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["Q & A"]
["DE-FOA-0003583 - IIJA - Mines & Metals Capacity Expansion - Piloting Byproduct Critical Minerals and Materials Recovery at Domestic Industrial Facilities"]
["Number","Type","Post Date","Question","Answer"]
[209,"Admin","2026-01-15","Will I be penalized if my file names are not exactly as outlined in the NOFO?","No"]
[208,"Admin","2026-01-15","Is the approximate dollar amount of individual award the federal share or the total project size? ","The amounts listed in Part 1 are federal shares."]
[207,"Admin","2026-01-15","Do I have to submit application documents as a single document or compile them all together as one.","You may submit them as single documents within the same category if the system allows you to do so. Please refer to the required documents index for specifications for each category. "]
[206,"Admin","2026-01-14","We have tried everyway possible to apply. The apply button stays grey. If we try other grants the apply turns red. Please advise on this very time sensitive matter.","Please see NETL_eXCHANGE_User_Guide_for_Applicants\tNETL eXCHANGE User Guide for Applicants found at https://netl-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx"]
[205,"Admin","2026-01-14","My U.S. company can produce concentrates containing critical minerals at a gold and silver processing facility in Mexico. We are prepared to donate these critical minerals to the United States for national defense and military use.  Would such an in-kind donation allow us to participate in this grant without the 20% cost share requirement?","With this limited information, most likely no. More information is needed for a more complete answer. Please see cost share requirements at: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306"]
[204,"Admin","2026-01-14","Are Work Proposals Authorization for non DOE or DOE FFRDCs required during the application process?","Always follow the most recent version of the NOFO. On page 21, this requirement was removed."]
[203,"Admin","2026-01-14","A Native American Reservation will be a sub-recipient on an application. The primary applicant will be a private company. In the application FOA information in Part 2, page 26 of 65, it states under Section 19, Transparency of Foreign Connections: \"Disclosure exceptions by entity type:  U.S. National Laboratories and domestic government entities are not required to respond to the Transparency of Foreign Connections disclosure.  The applicability of disclosure requirements is determined by the entity type. Regardless of whether the applicant in exempt, the sub-recipient(s) must provide these disclosures unless the sub-recipient is also exempt.\"\n","The Native American Reservation is a domestic government entity, and therefore does not need to respond to the Transparency of Foreign Connections disclosure. All other applicant members must respond to and submit a Transparency of Foreign Connections disclosure, unless they are a U.S. National Laboratories or domestic government entity."]
[202,"Admin","2026-01-09","\nDo I need to submit the SF424A on any sites/systems other than NETL eXCHANGE?","2) No."]
[201,"Admin","2026-01-09","Do I need to provide one SF-424A, Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs for each budget year?","No, you do not need to provide separate budget forms per year, but break down the proposed budget years in separate rows with sufficient details. For more details please refer to Question 192, posted on 1/7/2026."]
[200,"Admin","2026-01-09","Can we submit an application for the below dollar amount:\n\nFederal Award (75%): $75,000,000\nRequired Cost Share (25%): $25,000,000\nTotal Project Cost (100%): $100,000,000","You may do so for Topic Area 2, subject to further discussions and negotiations with the DOE."]
[199,"Admin","2026-01-08","Is it permissible to mark application documents that are built on DOE-provided templates as proprietary?  Specifically, would DOE allow applicants to mark as proprietary the following documents:  ","Yes."]
[198,"Admin","2026-01-08","If selected, do I need to complete my sam.gov registration before my project can be conditionally awarded? How do I know when my sam.gov registration is complete?","Yes, DOE will not be able to conditionally award a selected project if sam.gov registration is not complete. You will know it is complete when you receive an UEI number, therefore it will be in the applicant's best interest to ensure he or she has obtained an UEI number as soon as possible. Lastly, if an applicant has an UEI, he or she should check to ensure the UEI is active."]
[197,"Admin","2026-01-07","Pertaining to the required Locations of Work template, there are some elements mentioned in Part 2 that are not included in the template. Am I required to insert these elements if I am using the template?","You may insert the extra elements that are not included in the template, but it is not required."]
[196,"Tech","2026-01-07","In the Project Management Plan (PMP) template, Section E on the Costing Profile (Spend Plan) states \"Provide a table that projects the expenditures of government funds by government fiscal year for each project team member.” All other documents (e.g. Technical Volume and SF-424A) require spending to be reported by Budget Period with a quarterly breakdown for the first Budget Period. Please clarify if the Spend Plan table for the PMP should report a budget based on the government fiscal year (ending September 30) and if so how to determine when the project should be assumed to start relative to the calendar year. ","In the Spend Plan in the PMP, please report the budget by government fiscal year. NOFO Part 1 page 6 states that the estimated Period of Performance is June 15, 2026 – June 14, 2030."]
[195,"Admin","2026-01-07","Is the SF-424 template on eXCHANGE current even though it has the expiration date of 11/30/2025? Grant.gov site has the same form as well.","Yes."]
[194,"Admin","2026-01-07","Do I attach resumes for senior/key personnel (none-CI) in the biosketches category when I upload my application package?","Yes."]
[193,"Admin","2026-01-07","I went on grants.gov and saw this NOFO, however I am unable to apply for this NOFO on grants.gov. What should I do?","Per the grants.gov announcement for this NOFO, please submit your application on NETL eXCHANGE by clicking on the link provided on the bottom of the announcement (\"where to apply\")."]
[192,"Admin","2026-01-07","When it comes to SF-424A, Sections A, B, C, and D should provide the budget for the first budget period and Section E should present the need for Federal assistance in the subsequent budget periods. Should applicants insert total budget amounts or just the first budget period amount?","Section A: list your projection broken down by budget periods (row 1-4 is set out for this purpose)  \n\nSection B: breakdown the budget by categories for each budget period (column 1-4, one for each budget period). \n\nSection C: detail your cost share by each budget period (row 8-11 for each BP). \n\nSection D: Breakdown projection for 1st year by quarters.\n\nSection E-F: Optional\n\nThe Total column will generate a project total  for Sections A and B once you input all the projected numbers.\n\nFor detailed information on how to complete the SF-424A please access the official grants.gov instruction: https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/instructions/SF424A-V1.0-Instructions.pdf "]
[191,"Admin","2026-01-07","Do I have to mark every page of a document that contains proprietary information?","Per NOFO Part 2, Page 55-56, If a page \"contains trade secrets or business-sensitive, proprietary or other wise confidential information must be marked..\". You do not have to mark the page(s) that does not contain such information. "]
[190,"Admin","2026-01-05","Our subcontractor is prevented by NDA with another federal agency from disclosing the amount of \"Total Anticipated Proposal/Project Amount”. The NSF Current/Pending Support document for \"Total Anticipated Proposal/Project Amount” requires a numerical value that we are not allowed to enter.  How should we address this requirement in our application?","If by \"subcontractor\" you meant an individual who meets the definition of a Covered Individual per NOFO Part1, Page 28-29. If that is the case, you may enter $0 and add a comment in the free text section explaining why an actual amount is not entered. Only Covered Individuals as defined in NOFO Part 1 Page 28-29 require submissions of Current/Pending Support forms. \n\n"]
[189,"Admin","2026-01-05","Can FFRDCs participate as a contractor under this NOFO?","Yes, FFRDCs can participate either as subrecipients or contractors."]
[188,"Admin","2026-01-05","Are two budget periods (24 months each) acceptable?","Yes, the anticipated length of budget periods is 12-24 months in duration."]
[187,"Admin","2026-01-05","Can we use a valuation (or % thereof) of patented technology from our IP Portfolio as part of the cost share?","No"]
[186,"Admin","2025-12-31","Do all subrecipients, including FFRDCs, required to submit a completed Certification Regarding Lobbying, if they have no lobbying activities to disclose?","Yes. Per Page 28 of NOFO Part 2: \n\n\"Recipients and subrecipients that have no lobbying activities to disclose:\nComplete and submit, Certification Regarding Lobbying form (OMB 4040-0013)\""]
[185,"Admin","2025-12-31","Do I need to submit the Certification Regarding Lobbying (OMB 4040-0013) to Grants.gov?","No, you will fulfill this requirement by submitting the completed PDF document with the rest of your application on NETL eXCHANGE."]
