Powering Unelectrified Tribal Buildings 2022 FOA Webinar

>>Lizana Pierce: Good morning or afternoon, depending on where you are. Welcome to the webinar. My name is Lizana Pierce and we'll do introductions in just a minute, but first some opening comments. This webinar is for people interested in applying to the Department of Energy's Office of Indian Energy's funding opportunity announcement, or FOA, entitled "Powering Unelectrified Tribal Building(s) – 2022," which was issued November 1, 2022. 

The intent of this webinar is to cover the basic aspects of the funding opportunity announcement and highlight essential details about the application process, including the types of applications being sought, who is eligible to apply, cost share and other requirements, what the application needs to contain, how to ask questions, and how applications will be reviewed and selected for funding.

Before we begin, I'd like to bring your attention to the e-mail address TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov in the lower righthand corner of the slide. This is the official mailbox to address all of your questions to during the entire FOA process. Please do not contact myself, DOE, or laboratory staff or contractors directly with any questions, as all questions must be in writing. The reason for only accepting questions in writing is to ensure that you receive a formal or official response and so that everyone will have the benefit of that same response, because generally if you have a question, other potential applicants likely have a similar question. We will not have a question-and-answer session as part of this webinar, so please capture your questions as they arise and send them via e-mail to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov and add the FOA number in the subject line: DE-FOA-0002771. And unless a similar question has already been asked, responses to your questions received to the mailbox will be posted to the frequently asked questions, or FAQ, webpage for this FOA on the IE-Exchange website. 

Responses to your questions will typically be posted in three business days or as soon as we can get them to you. Before submitting a question, we do ask that you check the FAQ webpage to see if a similar question has already been answered. Also, in submitting your question, please be careful not to include any language that might be business-sensitive, proprietary, or confidential. We will try to make the questions generic so they don't identify the asker, or if there's anything that we feel might be considered sensitive or identifiable, we may rewrite the question as well to protect the anonymity of the enquirer. 

So, your participation in this webinar is completely voluntary. There's are no particular advantages or disadvantages to the application evaluation process with respect to your participation in the webinar today. These slides and an audio recording of the webinar will be posted in the next week or so and you'll be notified when that information is available via e-mail. 

Note that if there are any inconsistencies between the funding opportunity announcement, this presentation, or statements by DOE or other personnel, the FOA document is the controlling document and applications should rely solely on the FOA language or seek clarification by sending your questions – again, to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. As I said, the slides and an audio recording will be made available to you. Also, if you did join the webinar for the other FOA that we have open, the Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands FOA, DE-FOA-0002774, much of that general information will be the same here. 

So, let's get started. 

So, again, welcome. For those of you I have not met yet, my name is Lizana Pierce. I'm a Senior Engineer with the Department of Energy and the Deployment Supervisor for the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, otherwise known as the Office of Indian Energy. And I've been working in clean energy for the last, oh, almost 30 years, and specifically with Indian tribes and Alaskan villages since the late '90s. In my current position as Deployment Supervisor, I support the Department of Energy's Office of Indian Energy to execute the deployment program, which is comprised of financial assistance, technical assistance, and education and capacity building. Additionally, I manage the national funding opportunity announcements, act as project officer for some of the grant agreements, and I implement outreach through our website, e-mail, newsletters, and oversee the support from our laboratory partners. 

And my co-presenter has had some difficulty getting on – Tweedie Doe. So – next slide, please – so, she may join us at some point. We may alternate as the presentation goes, and if not, you're stuck with me for the duration. [Laughs] Next slide, please. 

So, before we get into the information specific to the funding opportunity announcement, I wanted to provide sort of a brief overview of DOE's Office of Indian Energy. As advocated for and by the tribes and incorporated in the Energy Act of 2005, the Office of Indian Energy was stood up in 2011 as one of about a dozen assistant secretarial-level offices within the department. The office authorized under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was charged by Congress to promote Indian energy development, efficiency, and use; reduce or stabilize energy costs; enhance and strengthen Indian tribal energy and economic infrastructure; and bring electric power and service to Indian lands and homes.

To aid us in accomplishing our mission, the office receives insight on issues affecting energy and infrastructure development on tribal land from tribal leaders through our Indian energy – Indian Country energy and infrastructure working group. Pardon me. And I won't go through the pictures on the right, but you'll see a few of these and these are example of projects we've had the pleasure to co-fund over the years. Next slide, please.

So, the Office currently is comprised of about 14 federal staff duty-stationed in Washington, D.C., Golden, Colorado, and Anchorage, Alaska. We also have some limited contractor support at headquarters and a contractor team in Golden, Colorado to help us with executing the financial range of agreements across the nation.

Additionally, we do receive support from DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Golden Field Office, which includes IT support, financial assistance, grant management, legal support, NEPA as well. We also have support from some of the DOE national laboratories, specifically the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory, as well as a few other local technical assistance providers. Next slide, please.

First, a picture of the team. Not the entire team. This was taken in April of 2022. It was the first time, I think, some of us had been out of the house in a couple years after COVID. It includes many of those on the federal and contractor side. And I won't go through all the names. We do have this picture and the names of each on our website under "Contact Us & Staff." I will point out that the lovely lady in green in the front is 
Director Wahleah Johns, and our Deputy Director David Conrad is the really tall guy in the back. Next slide, please.

So, a little bit more on the deployment program. As I said, to achieve our mission and address the barriers, the Office of Indian Energy offers financial assistance, particularly through competitive grants; technical assistance, which is offered at no charge to Indian tribes and tribal entities; and education and capacity building. And these three prongs are really intended to assist Indian tribes and tribal entities to overcome the unique regulatory, technical, and economic challenges to developing their vast energy resources if and how they so choose. Next slide, please.

Between 2010 and 2021 DOE's Office of Indian Energy has invested over $114 million in more than 200 tribal energy projects across the contiguous 48 states and Alaska. These projects are valued at – with cost share – at nearly $200 million. And through these grants the office continues this effort in partnership with native communities to maximize the deployment of clean energy solutions for the benefit of American Indian and Alaska natives. So, these projects have had some real tangible impacts, which we'll address on the next slide. I did want to say that this is actually a screen shot of our online projects database. It's an interactive map and you can find summaries of each of these projects as well as presentations and final reports as they're completed. Next slide, please.

And as I said, there's some real tangible benefits of the $114 million invested by the office since 2010. Seventy-five percent, of about $85 million, has been invested in hardware projects, or deployment projects, if you will. These projects with cost share are valued at $160 million and have had some real tangible impacts for over 100 American Indian and Alaska native communities, including more than 43 megawatts of new generation installed in Indian Country, 10 megawatt hours of battery storage, and save collectively these communities $13.7 million every year – each year, every year for the life of the system for an estimated savings collectively of nearly $300 million. And I think significantly that about $3.50 is saved for every dollar that DOE has invested. And the projects collectively have affected over 8600 tribal buildings across Indian Country. And again, more pictures of projects that we've funded over the years. Next slide, please.

I will say before we get into this we did run long on Tuesday's webinar, and so I'm going to try to squeeze this a little bit so that it doesn't, but we may go over the two hours. And if you're unable to stay for the duration, it will be recorded. So, before we discuss the funding opportunity announcement, "Powering Unelectrified Tribal Building(s)," I want to walk you through the IE-Exchange site. And you'll find the FOA document itself, application forms and templates, and frequently asked questions. The IE-Exchange website is at ie-exchange.energy.gov. Once on that page, you can click "funding opportunity" in the left navigation and scroll down the list until you can locate FOA number DE-FOA-0002771. By clicking on that FOA number and the list, it takes you to the section of the webpage specific to this FOA, as shown here. As you can see on this slide of the IE-Exchange website, the section includes a brief summary and other key information. A direct link is at the bottom of the slide. I apologize that the legibility is a little lacking here, but…

So, to apply for the FOA you would first start by registering in IE-Exchange, and once that's complete you would click the "Apply" button shown on the left of the slide. During that registration process you will receive a control number that will be assigned. You need to retain that number because it's going to be used as an identifier and it's required on all the application documents. Note also that we have manuals on the site to provide you more direction. There's a lot of screenshots, so hopefully that'll be hugely helpful to you completing that process. Next slide, please.

Thank you. So, as you can see from this screenshot, the IE-Exchange summary also includes the FOA document itself for download, as I said, application forms and templates. Note that the application forms and templates for this FOA represent only a portion of the documents required for a complete application. The remaining documents required have no specific format and are to be generated by the applicant, and we'll go over those in more detail. It also has contact information for submitting questions regarding the FOA, as well as the IE-Exchange support help desk. It includes a link to the frequently asked questions, or FAQs, webpage specific to this FOA. There's also some general non-FOA-specific FAQs that are available on the website. And it does include the submission deadline, which is February 23, 2023 at 5:00 Eastern. So, remember, it's Eastern Time, so plan accordingly depending on which time zone you are located in.

And if the application forms and template list is not shown, you'll just need to click on that hyperlink, "View application forms and templates," and the list will be a dropdown that will be revealed. And I'll show you on the next slide. Remember, these are only a portion of all the documents you need for a complete application, so the rest of those you'll need to complete in your own format and include with your applications. Next slide, please.

