Notice of Intent To Provide Optional Prescreening Process for the National Industrial Competitiveness Through Energy, Environment and Economics (NICE \3\) Program

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Notice of Intent To Provide Optional Prescreening Process for the

National Industrial Competitiveness Through Energy, Environment and

Economics (NICE \3\) Program

AGENCY: The Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of intent to provide optional prescreening process for

potential applicants under the DOE NICE \3\ program solicitation.

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Presolicitation: In September, the DOE's Office of Industrial

Technologies will issue its FY 1997 competitive solicitation under

DOE's NICE \3\ program to fund innovative industrial technologies that

reduce energy consumption, waste production, and operating costs. In an

effort to assist perspective applicants, DOE intends to accept

presolicitation submissions from potential applicants that set out a

brief description of the project to be proposed under the FY 1997

solicitation. DOE's technical staff will review these brief

descriptions and provide constructive feedback to the potential

applicant within a two week period. This feedback can be used by a

potential applicant in refining their proposal under the FY 1997

solicitation.

Background Information: The goals of the NICE \3\ Program are to

improve energy efficiency, promote cleaner production, and to improve

competitiveness in industry. The intent of the NICE \3\ program is to

fund projects that have completed the research and development stage

and are ready to demonstrate a fully integrated commercial unit. Some

industrial technologies that the NICE \3\ project has funded follow: SO

3 Cleaning Process in the Manufacture of Semiconductors;

Innovative Design of a Brick Kiln Using Low Thermal Mass Technology;

Continuously Reform Electroless Nickel Plating Solutions; Recovery and

Reuse of Water-Washed Overspray Paint; and HCl Acid Recovery System.

For the past five years the NICE \3\ program has offered 47 grants

(approximately $14.8 million) to fund innovative industrial

technologies.

Eligible applicants for funding under that solicitation include any

authorized agency of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or

possession of the United States. For convenience, the term State in

this notice refers to all eligible State agency applicants. Local

governments, State and private universities, private non-profits,

private businesses, and individuals, who are not eligible as direct

applicants, must work with the appropriate State agencies in developing

projects and forming participation arrangements. DOE strongly

encourages and requires these types of cooperative arrangements in

support of program goals.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number assigned to this

program is 81.105. Up to $9 million in Federal funds will be made

available by

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DOE for the 1997 solicitation. Cost sharing is required by all

participants. The Federal Government will provide up to 40 percent of

the funds for the project in FY 1997. The remaining funds must be

provided by the eligible applicants and/or cooperating project

participants. In addition to direct financial contributions, cost

sharing can include beneficial services or items, such as manpower

equipment, consultants, and computer time that are allowable in

accordance with applicable cost principles. The state applicant is

required to have an industrial partner to be considered eligible for

grant consideration.

Presolicitation: This notice is to advise potential applicants to

the FY 1997 solicitation that DOE will accept presolicitation

submissions that set out that a brief description of the potential

project. The submissions should not exceed two pages and should adhere

to the format laid out in the preproposal format. This format can be

obtained by calling the U.S. Department of Energy's Golden Field Office

contacts (listed below). All preproposals submission will be reviewed

by NICE \3\ project monitors at the Golden Field Office. The monitors

will provide comments to the submitter on the proposed project's

applicability to the NICE \3\ program. In addition, the reviewers will

provide feedback which the applicant can use to formulate and refine

their proposal.

The submission of a presolicitation description is not mandatory

for submitting an application under the FY 1997 solicitation. DOE

reviews and comments under the presolicitation process will not be used

by DOE in evaluating or awarding applications under the FY 1997

solicitation. The only purpose of the presolicitation process is to

assist potential applicants, who may need assistance, in refining their

application.

DATES: A brief description of the proposed project can be submitted to

the Golden Field Office on or before August 2, 1996. All summaries must

be submitted through a state agency.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Hass, at (303) 275-4728, or Doug

Hooker, at (303) 275-4780, at the U.S. Department of Energy Golden

Field Office, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401, for referral

to appropriate DOE Regional Support Office or State Agency and to

receive a copy of the format for the brief description. In addition,

the format for the brief description and a list of participating state

agencies can be located on the internet at WWW.nrel.gov/documents/

nice3. The Contract Specialist is James Damm, at (303) 275-4744, and

the Contracting Officer is Robert Brown, at (404) 347-2879.

Issued in Golden, Colorado, on May 9, 1996.

John Meeker,

Chief, Procurement.

[FR Doc. 96-12421 Filed 5-16-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P