Eligibility

The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as a subrecipient:

  1. Institutions of higher education;
  2. For-profit entities;
  3. Non-profit entities, including those registered as 501(c)(5);
  4. State and local, and tribal governments;
  5. DOE/NNSA FFRDCs and Non-DOE/ National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) FFRDCs; and
  6. Federal agencies and instrumentalities (other than DOE).

To qualify as a domestic entity, the entity must be organized, chartered or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular State or territory of the United States; have majority domestic ownership and control; and have a physical place of business in the United States.

Foreign entities, whether for-profit or otherwise, including US incorporated subsidiaries with a foreign-owned parent company, are eligible to apply; however, their participation is subject to USABC and DOE approval.

DOE/NNSA and non-DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)  with unique capabilities and expertise not readily available in the market and who are not restricted under the funding opportunity (see below) are eligible to respond to this RFPI as proposing first level or lower level subrecipients. Any proposed FFRDC work will be performed pursuant to the terms of the FFRDC’s sponsoring agency M&O contract or equivalent agreement and supplemented by an agency-authorized partnering mechanism such as a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), Technical Assistance Agreement, subrecipient agreement, or other agreement as applicable, and subject to DOE approval and oversight.

  1. In lieu of a Cost Share Commitment Letter, FFRDCs must provide, on official letterhead, a written statement acknowledging the requirement CRADA, Technical Assistance Agreement (TAA), or other funding mechanism as appropriate prior to the start of the project. The statement must also include the FFRDC’s agreement to comply with all financial, performance, intellectual property, audit, and record retention terms and conditions of the award. All subrecipient and lower-tier subrecipient awards will be issued only after DOE Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation consultation and approval.
  2. FFRDCs are also cautioned that USABC will require royalty-free access to all intellectual property developed under any proposed effort in exchange for USABC’s absorption of the non-federal cost share USABC must absorb in order to enable FFRDC participation under the DOE Cooperative Agreement. All subrecipient and lower-tier subrecipient awards will be issued only after DOE Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation consultation and approval.

Restricted Eligibility

  1. Entities banned from doing business with the Government such as entities debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participating in Federal programs are not eligible to apply. See also Transparency of Foreign Connections.
  2. The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) are ineligible to participate as a prime applicant or as a team member/sub-recipient on any proposal because of their roles in developing the requirements for the announcement under which this award was granted.

Performance of Work in the United States

All work performed under this award must be performed in the United States. In limited circumstances, the DOE Contracting Officer may approve a portion of the work outside the United States. To request a waiver to this requirement, a Waiver for Work Outside the U.S. form must accompany the Proposal.