Voucher Opportunity 3 - Energy Infrastructure Project Siting/Permitting Support (Recipients) - Round 3

States, local governments, tribes, and other Authority Having Jurisdictions (AHJs) interested in learning about and facilitating energy infrastructure project siting and permitting processes should take advantage of this voucher opportunity. This Opportunity is designed to help AHJs streamline siting and permitting processes to advance commercialization and demonstration of innovative energy technologies. This will be achieved by matching Voucher Recipients (AHJs and related institutions) with Voucher Providers (technical experts on advanced energy technology development and operations) to work together. See below for additional info about eligibility and timeline.

As part of the  Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Technology Commercialization Fund, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC), and the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), in collaboration with EnergyWerx, are offering this Energy Infrastructure Project Siting/Permitting Support Voucher Opportunity (VO-3) to AHJs and other relevant entities to understand new advanced energy technology benefits and challenges, evaluate siting and permitting best practices developed by similar jurisdictions, develop streamlined permitting processes, and support stakeholder engagement on related issues. The ultimate goal is to increase commercial readiness (with a focus on license to operate) of advanced energy technologies.

View the Pre-Approved Voucher Providers: Click Here to View

Complete the Recipient Submission Form: Click Here to Submit for VO-3

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The DOE Voucher Program builds bridges between U.S. entrepreneurs, businesses, technology developers or other relevant partners and third-party voucher providers to advance commercialization of innovative energy technologies. VO-3 enables expert assistance to help AHJs and other relevant entities understand advanced energy technology benefits, address siting/permitting challenges, and support the demonstration of new energy technologies.

DOE has selected and pre-approved a cohort of Voucher Providers offering a variety of capabilities you might be interested in: Click Here to View the Pre-Approved Voucher Providers. For this Voucher Opportunity, capabilities include:

• Evaluating siting and permitting best practices developed by similar jurisdictions,
• Developing streamlined permitting processes,
• Educating first responders and related personnel on technology safety requirements and risks,
• Evaluating locality infrastructure/logistical readiness to utilize the designated technologies,
• Supporting stakeholder engagement on related issues.

When you apply, you will review the available capabilities and submit your preferences in the Voucher Recipient request form. If you find something that can be valuable to your organization and that can enable your organization to accelerate demonstration, commercialization, and deployment of advanced energy technologies, please consider applying to receive that in-kind support.

Note: The full list of pre-approved Voucher Provider capabilities is available here. Please carefully read through the descriptions, deliverables, required inputs, applicable technology area(s), and other related information for each capability. DOE will not allow changes to the high-level scope of work defined in the Voucher Provider’s capability submission.

Voucher Projects: Vouchers will be distributed as in-kind support, meaning that EnergyWerx will directly reimburse the Voucher Provider for the work they have completed on behalf of the Voucher Recipients. DOE anticipates the value of the voucher to be up to $100,000. However, the specific value depends on the specific capability and is discussed only between DOE and the Provider.

Only work related to specific technology areas will be eligible to receive a Voucher under this opportunity. List of eligible technology areas:

• Advanced nuclear‍
• Long-duration energy storage‍ ‍
• Hydrogen
• Advanced industrial technologies‍
• Upgrades to the electric grid‍
• Critical minerals
• Geothermal

DOE anticipates issuing approximately 40 vouchers.

Voucher Recipients: Limited to AHJ’s or other relevant entities seeking to host advanced energy projects that fit a specific technology vertical of interest for DOE. DOE is particularly interested in supporting jurisdictions that qualify as rural and remote areas (i.e., a city, town, or unincorporated area that has a population of not more than 10,000 inhabitants). Preference will be given to potential Voucher Recipients who have not previously received support through this program.

This Opportunity is limited to one submission per requesting organization. In the case of multiple submissions, DOE will consider only the submission with the latest time stamp.

Pending availability of funds, additional submission windows may open in the future for this Voucher Opportunity.

Submission Window: November 5, 2026 - December 16, 2026

• Start the VO-3 Recipient Application
• View the Pre-Approved Voucher Providers: Click Here to View

Voucher Recipient Applications are due no later than December 16, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET.

The Voucher Recipient Opportunities launched on November 5, 2026. Please see the announcement article for more information.

Informational Webinars: DOE will present and summarize the details of Voucher Opportunity 3 (Recipients). Potential applicants will gain a better understanding of the Voucher Opportunity 3 (Recipients) scope, scale, and intent and have the opportunity to ask questions of DOE staff. 

• Register for the Informational Webinar on November 18, 2026 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET
  
  • Focuses predominantly on explaining the Voucher Opportunity with some time for questions at the end.
• Register for the Informational Webinar on December 2, 2026 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET
  
  • Focuses predominantly on answering questions from potential applicants.

For an optimal experience, we recommend downloading the Microsoft Teams software to your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Voucher Recipient Timeline

Phase 1 – Voucher Recipient Request Submissions Open [November 5, 2026 – December 16, 2026]: Interested potential Voucher Recipients should complete the request form including background information on the recipient and requested capability(ies) as well as relevance to program goals, applicability of the selected capabilities, and benefits from receiving support.  

Phase 2 – DOE Selection [December 2026 – January 2027]: DOE will review submissions based on relevance to the program objectives and will notify selected entities for next steps.

NOTE: DOE may choose to meet with submitters or ask additional clarifying questions prior to selection.

Phase 3 – Voucher approval and start of work [February 2027]: Subsequently, Voucher projects will commence.

Submission Window: November 5, 2026 - December 16, 2026

• Start the VO-3 Recipient Application
• View the Pre-Approved Voucher Providers: Click Here to View

Voucher Recipient Applications are due no later than December 16, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET.

Eligibility Criteria

Limited to States, local governments, tribes, or other Authority Having Jurisdictions (AHJs) seeking to host advanced energy projects that fit a specific technology vertical of interest for DOE. DOE is particularly interested in supporting jurisdictions that qualify as rural and remote areas (i.e., a city, town, or unincorporated area that has a population of not more than 10,000 inhabitants). Preference will be given to potential Voucher Recipients who have not previously received support through this program.

Voucher Recipients must qualify as a domestic entity. To qualify as a domestic entity, the entity must be organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the United States. The entity must have majority domestic ownership and control and have a physical place of business in the United States.  

Review Criteria

DOE will review and evaluate each application according to the merit review criteria, program policy factors, and the overall portfolio of proposed projects.

Criteria 1: Technology Areas of Interest

• Applicant's advanced energy project fits one of the following technology areas of interest:
  
  • Advanced nuclear
  • Long-duration energy storage
  • Hydrogen
  • Advanced industrial technologies
  • Upgrades to the electric grid
  • Critical minerals
  • Geothermal

Criteria 2: Justification of Need

• Applicant demonstrated the need to streamline siting and permitting processes to advance commercialization and demonstration of innovative energy technologies.

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