Funding Opportunities

DE-FOA-0003204: Energy Auditor Training

DOE encourages eligible entities to team up on a single application in order to

(1) ease the administrative burdens associated with managing a federal grant,

(2) maximize the scope, reach, and level of ambition for the proposed projects and programs, and

(3) encourage sharing of capacity, knowledge, expertise, lessons learned and best practices across jurisdictions.

DOE is compiling a “Teaming Partner List” to facilitate the formation of new project teams for this FOA. The Teaming Partner List allows organizations who may wish to participate on an application to express their interest to other applicants and to explore potential partnerships. A teaming partner list may be used to facilitate the formation of new project teams for the announcement/topic area. The list allows organizations to express their interest and to explore potential partnerships, including representation from Minority Serving Institutions (e.g., Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)/Other Minority Serving Institutions); and partnerships with Minority Business Enterprises, Minority Owned Businesses, Woman Owned Businesses, Veteran Owned Businesses, or tribal nations.”)

Updates to the Teaming Partner List will be available in the Infrastructure eXCHANGE website. The Teaming Partner List will be regularly updated to reflect new teaming partners who provide their organization’s information.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Users will see a new section, “Teaming Partners”, within the left-hand navigation in eXCHANGE. This page allows users to view published Teaming Partner Lists and any interested party that would like to be included on this list should submit a request within eXCHANGE to join the teaming partner list. Select the appropriate Teaming Partner List from the dropdown and fill in the following information: Investigator Name, Organization Name, Organization Type, Topic Area, Background and Capabilities, Website, Contact Address, Contact Email, and Contact Phone.

DISCLAIMER: By submitting a request to be included on the Teaming Partner List, the requesting organization consents to the publication of the above-referenced information. By facilitating the Teaming Partner List, DOE is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating the qualifications of the individuals and organizations that are self-identifying themselves for placement on this Teaming Partner List. DOE will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any applicants or requesting organizations for the development of such information.

The purposes of Modification 0002 are to:

1) Update the expected submission deadline for replies to reviewer comments to 08/01/2024;

2) Further define ineligible applicants;

3)  Added Energy Management Professional as a covered certification;

4) Updated the term “student” to “trainee” to be consistent with the terminology throughout the FOA;

5) Updated the word “will” to “may” to reflect accurate intention of DOE;

6) Clarified that DOE expects to make up to $36,000,000 of federal funding available for new awards;

7) Removed the term “Page Limit” in the header of the Energy Auditor Training Program Plan Content Requirements table;

8) Fixed an error so that the FOA properly reflects the language in 42 U.S.C. 18793(e)(1)(b), which states that “no more than 10 percent of grant funds will be used to pay the wages of a trainee during the period in which the trainee receives training and certification.” and

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The purposes of Modification 0001 are to:

1) Extend the submission deadline for concept papers to 04/12/2024;

2) Extend the submission deadline for full applications to 07/12/2024;

3) Extend the expected submission deadline for replies to reviewer comments to 09/11/2024;

4) Extend the date for DOE selection notifications to 10/24/2024; and

5) Extend the date for DOE Timeframe for Award Negotiations to 01/31/2025.

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The Energy Auditor Training (EAT) Program will provide Grant funding to States for the purpose of training individuals to conduct energy audits, or surveys, of commercial and residential buildings.

This program was established by Section 40503 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The goals of the program are to offer auditor training certifications that include informed curriculum and program design that aligns with current and future standards; inform or empower States with current, standardized framing of the education and training requirements for energy auditors; enlarge the pipeline of diverse talent by closing gaps in job access; address workforce inclusion deficiencies and improve disparities with underrepresented groups; connect auditor trainees to career opportunities that promote job quality and economic mobility; and inspire sustainability through intentional practices and partnerships that support infrastructure development and the long-term value of a clean energy workforce.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: In accordance with the BIL Section 40503, funding is only available to States, the District of Columbia, and United States territories that have a demonstrated need for assistance for training energy auditors. These eligible entities are referred to throughout this FOA as “States”. No other entity types, including Local Government and Tribes, may be considered for this funding. In accordance with 2 CFR Section 910.126 and DOE Program Rule 10 CFR Part 420, eligibility for these awards is restricted to State Energy Offices.

FUNDING OVERVIEW: The BIL appropriated $40 million in funding to be issued through a competitive Grant program. DOE may issue one, multiple, or no awards. Individual awards may vary between $200,000 and a maximum of $2,000,000. DOE anticipates making approximately twenty (20) to thirty (30) awards under this FOA. In accordance with the BIL Section 40503(d)(1) the amount of a Grant awarded to an eligible State shall be determined by the Secretary, taking into account the population of the eligible State. DOE reserves the right to determine the final award amount of selected eligible States.

COST MATCHING: Cost match is not required for these awards. DOE encourages states to consider how they could leverage philanthropic and private sector funding to advance their goals and amplify the impact of the BIL funding.

WEBSITE LINK: Energy Auditor Training Grant Program

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Energy Auditor Training Program.”

Through this FOA, SCEP intends to provide grants to support the training of energy auditors by paying the costs associated with energy auditor trainings and certifications, for the purpose of conducting energy audits, or surveys, of commercial and residential buildings. This activity is pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act section 40503(a),[1] which established the Energy Auditor Training program. DOE intends that the investments made through this competitive FOA will enhance the broader government-wide approach to support sustainable, clean energy auditing efforts in commercial and residential buildings. It is expected that this will be accomplished through the deepening of partnerships and collaborative initiatives across, and among States, agencies, organizations, and DOE.

This Notice is issued so that interested parties are aware of DOE’s intention to issue a FOA in the near term. All information contained in this Notice is subject to change. DOE may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than what is described herein, or may not issue a FOA at all.

[1] Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)), Public Law 117-58 (November 15, 2021), section 40503(a), is codified at 42 U.S.C. 18793.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP). The intent of this RFI is to obtain public input regarding the solicitation process and structure of future DOE Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) to fund the Energy Auditor and Career Skills Training programs, in accordance with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). This RFI also seeks public input on the State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training program, as set forth in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). 

Specifically, this RFI seeks input on:

• The content of, and proposed programmatic requirements for:

1. BIL sections 40503 (The Energy Auditor Training Grant Program, or “EAT”);
2. BIL section 40513 (the Career Skills Training program, or “CST”);
3. IRA section 50123 (the State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training program, or Contractor Training Program)

• Respondent type
• Workforce and business characteristics
• Workforce development and business owner training strategies
• Accessing federal funding
• Equity and partnerships
• Access to high quality jobs
• Other

The Information collected from this RFI will be used by DOE for planning purposes to develop one or multiple potential FOAs related to BIL sections 40503 and 40513 and IRA section 50123. The information collected will not be published.

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. EERE will not pay for information provided under this RFI and no project will be supported as a result of this RFI. This RFI is not accepting applications for financial assistance or financial incentives. EERE may or may not issue Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) based on consideration of the input received from this RFI.

Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to eeworkforceprograms@hq.doe.gov no later than 5:00pm (ET) on January 26, 2023. Responses must be provided as attachments to an email that includes "Workforce RFI Response" in the subject line.

Please find the full RFI in the DOCUMENTS section below..