Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000790
Apply for DE FOA 0000790
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RFI Reducing the Soft Costs for Utility Scale Solar Installations on Public Lands" 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 Dec 4, 2012 and posted on Dec 4, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 15, 2013 All responses to this RFI must be electronically sent to UtilityScaleSolarRFI@go.doe.gov by 500 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 15, 2013.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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 opportunity titled "RFI - Reducing the Soft Costs for Utility Scale Solar Installations on Public Lands" (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000790) is a Department of Energy (DOE) Request for Information, not a grant or funding program. Its purpose is to gather input from the public and stakeholders to help DOE understand which real-world practices, policies, and information tools could reduce the non-hardware "balance of system" expenses that often slow down or increase the cost of building utility-scale solar projects on federal public lands. These soft costs commonly include things like siting decisions, permitting timelines, compliance steps, stakeholder engagement, environmental reviews, and mitigation planning rather than panels, inverters, or other physical equipment.
DOE makes it explicit that there is no money attached to this announcement. DOE will not pay for submissions, will not fund any projects as a result of the RFI, and is not accepting applications for financial assistance or incentives. The RFI is essentially a fact-finding step that DOE may use to shape future decisions, including the possibility of issuing a formal Funding Opportunity Announcement later. Even so, DOE emphasizes there is no guarantee that a future FOA or any other follow-on activity will happen, even if many responses are received.
In terms of what DOE is asking for, the RFI seeks practical comments and information on how to speed responsible development of utility-scale solar on public lands by lowering soft costs while still protecting important resources. DOE is particularly interested in three broad areas. First, it asks for examples of efforts to streamline permitting and improve environmental monitoring and mitigation, meaning ways to reduce delays, duplicative reviews, and uncertainty while maintaining strong oversight and effective mitigation. Second, it asks which policies and best practices should guide decision-makers so that solar development can move forward in a predictable and efficient way while also safeguarding cultural resources, sensitive habitats, environmental values, and other natural resources that can be present on public lands. Third, DOE wants input on data: how data should be collected, organized, and shared so solar developers, agencies, communities, and other stakeholders can quickly identify where development is most suitable and least likely to trigger conflicts or extended review. The underlying theme is that better processes and better information upfront can reduce costly rework, shorten project timelines, and lead to fewer disputes.
DOE also draws a clear boundary around what it does not want addressed. This RFI is not seeking comments about utility-scale transmission, transmission siting, or electricity distribution policy. While DOE acknowledges that transmission availability and generation are linked in practice, the scope here is focused on utility-scale solar installations themselves, including business models and best practices for developing projects on federal public lands, rather than the transmission system needed to move power to load centers.
Eligibility to respond is essentially open, described as unrestricted. DOE invites input from industry, consumer groups, and state and local governments, and the language indicates that other interested parties can also submit. The administrative details are straightforward: responses had to be submitted electronically as an email attachment in Microsoft Word or PDF format, sent to UtilityScaleSolarRFI@go.doe.gov with the subject line "Solar Technologies RFI Utility Scale Solar." The deadline listed was 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 15, 2013. The announcement was posted December 4, 2012, through DOE's Golden Field Office, and additional instructions and points of contact were provided through the full RFI on the EERE Exchange website.
Finally, the funding metadata reinforces that this is strictly an information-gathering action rather than a funding program: estimated total funding is listed as $0, with an award ceiling and floor of $0, no cost sharing requirement, and the activity category aligned with energy and renewable energy research and development (CFDA 81.087). The practical takeaway is that this RFI is best understood as an invitation to help DOE shape policy and potential future program design aimed at lowering the soft costs of utility-scale solar on public lands, especially through improved permitting approaches, environmental mitigation strategies, and better data systems for siting and decision-making.
FAQs: RFI - Reducing the Soft Costs for Utility Scale Solar Installations on Public Lands (DE-FOA-0000790)
1) What is this opportunity?
This opportunity is a Department of Energy (DOE) Request for Information (RFI) titled "RFI - Reducing the Soft Costs for Utility Scale Solar Installations on Public Lands" (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000790). It is a public input and fact-finding request, not a grant or funding program.
2) Is this a grant, funding opportunity, or financial assistance program?
No. DOE states that this announcement is not accepting applications for financial assistance or incentives. It is solely an RFI to collect comments and information from the public and stakeholders.
3) Is there any money available through this RFI?
No. DOE makes it explicit that there is no money attached. The funding metadata lists estimated total funding as $0, with an award ceiling of $0 and an award floor of $0.
