[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 97 (Friday, May 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24923-24924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12421]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Notice of Intent To Provide Optional Prescreening Process for the
National Industrial Competitiveness Through Energy, Environment and
Economics (NICE \3\) Program
AGENCY: The Department of Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice of intent to provide optional prescreening process for
potential applicants under the DOE NICE \3\ program solicitation.
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Presolicitation: In September, the DOE's Office of Industrial
Technologies will issue its FY 1997 competitive solicitation under
DOE's NICE \3\ program to fund innovative industrial technologies that
reduce energy consumption, waste production, and operating costs. In an
effort to assist perspective applicants, DOE intends to accept
presolicitation submissions from potential applicants that set out a
brief description of the project to be proposed under the FY 1997
solicitation. DOE's technical staff will review these brief
descriptions and provide constructive feedback to the potential
applicant within a two week period. This feedback can be used by a
potential applicant in refining their proposal under the FY 1997
solicitation.
Background Information: The goals of the NICE \3\ Program are to
improve energy efficiency, promote cleaner production, and to improve
competitiveness in industry. The intent of the NICE \3\ program is to
fund projects that have completed the research and development stage
and are ready to demonstrate a fully integrated commercial unit. Some
industrial technologies that the NICE \3\ project has funded follow: SO
3 Cleaning Process in the Manufacture of Semiconductors;
Innovative Design of a Brick Kiln Using Low Thermal Mass Technology;
Continuously Reform Electroless Nickel Plating Solutions; Recovery and
Reuse of Water-Washed Overspray Paint; and HCl Acid Recovery System.
For the past five years the NICE \3\ program has offered 47 grants
(approximately $14.8 million) to fund innovative industrial
technologies.
Eligible applicants for funding under that solicitation include any
authorized agency of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the U.S.
Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or
possession of the United States. For convenience, the term State in
this notice refers to all eligible State agency applicants. Local
governments, State and private universities, private non-profits,
private businesses, and individuals, who are not eligible as direct
applicants, must work with the appropriate State agencies in developing
projects and forming participation arrangements. DOE strongly
encourages and requires these types of cooperative arrangements in
support of program goals.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number assigned to this
program is 81.105. Up to $9 million in Federal funds will be made
available by
[[Page 24924]]
DOE for the 1997 solicitation. Cost sharing is required by all
participants. The Federal Government will provide up to 40 percent of
the funds for the project in FY 1997. The remaining funds must be
provided by the eligible applicants and/or cooperating project
participants. In addition to direct financial contributions, cost
sharing can include beneficial services or items, such as manpower
equipment, consultants, and computer time that are allowable in
accordance with applicable cost principles. The state applicant is
required to have an industrial partner to be considered eligible for
grant consideration.
Presolicitation: This notice is to advise potential applicants to
the FY 1997 solicitation that DOE will accept presolicitation
submissions that set out that a brief description of the potential
project. The submissions should not exceed two pages and should adhere
to the format laid out in the preproposal format. This format can be
obtained by calling the U.S. Department of Energy's Golden Field Office
contacts (listed below). All preproposals submission will be reviewed
by NICE \3\ project monitors at the Golden Field Office. The monitors
will provide comments to the submitter on the proposed project's
applicability to the NICE \3\ program. In addition, the reviewers will
provide feedback which the applicant can use to formulate and refine
their proposal.
The submission of a presolicitation description is not mandatory
for submitting an application under the FY 1997 solicitation. DOE
reviews and comments under the presolicitation process will not be used
by DOE in evaluating or awarding applications under the FY 1997
solicitation. The only purpose of the presolicitation process is to
assist potential applicants, who may need assistance, in refining their
application.
DATES: A brief description of the proposed project can be submitted to
the Golden Field Office on or before August 2, 1996. All summaries must
be submitted through a state agency.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Hass, at (303) 275-4728, or Doug
Hooker, at (303) 275-4780, at the U.S. Department of Energy Golden
Field Office, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401, for referral
to appropriate DOE Regional Support Office or State Agency and to
receive a copy of the format for the brief description. In addition,
the format for the brief description and a list of participating state
agencies can be located on the internet at WWW.nrel.gov/documents/
nice3. The Contract Specialist is James Damm, at (303) 275-4744, and
the Contracting Officer is Robert Brown, at (404) 347-2879.
Issued in Golden, Colorado, on May 9, 1996.
John Meeker,
Chief, Procurement.
[FR Doc. 96-12421 Filed 5-16-96; 8:45 am]
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