[184,"Admin","2025-12-31","Do non-DOE-Office-of-Science labs, such as Idaho National Lab, also exempt from submitting authorization at the time of application?","No, only Office of Science National labs may do so as per Part 1, Section II.G.1."]
[183,"Admin","2025-12-30","Is it acceptable to have two budget periods (24 months each), BP1 including years 1-2 and BP2 including years 3-4, and specify four performance periods within the two budget periods, defining go/no-go decision points for each of the performance periods?","Performance periods and budget periods should be identical. There should not be multiple performance periods within a budget period."]
[182,"Tech","2025-12-30","In the Net Import Reliance and Critical Material Import Estimate sections of the Feedstock and Critical Material Production Data Sheet, if the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 does not report data for synthetic graphite, should we report only natural graphite?","The applicant should determine how to best report the information for their critical material(s)."]
[181,"Admin","2025-12-30","1. Are locations where no physical project activities occur required to be listed in the Environmental Questionnaire?\n\n2. Could you clarify whether additional Environmental Questionnaires are required from subrecipients when a prime recipient’s Questionnaire lists a project location where a subrecipient is also performing work?","1) No\n\n2) You are not required to complete another EQ form if the subrecipient(s) will be performing work at the same location(s) as the prime."]
[180,"Tech","2025-12-30","Are defected and surplus solar panels that have been rejected from the production line because they are non-conforming a feedstock source of interest in this NOFO?","\"Feedstocks for Topic Area 2 can come from all industry sources other than coal-based industry and\nfeedstock materials related to post-consumer and manufacturing scrap recycling.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 15)\n\nThe use of defected and surplus solar panels that have been rejected from the production line because they are non-conforming is considered to be manufacturing scrap recycling."]
[179,"Tech","2025-12-30","Our technology is unique in that it extracts lithium and directly manufactures cathode material in a single process, eliminating the need for several intermediary steps in the typical battery supply chain. We are proposing production of several cathode chemistries as part of the extraction process.\n\nIn the Critical Material Production Information section of the Feedstock and Critical Material Production Data Sheet, should we repeat a table for every product material, or can we enter an enveloping term such as \"Lithiated cathode material\" with multiple chemistry compositions? \n\nShould the production and/or cost estimates represent the final product material or only the Li metal?","This section includes instructions to \"Repeat all tables for EVERY critical material which is a target for production in the pilot\" in cells B30-B44.\n\nThe production and cost estimates should be representative of the critical material product."]
[178,"Admin","2025-12-23","Could you please confirm whether covered individuals serving in business/operational roles are required to create an ORCID ID to satisfy the Persistent Identifier requirement in the Current and Pending Support form if they are submitting a non-SciENcv document?","According to NOFO Part 2, PIDs (ORCID ID is an acceptable form of PID, but not the only one) are required for all individuals participating in a proposed project that meets the definition of \"covered individuals\", as defined in NOFO Part 1 Page 28-29 .\n\n\"For the purposes of this NOFO, a covered individual means an individual who (a) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the development or execution of the scope of work of a project proposed for funding by DOE, and (b) is designated as a covered individual by DOE.\n\nOften, these individuals have doctoral or other professional degrees, although individuals at the master’s or PhD candidate level may be considered covered individuals if their involvement meets this definition. Consultants, graduate students, and those with a postdoctoral role may be considered covered individuals if they meet this definition.\n\n\"DOE designates as covered individuals any principal investigator (PI); project director (PD); co-principal investigator (Co-PI); co-project director (Co-PD); project manager; and any individual regardless of title that is functionally performing as a PI, PD, Co-PI, Co-PD, or project manager.\""]
[177,"Tech","2025-12-23","Can you please confirm if uranium qualifies as an allowable critical material under the FOA, given that it is not listed in the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025? \n\nIf so, is there a preferred way to report import reliance for uranium in the Feedstock and Critical Material Production Data Sheet?","NOFO Part 1 page 20 states \"DOE Critical Materials include all minerals on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) List of Critical Minerals plus additional materials for energy.\"\n\nThe latest USGS List of Critical Minerals includes uranium. (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/07/2025-19813/final-2025-list-of-critical-minerals)\n\nIt is the applicant's responsibility to determine how to best report import reliance information."]
[176,"Admin","2025-12-19","1)if we are partnering with FFRDCs as subrecipients, will the FFRDC(s) still be required to submit Transparency of Foreign Connections?\n\n2)The same conditions from the  first question apply; will the  FFRDC(s) be required to submit a separate Environmental Questionnaire if the FFRDC's work location will be different than the prime recipient's?\n\n","1) The FFRDC(s) is not required to submit a Transparency of Foreign Connections Form. For more information, please see page 26 of NOFO Part 2 under \"19.Transparency of Foreign Connections\" pay special attention to the paragraph titled \"Disclosure exceptions by entity type\"\n\n2) Yes, you, as a potential prime recipient, you will be responsible to ensure the FFRD(s) in question complete a separate Environmental Questionnaire, if the FFRDC will be working at a separate location from you.\n\nPlease note, since this is a common misconception, an entity is considered as a subrecipient if it meets the conditions and definitions outlined in 2 CFR 200.1 and 2 CFR 200.331. The federal definition of a subrecipient doesn't hinge on a specific dollar amount; it is about the nature of the relationship between a prime and it's subrecipients."]
[175,"Tech","2025-12-19","Would a feedstock that is produced by a well that has specifically been drilled to pull up subterranean lithium brine, and not associated with an existing oil and gas well, or coal byproduct facility, be applicable for this NOFO?","NOFO Part 1 page 20 states \"The intent is to pilot potential byproduct material valorization at industrial sites including ongoing industrial production streams and waste impounded at active sites or sites of former industrial activity.\"\n\nNOFO Part 1 page 26 states that the following are not of interest, \"Applications that focus on recovering lithium or other critical materials from brines associated with geothermal activities or volcanic-hosted systems with the potential for geothermal power.\""]
[174,"Tech","2025-12-19","Can you please clarify whether this NOFO would fund the drilling and completion of new source wells targeting subsurface oilfield brine, where the lithium brine is the main target and not the oil, which would be processed to extract lithium?","NOFO Part 1 page 20 states \"The intent is to pilot potential byproduct material valorization at industrial sites including ongoing industrial production streams and waste impounded at active sites or sites of former industrial activity.\""]
[173,"Admin","2025-12-19","Page 12 of the NOFO Part 2 says: \"Applicants must indicate in the project summary the extent to which, if any, generative Artificial\nIntelligence (AI) technology was used and how it was used to develop their application or proposal\". Does \"project summary\" refer to the Summary for Public Release document?","No, it refers to the Summary Slide mentioned on page 27 of the NOFO Part 2, which is not required as part of your application. Please attach this statement, if it is applicable to you, to the SF424. "]
[172,"Tech","2025-12-19","In the SOPO template, specifically the table on page 4, there is language that some tasks need to be completed in the first year like the TEA and plant design. Is this timeline a requirement or can the detailed plant design task be pushed to the second year?\"","Regarding the technoeconomic analysis, the SOPO's deliverables table states \"An initial analysis is due with the continuation application at the end of the first budget period.\" The SOPO includes similar language for the plant design.\n\nThe end of the first budget period may or may not be at the end of the first year. Applicant's should propose sensible budget periods for their projects that will allow for successful completion of all deliverables, as described, in the SOPO. NOFO Part 1 page 23 provides example budget period timelines."]
[171,"Tech","2025-12-19","If a participant fails to meet their deliverables at a go/no-go gate, is the participant removed or is the entire team stopped?","If an recipient fails to meet their go/no-go decision points, such as required SOPO deliverables, NETL may choose not to approve the project for continuation into the next budget period. This will be decided on a case by case basis."]
