The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Deployment Office (GDO), in collaboration with ConnectWerx, the Partnership Intermediary under a newly established Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA), has opened an initial funding opportunity for a specialized, independent consultant or academic entity to lead a consortium of technical experts that identifies standardized offshore wind transmission equipment specifications and mesh-ready design to support coordinated procurement in the United States. The consortium will work together to support near-term state offshore wind solicitations and potential shared transmission solutions.

SAMPLE POSSIBLE CONSORTIUM COMPOSITION

Complete the submission form questions, and upload completed Project Narrative and Project Workplan & Budget in the application link below for PPO-CWX-004-GDO.

Submissions are due no later than Friday, November 1, 2024 at 5 PM ET

Submissions must include the following files as indicated in the below chart using the required templates.

Submission Requirements

Responses shall be submitted by the date and time specified above. Click here to apply.

Files shall be submitted in Microsoft Office or Adobe Acrobat format, and not be larger than 5MB each. ZIP files and other application formats are not acceptable. All files shall be print-capable, without a password. Filenames must contain the appropriate extension and shall not contain special characters*. Appropriate files extensions are:

Late submissions will not be accepted. Submissions can be made in advance of the deadline and updated (or files replaced) up to the deadline.

The recent Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study highlighted the immense value that coordinated offshore transmission networks can bring to the Atlantic region. To achieve a cost-effective integrated offshore network, the transmission assets built off each state’s coasts will need to be constructed with future compatibility in mind. Through the Standardization for Interregional Offshore Wind Transmission opportunity, GDO will fund one principal investigator over an initial one-year performance period to assemble and lead a regionally-focused consortium of technical experts that could consist of, but not limited to, original equipment manufacturers, engineering design firms, offshore wind developers, regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs), transmission owners, utilities, and entities with experience in offshore wind standards, development of new industry standards, and offshore wind procurements. The primary role of this research consortium is to provide guidance and develop best practices for the Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission (Collaborative) on offshore transmission standardization to promote interconnection and interoperability of projects that may be constructed by different vendors using equipment from OEMs across different time horizons.

GDO will evaluate and prioritize applications to ensure the funded project works closely with the Collaborative to develop and vet ideas with the goal of informing near-term and future state offshore wind solicitation processes. The consortium’s experience and approach to offshore wind transmission standardization should be able to be implemented within the one-year initial period of performance and should be able to be adapted to meet milestones developed in collaboration with GDO.

The consortium performers are expected to collaborate in the development of deliverables that may include drafting a technical memo on existing offshore wind solicitation landscape and completing a report on offshore wind transmission standardization approaches for the Atlantic Region in light of global supply chain limitations.

ConnectWerx, in partnership with DOE, will coordinate collection of applications, selection of consortium performers, and administer funds.  DOE expects to make one award totaling up to $1.25 million in this funding round to a single consortium lead. It is the lead’s responsibility to develop and manage the budget within the consortium. There will be no federal cost share requirement.

How to Participate

1. Review details on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and how to apply.
2. Download the Project Narrative.
3. If teaming with other organizations is of interest to you, then review and complete this form.
4. Watch the Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session on September 26, 2024 at 2 PM ET.
5. Watch the Office Hours on October 8, 2024 at 2 PM ET.
6. Complete the submission form and upload completed project narrative and workplan/budget in the application link for PPO-CWX-004-GDO. Submissions are due no later than Friday, November 1, 2024 at 5 PM ET.

Friday, November 1, 2024 at 5 PM ET

The Standardization for Interregional Offshore Wind Transmission Opportunity launched on September 11, 2024. Please click here announcement article for more information.

Objective Strategic Session/Informational Webinar was held on September 26, 2024 at 2 PM ET.

• Watch the Webinar (Video)
• View Presentation (PDF)
• Read the Transcript (PDF)

Informational Office Hours was held on October 8, 2024 at 2 PM ET.

• Watch the Webinar (Video)
• View Presentation (PDF)
• Read the Transcript (PDF)

• September 11, 2024: Project Application Period Open: DOE begins accepting applications from a specialized, independent consultant or academic entity.
• September 26, 2024: Objective Strategic Session/Informational Webinar (OSS/IW): ConnectWerx & DOE will provide further details about the funding opportunity. Interested consortium performers can join to better understand the scope, scale, and intent of the opportunity and ask questions. The optional, virtual OSS took place on September 26 at 2 PM ET.
• October 8, 2024: Informational Office Hours: Interested applicants have the opportunity to ask additional questions of DOE on October 8 at 2 PM ET.
• November 1, 2024: Application period closes.
• November 2024: Government review and selection of consortium lead performer to receive funding.
• December 2024: Finalize selected consortium lead performer.
• January 2025: Selected consortium lead performer meets with GDO to finalize milestones and begin work.

A specialized, independent consultant or academic entity to assemble and lead a consortium of technical experts that identifies standardized offshore wind transmission equipment specifications and mesh-ready design to support coordinated procurement in the United States. Applicants must certify their status as a U.S. domestic entity to apply.

