[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 56 (Thursday, March 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11622-11624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6841]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Morgantown Energy Technology Center; Climate Change Fuel Cell 
Program

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE), Morgantown Energy Technology 
Center.

ACTION: Solicitation for financial assistance applications.

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SUMMARY: In the Defense Appropriations Conference Report, dated 
September 26, 1994, Congress agreed to provide funding to the 
Department of Defense (DoD) for a competitive, cost-shared, near-term, 
Climate Change Fuel Cell Program. The responsibility for procurement, 
program management, and contract administration for these funds has 
been delegated to the Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy 
Technology Center (METC). The objectives of the ``Climate Change Fuel 
Cell Program'' are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the 
efficient use of fossil fuels, to accelerate fuel cell 
commercialization for U.S. manufacturers, and to satisfy the DoD goals 
for the environment, readiness, and economy, through activities which 
would stimulate end-user applications. Successful offerors will 
demonstrate, through their applications, a commitment to purchase, 
install, operate, and maintain, fuel cell power plant(s) with a 
combined capacity rated between 100 and 3,000 kW. This project will 
culminate with a summary report after one year of power plant 
operation. Grants will be awarded consistent with the amounts defined 
in the Funding Availability section of this document.

DATES: Applications may be submitted at any time after the issuance 
date of this solicitation up to and including one year after the issue 
date. The issue date is the date on which this notice appears in the 
Federal Register. Applications must state an acceptance period of at 
least 120 days. Applications will be evaluated in at least two rounds 
based on the evaluation factors set forth herein. Selections for the 
first round will be made by July 30, 1996, and awards made by September 
30, 1996. The second round of selections and awards will be made after 
September 30, 1996, contingent upon availability of appropriated funds.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Identification Number, Authority for Issuance, and Title

    a. DE-PS21-96MC33099.
    b. The use of Financial Assistance is authorized by 10 CFR 600.
    c. Title of Financial Assistance: ``Climate Change Fuel Cell 
Program.''
    d. Type of award instrument: Grant.
    e. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: 81.089.
    f. Expected Duration of Support: Thirty-six months.
    g. Statutory Authority: Public Law 95-224 (as codified at 31 U.S.C. 
6301-6306).
    h. Qualification Requirements: An Applicant's chosen fuel cell 
power plant(s) must be substantially manufactured in the U.S. (i.e., at 
least 50 percent of the value of the components must be produced in the 
U.S. and the unit (a fuel cell power plant) must be assembled in the 
U.S.); and the unit must not have been delivered to the installation 
site prior to this solicitation. The applicant must be an energy 
service provider, utility, or end user and cannot be a fuel cell 
manufacturer or developer. The application must identify an 
installation site and contain proof of a signed contract, firm or 
contingent, for purchase of fuel cell power plant(s), dated no earlier 
than publication of the Congressional language authorizing this program 
(September 26, 1994). The proposed project must be between 100 and 
3,000 kilowatts in size and must be operational (providing electric 
and/or thermal energy to an end user) within three calendar years after 
award.

Submission, Withdrawal, and Unsuccessful Applications

    1. The Application/Information Package includes application forms 
to be submitted, the 1994 Conference Report language, and other 
information needed for preparation of applications. The Application/
Information Package will be available on the Internet [http://
www.metc.doe.gov/business/solicita.html] after March 27, 1996. If 
Internet access is not available, a 3.5'' diskette in WordPerfect, 
version 5.2. may be requested from the contract specialist referenced 
below by mail or by telecopy ((304) 285-4683). The contract specialist 
may also be reached by telephone at (304) 285-4086. The Application/
Information Package may also be obtained from the DOE Business 
Communication Center at [[email protected]].
    2. Applications are to be submitted to the following address: U.S. 
Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy Technology Center, Attn: R. 
Diane Manilla, M.S. I07, 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26505.
    Mark the outside package of each application with the solicitation 
number: DE-PS21-96MC33099.
    3. Applications may be withdrawn by the offeror at any time prior 
to award by written notice to the individual identified in item 2 
above.
    4. Unsuccessful applications will be retained by the receiving 
office and will not be returned to unsuccessful applicants. 
Unsuccessful applicants will be given an opportunity for a debriefing 
which will describe the evaluation process and discuss the major 
strengths and weaknesses found in their application.

Funding Availability

    The amount of money available for awards through September 30, 
1996, is approximately $15,000,000. Grant values will be $1,000/kW, 
provided that the grant shall not exceed a third of the total project 
costs (unit cost, delivery, installation, and one year of precommercial 
operation).