[170,"Tech","2025-12-19","Please confirm this is the eligible critical minerals list that this solicitation will reference to determine whether the mineral proposed for processing is eligible as a critical mineral for funding under this solicitation.  The list was updated on November 14, 2025: https://www.usgs.gov/news/science-snippet/interior-department-releases-final-2025-list-critical-minerals and this new list is not the link provided in a previous answer to a similar question, #91.  Specifically, is Phosphate eligible given it is on the updated list?","NOFO Part 1 pages 19-20 state \"Applications must focus on the development of fully operational processing systems, located at and integrated with a domestic industrial site, that will be operated in a continuous/semi-continuous manner to produce market-ready critical materials. [ref 12,13,22,23] DOE Critical Materials include all minerals on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) List of Critical Minerals plus additional materials for energy...\n\nApplicants are also encouraged to reference the DOE Critical Materials List [ref 12] and USGS 2025 Mineral Commodity Summaries Report. [ref 13]\"\n\nReference 13 (https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/mcs2025) includes phosphate rock as a critical material."]
[169,"Tech","2025-12-19","Does the recovery of platinum group metals, including rhodium, palladium, platinum, iridium, and ruthenium, from spent automotive catalysts and spent industrial catalysts, using pyrometallurgical processing followed by advanced chemical refining, resulting in industrial-grade, high-purity (99.9+%) platinum group metals ready for industrial use, qualify as an eligible activity?","\"Feedstocks for Topic Area 2 can come from all industry sources other than coal-based industry and\nfeedstock materials related to post-consumer and manufacturing scrap recycling.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 15)\n\nRecovery of platinum group metals from spent automotive catalysts and spent industrial catalysts is considered to be related to post-consumer recycling."]
[168,"Tech","2025-12-19","The NOFO states “large pilot-scale” throughout, which implies that the facilities to be built are to be pilot-scale. Then the NOFO states that the preferred outcome for Sub-topic 2B is TRL 8 (although TRL 7 could be acceptable). The \"Technology Readiness Levels Reference\" attachment implies that TRL 8 is already commercial scale, not “large-pilot scale.”  Also, this language on page 22 of the NOFO suggests TRL 8 is full commercial scale but reiterates the project focus on pilot-scale: “Each large-scale pilot is required to be designed, constructed, and operated in a manner to generate relevant new information to aid future development of a commercial system (TRL 8, FEED Study based on an AACE Class 3 Cost Estimate).” How can one achieve the preferred goal TRL 8 in Sub-topic 2B with a large pilot-scale facility, which is the objective of the NOFO, as opposed to the more narrow goal using the large-scale pilot (presumably TRL 7) to be ready to then pursue a Class 3 FEED for a TRL 8 facility? Please clarify.","The \"Technology Readiness Levels Reference\" attachment includes the following definitions.\n\nTRL 7 - \"Full-scale, similar (prototypical) system demonstrated in relevant environment\"\n\nTRL 8 - \"Actual system completed and qualified through test and demonstration. Technology has been proven to work in its final form and under expected conditions\"\n\nThe semantics are less important than the actual TRL definition. A facility designed to reach either TRL 7 or 8 is acceptable, with TRL 8 being preferred."]
[167,"Admin","2025-12-17","We are preparing to submit an application under Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0003583, however we are currently unable to proceed because there does not appear to be an available opportunity package accessible for this FOA. Could you please advise whether the opportunity package has been released, or if there is a technical or administrative issue affecting access? If additional steps are required on our end to obtain or enable the package, we would appreciate your guidance.","Please follow the steps below: 1) Find DE-FOA_0003582 from the \"Funding Opportunities\" tab and click on it. 2) Download applicable templates by clicking on \"View Application Forms and Templates\" highlighted in red. 3) Click on the large green \"Apply\" button. 4) click on applicable log-in button to log in. 5) Complete all required fields in the \"General\" tab and click \"Create Full Application\". After the last step, an array of different tabs should appear for you to complete. You should be able to upload your completed application attachments at the last tab. For more details, please refer to the NETL eXCHANGE User Guide for Applicants found on eXCHANGE: https://netl-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx If you believe you are experiencing technical issues, please contact the eXCHANGE helpdesk - NETL-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov"]
[166,"Admin","2025-12-17","Could you confirm that Third-Party Market Verification reports need to be completed by an independent party that is not part of the project team?","We might require a Third-Party Audit prior to full award, not a TPV. This is not a required item for your application. For more information, please refer to page 40 of NOFO Part 2 under \"B. Post-Selection Information Requests\"."]
[165,"Admin","2025-12-17","1) Are imported feedstocks allowed under this NOFO?                                               2) If it is allowed, are there any restrictions on countries of origin?                                                                                                           3) If it is allowed, would they be tariff-free under USMCA exemptions if they are from Canada or Mexico?","1) Imported feedstock is allowed but one cannot use federal funding to purchase foreign feedstocks. The cost of such purchases will have to come from cost share. For more details please refer to page 20 of NOFO Part 1 in the paragraph titled \"Feedstock and Byproduct Critical Material Target\".                                                                                                                                 2) Other than the funding restriction mentioned above, there are no restrictions on where the feedstock is imported from.                                                                          3) All current tariff and import duties laws and policies apply."]
[164,"Admin","2025-12-17","In naming convention of files, do you wish “LeadOrganization” to be replaced with the name of the lead organization as entered in Exchange or have it remain as “LeadOrganization” after the Control Number?","Just like \"Control Number\", \"LeadOrganization\" is a prompt for applicants to know what to input in the specific part of the file name. Standardizing file naming make our initial screening more efficient and in term speed up the selection process."]
[163,"Admin","2025-12-17","May we use landscape formatting for the pages in the Technical Volume and Project Management Plan with Gantt charts?","There are no restrictions or requirements on page orientations in either part of  the NOFO. You may use either portrait or landscape orientation."]
[162,"Admin","2025-12-17"," Is the disclosure of location of work required for lower-tiers under a subrecipient?","By \"lower-tiers\", I am assuming you meant contractors hired by one of your planned subrecipients (please see definitions and distinction of subrecipients and contractors in 2 CFR 200.331).  If my assumption is correct, you do not need to disclose a contractor's work location. You are only required to disclose you and all your subrecipients' work locations. If it is relevant to you, please note page 10 ,22 and 31 of NOFO Part 2  concerning \"Performance of Work in the United States\". If my assumption for \"lower-tiers\" is not correct, please rephrase your question and submit your question again."]
[161,"Admin","2025-12-17","On. 38, item 14. Summary of Post Selection Requirements (Not Due with Application), bullet two is: Budget Justification that will include all work to be performed by the recipient and its subrecipients and contractors. 1) Can DOE confirm that this refers to the \"Budget Justification Workbook\"? 2) Can DOE confirm that SF-424A is the only standalone budget document that is required with the initial submission?","1) Correct .                                                                                                                                                                                                             2) We confirm SF-424A is the only standalone budget document that is required with your application packet to this NOFO. Please use the template attached to the NOFO on NETL eXCHANGE when completing your SF-424A(s)."]
[160,"Admin","2025-12-17","Are there any restrictions on the purchasing of equipment from foreign countries of concern to be used at a domestic operation?","The Build America Buy America Act (BABA) and restriction on telecommunications and video surveillance equipment might apply to you. For more details please refer to Page 59-64 of NOFO Part 2 (Section IX.O), P33 of NOFO Part 1, and Sectio IX.L of NOFO Part 2 (page 59 of NOFO Part 2). Lastly, if you need to confirm, definitive information on \"Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC)\" under IIJA is available on - https://www.energy.gov/mesc/foreign-entity-concern-interpretive-guidance"]
[159,"Admin","2025-12-15","If the pilot will be sited at an existing laboratory or industrial facility, does DOE require a formal letter of intent at the time of submission, or can that be provided before award during negotiation?","As answered previously, a Letter of Intent are not required prior to submission of your application. However, I believe you were asking about Letter(s) of Commitment, which is required during negotiation, if selected (if the facilities will be provided by a subrecipient). In other words, it is not required in your application (for more details please see page 39 of NOFO Part 1 and page 15 of NOFO Part 2). Lastly, there is an application requirement to submit Letter(s) Of Support. It is appliable if the feedstock will be provided by a 3rd party (for more details please see page 21 of NOFO Part 1)."]
