Electrification of the transportation sector offers the opportunity for the U.S. to lead the development of how vehicles are manufactured and used, the infrastructure needed to maintain them, and the jobs associated with their assembly and maintenance. As industry continues to invest in electrification across this supply chain, many “upstream” and“downstream” effects are likely, including shifts in supply chain processes and industries (e.g. electrical components), as well as induced changes in interconnected industries (e.g., battery manufacturing – although this is beyond the scope of this solicitation).
This solicitation seeks applications for teams to identify small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) within the current automotive supply chain that are poised to expand or transition towards manufacturing components for electric vehicles or other clean energy technologies and provide technical assistance to guide these SMMs in that transition. These teams will participate in an exercise to draw on and inform a practical set of technical, financial, and strategic guidance – a playbook – specifically targeted at these SMMs to help identify opportunities to expand or transition their operations, to pressure-test the business case for doing so, and to understand workforce and financing considerations and how to address them.
Of course, the playbook cannot envision or provide step-by-step guidance on every possible opportunity, so it is expected that many manufacturers will benefit from additional technical assistance to help translate the guidance in the playbook into practical action and business plans. This solicitation is intended to identify teams who can provide that technical assistance, using the playbook as a resource.
The playbook, prepared by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), and supported by the DOE, is expected to be completed in an initial form in or around June of 2024. It will build on an analysis by ANL on the automotive supply chain and is supplemented by private sector expertise on the engineering, business strategy, workforce, and financing aspects of transitioning from the manufacturing of components for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicle (EV) components –or potentially to other clean energy-related products entirely. Examples of potential product lines being explored in the development of the ANL playbook include:
This deployment effort will explore the transferability of existing automotive component manufacturing equipment, processes, and workforce capabilities to enable new production lines for the most promising market opportunities, as well as new equipment, processes, or workforce capabilities and considerations to support electrification and decarbonization efforts across the economy.
The objective of this solicitation is to establish teams of technical assistance providers that will identify interested SMMs and work directly with those SMMs to test and deploy the initial version of the playbook.The technical assistance providers will assist SMMs implement playbook guidance in transitioning or converting all or a portion of their existing manufacturing processes within the ICE vehicle supply chain to the EV supply chain, or to entirely new product lines that are complementary to their existing expertise and/or production facilities. Feedback from the technical assistance teams will inform revisions to the playbook, that will ultimately be made publicly available to benefit all interested SMMs. The Objective StrategicSession that will be held roughly a week after this solicitation’s release (see below for dates) will include an update from ANL on the playbook’s work in progress, as context for application teams.
DOE, in collaboration with its PartnershipIntermediary, ENERGYWERX, intends to establish 3-5 teams of technical assistance providers affiliated with an institution of higher education, trade school, or union training program-based industrial research, assessment, or deployment program, along with their partners. Prospective teams will be composed of U.S. Department of Energy-supported Industrial Assessment Centers (IACs) or other entities eligible to serve as IACs (i.e., universities, community colleges and systems, trade schools, and union training programs) and are encouraged to include partners such as:
The ideal teams will include a range of expertise, including:
Teams will ultimately identify and work with several interested SMMs located within their respective regions to test the playbook’s effectiveness in guiding new product line strategies, opportunities, and action plans – with a particular emphasis on Tier 2+suppliers (i.e., suppliers to the suppliers of original equipment manufacturers). This effort will require an extended consultation process between the technical assistance providers and the individual SMMs involving multiple on-site visits or remote discussions over a 2 to 6-month period. If they are not already a part of the IAC program, selected team leads will formally become industrial research, assessment, and deployment centers as part of the broader IAC network.
After each consultation phase – which may also include elements of a traditional IAC assessment of energy cost savings, material efficiency, and waste/pollution reduction -- the teams will organize around table of participating SMMs and other local and community stakeholders(e.g., Workforce Investment Boards, Department of Labor resources) to gather feedback on the playbook’s effectiveness at guiding the SMMs transition efforts. Based on this feedback, the playbook development team at ANL will then revise sections of the playbook and related protocols to improve its effectiveness as well as to help ensure it is digestible and usable for small business audiences. The revision process will consider the following:
Following each substantial iteration of the playbook, the technical assistance provider teams will identify a new set of SMMs to further evaluate the feasibility of the newly revised playbook. This process will continue for at least two iterations (more if resources allow) and ideally until such time as MESC determines it has completed a concise, user-friendly, action-oriented playbook for SMMs. The playbook will be available online at no cost and promoted to firms and their unions via industry associations, consultants, non-profits, and USG convenings.
Please email info@energywerx.org with any issues or questions you may have regarding the application process.
To support the goal of building a clean and equitable energy economy, applicants are expected to ensure the network promotes DOE’s community benefits priorities, namely: (i) providing meaningful community and labor engagement; (ii) investing in high-quality jobs and a skilled workforce; (iii) advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; and (iv) contributing to the President’s Justice40 Initiative goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities (DACs). For more on how DOE defines each area, please see: https://www.energy.gov/infrastructure/about-community-benefits-plans.
Is this a meaningful opportunity for your organization? Do you need more information to help you decide? Please attend the Strategic Session [April 23, 2024 from 3:00 - 4:00 PM ET] to ask questions and to gain a better understanding of IAC program requirements.
Informational Office Hours [May 9, 2024 from 3:00 -4:00 PM ET] ENERGYWERX and the U.S. Department of Energy will host open office hours for potential applicants. Participants are encouraged to come prepared to ask questions.
Submissions Open (April 11, 2024 to May 23, 2024): Interested organizations must complete a submission form (for government review only) no later than May 23, 2024 by 3:00 PM ET. Submitters must download, complete, and upload a capabilities overview.
Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session (April 23, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET): Join ENERGYWERX and DOE for an informational webinar on the Automotive Supplier Diversification and Conversion Playbook Deployment from 3:00 -4:00 PM ET.
Office Hours (May 9, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET): ENERGYWERX and DOE will host open office hours for potential applicants. Participants are encouraged to come prepared to ask questions. The session will take place on May 2, 2024 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET.
Review and Down Select (May 2024 - Late Summer 2024): The IAC team will down select the respondent/submissions with the highest likelihood of satisfying project requirements. All respondents will receive a selection or non-selection notification Late Summer 2024.
Selectees Announced (Late Summer 2024)
Activities Begin (Late Summer/Early Fall 2024)
Complete submission and upload here: Click Here to Submit
Every prime recipient and sub-recipient(s) must meet the following eligibility requirements:
Additionally, each prime recipient needs to meet the eligibility requirements for a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded IAC, including:
Applications will be evaluated against the technical review criteria shown below. All sub-criteria are of equal weight.
Criterion 1: Project Management Approach (30%)
This criterion involves consideration of the following factors:
Criterion 2: Project Team, Past Performance, and Resources (50%)
This criterion involves consideration of the following factors:
Criterion 3: Workforce Development and Community Development (20%)
This criterion involves consideration of the following factors:
Informational Webinar/ Objective Strategic Session (April 23, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET): Join ENERGYWERX and DOE for an informational webinar on the Automotive Supplier Diversification and Conversion Playbook Deployment from 3:00 -4:00 PM ET.
Office Hours (May 9, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET): ENERGYWERX and DOE will host open office hours for potential applicants. Participants are encouraged to come prepared to ask questions. The session will take place on May 2, 2024 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET.
Complete submission and upload here: Click Here to Submit