Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001378
Apply for DE FOA 0001378
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DOE Traineeship in Power Engineering (Leveraging Wide Bandgap Power Electronics)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.117 Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Dissemination, Outreach, Training and Technical Analysis/Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 26, 2015 and posted on Jul 17, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 3, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Department of Energy (DOE), through its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and specifically the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), released this discretionary grant funding opportunity to support university-led traineeship programs focused on power engineering, with a strong emphasis on leveraging wide bandgap (WBG) power electronics. In practical terms, the FOA is aimed at building a pipeline of engineers with specialized, DOE-relevant skills in modern power conversion and power engineering topics where technologies like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are increasingly important for high-efficiency, high-power-density systems used across energy, industrial, and transportation applications. The overarching idea is not just to fund academic education broadly, but to create structured traineeships that directly strengthen the technical workforce capabilities needed to deliver on DOE mission priorities tied to energy security, economic competitiveness, and environmental challenges.
A key theme of the opportunity is that the traineeship programs must be intentionally designed around mission-driven STEM competencies. DOE frames this in two main objectives. First, funded traineeships are expected to advance the DOE mission by producing graduates with skills and training aligned to DOE needs in science, energy, and environmental problem-solving. Second, the program is meant to fill priority workforce gaps in disciplines relevant to EERE and AMO where there are limited alternatives, meaning the traineeship should address needs that are either underserved by existing federal or academic programs or are not sufficiently oriented toward DOE applications. This signals that competitive proposals would likely need to show a clear link between the curriculum and training activities and the specific technical competencies that matter for WBG-enabled power engineering, as well as evidence that the program closes a real training gap rather than duplicating standard degree pathways.
The amendment noted in the announcement is administrative but important for applicants building budgets. It updates Section 1.A.3 to clarify the interpretation of 2 CFR 200.68, which defines the Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) base, and it specifies what categories of costs should be excluded from an applicant’s MTDC when calculating indirect costs. While the summary text does not list the excluded items explicitly, the intent is to remove ambiguity so universities apply the federal cost principles correctly and consistently when preparing their applications and indirect cost calculations.
From an eligibility and funding standpoint, the FOA is open to public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, reinforcing that this is intended to be led by universities rather than companies or nonprofits. The funding instrument is a grant under CFDA 81.117 (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Dissemination, Outreach, Training and Technical Analysis/Assistance). The opportunity includes a cost sharing or matching requirement, so awardees would be expected to contribute a portion of project costs through non-federal resources consistent with the FOA’s terms. The listed award range is substantial, with an award floor of $2.5 million and an award ceiling of $5 million, indicating DOE expected large, well-structured programs rather than small pilot efforts. The posting date was July 17, 2015, with a closing date of September 3, 2015, and it was later archived on February 17, 2016. Although the dataset fields show “ExpectedAwards: 0†and “EstimatedTotalFunding: 0,†those fields appear to be placeholder or incomplete entries in the source record rather than a definitive statement about DOE’s intent to fund nothing, especially given the clearly defined ceiling and floor amounts.
Operationally, the announcement emphasizes the use of the EERE Exchange system for submission and the enforcement of hard deadlines. The system disables the Apply and Submit buttons at the deadline, meaning late submissions are effectively prevented by design. Applicants who encountered technical problems before the deadline were directed to contact the Exchange helpdesk at EERE.ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov for assistance, and the system administrators were positioned as the route to resolving submission issues. For programmatic or announcement-access questions, a listed contact was Melissa A. Jacobi at AMOTraineeship@ee.doe.gov. The administering office is identified as the Golden Field Office.
Overall, this FOA is best understood as DOE funding for universities to run targeted traineeship programs that develop advanced power engineering talent with hands-on, application-relevant expertise in WBG power electronics, while also meeting federal budgeting and compliance requirements (including clarified MTDC treatment) and contributing cost share.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this DOE funding opportunity for?
This discretionary grant opportunity supports university-led traineeship programs in power engineering, with a strong emphasis on wide bandgap (WBG) power electronics. The goal is to build a pipeline of engineers trained in modern power conversion topics that align with DOE mission priorities.
2) Which DOE offices are sponsoring and managing the opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), specifically the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO). The administering office is identified as the Golden Field Office.
3) What types of technologies and focus areas are emphasized?
The traineeships are expected to focus on power engineering topics that leverage WBG power electronics, including technologies such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). These technologies are highlighted for their role in high-efficiency, high-power-density systems relevant to energy, industrial, and transportation applications.
4) What is the main workforce goal of the traineeship programs?
The programs are intended to strengthen the technical workforce by producing graduates with specialized, DOE-relevant skills in power conversion and power engineering, particularly where WBG devices are increasingly important.
5) How does DOE describe the mission-driven objectives for traineeships?
DOE frames two core objectives: (1) advance the DOE mission by producing graduates with skills aligned to DOE needs in science, energy, and environmental problem-solving, and (2) fill priority workforce gaps in EERE/AMO-relevant disciplines where there are limited alternatives or where existing programs are not sufficiently oriented toward DOE applications.
6) Does DOE expect these traineeships to be different from standard degree programs?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes structured traineeships that directly strengthen technical workforce capabilities tied to DOE mission needs, and it signals that proposals should address real training gaps rather than duplicating standard degree pathways.
7) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education: public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. The opportunity is intended to be led by universities.
8) What funding instrument will DOE use?
The funding instrument is a grant.
9) What is the CFDA number associated with this grant?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 81.117 (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Dissemination, Outreach, Training and Technical Analysis/Assistance).
10) What is the expected award size?
The stated award range has a floor of $2.5 million and a ceiling of $5 million, indicating DOE anticipated sizable, well-structured traineeship efforts rather than small pilot projects.
11) Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The opportunity includes a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning awardees are expected to contribute a portion of project costs using non-federal resources, consistent with the FOA terms.
12) What is the posting date, closing date, and archive date?
The posting date was July 17, 2015. The closing date was September 3, 2015. The opportunity was later archived on February 17, 2016.
13) How are applications submitted?
Applications are submitted through the EERE Exchange system.
14) What happens if an application is submitted after the deadline?
The EERE Exchange system enforces hard deadlines by disabling the Apply and Submit buttons at the deadline, which effectively prevents late submissions.
15) Who should applicants contact if they experience technical problems with EERE Exchange?
Applicants who encounter technical problems before the deadline are directed to contact the Exchange helpdesk at EERE.ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov.
16) Who is the program contact for questions about the announcement?
For programmatic or announcement-access questions, the listed contact is Melissa A. Jacobi at AMOTraineeship@ee.doe.gov.
17) What is the amendment mentioned in the announcement, and why does it matter?
The amendment updates Section 1.A.3 to clarify the interpretation of 2 CFR 200.68, which defines the Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) base. It specifies what categories of costs should be excluded from an applicant's MTDC when calculating indirect costs, with the intent of reducing ambiguity and supporting consistent application of federal cost principles in budgets.
18) Does the summary list the specific cost categories excluded from MTDC?
No. The summary indicates that excluded items are clarified, but it does not explicitly list which categories are excluded.
19) The record shows "ExpectedAwards: 0" and "EstimatedTotalFunding: 0." Does that mean no awards were planned?
Not necessarily. Those fields appear to be placeholders or incomplete entries in the source record, especially given that the opportunity provides a clearly defined award floor and ceiling.
20) What kinds of applications does this FOA appear to be designed to support?
Based on the description, DOE is looking for intentional, mission-driven traineeship designs that build DOE-relevant competencies in WBG-enabled power engineering and that address identifiable workforce gaps in EERE/AMO-relevant disciplines.
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