DOE will not directly fund National Labs*/FFRDCs via this Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) Opportunity; however, FFRDCs (e.g. DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration national laboratories) may participate as a Selectee’s subrecipient.  The FFRDC effort, in aggregate, shall not exceed 10% of total federal share of the project, and ENWX and DOE will not be involved in, nor assist in, these activities.  Selectees will receive full funding through a Business-to-Business (B2B) Agreement with ENWX.  Selectees are solely responsible for funding and executing necessary agreements with subrecipients.  

*Caveat:  NLs may be Voucher Providers and may apply, but if selected, DOE will manage the work and pay the NL directly through the existing funding mechanism.

For the purposes of this opportunity:

“Smart Manufacturing” means advanced technologies in information, automation, monitoring, computation, sensing, modeling, artificial intelligence, analytics, and networking that can -

• simulate manufacturing production lines;
• operate computer-controlled manufacturing equipment;
• monitor and communicate production line status; and
• manage and optimize energy productivity and cost throughout production;
• model, simulate, and optimize the energy efficiency of a factory building;
• monitor and optimize building energy performance;
• model, simulate, and optimize the design of energy efficient and sustainable products, including the use of digital prototyping and additive manufacturing to enhance product design;
• connect manufactured products in networks to monitor and optimize the performance of the networks, including automated network operations; and
• digitally connect the supply chain network.¹⁶

“High-Performance Computing” means the use of supercomputers, sophisticated models, and/or large data sets to study and solve complex scientific and technological challenges.

The term “small- and medium-sized manufacturer” (SMM) means manufacturing firms:

• classified in the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) as any of sectors 31 through 33;
• with gross annual sales of less than $100,000,000;
• with fewer than 500 employees at the plant site; and
• with annual energy bills totaling more than $100,000 and less than $3,500,000

Refer to Section III.G.2. Eligibility Requirements in the Solicitation Overview.

An application’s prime recipient must be one of the following eligibility entities, else the application will be considered ineligible and removed from further evaluation:

• State entity;
• State-funded university; or
• State-funded community or technical college

Yes, cost sharing is required under this solicitation. Applicants are required to provide at least a 23.1% cost share, i.e. applicants need to fund a minimum of 23.1% of the total project cost. Cost share can come from any non-federal source, i.e. cash on hand, philanthropy, corporate investment, etc.

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Refer to the Cost Share handout for more detail and examples.

• While the terms “cost sharing” and “cost matching” are sometimes used interchangeably, there is an important distinction between them. DOE uses “cost sharing” to indicate that the non- federal share is calculated as a percentage of the Total Project Cost. On the other hand, for “cost matching”, the non-federal match is calculated as a percentage of the federal funds only, rather than the Total Project Cost.
• The statutory language that authorizes the State Manufacturing Leadership Program requires proponents to provide at least 30 percent cost match. For the purposes of this solicitation, the 30 percent cost matching requirement has been converted to an equivalent 23.1 percent cost sharing requirement

• SMM = small- and medium-sized manufacturers
• HPC = high-performance computing
• SMLP = State Manufacturing Leadership Program
• IAC = Industrial Assessment Center
• ITAC = Industrial Training and Assessment Center
• TA = Technical Assistance

The solicitation was temporarily taken down while DOE and ENERGYWERX confirmed that the language was consistent with recent Executive Orders.

Understanding Opportunities

An opportunity is a favorable circumstance or situation that allows for the potential to achieve a goal or benefit. In various contexts, opportunities can arise in business, education, and personal development. Recognizing and seizing these moments can lead to significant advancements in one's career or personal life.

Types of Opportunities

• Career Opportunities: Job openings or promotions that can enhance your professional journey.
• Educational Opportunities: Programs or courses that provide knowledge and skills.
• Networking Opportunities: Events or platforms that allow you to connect with others in your field.