suggested sections, page counts and information requirements or does the concept paper follow the suggested “general requirements” given on pages 32-33 but adhere to the total page count described for Concept papers, including 1 page for Title page, 3-4 pages for narrative and 1 page for addendum?","Concept papers should follow the guidance listed in Section IV.C. for content and form of the Concept Paper while also addressing the general requirements of the relevant Topic.  "]
[21,"2024-01-08","Application Content/Format","I am not able to upload a concept paper as there is no button or link to upload a file.","Thank you for pointing out this issue. It has been corrected in EERE eXCHANGE. Please report any further issues."]
[22,"2024-01-09","Cost Sharing","Can an active and ongoing non-federal investment be used as match support if the company is not an active participant (recipient or sub-recipient) in the proposal, but approves of this use?","Cost share may be provided by the prime recipient, subrecipients, or third\nparties (entities that do not have a role in performing the scope of work). Please see Section III.B. Cost Sharing and specifically Section III.B.iii. Cost Share Types and Allowability on page 41 of the FOA for more detail."]
[23,"2024-01-09","Eligibility","Can you please clarify whether Topic 5 projects must be already approved for funding by DOE? For example, are projects that are proposed for H2 Hubs that have been selected for awards but which are still under negotiation eligible as focal projects for Topic 5?","Prior DOE approval is not required for applications under this FOA. Please also see Section IV.D.xx. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice on page 67 of the FOA."]
[24,"2024-01-10","Other","I receive and error message when attempting to download the FOA from EERE eXCHANGE. ","Unfortunately this appears to be a technical issue on your system. Please try using a different browser or contact your information technology support. "]
[25,"2024-01-10","Other","I heard there is going to be a partner list that DOE will release related to the FOA. Do non submitting applicants still get access to that. If so, how would I access that?","Non-submitting applicants may access the Teaming Partner List. TPL-0000033: TEAMING PARTNER LIST, HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE FOA TO ADVANCE THE NATIONAL CLEAN HYDROGEN STRATEGY can be found on EERE eXCHANGE here: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaIda66018d0-cd0d-4b3c-919f-9dbb706c4659"]
[26,"2024-01-11","Eligibility","Is an employee under fixed contract of a National Lab who is collaborating with a university and industrial partner eligible to serve as PI?","DOE/NNSA FFRDCs are eligible to apply for funding as a subrecipient but are not eligible to apply as a prime recipient. Please see Section III.A. Eligibility Information on page 38 of the FOA."]
[27,"2024-01-11","Eligibility","Is there a limit to the percentage of funding a subrecipient can receive? Would it be allowable for a subrecipient to receive a greater proportion of funding than the prime recipient?","Subrecipients may receive a greater proportion of funding than the prime. However, please note that for FFRDC subrecipient(s), the FFRDC effort, in aggregate, shall not exceed 25% of the total estimated cost of the project, including the applicant’s and the FFRDC’s portions of the effort. See Section III.E.i. Requirements for DOE/NNSA and Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs Included as a Subrecipient on page 44 of the FOA. Also note that because FFRDCs are funded by the federal government, costs incurred by FFRDCs generally may not be used to meet the cost share requirement. See Section III.B.iv. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs on page 42 of the FOA"]
[29,"2024-01-11","Concept Paper","I am reviewing  requirements for the concept paper beginning on page 47 of the FOA. Can you provide clarification on if the Technology Description section applies to Topic 4 and Topic 5?","The Technology Description section does apply, but should be considered in the context of the Topic. Please see Section V.A. Technical Review Criteria, which gives specific criteria for Topics 4 and 5, on page 77 of the FOA. This clarification will be added in a FOA Modificaction."]
[30,"2024-01-12","Other","I had a question on the community organization requirement for Topic 4 (Enabling Permitting and Safety for Hydrogen Deployment). As a part of the Teaming Arrangement, we are required to include one community organization. Can you provide more definition on community organization? What is considered a community organization?","A community organization means a public or private nonprofit organization of demonstrated effectiveness that is representative of a community or significant segments of a community and provides activities or services to individuals in the community."]
