Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) — Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK)

NOFO Part 1 Mod 000001

Financial Assistance
Notice of Funding Opportunity
Part 1
Department of Energy (DOE)
Office of Electricity (OE)
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – Speed to Power
through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced
Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) – [Grid Resilience and
Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Round 3]
Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003580
Application due: May 20, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET

---

Modifications
All Modifications to the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) are highlighted in green, in the
body of the NOFO.
Mod No. Date Description
1 4/2/2026 • Changed Informational Webinar posting date.
• Modified Section II.A.2 - Participant Limitations to clarify
that Tennessee Valley Authority is eligible to apply as a
subrecipient under all Topic Areas.
• Modified Section III.F. - Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience
(IIJA Section 40101(c)) to clarify the wording around
applications that are not of interest, in order to be fully
consistent with wording in the IIJA statute.
• Section IV.C - Concept Paper to delete the sentence: "Each
concept paper must be limited to a single concept,
technology, or project."
Version 3.0 Page 2 of 61

---

Table of Contents
BEFORE YOU BEGIN ............................................................................................................ 5
Navigating the Notice of Funding Opportunity ................................................................................................... 5
I. BASIC INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 6
A. Key Facts........................................................................................................................................................... 6
1. Funding Details ......................................................................................................................................... 8
2. Period of Performance ............................................................................................................................... 9
B. Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 9
C. Agency Contact Information ......................................................................................................................... 10
II. ELIGIBILITY ................................................................................................................... 11
A. Eligible Applicants ......................................................................................................................................... 11
1. Restricted Eligibility ................................................................................................................................ 11
2. Domestic Entities ..................................................................................................................................... 11
3. Foreign Entity Participation ..................................................................................................................... 12
4. Performance of Work in the United States .............................................................................................. 13
5. Ineligible Participants .............................................................................................................................. 13
B. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Applications Eligible for Review .................................... 13
C. Cost Sharing ................................................................................................................................................... 14
1. Cost Share Requirements ......................................................................................................................... 14
2. Unallowable Cost Share Sources ............................................................................................................. 15
D. FFRDC Eligibility Criteria............................................................................................................................ 15
III. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................... 16
A. Background and Context ............................................................................................................................ 16
B. Program Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... 17
C. Program Goals and Objectives................................................................................................................... 17
D. Expected Performance Goals/Outcomes ................................................................................................... 18
E. Topic Areas .................................................................................................................................................. 20
Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience ................................................................................................................... 20
Topic Area 2: Smart Grid .......................................................................................................................... 22
Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation .................................................................................................................. 24
F. Applications Specifically Not of Interest ................................................................................................... 26
G. Statement of Substantial Involvement ....................................................................................................... 27
H. Statutory Authority ..................................................................................................................................... 28
IV. APPLICATION CONTENT AND FORM ..................................................................... 29
A. Use and Disclosure of Application Information .......................................................................................... 29
B. Summary ......................................................................................................................................................... 30
C. Concept Paper ................................................................................................................................................ 31
D. Application Content Requirements .............................................................................................................. 32
1. Covered Individual Definition, Designation, and Responsibility ............................................................ 33
2. Summary of Application Requirements .................................................................................................. 33
3. Impacted Indian Tribes Documentation .................................................................................................. 34
4. Technical Volume.................................................................................................................................... 37
5. Biographical Sketch ................................................................................................................................. 41
6. Current and Pending (Other) Support ...................................................................................................... 42
7. Project Description and Assurances Document (PDAD) ........................................................................ 44
8. Report on Resilience Investments (Topic Area 1 only) ........................................................................... 44

