Voucher Opportunity 1 - Pre-Demonstration Commercialization Support (OCED)

Are you a company (for-profit entity) moving on from the research and development stage and ready to enter the market or demonstrate your technology at scale? This opportunity is designed to provide support for studies and analyses you need to accelerate the commercialization of your clean energy technology and prepare it for the market or for integration into a large-scale first-of-a-kind demonstration project. See below for additional info about eligibility and timeline.

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Technology Commercialization Fund, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), in collaboration with ENERGYWERX, is offering its Pre-Demonstration Commercialization Support Voucher Opportunity (VO-1) to eligible companies to increase adoption readiness (with a focus on value proposition and market acceptance) of clean energy technologies.

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. Voucher Opportunity (VO-1) addresses key adoption risk areas faced by companies leaving the research and development stage, through supporting activities including:

• Bankability studies (including insurability evaluation)
• Manufacturing/supply chain assessments
• Techno-economic analyses
• Lifecycle analyses
• Market readiness analyses
• Community benefit assessments
• Quality assurance/control (QAQC) analysis and documentation systems
• Accounting systems support to ensure compliance with DCAA and industry-standard practices accepted by investors and lenders
• Insurance support for pilot and demonstration projects to include assistance meeting insurance requirements and understanding other risk mitigation activities
• Internal cybersecurity best practices improvements for new clean energy facility owners and operators (to NOT include grid operators). Examples of activities under this opportunity: (a) implement best practices related to information access, security of internal documents and plans, protection of intellectual property and facilities’ operational data; (b) develop plans to harden physical security of facilities, and cybersecurity of sensors and remote-controlled equipment

The first submission window solicits proposals from potential voucher providers. A second submission window will be open soon to solicit requests from potential voucher recipients. Pending availability of funds, additional submission windows may open in the future.

Voucher Projects: Expected max voucher value up to $50,000 of work (actual values vary depending on the details of the provider’s capability statement). As part of the application form, potential providers will submit the details of their capability statement, including the technical scope, deliverables, price, and throughput of the capability. Each voucher provider may submit up to three unique capabilities per voucher opportunity. To do so, please submit the application form once per capability, no more than three separate times. Any additional submissions beyond the three newest capabilities will not be reviewed. 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. Only work related to specific technology areas will be eligible to receive a voucher under this opportunity. List of eligible technology areas:

• Advanced nuclear
• Carbon management (including carbon capture and direct air capture)
• Long-duration energy storage
• Clean hydrogen
• Industrial decarbonization
• Upgrades to the electric grid

DOE anticipates issuing up to 90 vouchers.

Voucher Providers: Including but not limited to independent engineering, consulting firms, and national labs.

Voucher Recipients: Limited to for-profit companies with a product prototype that fits a specific technology area of interest for DOE OCED and is nearly ready for pilot scale or large-scale demonstration, or commercialization. DOE is particularly interested in supporting companies who have completed DOE funded R&D projects (from any DOE office including but not limited to Office of Science, EERE, FECM, Nuclear Energy, ARPA-E) and need a boost to get to the next level.

Voucher Providers: How to Participate in VO-1

• Watch the Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session recording: Click Here to Watch
• Submit questions into Slido to be answered during the live Office Hours session
• Review the resources from the Informational Office Session on June 18, 2024 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET ‍
• Complete the Provider Submission Form: Click Here to Submit for VO-1 (Submissions are due NLT July 9, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET)

This is not the only voucher opportunity currently available through ENERGYWERX. See here for additional information related to other voucher opportunities:

Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session (IW/OSS): DOE will provide further details about Voucher Opportunities. Potential voucher providers can better understand the scope, scale, and intent of the Voucher Program. The virtual IW/OSS will be pre-recorded and can viewed here.

Information Office Hours [June 18, 2024 at 3:00PM ET]: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will host Office Hours on Voucher Opportunities 1, 2, 4, and 5 on June 18, 2024 to answer any remaining questions from potential applicants before the submission deadline.

Voucher Provider: Submissions are due NLT July 9, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET

Voucher Provider Timeline

Phase 1 – Voucher Provider Capability Statement Submissions Open [June 3, 2024 – July 9, 2024]: Interested potential voucher providers should complete the application includ background information on the provider as well as technical scope, deliverables, price, and through of the capability.

Phase 2 – DOE Selection [July 2024]: 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 – Negotiations [August – September 2023]: Subsequently, selected organizations will meet with ENERGYWERX to negotiate the scope of work, budget, timing, and impact.

Complete Provider Submission Form: Click Here to Submit for VO-1 (NLT July 9, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET)

Can multiple voucher providers from different parts of the same company/institution submit up to three capabilities each?

Yes, each individual voucher provider can submit up to three capabilities.

Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact ENERGYWERX:  info@energywerx.org