Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000988
Apply for DE FOA 0000988
- The National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Vehicles Technologies Incubator" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.086 Conservation Research and Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 12, 2014 and posted on Jan 16, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 28, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Vehicles Technologies Incubator (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000988) was a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity run under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), with administration support from the National Energy Technology Laboratory. The basic purpose was to fund high-potential, early-stage or nontraditional vehicle technology ideas that could help DOE meet its transportation energy and emissions goals, but that were not yet well represented in the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) existing multi-year program plans and established roadmaps. EERE openly states a tension in its normal planning approach: focusing resources on a small set of proven pathways creates critical mass and impact, but it can also make it harder to notice or invest in unexpected, game-changing approaches. This incubator was designed as a structured way to test those unconventional ideas, reduce technical and market risk, and decide whether they merit being "on-ramped" into future VTO roadmaps and portfolios.
Within that broader incubator concept, the Vehicle Technologies Office frames the end goal as reducing U.S. petroleum use in highway transportation by developing and deploying efficient, environmentally friendly technologies that improve mobility, energy security, cost, and environmental outcomes. The opportunity ties into VTO priorities such as the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, which sought major improvements in plug-in electric vehicle performance and cost, guided by published targets and stretch goals (for example, as outlined in the EV Everywhere Blueprint and other VTO planning documents like the Multi-Year Program Plan and the U.S. DRIVE Partnership materials). In practical terms, DOE was looking for projects that could materially advance the state of the art rather than provide small, incremental upgrades, especially when the approach did not already have a strong foothold in the current VTO portfolio.
The topics of interest were intentionally broad, spanning several major technical areas: energy storage research and development; advanced power electronics and electric motors research and development; advanced combustion engine research and development; materials technology; and fuels and lubricant technologies. The FOA also explicitly left room for "other" concepts, inviting applications that aimed to bring to market a novel, non-incremental technology that supports one or more VTO goals even if it did not fit neatly into the listed categories. That open-ended language is a key feature of the incubator model: it was meant to capture ideas that might otherwise struggle to find a home under more narrowly scoped program calls.
Funding was offered through multiple possible instruments (including cooperative agreements, grants, and other mechanisms), and cost sharing or matching was required, meaning applicants needed to provide a portion of the total project cost from non-federal sources. DOE estimated a total program size of about $10,000,000 with an expectation of around 10 awards. Individual awards were anticipated to fall between $500,000 (floor) and $2,000,000 (ceiling), indicating support for projects substantial enough to demonstrate feasibility, reduce risk, and generate clear evidence for whether the concept should advance into larger, roadmap-aligned programs.
Eligibility was aimed at organizations likely to generate and translate new vehicle technology, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and small businesses. The catalog listing associated with the opportunity was CFDA 81.086 (Conservation Research and Development), placing it within DOE applied R&D efforts tied to energy efficiency and conservation outcomes.
From an administrative standpoint, the FOA was posted January 16, 2014, with an application closing date of February 28, 2014 (and later archived July 16, 2014). Applications had to be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE portal (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov), which requires users to register and submit electronically through the system, using the platform user guide if needed. Questions about the announcement and submission were directed to the designated contact email (DE-FOA-0000988@netl.doe.gov), with a named contract specialist provided for access or technical issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Vehicles Technologies Incubator funding opportunity?
The Vehicles Technologies Incubator (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000988) was a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), with administration support from the National Energy Technology Laboratory. It was designed to fund high-potential, early-stage or nontraditional vehicle technology ideas that could help DOE meet transportation energy and emissions goals.
What problem was this incubator intended to solve?
EERE described a tension in its usual planning approach: focusing resources on a small set of proven pathways can create impact and critical mass, but it can also make it harder to identify and invest in unexpected, game-changing approaches. This incubator provided a structured way to test unconventional ideas, reduce technical and market risk, and determine whether a concept should be added (or "on-ramped") into future Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) roadmaps and portfolios.
Which DOE office sponsored this opportunity?
The opportunity was run under DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), within the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO).
Who provided administrative support for the FOA?
Administration support for this funding opportunity was provided by the National Energy Technology Laboratory.
What were the overall goals of the Vehicle Technologies Office related to this FOA?
Within the incubator concept, VTO framed the end goal as reducing U.S. petroleum use in highway transportation by developing and deploying efficient, environmentally friendly technologies that improve mobility, energy security, cost, and environmental outcomes.
How does this opportunity relate to EV Everywhere?
The FOA tied into VTO priorities such as the EV Everywhere Grand Challenge, which sought major improvements in plug-in electric vehicle performance and cost. VTO planning documents mentioned in the opportunity context included the EV Everywhere Blueprint, the VTO Multi-Year Program Plan, and U.S. DRIVE Partnership materials.
What kind of project advances was DOE looking for?
DOE was looking for projects that could materially advance the state of the art rather than deliver small, incremental upgrades, particularly when the approach did not already have a strong foothold in the existing VTO portfolio.
What technical topic areas were included?
The topics of interest were intentionally broad and included: energy storage research and development; advanced power electronics and electric motors research and development; advanced combustion engine research and development; materials technology; and fuels and lubricant technologies.
Could applicants submit projects outside the listed topic areas?
Yes. The FOA explicitly left room for "other" concepts. It invited applications aiming to bring to market a novel, non-incremental technology that supports one or more VTO goals even if it did not fit neatly into the listed categories.
What types of funding instruments could DOE use for awards?
Funding could be offered through multiple instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, and other mechanisms.
Was cost sharing (matching) required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching was required, meaning applicants needed to provide a portion of the total project cost from non-federal sources.
How much total funding was DOE expecting to allocate?
DOE estimated a total program size of about $10,000,000.
How many awards were expected?
DOE expected approximately 10 awards.
What was the expected award size per project?
Individual awards were anticipated to range from $500,000 to $2,000,000.
What does the anticipated award range suggest about project scope?
The anticipated range indicated support for projects large enough to demonstrate feasibility, reduce risk, and produce clear evidence about whether a concept should progress into larger, roadmap-aligned VTO programs.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was aimed at organizations likely to generate and translate new vehicle technology, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and small businesses.
What was the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The catalog listing associated with the opportunity was CFDA 81.086 (Conservation Research and Development).
When was the FOA posted?
The FOA was posted on January 16, 2014.
What was the application deadline?
The application closing date was February 28, 2014.
When was the opportunity archived?
The funding opportunity was later archived on July 16, 2014.
Where were applications submitted?
Applications had to be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE portal at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov.
Was electronic submission required?
Yes. Applicants were required to register and submit electronically through the EERE eXCHANGE system.
Was there a user guide for the submission portal?
Yes. The opportunity referenced using the platform user guide if needed for registration and electronic submission.
How could applicants ask questions about the announcement or submission?
Questions about the announcement and submission were directed to the designated contact email: DE-FOA-0000988@netl.doe.gov.
Was there a specific point of contact for access or technical issues?
Yes. The FOA noted that a named contract specialist was provided for access or technical issues, in addition to the general contact email.
What is the main decision point this incubator was designed to support?
A central purpose of the incubator model was to decide whether a tested unconventional idea merited being "on-ramped" into future VTO roadmaps and established portfolios after technical and market risk were reduced.
Does the opportunity emphasize market risk as well as technical risk?
Yes. The incubator concept was described as reducing both technical and market risk as part of evaluating whether concepts should advance.
Was the FOA limited only to established, roadmap-aligned areas?
No. A key feature of the incubator was its open-ended design to capture novel approaches that were not yet well represented in existing VTO multi-year program plans and established roadmaps.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number) for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number was DE-FOA-0000988.
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