---

9. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form 861 (Topic Area 1, small utilities only) ...................... 44
F. Funding Restrictions ...................................................................................................................................... 45
1. Buy America Preference for Infrastructure Projects ................................................................................ 45
V. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES .................................................. 46
A. Required Registrations .................................................................................................................................. 46
1. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) .......................................... 46
2. eXCHANGE ............................................................................................................................................ 46
3. Grants.gov Registration ........................................................................................................................... 46
B. Application Package ....................................................................................................................................... 47
1. eXCHANGE ............................................................................................................................................ 47
C. Submission Date and Times .......................................................................................................................... 47
D. Intergovernmental Review ............................................................................................................................ 47
VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION ................................................................. 48
A. Standards for Application Evaluation .......................................................................................................... 48
B. Responsiveness Review .................................................................................................................................. 48
C. Review Criteria .............................................................................................................................................. 48
1. Compliance Criteria ................................................................................................................................. 48
2. Technical Review Criteria ....................................................................................................................... 48
Concept Papers ................................................................................................................................................... 48
Applications ........................................................................................................................................................ 49
D. Other Selection Factors ................................................................................................................................. 52
VII. SELECTION AND AWARD NOTICES ....................................................................... 54
VIII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION ....................................................... 55
A. Post-Award Requirements and Administration ....................................................................................... 55
1. Real Property and Equipment .................................................................................................................. 55
2. Go/No-Go Review ................................................................................................................................... 56
3. Cybersecurity Plan ................................................................................................................................... 57
4. Government Rights in Data ..................................................................................................................... 58
5. Invoice Review and Approval ................................................................................................................. 58
6. Cost Share Payment ................................................................................................................................. 59
B. Helpful Websites ............................................................................................................................................. 59
C. Questions and Support .................................................................................................................................. 60
1. Questions ................................................................................................................................................. 60
2. Support .................................................................................................................................................... 60
IX. OTHER INFORMATION ............................................................................................... 61
Acronyms .............................................................................................................................................................. 61
Version 3.0 Page 4 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Before You Begin
Before You Begin
Navigating the Notice of Funding Opportunity
To reduce the burden on applicants in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
process and limit the length of the NOFO information requests, DOE separated the NOFO into
two parts.
This document, NOFO Part 1, describes the DOE program goals and evaluation criteria,
eligibility, and other components for each funding opportunity. NOFO Part 2 includes the fixed
DOE requirements that generally do not change from NOFO to NOFO, including standard
information for the application phase, expectations for award negotiations, and post-award
requirements. Applicants must review both parts before applying. To assist you in the process,
you will find references throughout this document to additional information found in Part 2.
You must take several one-time actions before applying. Some of these actions may take
several weeks, so be sure to allow yourself enough time to complete them. If you do not
complete all required steps, it could interfere with application and negotiation deadlines or your
ability to receive an award if selected. If you have already completed the one-time registrations,
make sure they are active and up to date. All registrations are free. You can find additional
information in NOFO Part 2, Get Registered.
This announcement is published with NOFO Part 2 Version 3.0.
Version 3.0 Page 5 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section I. Basic Information
I. Basic Information
A. Key Facts
Issuing Agency Department of Energy, Office of Electricity (OE)
KEY DATES
Funding Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) — Speed to Power All deadlines are
Opportunity Title through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced 5:00 p.m. ET
Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) — [Grid unless indicated
Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Round 3] otherwise
Announcement Initial
Version Notice of
Funding
Funding DE-FOA-0003580
Opportunity
Opportunity
Issue Date:
Number
March 12, 2026
Funding Cooperative Agreements
Informational
Instrument
Webinar:
March 20, 2026
Expected Total DOE anticipates approximately $1.9 billion to be available under
Available Funding this Funding Opportunity
Concept Paper
Deadline:
Assistance Listing 81.254 Grid Infrastructure Deployment and Resilience April 2, 2026
Number and
Name Application
Announcement Research, Development and Demonstration (Deployment) Deadline:
Type May 20, 2026
Funding SPARK is an opportunity to meet load demand growth and
Anticipated
Opportunity resource adequacy, and to address critical national, interregional,
Selection
Description and regional needs. OE achieves these goals by stimulating
Notification
investment in power system infrastructure and building
Date:
partnerships between states, local governments, tribes, and
August 2026
power system operators to enhance reliability and affordability
of the electric grid.
Anticipated
Award Date:
Projects submitted under this NOFO must demonstrate
October 2026 –
measurable improvements in electric grid capacity and system
January 2027
value (usefulness), combining physical capacity gains, which
include solutions such as reconductoring or other infrastructure
Estimated
upgrades with operational efficiency and/or flexibility from
Period of
other Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs).
Performance:
Applications must show how these complementary technologies
Oct ‘26/Jan ‘27
expand transfer capability, strengthen reliability and resource
– Oct ‘30/Jan
‘31
Version 3.0 Page 6 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section I. Basic Information
adequacy, and reduce consumer cost impact while utilizing
existing rights of way. DOE will prioritize projects that can be
implemented quickly to deliver durable physical upgrades and
dynamic operational gains that together increase the value,
performance, security, resilience, affordability, and reliability of
the nation’s electric grid.
Program Goals & • Stabilize —to address existing constraints on the system.
Objectives • Optimize—to improve performance of existing
infrastructure.
• Grow—to access dispatchable resources needed to reliably
serve forecasted power demand.
Topic Areas • Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience (IIJA Section 40101[c])
• Topic Area 2: Smart Grid (IIJA Section 40107)
• Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation Program (IIJA Section
40103[b])
Eligible For all topic areas, eligibility is restricted to domestic entities.
Applicants
Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience (IIJA Section 40101[c])
• electric grid operator
• electricity storage operator
• electricity generator
• transmission owner or operator
• distribution provider
• fuel supplier
• any other relevant entity, as determined by the Secretary.
Topic Area 2: Smart Grid (IIJA Section 40107)
• Domestic Entities
o institutes of higher education
o for-profit entities
o non-profit entities
o state and local government entities
o Indian tribes
Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation Program (IIJA Section 40103[b])
• state
• combination of two or more states
• Indian tribe
• unit of local government
• public utility commission.
eXCHANGE URL Infrastructure eXCHANGE: Funding Opportunities
and Helpdesk InfrastructureExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov
NOFO Email DE-FOA-0003580@netl.doe.gov
Version 3.0 Page 7 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section I. Basic Information
1. Funding Details
Multiple Topic Areas
DOE anticipates approximately $1.9 billion for FY2026.
Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience (IIJA Section 40101[c])
• Approximate total available funding: $427 million in FY2026
• Approximate number of awards: 5–10
• Approximate dollar amount of individual awards (DOE Share): $10,000,000–
$100,000,0001
• Minimum cost share required: 50% of the total project costs2
o Exception for small utilities: The minimum cost share required for an eligible
small utility (sells no more than 4,000,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity
per year) is 25% of total project costs.3
o Section II, Part C.1 provides additional information on Cost Sharing and the table
below shows the conversion calculation of the cost match requirement to cost
sharing.
Table 1: Cost Match to Cost Share conversion
Topic Area 1: Section 40101c
The following shows how the statutory cost match percentage (which is based on a percentage of the federal
share) is converted to a cost share percentage (which is based on total project costs), for purposes of this
NOFO and resulting awards.
Non-
Federal Calculated Calculated Calculated
Minimum Non-Federal Federal Share Non-Federal
Maximum Cost Match Minimum Total of Total Cost Share of
Federal Required Cost Match Project Cost Project Costs Total Project
Share (S) Entity Type (%) (S) (S) (%) Costs (%)
Eligible
Entity
$100,000,000 (except for 100% $100,000,000 $200,000,000 50% 50%
Small
Utilities)
$100,000,000 Small Utility 33.33% $33,330,000 $133,330,000 75% 25%
1 DOE cannot award a cooperative agreement to an eligible entity greater than “the total
amount that the eligible entity has spent in the previous 3 years on efforts to reduce the
likelihood and consequences of disruptive events”. DOE will interpret “efforts to reduce the
likelihood and consequences of disruptive events” as those activities, technologies, equipment,
and hardening measures eligible for award under this provision.
2 A 50% cost share requirement is equivalent to the 100% cost match required by the
statute. Cost share is a percentage of total project costs, and cost match is a percentage of the
DOE share. This NOFO uses cost share rather than cost match for calculations and to keep
terminology consistent across all topic areas and projects.
3 A 25% cost share is equivalent to a 1/3 cost match required by the statute. Cost share is
a percentage of total project costs, and cost match is a percentage of the DOE share. This NOFO
uses cost share rather than cost match for calculations and to keep terminology consistent across
all topic areas and projects.
Version 3.0 Page 8 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section I. Basic Information
• Approximate award project period: up to 48 months
• As required by law, 30% of the total funding available for Topic Area 1 must be set aside
for small utilities (entities that sell no more than 4,000,000 MWh of electricity per year.)
(42 U.S.C. § 18711[c][5]). DOE anticipates approximately three to six awards will go to
small utilities, provided they are an eligible applicant.
Topic Area 2: Smart Grid (IIJA Section 40107)
• Approximate total available funding: $614 million in FY2026
• Approximate number of awards: 25–40
• Approximate dollar amount of individual awards (DOE Share): $10,000,000–
$50,000,000
• Minimum cost share required: 50% of the total project costs
o Section II, Part C.1 provides additional information on cost sharing.
• Approximate award project period: up to 48 months
Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation Program (IIJA Section 40103[b])
• Approximate total available funding: $862 million in FY2026
• Approximate number of awards: 3–8
• Approximate dollar amount of individual awards (DOE Share): $100,000,000–
$250,000,000
• Minimum cost share required: 50% of the total project costs
o Section II, Part C.1 provides additional information on cost sharing.
• Approximate award project period: up to 48 months
2. Period of Performance
DOE anticipates making awards comprised of one budget period with Go/No-Go
Decision Points. Project continuation will be contingent upon several elements, including
satisfactory performance and DOE’s Go/No-Go decision. You can find a complete list and more
information on the Go/No-Go review in NOFO Part 2, Award Administration Information.
B. Executive Summary
Projects funded under this NOFO must demonstrate measurable improvements in electric
grid capacity and system value (usefulness), combining physical capacity gains from
reconductoring with operational efficiency and/or flexibility from other Advanced Transmission
Technologies. Applications must show how these complementary technologies:
• Expand transfer capability
• Strengthen reliability and resource adequacy
• Reduce consumer cost impact while utilizing existing rights of way
Version 3.0 Page 9 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section I. Basic Information
DOE will prioritize projects that can be implemented quickly to deliver durable physical
upgrades and dynamic operational gains that together increase the value, performance, security,
resilience, affordability, and reliability of the nation’s electric grid. Detailed technical
descriptions of the topic areas are provided in the sections that follow.
C. Agency Contact Information
For questions relating to this NOFO, email us at DE-FOA-0003580@netl.doe.gov.
Version 3.0 Page 10 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section II. Eligibility
II. Eligibility
To be considered for substantive evaluation, an applicant’s submission must meet the
criteria set forth below. If the application does not meet these eligibility requirements, it will be
considered ineligible and removed from further evaluation and ineligible for any award. DOE will
not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications
to this NOFO must be submitted. The decision of whether to apply in response to this NOFO lies
solely with the applicant. The information included here is specific to eligibility requirements for
this NOFO. For eligibility requirements applicable to all NOFOs, please consult the NOFO
Part 2, Eligibility.
A. Eligible Applicants
1. Restricted Eligibility
In accordance with 2 C.F.R. 910.126, Competition, DOE restricted eligibility for
Topic Area 1 and Topic Area 3 to incorporate the eligibility requirements set forth in sections
40101[c] and 40103[b] of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as codified at
42 U.S.C. § 18711 and 42 U.S.C. § 18712 [c], respectively.
2. Domestic Entities
Recipients:
The following domestic entities are eligible to participate as a recipient of this NOFO:
Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience (IIJA Section 40101[c])
• Electric grid operator
• Electricity storage operator
• Electricity generator
• Transmission owner or operator
• Distribution provider
• Fuel supplier
• Any other relevant entity, as determined by the Secretary
Topic Area 2: Smart Grid (IIJA Section 40107)
• Domestic Entities
• Institutes of higher education (as defined in Title 20 U.S.C. § 1001)
• For-profit organizations
• Non-profit organizations
• State and local government entities
• Indian tribes (as defined in Section 4[e] of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act, 25 U.S.C. § 5304)4
Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation Program (IIJA Section 40103[b])
