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["INSTRUCTIONS"]
[1,"All questions pertaining to this funding opportunity announcement should be emailed to HydropowerFOA@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-FOA0003103 - Strategies to Increase Hydropower Flexibility"]
["Question #","Date Submitted","Topic","Question","Answer"]
[1,"2023-11-16","Webinar","I’m unfortunately going to miss the November 30 webinar regarding hydropower flexibility. Will this be recorded?","The webinar will be recorded and/or a transcript will be available at a later date on Exchange. The slide deck is available under Webinar Details. Please note that no new information other than that provided in the FOA will be discussed in the webinar. "]
[2,"2023-11-17","Other","Will there be a Teaming Partner list for this call?","Please see the corresponding Teaming Partner List in Exchange, TPL-0000034. "]
[3,"2023-11-20","Application Content/Format","I've never applied for funding before. Can you help me?","Instructions for completing the concept paper and full application are contained in the full text of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) which can be obtained at the DOE EERE Funding Opportunity eXCHANGE website at: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/default.aspx.   To find this information, click on the FOA number, and the full text of the FOA will be available under “FOA DOCUMENTS”.  "]
[4,"2023-11-20","Cost Sharing","Are you able to elaborate on how we might participate (or not) if we endeavored to bid without an ability to contribution direct dollars but offered these in-kind contributions?  I think we could really move the ball for DOE, but only if we can afford to do so.","See Section III. B. Cost Sharing for further details on legal responsibility, allocation, and cost share types and allowability."]
[5,"2023-11-21","Technical Topics","Can this be used for inline hydro power?","Applications involving any type of hydropower that meet the eligibility requirements for the FOA will be evaluated according to the merit review criteria as described in Section V. A. Technical Review Criteria. "]
[6,"2023-11-27","Other","I would like to be added to the teaming list for topics 2 and 3","Submit your request in Exchange to join the Teaming Partner List, search for TPL-0000034: Teaming Partner List for DE-FOA-0003103. See Section I. A. iii. Teaming Partner List for more information in the FOA. "]
[7,"2023-11-30","Eligibility","I would like to know, as a Vietnamese citizen, am I eligible to apply to the funding opportunity?","Individuals are not eligible to apply to this FOA. In limited circumstances, DOE may approve a waiver to allow a foreign entity to participate as a prime recipient or subrecipient. See Section III. A. Eligible Applicants for more information about eligibility. "]
[8,"2023-11-30","Webinar","We didn't get a chance to join the November 30th webinar which discussed the funding opportunities, If it was recorded, can we get the link? ","See Question 1"]
[9,"2023-11-30","Eligibility","We’re a foreign entity but believe we could add a lot of value specifically under Topic Area 3. \n\nWe are currently in the early stages of US expansion but do not yet have a US entity. Doo we need to have a foreign entity participation and/or foreign work waiver approved before submitting a concept paper, or is it sufficient to have it in place before submitting the full application?","Foreign Entity Waiver or Performance of Work Waiver is a requirement of the Full Application stage. See Section IV. D. xiv. Waiver Requests and Appendix B for more information on the waiver requests. "]
[10,"2023-11-30","Concept Paper","Is there a form, template or example for submittal of concept paper documentation? Or is it acceptable to submit documentation with a free form pdf file containing the information required per Section IV.A and .C of FOA?","EERE does not have a template for the Concept Paper submission. See Section IV. C. Content and Form of the Concept Paper for specific requirements. "]
[11,"2023-12-14","Other","Based on previous work, I see opportunity to focus on one or all three topic areas, and I wonder if there is a preference? Which of the three topic areas could potential proposals find the greatest chance of acceptance, and are there any specific sub-areas of focus?\n\nBefore I submit a concept paper, any feedback on the greatest areas of interest?","Applicants must select one of the three topic areas for their individual submission(s). An entity may submit more than one Concept Paper and Full Application to the FOA, provided that each entity describes a unique, scientifically distinct project and an eligible Concept Paper was submitted for each Full Application, see Section III. F. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Full Applications Eligible for Review. \n\nEERE personnel are prohibited from communicating (in writing or otherwise) with applicants. Feedback on individual concepts will not be provided and the decision whether to apply lies solely with the applicant. "]
[12,"2023-12-16","Eligibility","Is this FOA only valid for non-federal hydro's?","The FOA does not distinguish between federal and non-federal hydropower resources."]
