Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002977
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its Office of Indian Energy and the Golden Field Office, issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) under number DE-FOA-0002977 to signal that it planned to release a related Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DE-FOA-0002978, titled "Transitioning Tribal Colleges and Universities to Clean Energy - 2023." This notice is essentially an early heads-up for interested parties, not an application solicitation. DOE emphasized that the details in the NOI could change, that the agency would not answer questions about the NOI itself, and that a formal Q&A process would only be available after the FOA is officially released. The NOI also makes clear that DOE could ultimately issue a different FOA than described, or potentially not issue the FOA at all.
The planned FOA is intended specifically for Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and would support efforts to move TCUs toward clean energy through two funding tracks, described as Areas of Interest. Area of Interest 1 focuses on clean energy project planning, which generally means early-stage work needed to define, assess, and prepare a viable project (for example, planning activities that position a project to be built or implemented later). Area of Interest 2 focuses on clean energy technology deployment, meaning the actual installation or implementation of clean energy technologies. While the NOI does not list specific technologies or required project types, the overall purpose is to help TCUs take concrete steps toward clean energy through either planning work or real-world deployment.
Eligibility is tied to federal definitions of Tribal Colleges and Universities. For this planned FOA, TCUs are those institutions of higher education that are formally controlled by, formally sanctioned by, or chartered by the governing body of an Indian tribe or tribes, with the limitation that no more than one such institution is recognized per tribe. The notice points to the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978 and the Higher Education Act of 1965 as the key authorities, and it explicitly includes institutions referenced in the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 as well as Diné College as authorized under the Navajo Community College Assistance Act. In other words, the opportunity is meant to reach the set of institutions that qualify under these established federal TCU frameworks.
DOE indicated it expected to make multiple awards as financial assistance grants. The anticipated period of performance for each award is roughly two to four years. For Area of Interest 2 (deployment), the NOI also notes a mandatory 12-month verification period, which suggests that awardees would need to document and confirm performance or outcomes after installation, beyond just completing construction or procurement. The planned funding ranges depend on which Area of Interest an applicant pursues: planning awards were expected to be in the range of $100,000 to $250,000, while deployment awards were expected to be much larger, in the range of $1,000,000 to $3,000,000. The NOI’s source data also associates the opportunity with CFDA number 81.087 and categorizes it under the energy funding activity area.
In terms of timing and process, DOE stated it planned to issue the FOA in spring 2023. The notice included a date shown as an "OriginalClosingDate" of 2023-03-16, but since this document is an NOI and not the FOA itself, that date should be understood as part of the listing metadata rather than an application deadline for this notice. Most importantly, DOE stressed that applications would not be accepted through the NOI. Once the FOA is released, applications would be submitted only through DOE’s IE-Exchange portal (https://ie-exchange.energy.gov), not by email or other submission methods. Applicants wanting updates were directed to subscribe to the Office of Indian Energy email newsletter via https://energy.gov/indianenergy, and prospective applicants were advised to review the attached NOI details for required registrations that typically must be completed before applying through DOE systems.Apply for DE FOA 0002977
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent to issue Funding Opportunity Announcement No. DE-FOA-0002978 entitled Tribal College and University (TC&U) - 2023" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-02-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-03-16. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this Notice of Intent (NOI) and what does it mean for applicants?
This document is a Notice of Intent (NOI) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under number DE-FOA-0002977. It is an early notice meant to signal that DOE planned to release a related Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), DE-FOA-0002978, titled "Transitioning Tribal Colleges and Universities to Clean Energy - 2023." An NOI is not the official funding announcement and is not an application solicitation.
2) Can I apply or submit materials in response to the NOI?
No. DOE stated that applications would not be accepted through the NOI. The NOI is an informational heads-up only, and it is not a mechanism for submitting proposals, concept papers, or applications.
3) Will DOE answer questions about the NOI?
No. DOE emphasized that it would not answer questions about the NOI itself. A formal question-and-answer process would only be available after the FOA is officially released.
4) Is DOE guaranteed to issue the FOA described in the NOI?
No. DOE indicated that details in the NOI could change, that DOE could ultimately issue a different FOA than the one described, or that DOE might not issue the FOA at all.
5) What is the planned FOA number and title?
The planned FOA referenced by the NOI is DE-FOA-0002978, titled "Transitioning Tribal Colleges and Universities to Clean Energy - 2023."