4 Indian Tribe, as defined in Section (e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. § 5304), means any Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group
or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in
or established under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. § 1601, et
Version 3.0 Page 11 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section II. Eligibility
• State
• Combination of two or more states
• Indian tribes (as defined in Section 4[e] of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act, 25 U.S.C.§ 5304)5
• Unit of local government
• Public utility commission
Subrecipients:
The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as a subrecipient of this
NOFO:
• Institutions of higher education (See 20 U.S.C. § 1001 for the definition)
• For-profit organization
• Nonprofit organization
• State and local governmental entities
• Indian tribes (as defined in section 4[e] of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act, 25 U.S.C. § 5304)6
To qualify as a domestic entity, the entity must:
• Be organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a state
or territory of the United States or under the laws of the United States
• Have majority domestic ownership and control
• Have a physical place of business in the United States
Participant Limitations
Participation of the following entities is limited as follows:
• Federal agencies and instrumentalities (other than DOE) are eligible to participate as a
subrecipient but are not eligible to apply as a recipient, except for the
Tennessee Valley Authority, which is eligible to participate as a recipient and as a
subrecipient under Topic Area 1.
• The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is not eligible for award under this
announcement and may not be proposed as a subrecipient on another entity’s application.
An application that includes NETL as a recipient or subrecipient will be considered non-
responsive.
3. Foreign Entity Participation
Foreign entities are those entities that do not meet the definition of domestic entity as stated
in Section II.A.2, above. In general, foreign entities are not eligible to apply as either a recipient or
5 Indian Tribe, as defined in Section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. § 5304), means any Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group
or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in
or established according to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688)
[43 U.S.C. § 1601, et seq.], is eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United
States to Indians because of their status as Indians.
6 Id.
Version 3.0 Page 12 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section II. Eligibility
subrecipient. In limited circumstances, we may approve a waiver to allow a foreign entity to
participate as a recipient or subrecipient.
A foreign entity may apply for this NOFO, but the application must be accompanied by an
explicit written waiver request. Likewise, if you want to include a foreign entity as a subrecipient,
you must submit a separate explicit written waiver request in your application for each proposed
foreign subrecipient.
You can find the requirements for submitting a foreign entity waiver request in NOFO
Part 2, Application Content Requirements. If we deny your waiver request, you cannot appeal our
decision.
4. Performance of Work in the United States
All work for awards under this NOFO must be performed in the United States. To request
a waiver of this requirement, you must submit an explicit waiver request in the application.
Without an approved waiver, costs associated with any work performed outside of the United
States will not be allowable under the award. NOFO Part 2, Application Content Requirements
lists the requirements for submitting a foreign work waiver request.
5. Ineligible Participants
The following entities are ineligible for this NOFO as a recipient, subrecipient, or
subcontractor:
• Entities banned from doing business with the U.S. government, such as entities debarred,
suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for federal programs
(2 C.F.R 200.214)
• Entities identified on the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control’s
“Specially Designated Nationals List” ([OFAC - Sanctions List Service [treas.gov])
• Nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995
Entity of Concern Prohibition
Entities of Concern are prohibited from participating in projects under this NOFO. You
can find details and definitions in NOFO Part 2, Eligibility, Other Eligibility Information, Entity of
Concern Prohibition.
B. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Applications
Eligible for Review
An entity may submit only one concept paper and one associated application for each topic
area of this NOFO. If an entity submits more than one, we will only review the last timely
submission. Any other submissions listing the same entity as the applicant for the same topic area
will not be eligible. This limitation does not prohibit an entity from collaborating on other
applications (e.g., as a potential subrecipient or partner) so long as the entity is only listed as the
applicant on one concept paper and one associated application for each topic area of this NOFO.
Version 3.0 Page 13 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section II. Eligibility
C. Cost Sharing
Applicants are expected to follow through on estimated cost share commitments proposed
in their applications if selected for award negotiations. You can find more information on cost
sharing in NOFO Part 2, Eligibility.
1. Cost Share Requirements
Topic Topic Area Title Cost Share Requirement
Area
1 Grid Resilience The cost share must be at least 50% of the total project costs
(IIJA section 40101[c]) and must come from nonfederal sources unless otherwise
allowed by law.7
Exception for small utilities: The cost share for an eligible
small utility (sells no more than 4,000,000 MWh of electricity
per year) is at least 25% of the total project costs and must
come from nonfederal sources unless otherwise allowed by
law.8
2 Smart Grid The cost share must be at least 50% of the total project costs
(IIJA section 40107) and must come from nonfederal sources unless otherwise
allowed by law.
3 Grid Innovation The cost share must be at least 50% of the total project costs
Program (IIJA section and must come from non-federal sources unless otherwise
40103[b]) allowed by law (section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005
[42 U.S.C. 16352[c]).9
Total project costs are the sum of the government share, including costs from National
Laboratories and Federal Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) costs if applicable,
and the recipient share of project costs.
Federal loans, considered non-appropriated funds, may be used as cost share as long as
authorized under the loan terms. The same applies to nonfederal loans and debt financing.
7 A 50% cost share requirement is equivalent to the 100% cost match required by the
statute. Cost share is a percentage of total project costs, and cost match is a percentage of the DOE
share. This NOFO uses cost share rather than cost match for calculations and to keep terminology
consistent across all topic areas and projects.
8 A 25% cost share is equivalent to a 1/3 cost match required by the statute. Cost share is a
percentage of total project costs, and cost match is a percentage of the DOE share. This NOFO
uses cost share rather than cost match for calculations and to keep terminology consistent across
all topic areas and projects.
9 Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. 109-58, Sec. 988. Also see 2 C.F.R. 200.306 and
2 C.F.R. 910.130 for additional cost sharing requirements.
Version 3.0 Page 14 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section II. Eligibility
2. Unallowable Cost Share Sources
The recipient and subrecipient(s) may not use the following sources to meet cost share
obligations:
• Cost share that does not meet:
o Requirements set forth in 2 C.F.R. § 200.306 and 910.130;
o Cost principles set forth in 2 C.F.R. § 200.400-476 and 2 C.F.R. § 910.352; or
o For State Energy Programs, refer to 10 C.F.R. § 420.
• Cost share derived from the DOE loan program;
• Revenues or royalties from the prospective operation of an activity beyond the project
period;
• Proceeds from the prospective sale of an asset of an activity;
• Federal funding or property (e.g., federal grants, equipment owned by the Federal
Government);
• Expenditures that were reimbursed under a separate federal program;
• Cash or in-kind contributions used to meet cost share requirements for another federal
project or program;
• Existing data as an in-kind contribution (e.g., data owned by an entity, that is not routinely
sold commercially but is instead donated to the project and assigned a value);
• In general, deferred or avoided costs such as unrealized tax credits; or
• DOE Loan Guarantees
D. FFRDC Eligibility Criteria
National Laboratories and FFRDCs are not eligible to apply for funding as a prime
recipient and may not be proposed as a subrecipient on another entity’s application. This
restriction applies to both DOE/NNSA and non-DOE/NNSA National Laboratories and FFRDCs.
Version 3.0 Page 15 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
III. Program Description
A. Background and Context
The Office of Electricity is issuing this NOFO. Awards made under this NOFO will be
funded with appropriations under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA),
P.L. 117 - 58. Coupled with the Secretary’s orders to support the Administration’s priorities to
unleash American energy and address the nation’s energy emergency, the IIJA provides a
mechanism to:
• Protect “the United States’ economic and national security and military preparedness by
ensuring that an abundant supply of reliable energy is readily accessible in every State
and territory of the Nation”
• Promote “the integrity and expansion of our Nation's energy infrastructure—from coast
to coast” as an immediate and pressing priority for the protection of the United States’
national and economic security
• Promote the use of “all available power generation resources, particularly those secure,
redundant fuel supplies that are capable of extended operations” 10,11,12,13
Additional DOE resources to inform applicants:
• DOE released a Resource Adequacy Report in July 2025 identifying regions most
vulnerable to outages under various weather and retirement scenarios and offering
capacity targets needed to restore acceptable reliability.14
• DOE launched the Speed to Power initiative in September 2025, a federal action to
accelerate the speed of large-scale grid infrastructure project development for both
transmission and generation.
• DOE funded ATT and High-Performance Conductors (HPC) research and deployment
and planning technical studies at national labs and with U.S. industry and academia.
These groups have studies you can cite as part of your application.
• Digital Assurance Technical Assistance: DOE provides educational resources, training,
and technical assistance from its world-class experts and researchers at the national labs
as part of the Program.
• DOE initiated a state technical assistance program and expanded technical assistance
offerings for utilities and regional planners in long-term transmission planning.15,16
10 Secretary Wright Acts to “Unleash Golden Era of American Energy Dominance” |
Department of Energy.
11 Executive Order 14156 (Declaring a National Energy Emergency).
12 Unleashing American Energy – The White House.
13 Strengthening the Reliability and Security of the United States Electric Grid – The
White House.
14 Department of Energy Releases Report on Evaluating U.S. Grid Reliability and
Security | Department of Energy.
15 State TA Program | Energy Markets & Policy.
16 Grid Deployment Office Expands Utility-Specific Long-Term Transmission Planning
Technical Assistance Offerings | Department of Energy.
Version 3.0 Page 16 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
• The Advanced Conductor Scan Report provides detailed information on the benefits of
reconductoring and how advanced conductors will play an important role in solving
challenges to the grid.
B. Program Purpose
The Office of Electricity leads the U.S. Department of Energy’s Research, Development,
Demonstration and Deployment (RDD&D) efforts to strengthen and modernize our nation’s
power grid and maintain reliable, affordable, and secure electricity delivery infrastructure.17 OE
is dedicated to pioneering innovations to advance a 21st-century grid and the tenets of Gold
Standard Science, where applicable.18
The Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program provides up to
$10.5 billion in competitive funding over five years to states, Indian tribes, electric utilities, and
other eligible recipients to strengthen grid resilience and innovation (sections 40101[c],
40103[b], and 40107 of the IIJA). OE administers this program with NETL.19
The GRIP Program had two prior funding opportunities, covering fiscal years (FY)2022–
2023 and FY2023–FY2024. To clarify the program’s new emphasis, this funding opportunity
has been renamed Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key
Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK). Training elements are not allowable
costs for this NOFO, either as DOE Share or Cost Share, unless specific to the operation and
management of the technology (EO 14236 [March 14, 2025]).20
SPARK is an opportunity to meet load demand growth and resource adequacy and to
address critical national, interregional, and regional needs. OE achieves these goals by
stimulating investment in power system infrastructure and building partnerships between states,
local governments, tribes, and power system operators to enhance reliability and affordability of
the electric grid. A comprehensive approach that considers all opportunities within the IIJA
should include coordinated effort between stakeholders to guide investment strategies for
improving resilience beyond what the IIJA can directly support.
C. Program Goals and Objectives
The Office of Electricity is looking for projects that will help lower electricity costs by
expanding transfer capability, relieving congestion, and improving the efficiency and reliability
of the grid. To ensure near-term additions of dispatchable capacity, projects that include non-
dispatchable, intermittent generation, such as wind or solar, are not considered responsive to this
17 https://www.energy.gov/oe/office-electricity.
18 https://www.energy.gov/gold-standard-science.
19 The GRIP program was administered through the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) until
December 2025, when GDO merged under OE as part of a DOE re-alignment.
20 EO 14236 revoked EO 14126, “Investing in America and Investing in American
Workers” and EO14119, “Scaling and Expanding the Use of Registered Apprenticeships in
Industries and the Federal Government and Promoting Labor-Management Forums”
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/03/20/2025-04866/additional-rescissions-of-
harmful-executive-orders-and-actions.
Version 3.0 Page 17 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
NOFO. Instead, DOE is prioritizing projects that can be implemented quickly to deliver durable
physical upgrades and dynamic operational gains that increase the value, performance, security,
affordability, and reliability of the nation’s electric grid.
The kinds of projects OE is prioritizing include those such as:
• Reconductoring with advanced conductors
o These projects could increase the power-carrying capability of existing
transmission corridors, thereby allowing more electric energy to reach load
centers and deferring the need for costly new infrastructure.
• Advanced Transmission Technologies that can increase the usable capacity of
existing assets in real time
o These projects could reduce congestion charges, thereby minimizing the need
for costly curtailments and potentially deferring the need for larger
transmission projects.
• Large-scale, cross-regional transmission upgrades and coordinated planning
o These projects could further lower electricity costs by opening pathways for
power to flow between regions, allowing the grid to support new and
existing loads.
Collectively, this program seeks projects that would transform existing infrastructure into
higher performing, more resilient, and more economically efficient systems, which translates to
more affordable electricity. OE will collect data from the SPARK/GRIP projects and prior-year
project data to evaluate key takeaways.
OE anticipates integrating any project data submitted under the performance of awards
into DOE's Metrics and Benefits Program. This program uses submitted information to conduct
comprehensive analyses. The primary objective is to quantify and evaluate the benefits and
impacts of the selected projects from this NOFO, contributing to a broader understanding of its
contributions to DOE's mission and objectives.
Projects selected under this NOFO will deploy a range of technical solutions at all levels
of the electric system but will primarily focus on grid systems and components. Detailed
technical descriptions of the specific topic areas are provided in the sections that follow.
D. Expected Performance Goals/Outcomes
Projects submitted under this NOFO must demonstrate measurable improvements in
electric grid capacity and system value (usefulness) as well as physical capacity gains. Examples
include solutions such as reconductoring or other infrastructure upgrades with operational
efficiency or flexibility from other ATTs. Applications must show how their projects expand
transfer capability, strengthen reliability and resource adequacy, and reduce consumer cost
impact while using existing rights of way. DOE will prioritize projects that can be implemented
quickly to deliver durable physical upgrades and dynamic operational gains that together
increase the value, performance, security, affordability, and reliability of the nation’s electric
grid.
Version 3.0 Page 18 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
Applicants must propose projects that support one or more of the following benefits:
(a) Capacity Increase and Deliverability
• Demonstrated ≥ 50% increase in power-carrying or transfer capability for