So, as you see here, once you click the "View application forms and templates" they drop down with a list. Again, these are only a portion of the elements that comprise the complete application. We will go through each of these in more detail, but we've provided you application forms and templates for the application for federal assistance. This must be signed by an authorized representative. This is your official request for government funds. A summary slide template, with just some key information on your project. A technical volume template. So, this is new. It will hopefully help you with the format and the content required to complete your project plan, if you will. The workplan template. This would include the scope of your project. Eligibility statement and evidence. This is going to be information on the applicant's eligibility and land status eligibility and evidence required to help support DOE's eligibility determination. Again, this also must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant.

Another template is the budget justification workbook. This is a multi-tab, Microsoft Excel workbook for capturing the budget details for the applicant in the project – the entire project, both DOE and cost share. We also have a subrecipient budget justification workbook template, and we'll talk about that later. Budget support template. And this is going to include information and documentation to support your proposed budget. This also must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant. There's a cost share reduction request template and instructions. This form allows you to request a reduction in cost share from 20 percent to 10 percent and it must be signed by an authorized representative. We'll go over that in a lot more detail. But this is new. We had some changes that came through the Energy Act of 2020 that allowed us to go from the Congressional statue or law that required us to go with a 50 percent cost share, so it does allow us to go down to 10. 

We also have a template form for the application registration certification. There's a series of registrations you need to complete. So, you need to certify to these and submit that, also signed by an authorized representative of the applicant. And then, the last one, with the disclosure of lobbying activities, the standard form LLL, and we'll talk about that a little later, but it also must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant. 

As I said a couple times, all the other documents that will comprise the complete application don't have a specific format and they're to generated by the applicant. For a complete list of those, you can see the table on pages 28, 29, and 30 of the FOA document, and I would also urge you to use that table and that list as a checklist when you're preparing and when you're uploading your application.

And at the bottom of the slide you'll see the frequently asked questions, or FAQs – webpage hyperlink, and we'll discuss that on the next slide. Next slide, please.

 So, responses to all FOA-related questions. received in the mailbox, these are official responses received through TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov, will be posted on the frequently asked questions, or FAQs, webpage specific to this FOA on IE-Exchange. This slide shows you an example of those questions. Please check this page periodically, as we'll continue to post responses throughout the open period of the FOA. Please also check this page before submitting a question, as similar questions may have already been answered. And you can also see questions in the answer page for non-FOA-specific questions and answers to those. Next slide, please. 

As I said, we've developed some manuals which hopefully will be helpful to you. Lots of screenshots. I'm a visual person, so I think it's helpful. It's very difficult to explain things in words when it comes to computer applications. Anyway, so I wanted to let you know that those are available to you on IE-Exchange. You can access those by clicking the "Manuals" on the left navigation, as shown. There are two. One is the IE-Exchange user guide for applicants. This will show you how to register, how to upload your application documents, et cetera. The second one is really about the registration and login process. Next slide, please.

So, on the cover page of the FOA document itself you'll find some key dates. The FOA was posted on November 1st. We are conducting the webinar today. All applications are due on the IE-Exchange website no later than, again, 5:00 Eastern on February 23, 2023. Please note that DOE will not extend the submission deadline for applicants who fail to submit the required information due to server or connection, Internet congestion, or issues. IE-Exchange is designed to enforce that deadline. The "Apply" and "Submit" buttons may be disabled at the deadline, so please ensure you begin uploading your application at least 48 hours in advance of the deadline to avoid congestion issues and to make sure you meet that deadline. And I would recommend allowing an hour to submit your application. And you can always submit your application early and you'll have the ability to update it up until the deadline. Just remember that you have to push "Submit" again to ensure that the revised application is received by the deadline. 

DOE anticipates notifying applicants selected for negotiation of awards in late spring or early summer of 2023 and making awards approximately 90 days after receipt of any requested supplemental information. I will note that each and every applicant will receive a notification letter by e-mail to the technical and administrative points of contact which are designated by the applicants during your IE-Exchange registration. 

So, we'll notify any applicants that are deemed noncompliant or incomplete or late, any ineligible applications that don't meet those eligibility requirements beginning on page 16 of the FOA, any applications that are deemed nonresponsive as defined under section I.C of the FOA beginning on page 13, applications not selected for funding, selected for funding that may be postponed, not selected but maybe designated as an alternate, and most importantly, those applications that are selected for negotiation of an award. Each of those notifications will state the basis upon which those decisions were made. Next slide, please. 

Okay. So, even though we're going to go through much of the information contained in the funding opportunity announcement here today, I would urge you to read the FOA and then read it again. It's a lengthy document, I know, but there's a lot of information that's needed to complete your application. Next slide, please.

More logistics. To apply for this FOA, applicants must register, create an account, and submit all required application documents to the IE-Exchange website at the URL shown. As I mentioned before, a control number will be assigned while you – while registering in IE-Exchange. You must retain that number and must put it on all your application documents. The IE-Exchange registration process does not have a delay; however, the remaining registration requirements could take several weeks to process and are required prior to submitting an application.

An authorized representative of the applicant must certify that these registrations are complete, and that certification needs to be included as part of your application. Therefore, all potential applications lacking a UEI, or unique entity identifier that replaces that data universal numbering system, or DUNS number, is required for all entities doing business with federal government. Or, if you don't have a system of award management, or SAM registration, or active SAM registration, because you must retain that yearly, or a FedConnect account, or Grants.gov, you need to complete those registrations as soon as possible. You will also need to register in Grants.gov at www.grants.gov so you can receive automatic updates if or when any amendments to this FOA are posted. Note that applications will only be accepted through IE-Exchange, not through Grants.gov. Next slide, please. 

So, regarding those other registrations: As I said, the IE-Exchange registration doesn't have a delay; the others may take several weeks. All potential applicants that lack a UEI number or are not registered in SAM or FedConnect must complete those registrations prior to submitting an application. Please see Part VI.B of the FOA beginning on page 64 for information on how to register in the above systems. It's really important that you register in these other systems as soon as possible. They need to be completed. They are required to apply for and to receive an award. And as I mentioned, an authorized representative must certify that those registrations have been completed, and that certification is included as a part of your application. That applicant registration certification is one of those templates we went through, and it's available on IE-Exchange. Next slide, please. 

I think, as I've said maybe three times now, all applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully read the funding opportunity announcement and adhere to the stated submission requirement. This presentation summarizes the contents of the FOA; however, if there are any inconsistencies between the FOA, this presentation, and statements from DOE or other personnel, the FOA document itself is the controlling document and applications should rely solely on that FOA language or seek clarification by sending an e-mail to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. And if there – if you believe there are inconsistencies, please seek a clarification and send us an e-mail. Thank you. Next slide, please.

Thank you. So, the agenda for this webinar is shown here. We're going to provide a funding opportunity overview. I'll go through some of the Office of Indian Energy's specific requirements. The required application documents in more detail. Topic areas. Discuss the applications specifically not of interest. I'll discuss some award information, go over who's eligible to apply. We'll talk about the cost share requirements and how to seek a reduction in that cost share. I'll discuss the content and form of the application, all of the required documents, the eligibility requirements, and we'll talk about the merit review and selection process criteria. Registration requirements again. How to submit the application and point of contact. How to submit questions. We'll talk about some best practices, some recommendations, and then closing. And we'll try to do that within the two-hour format that we've allowed. 

So, again, we're not going to have a question-and-answer session as part of the webinar. All the questions need to be in writing to receive an official response, and you can send those to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. Just a reminder: The slides and audio recording for this webinar will be posted, hopefully in the next week or so and we'll notify you when those are available. And if there's any inconsistencies between the webinar, anything somebody says, the FOA document is the controlling document and you need to rely solely on that or seek clarifications through the TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov website. Next slide, please.

So, we'll start with a summary of the funding opportunity announcement and some of the Office of Indian Energy's specific requirements. Next slide.

So, the funding opportunity overview, or executive summary, begins on page one of the FOA document. It includes key information. This information is summarized on this and the next few slides. We'll go over this information as part of the presentation, but it's just provided here as a brief summary. So, under this particular funding opportunity announcement, or FOA, the DOE Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications to provide electrical power to tribal buildings which otherwise would be unelectrified by deploying integrated energy systems, topic area one, which we'll define, or energy infrastructure, which would be topic area two, and we'll go through some definitions. For the purpose of this FOA, "unelectrified" means tribal buildings that are not connected to the traditional centralized electric power grid and not connected to an integrated energy system operating independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid, i.e., a microgrid. And we'll go over more of that here in a little bit. [Coughs] Pardon me.

So, approximately $15 million in federal funds in available. We anticipate between four and ten awards, depending on the applications received. Now I'll just give you just a second to read through that. Next slide, please.

So, continued on this slide is additional key information relative to the FOA. A maximum DOE funding per individual award under both topic areas is no less than $250,000.00 to a maximum of $4 million. So, awards under this FOA will be grants with a period of performance of each award of approximately two to four years, including the mandatory 12-month verification period. However, you will be the one to propose the duration of your proposed project as part of your application. Next slide, please.

So, continued are some other key information. We'll go over the eligibility requirements on subsequent slides. I'm going to forego an explanation here. Please note, however, that DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to the FOA must be submitted. You can ask clarifying questions but DOE will not determine whether the applicant or a specific project is eligible during the application preparation stage. As such, the decision on whether to submit an application in response to the FOA lies solely with the applicant. Therefore, you need to read the FOA, understand it, get clarification, and decide whether this particular funding opportunity is right for you and your proposed project. Next slide.

