The Circular Supply Chains Accelerator | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Circular Supply Chains Accelerator (DE-FOA-0003512)

What is the Circular Supply Chains Accelerator (DE-FOA-0003512)?

The Circular Supply Chains Accelerator is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0003512) designed to speed up the transition from a largely linear "take-make-dispose" economy to a more circular economy, with an emphasis on products and materials that matter to clean energy deployment.

Which DOE office is running this opportunity?

The opportunity is run through the DOE Golden Field Office under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). It also highlights the role of DOE's Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) in the underlying circularity approach.

What problem is this funding opportunity trying to solve?

The opportunity targets the impacts of today's linear economy, where raw materials are extracted, turned into products, and discarded at end of life. DOE frames this as increasing energy use and carbon emissions, generating large waste streams, permanently removing valuable materials from circulation, and creating supply chain risk for critical materials used in clean energy technologies.

How does DOE define "circularity" in this grant?

DOE describes circularity as keeping products and materials in use longer and at higher value through strategies such as reuse, repair, remanufacture, and recycling, reducing reliance on virgin (newly extracted) material inputs.

Why is circularity tied to clean energy supply chains?

DOE emphasizes that many critical materials needed for clean energy technologies are not sufficiently available from domestic sources. By keeping materials in circulation longer and recovering value at end of life, circular approaches can strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce exposure to disruptions and price volatility.

What outcomes does DOE expect circularity to deliver?

DOE indicates that effective circularity can reduce the need for virgin material inputs, lower lifecycle emissions, shrink waste streams, and preserve economic value by keeping materials in productive use instead of routing them to landfills or other low-value disposal pathways.

Is this opportunity focused only on technology development?

No. A central point in the description is that technology development alone will not produce the national-scale outcomes DOE is seeking. The opportunity stresses coordinated alignment across enabling technologies, policy and regulatory approaches, business models, and broad stakeholder participation.

What is the Accelerator intended to do in practical terms?

The Accelerator is positioned as a national-scale coordination-and-action vehicle. It is meant to connect key players, identify important gaps and next steps across technology, policy, and markets, and drive a more integrated approach so that DOE investments in circularity-related innovations can translate into larger system-level outcomes.

What type of federal funding instrument will DOE use?

The funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement. This typically means DOE expects substantial involvement during the project, rather than a fully hands-off approach.

How many awards does DOE expect to make under this opportunity?

DOE expects to make one award.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $12,500,000.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as "Unrestricted," which generally indicates a broad applicant pool (for example, companies, universities, nonprofits, consortia, and other qualified entities), subject to the standard federal requirements detailed in the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).

What is the opportunity's timeline (creation date and closing date)?

The opportunity was created on January 16, 2025. The original closing date is July 18, 2025.

What is the activity category for this funding opportunity?

The activity category is Energy.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The listed CFDA number is 81.117.

What is the role of EERE's strategic framework in this opportunity?

The opportunity references priorities in EERE's draft strategic framework, "Circularity for Secure and Sustainable Products and Materials," which identifies challenges and opportunities across clean energy-relevant materials and product systems, as well as potential benefits for communities and job creation.

How does DOE describe the broader value of this work beyond emissions and waste?

In addition to environmental benefits, DOE frames circularity as a near-term lever to strengthen domestic supply chains and preserve economic value. The referenced EERE framework also points to potential benefits for communities and job creation.

What does DOE mean by shifting away from "take-make-dispose"?

DOE is referring to moving away from a system that depends on continuous extraction of new raw materials, manufacturing products, and discarding them at end of life. The circular alternative focuses on extending product life and keeping materials circulating through reuse, repair, remanufacture, and recycling.

Why is DOE emphasizing stakeholder participation?

DOE states that achieving meaningful circularity progress requires alignment across multiple dimensions, including technology, policy and regulation, and business models, which depends on active participation from a wide range of stakeholders.

What does "discretionary" mean in this context?

The opportunity is described as a discretionary funding opportunity, meaning DOE will competitively select and fund the project it believes best meets the program's goals, consistent with the FOA and federal requirements.