physical upgrades (e.g., reconductoring) or ≥ 25% increase in transfer capability
for operational and digital upgrades (including, but not limited to topology
optimization, dynamic line ratings (DLR), and dynamic protection schemes).
• Quantified increase in transfer capability to enable the deliverability of stranded
or underused generation (megawatt (MW) enabled or MWh delivered).
• Demonstrated ability to enable new or high-growth load areas, that may include
data centers, industrial clusters, and manufacturing corridors.
(b) Reliability and Resource Adequacy
• Measurable improvement in system reliability (e.g., reduction in contingency
severity, damping or reductions in oscillations, outage duration and frequency,
loss of load probability, planning reserve margin, or unserved energy).
• Documented reduction in transmission congestion, losses, or curtailment during
high-risk hours.
• Avoided capital costs to meet resource adequacy requirements (e.g., planning
reserve margins) in affected balancing area or planning region.
• Enhanced capability to share reserves or transfer across seams (if applicable) to
strengthen regional reliability.
(c) Affordability and Consumer Benefit
• Verified production or capital cost savings.
• Demonstrated cost-effectiveness relative to a new transmission build.
• Avoided or deferred transmission facilities in transmission planning processes.
• Demonstrated mitigations and reductions to risk and uncertainty in operations.
• Demonstrated payback period ≤ 10 years.
(d) Replicability and Scale-Up Framework (if applicable)
• Documented approach for replication and permitting acceleration.
• Demonstrated integration of data, models, or cost-benefit methods that can inform
other DOE, state, or regional planning processes.
In accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American
Energy, projects will be prioritized by their ability to deliver appreciable results quickly in light
of our national energy emergency stressing the need for a reliable, affordable, and secure supply
of energy to sustain the basics of modern life and military preparedness.
Version 3.0 Page 19 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
E. Topic Areas
Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience
Authority: IIJA section 40101(c)
1. Objectives
This topic area supports projects that strengthen grid reliability and resilience through
reconductoring and deploying other ATTs. These projects must expand the transfer capability of
existing transmission or sub-transmission, improve system flexibility, and reduce the likelihood
and consequences of disruptive events.
Projects must replace or supplement existing hardening or reliability efforts and reduce
the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events through reconductoring and other ATTs.
Applications must demonstrate measurable capacity and resilience gains and deliver regional
benefits consistent with the statutory intent of IIJA section 40101(c) and the Administration’s
Executive Orders on Unleashing American Energy and Strengthening the Reliability and
Security of the U.S. Electric Grid.
DOE is looking for applications that:
• Replace existing conductors with advanced, high-capacity, low-sag conductors to
increase the power-carrying capacity along existing rights-of-way.
• Deploy ATTs such as dynamic line rating, advanced power flow control, topology
optimization, and flexible transformers to enhance transfer capability, reduce
congestion, and improve situational awareness.
2. Technical Approaches of Interest
Applicants should propose transformational approaches to modernize infrastructure;
mitigate hazards; and advance reliability, resilience, and energy security. Applications must
focus on one or more of the following:
(a) Transmission System Expansion and Upgrades:
• Transmission Reconductoring: Reconductor existing transmission lines using
conventional or advanced conductors to achieve at least a 50% increase in transfer
capability.21
• Ancillary Hardening Upgrades: Incorporate reconductoring and system upgrades
as part of hardening initiatives that enhance overall reliability and resilience.
(b) Advanced Transmission Technologies and Advanced Solutions:
• ATT Deployment: Use dynamic line rating, modular power flow control, flexible
transformers, topology optimization, and software-controlled power flow devices
to optimize the grid, increase operational efficiency, and improve resilience
without new rights-of-way.
21 Generally, advanced transmission conductors are technologies that can be used to
increase the pace of transmission capacity growth at a lower cost and with less impact to
communities than traditional conductors. For additional information on advanced conductors,
see Applied Grid Solutions - Idaho National Laboratory.
Version 3.0 Page 20 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
• Projects that use advanced technologies or reconductoring to identify, minimize,
or mitigate the risk of specific hazards (such as, but not limited to, wildfires),
which includes but is not limited to projects that include reconductoring and
ATTs that improve overall reliability and resilience.
Eligible activities can include:
• Replace, add, or modify terminal equipment, bus work, circuit breakers, and
transformers needed to accommodate higher current, voltage, or thermal limits.
• Modernize protection and control systems to maintain coordination and system
stability under new operating conditions.
• Integrate communication and control infrastructure that enables real-time
operation of ATTs and advanced monitoring.
• Install measurement and validation equipment to verify performance metrics
(transfer capability, reliability, etc.).
These activities are of interest only when they are necessary to realize or safely operate
the reconductoring or ATT improvements. Standalone substation replacements or expansions
not directly tied to such projects are not of interest under this Topic Area.
3. Requirements
• Projects must be supplemental to existing or planned reliability, resilience, and
hardening efforts.
• Projects should not include construction of new generation or storage facilities,
except where such facilities are directly integrated as control elements of ATT
systems for resilience.
• Applicants must provide basic technical specifications of the currently operating
and proposed systems, including conductor type, rating, line length, and
connecting buses or substations.
• Applicants must demonstrate a quantifiable increase in transfer capability
attributable to the proposed project. This demonstration shall include baseline
transfer capability values and projected post-project transfer capability values,
expressed in MW and as a percentage increase, supported by industry-standard
engineering models, simulations, or validated performance data.
• Applicants must demonstrate a benefit to the grid, consumers, or national
priorities by documenting how the proposed project contributes to one or more of
the following areas:
• Supporting load growth and reducing large-load interconnection costs
• Alleviating congestion and reducing electricity consumer costs
• Increasing power system reliability or resource adequacy.
Supporting documentation can include reports, studies, or supplemental analysis
quantifying the expected benefit.
Version 3.0 Page 21 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
Topic Area 2: Smart Grid
Authority: IIJA Section 40107
1. Objectives
The Smart Grid Topic Area aims to support projects focused on deploying advanced
grid technologies. This initiative is looking for innovative application of cutting-edge, market-
ready technologies, which may include new devices, materials, engineering designs, or software
tools. These projects are intended to strengthen grid reliability and resilience through
reconductoring and deploying other Advanced Transmission Technologies. Projects will
expand the transfer capability of existing transmission and sub-transmission lines, improve
system flexibility, and reduce the likelihood and consequences of disruptive events. This topic
supports projects that enhance the efficiency, reliability, and operational flexibility of the
electric grid through smart grid technologies that enable real-time monitoring, control, and
optimization of grid assets. DOE will focus primarily on projects that combine Advanced
Transmission Technologies and reconductoring to achieve measurable increases in transfer
capability and operational intelligence.
Projects must demonstrate how digitalization, automation, and data-driven technologies
improve existing transmission and sub-transmission systems while delivering measurable
affordability benefits to ratepayers through reduced congestion costs, deferred capital
investment, and improved efficiency of existing assets. Projects should provide quantifiable
improvements in grid performance, situational awareness, and resilience through modernization
and smart control.
DOE seeks applications for smart grids, specifically those designed to support new load
integration, that:
• Integrate ATTs or reconductoring in ways that enable dynamic operations and increase
transfer capability on existing rights-of-way
• Deploy advanced conductors and smart grid technologies that improve operational
flexibility, reliability, and affordability
• Enhance data visibility and control through communications, automation, and analytics
that directly support improved reliability
• Provide replicable approaches for regional scale-up and commercialization of combined
ATTs and reconductoring deployments
• Support integration of backup generation enabling solutions (e.g., controls, telemetry,
coordination) tailored for large load integration with mechanisms for grid-support
services
2. Technical Approaches of Interest
(a) Advanced Transmission Technologies
Deploy technologies in a smart grid that increase operational flexibility through smart,
data-driven control. Approaches of Interest include:
• DLR and real-time thermal rating systems, such as ambient adjusted line ratings
• Topology optimization and advanced power flow control technologies that
dynamically reroute power
• Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) or modular flow controllers
• Digital substation automation to integrate and control ATTs across multiple assets
Version 3.0 Page 22 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
(b) Reconductoring as a Smart Grid Enabler
Reconductoring is eligible under Section 40107 only when it directly supports smart grid
functionality. DOE is looking for projects that:
• Replace existing conductors with advanced conductors compatible with other
ATTs
• Integrate optical ground wire or embedded sensors to enable data collection and
communications for grid monitoring
• Perform targeted reconductoring that unlocks the full potential of ATT
deployments and allows digital controls to operate at scale
• Upgrade associated protection, communication, or substation equipment required
to realize the benefits of digital operations and automated power flow control
Standalone reconductoring projects that do not include smart grid integration are not of
interest under this Topic Area.
(c) Communications and Cybersecurity Integration
Projects should incorporate or use advanced communication systems, optical fiber, secure
wireless or equivalent to enable real-time operation of the Smart Grid. Cybersecurity
measures consistent with DOE and NIST Smart Grid Frameworks, as well as North
American Electric Reliability Corporation Reliability Standards, are required.
3. Requirements
• Applicants must provide basic technical specifications of the currently operating and
proposed systems, including conductor type, rating, line length, and connecting buses
or substations.
• Applicants must demonstrate a quantifiable increase in transfer capability attributable to
the proposed project. This demonstration must include baseline transfer capability values
and projected post-project transfer capability values, expressed in MW and as a
percentage increase, supported by industry-standard engineering models, simulations, or
validated performance data.
• Applicants must demonstrate a benefit to the grid, consumers, or national priorities by
documenting how the proposed project contributes to one or more of the following areas:
• Supporting load growth and reducing large-load interconnection costs
• Alleviating congestion and reducing electricity consumer costs
• Increasing power system reliability or resource adequacy
Supporting documentation can include reports, studies, or supplemental analysis
quantifying the expected benefit.
Version 3.0 Page 23 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation
Authority: IIJA section 40103(b)
1. Objectives
The Grid Innovation Topic Area supports high-impact, innovative projects that enhance
grid reliability and resilience, with a focus on transmission systems that facilitate development of
new large loads. This topic prioritizes large-scale, multi-jurisdictional demonstrations aimed at
expanding transfer capability between transmission-planning regions.
DOE will concentrate on projects that use reconductoring, other Advanced Transmission
Technologies, and advanced coordination tools to alleviate system constraints and enable
measurable, affordable expansion of transfer capability. Applications that offer novel technical,
planning, or organizational approaches that are replicable and can be scaled to support the
efficient integration of new large loads will take priority. Furthermore, successful applications
must demonstrate replicable approaches that accelerate permitting and interconnection processes,
thereby improving overall system reliability and affordability.
Required partnerships among states, tribes, utilities, Independent System
Operators (ISOs) and Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), and regional planners are
essential to ensure projects deliver cross-jurisdictional benefits and promote a robust, integrated
grid capable of supporting substantial new electrical demand.
2. Technical Approaches of Interest
• Transmission Expansion and Upgrades: Substantially upgrade transmission lines and
associated facilities to achieve at least a 50% increase in transfer capability, with an
emphasis on supporting power delivery to new large loads and expanding transfer
capability between planning regions.
• Advanced Transmission Technologies: dynamic line rating, advanced power flow
control, and digital automation to optimize real-time transfer capability and manage
operational complexities.
• Cross-Regional Coordination and Planning: Develop shared modeling, cost allocation
mechanisms, and streamlined permitting frameworks across RTO/ISO boundaries to
facilitate efficient planning, operation, and reconductoring of transmission infrastructure
for new large loads.
3. Requirements
• Applicants must provide a cross-regional capacity and reliability assessment
demonstrating modeled improvements.
• Applicants must provide basic technical specifications of the currently operating and
proposed systems, including conductor type, rating, line length, and connecting buses or
substations.
• Applicants must demonstrate a quantifiable increase in transfer capability attributable to
the proposed project. This demonstration must include baseline transfer capability values
and projected post-project transfer capability values, expressed in MW and as a
percentage increase, supported by industry-standard engineering models, simulations, or
validated performance data.
Version 3.0 Page 24 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
• Applicants must demonstrate a benefit to the grid, consumers, or national priorities by
documenting how the proposed project contributes to one or more of the following areas:
• Supporting load growth and reducing large-load interconnection costs
• Alleviating congestion and reducing electricity consumer costs
• Increasing power system reliability or resource adequacy
Supporting documentation can include reports, studies, or supplemental analysis
quantifying the expected benefit.
Version 3.0 Page 25 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
F. Applications Specifically Not of Interest
The following types of applications will be deemed non-responsive and will not be
reviewed or considered (please also refer to the Responsiveness Review section below). 22
All Topic Areas:
• Projects that prioritize connection to intermittent generation sources that are not in line
with the Administration’s goals of energy dominance
• Applications that fall outside the technical parameters specified in Background and
Context above and the Topic Areas section above
• Applications for proposed technologies that are not based on sound scientific principles
(e.g., violate the laws of thermodynamics)
• Applications that dedicate a significant budget allocation toward funding customer rebate
or incentive programs
• Applications that address system commissioning or systems operations (not deployment
ready), i.e., applications that do not meet at least the minimum Technical Readiness
Level (TRL) of 7 (of 9 scale) where full-scale, similar (prototypical) system was
demonstrated in relevant environment 23
• Applications that incorporate an ATT or HPC solution that do not have technology that
meets a minimum of TRL 6—system/subsystem model or prototype demonstrated in a
relevant environment; all other technical solutions must meet a minimum of TRL 7—
actual system completed and qualified through test and demonstration24
Topic Area 1: Grid Resilience (IIJA Section 40101(c))
Consistent with IIJA section 40101(e)(2), as codified at 42 USC § 18711(e)(2), the
following activities are NOT eligible for funding under Topic Area 1:
• Construction of a new electric generating facility
• Construction of a new large-scale battery-storage facility that is not used for enhancing
system adaptive capacity during disruptive events
• Cybersecurity
Topic Area 2: Smart Grid (IIJA Section 40107)
Consistent with 42 U.S.C. § 17386(c), qualifying Smart Grid investments do not include
any of the following:
• Investments or expenditures for Smart Grid technologies, devices, or equipment that use
specific tax credits or deductions under the Internal Revenue Code, as amended
• Expenditures for electricity generation, transmission, or distribution infrastructure or
