[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4608-4612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1755]




-----------------------------------------------------------------------


DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Research, Development and Demonstration of New and Advanced 
Technology for the Glass Industry; Financial Assistance

AGENCY: Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office.

ACTION: Solicitation for Financial Assistance: Research, Development 
and Demonstration of New and Advanced Technology for the Glass 
Industry.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given pursuant to Public Law 93-577, the 
Federal Non-nuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974, that 
the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office (ID), is 
seeking cost-shared applications for research, development and 
demonstration of new and advanced technologies to assist the glass 
industry to remain competitive, reduce energy consumption, and reduce 
negative environmental impacts. A minimum 20% non-DOE cost-share for 
research and development phases and a minimum 50% non-DOE cost-share 
for the demonstration phase is required. [[Page 4609]] This is a 
complete solicitation document.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of applications is 4:00 p.m. MDT, March 
22, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Applications shall be submitted to: B. G. Bauer, Contracting 
Officer; Procurement Services Division; U. S. Department of Energy; 
Idaho Operations Office; 850 Energy Drive, MS 1221; Idaho Falls, Idaho 
83401-1563. [NUMBER DE-PS07-95ID13346]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dallas Hoffer, Contract Specialist, 
Telephone (208) 526-0014, Facsimile (208) 526-5548.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    Projects sponsored by the DOE Office of Industrial Technologies 
(OIT) are based on the needs and concerns of industry. The program 
advances technology to the point of commercialization. Historically, 
activities have focused on industrial competitiveness, the development 
of energy efficient, environmentally benign technology and equipment. 
As part of this program, this solicitation for DOE financial assistance 
applications is being issued.

B. Project Description

    DOE anticipates awarding one or more Cooperative Agreements in 
accordance with DOE Financial Assistance regulations appearing at Title 
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter II Subchapter H, Part 
600 as a result of this solicitation, and funds are available. Federal 
funds appropriated for this solicitation are approximately $2,000,000 
and are to be used to fund the entire research effort. The Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program is 81.078. All 
projects shall be cost shared by DOE and the participant. Applicants 
should be aware that any awardee shall be required to have a cost share 
of not less than 20% of the total cost of the program for the research 
and development phases and 50% of the total cost of the program for the 
demonstration phase. For the purpose of cost share determination, Phase 
I and Phase II tasks are considered to be research and development 
while Phase III tasks are demonstration. No fee or profit will be paid 
to the award recipients. Under Cooperative Agreements it is anticipated 
there will be substantial involvement by DOE.
    DOE suggests, but does not require, a multi-phase approach and 
projects may be initiated at the bench scale (Phase I), laboratory/
pilot scale (Phase II), or demonstration (Phase III), levels. 
Individual project duration will not exceed 3 years. Project(s) with 
durations of less than 3 years and in any phase of development are 
eligible, if conclusive evidence is presented that previous phase(s) 
have been completed successfully. All applications with project periods 
of 3 years or less will be given equal consideration. The period of 
performance for the first phase is anticipated to be 12 months. At the 
end of Phase I, provided satisfactory progress has been made and funds 
are available, DOE may award a continuation of work to undertake 
further development if the participant demonstrates a continuing need 
for federal assistance, shows sufficient progress in the research 
effort, has completed the work in compliance with a mutually agreed 
management plan, and identifies the new research planned.
    The objective of this solicitation is research, development and 
demonstration of new and advanced technologies to assist the glass 
industry to remain competitive, reduce energy consumption, and reduce 
negative environmental impacts. Utilizing the recommendations of the 
flat, fiber, container and specialty glass industry sectors the below 
listed priority research subject areas have been identified. Proposals 
for research in areas not included in the list below will not be 
considered. Proposals shall have applications that cut across two or 
more of the flat, fiber, container or specialty glass industry sectors. 
Applications must identify the priority area being addressed, explain 
why industry is not already performing the proposed research, and why 
DOE funding is appropriate.

C. Glass Industry Research Priorities

    This solicitation is to be focused on the following glass industry 
research priorities identified by the industry.

1. Materials

    a. Develop improved, cost effective refractories that have greater 
service capabilities, do not contain materials that are classified as 
hazardous, or that are well suited for applications of oxy-fuel and gas 
reburn.

2. Equipment

    a. Develop equipment that will improve energy recovery from the 
melter (for example: preheating of glass cullet and batch raw 
materials, generation of electricity, or drive processes).
    b. Improve recycling equipment (i.e. recycled material sorting, 
separation, size reduction, processing).
    c. Develop equipment to recycle facility waste products and remove 
or render harmless hazardous material.
    d. Develop improved, cost effective air emissions systems or 
optimized furnace designs to meet the more stringent regulations of the 
future (i.e. removal of NOX, SOX and particulate emissions). 
Integrated process improvements are preferred over add on devices.
    e. Improve process water treatment and control.

