ConnectWerx, a Partnership Intermediary of DOE in collaboration with the Arctic Energy Office and the Office of Technology Transitions will establish the Arctic Energy Seed Awards which will fund multiple awards to support the execution of projects in the Arctic that focus on the delivery of support, including technical assistance, training towards energy efficiency projects, addressing the energy burden of low-income communities, regional workforce development, and seed funding. Alaska or Arctic-based companies, schools, or other entities are encouraged to apply.

DOE has made several large investments in Arctic clean energy projects. However, sometimes there are gaps in funding for critical discussions, project development, technology testing, siting studies, kick-starting energy research, workforce development, and other foundational efforts which can help optimize and/or lead to larger investments. The Arctic Energy Seed Awards focus on the delivery of support including technical assistance and training towards energy efficiency projects, addressing the energy burden of low-income communities, and regional workforce development. Awards will fund multiple awards up to $50,000 each to support the execution of projects in the Arctic.

• What is a PIA and why is DOE pursuing this approach?  
  • Partnership Intermediary Agreements (PIAs) are agreements between the Federal government and non-Federal partners (partnership intermediaries or PIs) designed to increase outreach to and engagement with small business firms, institutes of higher education, and non-traditional partners.
• How will the agreement process work after DOE selection?
  • Upon conclusion of selection from DOE Program Office Representative (POR) and finalization of milestone schedule, ConnectWerx will issue a business-to-business (B2B) agreement to the lead performer for review and execution. The B2B agreement will contain mandatory flow downs from the prime Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) executed between DOE and Advanced Technology International.
• How does invoicing and payments work with ConnectWerx? 
  • Upon completion of milestones, invoices will be submitted to ConnectWerx for review with DOE and payment release. Incremental payments to the performer will be made in accordance with the established milestones and deliverables as written (and approved by DOE POR) in the B2B agreements. The payment schedule for each project is to be determined based on negotiated milestones and deliverables. Please be aware, additional documentation and support for expenditures may be requested as determined by DOE.
• How does an applicant apply? What is required in the application?
  • Information about how to apply, application materials, and deadlines will be available on the opportunity page once the opportunity has been released.
• What is the maximum number of entities that could be funded as part of the collaborative?
  • DOE encourages proposals of various size and scale and will fund projects accordingly within the program budget.
• Is this a grant or an award?
  • Neither. This opportunity is run via a Partnership Intermediary Agreement. PIAs are agreements between the Federal government and non-Federal partners (partnership intermediaries or PIs) designed to support DOE’s missions to expand the development and deployment of transmission solutions, heighten energy security, and strengthen national energy ecosystems.