equipment not directly related to enabling Smart Grid functions
22 Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking – The White House.
23 Table 4. DOE Technology Readiness Level Scale,
https://www.directives.doe.gov/terms_definitions/technology-readiness-level.
24 Table 7. Hardware TRL Definitions, Descriptions and Supporting Information,
https://www.directives.doe.gov/terms_definitions/technology-readiness-level.
Version 3.0 Page 26 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
• After the final date for state consideration of the Smart Grid Information Standard
under section 2621(d)(17) 1 of Title 16, an investment that is not in compliance with
such standard
• After development and publication by the National Institute of Standards and Technology
protocols and model standards for interoperability of smart grid devices and technologies,
an investment that fails to incorporate any of such protocols or model standards
• Expenditures for physical interconnection of generators or other devices to the grid
except those that are directly related to enabling Smart Grid functions
• Expenditures for ongoing salaries, benefits, or personnel costs not incurred in the initial
installation, training, or startup of smart grid functions
• Expenditures for travel, lodging, meals, or other personal costs
• Ongoing or routine operation, billing, customer relations, security, and maintenance
expenditures
• Such other expenditures the Secretary determines not to be Qualifying Smart Grid
Investments because they lack the ability to perform Smart Grid functions or lack a direct
relationship to Smart Grid functions
Topic Area 3: Grid Innovation Program (IIJA section 40103(b))
• For applications that contain a public-private sector partnership, an application that does
not demonstrate a meaningful level of collaboration among the entities
• Applications for projects in which applicants propose to sub-allocate funding according
to a schema that lacks sufficient detail for DOE to evaluate their potential impact or that
are presented at the concept-level stage
• Applications that focus primarily on conducting paper studies and do not include
meaningful complementary deployment
• Technical assistance studies that do not benefit a wider potential stakeholder beneficiary,
i.e., regional technical studies with an RTO/Utility would be preferred
G. Statement of Substantial Involvement
DOE anticipates awarding cooperative agreements under this NOFO, which include a
statement of DOE’s “substantial involvement” in the work performed under the resulting awards.
For cooperative agreements, DOE does not limit its involvement to the administrative
requirements of the award. Instead, DOE has substantial involvement in the direction and
redirection of the technical aspects of the project. DOE’s substantial involvement in resulting
awards may include the following:
A. DOE shares responsibility with the recipient for management, control, direction, and
performance of the project.
B. DOE may intervene in the conduct or performance of work under this award for
programmatic reasons. Intervention includes interrupting or modifying the conduct or
performance of project activities.
C. DOE may redirect or discontinue funding the project based on DOE’s evaluation of the
project at the Go/No-Go decision points.
D. DOE participates in major project decision-making processes.
Version 3.0 Page 27 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section III. Program Description
H. Statutory Authority
The programmatic authorizing statutes are as follows:
• Public Law (PL) 95-91, DOE Organization Act, as amended
• PL 117-58, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Section 40101(c) (codified at
42 U.S.C. § 18711[c]), and section 40103(b) (codified at 42 U.S.C. § 18712[b])
• PL 109-58, Energy Policy Act 2005, as amended
• PL 110-140 Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, as amended,
including by IIJA section 40107 (codified at 42 U.S.C. § 17386)
Awards made under this announcement are subject to the OMB Guidance for Federal
Financial Assistance (e.g., 2 C.F.R. Part 200) as adopted and DOE’s Financial Assistance
Regulations, 2 C.F.R. Part 910.
Version 3.0 Page 28 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
IV. Application Content and Form
This section includes application information specific to this NOFO. Refer to the NOFO
Part 2, Application Content and Form for standard information that applies to all DOE NOFOs,
such as formatting, content requirements, and funding restrictions.
A. Use and Disclosure of Application Information
Applicants should not include trade secrets or business-sensitive, proprietary, or
otherwise confidential information (Proprietary Information) in their application unless
such information is necessary to convey an understanding of the proposed project or to comply
with a requirement in the NOFO. Applicants are advised not to include any critically sensitive
proprietary detail.
If an application includes Proprietary Information, it is furnished to the Federal
Government in confidence with the understanding that the information shall be used or disclosed
only for evaluation purposes. For example, DOE may disclose such information to determine
whether to select the project for funding under this NOFO or other government programs, or as
otherwise authorized by law. This restriction does not limit the Federal Government’s right to
use the information if it is obtained from another source.
Applications and other submissions containing Proprietary Information must be marked
as described below. Failure to comply with these marking requirements may result in the
disclosure of the unmarked information under the Freedom of Information Act or otherwise. The
Federal Government is not liable for the disclosure or use of unmarked information and may use
or disclose such information for any purpose.
Notice of Restriction on Use Disclosure of Information:
Pages [list applicable pages] of this document may contain trade secrets or business-
sensitive, proprietary, or otherwise confidential information that is exempt from public
disclosure. Such information shall be used or disclosed only for evaluation purposes with the
restriction that the information be retained in confidence and not be further disclosed, or in
accordance with a financial assistance agreement between the submitter and the Government.
The Government may use or disclose any information that is not appropriately marked or
otherwise restricted, regardless of source. [End of Notice]
In addition:
• The header and footer of every page that contains trade secrets or business-
sensitive, proprietary, or otherwise confidential information must say:
“CONTAINS TRADE SECRETS, BUSINESS-SENSITIVE, PROPRIETARY,
OR OTHERWISE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION EXEMPT FROM
PUBLIC DISCLOSURE.”
• Every line or paragraph containing such information must be clearly marked with
double brackets or highlighting.
All application information is subject to public release under FOIA, except information
that qualifies under a FOIA exemption. One of the exemptions is trade secrets or commercial or
Version 3.0 Page 29 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
financial information that is confidential or privileged. The Notice of Restriction on Disclosure
and individual page markings are essential to assist DOE in identifying the information that is
exempt from public disclosure. However, these protective markings do not determine whether
information is exempt under FOIA, only DOE’s designated FOIA Officer may determine if the
information qualifies for a FOIA exemption. See 10 CFR Part 1004 for more information on
how DOE processes FOIA requests.
Presidential Memorandum Simplifying the Funding of Energy Infrastructure and Critical
Mineral and Material Projects
To comply with the Presidential Memorandum Simplifying the Funding of Energy
Infrastructure and Critical Mineral and Material Projects, DOE may share and use within the
Government any application information provided by or on behalf of the applicant.25 By
submitting an application or agreeing to a financial assistance arrangement with DOE under this
NOFO, the applicant consents to any properly marked trade secret, confidential, proprietary,
privileged, or otherwise sensitive application information provided by or on behalf of the
applicant to be disclosed to the Executive Office of the President and relevant agencies offering
loans, grants, equity, guarantees or other federal funding, for the purposes of the Presidential
Memorandum on Simplifying the Funding of Energy Infrastructure and Critical Mineral and
Material Projects.
Program Evaluation
Notwithstanding the above, DOE may use, review, and analyze application information,
including Proprietary Information, for evaluating program benefits and effectiveness. The use
and disclosure obligations of this section regarding properly marked Proprietary Information
being retained in confidence remain in effect.
Use of Application Information with Artificial Intelligence Technology
DOE may use, review, and evaluate application information, including Proprietary
Information, using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including for training and developing
AI tools. By submitting an application, the Applicant is providing express consent to DOE’s use
of application information with AI tools. DOE is not liable for the use and disclosure of
unmarked application information and may use or disclose such information for any
purpose.
B. Summary
The application process includes the following submission phases: concept paper and
application.
Application Submission
Eligibility for Submission
Phase
Concept Paper Must be submitted by the specified due date and time to be
eligible to submit an application.
Application Must be submitted by the specified due date and time to be
eligible for comprehensive merit review.
25 Simplifying the Funding of Energy Infrastructure and Critical Mineral and Material
Projects – The White House
Version 3.0 Page 30 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
C. Concept Paper
Applicants must submit a concept paper by the specified due date and time to be eligible to
submit a full application. Applicants who do not submit a concept paper cannot submit an
application. An entity may submit only one concept paper and one associated application for
each topic area of this NOFO. Each concept paper must be limited to a single concept,
technology, or project. The concept paper must conform to the requirements listed below,
including the stated page limits. Concept papers must not exceed 6 pages.
Section Page Limit Description
Cover Page 1 page The cover page should include:
maximum • The project title
• The specific Topic Area
• Both the technical and business points of contact
(including the Administrative Officer, if applicable)
• Names of all team member organizations
• The project locations
• Confidentiality statement, if applicable
Technology 4 pages Applicants must succinctly describe:
Description maximum • The proposed technology, including its basic
operating principles and how it is unique and
innovative
• The proposed technology’s target level of
performance (applicants should provide technical
data or other support to show how the proposed
target could be met)
• How the project will deliver near-term impact (for
example, increase capacity, reliability, resource
adequacy, resilience, affordability, and replicability)
and the metrics to be used for measuring the
projected impact
• How the proposed technology will overcome the
shortcomings, limitations, and specific problems the
project addresses (i.e., challenges in the existing
service territory/system)
• The degree to which the performance targets for the
project directly addresses the topic area requirements
• The expansion of the transfer capability and system
flexibility improvements
• The ability of the project to improve the delivered
power (MW) during critical hours by optimizing the
existing infrastructure (if applicable)
• The potential impact the proposed project would
have on the existing service territory or system
Version 3.0 Page 31 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
Section Page Limit Description
• How the proposed location of the proposed project
will support technology development and long-term
success
• The key technical risks or issues associated with the
proposed technology development plan
• The impact that DOE funding would have on the
proposed project
• Any potential impacts on Indian Tribes, including
potential impacts on Tribal resources not on Tribal
lands, and how the applicant would engage with a
potentially impacted Indian Tribe
Addendum 1 page Applicants must succinctly describe the qualifications,
maximum experience, and capabilities of the proposed project team,
including:
• Whether the Principal Investigator (PI) or Lead
Project Manager (LPM) and project team have the
skill and expertise needed to successfully execute the
project plan
• Whether the applicant has prior experience that
demonstrates an ability to perform tasks of similar
risk and complexity
• Whether the applicant has worked together with its
teaming partners on prior projects or programs
• Whether the applicant has access to equipment and
facilities necessary to accomplish the effort or clearly
explain how it intends to obtain access
• Applicants may provide graphs, charts, or other data
to supplement their Technology Description
DOE independently assesses each concept paper based on the technical review criteria for
Concept Papers described below. DOE will either encourage or discourage applicants from
submitting an application based on these assessments. Please see NOFO Part 2, Selection and
Award Notices—Concept Paper Notifications.
D. Application Content Requirements
Each application must be limited to a single concept and be generally consistent with
what was proposed in the concept paper. Applications must conform to the following
requirements and must not exceed the stated page limits. Please refer to the NOFO Part 2,
Application Content and Form for a complete list of application requirements. Detailed
guidance on the content and form of NOFO-specific requirements is provided following the
Summary of Application Requirements table below.
Version 3.0 Page 32 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
1. Covered Individual Definition, Designation, and Responsibility
Several of the application content requirements listed below and in the NOFO Part 2 are
required of Covered Individuals.
For this NOFO, a Covered Individual is an individual who:
a) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to developing or executing the
scope of work of a project proposed for funding by DOE
b) is designated as a Covered Individual by DOE.
Covered Individuals for this NOFO include any:
• Principal investigator (PI)
• Project director (PD)
• Co-principal investigator (Co-PI)
• Co-project director (Co-PD)
• Project manager
• Any individual regardless of title that is functionally performing as a PI, PD, Co-
PI, Co-PD, or project manager.
• Technical staff (e.g., postdoctoral fellows or researchers and graduate students)
DOE may further designate during award negotiations or the award period of
performance.
If selected, throughout the life of the award, the recipient has an ongoing responsibility to
submit:
• Current and pending support disclosure statements and resumes or biosketches for
any new Covered Individual
• Updated disclosures if the current and pending support disclosure statements or
resume or biosketch previously submitted to DOE changes
2. Summary of Application Requirements
File File Name
Page
Component Forma
Limit
t
Application for Federal Assistance PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
(SF-424) on_424
Technical Volume PDF 20 ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
on_TechnicalVolume
Letters of Commitment PDF 1 page ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
each on_LOCs
Impacted Indian Tribes PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
Documentation on_ ImpactedTribes
Statement of Project Objectives MS 8 ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
Word on_SOPO
Budget Justification Workbook MS n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
Excel on_Budget_Justification
Version 3.0 Page 33 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
File File Name
Page
Component Forma
Limit
t
Subrecipient Budget Justification MS n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
Excel on_Subrecipient_Budget_Justific
ation
Waiver for Foreign Entity PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
Participation on_FEW
Performance of Work in the United PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
States (Foreign Work Waiver) on_FWW
Biosketch (for each Covered PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
Individual) on_Resumes
Current and Pending Support (for PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
each Covered Individual) on_CPS
Transparency of Foreign PDF n/a BusinessSensitive_ControlNumb
Connections er_LeadOrganization_TFC
Potentially Duplicative Funding PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
Notice on_PDFN
Locations of Work Excel n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
on_LOW
Environmental Questionnaire PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
on_ENV
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
applicable (SF-LLL) on_SF-LLL
Certification Regarding Lobbying PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
(OMB 4040-0013) on_Cert Lobbying
Summary for Public Release PDF 1 ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
on_Summary
Summary Slides for Public Release MS 2 ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
Power on_Slide
Point
Project Description and Assurances PDF n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
Document (PDAD) on_PDAD
Report on Resilience Investments PDF 10 ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
(Topic Area 1 only) on_Resilience_Investments
Energy Information Administration MS n/a ControlNumber_LeadOrganizati
(EIA) 861 (Topic Area 1, small Excel on_EIA861
utilities only)
3. Impacted Indian Tribes Documentation
For any application that potentially impacts Indian Tribes, including when the potentially
impacted Indian Tribe is the applicant, applicants are required to submit additional