[31,"2024-01-12","Technical Topics","For Topic 1, the FOA states on page 9 that 'Projects should target the technical readiness level (TRL) range of 3-6 over the project period'.   Does this stipulate that projects shall begin at TRL 3 and progress to TRL 6 by the end of the project or does this stipulate that projects must target (and be validated against) a final TRL level of between 3 and 6 by the end of the project period?","Applicants should target developing their proposed projects over the TRL 3-6 range during the entire course of the project, i.e., projects should begin and end in the TRL 3-6 range."]
[32,"2024-01-14","Eligibility","On page 47 the FOA specifies, \"Each Concept Paper must be limited to a single concept or technology.\" When I use 'must' it's a pass fail and there is limited room for negotiation. However, both topics 1 and 2 involve a large amount of systems integration where multiple technologies must work together to accomplish MD/HD refueling. For example, two components may need to be connected by a transfer line, if we are validating one of the components, and have to determine the properties of the hydrogen coming into the component, wouldn't it be a waste not to validate the transfer line as well? Or would this fall under multiple technologies and be precluded from applying?","Applicants should use their best judgement in determining whether their proposed project spans multiple concepts or technologies. Multiple concepts or technologies that are closely integrated into an overall concept or technology would not be precluded from applying so long as they meet the objectives of the FOA and specific Topic. Applicants should clearly describe the overall concept or technology. Please see Section V.A. Technical Review Criteria on page 77 of the FOA for more information on review criteria."]
[33,"2024-01-16","Other","Under section RDD&D Community Benefits Plan (Topics 1-4, we are required to describe our plans to \"Contribute to energy equity.\" What is \"energy equity\"?","Energy equity is defined as \"the goal of achieving equity in both the social and economic participation in the energy system, while also remediating social, economic, and health burdens on those by the energy system.\" More information about energy equity can be found here: https://iejusa.org/section-1-defining-energy-justice/\nThe Energy Equity section of the CBP should articulate how project proposals will drive equitable access to, participation in, and distribution of the benefits produced from successful technology innovations to disadvantaged communities and groups. To the extent it relates to the project, the benefits should directly support addressing issues with access to affordable, safe, and reliable energy infrastructure and undue burdens DACs may face related to energy infrastructure such as, but not limited to, high energy burdens, disproportionate exposure to harmful pollutants related to energy infrastructure, and disrupted or lack of access to energy infrastructure including the grid and internet. See Section IV.D.vii. RDD&D Community Benefits Plan and Appendix H. RDD&D Community Benefits Plan Guidance for more information on the RDD&D CBP content requirements for the energy equity section."]
[34,"2024-01-17","Other","Do recipients need to be registered on SAM.gov with an active UEI number? If so, how do we register or reactivate our entity account?","You need to register your entity in SAM.gov when you want to bid on federal contracts as a prime contractor or seek federal assistance as a prime awardee. The process for entity registrations includes getting the Unique Entity ID (UEI) and requires assertions, representations and certifications, and other information about your business. For more information on registering a new entity visit, https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0038643. To update or renew an existing UEI, visit https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0038643. "]
[35,"2024-01-17","Technical Topics","Are projects related to the development of materials for improved SOFC/SOEC technologies within the scope of this FOA?  If not, are there other programs/FOAs within HFTO that would be a better fit?","The only FOA within the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office that is currently open for submission is DE-FOA-0003213, and the scope is limited to the five Topics provided. To stay up to date on HFTO news and future funding opportunities, you can subscribe to our newsletter here:  https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/subscribe-hydrogen-and-fuel-cell-news"]
[36,"2024-01-19","Other","The table on pages 36-37 contradicts the tables on page 18 (topic 3) and page 24 (topic 4). Specifically, the table on pages 36-37 states the topic 4 range of funding per award as $250,000-$1,000,000, but the table on page 24 states $500,000-$1,000,000. What is the intended range for topic 4?","Thank you for pointing out the discrepancy. The anticipated award range for Topic 4 is $500,000-$1,000,000, and this will be corrected in a FOA Modification."]