As I said, the cost share, which previously was required by law to be 50 percent, for this FOA is 20 percent cost share of the total allowable cost of the project are required. The total allowable cost of the project is the sum of the DOE share and the recipient's share of allowable cost, which equals the total allowable cost of the project. So, as an example, if the proposed project is estimated to cost a total of $500,000.00, the required cost share would be $100,000.00, or 20 percent of the total $500,000.00. It's not 20 percent of what you're requesting from DOE, which is the max. This is cost share, so it's always based on the total project cost.

However, as I mentioned, if requested by the applicant as part of their application, a cost share reduction from 20 to 10 percent may be considered. This is going to be based on poverty rate and median household income of the tribal community relative to the statewide median household income. And that's described in more detail under Section III.B.2, and also, we have the cost share reduction request form and instructions under the templates on the IE-Exchange website. And that gives instructions for calculating the eligibility and submitting the request. We'll go over that in more detail. 

In addition to the ability to consider geographic and technology diversity and the optimum use of available DOE funding to achieve the programmatic objectives, the selection official may through the application of program policy factors also give additional consideration in the selection of applications for funding to applicant's who have not previously received a grant from the Office of Indian Energy. Next slide, please.

Furthermore, the DOE Office of Indian Energy may, upon request, provide technical assistance to all eligible applicants who applied under this FOA and whose applications are comprehensively reviewed but not selected, and these technical assistance requests will be provided on a priority basis over those who may not have applied to this FOA. So, another potential benefit. 

Also, be aware that you may submit more than one application for this FOA, including more than on application on a particular topic area, provided each application is for a distinctly different project and each application addresses only one topic area. Each application will need to have a distinct title, a unique control number, which you get when you register in IE-Exchange, and be readily – those projects must be readily distinguishable. So, each application must be limited to a single unique and distinct project; unrelated projects cannot be consolidated into a single application. We also are not requesting concept papers under this FOA, only full applications. Next slide, please.

So, as mentioned previously, applications are only – I think many times previously – are only going to be accepted through IE-Exchange, and the required forms and templates are available on IE-Exchange as well. And remember that these forms and templates are only a portion of the documents required for a complete application. All the other required documents have no specific format and need to be generated by the applicant.

As was previously discussed, DOE will notify all applicants of its eligibility and selection determinations via e-mail, and that notification level will provide the basis for those determinations. Next slide, please.

So, there are a few Office of Indian Energy-specific requirements and information that you need to know when you're applying for and/or accepting a grant from the office. These requirements are included on pages three through five of the FOA document and are listed on this slide. These may not be all-inclusive and cannot exclusively be relied upon, as they do not reflect all the evaluation factors and requirements for this FOA. Again, you must read the entire FOA to determine the complete set of requirements.

First, we have pre-award costs, except for pre-award costs with prior DOE approval. Only costs contributed – cost share contributed during the grant period of performance, if awarded, can be considered. Any cost incurred prior to the award selection cannot be considered or be reimbursed by DOE, so your cost share needs to come between the beginning of the grant and the end of the grant period. 

We discussed briefly that we'll also have an eligibility statement and evidence and there's a template for that. All applicants are required to submit eligibility statements and provide evidence to help DOE make eligibility determinations. Also a requirement is statements of commitment and cost sharing. Statements of commitment and cost sharing will be discussed in greater detail later; however, all applicants are required to submit an applicant tribal council resolution or declaration of commitment and cost sharing, which must include a statement of commitment and cost sharing by the applicant. Specifically, for Indian tribes that statement of commitment and cost sharing must be in the form of an executed tribal council resolution. For Alaska native regional corporations and village corporations, intertribal organizations, and tribal energy development organizations, that statement of commitment and cost sharing may be in the form a declaration or resolution signed by authorized representatives able to commit the entity. In addition, letters of commitment and cost sharing are required from all other project participants, excluding vendors, and these are to be provided under the participant letters of commitment and cost sharing file. And you can see the FOA for instances where a format other than a tribal council resolution will be accepted from a participating Indian tribe.

Letters of support. Letters of support by anyone not participating in the proposed project are not required and are not desired and they should not be provided as part of the application. 

A post award payment. So, if you do receive an award, payments will be made electronically on a reimbursement basis through the automatic clearinghouse, or ACH, and are provided – the requisite support is provided. We try to reimburse that within 7 to 10 days; however, it could take up to 30 days. 

Post reporting – award reporting requirements. If you're selected and receive an award, you will be required to provide your progress in quarterly reports and project outcomes in a comprehensive final report, as well as to present at an annual program review to be held each fall in Colorado. A travel cost for that annual review, typically one week in duration plus a travel day, needs to be included for each and every year of your grant in your proposed budget, including the year of the anticipated initial award. 

Another important item is equipment title and vested interest. So, subject to the conditions provided in 2 CFR 200.313, titled "Equipment Acquired under a Federal Award," will conditionally vest upon acquisition with a nonfederal entity. The nonfederal entity cannot encumber your property without approval of the federal authority agency and must follow the requirements under 2 CFR 200.3113 – 313, I'm sorry – before disposing of the equipment. And we'll talk a little bit more about that.

Note that the federal share – that if the federal share of a financial assistance agreement is more than $1 million and the recipient is a for-profit entity, you must record – properly record the uniform commercial code – UCC – financing statement for all equipment with an acquisition value per unit of $5000.00 or more purchased in whole or in part with federal funds. So, just think about that. If you're a for-profit, if you're an eligible for-profit entity, this is an additional requirement that you need to consider.

Cost share. So, every cost share contribution most be allowable under the applicable federal cost principles as described in Section 3B of the FOA. In addition, cost share must be available and accessible at the time you submit the application. These cannot be based on future events, like receiving a loan in the future or another grant or some other happenings. You need to be able to commit those funds when you apply. Next slide, please.

Next, we're going to talk about the required application documents. Next slide, please.

So, here's a list. The content and form of an application is going to be covered in a little – in more detail later. There's a summary on this page and the next. There's also a table in Section 4 of the FOA, beginning on page 25, that will provide details. I recommend you use Table 3, "Required Application Documents," on pages 28 through 30 as a checklist when you're preparing and when you're uploading your application. So, remember, the forms and templates can be found on IE-Exchange, and all the other documents here and shown on the next slide you need to generate. Next slide, please. 

So, here is the remaining documents that would comprise a complete application, and we'll go over those in more detail, as I said. Also, as I indicated, you can submit an application at any time before the due date and you can update it all the way up until the deadline, but you just have got to remember to push "Submit" a second time. And again, I urge you to allow sufficient time and ensure you've uploaded all the documents and it's complete before February 23rd at 5:00 Eastern. Next slide, please.

Okay. We're going to go over the topic areas. Again, just a reminder: We will not have a question-and-answer session. Capture your questions, get an official response by sending those questions to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. The slides and an audio recording of this are going to be made available. We'll let you know where to find that when it's posted. And again, the FOA document takes precedence over the webinar or anything anybody tells you unless you receive a formal, official response that's posted on the FAQ webpage for this FOA. Next slide, please.

So, as we indicated earlier, the funding opportunity, or FOA, builds on efforts by DOE to accelerate the deployment of energy infrastructure on tribal lands. And as we spoke about, between 2010 and 2021, the office has invested over $114 million in more than 200 tribal energy projects. Next slide, please.

So, eligible applicants for this FOA, as required by statute – it's in law who's eligible to apply. We have no discretion on this. Eligible applicants include Indian tribes, which would also include Alaska native regional corporations and village corporations, intertribal organizations, and tribal energy development organizations, and on whose lands, tribal lands the projects will be located. And we'll go through definitions. So, that application may also be submitted on behalf of an Indian tribe by an authorized tribal organization, provided there's evidence of that authority and that evidence is supplied as part of the application. You can find the definitions and eligibility requirements included under Section 3B of the FOA. And we'll go over the definitions a little bit later in the presentation. Next slide, please.

So, specifically under this funding opportunity announcement, the Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications to provide electric power to tribal buildings which otherwise would be unelectrified by deploying either integrated energy systems for electrification – topic area one – or energy infrastructure for electrification – topic area two. Electrification for purposes of this FOA means the process of providing electricity to unelectrified tribal buildings by deploying integrated energy systems to operate independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid or deploying energy infrastructure to connect the tribal buildings to the traditional centralized electric power grid. 

For purposes of this FOA, "unelectrified" means tribal buildings that are not connected to either the traditional centralized electric power grid and not connected to an integrated energy system operating independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid, i.e., microgrids. Proposed installations may be for either existing tribal buildings or new tribal buildings that are currently being constructed or planned to be constructed during the proposed grant period. Note that the cost associated with the construction of the building or structures such as carports, unless they're integral to the energy system being proposed, will not be considered by DOE for reimbursement or cost share. Only the incremental cost associated with installation of those integrated energy systems or energy infrastructure will be considered allocable to the proposed DOE-funded projects. Further, cost associated with making the tribal buildings ready to receive electricity are eligible costs, which include but may not be limited to electrical service panels, circuit breakers, outlets, switches, switch plates, electric cables, conduits, lighting fixtures, and lights. All electrical work must be completed by a licensed or certified electrician and comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration – OSHA – standards and comply with the National Electric Code requirements. And we'll define "tribal buildings" on a separate slide. Next slide, please.