documentation: 26
26 Indian Tribe is as defined in 25 U.S.C. § 5304 and includes Alaska Native Villages and
Alaska Native Corporations.
Version 3.0 Page 34 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
• For projects sited on Tribal land(s) or intersecting with Tribal subsurface rights:
Applicants are required to submit documentation of support from the relevant
Indian Tribes at the time of application submission. See below for Requirements
for Documentation of Tribal Support. 27
• For applications potentially impacting Indian Tribes’ resources and reserved
rights in other ways: Applicants are encouraged to submit documentation of
Tribal support from relevant Indian Tribes. See below for helpful resources for
evaluating potential impacts.
Applicants are encouraged to reach out to Indian Tribes as early as possible to give
Indian Tribes ample time to evaluate and respond. Documentation will not be scored, however,
an applicant’s failure to submit documentation of an Indian Tribe’s awareness, or a letter of
support, when required as described above, may constitute grounds for determining an
application ineligible, non-responsive to the NOFO, not subject to further review, and/or not
otherwise subject to selection or award.
Documentation of Tribal Support
Item Criteria
Letter of Support from Tribal Leadership The letter must be signed by an
authorized representative of the Indian
Tribe. 28 The signer(s) must be holding
their position while the NOFO is open
for applications or when subsequently
submitted.
M ust express support for the project.
Tribal Council Resolution, Board resolution Must express support for the project.
(including the Board of Directors of an Alaska
Native Corporation (ANC)), or similar act passed
by the legislative body of the Tribal government
or Board of Directors of an ANC
The following resources and guidance may be useful to help determine if a project may
impact Indian Tribe(s) resources or reserved rights, and the appropriate contacts at Indian Tribes.
These resources are not exhaustive, and many Indian Tribes have resources or reserved rights
which extend beyond their Tribal lands, or are covered within treaties, statutes, or case-law.
Applicants are encouraged to do additional research, while respecting Tribal privacy over sacred
sites. Any outreach, assessment of impacts, and mitigation plans must be documented and made
available to DOE upon request after award selection and/or during award negotiation. If the
27 Tribal land is as defined in 25 U.S.C. §§ 3501(2), (3), (4)(A) and (13).
28 An authorized representative must be an elected official or designated leader according
to the traditions, constitution, or charter of the Indian Tribe, or someone with relevant delegated
authority within the Tribal government. Examples include: Chief, Chairman, Chairwoman,
Governor, Nation Representative, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer,
Speaker of the Council, Speaker of the Congress, Tribal administrator.
Version 3.0 Page 35 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
applicant is an Indian Tribe, these resources and guidance are recommended to be used to
ascertain impacts to Indian Tribes other than the applicant.
Resources for Evaluating a Project’s Potential Impact on an Indian Tribe
Item Location
Map of Indian Lands https://bia-geospatial-
internal.geoplatform.gov/indianlands/
Tribal Directory Assessment
https://egis.hud.gov/TDAT/
Tool (TDAT)
Tribal Treaties Database https://treaties.okstate.edu/
Directory of Federally
recognized Tribes and Tribal https://www.bia.gov/service/tribal-leaders-directory
leaders
Best Practices for Identifying
and Protecting Tribal Treaty
https://www.bia.gov/sites/default/files/dup/inline-
Rights, Reserved Rights, and
Other Similar Rights in
f iles/best_practices_guide.pdf
Federal Regulatory Actions
Guidance on Assessing Potential Impacts to Indian Tribe Resource or Reserved Rights
Type of Action Assessment Mitigation
Research and Identify any resources which will be Explain any
Development quantified/modeled on or near Tribal land, actions taken by
(R&D) traditional homelands, Tribal historic sites, sacred the applicant to
sites, or in areas where an Indian Tribe maintains mitigate or
rights to these resources. Identify which Indian address any
Tribe(s) may be impacted. Explain any instances potential
of uncertainty or need for confidentiality. impacts
Surface Identify any Indian Land (as defined in identified,
Impacts 25 U.S.C. § 3501), traditional homelands, or Tribal including
historic and sacred sites which will be crossed, or engaging with
adjacent to the proposed infrastructure. Identify the potentially
which Indian Tribe(s) might be impacted and impacted Indian
explain any instances of uncertainty or Tribe(s), in the
confidentiality. application.
Subsurface Identify any Tribal mineral rights, subsurface, or
Resource water rights at or near the proposed project
Activities (e.g., location. Explain any relevant studies already
carbon performed, such as groundwater studies. Identify
sequestration, which Indian Tribe(s) might be impacted. Explain
oil & gas, any instances of uncertainty and any potential for
geothermal, subsurface resource migration which has been
critical considered.
minerals,
groundwater)
Version 3.0 Page 36 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
Hydropower, Identify any Tribal resources or reserved rights
Offshore Wind, (e.g., water, fishing, or other treaty rights) which
or other Water could be impacted by the proposed project.
Related Projects Identify any Tribal historic sites, sacred sites, or
relevant vistas, which could be impacted by the
project. Identify the potentially impacted Indian
Tribe(s) and explain any sources of uncertainty or
confidentiality.
Other Actions Identify any other proposed actions which may
Not impact an Indian Tribe(s) resources or reserved
Categorized rights. Tribal resources and reserved rights
Above include, and are not limited to, an Indian
reservation or land (as defined in 25 U.S.C.§ 3501)
or intersecting Tribal sub-surface rights, historic
homelands from which they were removed,
cultural sites, sacred sites, water rights, mineral
and other subsurface rights, fishing rights, and
hunting rights. Identify the Tribe(s) potentially
impacted and any sources of uncertainty or
confidentiality.
Any application that may potentially impact Indian Tribe(s) may be shared by DOE with
the potentially impacted Indian Tribe(s) subject to any proper existing markings on the
information. Accordingly, Applicants should include a Notice of Restriction on Use and
Disclosure of Information identifying any business sensitive, trade secrets, proprietary, or
otherwise confidential information (See Use and Disclosure of Applicant Information Section).
After selection, applicants may be asked to include a Notice of Restriction on Disclosure and Use
of Data marking identifying any business sensitive, trade secrets, proprietary, or otherwise
confidential information. Such properly marked application information shall be used or
disclosed only for evaluation purposes, where such evaluation includes a determination of
whether the proposed project impacts an Indian Tribe(s) and will only be shared with a
potentially impacted Tribe(s) under confidentiality terms.
Data delivered once under award that may potentially impact Indian Tribe(s) may be
shared with the potentially impacted Indian Tribe(s), subject to any restrictions included on
properly marked data per the award terms.
If the applicant or DOE determines an Indian Tribe(s) will be impacted, the applicant
must provide information on the project location, potential impacts and how the applicant will
engage with Indian Tribe(s) during the period of performance of the agreement, and, if necessary,
after the end of the agreement. DOE will determine if formal government-to-government
consultation could be appropriate, and DOE will conduct that consultation accordingly, in
addition to any engagement by applicant.
4. Technical Volume
The Technical Volume must conform to the following content and form requirements.
This volume must address the technical review criteria as discussed in Technical Review Criteria.
Version 3.0 Page 37 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
Applicants must provide sufficient citations and references to the primary research
literature to justify the claims and approaches made in the Technical Volume. However, DOE
and reviewers are under no obligation to review cited sources.
The Technical Volume to the application may not be more than 20 pages, including the
cover page; table of contents; and all citations, charts, graphs, maps, photos, or other graphics,
and must include all information below. The applicant should consider the weight of each
technical review criteria (see Technical Review Criteria) when preparing the Technical Volume.
The Technical Volume should clearly describe and expand on information provided in
the concept paper.
Technical Volume Content Requirements Overview
Approximate Percent Content of the
Section
Technical Volume
Cover Page N/A
Project Overview 10%
Technical Approach and Impact 40%
Cost Benefit and Support of Wide Scale 5%
Adoption
Management and Organization 15%
Workplan 20%
Risk Analysis and Mitigation 10%
Cover Page:
The cover page must include:
• The project title
• Specific NOFO topic area
• Technical and business POCs (name, email, phone)
• The project team, including recipient name, entity type, and names of all team member
organizations
• The project locations
• The proposed federal funding level, cost share, and period of performance
• Senior or key personnel and other Covered Individuals
• Statements regarding confidentiality
Project Overview:
This section must include a description of:
• The technology solution to be demonstrated.
• The major value proposition of the proposed solution and the plan to translate pilot
demonstration results into a commercial solution.
• The team’s rationale for pursuing this project.
• The high-level objectives and performance targets for the project.
Version 3.0 Page 38 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
• The demonstration location and why it was chosen.
• The impact of DOE funding and how the DOE funding, relative to prior, current, or
anticipated funding from other public and private sources, is necessary to achieve the
project objectives.
• How the project will enable further replication or extension of the project and approach.
• The ways the proposed project location and related infrastructure, skilled workforce, and
others will contribute to the overall project viability and long-term success.
Technical Approach and Impact:
This section must include a description of:
• The extent to which the project will improve grid performance and reliability while
maintaining affordability—specifically, how the project will deliver measurable
affordability benefits to ratepayers (e.g., reduced congestion costs, deferred capital
investment, and improved efficiency of existing assets).
• The specific system proposed for this project, including any existing engineering
evaluations and design work and how it directly addresses the topic area objectives and
requirements.
• A clear articulation of similarities and differences relative to the currently deployed
existing systems.
• The extent to which the project has the potential to deliver near-term impact (for
example, to increase capacity, reliability, resource adequacy, resilience, affordability, and
replicability).
• Preliminary supply chain assessment for project systems, including availability of
equipment to be deployed on the project.
• The advantages of the proposed approach over current state of practice and the overall
impact on addressing the goals and objectives of the NOFO if successful.
• The capability of the proposed approach to achieve the anticipated performance targets,
including a description of previous work done and prior results.
• The expected outcomes of the project (e.g., number of customers impacted, improvement
in reliability metrics, percentage increase of capacity).
• The proposed work schedule for planning, construction, and commissioning that support
the proposed in-service date.
• The schedule should describe information related to any permitting, procurement,
and subcontracting activities, including steps that could delay project execution
such as public comment and response periods, procurement lead times, weather-
related construction delays, or others.
Cost Benefit and Support of Wide Scale Adoption:
This section must include:
• An analysis of the costs and benefits to the utility system, including: a Techno-
Economic Analysis (TEA) of the proposed technology solution, outline of
benefits to utility customers, and how the proposed project supports the topic area
goals and objectives.
• Potential sources of cost reductions for future projects and estimates of Nth-of-a-
kind costs.
• Strategies and key actions to scale and replicate the proposed solution for wide-
scale adoption, including key partnerships, future demonstrations, and similar.
Version 3.0 Page 39 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
Management and Organization:
This section must include:
• Management Plan, including:
• Key organizational members and structure
• Project partners roles and responsibilities
• Relevant prior experience
• Plan to address changes to the personnel, approach, or responsibilities as the
project moves from planning to implementation and demonstration.
• Description of the skills and expertise the Lead Project Manager (LPM) and
Project Team have to successfully design, develop, and operate the proposed plan.
• Description of any relevant prior organizational experience that demonstrates an
ability to perform tasks of similar risk and complexity and, if applicable, details
on the applicant team’s prior work together on projects.
• Time commitment of key roles and personnel: a table showing time commitment
(hours per week) of key organizational roles for all project phases and key
personnel to fill each role.
• A summary organization chart of the team that identifies any subrecipients or
contractors.
Workplan:
The Workplan should include:
• A summary of the Project Objectives
• Technical Scope
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Project Tasks
• Any Milestones
• Go/No-Go decision points
• Project schedule
A detailed statement of project objectives (SOPO) must be provided as part of the
application. The summary should be consistent with the SOPO. The SOPO will contain a more
detailed description of the WBS and tasks. The Workplan must include:
• Technical Scope Summary.
• Proposed Go/No-Go Decision Points.
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), structured with a hierarchy of performance
period (approximately annual), task, and subtask.
• Integrated Project Schedule (IPS) showing critical path for the entire project,
including task and subtask durations, milestones, and Go/No-Go decisions.
• Build America Buy America (BABA) Requirements for Infrastructure Projects:
The workplan must include a short statement on whether the project will involve
construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of public infrastructure in the
United States. (See Build America, Buy America and 2 CFR 184 for applicable
definitions and other information).
• A summary of the End of Project Goals.
Version 3.0 Page 40 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
Risk Analysis and Mitigation:
This section must include an initial Risk Management Plan (RMP), including:
• Identify technical risks, including technology, systems integration, infrastructure,
engineering, scale-up, and similar elements.
• Identify security risks, including cybersecurity, physical security, internal and
external threat identification and response, and similar elements.
• Identify financial risks, including project finance, market and regulatory
structures, commercial business models, and similar elements.
• Identify environmental and site risks, including known or potential impacts to
local communities or Indian Tribes or otherwise related to siting, supply chain
and end use, and proposed actions to mitigate risks.
• Identify organizational risks, including project team, project management
structure, and similar elements.
• Identify execution risks, including engineering, procurement, construction,
permitting, safety, testing, and similar elements.
• Identify workforce-related risks, including availability, attraction and retention of
appropriately skilled workers, labor disputes and unrest, health and safety
considerations, and similar elements.
• Identify local stakeholder risks, including known or anticipated local concerns or
opposition.
• Assess the probability of each risk occurring and potential impacts.
• Identify proposed mitigations for identified risks.
5. Biographical Sketch
As part of the application, each Covered Individual at the applicant and subrecipient
levels must submit a biographical sketch (Biosketch). Use SciENcv (Science Experts Network
Curriculum Vitae) to produce a DOE compliant PDF version of the Biosketch. The Biosketch
does not have a page limit, though some fields in SciENcv have character limitations for
consistency.
The Biosketch and CPS Common Forms must comply with the instructions in NSPM-33
Implementation Guidance Pre- and Post-award Disclosures Relating to the Biographical Sketch
and Current and Pending (Other) Support29 and the
DOE NOFO- Specific Biosketch Instructions below. The Biosketch and CPS Common Forms
must together include a list of all sponsored activities, awards, and appointments directly
supporting the individual’s research or indirectly supporting the individual by supporting
students, research staff, space, equipment, or other research expenses:
• Whether paid or unpaid
• Provided as a gift with terms or conditions or provided as a gift without terms or
conditions
• Full-time, part-time, or voluntary
• Faculty, visiting, adjunct, or honorary
• Cash or in-kind
29 This table supersedes in its entirety, Table 2a and Paragraph 7 of the Disclosure
Requirements and Standardization Section of the NSPM-33 Implementation Guidance.
Version 3.0 Page 41 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
• Foreign and domestic
• Governmental or private-sector