3. Computer Modeling

    a. Develop models to improve basic understanding of the glass 
chemistry. This includes chemical kinetics of pre-melting, solid state 
reactions, batch melting and reactions in glass, chemical equilibria 
and solubility data, and chemical kinetics during (re)fining.
    b. Study effect of gas bubbles on the physical and transport 
properties of the glass melt.
    c. Develop models with ability to correlate furnace design and 
operation with glass quality, or elimination of defects.
    d. Develop furnace models that can calculate transient thermal and 
chemical behavior and can be used to develop methods to optimize energy 
use and reduce air emissions.
    e. Develop models to optimize fuel combustion and heat release, 
heat transfer models to calculate glass melting and temperature 
conditioning, or improved combustion models for prediction of pollutant 
production.

4. Instrumentation and Control

    a. Advanced instrumentation to measure glass chemical and physical 
properties required for optimizing production (cost effective non-
contact or direct contact types).
    b. Develop non-contact stress analyzers and surface property 
analyzers.
    c. Develop low cost direct contact sensors that can be used in 
molten glass so that relatively large arrays can be used to provide 
information to improve process control.
    d. Develop improved monitoring and process control systems to 
reduce air emissions.
    e. Instrumentation to measure refractory thickness (condition/
serviceability).
    f. Develop methods to correlate numerical data and operating 
parameters and use them for development of control systems (i.e. 
expert, fuzzy logic, or neural networks) [[Page 4610]] including 
systems for melting, processing, or emissions control to improve glass 
quality and yield.
    g. Develop instrumentation for recycled glass streams.

D. Proposal Requirements

    Each proposal must contain the following:
    1. Identify the priority area being addressed, explain why industry 
is not already performing the proposed research, and why DOE funding is 
appropriate;
    2. Demonstrated support of the glass industry by describing:
    a. how industry has participated in deciding what research 
activities will be undertaken;
    b. how industry will participate in the evaluation of the 
applicant's progress in research and development activities;
    c. the extent of industry involvement in conducting trials at their 
facilities to accomplish or validate the research; and
    d. the extent to which industry funds are committed to the 
applicant's proposal;
    3. Demonstrated commitment for cost sharing funds from non-federal 
sources, which shall consist of:
    a. cash, and/or
    b. as determined by DOE, the fair market value of equipment, 
services, materials, appropriate technology transfer activities, and 
other assets directly related to the proposed project;
    4. Provide a management plan that outlines how the research, 
development, and technology transfer activities will be carried out and 
administered. The management plan shall:
    a. outline the research, development, and technology transfer 
activities by Task expected to be performed;
    b. include a detailed statement of work of technical work to be 
performed;
    c. outline who will conduct those research activities and their 
qualifications;
    d. establish the time frame over which the research activities will 
take place; and
    e. define the overall program management and direction by:
    1. identifying managerial, organizational and administrative 
procedures and responsibilities;
    2. outlining how the coordination of work between the individuals 
and organizations involved will be achieved;
    3. demonstrating how implementation and monitoring of the progress 
of the research project after receipt of funding from DOE will be 
achieved;
    4. demonstrating how recommendations and implementations on 
modifications to the plan, if any, will be achieved; and
    5. providing sufficient rationale to support the project costs.
    5. State the annual cost of the proposal and a breakdown of those 
costs for each task and a break down of the percentage of time devoted 
for each key individual performing the work;
    6. Provide a critical review of existing and emerging technologies, 
relevant patents, on-going research, and practices, and a description 
of the hurdles that must be overcome to ensure commercial viability and 
commercialization of the proposed technologies;
    7. Justify the project with an initial economic evaluation 
indicating the potential for a significant reduction in manufacturing 
cost and/or a significant improvement in product value resulting from 
the proposed research;
    8. Identify the technical hurdles for commercialization and how 
they will be addressed; and
    9. Provide evidence of having the facilities and equipment or 
industrial partner(s) capable of conducting laboratory scale and 
demonstration testing.
    10. All proposals shall include a demonstration phase.
    11. Proposals shall have applications that cut across two or more 
of the flat, fiber, container or specialty glass industry sectors.

    Note: Underlying assumptions along with detailed calculations to 
support the claimed economic and energy efficiency benefits must be 
included in the application.

E. Qualified Applicants

    Government-owned laboratories, private research organizations, 
nonprofit institutions, or private firms.