6) Who is the intended applicant pool for the planned FOA?
The planned FOA is intended specifically for Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as defined by federal authorities referenced in the NOI.
7) How does the NOI define an eligible Tribal College or University (TCU)?
Eligibility is tied to federal definitions of TCUs. The NOI describes TCUs as institutions of higher education that are formally controlled by, formally sanctioned by, or chartered by the governing body of an Indian tribe or tribes, with a limitation that no more than one such institution is recognized per tribe.
8) What federal laws or authorities are referenced for TCU eligibility?
The NOI points to the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978 and the Higher Education Act of 1965 as key authorities. It also explicitly includes institutions referenced in the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 and includes Dine College as authorized under the Navajo Community College Assistance Act.
9) What is the overall purpose of the planned FOA?
The planned FOA is intended to support efforts to move Tribal Colleges and Universities toward clean energy, either through early-stage project planning or through actual deployment (installation/implementation) of clean energy technologies.
10) What are the two funding tracks (Areas of Interest) described in the NOI?
The NOI describes two Areas of Interest (funding tracks):
- Area of Interest 1: Clean energy project planning (early-stage work to define, assess, and prepare a viable project).
- Area of Interest 2: Clean energy technology deployment (installation or implementation of clean energy technologies).
11) What does "clean energy project planning" mean under Area of Interest 1?
Based on the NOI, planning generally refers to early-stage activities needed to define, assess, and prepare a viable project. The intent is to position a project to be built or implemented later.
12) What does "clean energy technology deployment" mean under Area of Interest 2?
Deployment refers to the actual installation or implementation of clean energy technologies (in other words, moving beyond planning into real-world implementation).
13) Does the NOI list specific required technologies or project types?
No. The NOI does not list specific technologies or required project types. It frames the opportunity broadly around helping TCUs take concrete steps toward clean energy through planning or deployment.
14) What kind of awards does DOE expect to make?
DOE indicated it expected to make multiple awards as financial assistance grants.
15) What is the anticipated period of performance for awards?
The NOI states an anticipated period of performance of approximately two to four years for each award.
16) Is there any additional requirement for deployment projects (Area of Interest 2)?
Yes. For Area of Interest 2 (deployment), the NOI notes a mandatory 12-month verification period. This suggests awardees would need to document and confirm performance or outcomes after installation, beyond completing construction or procurement.
17) What are the expected funding ranges for Area of Interest 1 (planning)?
The NOI indicates planning awards were expected to be in the range of $100,000 to $250,000.
18) What are the expected funding ranges for Area of Interest 2 (deployment)?
The NOI indicates deployment awards were expected to be in the range of $1,000,000 to $3,000,000.
19) How many awards will be made?
The NOI states DOE expected to make multiple awards, but it does not provide a specific number of awards.
20) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The NOI source data associates the opportunity with CFDA number 81.087.
21) What federal office(s) within DOE are involved?
The NOI states the opportunity is issued by DOE through its Office of Indian Energy and the Golden Field Office.
22) When was DOE planning to issue the FOA?
DOE stated it planned to issue the FOA in spring 2023.
23) The notice shows an "OriginalClosingDate" of 2023-03-16. Is that the deadline to apply?
No. The NOI is not a solicitation and does not accept applications. The date shown as "OriginalClosingDate" (2023-03-16) appears as listing metadata for the NOI and should not be treated as an application deadline for this notice.
24) Where will applications be submitted once the FOA is released?
DOE stated that once the FOA is released, applications would be submitted only through DOE's IE-Exchange portal at https://ie-exchange.energy.gov. The NOI indicates applications would not be accepted by email or through other submission methods.
25) How can I get updates about the FOA release?
Prospective applicants were directed to subscribe to the Office of Indian Energy email newsletter via https://energy.gov/indianenergy for updates.
26) Are there any preparations or registrations applicants should complete in advance?
Yes. The NOI advises prospective applicants to review the attached NOI details for required registrations that typically must be completed before applying through DOE systems (including submission through IE-Exchange).
27) What is the key takeaway for someone interested in applying?
The NOI is an early notice only. No applications are accepted at this stage, DOE will not conduct Q&A on the NOI, and final details may change. Interested TCUs should monitor for the official FOA release and be ready to apply through DOE's IE-Exchange portal when it opens.
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