Okay. Looking at the clock, I'd better talk quick. So, this table, Table 2, is on page ten in the of the FOA document and provides some key information. Note that the requirements reflected on this table may not be all-inclusive and cannot be relied on exclusively, as they may not reflect all the requirements for each topic area. Applicants must read the entire FOA to determine the complete requirements for each topic area. Please see the detailed descriptions of those topic areas under Section I.B of the FOA document. Again, note that if there are any inconsistencies, the FOA document itself takes – is the controlling document and you need to rely solely on that document and the language in that FOA.

So, projects proposed under both topic areas must be on tribal lands, as we discussed, which we'll cover the definition of that that is. It may be either facility- or community-scale. The buildings must be unelectrified, which is pretty easily defined. And the buildings may be either existing or new buildings. All applications must include a comprehensive feasibility study and include estimates of energy to be generated. The proposed projects must include the mandatory 12-month verification period, and the proposed technologies must be commercially proven and warrantied. 

For those interested in projects for grid-connected buildings, please see our other open funding opportunity announcement, the "Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands" FOA, which is DE-FOA-0002774, and consider listening to the recording of that webinar that we held on Tuesday if you're interested. Next slide, please.

So, all the definitions, just to make sure that everybody is clear. Projects proposed under this FOA are intended for unelectrified buildings. "Unelectrified" means not connected to the traditional centralized electric power grid or not connected to an integrated energy system operating independent of that traditional centralized electric power grid, i.e., a microgrid. Next slide, please.

So – thank you. The FOA – the "traditional centralized electric power grid" refers to the main power grids in the continental United States, which is the Eastern Interconnect System, or Eastern Interconnect, the Western Interconnect System, and the Texas Interconnect System, as well as the interconnected grid in Alaska that connects Anchorage, Fairbanks, and the Kenai Peninsula. So, tribal buildings that are not connected to that grid or not connected to an integrated energy system operating independent of that grid – i.e., microgrids – can be considered unelectrified. Next slide, please.

So, tribal buildings. "Tribal buildings," for purposes of this FOA, could be either single or multiple buildings located on tribal lands where the eligible entity has or has been granted certain rights and duties specific to the ability to exercise authority, direction, and control over the project. Lots of legalese, I know. Note that ownership may be private, collective, or common and some of those rights and duties may be held by different parties. Tribal buildings are those where the eligible tribal entity has the authority to augment or modify the building and where the building is owned by the eligible tribal entity or tribal members or tribal organization, or the eligible entity has a long-term lease for the minimum life, useful life of the project. 

Tribal buildings may include, but they're not limited to, tribal member homes, schools, community buildings, clinics, hospitals, tribal government buildings, fire stations, police stations, radio stations, washaterias, utility facilities such as water waste, water systems, et cetera, or tribal businesses. So, as mentioned earlier, the proposed installation could be either for an existing tribal building or a new tribal building that is either currently being constructed or planned to be constructed during the proposed grant period. Next slide, please.

Okay. A lag on my computer. So, under topic area q, DOE is seeking applications for the deployment of what we call an integrated energy system, or systems, to electrify tribal buildings which otherwise would be unelectrified. "Integrated energy systems" under topic area one must, as a minimum, include an energy-generating system, controls and management systems, and energy storage systems. Such systems may also include a conventional energy-generating device; however, that conventional energy-generating device are eligible only if it's used solely as a dispatchable standby power source.

Note that some components of the proposed integrated energy system may already exist and therefore not all of the components of an integrated energy system must be proposed for DOE funding. However, the integrated energy system as a whole must meet the requirements under topic area one. Applications under topic area one must also demonstrate the availability of a renewable energy resource for the life of the project, and applications proposing geothermal or biomass systems must also demonstrate the sustainability of their resource. 

Under topic area one, either a single integrated energy system or multiple integrated energy systems may be proposed, or a single or multiple tribal buildings may be proposed as well. All proposed integrated energy systems and tribal buildings being served must be on tribal lands. And all definitions can be found in Appendix A in the FOA document. Next slide, please.

So, these are what I call "must haves." So, to be eligible under topic area one, applicants – applications must be based on a comprehensive feasibility study. That feasibility study must clearly identify the need, demonstrate the rationale for selecting the proposed integrated energy system as opposed to other options, demonstrate the availability of the resource, demonstrate the technical viability and financial sustainability of the proposed integrated energy system, and that feasibility is provided as part of your application.

Another must have is the application must demonstrate the ability of the proposed integrated energy system to meet the estimated electricity needs of the affected tribal buildings. It must also demonstrate the ability of the proposed integrated energy system to continually operate autonomously independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid. The application must also demonstrate the benefits to the tribal members or families whose tribal buildings are being electrified.

The application must include a plan to educate and provide technical assistance to the tribal members or families whose tribal building is being electrified and include a plan to operate and maintain the integrated energy system. And, as we mentioned before, all technology must be commercially proven and warrantied. Next slide, please.

So, topic area two. Under topic area two, DOE is seeking application for the deployment of energy infrastructure to electrify tribal buildings which otherwise would be unelectrified. "Energy infrastructure," for purposes of this FOA, means electric power distribution technologies that transport electricity from the transmission system to individual consumers and may include but are not limited to distribution substations, circuits, circuit breakers, switchgear, busbars, distribution lines, distribution transformers, capacitors, voltage regulators, meters, and utility poles. 

Applications under topic area two must demonstrate the availability of the energy source for the life of the source that will be transmitted through that energy infrastructure. Under topic area two, a single or multiple tribal area buildings may be proposed, and all proposed infrastructure and tribal buildings being served must be on tribal land. Next slide, please.

So, yeah, some "must haves" for topic area two, as I call them. For topic area two, again, it must be based on a comprehensive feasibility study. The feasibility study must clearly identify the need, demonstrate the rationale of installing that energy infrastructure as opposed to other options, demonstrate the availability of the energy source, demonstrate the technical and – viability and financial sustainability of the proposed energy infrastructure, and that feasibility study submitted is part of your application. 

Another must have would be the application needs to include the estimate of the electricity needs for the affected unelectrified tribal buildings, include an estimate of the cost of electricity to those tribal members or families whose tribal building is being electrified. It must also demonstrate the benefits to tribal members or families whose tribal building is being electrified, include a plan to educate and provide technical assistance to tribal members or families whose tribal building is being electrified, and a plan to operate and maintain the energy infrastructure, and again, use commercially proven and warrantied technology. Next slide, please. 

Okay. So, next is a big long list of the applications that we're not interested in. Reminder, no question-and-answer session as part of this webinar. Send all those questions to get an official, formal response through sending an e-mail to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. I will say, though, that if you have on feedback this webinar, is it too long, you have suggestions on how to improve that, if you could put those in the question box in the control panel, we're just looking for feedback so we can make these kinds of webinars as useful to you as possible. And we'd appreciate any feedback. Again, in the question box in the control panel. Thank you. 

So, additionally, again, the slides and the audio recording will be available in a week or so and we'll let you know when that is and where they can be located. And again, the caveat that the FOA document is the controlling document and should be relied solely, and if you need clarification, send those questions to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. 

Okay. So, list of all the applications we are not interested in. The types of applications on this and on the next slide are specifically not of interest and will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be reviewed or considered. So, as the intent of this FOA is to deploy energy infrastructure and energy hardware, applications that fall outside those technical parameters as specified in Section I.B of the FOA are not of interest. 

Applications proposing studies, design, engineering – except final design and engineering – or development activities, preconstruction kind of activities, or any other activity which does not directly result in the installation of equipment to generate electricity, reduce energy use, or enhance energy storage and delivery infrastructure are not of interest. 

Applications proposing the evaluation of product marketing opportunities, assessment of marketing – of manufacturing opportunities, excuse me, research, design, and engineering – except final – product development, and construction of manufacturing facilities or buildings will not be considered. Next slide, please.

So, to continue, applications proposing the cost of construction of a building or structure, such as a carport, are not of interest. Only those incremental costs associated with the installation of the integrated energy system or energy infrastructure will be considered allocable to the proposed DOE project and not the cost of constructing the building or structure itself, unless those structures are integral to the proposed project. 

Any application where the applicant has taken irreversible actions regarding the proposed DOE-funded project are not of interest. We are required to conduct National Environmental Policy Act reviews, NEPA reviews, and so anything that has already occurred and considered irreversible we will not be able to fund. Note that the proposed DOE-funded project consists of only the installation of the integrated energy system or infrastructure, and those – including irreversible actions related to the construction of a building or structures if the buildings or structures are being built specifically to enable the DOE-funded project. Irreversible actions relative to the proposed DOE-funded project may include but are not limited to site clearing, groundbreaking, purchasing equipment, or the installation, building renovations, building retrofits. Any of those kinds of things are considered irreversible. Next slide, please.

Applications proposing energy conservation are not of interest. This is where it means decreasing energy consumption by using less energy or going without to save energy. More behavioral reductions in consumption are not of interest. 

Applications for commercial or utility-scale projects intended solely for revenue generation through the export of electricity of tribal lands for commercial sale are not of interest.

Applications proposing conventional energy-generating devices, unless used solely for dispatchable standby power, are not of interest. A conventional energy-generating device is only eligible as a dispatchable standby power source and only under topic area one.

Applications proposing the use of materials, supplies, or equipment which are not commercially proven or warrantied are not of interest. Next slide, please.

Applications proposing integrated energy systems or energy infrastructure for tribal buildings that are not connected to the traditional centralized electric power grid or connected to the integrated energy system operating independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid are not of interest. And I think I misspoke. So, if the integrated energy system or energy infrastructure are connected to the grid or to a microgrid, they're not of interest. We're looking for unelectrified buildings in this FOA. So, hopefully, that clarified it. 

