Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001623

  • The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent (NOI) DE-FOA-0001623 to Issue Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA-0001461" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jul 15, 2016.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by This is a NOI. Applications are not being solicited nor accepted.. (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 $2.00 in funding.
  • Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
Apply for DE FOA 0001623

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Opportunity Summary:

Notice of Intent (NOI) DE-FOA-0001623 is an advance notice from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), specifically indicating that EERE planned to release a future Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) titled "Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines" (referenced as DE-FOA-0001461). This document is not a solicitation and does not accept applications; it is essentially a heads-up to the research community that a competitive funding opportunity was expected to open in the near term. The notice also makes clear that all details were preliminary and could change, and that DOE might ultimately issue a different FOA than described or choose not to issue one at all.

The planned FOA was to support DOE's Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, a joint effort led by EERE on behalf of two program offices: the Bioenergy Technology Office (BETO) and the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO). The central purpose of Co-Optima is to accelerate the development and market introduction of high-performance fuels that are affordable, scalable, and sustainable, while also ensuring those fuels work hand-in-hand with advanced engine technologies. Rather than treating fuel development and engine development as separate tracks, the initiative emphasizes coordinated research, development, and assessment so that new fuels and new engines are designed to complement each other and deliver better real-world results.

In practical terms, the opportunity was framed around improving transportation energy outcomes on multiple fronts at once: increasing vehicle efficiency and performance, reducing harmful emissions, cutting petroleum consumption, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The notice highlights that this would be a "first-of-its-kind" approach bringing together multiple DOE offices, national laboratories, and industry stakeholders, with an emphasis on conducting tandem fuel and engine research and development (R&D) along with deployment-oriented assessment. That combination is intended to move beyond laboratory promise and address how candidate fuels and engine concepts could scale, be produced reliably, meet cost targets, and actually succeed in on-road vehicles under realistic operating conditions.

Eligibility was intentionally narrow. The anticipated FOA was to be restricted to U.S. Institutions of Higher Education as defined under federal law (20 U.S.C. 1001) and consistent with the federal definitions in 2 C.F.R. 200.55, as well as non-profit research institutions operating as a division under such universities. The source listing also classifies eligible applicants as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. This structure signaled an emphasis on university-led research, potentially leveraging academic capabilities, graduate research teams, and affiliated non-profit research divisions that can execute multi-disciplinary projects spanning chemistry, combustion, engines, emissions control, techno-economic analysis, and systems-level assessment.

Administratively, the notice states that EERE planned to issue the FOA in August 2016 and that it would be hosted and managed through the EERE eXCHANGE platform (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/). Interested organizations were encouraged to register in EERE eXCHANGE to receive official updates and, once the FOA was released, to submit applications through that system only. DOE also stated that it would not answer questions about the NOI itself; instead, once the FOA became available, an official question-and-answer process would be provided for prospective applicants.

From the provided source data, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding within the energy domain (CFDA 81.087) and is associated with the DOE Golden Field Office. The listing shows "ExpectedAwards: 0" and notes "This is a NOI. Applications are not being solicited nor accepted," reinforcing that there was no active competition at the NOI stage. The listing also includes an "AwardCeiling: 2" entry, but because this was only a notice of intent and not a live FOA, that figure should be treated as preliminary metadata rather than a confirmed funding limit or award structure.

Overall, DE-FOA-0001623 served as an early signal that DOE intended to invest in coordinated fuels-and-engines research through the Co-Optima initiative, with the broader aim of enabling cleaner, more efficient transportation by aligning fuel properties, engine designs, and deployment considerations from the outset. The key takeaways for prospective applicants were: the topic focus on co-optimized fuels and high-efficiency/low-emission engines, the university-restricted eligibility, the planned use of EERE eXCHANGE for official communications and submissions, and the explicit caution that the final FOA details could shift or might not be released at all.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is DE-FOA-0001623?

DE-FOA-0001623 is a Notice of Intent (NOI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). It served as an advance notice that EERE planned to release a future Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) related to the topic "Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines" (referenced as DE-FOA-0001461).

Is DE-FOA-0001623 an open funding solicitation?

No. The NOI explicitly states it is not a solicitation and does not accept applications. It was a heads-up to the research community about a possible upcoming competitive funding opportunity.

