[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 186 (Friday, September 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 51343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25689]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Golden Field Office; Notice of Solicitation for Financial 
Assistance Applications; Southeast Regional Biomass Energy Program 
Management Project

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation for financial assistance applications 
number DE-PS36-98GO10359.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the DOE 
Financial Assistance Rules, 10 CFR 600.8, is announcing its intention 
to solicit applications for the Southeastern Regional Biomass Energy 
Program (SERBEP) Management Project. The selected applicant will 
receive financial assistance to manage SERBEP under a cooperative 
agreement with DOE.

DATES: The solicitation will be issued on or about October 13, 1998.

AVAILABILITY: To obtain a copy of the Solicitation once it is issued, 
submit a written request to the U.S. Department of Energy, Golden Field 
Office, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO 80401, Attention: Mr. Matt 
Barron, Contract Specialist. For convenience, requests for the 
Solicitation may be sent via facsimile to Matt Barron at (303) 275-4788 
or by E-mail to [email protected]. Prospective applicants are 
encouraged to obtain the solicitation electronically through the Golden 
Field Office Home Page at http://www.eren.doe.gov/golden/solicit.htm. 
Only written requests for the solicitation will be considered.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The major goals of the DOE SERBEP are: to 
promote biomass energy by creating awareness, a positive image, and 
confidence in biomass energy technologies within the region; to develop 
a climate supportive of biomass energy among the general public and 
relevant government agencies; to assist both the public and private 
sectors in the responsible development, commercialization, and 
utilization of biomass energy technologies so that the region achieves 
full realization of associated energy, economic, and environmental 
benefits; and to select and perform activities that provide for 
responsible development of biomass energy within the region. The 
Southeastern Region includes the following states/areas: Alabama, 
Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, 
Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, 
Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
    Applications must address each of the following activities in order 
to be considered for award. The activities are (1) management and 
planning, (2) information and outreach, and (3) project oversight and 
evaluation.
    1. Management and Planning includes a plan for the overall 
management of the project at the state level, including coordination 
with the DOE Atlanta Regional Support Office (ARSO) and SERBEP ad hoc 
steering committees. The responsibility also includes development of 
resource plans and the provision of technical input to DOE for 
development of annual operating plans for the SERBEP.
    The SERBEP Annual Operating Plan (AOP) is a document which will be 
prepared each year by the ARSO, with appropriate committee input, which 
provides guidance and direction to the program for the following Fiscal 
Year.
    The FY'98 AOP is available for interested parties. It is 
anticipated that the FY'99 AOP will not vary significantly from the 
current AOP and that it will be completed by September 1998--prior to 
the award resulting from this solicitation. It will be the 
responsibility of the recipient to guide the Program in meeting AOP 
objectives, recommend and implement changes to the AOP as necessary, 
and assist the ARSO in the preparation and completion of future AOP's.
    2. Information and Outreach includes responding to inquiries about 
the program from interested parties, developing biotech briefs, 
collecting and contributing articles to support dialogue, and preparing 
regional biomass energy program reports. The recipient also will 
coordinate and publish a regional newsletter at least quarterly and 
will establish and maintain a SERBEP Internet site which provides 
relevant biomass program information and project summaries.
    3. Project Oversight and Evaluation includes the award and 
administration of subgrants to organizations in the region. The 
recipient will solicit applications for projects in support of program 
objectives through a competitive solicitation. The ARSO will establish 
a review panel consisting of DOE and/or DOE laboratory staff, state 
officials, university staff, and other experts as needed. Documentation 
of the evaluation process and final recommendations will be collected 
and presented to the ARSO Project Officer for approval prior to 
execution of subawards.
    Administration of the individual subgrants, including financial 
commitments, performance tracking, and the provision of periodic 
reports to DOE, will be the responsibility of the recipient with 
appropriate oversight from the ARSO.
    In response to this solicitation, DOE expects to make a single 
award. Solicitation number DE-PS36-98GO10359 will include complete 
information on the program including technical aspects, funding, 
application preparation instructions, application evaluation criteria, 
and other factors that will be considered when selecting projects for 
funding. No pre-application conference is planned. Issuance of the 
solicitation is planned on or about October 13, 1998, with responses 
due on November 10, 1998.
Notice of Solicitation for Financial Assistance Applications
SOUTHEAST REGIONAL BIOMASS ENERGY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PROJECT
    Issued in Golden, Colorado, on September 17, 1998.
John W. Meeker,
Chief, Procurement, GO.
[FR Doc. 98-25689 Filed 9-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P