[37,"2024-01-22","Eligibility","Is being a nonprofit is enough to be eligible to apply for Topic 5 or are there other that requirements also need to be met as an entity?","Please see the responses to Questions 10 and 19 of this FAQ. "]
[38,"2024-01-22","Due Dates","Since there was a delay in posting the final teaming list associated with this RFP, would the DOE consider a four-week extension to the RFP schedule to allow for more effective teaming, given the very short time line and the overlap with the winter holiday season?","The Teaming Partner List was posted on EERE eXCHANGE on November 15, 2023. DOE will not be extending the deadline for Concept Paper submissions."]
[39,"2024-01-22","Application Content/Format","How do I submit my Letter of Intent?","This FOA is not accepting Letters of Intent. The application process for this FOA includes two submission phases: Concept Paper, and Full Application. Please see Section IV.A. Application Process on page 46 of the FOA."]
[40,"2024-01-23","Eligibility","Can a state entity be a partner in more than one concept paper? ","Per Section III.F. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Full Applications\nEligible for Review, on page 46 of the FOA: An entity may submit more than one Concept Paper and Full Application to this FOA, provided that each application describes a unique, scientifically distinct project and an eligible Concept Paper was submitted for each Full Application."]
[41,"2024-01-10","Other","Why is this FOA not being released on Grants.gov? Our concern as we search for grants, is that our understanding is that grants.gov is the central federal site for posting grant opportunities (per the Uniform Guidance and OMB). Since this is not posted to it, can you let us know why it is exempted so that we can modify our process appropriately? ","Thank you for bringing this to our attention. EERE posts directly to EERE eXCHANGE and the information is normally transmitted to Grants.gov. There appears to have been an issue with the transmission between systems. The FOA is now posted on grants.gov at https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/351997. We will continue to investigate the automatic transmission issue between systems and expect future FOAs to be posted to Grants.gov in addition to EERE eXCHANGE."]
[42,"2024-01-23","Other","Why do we not appear in the Teaming Partner List, if we submitted our information? ","HFTO has received several questions about the Teaming Partner List and in all cases has confirmed that the information is included. To access the Teaming Partner List for the announcement, click on the link in the posting in EERE eXCHANGE: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/TeamingPartners.aspx?foaid=a66018d0-cd0d-4b3c-919f-9dbb706c4659. Please note that the page view is limited to 25 entries per page and you may need to click through multiple pages. You may also sort the list by clicking on the column headers or export the complete list to Excel."]
[43,"2024-01-24","Application Content/Format","Is there a template or a guideline for the concept paper submission?","The guidelines for concept paper submission can be found in Section IV.B. Content and Form of the Concept paper, page 47. "]
[44,"2024-01-24","Technical Topics","Does a direct-compression PEM electrolyzer stack qualify as a hydrogen refueling station “component” for Topic as described in the FOA?","EERE 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 apply in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant."]
[45,"2024-01-25","Eligibility","If Concept Papers are encouraged by DOE to submit a Full Application, is it permitted to change the prime applicant to a subrecipient role and transfer control account # to another entity?","Yes, provided the new prime applicant is eligible under the topic requirements. The applicant (owner of the Concept Paper record) in Exchange can share permissions with other Exchange users.  Users with shared permissions to a Concept Paper have full editorial and submission control of the Concept Paper record.  The Exchange user who will be taking the lead in the Concept Paper record can create the Full Application record from the Concept Paper Details page.  The Exchange system will then make that user the applicant and the user who created the Concept Paper will have shared permissions to the Full Application record.  The applicants can then update the teaming arrangement (Lead Organization/Team Members etc.) in the Full Application record. If the new prime applicant is not eligible to be the prime applicant under a specific topic, the application may be deemed ineligible during review."]
