FOA Carbon, Hydrogen and Separation Efficiencies in Bio Oil Conversion Pathways (CHASE Bio Oil Pathways) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity is titled "Carbon, Hydrogen and Separation Efficiencies in Bio Oil Conversion Pathways (CHASE Bio Oil Pathways)."

2) Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Administrative details in the record reference DOE's Golden Field Office.

3) What is the FOA number?

The FOA number is DE-FOA-0000812.

4) What category is the opportunity listed under?

The opportunity is listed under the Energy category.

5) What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is tied to CFDA 81.087, Renewable Energy Research and Development.

6) What type of funding instrument is being used?

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement.

7) Is cost sharing required?

Yes. The opportunity includes a cost-sharing requirement.

8) When was the announcement originally posted?

The announcement was originally posted on December 14, 2012.

9) When was the announcement modified?

The record indicates a later modification/creation date of February 7, 2013, and the narrative describes multiple modifications (including Modifications 001, 002, and 003).

10) What was the concept paper deadline?

Concept papers were due on January 13, 2013 at 11:59 PM Eastern.

11) What was the full application deadline?

After Modification 002, full applications were due February 20, 2013 at 5:00 PM Eastern (extended by one week from February 13, 2013 at 5:00 PM Eastern).

12) Is this FOA still open?

No. The opportunity ultimately closed on February 20, 2013.

13) Where were applications required to be submitted?

Applications had to be submitted through the EERE Exchange portal.

14) Were late applications accepted?

No. The FOA reiterates that late applications would not be reviewed or considered.

15) The listing shows $0 for total funding and award amounts. Does that mean no awards were available?

Not necessarily. The record notes that $0 values for estimated total funding and award ceiling/floor appear to reflect how the summary record was captured, rather than a definitive statement that no awards would be made. Applicants would typically rely on the full FOA text for actual funding levels.

16) Does DOE require the work to be performed in the United States?

Yes. Modification 001 adds a "Performance of Work in the United States" requirement stating that all work under EERE funding agreements must be performed in the United States. It further states that prime recipients must expend 100 percent of the total project cost domestically.

17) Are any exceptions allowed to the "work in the United States" requirement?

Yes. Applicants may request a waiver. Approval is at the discretion of the DOE Contracting Officer if granting the waiver would advance the FOA's purpose and align with EERE's interests.

18) What situations require submitting a waiver request with the application?

Modification 001 introduces a formal waiver process and indicates a waiver request must be submitted with the full application if the applicant is seeking: (a) permission for a foreign entity to serve as the prime recipient without using a U.S.-incorporated subsidiary or affiliate, and/or (b) permission to perform any portion of the work outside the United States.

19) What information had to be included in a waiver request?

The waiver request needed to identify the entity, where it is incorporated, what work it will perform, and where that work will be performed. It also needed a justification explaining why the waiver is necessary and how granting it would further the FOA's objectives and EERE's interests.

20) How should a waiver request file be formatted and named?

The FOA instructions standardize submission by requiring waiver requests to be saved as a single PDF file using a specific naming convention: ControlNumberLeadOrganizationWaiver. The file is listed in the required forms/files table as "Waiver Request, if applicable."

21) Who is eligible to apply as an individual?

Modification 001 clarifies that individuals may be eligible if they are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.

22) What types of domestic entities are eligible?

Modification 001 describes domestic entities as including for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and state/local/tribal governments that are formed under the laws of a U.S. state or territory.

23) How are foreign entities treated for eligibility purposes?

The clarified framework notes that foreign entities may participate, but prime-recipient status is generally expected to be routed through a U.S.-incorporated subsidiary or affiliate unless a waiver is granted.

24) Can federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) apply?

The modifications describe a nuanced treatment of FFRDCs, government-owned/government-operated laboratories, and other federal agencies. In the clarified structure, certain federal entities may participate only as subrecipients and not as prime recipients.

25) Can other federal agencies apply as the prime recipient?

The eligibility summary indicates that other federal agencies are not eligible to apply as prime recipients, consistent with the detailed eligibility rules described in Modification 001.

26) Are there nonprofit organizations that are not eligible to apply as prime recipients?

Yes. The eligibility summary notes that certain nonprofit 501(c)(4) organizations that engaged in lobbying after December 31, 1995 are not eligible to apply as primes.

27) Can a consortium apply?

Yes. The modifications describe how consortia may apply, distinguishing between incorporated and unincorporated consortia.

28) What is required for an incorporated consortium to apply?

An incorporated consortium must have governance rules.

29) What is required for an unincorporated consortium to apply?

An unincorporated consortium must designate a prime recipient/representative that is formed under U.S. law. The FOA may also require articles of collaboration describing management, payments, cost share, oversight, and intellectual property arrangements.

30) What is the SOPO, and where does it go in the application?

The SOPO is the Statement of Project Objectives. Modification 003 changes the formatting rules so the SOPO must be included as a clearly marked appendix to the Project Narrative (as a required narrative appendix item under Section IV.C.3.H).

31) Does the SOPO count against the Project Narrative page limit?

No. Modification 003 clarifies that placing the SOPO as the required appendix means it does not count toward the Project Narrative page limit.

32) Are appendices optional or required?

Modification 003 clarifies that some appendix items (a, b, and c) may be included as appendices and do not count toward the page limit, while item (d) is mandatory and is the SOPO.

33) Is there a required template for the SOPO?

Yes. The SOPO must follow the template in Appendix E.

34) What content is the SOPO expected to cover?

The SOPO must clearly and concisely describe the activities to be completed during the project period and explain how objectives will be met.

35) Can the SOPO include proprietary or confidential business information?

No. DOE emphasizes that the SOPO may be made public in whole or in part at any time, so it cannot contain proprietary or confidential business information.

36) Did Modification 003 change other FOA terms and conditions?

Modification 003 states that, aside from the SOPO placement/page-limit and appendix clarifications, all other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

37) Who should be contacted with questions about FOA content?

The point of contact listed for FOA content questions is Brenda L. Dias, and the email provided is CHASEFOA@go.doe.gov.

38) When was the opportunity archived?

The record shows an archive date of September 30, 2013.