About this archived opportunity

Amendment 000001 - Remove the references to Letter of Intent. A Letter of Intent is not required for this FOA.Amendment 000002 - Update Section I.D. Applications Specifically Not of Interest. "Applications that are not led by a State, municipal entity, transit authority, or non-profit (See Section III.A)" are specifically not of interest.Amendment 000003 - Extend the Concept Paper Submission Deadline from June 19, 2024 at 5:00PM ET to June 20, 2024 at 5:00PM ET in observance of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Federal Holiday.Amendment 000004 - Extend the following deadlines: Submission Deadline for Full Applications, Expected Submission Deadline for Replies to Reviewer Comments, Expected Date for EERE Selection Notifications, and Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations. Section II.A.i. Update Anticipated Period of Performance for Topic Areas 1 and 2 (Phase 1). Section IV.D.xvi.NOTE: in response to recent SAM.gov registration questions, see the clarification at the bottom of this description.DE-FOA-0003072: WASTE: Waste Analysis and Strategies for Transportation End-uses The research and development (R&D) activities to be funded under this FOA will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation that can lead to the deployment of clean energy technologies, which are critical for climate protection. Specifically, this FOA will aid communities with resource and energy recovery strategies associated with their organic waste streams. Organic waste streams represent major sources of fugitive methane emissions, volatile organic compounds, and other pollutants. The White House set a goal of reducing methane emissions by 30% by 2030. By developing strategies that can prevent the landfilling of these wastes, one of the major sources of fugitive methane can be mitigated. Holistic waste management strategies can also benefit communities by reducing other impacts associated with waste collection and processing infrastructure including reducing truck traffic, odors, litter, and other air, water, and health impacts. Topic Area 1 is focused specifically on helping communities beyond a conceptualization phase by supporting more in-depth feasibility or scoping analysis. Oftentimes, staff and organizational capacity in communities (particularly in rural, remote, Tribal, or smaller communities) is limited. While technical assistance programs can accomplish some of these objectives, direct financial assistance can close this capacity gap. Topic Area 2 is targeted towards communities that have previously completed feasibility analysis and are seeking funding to further refine their project concept. Municipal and non-profit staff capacity and availability of funding often makes detailed design work out of reach for many communities and this topic aims to close that gap. Projects selected under Topic Area 2 will have an opportunity to construct and operate their designed pilot facility based on the down-select process described in the FOA. Questions regarding the FOA must be submitted to FY24WASTEFOA@ee.doe.gov. Note: DE-FOA-0003072 is a competitive solicitation and private discussions, while the announcement is open, are prohibited. All questions regarding this FOA must be submitted via email to FY24WASTEFOA@ee.doe.gov no later than three business days prior to the application due date. All questions and answers related to this FOA will be posted in EERE eXCHANGE under DOCUMENTS for DE-FOA-0003072. The eXCHANGE system is currently designed to enforce hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applicants. Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline: In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk and/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues. Applicants that experience issues with submissions that result in a late submission: In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission that results in a late submission, the Applicant should contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance (exchangehelp@hq.doe.gov). The eXCHANGE helpdesk and/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (eXCHANGE@ee.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues (including finalizing the submission on behalf of, and with the Applicant's concurrence). DOE will only accept late applications when the Applicant has a) encountered technical difficulties beyond their control; b) has contacted the eXCHANGE helpdesk for assistance; and c) has submitted the application through eXCHANGE within 24 hours of the FOA's posted deadline. Please see the full FOA in the DOCUMENTS section below.Clarification about SAM.gov requirements: The prime applicant may submit a concept paper prior to completion of the SAM.gov registration. This FOA does not require a UEI number to be included with the concept paper and may require a UEI registration at the time of full application submission. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the SAM registration prior to submitting a full application. If selected for an award, as stated in Section IV.G. of the FOA "DOE may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DOE is ready to make a federal award, DOE will determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant."