[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 139 (Tuesday, July 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39080-39081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19369]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Chicago Operations Office, Office of Transportation Technologies 
(OTT); Notice of Solicitation for Research and Development on 
Automotive Integrated Power Modules (AIPM)

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Solicitation Availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Transportation 
Technologies (OTT) plans to issue a financial assistance solicitation 
(FAS) for Research and Development on Automotive Integrated Power 
Modules (AIPM). This solicitation, which is due to be released on or 
about July 15, 1998, supports the Government/automotive industry 
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV).
    The Partnership is developing light-duty vehicles that achieve up 
to three times the fuel economy of comparable conventional vehicles, 
meet emission standards, and offer the same level of performance and 
cost as today's vehicles. Additional information on the Partnership can 
be obtained at the USCAR web site http://uscar.org. Hybrid electric 
propulsion, integrated power electronics, along with direct injection 
engines, fuel cells, and light-weight materials have been selected for 
development due to their potential for attaining the goal of 80-mpg 
fuel economy in a six-passenger sedan. The AIPM is a cross-cutting 
system development technology that supports DOE's automotive fuel cell 
and direct injection engine programs and their introduction into pre-
production automobiles. Applicants shall develop and demonstrate their 
AIPM innovation by using open architecture concepts that permit 
scalable low-cost manufacturing to meet automotive goals and 
requirements. Further, the Applicant shall participate with DOE and its 
automotive industry partners to demonstrate the system development 
capabilities of the proposed AIPM. DOE plans to do a vehicle system 
validation of this technology. Those prototypes that are successful may 
be used to develop automotive engineering solutions for operation under 
extreme conditions.
    The AIPM specification was coordinated with the Navy's Power 
Electronic Building Block (PEBB) program and the IEEE. Additional 
information can be found on the PEBB web site http://pebb.onr.navy.mil 
and the IEEE web site http://stdsbbs.ieee.org/groups/1461. System 
integration issues for the AIPM include delivery of complete scale 
modules incorporating the principles of design for manufacturing and 
means to update DOE existing cost analyses. Proposals are sought for 
light-duty transportation applications; however, a scale up to medium 
and heavy duty transportation application may also be considered.

DATES: The solicitation will be available on or about July 15, 1998, on 
the DOE Chicago Internet Home Page at http://www.ch.doe.gov/business/
ACQ.htm under the heading ``Current Acquisition Activities,'' 
Solicitation No. DE-SC02-09EE50525, with applications due on or about 
August 17, 1998. Any amendments to this solicitation will be posted on 
the Internet. Please note that users will not be alerted when the 
solicitation is issued on the Internet or when amendments are posted on 
the Internet. Prospective applicants are, therefore, advised to check 
the above Internet address on a daily basis. The cooperative agreements 
are anticipated to be awarded on or about January 1, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Completed applications referencing Solicitation Notice DE-
FC02-98EE50525 must be submitted to: U.S. Department of Energy, Chicago 
Operations Office, Attn: Earlette Robinson, Bldg. 201, Room 3E-10, 9800 
South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439-4899


[[Page 39081]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE's Office of Transportation Technologies 
anticipates that approximately two cooperative agreements will result 
from this solicitation. Periods of performance may range from 24 to 36 
months and total estimated DOE funding is $10,000,000 each. Cost 
sharing requirements will be at 50 percent of total estimated costs. 
Awards are subject to the availability of funds. The solicitation will 
not obligate DOE to make any award(s). Any non-profit or for-profit 
organization, university of other institution of higher education, or 
non-federal agency or entity is eligible to apply. Federal laboratory 
participation will be limited to Designated Scientific User Facilities. 
The solicitation will provide further guidance in this area. Awards 
resulting from this solicitation will be subject to the requirements of 
the Energy Policy Act which in general requires that the awardee be a 
United States-owned company (including certain non-profits) or that the 
foreign country in which the parent company is located meets certain 
conditions of reciprocity in the treatment of investments, access to 
research and development programs, and protection of intellectual 
property. All responsible sources, as indicated above, may submit an 
application which will be considered by the Government.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTRACT: Earlette Robinson at (630) 252-2667, 
U.S. Department of Energy, 9800 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439-
4899; by fax at (630) 252-5045; or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

    Issued in Chicago, Illinois on July 13, 1998.
John D. Greenwood,
Acquisition and Assistance Group Manager.
[FR Doc. 98-19369 Filed 7-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P