[13,"2023-12-18","Cost Sharing","Are projects under topic 1, which include the purchase of an energy storage asset, eligible for other federal incentives or credits? For example, would they also be eligible to apply for the Section 247 incentive and the investment tax credit. If so, would receiving these benefits affect the required cost share type or total for the project? ","Federal funding or property, or expenditures that are reimbursed under a separate federal program may not be used to meet cost share requirements. See Section III. B. iii. Cost Share Types and Allowability for more information. "]
[14,"2023-12-22","Application Content/Format","Is it compulsory to collaborate with any of the enlisted (in the FOA - page 23, Section C) types of organizations or individual entities without collaborating with any of the organizations (mentioned in the FOA) is allowed? ","Letters of support are not required to submit a Concept Paper, and partnerships are not a requirement but are encouraged as they represent a strong indicator of success per Section I. C. Guidance for Applicants. See Section IV. D. iv. Letters of Commitment for more information. "]
[15,"2023-12-31","Concept Paper","I would like your help in locating the required forms to submit both concept papers and full applications for both DE FOA-000103 and the SBIR /STTR  [topics FY2024 [Phase one Release 2] {12/06/2023} Also any instructions as the FOA, is vary lacking in detail.\n\nA reply  of receipt with a phone number would also be helpful.","See Question 10 regarding Concept Paper requirements, and Question 11 regarding communication with DOE. \n\nPlease contact sbir-sttr@science.doe.gov regarding any questions for the SBIR/STTR FOAs. \n\n"]
[16,"2023-12-31","Concept Paper","I am interested in submitting an application for funding for the above referenced funding opportunity. In reviewing the Navigating the Application Process page, I see that the first step in a Concept Paper. My question is whether the documents required for a Provisional Patent Application meet the requirements for the concept paper.","See Question 10 regarding Concept Paper requirements. \n"]
[17,"2024-01-08","Other","I have been prototyping and patenting a unique design for ocean wave energy conversion and would like to apply for funding before the January 18th deadline. The issue is that I cannot fill out your forms, even after paying for Adobe software, they open as encrypted, and would like to know if there is any other options to relay the necessary information. ","There are not any specific forms required to submit a Concept Paper, see Question 10 for more information on the requirements. \n\nNone of the files on EERE-eXCHANGE are encrypted, if you are experiencing issues with downloads you may need to use a different internet browser and/or contact EERE-eXCHANGE helpdesk for further support, eere-exchangesupport@hq.doe.gov "]
[18,"2024-01-10","Other","When you select View Application Forms and Templates it loops back to the EERE FOA Exchange. Could you send me the form and template list?","If you are experiencing issues with the website you may need to use a different internet browser and/or contact EERE-eXCHANGE helpdesk for further support, eere-exchangesupport@hq.doe.gov\n\nSee Section IV. B. - Application Forms and C. - Content and Form of the Concept Paper for more details on the Application Information. "]
[19,"2024-01-10","Other","Can you please provide guidance on the Anticipated Minimum Award Size dollar amount. Should an organization apply if they have a project that is a good fit but would be asking for less than the anticipated minimum award amount?","Section II. A.i. Estimated Funding provides anticipated funding numbers but these are not requirements. Proposals must adhere to the requirements in Section III. B. Cost Sharing. "]
[20,"2024-01-11","Registration Requirements","Is it correct that an applicant needed to have already registered with each of the listed entities on the attachment prior to hiring me? Or, if she registers by tomorrow, say, is this ok for the concept Paper stage?\n\nWhat is the best link for info on what to include in the Concept Paper and where to send it?","Per the Cover Page of the FOA, \"Each applicant (unless the applicant is excepted from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110) is required to: (1) register in the SAM at https://www.sam.gov before submitting an application; (2) provide a valid UEI number in the application; and (3) maintain an active SAM registration with current information when the applicant has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency.\"\n\nSee Question 3 for instructions on accessing the FOA, and Question 10 on Concept Paper requirements. "]
[21,"2024-01-11","Other","Is the Teaming Partner list going to be published in EERE-Exchange? ","See Question 6"]
[22,"2024-01-11","Due Dates","Has any consideration be given to extending the Concept Paper Deadline for this FOA?","The Concept Paper deadline has been extended to February 1, 2024 per FOA Modification 0001."]