Can applications be submitted in response to the NOI?

No. Applications were not being solicited or accepted under the NOI stage.

What FOA did DOE indicate it planned to release?

The NOI stated EERE planned to release a future FOA titled "Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines," referenced as DE-FOA-0001461.

Could the planned FOA details change after the NOI?

Yes. The NOI stresses that all details were preliminary and could change. DOE also noted it might ultimately issue a different FOA than described, or choose not to issue one at all.

What initiative was the planned FOA intended to support?

The planned FOA was intended to support DOE's Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Co-Optima) initiative.

What is the purpose of the Co-Optima initiative?

Co-Optima aims to accelerate the development and market introduction of high-performance fuels that are affordable, scalable, and sustainable, while ensuring those fuels work in coordination with advanced engine technologies. A core idea is coordinated fuel and engine development rather than treating them as separate tracks.

Which DOE offices were involved in the Co-Optima effort described in the NOI?

The initiative was described as a joint effort led by EERE on behalf of two program offices: the Bioenergy Technology Office (BETO) and the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO).

What kinds of transportation outcomes was the planned work intended to improve?

The NOI describes goals including increasing vehicle efficiency and performance, reducing harmful emissions, cutting petroleum consumption, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

What makes this approach "co-optimization" rather than traditional fuel or engine R&D?

The NOI emphasizes coordinated research, development, and assessment so that fuels and engines are designed to complement each other and deliver improved real-world results, including deployment-oriented considerations beyond laboratory testing.

What types of activities were emphasized beyond laboratory research?

In addition to tandem fuel and engine R&D, the NOI highlights deployment-oriented assessment, including consideration of whether candidate fuels and engine concepts can scale, be produced reliably, meet cost targets, and succeed in on-road vehicles under realistic operating conditions.

Who was eligible to apply under the anticipated FOA?

Eligibility was intentionally narrow. The anticipated FOA was to be restricted to U.S. Institutions of Higher Education as defined under federal law (20 U.S.C. 1001) and consistent with the federal definitions in 2 C.F.R. 200.55, as well as non-profit research institutions operating as a division under such universities.

Were both public and private universities included in the eligible applicant types?

Yes. The source listing classifies eligible applicants as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.

Could a non-profit research institute apply?

Only if it operates as a division under an eligible university, as described in the NOI.

Why did the NOI signal a focus on university-led research?

Based on the stated eligibility restrictions, the planned opportunity emphasized university-led efforts, potentially leveraging academic research capabilities and multidisciplinary teams aligned with fuels, engines, emissions, and assessment work.

When did DOE plan to issue the FOA?

The NOI stated EERE planned to issue the FOA in August 2016.

Where would the FOA be posted and administered?

DOE indicated the FOA would be hosted and managed through the EERE eXCHANGE platform at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.

How would organizations receive official updates about the planned FOA?

Interested organizations were encouraged to register in EERE eXCHANGE to receive official updates.

How would applications be submitted once the FOA was released?

DOE indicated that, once released, applications would be submitted through EERE eXCHANGE only.

Would DOE answer questions about the NOI?

No. DOE stated it would not answer questions about the NOI itself. An official question-and-answer process would be provided after the FOA became available.

What funding category was associated with this opportunity?

From the provided source data, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding within the energy domain and associated with CFDA 81.087.

Which DOE office was associated with the listing?

The listing is associated with the DOE Golden Field Office.

How many awards were expected at the NOI stage?

The provided source data shows "ExpectedAwards: 0" and reiterates that this was an NOI and that applications were not being solicited or accepted at that stage.

Does the NOI confirm a funding ceiling or award size?

No confirmed award structure is provided in the NOI. The listing includes an "AwardCeiling: 2" entry, but because the document is only a notice of intent and not a live FOA, this figure should be treated as preliminary metadata rather than a confirmed funding limit.

What is the main takeaway for organizations interested in this topic area?

The key points were the topic focus on co-optimized fuels and high-efficiency/low-emission engines, the restricted eligibility to U.S. higher education institutions (and certain affiliated non-profit research divisions), the use of EERE eXCHANGE for official communications and submissions, and the explicit warning that the final FOA details could change or might not be issued.

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