[158,"Admin","2025-12-15","Can you provide the missing reference 17 on page 16 of NOFO Part 1?","Please refer to the attachment titled \"Technology Readiness Levels Reference\", available on NETL eXCHANGE."]
[157,"Admin","2025-12-15","Could DOE please confirm whether the cover page is excluded from the Technical Volume page count?","For Technical Volume only, the cover page is counted as a page and is included in the page limits:                                                                                                                                                                           \"3. Technical Volume \nThe Technical Volume must conform to the following content and form requirements. This volume must address the technical review criteria as discussed in Technical Review Criteria.  Applicants must provide sufficient citations and references to justify the claims and approaches made in the Technical Volume. However, DOE and reviewers are under no obligation to review cited sources. The Technical Volume to the application may not be more than 20 pages, including the cover page, table  of contents, and all citations, charts, graphs, maps, photos, or other graphics, and must include all information below. \""]
[156,"Admin","2025-12-15","Is there an example of what a good application looks like for this NOFO?","Unfortunately we do not have a sample application since there will be a wide variation of applicant types among 3 topic and subtopic areas. However, generally you should 1) Attention to detail: read NOFO Part 1 and 2 in detail to know what we are looking for and what and how information should be presented in your application in order to be successful, 2) Pay special attention to Part 1, Section IV, V, and IV, 3) when you have questions as you are preparing your applications, search this Q&A prior to emailing us so to save time. We have received 170+ questions, it is likely someone already asked your questions, 4) Make sure you register in required systems listed in the NOFO, such as SAM.gov, when you apply (registration is complete only after you have received a UEI), and lastly, 5) make sure you submit early. Additionally, there are some DOE specific information on the web, these should be from energy.gov. Please note those information might not be the most updated and some might not be applicable to the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (now known as Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office)."]
[155,"Admin","2025-12-15","Please confirm that the cover page for the Project Management Plan (PMP) provided in the template does not count towards the 5-page limit.","There are no formatting requirements for PMP other than the general requirements listed on page 14 of NOFO Part 2. Since page 14 of Part 2 does not contain any stated requirement for cover pages, commonly accepted convention applies for this type of document.  Generally speaking, cover page(s) are not counted, so it would be acceptable if you start your page count after the cover page."]
[154,"Admin","2025-12-15","Davis-Bacon Act requirements are applicable to awards made under this NOFO (Part 1, Section IV.D). Part 2, Section IV.D.7 requires applicants to acknowledge DBA requirements and acknowledge compliance with DBA requirements.  Where should applicants provide the written assurance acknowledging the DBA requirements?","Please add this acknowledgement to the work plan part of the technical volume (see BABA Requirements for Infrastructure Projects on page 33 of NOFO Part 1). "]
[153,"Admin","2025-12-15","Covered Individuals are required to submit a resume/biosketch (Part 1, Section IV.C.1). Part 1, Sections IV.C.2 and IV.C.4 require biosketches. Part 2, Section  IV.B.14 requires resumes or biosketches for each Principal Investigator or Lead Project Manager, Senior/Key Personnel, and all covered individuals. Q&A 124 states that \" covered individuals who are responsible for business and operations side of the  project, you can use the requirements for resumes detailed in NOFO Part 2 page 24 and/or 25.” Will the Government please confirm that resumes compliant with Part 2, Section IV.B.14 are acceptable for each Principal Investigator or Lead Project Manager, Senior/Key Personnel, and all covered individuals?","Part 2, Section IV.B.14 that resumes or biosketches are required for specific roles: \"each Principal Investigator or Lead Project Manager, Senior/Key Personnel, and all covered individuals.\" The question also references Q&A 124, which allows for resumes compliant with Part 2, Page 24 and/or 25 for \"covered individuals who are responsible for business and operations side of the project.\" resumes compliant with Part 2, Sections IV.B.14 (pages 24/25) are indeed acceptable for each Principal Investigator or Lead Project Manager, Senior/Key Personnel, and all covered individuals."]
[152,"Admin","2025-12-15","\"1. Allowability: Will DOE accept feedstock provided and consumed within the project period as in‑kind cost share under DE‑FOA‑0003583 and 2 CFR 200?\n\n2. Valuation Basis: Is the critical mineral fair market value (FMV) method (USGS/DOE benchmarks with documented grades) acceptable, adjusted for mining/processing costs?     \n\n3. Documentation: Please confirm required evidence (e.g., commitment letter, weigh tickets, consumption logs, USGS price references, calculation worksheet, independent appraisal if requested). \n\n 4. Timing & Reporting: May we record the in‑kind value incrementally as feedstock is delivered and consumed to maintain the negotiated cost share ratio?                                                              \n\n5. Program Income: If the pilot generates saleable concentrates, confirm that program income rules apply and that feedstock FMV remains distinct from post‑period revenues (which are not allowable as cost share).\n\n6.Compliance: Are there any BABA/DBA or other conditions affecting in‑kind feedstock valuation?\"","1-2: Yes. \n\n3: All of these are good examples of documentations so the DOE can verify value and source of the in-kind contribution. \n\n4: Yes. \n\n5: Yes, program income rules apply if any saleable products are generated and sold during the project period. Per regulation and DOE policy, you are allowed to include anticipated program income in the budget. The manner by which program income will be included will be determined at the time of award negotiation, if selected. Awardees will most likely see this term in the final award term: \"The recipient is encouraged to earn income that may be applied toward costs incurred during the period of performance or allowable closeout costs in accordance with 2 CFR 200.307 and 2 CFR 200.472(b) respectively.\" \n\n6. BABA/DBA requirements are not relevant when it comes to feedstock valuation."]
[151,"Admin","2025-12-15","Because of the requirement to include “CONTAINS TRADE SECRETS, BUSINESS-SENSITIVE, PROPRIETARY, OR OTHERWISE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION EXEMPT FROM PUBLIC DISCLOSURE” in the header and footer of every page that contains such information (Part 2, Section IX.C.1), and the requirement for Calibri 12-point or 10-point font (Part 2, Section IV.A), and the requirement to include the Control Number in the header of every page (Part 2, Section IV.A), would the Government allow text in headers and footers to be 10-point font?","Part 2, Section IV.A, under \"Application Format Summary,\" explicitly permits 10-point font in figures or tables. While headers and footers are not explicitly mentioned in this exception, they are typically considered elements where a smaller font size is acceptable for aesthetic and practical reasons, similar to figures and tables. Additionally, the general requirement specifies \"12-point or larger\", but then provides the exception of \"10-point font\" for certain elements.                                                                                                                                                                  Furthermore, Part 2, Section IX.C.1, does not impose a specific font size for these required markings in the header and footer, allowing them to follow the general formatting guidelines that permit 10-point font. Therefore, using 10-point Calibri font in headers and footers for the required text, such as the trade secret designation and control number, would be acceptable."]
[150,"Tech","2025-12-15","Are applicants required to operate their pilot for 5 years?\n\nIf we operate the pilot beyond the period of performance, can we include those operating costs as part of the cost share for the award?","Projects are not required to operate the facility for 5 years. NOFO Part 1 page 21 states \"Projects must utilize feedstock materials that are sufficiently abundant to support the awarded project and maintain future pilot operational capacity for a minimum of five years.\" It should be possible for the facility to operate for at least 5 years based on feedstock availability, but this operation is not required.\n\nDOE will not pay for or allow operating costs (to run the pilot), including allowing cost share, incurred or expected after the period of the performance. That is, if the applicant chooses to run the pilot after the period of performance, these costs are not allowable."]
