LPO supports tribal investment in energy-related projects by providing direct loans or partial loan guarantees to federally recognized tribe, including Alaska Native village or regional or village corporations; or a Tribal Energy Development Organization (TEDO) that is wholly or substantially owned by a federally recognized Indian tribe or Alaska Native Corporation. 

See below for:

• Application Process 
• Solicitation
• Tribal Outreach Efforts
• Governing Documents
• News & Blogs

Interested applicants are encouraged to: 

1. Read the solicitation in its entirety. The Tribal Energy Lending Reference Guide provides a high-level overview for convenience.

2. Engage with DOE’s Outreach and Business Development Division to share project details and engage in pre-application dialogue by emailing TELGP@hq.doe.gov or by phone at 202-586-1262.

DOE's tribal energy financing is available to eligible Indian tribes or entities, including Alaska Native village or regional or village corporations, or other financial institutions or tribes meeting certain criteria established by DOE, that are able to demonstrate being eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians, or their wholly-owned entities with appropriate legal authority. In addition, a Tribal Energy Development Organization (TEDO) that is wholly or substantially owned by a federally recognized tribe is eligible. 

Please read the solicitation for further information about eligible borrowers. 

For partial loan guarantees, an eligible lender would be a federally regulated commercial bank, other financial institution or a tribe satisfying requirements established by DOE, that is able to demonstrate experience and capability to evaluate, underwrite, and negotiate energy development loans, similar to the proposed loan with its tribal customers, and should only apply for a guarantee if the proposed loan satisfies its own requirements. Please read the solicitation for further information about eligible lenders. 

DOE can support a broad range of projects and activities for the development of energy resources, products, and services that utilize commercial technology (innovative technology is permitted but not required). 

The following non-exclusive list of potential types of Eligible Projects is provided for illustrative purposes only:

• Electricity generation, transmission and/or distribution facilities, utilizing renewable or conventional energy sources
• Energy storage facilities, whether or not integrated with any of the above
• Energy resource extraction, refining or processing facilities
• Energy transportation facilities, including pipelines
• District heating and cooling facilities
• Cogeneration facilities
• Distributed energy project portfolios, including portfolios of smaller distributed generation and storage facilities employed pursuant to a unified business plan

Please read the solicitation for more information about eligible projects. Projects utilizing innovative technologies may wish to consider LPO's Title 17 Innovative Clean Energy Loan Guarantee Program.

DOE will evaluate applications in a two phases. In Part I, LPO will review the project to determine eligibility and readiness to proceed. In Part II, LPO will review the project to evaluate reasonable prospect of repayment. Following a favorable determination based on this two-phase review, DOE will commence due diligence, structuring, negotiation, credit approval, documentation and closing processes that are similar to those of commercial lenders. Transaction execution timing is affected by completeness of application materials, sponsor’s readiness to proceed, responsiveness to information requests and negotiating efficiency.

The Tribal Energy Lending Reference Guide provides a high-level overview for convenience. Please read the solicitation for further information about the evaluation process. 

LPO has worked in close collaboration with the Department's Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (IE) in designing its tribal energy financing products and reaching out to tribal members. This included emailing tribal leaders to solicit feedback about the proposed program design. Since early 2018, DOE staff has participated in one-on-one meetings with tribal leaders as well as participating annually at the Reservation Economic Summit, NAFOA's Annual Conference and Fall Finance & Tribal Economies Conference, ICEIWG meetings, and National Tribal Energy Summits. 

In May 2021, LPO Director Jigar Shah and IE Director Wahleah Johns participated in an online listening session to discuss funding and financing of tribal energy projects, which followed a tribal consultation on April 9 with Secretary Granholm and DOE leaders from across the Department. IE has published a summary of the roundtable, as well as a complete list of questions and DOE's responses.  

LPO will continue to solicit feedback and may make adjustments to the program as appropriate to better serve tribes' needs, consistent with DOE's authority. 

FOUNDATIONAL LEGISLATION, RULES, AND DOCUMENTS

TELGP Solicitation

• Annotated Solicitation for the convenience of prospective applicants to reflect the supplements published and effective since the original issue date (September 30, 2022) 
• Annotated Solicitation with redline to highlight the areas of the solicitation that were amended to implement direct lending authority. (July 22, 2022)
• Original Solicitation (July 17, 2018)
• Solicitation Supplement I regarding Application Submission Schedule (July 26, 2019)
• Solicitation Supplement II regarding Application Submission Schedule and  Eligibility of Tribal Energy Development Organizations (January 16, 2020) 
• Solicitation Supplement III regarding Direct Lending Authority (July 22, 2022)
• Solicitation Supplement IV regarding Direct Lending Authority and Submission Schedule (September 30, 2022)
• Certifications For Use with Applications for DOE Loan Guarantees Under TELGP

Authorizing Legislation

• TELGP is authorized pursuant to Title XXVI of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, as amended, (25 USC Section 3502(c)) to make available up to $2 billion in partial loan guarantees.
• Direct lending is authorized pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, Public Law No. 117-103

Appropriations

• Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, Public Law No. 117-103 provides $75 million to remain available through September 30, 2028 to carry out TELGP under section 2602(c) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. 
• The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (P.L. 115-31) provided $8.5 million to remain available until expended for the cost of loan guarantees.

Interagency & Environmental Requirements

• Various federal environmental and other laws apply to DOE loans and loan guarantees. Detailed information is available on LPO's Environmental Compliance webpage. 

Federal Credit Programs

• Federal Credit Reform Act (U.S. Department of the Treasury)
• OMB Circular No. A-129 Revised (Office of Management and Budget Policies for Federal Credit Programs)
• OMB Circular No. A-11 Part 5 (Office of Management and Budget Federal Credit Final Rule)