[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77607-77608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31596]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

National Energy Technology Laboratory


Notice of Availability of a Financial Assistance Solicitation

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Energy Technology 
Laboratory (NETL).

ACTION: Notice Inviting Financial Assistance Applications.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy announces that it intends to conduct 
a competitive Program Solicitation, DE-PS26-01NT41092, and award 
financial assistance (Cooperative Agreements) for the program entitled 
``Energy Efficient Building Equipment and Envelop Technologies, Round 
III.'' Through this solicitation, the DOE/NETL seeks applications on 
behalf of the Office of Building Technology, State and Community 
Programs in DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 
(EERE) for innovative technologies that have the potential for 
significant energy savings in residential and commercial buildings. DOE 
is seeking to support projects that are advancing energy efficient 
equipment, envelope and whole building technologies. Specifically, the 
objective of the solicitation is to accelerate high-payoff technologies 
that, because of their risk, are unlikely to be developed in a timely 
manner without a partnership between industry and the Federal 
government.

DATES: The Program Solicitation will be available on the NETL Web site 
on or about December 15, 2000. Prospective offerors who would like to 
be notified as soon as the solicitation is available should register at 
http://www.netl.doe.gov/business/index.html. Provide your e-mail 
address and click on the heading ``Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy.'' Once you subscribe, you will receive an announcement by e-
mail that the solicitation has been released to the public.

ADDRESSES: The Program Solicitation, along with all amendments, will be 
available on the DOE/NETL's Internet address at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business/solicit. Applicants are therefore encouraged 
to periodically check this NETL address to ascertain the status of 
these documents. Applications must be prepared and submitted in 
accordance with the instructions and forms contained in the Program 
Solicitation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John R. Columbia, MS: 921-107, U.S. 
Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 626 
Cochrans Mill Road, P.O. Box 10940, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940, E-mail 
Address: [email protected], Telephone Number: (412) 386-6144.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE/NETL intends to select a group of 
projects programmatically balanced with respect to : (1) Technology 
category (equipment end uses, envelopes and whole buildings); (2) 
building type (residential and/or commercial); and (3) time of 
commercialization (short-term or long-term market potential of the 
technology). The solicitation will cover research and development on 
materials, components and systems applicable to both residential and 
commercial buildings. The solicitation will not support demonstration 
projects to deploy the technology on a large scale but will support 
proof of concept projects. The research and development areas of 
interest are as follows: Building Equipment--energy conversion and 
control equipment supplying lighting, space conditioning (heating, 
cooling, dehumidification and ventilation), water heating, 
refrigeration, and appliance services to building occupants and 
commercial operations; Building Envelope--materials, components and 
systems for windows, walls, roofs, foundations and other elements which 
comprise building exteriors and provide thermal integrity and 
daylighting; and Whole Building Technologies--the integration of 
components and systems which govern overall energy use and indoor 
environmental quality in a building.
    The solicitation covers research in four technology maturation 
stages. Technology Maturation Stage 2 involves applied research; 
Technology Maturation Stage 3 involves exploratory development (non-
specific applications and bench-scale testing); Technology Maturation 
Stage 4 involves advanced development (specific applications and bench-
scale testing); and Maturation Stage 5 involves engineering development 
(pilot-scale and/or field testing). For projects spanning more than one 
maturation stage, continuation decision points will be inserted at the 
completion of each stage. Multiple awards are expected regardless of 
the technology maturation stage(s) proposed.
    It is DOE's desire to encourage the widest participation, including 
the involvement of small business concerns and small disadvantaged 
business concerns. In order to gain the necessary expertise to review 
applications, non-Federal personnel may be used as evaluators or 
advisors in the evaluation

[[Page 77608]]

of applications, but will not serve as members of the technical 
evaluation team. This particular program is covered by Section 3001 and 
3002 of the Energy Policy Act (EPAct), 42 U.S.C. 13542 for financial 
assistance awards. EPAct 3002 requires a cost share commitment of at 
least 20 percent from non-Federal sources for research and development 
projects. Not all of the necessary funds are currently available for 
this solicitation; the Government's obligation under any cooperative 
agreement awarded is contingent upon the availability of appropriated 
FY2002 and FY2003 funds.

    Issued in Pittsburgh, PA on November 30, 2000.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Deputy Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 00-31596 Filed 12-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P