F. Proposal Evaluation

a. Application Deadline

    The deadline for receipt of applications is 4:00 p.m. MST, March 
22, 1995. Late applications will be handled in accordance with 10 CFR 
600.13.

b. Selection of Proposals

    Only those proposals which meet all of the requirements of this 
solicitation will be considered for selection. Selections will be made 
in accordance with the following selection criteria and programmatic 
considerations:
    Criterion 1--The research proposal demonstrates a thorough 
knowledge of the glass industry by highlighting its technology needs, 
barriers to their development and commercialization, and provides a 
credible management plan to achieve, and evidence to support the 
benefits identified in the proposed research.
    Criterion 2--The research proposal contains evidence of strong 
support by the glass industry by identifying significant industry 
involvement in preparation of the proposal and in performing the 
research activities.
    Criterion 3--The research proposal identifies a viable mechanism to 
facilitate the transfer of the technology to the glass industry at the 
earliest practicable time; Proposals that include conducting trials at 
multiple plants to accomplish or validate work are preferred.
    Criterion 4--The research proposal offers technology which is new 
and advanced and is based upon sound scientific, environmental, and 
engineering principles, are technically feasible and cost effective, 
have practical industrial application, and will provide the greatest 
benefits per dollar invested in the U.S. glass industry.

c. Weighting of Criteria

    Criterion 1, 2, 3, and 4 are each weighted 25% of the total score.

d. Programmatic Selection Considerations

    In conjunction with the evaluation results and rankings of 
individual proposals, the Government will make selections for 
negotiations and planned awards from among the highest ranking 
proposals utilizing the following programmatic considerations:
    (1) The proposed cost of the project will not be point scored. 
Applicants are advised, however, that notwithstanding the lower 
relative importance of the cost considerations, the evaluated cost may 
be the basis for selection. In making the selection decision, the 
apparent advantages of individual technical and business applications 
will be weighed against the probable cost to the government to 
determine whether the application approaches (excluding cost 
considerations) are worth the probable cost differences.
    (2) It is desirable to implement each research and development 
project as a continuing collaborative effort in which the participants 
represent both the scientific/engineering research disciplines as well 
as members of the glass industry engaged in its practical, daily 
operations and experienced in the application of glass industry 
processes.
    (3) Proposals that have the potential to save significant energy, 
reduce negative environmental impacts and provide significant cost 
benefits are preferred.

e. Merit Reviews

    All Applications will be evaluated under the procedure for 
``Objective [[Page 4611]] Merit Review of Discretionary Financial 
Assistance Applications'' which was published in the Federal Register 
on May 31, 1990 (Vol. 55, No. 105). Selections for negotiations are 
expected to be made May 10, 1995, and financial assistance awards are 
expected to be made beginning July 21, 1995.

SECTION III--GENERAL CONDITIONS

    The applications will be evaluated in accordance with the Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Merit Review Procedure, and the 
criteria and programmatic considerations set forth in this 
solicitation. In conducting this evaluation, the Government may utilize 
assistance and advice from non-Government personnel. Applicants are 
therefore requested to state on the cover sheet of the applications if 
they do not consent to an evaluation by such non-Government personnel. 
The applicants are further advised that DOE may be unable to give full 
consideration to an application submitted without such consent. DOE 
reserves the right to support or not to support any, all, or any part 
of any application. All applicants will be notified in writing of the 
action taken on their applications in approximately 90 days after the 
closing date for this solicitation, provided no follow-up 
clarifications are needed. Status of any application during the 
evaluation and selection process will not be discussed with the 
applicants. Unsuccessful applications will not be returned.

A. Instructions for Preparation of Applications

    Each application in response to this solicitation should be 
prepared in one volume. One original and nine copies of each 
application are required. Proposals shall be a maximum of 30 pages 
excluding costing information and, assurance and certification forms 
provided in the DOE Application Instruction package. The application 
facesheet is the Standard Form 424. The application is to be prepared 
for the complete project period.

a. Proprietary Proposal Information

    Applications submitted in response to this solicitation may contain 
trade secrets and/or privileged or confidential commercial or financial 
information which the applicant does not want used or disclosed for any 
purpose other than evaluation of the application. The use and 
disclosure of such data may be restricted provided the applicant marks 
the cover sheet of the application with the following legend, 
specifying the pages of the application which are to be restricted in 
accordance with the conditions of the legend:

    The data contained in pages ____ of this application have been 
submitted in confidence and contain trade secrets or proprietary 
information, and such data shall be used or disclosed only for 
evaluation purposes, provided that if this applicant receives an 
award as a result of or in connection with the submission of this 
application, DOE shall have the right to use or disclose the data 
herein to the extent provided in the award. This restriction does 
not limit the government's right to use or disclose data obtained 
without restriction from any source, including the applicant.

    Further, to protect such data, each page containing such data shall 
be specifically identified and marked, including each line or paragraph 
containing the data to be protected with a legend similar to the 
following:

    Use or disclosure of the data set forth above is subject to the 
restriction on the cover page of this application.