All connections with malign foreign talent recruitment programs must be identified.30
Please note the following:
• Except Covered Individuals, which is defined in the NOFO Part 1, Application Content
and Form—Application Content Requirements, Covered Individual Definition,
Designation and Responsibility, all other definitions of terms used in the Biosketch are
available at: NSPM-33 Definitions.
• If any conflict exists between NSPM-33 Implementation Guidance Pre- and Post-award
Disclosures Relating to the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other)
Support and the DOE NOFO-Specific Biosketch Instructions below, follow the
DOE NOFO-Specific Biosketch Instructions.
DOE/NNSA NOFO-Specific Biosketch Instructions
Persistent Identifier The PID field is required for all NOFOs and Awards that encompass
(PID) of the R&D activities or technical assistance to support R&D activities.
Covered Individual
For NOFOs and Awards that do not meet the criteria above, the PID
field is optional.
Professional In addition to the professional preparation listed on the Biosketch
Preparation Common Form, Covered Individuals may use this section to list
other types of training or programs, for example, a certification or
credential from a Registered Apprenticeship or Labor Management
Partnership.
Appointments and Identify all domestic and foreign professional appointments and
Positions Reporting positions, both inside and outside the primary organization. There
Timeframe should be no lapses in time over the past 10 years or since age 18,
whichever period is shorter.
Products: List up to 10 products or activities most closely related to the
Limitation on proposed project. Products may also include professional and
number provided scholarly activities related to the proposed effort (e.g., conference,
committee participation, etc.).
6. Current and Pending (Other) Support
Current and pending (other) support (CPS Common Form) is used to identify potential
duplication, overcommitment, potential conflicts of interest or commitment, and all other sources
of support.
As part of the application, each Covered Individual at the prime applicant and
subrecipient level must submit a CPS Common Form. Use SciENcv (Science Experts Network
Curriculum Vitae) to produce a DOE compliant PDF version of the CPS Common Form. The
CPS Common Form does not have a page limit, though some fields in SciENcv have character
limitations for consistency.
30 See P.L. 117-167 § 10638 (4) for the definition of malign foreign talent recruitment
program.
Version 3.0 Page 42 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
The Biosketch and CPS Common Forms must comply with the instructions in NSPM-33
Implementation Guidance Pre- and Post-award Disclosures Relating to the Biographical Sketch
and Current and Pending (Other) Support31 and the DOE NOFO-Specific CPS Instructions
below. The CPS Common Form and Biosketch Common Form must together include a list of all
sponsored activities, awards, and appointments whether directly supporting the individual’s
research or indirectly supporting the individual by supporting students, research staff, space,
equipment, or other research expenses:
• Whether paid or unpaid
• Provided as a gift with terms or conditions or provided as a gift without terms or
conditions
• Full-time, part-time, or voluntary
• Faculty, visiting, adjunct, or honorary
• Cash or in-kind
• Foreign and domestic
• Governmental or private-sector
All connections with malign foreign talent recruitment programs must be identified in
current and pending support.
Please note:
• Except Covered Individuals, which is defined in the NOFO Part 1, Application
Content and Form—Application Content Requirements, Covered Individual
Definition, Designation and Responsibility, all other definitions of terms used in the
CPS Common Form are available at: NSPM-33 Definitions.
• If conflict exists between NSPM-33 Implementation Guidance Pre- and Post-award
Disclosures Relating to the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other)
Support and the DOE/NNSA NOFO-Specific CPS Instructions below, follow the
DOE NOFO-Specific CPS Instructions.
DOE/NNSA NOFO-Specific CPS Instructions
Persistent The PID field is required for all NOFOs and Awards that encompass
Identifier (PID) R&D activities or technical assistance to support R&D activities.
of the Covered
Individual For NOFOs and Awards that do not meet the criteria above, the PID
field is optional.
Reporting Disclose only current and pending support, as defined in the “Status
Timeframe for of Support” field of the SciENcv CPS Common Form.
Proposals,
Projects, and In-
Kind
Contributions
31 This table supersedes in its entirety, Table 2a and Paragraph 7 of the Disclosure
Requirements and Standardization Section of the NSPM-33 Implementation Guidance.
Version 3.0 Page 43 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
DOE/NNSA NOFO-Specific CPS Instructions
Types of “Current and pending support” is a term most relevant to R&D
Proposals and activities in the academic setting. For individuals employed by for-
Active Projects to profit entities or individuals who do not conduct R&D, examples of
Disclose activities to report on the Current and Pending Support form include:
• Consulting activities that are outside your full-time employment
• Any “moonlighting”
• Honoraria and appointments
Disclosure Follow the disclosure instructions for travel in NSPM-33
Instructions for Implementation Guidance Pre- and Post-award Disclosures Relating to
In-Kind Travel the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support.
Current and The Current and Pending (Other) Support Addendum is not required
Pending (Other) for this NOFO.
Support
Addendum
7. Project Description and Assurances Document (PDAD)
Applicants for all three topic areas must complete and submit the PDAD. There are
requirements specific to Topic Area 1 and Topic Area 3 the applicant must respond to and certify
responses. Applicants must prepare the PDAD in the format provided as a template in
eXCHANGE. The PDAD must be signed by the Authorized Organizational
Representative (AOR) on behalf of the organization. Save the PDAD in a single PDF file using
the following convention for the title “Control Number_LeadOrganization_PDAD.pdf.”
8. Report on Resilience Investments (Topic Area 1 only)
Applicants must submit a report detailing past, current, and future efforts to reduce the
likelihood and consequences of disruptive events. The report must summarize any programs and
related approved funding the Applicant has implemented over the past 3 years to reduce the
likelihood of events when electric grid operations are disrupted; preventively shut off; or cannot
operate safely due to extreme weather, wildfire, or a natural disaster. The report must also
summarize current and future efforts planned over at least the next 3 years to reduce the
likelihood and consequences of disruptive events. The Report on Resilience Investments must
not exceed 10 pages. Save the Report on Resilience Investments in a single PDF file using the
following convention for the title
“ControlNumber_LeadOrganization_Resilience_Investments.pdf.”
9. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form 861 (Topic Area 1, small utilities
only)
To ensure status as a small utility, applicants that are small utilities applying to Topic
Area 1 must submit the EIA Form 861 for the last reporting year showing the total retail
electricity sales to ultimate customers. Save the EIA Form 861 report in a single MS Excel file
using the following convention for the title “ControlNumber_LeadOrganization_EIA861.xlsx.”
Version 3.0 Page 44 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section IV. Application Content and Form
F. Funding Restrictions
The program-specific funding restrictions that apply to awards funded under this NOFO
are identified below. Standard funding restrictions are described in the NOFO Part 2, Funding
Restrictions section.
Applicable Funding Restrictions
Title Location Additional Information
Buy America Preference for NOFO Part 1 Applies to awards made under this
Infrastructure Projects NOFO
Allowable Costs NOFO Part 2 Applies to awards made under this
NOFO
Pre-Award Costs NOFO Part 2 Applies to awards made under this
NOFO
Performance of Work in the NOFO Part 2 Applies to awards made under this
United States (Foreign Work NOFO
Waiver Requirement)
Foreign Travel NOFO Part 2 Foreign Travel is not allowed for awards
made under this NOFO
Lobbying NOFO Part 2 Applies to awards made under this
NOFO
Equipment and Supplies NOFO Part 2 Purchase of American-made equipment
and supplies applies to this award.
Davis-Bacon Act Requirements NOFO Part 2 Applies to awards made under this
NOFO
1. Buy America Preference for Infrastructure Projects
Awards funded through this NOFO that are for or contain construction, alteration,
maintenance, or repair of public infrastructure in the United States undertaken by applicable
recipient types, require that:
• All iron, steel, and manufactured products used in the infrastructure project are
produced in the United States
• All construction materials used in the infrastructure project are manufactured in the
United States
Refer to DOE’s Standard Terms and Conditions and 2 CFR Part 184 to determine
whether the Buy America Preference applies and if you should consider applying the Buy
America Preference in the proposed project’s budget and schedule. The Buy America Preference
does not apply to prime recipients that are for-profit entities.
Version 3.0 Page 45 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section V. Submission Requirements and Deadlines
V. Submission Requirements and Deadlines
Applicants must take several one-time actions before applying to this NOFO. Some of
these tasks may take several weeks, so it is vital applicants build in enough time to complete
them. Failure to complete these actions could interfere with application or negotiation deadlines
or the ability to receive an award if selected. These requirements are outlined in detail in the
NOFO Part 2, Get Registered.
A. Required Registrations
1. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)
You must have an active account with SAM.gov, which includes having a Unique Entity
Identifier (UEI). SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. On the registration page, you can
also click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.
Each applicant must:
• Be registered in SAM.gov before submitting an application
• Provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier in the application
• Maintain an active, up-to-date registration in SAM.gov while you have an active
federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal agency
DOE cannot make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant complies with all
applicable UEI and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied by the time DOE
is ready to make a federal award, the applicant will be disqualified to receive a federal award,
and the DOE will select another applicant to award.
2.eXCHANGE
Register and create an account in DOE’s eXCHANGE database site identified in the Key
Facts section of the NOFO Part 1. You can use this account to apply to open NOFOs offered by
the DOE office sponsoring this NOFO. To view and submit applications to open opportunities
under other DOE offices, you must access its eXCHANGE site. You may need to be registered
in more than one eXCHANGE site to submit applications for opportunities managed by different
DOE offices.
Each organization or business unit, whether acting as a team or a single entity, should use
only one account as the contact point for each submission. Applicants must also designate
backup points of contact as part of this NOFO application. This step is required to apply to
this NOFO.
3.Grants.gov Registration
You must have an active Grants.gov registration to receive automatic updates when
modifications to this NOFO are posted. You must have a Login.gov registration to register for
Grants.gov. Step-by step instructions are available at How to Apply for Grants.
Version 3.0 Page 46 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section V. Submission Requirements and Deadlines
B. Application Package
1. eXCHANGE
The application package requirements are outlined in the Application Content and Form
section above. Several templates for application requirements are included in eXCHANGE. To
access these materials, select the appropriate NOFO on the Funding Opportunity page of
eXCHANGE.
The maximum file size you can upload to the eXCHANGE site is 50MB. If a file is
larger than 50MB but is within the page limit specified in the NOFO, you can break it into parts
and label the parts to that effect. For example:
• TechnicalVolume_Part_1
• TechnicalVolume_Part_2
DOE will not accept late submissions that resulted from technical difficulties uploading
files that exceed 50MB.
Electronic Authorization of Applications and Award Documents
Submitting an application and supplemental information under this NOFO through
electronic systems used by DOE, including eXCHANGE, constitutes the authorized
representative’s approval and electronic signature.
C. Submission Date and Times
All required submissions must be submitted to the eXCHANGE site identified in the Key
Facts section of NOFO Part 1 no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on the dates provided in the Key Facts
section. Letters of intent, concept papers, and the application have different deadlines.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all required application documents at
least 48 hours before the submission deadline. Under normal conditions (i.e., at least 48 hours
before the submission deadline), set aside at least one hour to submit application documents.
Once you submit the application, you can revise or update your submission until the deadline
expires. If you change any of your documents, you must resubmit them before the deadline.
DOE will not extend the submission deadline due to server or connection congestion.
D. Intergovernmental Review
This NOFO is not subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of
Federal Programs.
Version 3.0 Page 47 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section VI. Application Review Information
VI. Application Review Information
A. Standards for Application Evaluation
Eligible applications will be evaluated based on this NOFO and the guidance in the
“DOE Merit Review Guide for Financial Assistance,” effective October 1, 2020.
B. Responsiveness Review
The following concept papers and applications will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be
reviewed or considered:
• Project concepts or approaches identified as NOT of interest (see the
Applications Specifically Not of Interest section above)
• Applicants and applications that do not meet the Eligibility Criteria in NOFO
Parts 1 and 2
C. Review Criteria
1. Compliance Criteria
All submissions for concept papers and applications must:
• Comply with the content and form requirements listed in Application Content
Requirements and Submission Requirements and Deadlines of the NOFO Part 1 and 2
• Include all required documents
• Be uploaded and successfully submitted in the eXCHANGE site indicated in the Key
Facts section at the beginning of this NOFO
• Meet the submission deadline stated in Key Facts no later than 5:00 p.m. ET
DOE will not review or consider submissions that:
• Are not submitted through the correct eXCHANGE site for this NOFO
• Are submitted after the due date and time
• Are incomplete
If required, applicants must submit a letter of intent and a concept paper by 5:00 p.m. ET
on the due date listed on the Key Facts section to be eligible to submit an application. If
required, applicants who do not submit a letter of intent and concept paper are not eligible to
submit an application.
2. Technical Review Criteria
Concept Papers
Concept papers are evaluated based on the following factors. All sub-criteria are of equal
weight.
Concept paper criterion: Overall NOFO Responsiveness and Viability of the Project
(Weight: 100%)
This criterion involves consideration of:
Version 3.0 Page 48 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section VI. Application Review Information
• The applicant clearly describes the proposed technology, how the technology is unique
and innovative, and how the technology will advance the current state of the industry
• The applicant identifies the risks and challenges of the technology; regulatory and
financial aspects of the application, including possible mitigation strategies; and shows
the impact DOE funding and the proposed project would have on the relevant field and
application
• The applicant has the qualifications, experience, capabilities, and other resources
necessary to complete the proposed project
• The proposed work, if successfully accomplished, would clearly meet the objectives as in
the NOFO
• The applicant clearly describes how the project will deliver near-term impact (for
example, to increase capacity, reliability, resource adequacy, resilience, affordability, and
replicability) and provides metrics for measuring the projected impact.
Applications
Applications will be evaluated against the technical review criteria shown below. All
sub-criteria are of equal weight.
Review Criterion Overview
Criterion Weight
Technical Approach and Impact 40%
Financial and Market Viability 20%
Management and Organization 20%
Workplan 20%
Criterion 1: Technical Approach and Impact (40%)
This criterion involves consideration of the following sub-criteria:
Project Technical Approach and Impact
• Project Objectives
o Degree to which the proposed project approach supports the objectives,
requirements, and desired outcomes for the overall NOFO and Topic Area under
which the application is submitted.
• Project Relevance
o Extent to which the project has the potential to deliver near-term impact (for
example, to increase capacity, reliability, resource adequacy, resilience,
affordability, and replicability).
• Affordability and Customer Cost Impacts
o Degree to which the proposed project will reduce or avoid electricity system costs
and result in lower costs for customers.
• Project Timeline
o Degree to which the proposed project demonstrates a robust ability to rapidly
achieve technical objectives, thereby facilitating expeditious speed to power.
• Project Description
Version 3.0 Page 49 of 61