4) Will DOE pay respondents for preparing or submitting a response?
No. DOE will not pay for submissions.
5) Will DOE fund projects based on responses to this RFI?
No. DOE will not fund any projects as a result of this RFI.
6) What is the purpose of the RFI?
The purpose is to gather input on real-world practices, policies, and information tools that could reduce non-hardware "balance of system" expenses (soft costs) that can slow down or increase the cost of building utility-scale solar projects on federal public lands.
7) What are "soft costs" in the context of this RFI?
Soft costs are non-hardware balance-of-system costs. In this RFI, they commonly include siting decisions, permitting timelines, compliance steps, stakeholder engagement, environmental reviews, and mitigation planning, rather than physical equipment like panels or inverters.
8) What kinds of projects or development does this RFI focus on?
The focus is on utility-scale solar installations on federal public lands, with an emphasis on reducing soft costs and improving responsible development processes while protecting important resources.
9) What are the main topic areas DOE is asking about?
DOE is particularly interested in three broad areas:
- Examples of efforts to streamline permitting and improve environmental monitoring and mitigation (reducing delays, duplicative reviews, and uncertainty while maintaining oversight).
- Policies and best practices to guide decision-makers so solar development is predictable and efficient while safeguarding cultural resources, sensitive habitats, environmental values, and other natural resources.
- Data needs and approaches: how data should be collected, organized, and shared to help identify suitable development areas and reduce conflicts or extended review.
10) What does DOE mean by streamlining permitting and environmental processes?
Based on the RFI description, DOE is looking for ways to reduce delays, duplicative reviews, and uncertainty in permitting and environmental review, while still maintaining strong oversight and effective mitigation and monitoring.
11) Is DOE looking for input on environmental mitigation and monitoring?
Yes. DOE specifically asks for examples and ideas related to improving environmental monitoring and mitigation planning as part of responsible utility-scale solar development on public lands.
12) Is DOE looking for input on stakeholder engagement?
Yes. Stakeholder engagement is included among the soft-cost areas that can affect timelines and costs, and the RFI is intended to gather practical information to reduce costly rework and disputes.
13) Is DOE looking for input related to cultural resources and sensitive habitats?
Yes. DOE highlights safeguarding cultural resources, sensitive habitats, environmental values, and other natural resources present on public lands as part of the policies and best practices it wants to learn about.
14) What is DOE asking for regarding data and information tools?
DOE wants input on how data should be collected, organized, and shared so developers, agencies, communities, and other stakeholders can more quickly identify where solar development is most suitable and least likely to trigger conflicts or extended review.
15) What is out of scope for this RFI?
This RFI is not seeking comments about utility-scale transmission, transmission siting, or electricity distribution policy. The scope is focused on utility-scale solar installations themselves on federal public lands (including business models and best practices), not the transmission system used to move electricity to load centers.
16) Who is eligible to respond to this RFI?
Eligibility to respond is described as unrestricted. DOE invites input from industry, consumer groups, and state and local governments, and indicates that other interested parties can also submit responses.
17) How were responses required to be submitted?
Responses had to be submitted electronically by email attachment in Microsoft Word or PDF format.
18) What email address was used for submission?
Responses were to be sent to UtilityScaleSolarRFI@go.doe.gov.
19) What subject line was required for the submission email?
The required subject line was "Solar Technologies RFI Utility Scale Solar."
20) What was the submission deadline?
The deadline listed was 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 15, 2013.
21) When was the RFI posted, and which DOE office posted it?
The announcement was posted on December 4, 2012, through DOE's Golden Field Office.
22) Where could respondents find the full RFI and additional instructions?
Additional instructions and points of contact were provided through the full RFI on the EERE Exchange website.
23) Is there any cost sharing requirement?
No. The metadata indicates no cost sharing requirement.
24) What is the CFDA number associated with this RFI?
The activity category is aligned with energy and renewable energy research and development under CFDA 81.087.
25) Could this RFI lead to a future funding opportunity announcement (FOA)?
DOE notes that the RFI may be used to shape future decisions, including the possibility of issuing a formal FOA later. However, DOE also emphasizes there is no guarantee that any future FOA or follow-on activity will occur, even if many responses are received.
26) What is the practical takeaway for someone reading this announcement?
The practical takeaway is that this is an invitation to help DOE shape policy and potential future program design aimed at lowering the soft costs of utility-scale solar on federal public lands, especially through improved permitting approaches, environmental mitigation strategies, and better data systems for siting and decision-making. It is not a funding program.
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