Energy Infrastructure Deployment on Tribal Lands (Planned FOA)

Energy Infrastructure Deployment on Tribal Lands (Planned FOA) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy. This is a planned Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to solicit applications from Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations for energy infrastructure deployment.

> This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) only. DOE may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or DOE may not issue a FOA at all.

# Notice of Intent No. DE-FOA-0002316 # Notice of Intent to Issue # Funding Opportunity Announcement No. DE-FOA-0002317 # Energy Infrastructure Deployment on Tribal Lands - 2020 The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (hereafter referred to as DOE’s Office of Indian Energy) intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), entitled “Energy Infrastructure Deployment on Tribal Lands – 2020”.

DOE’s Office of Indian Energy is charged by Congress under the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self Determination Act of 2005 ( Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005), Title V, § 502, codified at 42 USC § 7144e and 25 USC § 3501 et seq.)

, to “provide, direct, foster, coordinate, and implement energy planning, education, management, conservation, and delivery programs that – (1) Promote Indian tribal energy development, efficiency, and use; (2) Reduce and stabilize energy costs; (3) Enhance and strengthen Indian tribal energy and economic infrastructure relating to natural resource development and electrification; and (4) Bring electric power and service to Indian land and homes for tribal members located on Indian lands or acquired, constructed, or improved (in whole or in part) with Federal funds.

” 42 USC § 7144e(b) For more information on the DOE’s Office of Indian Energy, see its website . The FOA will build on efforts by DOE’s Office of Indian Energy and the authorities granted to DOE’s Office of Indian Energy under EPAct 2005, to accelerate the deployment of energy infrastructure on Tribal Lands.

Between 2010 and 2019, the DOE’s Office of Indian Energy invested nearly $85 million in more than 180 tribal energy projects implemented across the contiguous 48 states and Alaska. These projects, valued at over $180 million, are leveraged by over $95 million in recipient cost share. See the DOE’s Office of Indian Energy website for a map and summaries of these competitively funded projects.

Through this planned FOA, DOE’s Office of Indian Energy will be continuing its efforts to maximize the deployment of energy solutions for the benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives, and help build the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to implement those energy solutions. In support of these objectives, DOE’s Office of Indian Energy may solicit applications to install energy infrastructure on Tribal lands.

Through grants, DOE’s Office of Indian Energy intends to provide financial support under the provisions of the Title V of EPAct 2005. This FOA is consistent with the principles of tribal sovereignty and self-determination, and with an all-of–the-above energy strategy that recognizes the breadth of energy resources on Tribal Lands, [2] > This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) only.

DOE may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or DOE may not issue a FOA at all. and each Tribe’s right to use them as they see fit. Projects sought under the planned FOA will be fuel and technology neutral.

DOE’s Office of Indian Energy plans to solicit applications from Indian Tribes, which include Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations (hereafter referred collectively as “Indian Tribes”), Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations to: 1) Install energy generating system(s) or energy efficiency measure(s) for Tribal Building(s) (Topic Area 1); or, 2) Deploy community-scale energy generating system(s) or energy storage on Tribal Lands (Topic Area 2); or, 3) Install integrated energy system(s) for autonomous operation (independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid) to power a single or multiple essential tribal facilities during emergency situations or for tribal community resilience (Topic Area 3); or, 4) Deploy energy infrastructure or integrated energy system(s) to electrify Tribal Bbuildings (Topic Area 4).

Note that projects to be proposed under Topic Area 1. a. (Energy Generating System(s)), Topic Area 1.

c. (Energy Generating System(s) and Energy Efficiency Measure(s)) and Topic Area 2 (Community-Scale Energy Generating System(s) or Community Energy Storage Deployment) are intended solely for energy generating system(s) that are grid-connected . Projects proposed under Topic Area 1.

b. (Multiple Energy Efficiency Measures) can be for Tribal Buildings that are either grid-connected, or not grid-connected.

Topic Area 3 (Integrated Energy System(s) for Autonomous (Independent) Operation) can be for either: (1) integrated energy system(s) that are normally grid-connected, but can disconnect and function autonomously (independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid), or (2) integrated energy system(s) that normally operate autonomously (not connected to the traditional centralized electric power grid).

Projects proposed under Topic Area 4 (Electrification of Tribal Buildings) are intended for Tribal Buildings currently unelectrified, where “unelectrified” means Tribal Buildings not connected to (1) the traditional centralized electric power grid or (2) an integrated energy system(s) operating independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid.

This FOA is intended to promote energy independence, economic development and with the ancillary benefit of providing employment on Tribal Lands through the use of commercially warrantied energy technologies that Native Americans and Alaska Natives believe are best suited to meet their needs, their location, and their available energy resources.

As such, in addition to building and industrial process energy efficiencies, and community energy storage, DOE’s Office of Indian Energy is seeking applications for energy generating system(s) which under this FOA includes combined heat and power system(s), conventional distributed generation system(s) and renewable energy system(s).

Additionally, under Topic Area 3 (Integrated Energy System(s) for Autonomous (Independent) Operation), DOE’s Office of Indian Energy may seek applications for integrated energy system(s) that provide power to essential tribal facilities that include, but are not limited to, energy generating system(s), energy storage system(s), or controls and [3] > This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) only.

