Notice2023-10861
Notice of Intent for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Section 40551: Weatherization Assistance Program Enhancement & Innovation FOA
Primary source
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Published
May 22, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled "WAP Enhancement & Innovation" in accordance with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). As stated in the NOI, the aim of this anticipated FOA is to support WAP Enhancement & Innovation, and the broader government-wide approach to deploy demonstration projects that maximize the benefits of the clean energy transition as the nation works to curb the climate crisis, empower workers, and advance environmental justice. The anticipated FOA will seek applications to expand the impact of DOE's existing Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) by utilizing leveraged resources and enhanced community partnerships to perform deep energy retrofits of low-income residential buildings and empower local community representation within the energy workforce. DOE plans to seek proposals that drive innovative approaches to program coordination and service delivery, while fostering the collaboration of dynamic and diverse teams.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 98 (Monday, May 22, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 98 (Monday, May 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32762-32763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10861]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Intent for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Section
40551: Weatherization Assistance Program Enhancement & Innovation FOA
AGENCY: Office of State and Community Energy Programs, U.S. Department
of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of State and
Community Energy Programs (SCEP) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to
issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled ``WAP
Enhancement & Innovation'' in accordance with the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law (BIL). As stated in the NOI, the aim of this anticipated FOA is to
support WAP Enhancement & Innovation, and the broader government-wide
approach to deploy demonstration projects that maximize the benefits of
the clean energy transition as the nation works to curb the climate
crisis, empower workers, and advance environmental justice. The
anticipated FOA will seek applications to expand the impact of DOE's
existing Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) by utilizing leveraged
resources and enhanced community partnerships to perform deep energy
retrofits of low-income residential buildings and empower local
community representation within the energy workforce. DOE plans to seek
proposals that drive innovative approaches to program coordination and
service delivery, while fostering the
[[Page 32763]]
collaboration of dynamic and diverse teams.
DATES: The NOI was issued via the Clean Energy Infrastructure eXCHANGE
system on June 6, 2023 available at <a href="https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov/">https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov/</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Brittany Price, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of State and Community Energy Programs, 1000
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (240)
306-7252, Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d2a5b7b3a6bab7a0bba8b3a6bbbdbcfcbbbcbcbda4b3a6bbbdbc92baa3fcb6bdb7fcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0c7d5d1c4d8d5c2d9cad1c4d9dfde9ed9dededfc6d1c4d9dfdef0d8c19ed4dfd59ed7dfc6">[email protected]</span></a>. Electronic
communications are recommended for correspondence.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Congress, through section 1011(e) of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, (Pub. L. 116-260),\1\ directed
DOE to establish a competitive program for WAP Enhancement &
Innovation, with five (5) purposes:
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\1\ Codified at 42 U.S.C. 6864d.
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1. Expand the number of dwelling units that are occupied by low-
income persons that receive weatherization assistance by making such
dwelling units weatherization-ready;
2. Promote the deployment of renewable energy in dwelling units
that are occupied by low-income persons;
3. Ensure healthy indoor environments by enhancing or expanding
health and safety measures and resources available to dwellings that
are occupied by low-income persons;
4. Disseminate new methods and best practices among entities
providing weatherization assistance; and
5. Encourage entities providing weatherization assistance to hire
and retain employees who are individuals--
a. From the community in which the assistance is provided; and
b. From communities or groups that are underrepresented in the home
energy performance workforce, including religious and ethnic
minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and
individuals who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.
Congress established the following eight (8) award factors to
consider when awarding financial assistance for WAP Enhancement &
Innovation:
1. The applicant's record of constructing, renovating, repairing,
or making energy efficient single-family, multifamily, or manufactured
homes that are occupied by low-income persons, either directly or
through affiliates, chapters, or other partners (using the most recent
year for which data are available);
2. The number of dwelling units occupied by low-income persons that
the applicant has built, renovated, repaired, weatherized, or made more
energy efficient in the 5 years preceding the date of the application;
3. The qualifications, experience, and past performance of the
applicant, including experience successfully managing and administering
Federal funds;
4. The strength of an applicant's proposal to achieve one or more
of the purposes stated above;
5. The extent to which such applicant will utilize partnerships and
regional coordination to achieve one or more of the purposes stated
above;
6. Regional and climate zone diversity;
7. Urban, suburban, and rural localities; and
8. Such other factors as the Secretary determines to be
appropriate.
In response to this direction, SCEP anticipates that the FOA that
may include the following three (3) Topic Areas:
<bullet> Topic Area 1--Multifamily Housing;
<bullet> Topic Area 2--Single Family & Manufactured Housing; and
<bullet> Topic Area 3--Workforce Development.
Through the FOA, SCEP tentatively envisions awarding multiple
financial assistance awards in the form of grants using funds made
available to WAP through section 40551 of the BIL.\2\ From the amount
appropriated for WAP, DOE intends to make a total of $25 million in BIL
funds available through this opportunity, with a maximum award amount
of $2 million. Eligible entities would include existing WAP Grantees,
WAP Subgrantees, and other nonprofit entities. The period of
performance for each award would be three (3) years.
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\2\ Section 40551 of BIL authorized $3,500,000,000 for fiscal
year 2022, to remain available until expended. DOE is limited to
using no more than $25,000,000 for any fiscal year to carry out WAP
Enhancement & Innovation per section 1011(e), 42 U.S.C. 6864d(j)(2).
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SCEP issued the NOI so that interested parties are aware of the
SCEP's intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All of the
information contained in the NOI is subject to change. Once the FOA has
been released, SCEP will provide an avenue for potential applicants to
submit questions.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on May 17,
2023, by Henry McKoy, Director of the Office of State and Community
Energy Programs, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of
Energy. That document with the original signature and date is
maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance
with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon
publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on May 17, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-10861 Filed 5-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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