1) Technical Merit and Applicant Qualifications (30%)

• Expertise and experience of the project team in transmission planning and design for offshore wind to address all aspects of the proposed project with a high probability of success.
• Resources available within the organization to provide a cost-effective approach to the proposed project with a high probability of success.
• Able to collect, interpret, and synthesize input from technical experts and produce products documenting best practices.
• Provide technical assistance support that could include, but is not limited to, researching specific topics, being able to answer technical questions through expert match, and providing technical presentations.
• Experience with or knowledge of state offshore wind procurement practices, particularly those of the Northeast Atlantic states.

2) Partnerships and Collaborations (30%)

• Extent Consortia is composed of technical experts, including (but not limited to) the following types of entities, recognizing that one entity could meet multiple criteria:
  1. Original equipment manufacturer(s) of offshore wind transmission components
  2. Engineering design firm(s) with experience in offshore wind platform design and installation
  3. Entity(ies) with experience in offshore wind solicitations/procurement and deep understanding of how state solicitations fit into the overall offshore wind development project lifecycle
  4. Offshore wind project developer with projects within the geography of the Northeast States Collaborative
  5. ISO/RTO participation (and potentially specialized committees within)
  6. Transmission owner(s) (at potential points of interconnection to the existing onshore grid)
  7. Utility(ies)
  8. Other technical expert(s) conducting related research in industry or academia
  9. Entity(ies) with experience in existing offshore wind standards and development of new industry standards [Other organizations above may also have this experience, in which case, a separate entity may not be needed.
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate with DOE on existing work to avoid duplication

3) Impact and feasibility (40%)

• The potential of the lead performer and proposed consortium to inform technical guidance and best practices for offshore wind transmission standardization approaches and how they can be integrated into state offshore wind and transmission procurements.
• The potential of the lead performer and proposed consortium to provide useful information and recommendations based on research and analysis on existing offshore wind solicitation landscape and offshore transmission requirements, including:
  • Existing state offshore wind procurement language and approaches for the Northeast Collaborative member states
  • Technical requirements for transmission, including reliability standards
  • Input from a variety of experts from other coastal regions or international perspectives on offshore transmission standardization
  • Key technical issues that create barriers to offshore transmission standardization.
  • Other organizations who may be active in this space and have committees or workgroups (e.g., industry trade organizations, reliability organizations, academic centers, professional organizations, etc.).
• Experience and ability to effectively engage and deliver technical assistance support and periodic information regarding future offshore wind transmission procurement to state energy offices, public utility commissions, and other participants in the Collaborative
• Adequacy of the proposed project management approach, including the clarity of project scope, cost, work plan, and key milestones.

Consortium applications are strongly encouraged. To facilitate the formation of consortia, ConnectWerx is establishing an online Teaming Partner List where organizations can express interest in partnering with others and share contact information. If you are interested in being added to the teaming partner list and having your information shared with others, please complete this form no later than Friday, November 1, 2024.

‍By submitting a request to be included on the Teaming Partner List, the requesting organization consents to the publication of its contact information. By enabling and publishing the Teaming Partner List, GDO is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating the qualifications of the individuals and organizations that are identifying themselves for placement on this Teaming Partner List. GDO will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any applicants or requesting organizations for the development of such information.

• What is a PIA and why is DOE/GDO 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.
• Who is eligible to apply?
  • A specialized, independent consultant or academic entity to assemble and lead a consortium of technical experts that identifies standardized offshore wind transmission equipment specifications and mesh-ready design to support coordinated procurement in the United States. Applicants must certify their status as a U.S. domestic entity to apply.
• How does an applicant apply? What is required in the application?
  • Information about how to apply, application materials, and deadlines are available on the opportunity page.
• Can several entities apply together as a consortium if they choose to do so?
  • Yes. DOE prefers pre-formed partnerships or teams of eligible applicants. A single lead entity should submit the application, describing the roles of partner entities. DOE will take into consideration the scope of work proposed by all proposed partners as part of the review process.
• Can interested parties apply individually?
  • We encourage entities to apply as a pre-formed consortium. While we do accept individual applications, we encourage individuals to sign up for the teaming partner list to connect with other organizations seeking to form consortia.
• How is the funding awarded?
  • DOE expects to make one award totaling up to $1.25 million in this round of funding to a consortium lead performer. The lead is responsible for the development and management of the consortium budget. The proposed budget must reflect all consortium parties.
• What is the maximum number of entities that could be funded as part of the consortium?
  • There is no pre-determined maximum number of entities that could be funded from this opportunity. The guidance above is provided to help estimate individual award budgets. The number of selected consortium performers will depend on the scope of work proposed and the total proposed budget of all the consortium members.
• What are the intended geographic boundaries of the “Atlantic Coast and/or with Northeast States Collaborative members”?
  • The Northeast States Collaborative on Interregional Transmission comprises 10 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The Atlantic Coast, as defined by the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study, is from Maine to South Carolina.
• Is it a requirement for the consortium to include an academic institution?
  • There is no requirement for an academic institution to be included in the consortium.
• Can the period of performance extend beyond one year?
  • For the initial Standardization for Interregional Offshore Wind Transmission, GDO is interested in analysis to be performed within a 12-month period. Depending on circumstances, DOE will consider extending the period of performance.
• Can national labs participate as a team member?
  • Yes, they can serve as a team member, but not as a lead performer. Due to existing funding agreements with AOPs, national labs cannot receive funding through this PIA. National labs may be able to use existing funding mechanisms to participate in the selected consortium. Labs should contact ConnectWerx to discuss further if desired.