[46,"2024-01-25","Eligibility","In the EERE Exchange Applicant Portal, there doesn't appear to be an area to indicate an entity's status as a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), which is one of the restricted categories for Topic 5.  ","There is not an area to indicate an entity's status as a MBE in the Exchange Applicant Portal. Topic 5 applicants should indicate their entity's status in the Concept Paper and Full Application. "]
[47,"2024-01-25","Concept Paper"," On pgs. 47-48 of the FOA, the Concept Paper requirements are listed in a table with different sections.  Please consider modifying the FOA to change the word \"Technology\" to \"Technology/Concept\" in all instances in the table since Topics 4 and 5 are not technology-focused.","See Response 29."]
[48,"2024-01-25","Technical Topics","On pg. 33 of the FOA, DOE states that CBPs are not required for Topic 5. Specifically, DOE states: \"Due to the focus on CBPs within the topic itself, applicants are not required to\nsubmit a separate CBP as part of the application.\"  Due to the same reasoning, we request that DOE remove the requirement for a CBP under Topic 4. In our view, Topics 1-3 are technology focused and therefore should be required to have \"RDD&D CBPs\". However, for Topics 4 & 5, DOE describes these topics as separate and distinct from RDD&D topics: \"In addition to RDD&D topics, this FOA will focus on enabling hydrogen deployments through safety and permitting support, equitable community engagement, and developing strategies for effective community benefits.\" ","This exemption is in place for Topic 5 because that topic is specifically focused on CBPs. Topic 4 is not focused on CBPs and, as such, will still require a separate CBP."]
[49,"2024-01-25","Concept Paper","Are the the letter of intent and the content paper the same or different things? Do we need to submit both separately, or are we just submitting one concept paper?","See response 39. "]
[50,"2024-01-25","Concept Paper","If we are submitting for topic 5 do we submit a 3 page or 1 page concept paper?","Concept papers are limited to 5 pages max plus a cover page. All topics should follow the guidelines for concept paper submission, found in Section IV.B. Content and Form of the Concept paper, page 47. "]
[51,"2024-01-25","Due Dates","We would like to request an additional 30 days be added to the deadline for DE-FOA-0003213.  We have several partners that have approached us recently, with insufficient time remaining to put together our concept paper which we could commit to.  Please let us know if this is possible.","DOE will not be extending the deadline for Concept Paper submissions."]
[52,"2024-01-26","Concept Paper","The concept paper page limitation on page 47 (Topic 4) of the FOA indicates that the page limitation is 6 pages.  When uploading the concept paper, eXCHANGE states that there is a 5 page maximum. Please confirm that the concept paper can be 6 pages long.","Concept papers are limited to 5 pages max plus a cover page. This language has been clarified in eXCHANGE. "]
[53,"2024-01-31","Concept Paper","Could you please advise when the review process would be completed?  ","Applicants will be notified via email when the review process is complete."]
[54,"2024-02-05","Due Dates","We would like to apply for the above referenced opportunity, however we only became aware of it post the Letter of Intent deadline. In the event we cant apply to the opportunity, we would like to submit unsolicited or towards the forecasted hydrogen opportunities made possible by the Department of Energy.  ","Please see answer 51. Applications are only accepted through eXCHANGE. EERE does not generally review unsolicited proposals for forecasted FOAs. Potential applicants must follow the submission instructions for each FOA."]
[55,"2024-02-08","Application Content/Format","Could I please see a template of what you're looking for on this listing?","Templates are available on eXCHANGE and the required content and form of the application are described in detail in Section IV.B. Content and Form of the Concept paper, page 47, of the FOA."]
[56,"2024-02-08","U.S. Manufacturing Plan","Would DOE consider accepting Buy America waivers for vehicles? ","If an applicant or recipient is seeking a waiver of the Buy America requirements, it may submit a waiver request after it has been notified of its selection for award negotiations. Please see APPENDIX D – REQUIRED USE OF AMERICAN IRON, STEEL,\nMANUFACTURED PRODUCTS, AND CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS BUY\nAMERICA REQUIREMENTS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS of the FOA."]
[57,"2024-02-14","Due Dates","Can you confirm that there are no exceptions for the concept paper deadline?","There are no exceptions to the Concept Paper or Full Application deadlines."]