[149,"Tech","2025-12-15","In the “Feedstock and Critical Materials Production Data Sheet,” under the “Critical Material Production Information” section, what is meant by these two fields and what information should be provided on these lines? “Commercial-scale system based on pilot” “Actual or ideal commercial-scale system based on public information”","Commercial-scale system based on pilot: This row should include information for a future commercial-scale system based on the large pilot-scale facility to be operated during the period of performance.\n\nActual or ideal commercial-scale system based on public information: This row should include information for a currently-existing commercial-scale system or an ideal commercial-scale system if none currently exist."]
[148,"Admin","2025-12-15","Are application packets and information contained therein protected? If so, can you explain who has access to them, and how they are protected?","All submitted application packages are treated as procurement sensitive information. A small number of personnel associated with the administration of the NOFO and evaluation process have access to them. Additionally, submitted application packages are stored within secure DOE systems. DOE does not publicly post application materials including applicant identities. Please refer to NOFO Part 2, page 38 \"6. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel\" and page 55 \"C. Use and Disclosure of Application Information\" which includes guidance related to the inclusion of applicant's sensitive information and to marking sensitive information, if included in the application. \n\nHowever, please note application materials may be shared across the government as per the following excerpt from NOFO Part 1 page 28: \"IMPLEMENTATION OF PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM SIMPLIFYING THE FUNDING OF ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND CRITICAL MINERAL AND MATERIAL PROJECTS\nPursuant to this Presidential Memorandum, the Department of Energy may share and use within the Government any application information provided by or on behalf of the applicant. Accordingly, in accordance with applicable law and notwithstanding any other provisions herein, by submitting an application or agreeing to a financial assistance arrangement with the Department of Energy under this NOFO, the applicant is providing consent for any properly marked trade secret, confidential, proprietary, privileged or otherwise sensitive application information provided by or on behalf of the applicant to be disclosed to the Executive Office of the President and relevant Agencies offering loans, grants, equity, guarantees or other federal funding, for the purposes of the Presidential Memorandum on Simplifying the Funding of Energy Infrastructure and Critical Mineral and Material Projects.\"\n\nLastly, please also note, if a FOIA request is sent to DOE, DOE will comply with the request as applicable. A member of DOE's legal team will reach out to the applicant to ensure any information not subject to FOIA is redacted as applicable. "]
[147,"Tech","2025-12-15","For Task 1.0 in the Statement of Project Objectives, the template instructs applicants to “insert the language provided below in quotes” for Subtasks 1.1 through 1.5. Can you please confirm whether the quoted language should be included verbatim in the SOPO without modification, or if applicants should adjust wording (for example replacing “the Recipient shall” or adapting phrasing) with the rest of the content is retained?","The quoted language should be included as-is, verbatim without modifications."]
[146,"Tech","2025-12-15","For Topic Area 1, is rare earth element recovery required even if the project has a credible pathway to produce other DOE-defined critical minerals from coal and coal materials?                                                                                                                                     ","NOFO Part 1 page 25 states \"REE recovery is the required focus of Topic Area 1, preferably with co-recovery of other critical materials and other value-added materials; Critical materials recovery without REE recovery and other value-added material production without REE recovery are not of interest.\""]
[145,"Tech","2025-12-15","It appears the NOFO indicates projects will include some construction at current industrial facilities to build the large pilot-scale facility for critical materials recovery. However, the budget framework provided is for non-construction projects. Can you clarify how to represent the construction in the application documents?","This is a R&D NOFO with some construction involved (e.g., building the pilot facility). Therefore, a non-construction budget information sheet is provided. Applicants should describe their planned construction using the documents provided and throughout their application materials. Submitted documents may be updated during negotiations for award for selected projects."]
[144,"Tech","2025-12-12","Regarding the Feedstock and Critical Material Production Data Sheet, could you explain these data points? We will be producing multiple primary and value add minerals and would like to also ensure the data is presented properly.\n\n-Critical Material Produced from Feedstock\n-Estimated current throughput of feedstock (tpy)\n-Planned uptime of  feedstock process to provide critical material production estimates (or previous uptime for start of project estimates) (hours)\n-Planned critical material recovery per metric ton of feedstock        (grams per ton)\n-Planned critical material production - Actual yield from uptime (metric tons)\n-Planned critical material production  - metric ton per year projection (tpy)\n-Planned Critical Material Grade\n-Cost estimate per metric ton of critical material recovered\n-Value of critical material $/metric ton","Critical Material Produced from Feedstock: For each row in the table, provide an estimate based on the column heading. Note that a separate table should be filled out for each critical material that is being targeted.\n\nEstimated current throughput of feedstock (tpy): The rate at which the facility will process feedstock, in terms of metric tons per year.\n\nPlanned uptime of feedstock process to provide critical material production estimates (or previous uptime for start of project estimates) (hours): This is the amount of time, in hours, that the process that produces the feedstock has previously operated or will operate.\n\nPlanned critical material recovery per metric ton of feedstock: The quantity of each critical material (it may vary but units are likely grams) that will be recovered per metric ton of feedstock.\n\nPlanned critical material production - Actual yield from uptime (metric tons): The quantity of each critical material that will be produced by the facility during actual operation.\n\nPlanned critical material production  - metric ton per year projection (tpy): The rate at which the facility will produce the critical material, in terms of metric tons per year.\n\nPlanned Critical Material Grade: The purity of the critical material.\n\nCost estimate per metric ton of critical material recovered: An estimate of the cost to recover a metric ton of the critical material.\n\nValue of critical material $/metric ton: An estimate of the value of a metric ton of the critical material.\n\nFor value-added products (VAP), reproduce the VAP table for each VAP. (VAPs have their own, specific table. For column definitions, generally substitute 'VAP' for 'critical material' in the above definitions."]
[143,"Tech","2025-12-12","Previously developed pilot-scale efforts identified for Subtopic 2b are expected to advance the TRL of their process/system from 6 or 7 to 7 or 8. Under DOE's own TRL framework, this is demonstration or early commercial scale. Should applicants applying under topic 2b that are proposing a TRL facility still describe it as a large scale pilot? Or something else?","NOFO Part 1 page 18 shows the TRL requirements. \n\nTerminology descriptions are less important than meeting the TRL requirements. Applicants should clearly state the beginning and ending TRL for their proposed facility. Applicants should self-assess their integrated Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) system. Please see the Technology Readiness Levels Reference attachment, particularly in regard to the integrated TRA system.\n\nNOFO Part 1 page 19 states \"The large (1:50 scale or larger) pilot-scale systems of interest in this NOFO should be ‘right-sized’ to demonstrate production of critical materials in quantity and purity specifications to support and establish the basis for near-term commercial production of saleable critical materials. The ’right-sized’, large pilot must have a critical material production capacity target of at least 2% (1:50 scale) of a commercial-scale system.\""]
[142,"Tech","2025-12-12","Can project tasks stretch over multiple budget periods? Or should tasks be further broken down so as to be completed in a single budget period?","Generally, a task should not stretch over multiple budget periods, but some can depending on their complexity. A budget period can have and usually does have multiple tasks or efforts. If selected for negotiation, SOPO tasks will be discussed and finalized with DOE."]