Applications proposing energy efficiency measures are not of interest. The purpose of this FOA is to provide electric power to tribal buildings which otherwise would be unelectrified. So, energy efficiency measures are not of interest. If you're interested in those kinds of things, please see our other FOA, "Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands." It's also located on the IE-Exchange website.

And additionally, applications exclusively proposing clean energy-generating systems or energy storage systems not part of an integrated energy system or microgrid are not of interest. Next slide, please.

We're almost there for the "not of interest." And lastly, applications proposing the construction – construction as a primary activity are not of interest. For purposes of this FOA, "construction" defined as but not limited to building, erecting, altering, remodeling, or repairing a particular building or structure, or making major renovations or additions to existing buildings or structures. Construction does not include the installation of equipment such as energy-generating systems, energy efficiency measures, et cetera, et cetera, energy infrastructure, or integrated energy systems, or activities ancillary to those installations. Projects that include construction as a primary activity will not be considered under this FOA unless such activity is integral to meeting the objectives of the FOA and only with prior written authorization from the contracting office. Next slide, please.

Key award information. I need to talk even quicker. Next slide, please.

So, under this FOA – and this information is included in the executive summary that begins on page one of the FOA – DOE expects to make approximately $15 million in federal funds available and anticipates between four to ten awards. We anticipate those projects between – grant periods between 2 to 4 years, including that 12-month verification period. As we indicated before, the maximum DOE funding per individual award under both topic areas is less than $250,000.00 to a maximum of $4 million. Next slide, please.

Eligibility. I'd better talk really quick here. [Laughs] So, remember that one of those files that comprised the application is the eligibility statements evidence file? As I mentioned, you'll be required to submit that and provide evidence – to make evidence to support DOE's eligibility determination. And those are on IE-Exchange under the "Application Forms and Templates," as we've said numerous times. Additionally, DOE will not make sufficiency determinations prior to an application being submitted. You can submit clarifying inquiries, questions, but we will not make a sufficiency determination.

So, eligibility for award under this funding opportunity announcement is restricted by law to an Indian tribe, which also includes Alaska native village corporations, native – sorry, which also includes Alaska native regional corporations and village corporations, it includes intertribal organizations, tribal energy development organizations, and on whose tribal lands those projects will be located. Other entities, as discussed on an upcoming slide, may also be able to submit an application on behalf of an Indian tribe or tribes, provided evidence of that authority is included as part of the application as well. Next slide, please.

So, the definition of "Indian tribe" is as shown on the slide. Note that eligible Indian tribes are those federally recognized as listed as Indian entities recognized and eligible to receive services from the US – from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. This is the list that is published in the Federal Register on January 28, 2022 – so, 574 tribes. And I'll give you a moment to read through that definition.

So, also remember for purposes of this FOA "Indian tribe" includes the Alaska native regional corporations and village corporations, as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. And for purposes of this FOA, Alaska native regional corporation means one of the 13 Alaska native regional corporations defined in and established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The Alaska native village corporation or village corporation means the Alaska native village corporation organized under the laws of the state of Alaska as a business for profit or nonprofit corporation to hold, invest, manage, and/or distribute land, property funds, and other rights and assets for and on behalf of the native village – again, as defined and established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. 

Also, tribal consortiums are eligible. This means a group of Indian tribes as defined above previously that have chosen to submit a single application. So, the tribal consortium is eligible to submit an application provided that the application is submitted by a single Indian tribe that represents that consortium. Applications may also be submitted on behalf of an Indian tribe by an authorized tribal organization, provided the authority is included as part of that application. And just briefly, tribal organization per _____ 115.245 has the meaning given in the term of Section IV.B in the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, which specifically means the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe, any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, charter by such governing body or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community to be served by such an organization which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities provided. But in any case where a contract is let or a grant made to an organization to perform services benefiting more than one Indian tribe, the approval of each such Indian tribe shall be a prerequisite to the letting or making of such contract or grant. 

So, now you know this is by statute, by law because it sounds like it. Anyway, those definitions are also included in the statutes and laws that we're governed by. Next slide, please. 

So, the second type of applicant eligible to apply under the FOA is the intertribal organization, and this means an organization comprised of two or more Indian tribes established under federal, state, or tribal law to act on behalf of the participating Indian tribes. Intertribal organizations may include but aren't limited to intertribal councils, regional tribal councils or organizations or associations, Alaska regional development organizations, and tribal federations. Next slide, please.

I know, a lot of definitions but I think it's really important to make sure that both the applicant and the proposed – the project the team might be proposing meets those statutory requirement definitions. So, bear with me, please.

So, in addition to Indian tribes, an intertribal organization, a tribal energy resource development organization are also eligible applicants in and of themselves. So, a "tribal energy development organization," for purposes of this FOA, means any enterprise, partnership, consortium, corporation, or other type of business organization that is engaged in the development of energy resources and is wholly owned by an Indian tribe, including Section 17 corporations and organizations formed by the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act.

Note that any organization must have the written consent of the governing bodies of all Indian tribes participating in the organization, where an organization means a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, or other unincorporated association or entity that is established to develop Indian energy resources. In addition to the applicant eligibility, as prescribed by statue, applicants must also be on tribal land to be eligible. Next slide, please. 

Okay. I'm pretty sure we're going to be running late and I apologize. I totally underestimated the time that this would take. So, to be eligible, proposed projects must also be on tribal land. Specifically, "tribal land" for the purposes of this FOA includes "Indian land," which we'll define as lands held in fee simple, meaning purchased or owned by an Indian tribe; intertribal organization; tribal energy development organization, or other eligible applicant. Lands held under a long-term land lease would be considered tribal land. The lease would need to be for a minimum of the useful life of the proposed project and the lease is held by the Indian tribe, tribal energy development organization, intertribal organization, or other eligible applicants. And then, also, land that was conveyed to a native corporation pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, ANCSA, and subsequently conveyed to another entity, provided that entity is either a native village or tribal government entity or the land is held, invested, managed for, and on behalf of a native village or tribal government entity. Next slide, please.

And as prescribed by statute, by law, as amended and shown on this slide is the definition of "Indian land." And I'll just give you a moment to read through that. 

So, one big change to that is item (d) and (e), and that expanded the definition of – oh, I'm sorry, please – next slide, please. So, the Energy Act of 2020 actually expanded the definition of Indian land, which would include any land located in a census tract in which the majority of the residents are natives as defined in ANCSA, and any land located in a census tract in which the majority of residents are persons who are enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe or village. Those are new. That's an expansion, I think, of the definition of "Indian land" and those census tracts with a majority of Alaska native or members of federally recognized tribes. Those census tracts are now considered Indian land for purposes of our statute. Next slide, please. 

And for purposes of the FOA, "Indian reservation" is pretty much defined here – is defined per the Energy Act of 2005. I'll just give you a moment to read through that. 

Okay. Next slide.

So, just a reminder, DOE will not make eligibility determination for potential applicants prior to the date on which the applications to the FOA must be submitted. That decision rests – lies solely with the applicant. However, if you have clarifying questions, you can get a formal response by submitting those questions to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. Next slide, please.

Okay. Another new requirement that I wanted to make folks aware of. This came through the – with the "Buy America" requirements, and I think it came through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. So, this requirement is set: Federally assisted projects which involve infrastructure work undertaken by applicable recipient types require that all iron, steel, and manufactured products used in the infrastructure work are produced in the United States. All construction materials used in the infrastructure work are manufactured in the United States. 

So, whether a given project must apply to this requirement is project-specific and dependent on several factors, such as the recipient's entity type, where the work involves – whether the work involves infrastructure, as determined – defined in Section 70914 of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and whether the infrastructure in question is publicly owned or serves a public function. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult Appendix C of the FOA to determine whether their project may have to apply this requirement, both to make an early determination as to the need for a waiver as well as to determine what impacts, if any, this requirement may have on your proposed project's budget. Next slide, please.

Okay. Cost sharing. Next slide.

Next slide. And we – there we go. Ooh, go back one, please. I think there's a lag. Sorry about that.

So, unless DOE approves a request for cost share reduction, a 20 percent cost share of the total allowable cost of the project is required. The total allowable cost of the project is the sum of the DOE share and the recipient share of allowable cost. For example, if the requested DOE costs are $800,000.00, the cost share would be $200,000.00, or 20 percent of the total proposed project cost of $1 million. It's not 20 percent of the DOE amount. Again, the cost share is 20 percent of the total project cost, which in this example would be $1 million. 

I would also urge you to refer to Section III.B for instances where federal funds may be permissible for use of cost share, and this would be as defined in statute, in law. And those – some of those potential forces include the Indian Self-Determination Act, tribal self-governance funding agreements, self-determination contract funding, combat funding, and NAHASDA– Native American Housing Association Self-Determination Act funds. So, take a look at that list and requirements that you need to comply with if you so choose to use those other federal funds. We also included in Appendix B information that would help you calculate cost-share exceptions. Next slide, please.

Okay. The good part. The good part is there may be the ability to request a cost share reduction. So, applicants may request a reduction in cost share from 20 percent to 10 percent based on one of the two factors. One of the factors is poverty rate of the tribal community – it must be at least 20 percent based on the Census Bureau's "My Tribal Area" – or median household income of the tribal community does not exceed 80 percent of the statewide median household income – again, based on Census Bureau data. Although the applicants are only required to meet one of those two to be eligible for the cost share reduction, we do request that you calculate both. And the application, if you don't qualify using the census data, Census Bureau data, you have the ability to use self-reported data for the poverty rate and median household income. And the instructions for that would be included under "Alternate data options" in the templates provided on IE-Exchange. 