[58,"2024-02-14","Other","Will this program be offered again in 2024-2026 at any point?  ","HFTO issues FOAs subject to appropriations, typically on an annual basis. To stay up to date on HFTO news and future funding opportunities, you can subscribe to our newsletter here:  https://www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/subscribe-hydrogen-and-fuel-cell-news"]
[59,"2024-02-15","Eligibility","Is this opportunity still available to submit applications?","The Full Application deadline is 3/22/2024, and the Concept Paper deadline was 1/26/2024. Only applicants who have submitted an eligible Concept Paper will be\neligible to submit a Full Application. Please see Section IV. Application and Submission Information, of the FOA."]
[60,"2024-02-15","Eligibility","Can you provide a list of Eligible Recipients? Are private sector companies/institutions allowed to apply?","Please see Section III. Elibility Information, of the FOA."]
[61,"2024-02-15","Other","What is the total amount of funding available and the maximum amount an eligible recipient can receive? ","Please see Section II.A.i. Estimated Funding, of the FOA. Total funding varies with each Topic."]
[62,"2024-02-15","Cost Sharing","Does the agency/organization have to match the awarded amount through other funding sources and if so, are there any stipulations on the matching funding source? ","Please see Section III. B. Cost Sharing of the FOA. Cost share requirements vary with each Topic."]
[63,"2024-02-16","Application Content/Format","The Modification 1 to FOA Number DE-FOA-0003213 indicates on Page 58 the following: “For your convenience, a Community Benefits Plan template is available on EERE  eXCHANGE at https://eere-eXCHANGE.energy.gov/. Applicants are encouraged  to consult this template as a resource for developing their CBPs.” The Community Benefits Plan Template is not available on this site.  Can you please provide as soon as possible?","Thank you for pointing out this system error. The Community Benefits Plan template should be available under APPLICATION FORMS AND TEMPLATES of the FOA listing in eXCHANGE."]
[64,"2024-02-17","Cost Sharing","For Topic 1, the 20% cost share example on top of P10 ($3,000,000 DOE share and at least $600,000 applicant cost share for up to $3,600,000 total) differs from the description of cost share amount on P40 footnote 35 that cost share amount of 20% of the \"total project\" cost is required.\nPlease clarify if the percentage is applied to the total (as on P40) or the DOE share (as in example), and please make corrections to one or the other.","Thank you for pointing out the discrepancy; this error will be modified. For Topic 1, the cost share amount of 20% of the total project cost is required. Therefore, the non-federal share amount for Topic 1 should be $750,000. More information on cost share can be found in APPENDIX A – COST SHARE INFORMATION of the FOA. "]
[65,"2024-02-20","Eligibility","May we add partners in the full application phase that we had not identified in the concept paper phase? Could the addition of a new partner permit us to submit an application for a topic area not mentioned in our concept paper? ","New partners can be added during the full application phase, provided that the project scope and outcomes would remain the same and meet the objectives and criteria of the FOA. Applicants can only submit a full application for the same Topic Area as their eligible Concept Paper. "]
[66,"2024-02-20","Cost Sharing","We seek a clarification on cost share calculations.  On page 40 of the FOA, it shows a cost share by Topic Area.  Yet in Appendix B (page 118), it shows cost share by task level based on whether or not the task is for R&D, Demonstration, or Outreach.  What is the correct way to determine the cost share requirement?","Cost share should be determined by Topic Area as outlined in Section III.B. Cost Sharing of the FOA. Blended cost share is not required for this FOA. This will be clarified in a FOA modification. "]
[67,"2024-02-21","Eligibility","We would like to change the location of our project. The project scope, focus, process, and outcomes would remain the same – the work would just take place in a different location. Would such a shift in location be acceptable?","Yes, a shift in location is acceptable provided that the project scope and outcomes remain the same and meet the criteria and objectives of the FOA. "]
[68,"2024-02-21","Eligibility","I see the opportunity in the full application on exchange to add a team member under the \"Other Organizations\" section. Provided the prospective team member does not have a duplicative submission with overlap, is it possible to add a team member at this stage?","New team members can be added during the full application phase, as long as the project scope and outcomes remain the same and meet the criteria of the FOA. "]
[69,"2024-02-21","Due Dates","Would DOE EERE consider a two week extension for DE-FOA-0003213?","DOE will not be extending the deadline for Full Application submissions for DE-FOE-0003213."]