Evaluation Factors and Application Preparation Instructions

1. Evaluation Factors

    Applications will be evaluated in accordance with the following 
criteria with priority given to power plants servicing DoD 
installations:
     Firmness of Financial Commitment Firmness of the 
applicant's proposed funding sources for the project as evidenced by 
the commitment of the organizations providing funding assistance to the 
program and the estimated contribution of each.
     Site Information Intended use of thermal and electrical 
energy, type of operation (grid connected or grid independent), 
Environmental, Safety and Health issues, construction/installation 
issues and arrangements, firmness of site selection (letter of intent 
from end user and installation site authority).
     Project Plans and Schedule Reasonableness and adequacy of 
project plans (schedules and milestones) as evidenced by the planned 
completion date for key milestones for the installation and operation 
of the fuel cell power plant.

2. Relative Importance of the Evaluation Criteria

    The criteria are listed in descending order of importance. 
Criterion 1 is of greater importance than Criteria 2 and 3. Criterion 3 
is of less importance than 1 and 2. Criterion 3 is approximately half 
the importance of Criterion 1. Criterion 2 is slightly less important 
than Criterion 1.

3. Cost Evaluation

    The total project costs which include unit cost, delivery, 
installation, and one year of precommercial operation will be reviewed 
for reasonableness and cost realism.

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4. Program Policy Factors

    a. Descending priority will be given to those projects providing 
energy service to: DoD installations--U.S., DoD installations--foreign, 
non-DoD installations--U.S., and non-DoD installations--foreign.
    b. It is desirable to select for award projects representing 
diverse fuel cell power plant sizes, applications, and locations.

5. Application Preparation Instructions

    a. Applications must include:
     (1) A listing of the organizations providing funding assistance to 
the program and the estimated contribution of each.

    Note: Grant funds will not be dispursed until after the 8-hour 
test.

     (2) Site Description/Installation Information consisting of 
intended use of thermal and electrical energy, type of operation (grid 
connected or grid independent), Environmental, Safety and Health 
issues, construction/installation issues and arrangements, firmness of 
site selection (letter of intent from end user and installation site 
authority).
     (3) Planned completion date for key milestones for the 
installation and operation of the fuel cell power plant.
     (4) Portions of the fuel cell purchase agreement indicating the 
product, delivery, price, date of purchase agreement and signatures of 
buyer and seller.
     (5) Letters of intent to participate from the end user (if 
applicable) and installation site authority.
    b. Applicants who include in their application business sensitive 
or proprietary data that they do not want disclosed to the public for 
any purpose or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes 
shall:
     1. Mark the title page with the following legend: ``This 
application or quotation includes business sensitive or proprietary 
data that shall not be disclosed outside of the Government and shall 
not be duplicated, used, or disclosed--in whole or in part--for any 
purpose other than to evaluate this application or quotation. If, 
however, a grant is awarded to this applicant as a result of--or in 
connection with--the submission of this data, the government shall have 
the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent 
provided in the resulting grant. This restriction does not limit the 
Government's right to use information contained in this data if it is 
obtained from another source without restriction. The business 
sensitive or proprietary data subject to this restriction are contained 
in pages (insert number or other identification of pages)''; and
     2. Mark each page of data it wishes to restrict with the following 
legend: ``Use or disclosure of data contained on this page is subject 
to the restriction on the title page of this application or 
quotation.''
    c. Each application will be submitted in an original and six copies 
to the address given in the summary section, above, designated as the 
delivery point for applications.

DOE Obligation for Application Preparation

    DOE is under no obligation to reimburse the applicant for any costs 
associated with the preparation or submission of applications.

Application Review and Selection

    1. Each application will be objectively reviewed on its own merit 
against the evaluation criteria stated in the solicitation. A two-step 
review process will be employed. The initial evaluation will be 
performed to determine if the application meets the qualification 
criteria stated in the solicitation. Applications passing the initial 
evaluation will be subject to a comprehensive evaluation.
    2. Groups of applications will be reviewed and selected for award 
as often as practicable.
    3. Selection of application(s) will be made in consideration of the 
evaluation criteria, program policy factors, and the availability of 
funds.

Application Evaluation and Award

    DOE reserves the right to fund, in whole or in part, any, all, or 
none of the applications submitted in response to this solicitation.
James J. Grabulis,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 96-6841 Filed 3-20-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P