[23,"2024-01-15","Eligibility","I am an Australian and I am approved to work in the United States. \n\nAm I eligible for this grant application?","See Question 7"]
[24,"2024-01-16","Other","I am an engineer based in Scotland and would like to partner with a company in America to develop my technology. ","See Question 7 regarding eligibility, and see Question 6 regarding the Teaming Partner List. "]
[25,"2024-01-16","Concept Paper","As this is my first \"Concept paper\" Submission to the DOE EERE,  I was wondering if you may be able to send or link me to any instructions or  required header or footer information to include on the \"concept paper\"?? or even a copy of a properly formatted concept paper??","See Question 10"]
[26,"2024-01-18","Concept Paper","What was the result from the concept paper I previously submitted?  I can submit more on related topics but hoped to hear back on the one I already submitted first.","Concept papers will be assessed after the submission deadline. See Section VI. A. ii. Concept Paper Notifications for more information about the notification. "]
[27,"2024-01-24","Technical Topics","Could you please confirm if I could be an eligible participant in this funding program if I am involved in a wave energy converter? I’d like to explore this opportunity, especially under the “Technologies to Increase Flexibility” category.","\"Topic 2 seeks applications to advance plant flexibility by improving plant equipment technology,\" see Section I.B.ii. for more information on the topic area description and requirements. \n\nSee Question 11 regarding concept feedback. "]
[28,"2023-01-29","Concept Paper","Per the FOA, a notice will be given to concept paper applicants with either encouragement or discouragement to proceed to full application (VI. A. ii.). What is the expected date when that feedback will be received? ","DOE does not publish a decision date, see Question 26 for more information on the concept paper decisions. "]
[29,"2024-02-01","Due Dates","We’ve seen the DE-FOA-0003103 deadline was moved to February 9th. Do you still envision giving the encourage/discourage decisions by 2/11? ","See Question 28 and 26"]
[30,"2023-12-21","Cost Sharing","We are seeking clarification  regarding the applicability of the 50% cost share requirement for Indian Tribes.  This requirement is inconsistent with statements made during the White House Tribal Nations Summit, including those of Secretary Granholm, that federal programs must consider the limited resources of Tribes in applying for federal assistance.\n\nIs there a cost share reduction available to Indian Tribes?","Per Mod 0003, Topic Area 1 has an exception to the 50% cost share requirement for Indian Tribes. The cost share requirement is 10% for federally recoginized Indian Tribes only."]
[31,"2024-01-11","Cost Sharing","For Topic 1, would DOE consider adjusting the applicant cost share to 20%, consistent with Topics 2 & 3? ","For any entity other than an Indian Tribe, Topic Area 1 has a 50% cost share requirement as required by EPAct 2005 § 988 for demonstration and commercial applications. Topic Areas 2 and 3 are research and development activities and adhere to the 20% requirement stated in EPAct 2005 § 988. \n\nSee Question 4 regarding cost share requirements."]