[70,"2024-02-22","Application Content/Format","The location of the Locations of Work (LoW) template mentioned on page 65 of the DOE FOA 0003213. The FOA directs respondents to a link, but this link takes you to the EERE listing that has several other templates, but not the LoW. Since applicants are strongly encouraged to use this template, please let us know where it can be found.","Thank you for pointing out this issue. The templateis now uploaded in the APPLICATION FORMS AND TEMPLATES section in Exchange. https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/"]
[71,"2024-02-23","Eligibility","Are transit agencies eligible to apply?","Transit agencies are eligible to apply provided, they meet the requirements laid out in Section III.A. Eligible Applicants, and the other requirements and objectives of the FOA. "]
[72,"2024-02-26","Eligibility","We are in the process of incorporating the entity which is proposing to perform the work of this proposal. Should we accelerate this process so that we have the Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number for our full proposal submission?","Entities should start the UEI and SAM registration process as soon as possible. If entities have technical difficulties with the UEI validation or SAM registration process they should use the HELP feature on SAM.gov. An EIN/TIN is not required during the Evaluation and Selection process, but would typically be required to process an award that is selected for negotiations."]
[73,"2024-02-26","Application Content/Format","Is it allowable to use SciENcv to complete the Current and Pending support, and Current and Pending support disclosure requirements?","Provided that the output from SciENcv complies with and accurately captures the information described in Section IV.D.xvii. Current and Pending Support of the FOA, this would be acceptable. "]
[74,"2024-02-27","Application Content/Format","The FOA indicates that under topic 2 “User agreements such as letters of intent submitted with the application are highly encouraged.” However, there is no link to submit such letters of intent. Could you clarify how can we submit those for the proposal full application?","Letter of intent' in Topic 2 refers to letters of commitment or support as described Section IV.D.v. Letters of Commitment on page 57 of the FOA. The language has been edited in a modification to the FOA."]
[75,"2024-02-27","Application Content/Format","We have received letters of support for our proposal. However, it seems this FOA is not accepting letters of support. Could you confirm that this is the case – and therefore there will not be any impact in the evaluation whether if they are provided or not? ","Please see Section IV.D.v. Letters of Commitment on page 57 of the FOA. Letters of support or endorsement for the project from entities that do not have a substantive role in the project will not be accepted."]
[76,"2024-02-27","Application Reviews","Our Concept Paper was discouraged. Would it be possible to have a conversation to learn what improvements we can make to our project to align with future funding opportunities of this type?","EERE will not provide individual Concept Paper debriefings. As described in Section IV.A.ii. Concept Paper Notifications of the FOA, 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, EERE 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."]
[77,"2024-02-27","Due Dates","Would you mind confirming the deadline for submission of the full application for DE-FOA-0003213? The EERE website says March 22, 2024, but Grants.gov says March 15, 2022.","The deadline is 5:00 PM (ET) on March 22, 2024 as listed on eXCHANGE and on the cover page of the FOA."]
[78,"2024-03-06","Other","DOE is aware the h2fcfoa@ee.doe.gov email account is currently experiencing technical issues. ","Once the account is restored, DOE will follow up with instructions for any emailed questions that may not have been received."]
