[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7676-7677]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4046]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Number DE-PS36-02GO92005]


Million Solar Roofs Initiative Small Grant Program For State And 
Local Partnerships

AGENCY: Golden Field Office, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of issuance of solicitation for financial assistance 
applications.

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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 from State and Local Partnerships under the 
Million Solar Roofs (MSR) Program. DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy will consider proposals from interested State and 
Local Partnerships to help fund their MSR program development and 
implementation activities. Applications from State Partnerships are 
encouraged to apply under the MSR Small Grant Program for State 
Partnerships. For information on the MSR Small Grant Program for State 
Partnerships, refer to the State Energy Programs Solicitation for 
Fiscal Year 2002 Special Projects at http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/
state__energy/corner__cafe/special__projects.html. The MSR Small Grant 
Program for State Partnerships is Section 6.57 of the downloadable PDF 
Special Projects Solicitation.

DATES: The solicitation will be issued mid February 2002.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the solicitation will be accessible through the 
Golden Field Office Home Page at http://www.golden.doe.gov/businessopportunities.html under ``Solicitations.'' The Golden Home 
Page will provide direct access to the solicitation and provide 
instructions on using the DOE Industry Interactive Procurement System 
(IIPS) web site. The solicitation can also be obtained directly through 
IIPS at http://e-center.doe.gov/ by browsing opportunities by Program 
Office for those solicitations issued by the Golden Field Office. DOE 
will not issue hard copies of the solicitation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James McDermott, Contract Specialist, 
at 303-275-4732 or electronically at [email protected]. Responses 
to questions will be made by Amendment to the Solicitation and posted 
on the DOE IIPS website.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy's MSR Initiative is 
an initiative to support State and Local Partnerships who agree to 
install solar energy systems on one million buildings in the United 
States (U.S.) by 2010. This effort includes two types of solar energy 
technology: (1) solar electric (photovoltaic) systems that produce 
electricity from sunlight, and (2) solar thermal systems panels that 
produce heat for domestic hot water, for space heating or for heating 
swimming pools. The Partnerships bring together business, government 
and community organizations at the regional level with a commitment to 
install a pre-determined number (at least 500) of solar energy systems.
    There were fifty-seven such existing partnerships under the MSR 
Initiative, as of October 1, 2001. They received their MSR Partnership 
designation by writing a letter of commitment to DOE with their goal 
for actual installations by 2010. In return, DOE provides access to: 
training and technical assistance from DOE; recognition, outreach 
tools, support; and opportunities to interface with other partnerships, 
solar energy

[[Page 7677]]

businesses, associations and related industries that can provide 
assistance (via national and regional Million Solar Roofs meetings). 
New MSR Partnerships can declare their intent to join the Initiative by 
including such a letter with their application for this solicitation. A 
complete description of partnerships and their representative 
activities can be found on the MSR website at http://www.MillionSolarRoofs.org.
    Applications under the solicitation must further the work of State 
and Local Partnerships, including partners in the building industry, 
state and local governments, utilities, the solar energy industry, 
financial institutions and non-governmental organizations, to remove 
market barriers to solar energy use and to develop and strengthen local 
demand for solar energy products and applications. There are two types 
of grants available: Phase 1--New Partnership grants, and Phase 2--
Meeting the Commitment grants. Only one application may be submitted 
per partnership in one or the other of the categories, but not both. 
Partnerships that have been awarded prior MSR partnership grants in the 
past may not apply for a Phase 1--New Partnership grant. Newly formed 
or existing partnerships that have not received prior MSR grants may 
apply for a Phase 1--New Partnership grant. Any partnership with the 
prerequisites may apply for a Phase 2--Meeting the Commitment grant.
    The project or activity must be conducted in a designated MSR State 
and Local Partnership area. There is no cost sharing requirement for 
these grants, although cost sharing will be one of the criteria 
considered. Subject to the availability of funds, multiple awards for a 
total of $1,000,000 (DOE funding) in Fiscal Year 2002 are anticipated 
as a result of this Solicitation. The selected applicants will receive 
financial assistance under a grant. DOE will fund up to $50,000 per 
project. DOE anticipates funding approximately 20 to 30 grants in the 
amount of $10,000 to $50,000 each.
    Solicitation number DE-PS36-02GO92005 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 applications 
for funding. No pre-application conference is planned. Issuance of the 
solicitation is planned for mid February 2002, with applications due 45 
days after the solicitation has been issued.

    Issued in Golden, Colorado, on February 11, 2002.
Jerry L. Zimmer,
Director, Office of Acquisition and Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 02-4046 Filed 2-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P