Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001373
Apply for DE FOA 0001373
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for information (RFI) Advanced Biofuel Blends in Small Engines" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087 Renewable Energy Research and Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 23, 2015 and posted on Jun 23, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 30, 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 $2.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and its Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), issued this notice as a Request for Information (RFI) focused on how the small engine sector might use higher-ethanol fuel blends beyond the common E10 level. The central purpose is to gather practical, experience-based input from stakeholders on two related topics: first, whether small spark-ignition internal combustion engines can be optimized or modified to run reliably on ethanol blends greater than 10 percent, and second, what technical, market, regulatory, or operational barriers are currently slowing broader biofuel use across the small engine industry.
The RFI targets the wide range of small engines people encounter in equipment and recreational vehicles, specifically spark-ignition engines used in applications such as small tractors, chainsaws, handheld line trimmers, off-road motorcycles, generator sets, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, and all-terrain vehicles. By naming these examples, DOE is signaling that it is interested in real-world use cases where durability, performance, safety, emissions compliance, storage stability, and user behavior can differ significantly from on-road automotive conditions. The underlying theme is that small engines often have different duty cycles, fueling systems, materials, and storage patterns than cars and trucks, which can influence how higher ethanol blends perform and what changes would be required for compatibility.
This announcement is not a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) and does not involve making awards. It is strictly an information-gathering effort, meaning DOE is not accepting grant applications, does not expect to make awards (Expected Awards: 0), and indicates it will not respond to questions about the RFI. The listing includes standard funding-opportunity fields, but key entries reinforce that there is no funding attached here (Estimated Total Funding: 0) and the instrument type is categorized as "Other" rather than a grant. Cost sharing is not applicable because there is no award being issued.
Responses were required to be submitted electronically by email, as attachments, to BETOSmallEnginesRFI@ee.doe.gov, with a deadline of 5:00 pm EDT on August 30, 2015. The opportunity was posted on June 23, 2015, with the same date shown for creation, and it was later archived on September 25, 2015. The full announcement was made available via the EERE Exchange website, and a contact (Nicholas Oscarsson) is provided primarily for access issues related to obtaining the full text, not for substantive Q and A.
From an eligibility standpoint, the RFI is described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could submit information (for example, engine and equipment manufacturers, fuel producers, trade associations, researchers, testing labs, standards organizations, fleet operators, and end users), subject to any clarifications that might appear in the full announcement. The administering office is listed as DOE's Golden Field Office, and the activity category is Energy, with a CFDA reference of 81.087 for Renewable Energy Research and Development, which broadly aligns with BETO's interest in accelerating bioenergy and biofuel adoption.
In practical terms, this RFI is best understood as DOE taking a structured look at what it would take to expand the use of higher ethanol blends in small engines, and what obstacles need to be addressed before such blends could be more widely adopted. That could include stakeholder input on needed engine design changes (fuel system components, calibration, materials compatibility), impacts on performance and emissions, misfueling risk and labeling, fuel distribution and availability, warranty and liability concerns, consumer awareness, standards and certification pathways, and testing protocols for durability and long-term storage. The information collected through the RFI would typically be used to shape future research priorities, pilot efforts, standards work, or potential future solicitations, even though this specific notice does not provide funding by itself.
Key identifiers for the notice include Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001373 and the title "Request for information (RFI) Advanced Biofuel Blends in Small Engines."
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is DE-FOA-0001373?
DE-FOA-0001373 is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) notice titled "Request for information (RFI) Advanced Biofuel Blends in Small Engines." It is a Request for Information (RFI), meaning DOE is collecting input from stakeholders rather than offering funding.
2) Is this a grant or a funding opportunity?
No. This notice is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and does not provide funding. The listing indicates Expected Awards: 0 and Estimated Total Funding: 0, and the instrument type is categorized as "Other" (not a grant).
3) Will DOE make any awards under this notice?
No. DOE does not expect to make any awards as part of this RFI (Expected Awards: 0).
4) What is the purpose of this RFI?
The purpose is to gather practical, experience-based input on how the small engine sector might use higher-ethanol fuel blends above the common E10 level. DOE is seeking feedback on (1) whether small spark-ignition internal combustion engines can be optimized or modified to run reliably on ethanol blends greater than 10%, and (2) what barriers are slowing broader biofuel use in the small engine industry.
5) Which DOE offices issued this RFI?
The notice was issued by DOE through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), specifically EERE's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO).
6) What kinds of engines and equipment does the RFI cover?
The RFI focuses on small spark-ignition internal combustion engines used in equipment and recreational vehicles. Examples listed include small tractors, chainsaws, handheld line trimmers, off-road motorcycles, generator sets, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, and all-terrain vehicles.
7) Why is DOE focusing on small engines rather than cars and trucks?
DOE highlights that small engines often differ from on-road automotive engines in duty cycles, fueling systems, materials, storage patterns, and user behavior. Those differences can change how higher ethanol blends perform and what modifications might be required for compatibility and reliability.
8) What specific topics is DOE asking stakeholders to address?
Based on the notice description, DOE is looking for input on topics such as required engine design changes (for example fuel system components, calibration, and materials compatibility), impacts on durability and performance, safety considerations, emissions compliance, storage stability, and user behavior. DOE is also interested in barriers including technical, market, regulatory, and operational issues affecting broader adoption.
9) What are examples of barriers DOE is trying to understand?
The notice points to potential barriers such as misfueling risk and labeling, fuel distribution and availability, warranty and liability concerns, consumer awareness, standards and certification pathways, and testing protocols for durability and long-term storage, along with other technical, market, regulatory, or operational barriers.
10) Who is eligible to respond to the RFI?
The RFI is described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could submit information, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement. Examples of potential respondents include engine and equipment manufacturers, fuel producers, trade associations, researchers, testing labs, standards organizations, fleet operators, and end users.
11) What is the submission method for RFI responses?
Responses were required to be submitted electronically by email as attachments.
12) What email address was used to submit responses?
Responses were submitted to BETOSmallEnginesRFI@ee.doe.gov.
13) What was the deadline to submit an RFI response?
The deadline was 5:00 pm EDT on August 30, 2015.
14) When was the notice posted and when was it archived?
The notice was posted on June 23, 2015 (also shown as the creation date) and it was archived on September 25, 2015.
15) Where was the full announcement made available?
The full announcement was made available via the EERE Exchange website.
16) Is DOE accepting questions about the RFI?
No. The notice indicates DOE will not respond to questions about the RFI.
17) Who is the contact person listed, and what are they for?
A contact is listed (Nicholas Oscarsson), primarily for access issues related to obtaining the full text of the announcement, not for substantive questions and answers about the RFI.
18) Which DOE office is listed as the administering office?
The administering office is listed as DOE's Golden Field Office.
19) What is the activity category and CFDA reference for this notice?
The activity category is Energy, and the CFDA reference listed is 81.087 for Renewable Energy Research and Development.
20) Does cost sharing apply to this RFI?
No. Cost sharing is not applicable because there is no award being issued under this RFI.
21) What might DOE do with the information collected through this RFI?
The notice explains that information collected through an RFI is typically used to shape future research priorities, pilot efforts, standards work, or potential future solicitations, even though this specific notice does not provide funding.
22) Is this opportunity still open?
No. The notice was archived on September 25, 2015, and the submission deadline was August 30, 2015.
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