So, if you're requesting a cost share reduction, you've done the calculation and you are eligible, you will need to complete the application in its entirety based on that reduced cost share amount and percentage. The financial assistance – request for federal financial assistance form, SF-424, and your budget and all that need to be based on that reduced 10 percent. So, maybe one of the – say, you want to calculate that before you start putting together your cost share commitments and your budget. However, if DOE does not approve that request for reduction, you will be required, if selected, to meet that statutory minimum, that required minimum cost share of 20 percent. Next slide, please.

Okay. More legalese stuff. So, all cost share must come from a non-federal source unless otherwise allowed by law. You can see the list that's provided in the FOA for potential federal sources that could potentially be considered non-federal or used as cost share. Note that except under limited situations and only with prior DOE approval, all cost share must be made during the period of performance of the grant. Section III.B of the FOA provides additional information on the cost share types, allowability, verification of payments.

Cost share, as we mentioned before, must be available and accessible at the time you submit the application. And there's a written assurance or commitment that must be provided at the time the application is submitted. This written assurance or commitment would be a binding guarantee that those funds are available with respect to the use of equipment, contributed labor, or unrecovered indirect costs and such, that they're accessible. Cost share commitments cannot be dependent on a future event, such as receiving a grant, or obtaining a loan down the road, or securing an investor after the fact. Next slide, please.

So, although cost share requirements apply to the project as a whole, including the work performed by members of the project team other than the applicant, or the recipient if you receive an award, the applicant or the recipient if such an award is made is ultimately and legally responsible for the entire amount of the cost share. In addition, if an award is made, cost share will be verified once – during the invoicing process. And documentation for all the costs, evidence of expenditures – it doesn't matter if it's for DOE funds or for a cost share – need to be submitted with each and every request for reimbursement. 

DOE requires the recipient to contribute the cost share amount incrementally over the life of the award – so, on an invoice-by-invoice basis. In limited circumstances and where it's in the government's interest, the contracting officer may approve a request by the recipient to meet its cost share requirements on a less frequent basis. Next slide, please.

So, the total budget would include – in an application must include both the federal and the non-federal cost share, which combined is the total project cost. All costs must be verifiable from the recipient's records. You must keep track of not only the federal amount but also the cost share amount. And all those costs, all those total project costs must be necessary and reasonable for the accomplishment of the proposed project. Every cost share contribution must be reviewed and approved in advance by the contracting officer and incorporated in the project budget before those expenditures can be incurred. Next slide, please.

So, all sources of cost share are considered part of the total project cost if selected for funding. Those cost share dollars will be scrutinized under the same federal regulations as the federal dollars requested for the project. All the project costs are federalized – yes, I made that word up, I think. But basically, we treat DOE funds and cost share funds the same and scrutinize them using the same laws and regulations. Specifically, all costs, whether they are requested for reimbursement or contributed as cost sharing, require the same level of documentation to support those costs. And as I said, they also undergo the same level of review or scrutiny to determine whether they're allowable, allocable, and reasonable. Next slide, please.

So, all cost share must be allowable and must be verifiable when you submit the application. And this chart basically just by entity type identifies the applicable cost principles. It's imperative that you follow the applicable cost principles when you create your budget. Next slide, please.

So, cost share can be provided in cash or as in-kind contributions. It can be provided by the recipients of awardees, meaning a subrecipient or a vendor or a third party. Allowable in-kind contributions may include but are not limited to contributions of time, like labor; unrecovered indirect costs; unrecovered facilities and administrative costs and other direct costs; rental value of buildings, land, or equipment – not the purchase price, just the rental or lease value during the period of the grant; and the value of a service or other resource or third-party in-kind contribution. And again, this is required per the code of federal regulations that only the rental or lease value of buildings, lands, or equipment can be cost-shared, and only during the period of the grant is allowable, not the purchase price of those items. Next slide, please.

So, be aware that there are items that are considered unallowable cost share. If cost share is considered unallowable, it cannot be requested from DOE or counted as cost share. And this slide provides some examples. There's also some more examples on page 29 of the FOA. And I'll just give you a moment to look through that. 

So, also take note that generally any costs expended before a grant agreement is put in place or after the grant period cannot be considered as cost share. That has to be done during a grant period. Next slide, please. 

Okay. Content and form of the application. Just a reminder: We won't have a question-and-answer session. Please send any of those written comments to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. If you have suggestions on how to improve this webinar, we'd really appreciate you putting any comments in the question box on the control panel. Slides and an audio recording will be made available. We'll let you know when and where. And if there's any inconsistencies between this presentation and what DOE tells you or other people, the DOE document itself is the controlling document and you need to rely solely on what's written in that document or seek clarification. Next slide, please. 

Okay. Bear with me. We're going to go through each element of a complete application in more detail. So, again, bear with me. 

Remember that each of the files shown on this slide and the next are required to complete your application, and a similar table is included on pages 34, 35, and 36 of the FOA document. Again, my recommendation is to use that table as a checklist when you're preparing for and when you're uploading your application to ensure you have all relevant documents and your application is complete before you hit the "Submit" button. And again, bear with me; there's a lot of data here. It can also be found in Section IV.C, "Content and Form of the Application," which begins on page 33 of the FOA document.

So, applications must include an Application for Federal Assistance. That's Form, Standard Form 424. The Application for Federal Assistance is a formal application for funding. This form must be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant, and by signing, the authorized representative is making certifications and assurances. And therefore, the form must be either digitally or manually inked and scanned before being uploaded as part of the application. Typed signatures do not constitute a digital signature. Be aware. And again, as we've said numerous times, all the forms and templates available can be found on IE-Exchange under the "Application Forms and Templates" hyperlink.

The next one is the summary slide. This is just a very quick, one-page facts about your proposed project. A template is provided for that.

The technical volume, sort of the guts of your proposal, if you will, is the key submission document describing your proposed project and addressing the merit review criteria. I would take into account the weight of that criteria. The technical volume must not exceed 15 pages, but that excludes the cover page and table of contents. DOE is only going to review the first 15 pages. 

The template provided includes instructions. This is a new template. Hopefully, it will be useful to you. It includes instructions and has a format available. That document is going to include the cover sheet, the cover page. Look at the instructions on page 32 of the FOA. The cover page is not counted, as I said, against the 15-page limit. It has the table of contents, not counted against the 15-page limit. The technical volume includes an executive summary, project description and outcome, roles, responsibilities, responsibilities, and commitment. 

The next document is the workplan. Again, a template is available on IE-Exchange for this. This workplan should describe the work to be accomplished and how the applicant will achieve the project milestones. The workplan must not exceed five pages, but that excludes the milestone table. So, look at the template and instructions that we've provided for that. 

The next document that's part of the application is that eligibility statement and evidence file that we discussed previously. This is information on the applicant's eligibility and the land status. This is going to help DOE make that eligibility determination. It's a Microsoft Word template and all of the templates are available on IE-Exchange. Note, again, that this form must also be signed by an authorized representative, either digitally or manually inked and scanned. Typed signatures do not constitute a _____ signature.  

Further, all applicants are required to submit an applicant tribal council resolution or declaration of commitment and cost sharing. For Indian tribes, the statement of commitment and cost sharing must be in the form of an executed tribal council resolution, unless an Indian tribe does not have a tribal council, in which case the statement of commitment and cost sharing may be in a format other than a tribal council resolution. But we also must include evidence of a statutory or other legal authority of that form of commitment in lieu of the tribal council resolution. For Alaska native regional corporations and village corporations, intertribal organization, and tribal energy development organizations, the statement of commitment and cost sharing may be in the form of a declaration or resolution and must be signed by an authorized representative able to commit the entity. Remember, cost share must be available and accessible at the time you submit your application. 

And as we mentioned before, the recipient is going to be ultimately and legally responsible for the entire amount of the cost share if an award is made. And those commitments are for the total amount of cost share, as I said, a specific dollar amount or up to a maximum amount or percentage of the total proposed cost. But regardless of the source of those cost shares, the applicant – or recipient of an award is made – will be legally responsible for those. And you can see more instructions and details on page 39 for those commitments. 

The participant letters of commitment and cost sharing needs to include letters of commitment and cost sharing from all other project participants, excluding vendors. The letters must be specific to this FOA. And if cost share is being committed, include a statement of the total amount and type of cost share being committed and a detailed estimate of the cash value or basis and nature of those commitments – of those contributions, pardon me, to the project. And remember, letters of support by anyone not participating in the project are not required or desired. You shouldn't include them.

So, the eighth component/element of your application would be resumes, a resume file. All applicants are required to present a resume for the business contact – the applicant's business contact, and the applicant's project manager, and key persons proposed, including tribal staff as part of the project. So, a key person is any individual who contributes in a substantive, measurable way to the execution of a project. Each of those resumes must not exceed two pages, and you need to save that in one single PDF file for uploading. 

A ninth element of the application is the budget justification workbook that we've mentioned previously. This is a required form and must include both the funds being requested from DOE as well as the cost share. Let me repeat. The budget and the budget justification in your application must request – reflect all project costs, regardless of whether they're being requested from DOE or provided cost share. The form itself is a multi-tab Microsoft Excel workbook, and that form is available on IE-Exchange. 

