Technical Assistance for the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program

Selected manufacturers will have the opportunity to receive a variety of types of technical assistance, such as:

• Assistance with ensuring technical and economic and commercial viability of the project​, conducting market analysis, and providing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threat (SWOT) analyses.
• Front-end engineering design, supply chain analysis, operations and maintenance needs assessments, etc.
• Facilitating opportunities for evaluating possible energy or water savings.​
• Help with regulatory support, procurement support, and/or budgeting and financing support.
• Developing plans for stakeholder identification and engagement or working with workforce development organizations.
• Assistance with preparing information on the anticipated impact of the project's job creation and investment goals, economic development opportunities, benefits to the host community and region, etc.
• Assistance with cross-referencing application materials with funding opportunity announcement requirements to ensure project meets program goals.

Timeline

• Application release: April 10, 2023
• Application deadline: May 26, 2023
• Expected selection notifications: June 2023
• Expected technical assistance start: July 2023

Selection Process

Technical assistance awardees are selected on a competitive basis. Applications that meet the eligibility criteria are assessed using standardized selection criteria. The eligibility criteria and selection criteria are detailed in the following sections.

Up to 15 awards will be made through this technical assistance program.

You are encouraged to apply to technical assistance program if you are a small- or-medium-sized manufacturing firm as defined by BIL Section 40209 and meet the following criteria:

• Principal business of the applicant falls within the North American Industry Classification System codes 31–33
• Project located in a census tract where coal mines have closed since Dec. 31, 1999, or coal-fired power plant units have closed since Dec. 31, 2009, or in immediately adjacent census tracts
  • Review the census tracts map to see if your project is in a covered area
• Less than $100 million in gross annual sales
• Fewer than 500 employees at the plant site of the manufacturing firm
  • If the prime recipient has more than one plant site, each plant site has fewer than 500 employees
• Annual energy bills of more than $100,000 but less than $2,500,000.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications for the BIL 40209 Readiness Technical Assistance Program must meet the basic eligibility criteria above to be evaluated and considered for technical assistance.

Project Type

Readiness technical assistance is limited to projects in the types of advanced energy properties listed below:

• Property designed to be used to produce energy from the sun, water, wind, geothermal deposits (within the meaning of 26 U.S.C. § 613 (e)(2)), or other renewable resources
• Fuel cells, microturbines, or energy storage systems and components
• Electric grid modernization equipment or components
• Property designed to capture, transport, remove, use, or sequester carbon oxide emissions
• Equipment designed to refine, electrolyze, or blend any fuel, chemical, or product that is renewable or low-carbon and low-emission
• Property designed to produce energy conservation technologies (including for residential, commercial, and industrial applications)
• Light-, medium-, or heavy-duty electric or fuel cell vehicles, as well as technologies, components, or materials for such and associated charging or refueling infrastructure
• Hybrid vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of not less than 14,000 pounds as well as technologies, components, or materials for such vehicles
• Other advanced energy property designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as may determined by the secretary.

Eligible Project Location

Projects must be located in one of the following locations to be eligible:

• A census tract in which a coal mine closed after Dec. 31, 1999
• A census tract in which coal-fired power plant units have closed since Dec. 31, 2009
• A census tract immediately adjacent to one of the census tracts listed above.

For assistance in identifying eligible project locations, the U.S. Department of Energy developed a map that shows relevant coal mine and coal-fired power plant units that have closed, as well as immediately adjacent census tracts.

Applicants that meet the basic eligibility requirements must provide clear descriptions in the project description of the application. The review committee will evaluate eligible applications using the criteria and questions described below.

The following section provides applicants with suggested content they should include when developing their applications. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the information below when filling out their application.

• Provide a technical description of your project or project idea
• Describe how your project development and plan will impact the community
• Provide information on the proposed budget for your manufacturing project or project idea that requires technical assistance support
• Describe any anticipated policy, technology, permitting, or regulatory barriers to project success
• Describe your firm and proposed project team, including relevant past work, as well as any proposed or intended partners, and any information that may help reviewers assess team readiness for project feasibility and future project success.

Evaluation Criteria

Reviewers will independently review applications using the evaluation criteria and subcriteria outlined below.

Criterion 1: Project Concept and Feasibility (25%)

• The Project or Project Idea is clearly articulated and in line with BIL Section 40209.
• The Applicant clearly demonstrates that the Project or Project Idea has been thoroughly planned and developed.
• The Project or Project Idea has undergone enough research and design to demonstrate commercial readiness.
• The Applicant presents a clear understanding of potential economic, policy, regulatory, or technology risks that would present significant barriers to completing the project as described.
• The Application adequately provides market analysis, business planning, and budget analysis that shows the Project or Project Idea can be financially feasible and sustainable.

Criterion 2: Demonstration of Need (20%)

• The Applicant has sufficiently identified why they are requesting technical assistance and potential barriers to implement the Project or Project Idea without assistance.
• The Applicant has demonstrated an ability to develop the Project or Project Idea on their own, which can be strengthened through technical assistance.

Criterion 3: Demonstration of Technological Impact (20%)

• The Project or Project Idea meets the definition of an "Advanced Energy Property Project" in that the types of energy property produced or recycled are either directly identified in BIL 40209 or are otherwise designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The Project or Project Idea is to build, re-equip, or expand a manufacturing or recycling facility for the production or recycling, as applicable, of advanced energy property; and
  • The types of advanced energy property are identified in BIL Section 40209 and any associated program funding opportunity announcements.
• The Project or Project Idea bolsters a high-priority supply chain needed to create an emissions-free power sector by 2035 and achieve net-zero emissions economywide by no later than 2050.
• The Project or Project Idea provides a technological approach for which the resulting impact will be beneficial to the clean energy manufacturing industry.

Criterion 4: Community Engagement and Project Impact (15%)

• The Project or Project Idea will result in measurable impact in the community— such as through direct/indirect job creation, opportunities for disadvantaged populations or displaced workers to participate in the workforce, direct investment in the community, etc.
• The Application identifies the potential for specific and high-quality community benefits to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; the Justice40 Initiative; Community and Labor Engagement initiative; and the Investing in the American Workforce initiative (as applicable) within the coal impacted community.
• The Applicant has identified partners that would enhance the project and the manufacturers' place in the community.
• The Applicant provides verification of commitment and support from relevant decision makers or community leaders.

Criterion 5: Applicant and Project Readiness (20%)

• The Applicant demonstrates a sufficient level of planning and task-readiness to indicate technical assistance would provide gap-closing services.
• The Applicant's team members demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to ensure success.

Other Selection Factors

In making selections for technical assistance, DOE may take into consideration the program policy factors identified in the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program Funding Opportunity Announcement number DE-FOA-0002907.