[141,"Tech","2025-12-12","Is a project that solely produces a form of a critical material, that cannot be used for the specific application listed for that critical material on column 6 (\"Summary of comment(s)\") of the table on the \"Notice of Final Determination on 2023 DOE Critical Materials List\" website, relevant to this NOFO? ","The critical material product must align with the stated objectives of the NOFO. \n\nNOFO Part 1 page 19 states \"DOE Critical Materials include all minerals on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) List of Critical Minerals plus additional materials for energy. It is within scope to produce any market-ready critical material including critical material concentrates, high purity materials, or material commodities such as mixed oxides, salts, alloys, etc.\"\n\nAlso, note that NOFO Part 1 page 22 asks applicants to \"Provide information related to the total addressable market including identification of all industries and/or supply chains that are targeted to receive the market-ready critical materials and other value-added materials produced in the large pilot-scale facilities [and] Identify the projected quantity, grade, and phase of material to be produced, as well as potential off-take agreements or stakeholders.\""]
[140,"Tech","2025-12-12","Can you please elaborate on what is meant by \"Planned critical material production - Actual yield from uptime (metric tons)\" from the \"Feedstock_and_Critical_Material_Production_Data_Sheet.pdf\"?","This is the quantity of each critical material product, in metric tons, that will be produced by the pilot facility during the performance of project (uptime)."]
[139,"Tech","2025-12-12","Can you please elaborate on what is being asked by \"Planned uptime of feedstock process to provide critical material production estimates (or previous uptime forstart of project estimates) (hours)\" from the \"Feedstock_and_Critical_Material_Production_Data_Sheet.pdf\"?   ","This is the amount of time, in hours, that the industrial process that produces the critical material containing byproduct feedstock has previously operated or will operate during the performance of the project. The critical material containing byproduct feedstock that is produced is the source material for the planned critical material production."]
[138,"Tech","2025-12-12","Are municipal biosolids/digested sludge, sludge incinerator ash, and Centrate and other side streams returned from solids handling from a municipal water reclamation facility considered to be eligible feedstocks?","NOFO Part 1 page 25 states \"Feedstocks for Topic Area 2 can come from all industry sources other than coal-based industry and feedstock materials related to post-consumer and manufacturing scrap recycling.\"\n\nThe mentioned feedstocks are considered to come from industry sources and are not considered to be post-consumer or manufacturing scrap recycling."]
[137,"Admin","2025-12-10","Are there any formatting requirements for requests of Foreign Entity Participation and foreign work waivers? Do you have any templates for these requests?","There are no templates or formatting requirements for these two requests, as long as you meet content requirements as stated in the NOFO. "]
[136,"Admin","2025-12-10","The Environmental Questionnaire template asks for the DOE Technology Office Point of Contact. What information should we provide in this textbox?","You can input DOE Office of Resource Sustainability. "]
[135,"Admin","2025-12-10","The Q&A indicates that business and operations personnel may submit a resume instead of a SciENcv biosketch. Does this exception apply only to the biosketch, or may those individuals also provide a non SciENcv document that lists all information required for Current and Pending Support in place of the SciENcv CPS Common Form?","Yes, these individuals can provide a non SciENcv document, as long as it includes all the required information."]
[134,"Admin","2025-12-10","The FOA states that “The Technical Volume to the application may not be more than 20 pages, including the cover page, table of contents, and all citations, charts, graphs, maps, photos, or other graphics.” We understand the cover page will not be counted toward the page limit. Can you please confirm whether the table of contents is also excluded from the 20-page limit?","See page 29, \n\n\"3. Technical Volume \nThe Technical Volume must conform to the following content and form requirements. This volume must \naddress the technical review criteria as discussed in Technical Review Criteria.  Applicants must provide sufficient citations and references to justify the claims and approaches made in the Technical Volume. However, DOE and reviewers are under no obligation to review cited sources. The Technical Volume to the application may not be more than 20 pages, including the cover page, table  of contents, and all citations, charts, graphs, maps, photos, or other graphics, and must include all information below. \""]
[133,"Admin","2025-12-10","I’m writing to inquire and confirm whether a for-profit organization participating in the program is allowed to include fee/profit in the budget. If yes, a follow-on question is whether that fee/profit can be used as cost share.","Per regulation and DOE policy, you are allowed to include anticipated program income in the budget. The manner by which program income will be included will be determined at the time of award negotiation, if selected. Awardees will most likely see this term in the final award term: \"The recipient is encouraged to earn income that may be applied toward costs incurred during the period of performance or allowable closeout costs in accordance with 2 CFR 200.307 and 2 CFR 200.472(b) respectively.\" \n\nFee and profit are not allowable costs in financial assistance awards. Financial assistance awards, such as grants and cooperative agreements, are typically provided to support a specific public purpose or project, not to generate profit for the recipient.\n\nFederal regulations, such as those found in 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards), explicitly address cost allowability. These regulations generally prohibit the inclusion of profit or fee as an allowable cost under financial assistance awards. The intent is to ensure that federal funds are used directly for the performance of the award's objectives."]
[132,"Admin","2025-12-10","As first time completing an SF-424A and per QA #111, I reviewed the instructions at the provided link. The instructions state: “For applications pertaining to a single Federal grant program (Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog number) and not requiring a functional or activity breakdown, enter on Line 1 under Column (a) the catalog program title and the catalog number in Column (b).” Based on this guidance, does this FOA require a functional or activity breakdown in Section A, or should applicants enter a single line for this project? Please confirm that the only requirement is to submit a completed SF-424A and that there are no supplemental Excel worksheets or Budget Narrative due at the time of submission.","This NOFO does not require a functional or activity breakdown. Only SF-424A is required as part of your application package."]
[131,"Admin","2025-12-10","I need some help uploading files on NETL eXCHANGE. Where can I find some?","Several user guides are available on eXCHANGE by clicking on the \"User Guides\" tab on the left side of the main page. The direct link is https://netl-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx                                           If it is a technical issue you can contact the helpdesk: NETL-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov."]
[130,"Admin","2025-12-10","What kind of COI paperwork does a PI need to submit if his/her spouse is the owner of the organization applying for this NOFO?","The PI can disclose this information on the current and pending support form."]
[129,"Admin","2025-12-08","With the amendment update stating a due date of Jan 15, 2026, the selection date is still listed as Jan 16, 2026 and anticipated conditional award dates of February 23, 2026 (on page 6). Can we expect that the selection notification date will also be changed or will it remain on January 16, 2026? If it remains on January 16, will submitting earlier give reviewers more time to review an application?","These dates will most likely change. Currently they are what is anticipated. Review of applications does not begin until the NOFO closes, so submitting early is not required."]
[128,"Admin","2025-12-08","Part 2 Section IV.B.25 (page 28) requires that “A) All applicants and proposed subrecipients that have lobbying activities to disclose: Complete and submit the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)”.  Part 2 Section IV.D.5 (page 32) requires that “Recipients and subrecipients are required to complete and submit SF-LLL”.  Will the Government please confirm that proposed FFRDC subrecipients are not required to submit an SF-LLL with the application?","This applies to FFRDCs as well, if there are lobbying activities to disclose."]
[127,"Admin","2025-12-08","The FOA states that the Technical Volume may not exceed 20 pages including the cover page, while a Q&A response indicates that the cover page does not count toward this limit. Can DOE confirm that the Q&A guidance will control in cases where there is a discrepancy between the FOA language and the Q&A?","In this case there is not a discrepancy between the FOA language and the Q&A. We follow common conventions. A cover page is not typically counted as a page unless specifically stated that it should."]
[126,"Admin","2025-12-08","File “Granted W(C)2022-003_Redacted” at the link you supplied for class patent waiver W(C)2022-003 (https://www.energy.gov/gc/articles/class-patent-waiver-wc2022-003) references the terms and conditions of the waiver that are in “Appendix A.” Appendix A is not in any of the files. Would you share a copy of Appendix A so that we may review the terms and conditions?","The terms and conditions here refers to the standard terms and conditions that applies to all financial assistance awards and can be found towards the bottom of this page: https://www.energy.gov/funding-opportunities?auHash=uHUGp4KM46GH870coDZPNDjVYP70zJlgp60oDdCAETc"]
[125,"Admin","2025-12-08","The NOFO says \"Note that there is no page limitation for the Biosketch\"  but elsewhere a limit of 3 pages is given. Is there a page limit for the biosketch?","There is no page limits for a biosketch."]