Part of that form will also ask for the basis of estimate of those costs, whether it be an invoice or a published price or an estimate or a quote or whatever, and we would also need that as well. And the table of these application documents are on page 34. I urge you to use that as a checklist. Next slide, please.

Okay. I'm trying to – I know we're going to run late and I do apologize. And if you do have to jump off, again, we'll have an audio recording and slides available. 

So, the tenth element of the application you must provide is a separate budget justification for each subrecipient that is expected to perform work of more than $250,000.00, or 25 percent of the total work effort, whichever is less. A subrecipient is a sub-awardee who is providing cost share or has a vested interest in the proposed project beyond just providing goods and services.

So, if you don't have any subrecipients that meet those thresholds, in lieu of the workbook we would just need a PDF file stating the subrecipients being proposed and therefore – do not meet the threshold and therefore a subrecipient budget is not being uploaded. So – but for every one of these you will have something submitted. 

So, note that the vendor budget information for vendors, those providing goods and services, should not be included in subrecipient budgets. That's going to be included as part of the applicant's budget. The applicant's budget is going to include the total project cost for all contractual costs, all partners, all – everything, both DOE and cost share. And vendors. So, a vendor is an entity contracted to provide goods and services and that's their normal business operation. They provide goods and services to many other purchasers and operate in a competitive environment and they do not provide cost share. 

The 11th item is the budget support file. All applicants are required to submit support for their budgets, and this includes things like the indirect rate agreement, breakdown of risk costs, basis of cost estimate documents, the budget support for vendors, or other relevant supplemental information. The form does walk you through the information which is needed. And that template is on IE-Exchange. The form itself is not required but the information in there is required, if you choose not to use the template provided.

Okay. The 12th one, which I think we spoke about, is the cost share reduction request. Again, that template is available and the instructions on how to do the calculations, and if you meet one of the two factors for reduction of cost share from 20 to 10 percent – as I said, those calculations are based on the census bureau data. However, if you don't qualify using the census data, you are more than welcome to self-report data, and there's instructions on the form on how to do that. If you're not requesting a cost share reduction for some reason, we just would need a statement to that effect and uploaded in the cost share reduction request. Instructions are in the FOA on what that needs to say. 

The 13th is the registration certification. As I indicated, there's a series of registrations that must be completed prior to submitting an application. An authorized representative must certify that those registrations are complete.

Getting closer. The 14th item is the disclosure of lobbying activities, Standard Form SF-LLL. It is required regardless of whether funds are being paid or will be paid for influencing or attempting to influence persons in connection with this particular application. It's very specific to this application. Recipients and subrecipients may not use any federal funds to influence or attempt to influence directly or indirectly Congressional action on any legislative appropriation matters. All applicants are required to complete – submit the SF-AAA, "Disclosure of Lobbying Activities," and disclose if any non-federal funds have been paid or will be paid to any person or influencing or attempting to influence any of the following in connection with your application: an officer or employee of any federal agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, an employee of a member of Congress. If no federal funds have been paid or will be paid to any persons who are influencing or attempting to influence any of the above in connection with your application, indicate "None" on the form, sign and date it, and upload it as part of your application. Otherwise, you'll need to follow the instructions on how to report the exact funds that are being used. 

So, the 15th item is the site and resource map and graphics files. All applicants must provide a file. You can include graphics, supplemental information to your technical volume. Since there's a 15-page limit to the technical volume, a lot of the maps and photographs, graphics, visuals, et cetera could be included in this file, and any other relevant background or supplemental data as well. If you choose not to provide any additional supplemental graphics or relevant background or supplemental data, then we will need a PDF file stating that, and specific language is in the funding opportunity announcement.

As we said, we will – all applicants are required to submit a comprehensive feasibility study, and that would be included in the studies and analysis file.

File 17: design and engineering. All applicants must provide a design and engineering file. You can include copies of your hardware performance specs, warranties, engineering drawings, and other design and engineering data to supplement your technical volume, which has a page limit. This requisite information should be included here. So, if you choose not to provide that information or you think that the technical volume is sufficient, you would still need to upload a file that basically states that you are not – that no additional design and engineering information is being provided as an attachment. 

And lastly, the economics file. You can provide supplemental data to support your economic analysis here, and as a minimum include a cash flow analysis, unless it's already in your technical volume. And if you choose not to submit an economic information beyond that which is in the technical volume, you would still need to submit a file stating that and upload that. And again, I would just use the table of required documents to ensure you completed everything. And you could submit your applications at any time prior to the due date and you can update them. You would just need to make sure you push "Submit" before that deadline. Next slide, please.

Oh, okay, we're late. I'm so sorry. I so underestimated how long this would take. [Laughs] So, again, no questions and answers. The audio recording and slides will be made available. The FOA document is the guiding precedent, takes precedence, and you need to rely solely on the language in the FOA document or seek clarification.

Next, we're going to talk about application eligibility requirements. So, as we previously discussed, applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 Eastern on February 23, 2023. And so, once those are submitted, DOE is going to conduct an eligibility review of all the applications. An application will be deemed eligible only if the applicant is an eligible entity, as defined in Section III.A of the FOA; the cost share requirement is satisfied, as defined in Section III.B of the FOA; the application complies with the content, format, and submission requirements of all the documents, as defined in Section IV.A and Section IV.C of the FOA; you've successfully uploaded all those required documents and clicked the "Submit" button by the deadline; the proposed project is responsive to the intent of the FOA, as described in Section I and Section III.D; and the application meets any other eligibility requirements identified in Section III of the FOA.

So, be aware, again – I think we've said this a half dozen times– that we're not going to make eligibility determinations prior to but we can – you can ask any clarifying questions. The decision on whether to submit an application lies solely with the applicant and we cannot advise you. Next slide, please.

So, merit review, just to give you an idea of how we review these besides the eligibility review. Next slide, please.

So, regarding the technical merit review and selection process, the merit review and selection process consists of a series of rigorous reviews, including, as I said, an initial eligibility review, a rigorous technical review, and programmatic review. The rigorous technical – comprehensive technical reviews are conducted by reviewers that are experts in the subject matter, but ultimately, the selection official considers those recommendations along with other considerations, such as the program policy factors we mentioned previously, to make those decisions. Next slide. 

So, this is a visual of the numerous review processes the applications will go through., a multitiered review process which begins with the eligibility review. If an application and applicant are deemed eligible, the application undergoes the comprehensive technical review, consisting of an independent review by subject matter experts based on the criteria in the FOA. After the independent review concludes, the federal consensus board begins its review. The federal consensus board's primary responsibility is determining the technical merit of each application as it's inherently a government function, and they make those selection recommendations based on the technical merit of your application, solely on the technical merit relative to the criteria in the FOA. In other words, they determine the selection range, the recommendations of which applications to fund. 

So, following the federal consensus board, we have all the information that is contained in an advisory report and describes how the merit review was conducted that supports the federal consensus board technical rating, addresses the FOA-specific program policy factors and any other selection factors set forth in the FOA. This is provided to the selection official, who will review that report, that comprehensive report to consider those recommendations, apply the program policy factor if she so chooses – he or she so chooses, and make a selection decision for those applications for negotiation and award. Next slide, please.

So, each application will be technically reviewed relative to the published technical review criteria, which includes goals and objectives, which will be weighted at 10 percent; project description and outcomes, which will be weighted at 50 percent; roles, responsibilities, capabilities, and commitment, which is weighted at 30 percent; and your workplan, which will be weighted at 10 percent. Remember that the technical volume has a template, instructions, and format for you, the workplan also has a template provided for you, and when you are producing those documents, you want to consider the specific criteria but also the weights.

Section IV.A of the FOA document, beginning on page 50 of the FOA, identifies the technical review criteria upon which your applications will be reviewed, and we'll go over each of those briefly but I would urge you to read those in detail and consider those in preparing your applications. So, on this slide and on page 50 of the FOA document is the "Criterion 1: Goals and Objectives" and the three subcriterions that will be reviewed relative to that criterion, including clarity and completeness of the executive summary, the extent for which the proposed project provides economics and other benefits to the Indian tribe or tribes and tribal communities, and soundness of the discussion of the need for an impact of DOE funding to the proposed project, and the implications if it's not funded. 

Remember, the technical volume template has been provided on IE-Exchange. It provides you instructions and the format. Use the template – use of the template is not required but the information contained in that template is required. The technical volume must address the technical review criteria. And you should consider the weight of each of the evaluation criteria when you're preparing that. And I'll give you just a minute to look through that.

We really are in the home stretch, even though we are going to be really late. I'm sorry.

Okay. So, Criterion 2 is the – is weighted at 50 percent; it's the guts. The project description and outcomes. This is the project plan. The subcriteria include clarity and completeness of the detailed project description, the technical viability of the proposed project, which will also consider your comprehensive feasibility study, the financial sustainability of the proposed project – it will also include any supplemental information you have in your economics file – and the significance of the outcomes. Note that under this we have that mandatory feasibility study, again, which will be assessed relative to technical viability as well as the engineering file, and the financial sustainability will also look at the economics file, as I just said. Next slide, please.

And here are the last two subcriterions for – oops, I think we're a couple slides behind. Okay, next slide. Go back one. There we go. Thank you. 

And again, significance of outcomes: benefits to tribal members and the families being electrified; economic and environmental benefits; and other outcomes that may be important to the tribe. Replicability, resilience, reliability, environmental stewardship – the list goes on. Those could be outcomes that are important to the applicant. Next slide, please.