    It should be noted, however, that data bearing the aforementioned 
legend may be subject to release under the provisions of the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA), if DOE or a court determines that the material 
so marked is not exempt under the FOIA. The Government assumes no 
liability for disclosure or use of unmarked data and may use or 
disclose such data for any purpose. Applicants are hereby notified that 
DOE intends to make all applications submitted available to non-
Government personnel for the sole purpose of assisting the DOE in its 
evaluation of the applications. These individuals will be required to 
protect the confidentiality of any specifically identified information 
obtained as a result of their participation in the evaluation.

b. Budget

    A budget period is an interval of time (usually 12 months) into 
which the project period is divided for funding and reporting purposes. 
Project period means the total approved period of time that DOE will 
provide support contingent upon satisfactory progress and availability 
of funds. The project period may be divided into several budget 
periods. The project period shall not exceed three years. Each 
application must contain Standard Forms 424 and 424A. The budget 
summary page only needs to be completed for the first budget period; 
all other periods of support requested should be shown on the total 
costs page. The proposal should contain full details of the costs 
regarding the labor, overhead, material, travel, subcontracts, 
consultants, and other support costs broken down by task and by year. 
Every cost item should be justifiable and further details of the costs 
may be required if the proposal is selected for the award. It is 
essential that requested details be submitted in a timely manner for 
the actual award. Items of needed equipment should be individually 
listed by description and estimated cost, inclusive of tax, and 
adequately justified. The destination and purpose of budgeted travel 
and its relation to the research, should be specified. Anticipated 
consultant services should be justified and information furnished on 
each individual's expertise, primary organizational affiliation, daily 
compensation rate and number of days of expected service. Consultant's 
travel costs should be listed separately under travel in the budget.

c. Cost Proposal

    In the event there are multiple projects proposed in a submittal, a 
separate cost proposal should be included for each project proposed for 
funding. The cost proposal should have sufficient detail that an 
independent evaluation of the labor, materials, equipment and other 
costs as well as a verification of the proposed cost share can be 
performed.

B. Notices to Applicants

    a. False Statements: Applications must set forth full, accurate, 
and complete information as required by this solicitation. The penalty 
for making false statements is prescribed in 18 U.S.C. 1001.
    b. Application Clarification: DOE reserves the right to require 
applications to be clarified or supplemented to the extent considered 
necessary either through additional written submissions or oral 
presentations.
    c. Amendments: All amendments to this solicitation will be mailed 
to recipients who submit a written request for the DOE Application 
Instruction package.
    d. Applicant's Past Performance: DOE reserves the right to solicit 
from available sources relevant information concerning an applicant's 
past performance and may consider such information in its evaluation.
    e. Commitment of Public Funds: The Contracting Officer is the only 
individual who can legally commit the Government to the expenditure of 
public funds in connection with the proposed award. Any other 
commitment, either explicit or implied, is invalid.
    f. Effective Period of Application: All applications should remain 
in effect for at least 180 days from the closing date. [[Page 4612]] 
    g. Availability of Funds: The actual amount of funds to be 
obligated in each fiscal year will be subject to availability of funds 
appropriated by Congress.
    h. Assurances and Certifications: DOE requires the submission of 
preaward assurances of compliance and certifications which are mandated 
by law. Prospective applicants intending to submit an application in 
response to this solicitation should request a DOE Application 
Instruction package, which includes standard forms, assurances and 
certifications, by notifying the DOE Contract Specialist. It is advised 
that prospective applicants submit their requests in writing no later 
than February 21, 1995.
    i. Questions & Answers: Questions regarding this solicitation 
should be submitted in writing to the DOE Contract Specialist no later 
than February 15, 1995. Questions and answers will be issued in writing 
as an amendment to this solicitation.
    j. Preaward Costs: The government is not liable for any costs 
incurred in preparation of an application. Awardees may incur preaward 
costs up to ninety (90) days prior to the effective date of award. 
Should the awardee take such action, it is done so at the awardee's 
risk and does not impose any obligation on the DOE to issue an award 
(10 CFR 600.103)
    k. Patents, Data, and Copyrights: Applicants are advised that 
patents, data, and copyrights will be treated in accordance with 10 CFR 
600.33.
    l. Environmental impact: An applicant environmental checklist will 
be provided in the DOE Application Instruction package. Award will not 
be made until all environmental requirements are completed.
    m. EPACT: Applicants shall be required to comply with Section 2306 
of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT) [42 U.S.C. 13525], in the 
event EPACT applies to financial assistance instruments issued as a 
result of this solicitation. A copy of Section 2306 will be included in 
the DOE Application Instruction package.

    Dated: February 12, 1995.
Brad Bauer,
Director, Procurement Services Division.
[FR Doc. 95-1755 Filed 1-23-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P