DOE may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or DOE may not issue a FOA at all. management system(s). Topic Area 4 (Electrification of Tribal Buildings) is intended for the deployment of energy infrastructure or integrated energy system(s) to provide electricity to a substantial number of tribal buildings which otherwise would be unelectrified.

Applicants will be required to provide an Options Analysis as part of their application to demonstrate that other options were considered and that the proposed project best meets the overall tribal objectives.

An “Options Analysis”, for purposes of the planned FOA, is a systematic assessment and evaluation of possible alternative approaches available for achieving specific energy objectives and determining which of the options are the most effective and provides the best solution to achieve those objectives.

Such an analysis is intended to explore all feasible technology alternatives (e.g., conventional technologies, renewable technologies, energy efficiency measure(s), energy storage system(s), integrated energy system(s), energy infrastructure) and provide evidence that the proposed project choice can actually be implemented and is the best option available among all feasible alternatives.

As DOE’s Office of Indian Energy is charged with reducing and stabilizing energy costs, enhancing and strengthening Indian tribal energy and economic infrastructure, and bringing electric power and service to Indian land and homes for tribal members located on Indian lands or acquired, constructed, or improved (in whole or in part) with federal funds, the following projects proposed under the planned FOA may be given additional consideration in the selection of applications for funding, through the application of program policy factors: (1) projects which serve tribal communities with high energy costs, (2) projects proposed for tribal communities not connected to the traditional centralized electrical power grid, or (3) applicants who have not previously received a grant from the DOE’s Office of Indian Energy.

To increase the deployment of energy infrastructure on Tribal Lands, the DOE Office of Indian Energy may, upon request, provide technical assistance to all eligible applicants who apply under this FOA and whose applications are comprehensively reviewed, but not selected for negotiation, if the Office of Indian Energy determines it to be within scope and budget.

Such technical assistance will be provided on a priority basis over those who request technical assistance but do not apply to this FOA. Pursuant to its authorizing statute, DOE’s Office of Indian Energy will only consider applications from: (1) an Indian Tribe; (2) Intertribal Organization, or (3) Tribal Energy Development Organization; and (4) on whose Tribal Lands the project(s) will be located.

Applications from a consortium of Indian Tribes (Tribal Consortium) will be accepted but must be submitted by a single Indian Tribe acting as the Applicant and representing the Consortium. Applications may also be submitted on behalf of Indian Tribe(s) by an authorized Tribal Organization, provided evidence of that authority is included as part of the application.

An executed Tribal Council Resolution from each participating Indian Tribe, a declaration (or resolution) from each Alaska Native Regional Corporation, Alaska Native Village Corporation, Intertribal Organization, and Tribal Energy Development Organization, and a letter of commitment [4] > This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) only.

DOE may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or DOE may not issue a FOA at all.

from all other project participants are required as a part of the application, unless an Indian Tribe provides a commitment in a format other than a Tribal Council Resolution and evidence of the statutory or other legal authority authorizing that form of commitment in lieu of a Tribal Council Resolution accompanies that commitment.

Such evidence must establish that the commitment submitted carries the same level of Tribal leadership commitment as a Tribal Council Resolution.

If an Application is being submitted on behalf of Indian Tribe(s) by an authorized Tribal Organization, evidence of that authority is required as part of the Application, along with a declaration (or resolution) from the Tribal Organization, and a letter of commitment from all other project participants.

Evidence of the authority to submit an application on behalf of Indian Tribe(s) may include, but is not limited to, a constitution, resolution, ordinance, executive order, charter, P. L. 93-638 contract, self-governance compact, or other legal documentation.

All Tribal Council Resolutions, declarations, resolutions, and letters of commitment must be specific to this FOA, must include a statement of the total amount and type of cost share being committed regardless of source, and the cost share must verifiable at the time of submission of the application.

Under the planned FOA and as required by statute, a 50% recipient cost share of the total project costs is required and must come from non-Federal sources and be clearly identified in the application, unless otherwise allowed by law. DOE’s Office of Indian Energy envisions awarding multiple financial assistance awards in the form of grants.

The estimated period of performance for each award will be approximately from one (1) to two (2) years, but no longer than three (3) years including a 12 month mandatory verification period. Under the planned FOA, DOE’s Office of Indian Energy anticipates making awards that range from $50,000 to $1,000,000 or from $250,000 to $2,000,000, depending on the Area of Interest.

This Notice is issued so that interested parties are aware of DOE’s intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All of the information contained in this Notice is subject to change. DOE will not respond to questions concerning this Notice.

However, once the FOA has been released, DOE will provide an avenue for potential Applicants to submit questions. In anticipation of the FOA being released, Applicants are advised to complete the following steps, which are required for application submission: [5] > This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) only.

DOE may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or DOE may not issue a FOA at all. • Obtain a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number (including the plus 4 extension, if applicable) at http://fedgov. dnb.

com/webform . • Register with the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www. sam.

gov . Designating an Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) and obtaining a special password called an MPIN are important steps in SAM registration. Please update your SAM registration annually.

• Register in FedConnect at https://www. fedconnect. net/ .

To create an organization account, your organization’s SAM MPIN is required. For more information about the SAM MPIN or other registration requirements, review the FedConnect Ready, Set, Go! Guide at https://www.

fedconnect. net/FedConnect/PublicPages/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go. pdf .

• Register in Grants. gov to receive automatic updates when Amendments to a FOA are posted. However, please note that applications will not be accepted through Grants.

gov at