[Federal Register: March 15, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 50)]
[Notices]
[Page 12149]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15mr04-55]
[[Page 12149]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Inventions and Innovation Funding Opportunity Announcement
AGENCY: Golden Field Office, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of Issuance of Inventions and Innovation (I&I) funding
opportunity announcement.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is announcing its intention to
fund a competitive grant program entitled the Inventions and Innovation
(I&I) Program. The goals of the I&I Program are to improve energy
efficiency through the promotion of innovative ideas and inventions
that have a significant, potential energy impact and a potential,
future commercial market. Innovative technologies that fit within the
scope of the EERE mission and programs are of particular interest to
I&I. EERE offices include: (1) Biomass Program; (2) Building
Technologies Program; (3) Distributed Energy & Electric Reliability
Program; (4) FreedomCAR & Vehicle Technologies Program; (5) Geothermal
Technologies Program; (6) Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, & Infrastructure
Technologies Program; (7) Industrial Technologies Program; (8) Solar
Energy Technology Program; (9) Weatherization & Intergovernmental
Program; and (10) Wind & Hydropower Technologies Program.
DOE will provide financial assistance of up to $50,000 for Category
1 projects, up to $250,000 for Category 2 projects, and up to $500,000
for up to one Category 3 project. Category 1, 2, and 3 projects fall
within the ``conceptual,'' ``developmental,'' and ``demonstration''
stages of development, respectively. Grant awards cover a project
period of up to one year for Category 1, two years for Category 2, and
three years for Category 3.
Up to $1.6 million dollars in funding is available for Fiscal Year
2004. DOE reserves the right to fund in whole or in part any, all, or
none of the proposals submitted in response to this notice.
DATES: The Funding Opportunity Announcement is expected to be issued on
or about March 5, 2004. The pre-application period is expected to open
on or about March 5, 2004 and close on or about March 25, 2004. The
full application period is expected to open on or about May 25, 2004
and close on or about June 21, 2004.
ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the Announcement, interested parties
should access the DOE Golden Field Office Home Page at http://www.go.doe.gov/funding.html
, click on the word ``access.'' The link
will open the Industry Interactive Procurement System (IIPS) Web site
and provide instructions on using IIPS. The Announcement can also be
obtained directly through IIPS at http://e-center.doe.gov by browsing
opportunities by Contract Activity, for those Announcements issued by
the Golden Field Office. DOE will not issue paper copies of the
Announcement.
IIPS provides the medium for disseminating Announcements, receiving
financial assistance applications, and evaluating the applications in a
paperless environment. The application may be submitted in IIPS by the
applicant or a designated representative that receives authorization
from the applicant; however, the application documentation must reflect
the name and title of the representative authorized to enter the
applicant into a legally binding contract or agreement. The applicant
or the designated representative must first register in IIPS, entering
their first name and last name, and then entering the company name/
address of the applicant. For questions regarding the operation of
IIPS, contact the IIPS Help Desk at IIPS_HelpDesk@e-center.doe.gov or
at (800) 683-0751.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Melissa Wise, DOE Golden Field Office,
1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO 80401-3393 or via facsimile to Melissa
Wise at (303) 275-4788 or electronically to goii@go.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Eligibility for this assistance is
restricted to applications from the following: (1) Individuals that are
either native-born or naturalized U.S. citizens or (2) small businesses
(as defined by the Small Business Administration) that are incorporated
and operating in the U.S. and that conduct at least 50% of the effort.
National Laboratories are not eligible to submit applications for grant
funding but may perform part of the work on a Category 3 project only.
National Laboratories may not perform more than 49% of the work and
payment to the labs must come from the applicants' portion of cost
share, not from federal funds.
Individual inventors and very small businesses (15 or fewer
employees) are especially encouraged to apply for funding.
To be considered for a Category 2 award, a bench-scale model and/or
other preliminary investigations must be complete. Only Category 1 and
2 projects that conclude in a technological stage of development that
meets the requirements of a Category 3, ``Production-Scale Commercial
Demonstration'' project will be considered. The goal of the Category 3
grant is the completion of a full production-scale commercial
demonstration of a completed Category 1 or 2 I&I project within the
United States. To be eligible for this grant, it must be a prior
Category 1 or 2 award recipient and all research and development
activities must already be completed with successful test results. DOE
anticipates the Category 3 award may cover a project period of up to
three years. The demonstration must be conducted long enough to gather
sufficient data to determine the energy and economic impacts. At the
end of the project, the technology or process must be demonstrated and
ready for commercialization.
More than one application may be submitted by an applicant for
different innovations. However, funding will be limited to one award
per applicant, per cycle. Also more than one organization may be
involved in an application as long as the lead organization and lead
financial assistance management responsibilities are defined. The
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number assigned to the I&I
Program is 81.036. Cost sharing by applicants and/or cooperating
participants is not required for Category 1 or 2 awards but is highly
encouraged. Category 3 projects carry a 50% cost share requirement. In
addition to direct financial contributions, cost sharing can include
beneficial services or items such as manpower, equipment, consultants,
and computer time that are allowable in accordance with applicable cost
principles.
Issued in Golden, Colorado, on March 5, 2004.
Jerry L. Zimmer,
Director, Office of Acquisition and Financial Assistance.
[FR Doc. 04-5752 Filed 3-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P