[32,"2024-03-21","Due Dates","Given that the encourage/discourage anticipated date was in February, will the Full Application Deadline be pushed beyond April 19th? \n","The Submission Deadline for Full Applications is 5/3/2024 at 5 pm ET. See Question 28 and 26 regarding Concept Paper decision dates. "]
[33,"2024-03-21","Application Reviews","I saw there was mention of DOE interviews. Generally, we’d welcome meeting with the DOE to further explain our project and introduce ourselves. Is there an opportunity to engage the DOE team regarding our project?","As stated in FOA Section V.D.ii. Pre Selection Interviews, \"EERE may invite one or more applicants to participate in pre-selection interviews.\" EERE may choose to use Pre-Selection Interviews as part of the Evaluation and Selection process, but otherwise EERE personnel are prohibited from communicating (in writing or otherwise) with applicants. "]
[34,"2024-03-27","Concept Paper","Are you able to share statistics on number of applicants who submitted for each topic and number of applicants encouraged by topic?","No, we are not able to share that information. "]
[35,"2024-04-10","Other","How do we get added to the teaming partner list for DE-FOA-3103? ","See Question 2"]
[36,"2024-04-22","Cost Sharing","For DE-FOA-0003103, how do federal investment tax credits impact the cost-share? Will investment tax credits reduce eligible “Total Project Costs” which would be included in the cost share calculation? \n\nAlso, can you confirm that cost share grant from DE-FOA-0003103 would be taxable income?","Tax credits do not impact the cost share requirements. DOE is not able to provide information on tax implications. "]
[37,"2024-04-23","Concept Paper","Are there any limitations on changes to our concept paper for FOA 3103?  ","Applicants may make changes from Concept Paper stage to Full Application stage. "]
[38,"2024-04-28","Application Content/Format","[Edited] Should the prime recipient or the subrecipient prepare the foreign entity waiver request. ","Either entity may prepare the waiver provided that it contains all required information. See Appendix B of the FOA. The waiver must be submitted with the full application. "]
[39,"2024-04-29","Application Content/Format","Is a lobbying disclosure form SF-LLL required for every participant and subrecipient or just those who have lobbying activities? Does only lobbying related to this FOA trigger the need to file SF-LLL? \n\nDoes having written a letter to a Senator as a private citizen on a separate issue constitute lobbying per SF-LLL?","Recipients and subrecipients are required to complete and submit SF-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities”. It is sufficient to enter \"Not Applicable\" when appropriate. See Section D. xiii. SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (required) for more information.\n\n\nRecipients and subrecipients must adhere to the requirements in Section D. xiii. SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (required)."]
[40,"2024-04-29","Eligibility","We’re considering a design at our hydroelectric project for a battery that would be considered a “co-located” resource. Due to ISO requirements, we would need to separately meter the resource to participate in electricity markets (ancillary services, energy markets, capacity markets). Therefore, we may need to use a separate step-up transformer. The resource will still share the same point of interconnection with the pre-existing hydroelectric and will be co-optimized with the hydroelectric. It will be physically co-located and share interconnection equipment with the hydroelectric. \n\nWould a project with this design be eligible?","Feedback on individual concepts will not be provided. To clarify Section I.B.i.2. Scope and Technical Requirements [Topic Area 1]: co-located or co-optimized resources are eligible, provided proposals are within scope of either combination as described in the FOA."]
[41,"2024-05-08","Application Content/Format","Are FFRDCs required to submit SF-LLLs for full applications as FFRDCs are not able to lobby?","The SF-LLL form is not required for FFRDCs."]
[42,"2024-05-08","Application Content/Format","The FOA references ADOBE PDF as the submittal format.  Is a Microsoft PDF an acceptable submittal format?","See Section D.i. Full Application Content Requirements of the FOA for the applicable file format."]
[43,"2024-05-10","Cost Sharing","Will DOE consider reducing the 50% cost share requirement for Topic Area  1 to 20% for activities conducted during the first budget period?"," No. DOE has made a programmatic decision to require 50% cost share for all budget periods in Topic Area 1. "]
[44,"2024-05-15","Application Content/Format","1. Under topic 1, can “in kind” contribution in the Pomeroy wastewater-hydropower hybrid project be the value of the wastewater treatment plant the project is enhancing and required in the project?\n2. If the wastewater treatment plant is an “in kind”  contribution will the plant be encumbered?\n3. Are existing or planned encumbrances of the wastewater treatment plant affected by matching this asset in the project?","See Question 4"]

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["Pick List"]
[]
["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"]