[79,"2024-02-29","Other","Is it mandatory that the Hydrogen Safety Panel (HSP) be part of the funding and that they be included in the budget and that they be actively involved in the process?  Or is it adequate for the proposal submission that we just involve them for feedback and some meetings and some document reviews?","The Hydrogen Safety Panel does not need to be included in the budget. For all items included in Section VI.B.xiv. Reporting, please ensure that estimated costs associated with the requirements (including the Safety Plan) are included within the proposed budget. Refer to pages 97 - 99 of the Funding Opportunity Annoucenment. "]
[80,"2024-03-01","Foreign Entities/Work","We are a non-profit and do not have foreign connections or any foreign business entity. Do we need to provide the information for question 10. \"Complete list of all directors (and board observers), including their full name, citizenship and shareholder affiliation, date of appointment, duration of term, as well as a description of observer rights as applicable?\" or answer none or N/A?","All items requested in 1 - 13 of Secion IV.D.xix. Transparency of Foreign Connections must be included for all proposed recipients and subrecipients. U.S. National Laboratories, domestic government entities, and institutions of higher education are only required to respond to items 1, 2 and 9."]
[81,"2024-03-01","Application Content/Format","On the submission page, some of the items (such as locations of work and transparency of foreign connections) were marked as N/A, but there is also a file type and upload link.  Should we submit anything for these or not?","The N/A refers to the description of the document not being included, however, these documents are required with the application submission."]
[82,"2024-03-01","Application Content/Format","On the Budget Justification sheets, how closely do our actual spendings have to match up with the amount and schedule of the estimated values on the Budget Justification sheets submitted with the Full Application?  \nFor example, if we estimated an Equipment expense for budget period 1 but did not incur that expense until budget period 2 or vice versa, would that be acceptable as long as we stay within the budget?  \nHow about the amount?  We are getting budgetary quotes on some of the bigger items, if the actual purchase price is different from the estimate would it be acceptable as long as it is within a reasonable limit (most quotes are only valid for 30 days)?  ","The amounts included in the budget justification are budgetary amounts only.  Adjustments up to 10% can be made with the approval of the Contracting Officer during the negotiation of the award.  Reasonable adjustments to budget amounts are expected and acceptable; however, it is best to match the proposed budget with actual spending as closely as possible."]
[83,"2024-03-04","Other","For partners that are providing in-kind contributions but not receiving any funding from the award, are they considered Key Personnel or Subrecipients or Substantive Partners?","Key Personnel is defined as an individual who contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of a research, development, and demonstration project proposed to be carried out with a DOE award. A subrecipient is a legal entity to which a subaward is made, who has performance measured against whether the objectives of the Federal program are met, is responsible for programmatic decision making, must adhere to applicable Federal program compliance requirements, and uses the Federal funds to carry out a program of the organization."]
[84,"2024-03-07","Application Content/Format","Do applicants (and sub-recipients) still have to submit Transparency of Foreign Connections and Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice if there is nothing to report? In previous FOAs those items were only required “if applicable” but this FOA doesn’t make it clear whether or not it is a requirement across the board or only where applicable.","Please see response 80 regarding Transparency of Foreign Connections. A Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice should be included with all applications. If the applicant has no other active awards or federal funds, or has determined that there is no overlap with the the activities in the application to this FOA, the notice should state this clearly. "]
[85,"2024-03-08","Technical Topics","We are working on an application under topic 2. Clarification would be highly appreciated in relation to the type of Community Benefits Plan template to be used for this topic. In particular, whether if the Demonstration & Deployment template or the Research & Development template would apply to such hydrogen refueling station projects.","For your convenience, a Community Benefits Plan template is available on EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-eXCHANGE.energy.gov/.  The Demonstration and Deployment template is appropriate for any project incorporating construction work.  The Research and Development template is for a research- or lab-based study that does not include construction or deployment activities as part of the project. This template is consistent with the EERE R&D guidance in the FOA template. Any R&D project that incorporates construction work is advised to use the D&D template. "]
[86,"2024-03-11","Application Content/Format","Does including / listing an entity as a teaming partner satisfy DOE “contracting/procurement” expectations? \nIf an entity becomes a sub-recipient of funds, are there any additional procurement/contracting practices required?","The administrative requirements for DOE grants and cooperative agreements are contained in 2 CFR Part 200 as amended by 2 CFR Part 910. Applicants should review Section IV.D. Content and Form of the Full Application, which details requirements, including for subrecipients. Sections that describe requirements for subrecipients include (but are not limited to) IV.D.v. Letters of Commitment (page 57), IV.D.xi. Subrecipient Budget Justification (page 60),  IV.D.xiv. SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (page 61), IV.D.xv. Waiver Requests (if applicable (page 61), IV.D.xvii. Current and Pending Support (page 62), xviii. Locations of Work (page 65), IV.D.xix. Transparency of Foreign Connections (page 65), and IV.D.xx. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice (page 67)."]