---

Notice of Funding Opportunity Part 1
Section VI. Application Review Information
o Degree to which the proposed technology, site, deployment plan, and
commissioning activities are clearly described in the application.
• Project Work Scope
o Degree to which technical work scope to achieve full system operation is clearly
defined, including applicable testing and validation plans; project development;
and construction, commissioning, and testing.
• Project Government Collaboration
o Where appropriate, the extent to which the applicant demonstrates how it plans to
use other federal or state programs and partnerships.
Technology Commercialization
• Industry Adoption
o Degree to which the proposed project reasonably expects to enable, encourage,
and accelerate broader industry-wide implementation.
• Design Scalability
o Sufficient technical detail addressing whether the proposed technologies and
systems would be commercially beneficial at a greater scale.
Criterion 2: Financial and Market Viability (20%)
This criterion involves consideration of the following sub-criteria:
• Project TEA
o Adequate details in the preliminary techno-economic analysis to justify viability
and feasibility of the project and the value proposition and timeline of the
technology to be replicated.
• Project Financing
o Availability, credibility, and risk or terms of nonfederal cost share sources and
funds necessary to meet ongoing cost share needs, including the ability to use
DOE financial assistance funding from this NOFO with state and local incentives
and private financing.
• Financial Commitment
o Degree to which the applicant addresses each key participating organization’s
financial commitment to the proposed project, including overall financial strength
and financial ability to implement the proposed plan and the ability of the
applicant to cover project cost overruns.
• Existing Resource Utilization
o Degree to which the proposed project uses available resources, such as testing
infrastructure, workforce, supplies, or equipment, to meet the required NOFO
objectives.
• Project Development Plan
o Adequacy of the business plan for developing key project agreements, such as
financing, acquisition strategies, supply chain, site control, securing skilled
workforce and a variety of suppliers, and other relevant project documents.
• Impact of DOE Funding
o Degree to which DOE funding is necessary to achieve the demonstration project
objectives.
• Market Potential
Version 3.0 Page 50 of 61

---

[Document continues — 11 more pages]

---

URL Instructions to Exchange

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Department of Energy

National Energy Technology Laboratory

Office of Electricity (OE)

# NOFO Title: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK)

# NOFO Number: DE-FOA-0003580

# Modification 000001

Instructions for completing the Grant Application Package are contained in the full text of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) which can be obtained at:

DOE: Under Secretary for Energy eXCHANGE: Funding Opportunities

If you have issues finding this funding opportunity, click in the white “Funding Opportunities” search box in the upper right corner of the page. You may type in key words such as the title of a particular NOFO or the NOFO number and then click “Search” which will bring up a listing of the NOFOs that correspond to your search criteria. Clicking on the NOFO number or the NOFO Title of the relevant NOFO will bring to you the full listing for that NOFO on the page. Then, click on the link under the NOFO “DOCUMENTS” heading to access the full NOFO document.