Okay. So, the third criterion is the roles, responsibilities, capabilities, and commitment. That's weighted at 30 percent. And this will be assessed against the soundness of the project management approach and the demonstrated level of commitment of the applicant and each participating organization. And that level of commitment will be evidenced by past energy-related efforts and the commitment to the proposed project as evidenced in the letters of commitment and cost-sharing. Next slide, please.

For the fourth and final criterion – it's the workplan again – we've provided you a template and instructions. The workplans will be reviewed based on the clarity and completeness of the narrative description – we want text on each of those activities you propose to complete your project – and the likelihood of achieving those project objectives through logical task structure. Five-page maximum. And the template's on IE-Exchange. Next slide, please.

So, next, program policy factors. We've mentioned a couple of times – as I said, the selection official – in addition to the technical review criteria and recommendations of the federal consensus board, the selection official may consider the following program policy factors in determining which applications to select for award and negotiations. Next slide, please.

So, for this FOA the program policy factors in no particular order include geographic distribution, technology diversity, the degree to which the proposed project optimizes the use of available DOE funding, and applicants who have not previously received a grant from the Office of Indian Energy. Next slide, please.

Registration requirements. Next slide.

There we go. So, as we mentioned, there are a number of registration requirements that are needed and they must be certified that they've been completed, and that certification is included as part of your application. The first is IE-Exchange. You need to register and create an account in IE-Exchange, and this account will then allow you to register for any open FOAs. Remember, applications will only be accepted through IE-Exchange. As part of that registration process, you will receive a control number. You need to retain that number; it's going to be the identifier and it must be on every document of your application. 

Now, the IE-Exchange registration does not have a delay; however, the rest of them may take several weeks. So, again, better to start early. So, all applicants lacking a UEI number, a unique entity identifier – that's replaced the DUNS number – you'll receive that as part of your SAM, or System for Award Management, registration or renewal process. That's required for all entities doing business with the federal government.

Again, you will need to register in the System for Award Management – SAM system. You must designate an electronic business point of contact, an E-Biz POC – I know – obtain a special password called an M PIN, and obtain a UEI number. Those are important steps. 

The other registration is in FedConnect. I will say that SAM's award information is required to basically receive an award to get paid, reimbursed as part of a grant. The next registration required is FedConnect. This is needed to actually receive the award document. They will be electronically transmitted through FedConnect, so you need to register in here. And also, if you – to receive any amendments to this FOA, if any are done, you want to register in Grants.gov to receive that notification. As I said, you need to certify that all of these registrations are complete and submit that certification as part of your application. Next slide.

We're in the home stretch. I really do – we are. Next slide.

Okay. As we've said, I think numerous times, applications must be submitted through IE-Exchange. DOE will not review or consider applications submitted through any other means. We have provided an IE-Exchange Applicant Guide for you. It's a step-by-step guide. It has screenshots on how to register, create accounts, submit an application. Please take advantage of that. We've also created an IE-Exchange Registration and Login Guide that will help you to do that multifactor identification and login process. Again, lots of screenshots. Next slide, please.

Next, some additional key information regarding submission of your application. So, we urge you to check your entries in IE-Exchange when you're registering and submitting your application. DOE also strongly encourages applicants to submit your applications one or two days prior to the deadline to allow for all those documents to be uploaded and to avoid any technical issues. Make sure you push the "Submit" button. Any changes you make after – if you do submit it early, any changes you make afterwards, you need to submit – any changes you make afterwards will un-submit your application and you will need to push the "Submit" button again. 

I would recommend that you print out the IE-Exchange confirmation pages at each step during your application. They contain the application's control number as well. The IE-Exchange system is designed to enforce the deadline. The "Apply" and "Submit" buttons may automatically be disabled at that deadline. If you experience problems with IE-Exchange, the following may be helpful. Applicants that experience issues with submission prior to the FOA deadline, like technical difficulties, the applicant should contact the Exchange help desk for assistance. They may be able to assist you in resolving that. However, applicants who are unable to submit their applications because they are submitting them at the last minute, there's network traffic, congestion issues, et cetera, Exchange help desk will not be able to help you. The Office of Indian Energy is not able to assist with technical issues associated with the IE-Exchange system or submittal of your application. 

Applicants that experience issues with submissions that result in a late submission should also contact the Exchange help desk for assistance. They may be able to assist. Bottom line is I strongly encourage you to keep records or documentation, including screenshots, of any issues you experience, record what steps you've taken to resolve that. In the event of a late submission, that documentation may be factored into whether your application is accepted – is considered. Next slide, please.

In addition, page 65 of the FOA: Please keep in mind that all information provided in the application must to the greatest extent possible exclude personally identified information – PII. Specifically, applications should screen resumes to ensure that they do not include PII: personal addresses, phone numbers, cell numbers, personal e-mails, Social Security numbers. PII is not essential to the application review process and should not be there. Next slide, please.

Home stretch, I swear. A couple more slides and we'll be done.

Applicants must designate a primary and backup point of contact in IE-Exchange. These are the people that DOE will communicate during the process. These are the people that will get the notification on the status or the results of your application. Plan accordingly. Next slide, please.

And I think we've talked about this repeatedly, but we're going to do it one more time. [Laughs] So, for questions regarding the FOA, send an e-mail to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. Before submitting that question, I'd urge you to look at the frequently asked questions, the FAQ webpage on IE-Exchange to see if your question maybe has already been answered. But we're going to try to attempt to answer them within three business days. You'll be notified when that – when the response to your question is posted. Next slide, please.

Problems logging into IE-Exchange or uploading and submitting an application. I think we went through this a little bit. The e-mail exchange help desk is at ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov. It's also in the top header to the right on the website, and I think it's at the bottom of those pages on the IE-Exchange webpage as well. When you do contact them, include the FOA name and number in the subject line. Yes, and the next thing is it's in the contact list at the bottom and it's at the upper right corner of each webpage. I'd also recommend if you're having difficulties that you see the IE Applicant Guide and the IE Registration and Login Guide. I think that's pretty good – hopefully it's useful. It's structured with lots of screenshots on the process as well. 

And specific questions regarding the FOA itself should be sent to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov, I think for the hundredth time. Include the FOA number in the subject line. Also, you may want to – you should check the non-FOA-specific questions. Some of those are applicable. That could be found under the questions and answers in the left navigation on the IE-Exchange web page. Next slide, please.

Just a few comments on best practices. A reminder, no question-and-answer session. If you have feedback on this webinar, send it in the question box in the control panel. Send questions to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov, for the 101th time. Slides and audio recordings will be available. We'll let you know where and when. The FOA document takes precedence over any other sources of information you might receive. If you need clarification, again, send your questions. Next slide, please.

So, just – go back up one, please – slide. There we go. 

So, in closing, please download the funding opportunity announcement, read it, and read it again thoroughly so you understand all the steps and requirements in making the decisions on whether to submit an application. Do not rely solely on this webinar. 

If you are considering submitting an application, please register in IE-Exchange as soon as possible, obtain that control number which needs to be on all the documents. Check the frequently asked questions on IE-Exchange periodically for any supplemental information. And if you're registered in Grants.gov, you'll get notification of amendments, if any, to the FOA. Next slide, please.

Okay, closing. Here we go. Next slide.

And a few final comments. Again, I guess I apologize that I so underestimated the time for this webinar, but thanks to those that are still hanging with us. Hopefully, we've answered some of your questions and provided information on the FOA and on the process. Again, if you have any questions, please send it to TribalGrants@hq.doe.gov. Get the official formal response. Do not ask me or any other Office of Indian Energy staff, contractors, or laboratory personnel about the eligibility or your project or other questions related to the FOA. You really want that official response. As we've said, the purpose of accepting only written questions is that if you have a question, somebody else may too. We want everybody to have the same information since this is a competitive process. 

Registering at Grants.gov means you'll receive e-mail notices of any amendments that are – of amendments to the FOA if necessary, but applications will not be accepted through Grants.gov.

Consider submitting your applications early. I know that probably will never happen, but consider it. You can revise it and update the documents up until the deadline. 

I would also invite you to join our Office of Indian Energy e-mail list. We do send e-mail newsletters about funding and upcoming events and training and so forth. You can join that on the main page of our website at www.energy.gov/indianenergy. For information on previously funded tribal energy projects, you can also go to "Projects" on the upper nav on the website. We have a "Funding – Current Funding Opportunities" page for funding opportunities from other DOE offices or other agencies that are tribal energy-related. We offer technical assistance, as we've talked about, at no cost to eligible tribal entities. It's pretty simple: Push the "Submit," answer the questions, and we'll get back to you.

The slides and recordings are going to be available. We'll let you know where and when. Participation in this webinar is completely voluntary. There's no particular advantages or disadvantages – yes, this is all the caveats I need to tell you – to the application evaluation process with respect to your participation in the webinar today. Remember, if there's any inconsistencies between the funding opportunity announcement, that FOA document takes precedence. And please ask us for clarifications. And if you have any feedback on this webinar, how we can make it better or more useful to you, we'd surely appreciate that. And you can put those in the question box in the control panel.

And you can also join us on social media: Facebook and Twitter. Next slide, please.

So, thank you so much for your interest and for your attention during the webinar. And I apologize for the – I underestimated the time. Have a wonderful afternoon. And this concludes today's webinar. Thank you. Goodbye. 

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