[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44104-44105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17672]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Notice of Intent To Issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement; 
Technical Assistance

AGENCY: Federal Energy Management Program, Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of intent to issue a funding opportunity announcement.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue Funding 
Opportunity Announcement (FOA) DE-FOA-0000898, tentatively entitled 
``Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies'' 
(AFFECT), subject to available funding. The U.S. Department of Energy 
(DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is anticipating the 
availability of grant funding to assist Federal agencies in 
implementing combined heat and power (CHP) and renewable energy 
measures in Federal facilities. This notice also is to inform Federal 
agencies of the availability of technical assistance in advance of the 
FOA with the planning of CHP and renewable measures.

ADDRESSES: Interested agencies can check the DOE Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy Funding Opportunity Exchange (EERE 
Exchange) Web site, located at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov for the 
posting of the FOA. Upon release of a FOA, applications only will be 
accepted through the EERE Exchange Web site. Prospective applicants 
also may receive official notifications and information regarding the 
FOA on the EERE Exchange Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For requests for technical assistance 
regarding CHP, please contact David Boomsma, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Federal Energy 
Management Program (EE-2L), 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, 
DC 20585; 202-586-7086; [email protected]. For requests for 
technical assistance regarding renewable energy measures, please 
contact Boyan Kovacic, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Federal Energy Management Program (EE-
2L), 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585; 202-586-4272; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMP works with key individuals to 
accomplish energy change within organizations by bringing expertise 
from all levels of project and policy implementation to enable Federal 
agencies to meet energy-related goals and to provide energy leadership 
to the country. The Federal Government, as the nation's largest energy 
consumer, has a tremendous opportunity and clear responsibility to lead 
by example. FEMP is central to this responsibility, guiding agencies to 
use funding more effectively in meeting Federal and agency-specific 
energy management objectives.
    Section 152(f) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, Public Law 102-
486, authorizes the Secretary of Energy to establish a Federal Energy 
Efficiency Fund with the stated purpose of providing grants to Federal 
agencies to assist them in meeting the energy management requirements 
of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8256(b)). 
FEMP anticipates that the FOA will announce the availability of funding 
from the Federal Energy Efficiency Fund, which likely will be limited 
to proposed CHP and renewable energy projects that meet the energy 
management requirements of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act, 
as amended (42 U.S.C. 8253). FEMP further anticipates that applications 
would include, at a minimum, a preliminary analysis and anticipated 
implementation process for a technically and economically viable 
capital project or set of projects. Project goals should include the 
completion of CHP or renewable energy projects at Federal facilities.
    In conjunction with AFFECT funds under the FOA, a Federal agency 
would be expected to demonstrate that it could significantly leverage 
FOA grant funds using appropriated funds or alternative project 
financing mechanisms such as energy savings performance contracts, 
utility energy service contracts, or power purchase agreements. A 
Federal agency also would need to demonstrate that the proposed project 
would lend itself to follow-on replication efforts at additional 
Federal facilities.
    The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to encourage prospective 
applicants to begin formulating ideas, gathering data, and developing 
opportunities to leverage funds in anticipation of the issuance of the 
FOA.
    Additionally, FEMP assists Federal agencies in planning and 
implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. 
Assistance provided by FEMP includes assistance to Federal agencies 
interested in identifying and analyzing CHP and/or renewable energy 
opportunities and technologies in advance of the FOA. This technical 
assistance may include pre-screenings and/or screenings of potential 
technologies and sites, or possibly other forms of assistance. For more 
information on the assistance FEMP can provide, please contact the FEMP 
staff identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. 
Interested Federal agencies also can visit http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/technologies/renewable_assistance.html (although this Web site 
specifically covers renewable energy, similar services are available 
for CHP).
    All Federal agencies are encouraged to take advantage of the 
technical assistance offered by FEMP. Participation in technical 
assistance offered by FEMP does not guarantee that an applicant for the 
AFFECT grant program would be selected, and not utilizing FEMP 
technical assistance would not preclude an applicant from applying or 
being selected for AFFECT grant funding. FEMP technical assistance 
related to the objectives of the AFFECT FOA will only be available to 
Federal agencies up until the release of the FOA, which is tentatively 
scheduled

[[Page 44105]]

for release in the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2014.
    This Notice of Intent is issued solely to advise interested Federal 
agencies that DOE intends to issue a FOA and is for information and FOA 
planning purposes only; it does not constitute a formal solicitation 
for proposals or abstracts. No response to this Notice of Intent is 
expected, and any responses will be treated as informational only. In 
accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR 15.201(e)), 
responses to this Notice of Intent are not offers and cannot be 
accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. DOE will not 
provide reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to this Notice 
of Intent.
    DOE reserves the right to change the requirements of any proposed 
FOA, issue a FOA as described herein, issue a FOA involving only a 
portion of the elements listed, or not issue a FOA at all. Any 
information contained in this Notice of Intent also may be subject to 
change.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 17, 2013.
Timothy Unruh,
Director, Federal Energy Management Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-17672 Filed 7-22-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P