[124,"Admin","2025-12-08","Are individuals required to follow the SciEncv template or can they supply the information requested in the NOFO. Particularly for covered individuals that are more focused on the business and operations side of the project, the form appears inapplicable to their experience. Can those individuals just submit a resume? ","For covered individuals who are responsible for business and operations side of the  project, you can use the requirements for resumes detailed in NOFO Part 2 page 24 and/or 25."]
[123,"Admin","2025-12-08","For this NOFO, in Topic Area 2, is \"byproduct\" limited only to materials derived from existing industrial waste streams (e.g., a critical mineral recovered from fertilizer production waste), or can it include material that is simply a secondary, co-produced mineral from a primary, imported ore?","NOFO Part 1 page 26 states \"Topic Area 2 requires the use of feedstocks from industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes including mine waste. For example, this may include (1) residual material from processing; (2) process streams, process byproducts, secondary materials, and/or waste materials that are produced by industry’s production; or (3) conventional ore (including monazite, bastnaesite, and/or other domestically mined materials) processing waste or waste materials such as residues, slimes, or below-cutoff grade ore or other mined material.\""]
[122,"Admin","2025-12-08","Would a project that uses an imported feedstock source of critical material concentrate or ore which is then processed into a final critical material product in a US facility—be considered eligible under this NOFO?","NOFO Part 1 page 19 states \"The use of domestic feedstocks is preferred. Any feedstock located within the U.S. is considered domestic regardless of its original source. For example, mine waste at a U.S. facility that was originally mined from foreign territory is considered a domestic feedstock. No federal funding can be used to procure foreign feedstock.\""]
[121,"Tech","2025-12-08","In the document \"Feedstock_and_Critical_Material_Production_Data_Sheet.pdf\", for the \"Critical Mineral Import Estimate\", and \" Net Import Reliance on Critical Material (From USGS Mineral commodity summaries 2025; https://www.usgs.gov/publications/mineral-commodity-summaries-2025)\" What should be done for rare earth elements, as domestic consumption of REEs is not disaggregated by individual REEs aside from Y (yttrium) in the USGS mineral commodity summaries?","For rare earth elements that are not listed separately in the \"USGS Mineral commodity summaries 2025\", applicants are encouraged to do their best to make estimates and provide justification for those estimates."]
[120,"Admin","2025-12-05","Does DOE return a receipt or acknowledge submission of the application on eXCHANGE? Where can I find answers to other questions I might have as an applicant on using eXCHANGE?","Yes. If your Full Application was successfully submitted, a message will be displayed on the screen, and the eXCHANGE system will send an automated email confirming your submission. For any other eXCHANGE application associated questions you will likely find it in NETL eXCHANGE User Guide for Applicants."]
[119,"Admin","2025-12-05","Are tribes required to complete and submit the Transparency of Foreign Connections Disclosures and Certification form?","Yes."]
[118,"Admin","2025-12-05","If the pilot will be sited at an existing laboratory or industrial facility, does DOE require a formal letter of intent at the time of submission, or can that be provided before award during negotiation?","Letters of Intent are not required for this NOFO."]
[117,"Admin","2025-12-05","On the submission site, eXCHANGE, there is a required checkbox that reads, “I have reviewed and agree to the terms and conditions in the Announcement”. However, there are several references to award negotiations. Can DOE confirm that despite the checkbox that must be checked at submission, there will be an opportunity to negotiate the resultant agreement if selected for award?","Yes, if applications are selected to move into negotiations, then DOE will enter into negotiations with applicable parties. "]
[116,"Admin","2025-12-05","The submission site is requiring a place of performance. If the specific address will be determined after award, how should an offeror enter this information during submission where only a city or state can be identified at this time?","Please provide as much information as possible for the application."]
[115,"Admin","2025-12-05","In the DOE Standard Terms and Conditions (Section III DOE TERMS, A. Liability), the liability clause is very broad. For example, when considering settlement of contractual disputes/claims, the liability clause could impact a recipient or subrecipient’s right to dispute DOE actions under 2 CFR 910. Considering the broad liability clause provided in the NOFO, will DOE negotiate the liability clause with the selected offeror during award negotiations?","No the standard terms are not negotiated or tailored to each applicant. "]
[114,"Admin","2025-12-05","The template for \"Location(s) of Work\" requests less information than required in the FOA (the template does not include information like a brief activity description, latitude and longitude, and percentage of work performed at the location). Should we add additional columns to the template to encompass the information required in the FOA or is the template sufficient?","Please follow the template as provided. If additional information is required during negotiations, it will be requested."]
[113,"Admin","2025-12-05","Once I start the process of filling out an Application for a NOFO, can I start and stop and make edits as I go along?","You can make edits up to the current application due date."]
[112,"Admin","2025-12-05","Can you also confirm the version for the Budget Justification Workbook that can be used in lieu of the SF424 form?","Please use the SF-424A template provided on eXCHANGE as indicated in NOFO Part 1, Section IV, Application Content and Forms."]
[111,"Admin","2025-12-05","We have these questions on the SF-424A:\n\nOn the SF-424A, for the purposes of this effort, does “Grant Program Function or Activity” column equate to Budget Period?\n\nAre applicants permitted to add rows and columns to the SF-424A to account for more than four (4) Grant Program Function or Activity (i.e. budge periods)?\n\nShould the SF-424a, “Section A-Budget Summary”, “Grant Program Function or Activity (a)”, be populated with the budget period?\n\nWhen completing SF-424A, is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this FOA, 81.089? If this is not correct, what number should applicants insert?","For instructions on how to complete a SF-424A. Please go to grants.gov forms depository: https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family. Please do not use any of the templates provided in the forms depository, only refer to the form instructions if you need help completing SF-424A.                                                                                                   Also, refer to NOFO Part 2, Section IV, Subsection B.6 Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) on page 19 for more details.        "]
[110,"Admin","2025-12-05","Should covered individuals list applications for future funding planned to be submitted to other open DOE NOFOs in their Current and Pending (Other) Support disclosure for this application, or should they omit these applications because funding is speculative at this point?","You do not need to include this information, just the ones that are pending (already submitted)."]
[109,"Admin","2025-12-05","For DE-FOA-0003583, do covered individuals employed by the applicant need to include normal employee wages in their Current and Pending (Other) Support disclosures – even when the source of funds is simply the applicant’s balance sheet/capitalization?  If so, how should these wages be included in the NSF CPS form, which is built to report project-based funding (e.g., for full-time employee wages there is no project title, award number, project amount, start/end dates)?","You can free text in most of  the form fields, which makes this form highly adaptable. The only fields that are not free text are the dates and Project Amount,  for dates they can be dates the individual started with the applicant. Lastly, you only need to complete the fields with asterisks (for instance, Total Anticipated Proposal/Project Amount field does not have an asterisk). "]
[108,"Tech","2025-12-05","Is it acceptable to use tailings from non-domestic sources but still carry out the processing domestically in the US?","NOFO Part 1 page 19 states \"The use of domestic feedstocks is preferred. Any feedstock located within the U.S. is considered domestic regardless of its original source. For example, mine waste at a U.S. facility that was originally mined from foreign territory is considered a domestic feedstock. No federal funding can be used to procure foreign feedstock.\""]
[107,"Tech","2025-12-05","Is silicon carbide for non-semiconductor applications relevant to this NOFO?","NOFO Part 1 page 25 states \"Topic Area 2 requires the use of feedstocks from industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes including mine waste. For example, this may include (1) residual material from processing; (2) process streams, process byproducts, secondary materials, and/or waste materials that are produced by industry’s production; or (3) conventional ore (including monazite, bastnaesite, and/or other domestically mined materials) processing waste or waste materials such as residues, slimes, or below-cutoff grade ore or other mined material....\n\n\"Feedstocks for Topic Area 2 can come from all industry sources other than coal-based industry and feedstock materials related to post-consumer and manufacturing scrap recycling.\""]
[106,"Admin","2025-12-05","Some required application documents have descriptions about page limitations. Does that include a cover page, if applicable?","The cover page does not count as a page."]