[87,"2024-03-11","Application Content/Format","The technical volume (TV) asks for a work breakdown structure (WBS), plus there is a 10-page statement of project objectives (SOPO).  Do we need to include a detailed WBS in both the TV and SOPO, or can we just give an overview of the WBS in the TV, and save the detailed WBS for the SOPO?","The Workplan included in the Technical Volume should include a summary of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and should be consistent with the details included in the SOPO.  The WBS summary should describe the work to be accomplished and how the applicant will achieve the milestones, will accomplish the final project goal(s), and will produce all deliverables.  The SOPO will contain a more detailed description of the WBS and tasks."]
[88,"2024-03-12","Application Content/Format","For Topic 5, does a local community partner need to be identified as part of the full application?","Identifying a community partner in the Full Application phase is preferable but not required. See the Full Application teaming requirements in Section I.B.v. Topic 5: Equitable Hydrogen Technology Community Engagement on page 34. Full Applications should describe their community engagement plan and demonstrate that at least one of the community or communities the team would like to partner with (or is already a part of) is: (a) a DAC as verifiable by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) tool and, (b) interested in learning about hydrogen and providing feedback and input into DOE’s community engagement efforts. Proposed budgets should plan for engagement activities and compensation for community partners. "]
[89,"2024-03-13","Eligibility","I had a concept paper encouraged for FOA 0003213 for hydrogen permitting topic 4 (0% cost share required). Some organizations will be giving their time but on a voluntary basis and do not need it marked as in kind support. Are they allowed to be mentioned as a team member if so? Or would they need to be on our advisory board instead? ","This Topic does not require any form of cost share and any contribution is voluntary, whether it is committed (\"marked\") or uncommitted; cash or in kind contribution is not required from any team members. Applicants should use their best judgement to determine if contributors should be considered part of the project team (i.e., key personnel - see response 82) or are serving an advisory role only. "]
[90,"2024-03-18","Cost Sharing","During the development phase and fleet trails, is the cost of procuring hydrogen allowed to be partially added to the budget in either Federal amount or cost share or both?","Yes, the cost of procuring hydrogen is an allowable cost, either under the DOE funding or non-federal cost share, provided that it directly supports the proposed station development or demonstration validating the design.  "]
[91,"2024-03-18","Other","We understand that a ‘community organization’ is required to be part of the project team. We wanted to check if it is allowable for us to allot a budget and tasks for the organization in the full proposal and decide on the specific entity after the award is issued (i.e., list the community partner as TBD in the full application).","Yes, it is possible to list a TBD organization in the proposed budget, however, work on these efforts and subsequent invoices cannot be approved until an organization has been identified and approved by the contracting officer. To avoid a hold being placed on these efforts, it is best to identify the community organization during award negotiations and prior to the award being issued. "]
[92,"2024-03-19","Application Content/Format","EERE Exchange is not accepting the non-pdf documents (Word, Excel and Power Point). Do files need to be saved-as 97-2003 versions?","Thank you for pointing out this technical issue. It is now corrected in EERE eXCHANGE so files do not have to be converted to be uploaded."]
[93,"2024-07-16","Application Reviews","When will the selection announcements be issued?","Selections under this FOA are expected to be announced in late July to mid August."]

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["Registration Requirements"]
["Webinar"]
["Concept Paper"]
["Eligibility"]
["Labs/FFRDCs"]
["Foreign Entities/Work"]
["Cost Sharing"]
["Due Dates"]
["Application Content/Format"]
["Intellectual Property"]
["Data Management"]
["Other"]
["U.S. Manufacturing Plan"]
["Application Reviews"]
["Technical Topics"]