Request for Information (RFI) Research and Development Needs and Technical Barriers for Fuel Cells | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) Is this opportunity a grant or funding solicitation?

No. This notice was issued as a Request for Information (RFI), not a grant solicitation or Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). DOE was collecting input to help shape possible future funding topics, assuming future Congressional appropriations.

2) Can I apply for funding under this announcement?

No. DOE was not offering funding under this announcement and was not accepting applications. The document was intended to gather feedback from stakeholders, not to award financial assistance.

3) What is the purpose of this RFI?

The purpose was to collect practical, real-world input from the broader fuel cell community on research and development (R&D) needs and technical barriers that are slowing widespread commercialization of fuel cells. DOE intended to use this feedback to prioritize and design topics for a potential future FOA.

4) Which DOE office issued this RFI?

The RFI was issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through its Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) and administered by the Golden Field Office.

5) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this RFI?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed for this RFI is DE-FOA-0001133.

6) What CFDA program is this tied to?

This RFI is tied to CFDA 81.086, Conservation Research and Development.

7) What technical areas and applications did the RFI cover?

The scope covered fuel cells and fuel cell systems for transportation uses, stationary power, and early market applications. It also covered cross-cutting technology needs that apply broadly across platforms.

8) What types of improvements was DOE especially interested in?

DOE highlighted interest in stack-level improvements and balance-of-plant (BOP) component technology, recognizing that commercialization depends on both the electrochemical stack and supporting subsystems.

9) What is meant by “balance-of-plant (BOP)” in this RFI?

In this context, BOP refers to supporting subsystems that enable fuel cell operation, such as air management, fuel processing/handling (where applicable), thermal management, water management, power electronics, sensors, and controls.

10) What kinds of input was DOE seeking from respondents?

DOE sought concrete perspectives on which technical barriers matter most now, which research directions are most promising, and which pathways could realistically move fuel cell technologies closer to broad market adoption, particularly by reducing cost and improving performance and durability.

11) What commercialization barriers did DOE emphasize?

DOE emphasized common hurdles including high material and manufacturing costs (including catalysts and other critical components), lifetime and degradation issues under real-world duty cycles, performance limitations under varying operating conditions, and system complexity that can increase cost and maintenance burdens.

12) Who was eligible to respond to the RFI?

Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could provide input, subject to any clarifications in the full text.

13) What types of organizations did DOE encourage to respond?

DOE sought feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, universities, national and other research laboratories, government agencies, and other interested parties.

14) How were responses submitted?

The submission process was handled through the EERE Exchange website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov.

15) Where were questions and answers handled for this RFI?

The question-and-answer process was also handled through EERE Exchange (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov), DOE’s standard portal for energy efficiency and renewable energy communications and funding-related activities.

16) Was there any funding amount associated with this notice?

No. Because this was an RFI, the funding fields show no allocated dollars (Estimated Total Funding of $0 and award floor/ceiling of $0), reinforcing that it was informational and preparatory.

17) What was the original response deadline, and was it extended?

An administrative amendment extended the response deadline from the original closing date of June 2, 2014, to a new closing date of June 9, 2014.

18) What changed under Amendment 000001?

Amendment 000001 updated key logistical details, including extending the response deadline and revising information related to a pre-solicitation workshop associated with the 2014 Annual Merit Review.

19) When was the RFI posted, and when was it archived?

The RFI was posted on May 5, 2014, had a listed creation date of May 29, 2014, and was later archived on July 7, 2014.

20) What was the role of the pre-solicitation workshop mentioned in the notice?

The notice referenced a pre-solicitation workshop associated with the 2014 Annual Merit Review, and Amendment 000001 revised related workshop information. The RFI itself was still focused on collecting input to inform potential future topics.

21) Who was the point of contact for access issues with the full announcement?

The notice provided a point of contact for access issues with the full announcement: David R. Welsh.

22) Does responding to the RFI guarantee eligibility or selection for any future FOA?

The notice describes the RFI as an information-gathering step to inform a potential future competitive funding program. It does not indicate any guarantee of eligibility or selection for any future FOA based on submitting an RFI response.

23) What is the overall intent of DOE in issuing this RFI?

The overall intent was to gather market and technical intelligence so that any future FOA could be grounded in real-world needs, focused on the most consequential bottlenecks, and aimed at R&D areas most likely to accelerate fuel cell commercialization.