[105,"Admin","2025-12-05","Section IX.H.b. of the NOFO Part 2 mentions that the DOE has issued a class patent waiver that applies to this NOFO.  What is the reference number and date of issuance for that class patent waiver, and is documentation regarding that class patent waiver published and/or available for review?","The reference number for this class patent waiver is W(C)2022-003. It is available for the public to review by accessing https://www.energy.gov/gc/articles/class-patent-waiver-wc2022-003"]
[104,"Admin","2025-12-03","There are a few application components that include the caveat “if applicable”, However, on the Upload and Submit tab in the NETL application portal, all items are marked as required uploads. Will this be corrected in the portal, or would you prefer we upload written statements of why an item is not applicable?","We do not want to send out the message that these documents are not required to those to whom these are required. If you can upload a brief statement that these are not applicable it will be great. You do not need to include any justifications, just a sentence such as \"This document is not appliable\"."]
[103,"Tech","2025-12-03","NOFO Part 1 page 37 requires photographs of existing systems/circuits that demonstrate existing process scale and capabilities and page 29 requires the photographs as a PDF document.  Will the DOE allow applicants to refer to the photographs PDF from within the Technical Volume and Technology Commercialization Plan?","Yes, applicants may reference the Photographs of Existing Systems/Circuits PDF from within the Technical Volume and Technology Commercialization Plan."]
[102,"Admin","2025-12-03","The NOFO describes budget periods that are approximately 12 months but may be longer or shorter. See the examples on p.22 that range from 9-15 months. The budget table example on p.31 and form SF-424A provide for yearly budgets, e.g. Year 1, 2, 3 etc. (with Year 1 quarterly). If our first budget period is 9 months and our second budget period is 15 months, should we put the 9 months in Year 1 and the 15 months in Year 2 or combine the first 3 months of the second budget period with the 9 months of the first budget period to get to 12 months. The instructions in SF-424A suggest the former but are not clear.","A year on SF-424A implies budget year, not calendar year. In the example you gave, you can put 9 months instead of 12 months for year one, if 9 months fits better with your project plan."]
[101,"Admin","2025-12-03","Where can I find templates to the required documents, such as SF424 or Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)?","Please go to eXCHANGE, go to DE-FOA-0003583, and click on \"View Application Forms and Templates\" to download required forms and templates."]
[100,"Tech","2025-12-03","Is the production of manganese from an industrial byproduct as mixed metal filter cake concentrate eligible?","NOFO Part 1 page 25 states \"Topic Area 2 requires the use of feedstocks from industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes including mine waste. For example, this may include (1) residual material from processing; (2) process streams, process byproducts, secondary materials, and/or waste materials that are produced by industry’s production; or (3) conventional ore (including monazite, bastnaesite, and/or other domestically mined materials) processing waste or waste materials such as residues, slimes, or below-cutoff grade ore or other mined material.\"\n\nNOFO Part 1 page 19 states \"It is within scope to produce any market-ready critical material including critical material concentrates, high purity materials, or material commodities such as mixed oxides, salts, alloys, etc.\""]
[99,"Admin","2025-12-03","If institutes of higher education are subrecipients and are allowed more than 15% indirect+fringe, can the indirect+fringe for the total project exceed 15% as a result of the higher indirect+fringe from the university?","If the prime recipient is a non-profit or for-profit organization, it is subject to the 15% indirect+fringe cap."]
[98,"Admin","2025-12-03","Should institutes of higher education use their negotiated approved federal indirect cost rates for the application as per https://www.energy.gov/management/pf-2025-26-adjusting-department-energy-financial-assistance-policy-nonprofit ? Or should their budgets be based on the 15% cap for non-profits as stated in NOFO part 2","Institutions of higher education should use their negotiated indirect cost rate agreement if they have one."]
[97,"Admin","2025-12-03","Do recipients and subrecipients need to separate Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) forms? Or is one form from the prime sufficient?","No, we just need one application from the prime."]
[96,"Tech","2025-12-03","The NOFO states that projects proposing “feedstock materials related to post-consumer or manufacturing scrap recycling” are not an area of interest. However, the Notice of Intent indicates that acceptable feedstocks may include “acid mine drainage, mine waste, e-waste, or other deleterious or harmful materials resulting from mining or industrial operations.”  Could DOE please clarify whether e-waste is considered an acceptable feedstock under this NOFO, and how DOE distinguishes e-waste from post-consumer or manufacturing scrap recycling, which is listed as not an area of interest.","Note the NOI has a disclaimer \" This NOI is issued so that interested parties are aware that DOE may issue a NOFO as described herein, may issue a NOFO that is significantly different than what is described herein, or may not issue a NOFO at all. Any information contained within this NOI is subject to change\" Please follow the guidance and direction in the most recent NOFO version."]
[95,"Tech","2025-12-03","The NOFO mentions various TRL levels intended for this program, but it is not clear if a formal assessment is required.  Is formal TRL assessment documentation required to submit for this grant?","No, formal assessment documentation is not required. Applicants should self-assess their integrated Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) system. Please see the Technology Readiness Levels Reference attachment, particularly in regard to the integrated TRA system. Also, please see the Topic Area requirements table for Technology Readiness Levels on page 18 of NOFO Part 1."]
[94,"Admin","2025-12-03","We understand that letters of commitment from subrecipients and cost share providers are not due until after selection. However, in Part 2 of the NOFO, the Letters of Commitment section states that letters of support from entities without a substantive role in the project will not be accepted.                                                                                                                         Could you please confirm that this prohibits applicants from including letters of support from external stakeholders who are not participating in the project? For example, would letters of support from downstream processors who are not subrecipients or cost share contributors be allowable?\n ","Please note the following verbiage in NOFO Part 2 when it comes to application requirements \" *Please see NOFO Part 1 for specific required documents. The following is for reference only.*\".                                                                        For instructions specific to Letters of Support please follow what is stated in NOFO Part 1 - \" Applicants must provide evidence of material availability in the quantity needed to fulfill this 5-year requirement. A letter of support should be included in the application from all companies, agencies, or other parties that have ownership/rights to any proposed feedstock materials to allow large pilot-scale facility operation for the performance of the award (e.g., if utilizing coal ash, please provide a letter of support from the power or coal company who is producing the ash). If no letters of support can be obtained, applicants must provide an explanation in the Technical Volume as to why they are not necessary, or how the necessary feedstock is intended to be obtained.\""]
[93,"Tech","2025-12-03","The NOFO states \"Applicants are encouraged to consider production of materials that support both energy security and national defense needs…” The NOFO says \" Of particular interest are the production of critical materials with low or zero current domestic production.\" Are other critical materials that support energy and national defense allowed as well?","Yes. NOFO Part 1 pages 18-19 states \"Applications must focus on the development of fully operational processing systems, located at and integrated with a domestic industrial site, that will be operated in a continuous/semi-continuous manner to produce market-ready critical materials. DOE Critical Materials [https://www.energy.gov/cmm/what-are-critical-materials-and-critical-minerals] include all minerals on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) List of Critical Minerals plus additional materials for energy.\""]
[92,"Admin","2025-12-03","Can the requirement for a work proposal for DOE FFRDCs be not applicable since the funding is coming through the recipient (i.e. lead applicant) for the full application? DOE FFRDCs are not funded directly through a work authorization (field work proposal) according to page 11 of the NOFO: \"The DOE funding office will provide funding for the DOE FFRDC or non-DOE FFRDC, participating as a sub awardee under the DOE financial assistance award to the recipient.","A work proposal is not required. This verbiage has been removed from the updated NOFO template. A modification will most likely be published to formally remove section \"10. Work Proposal for DOE FFRDC.\""]
[91,"Tech","2025-12-03","Is an industrial waste or byproduct stream that has been converted to an intermediate considered to be an eligible feedstock?","NOFO Part 1 page 15 states, regarding Topic Area 2, \"This topic area broadly supports piloting the recovery of valuable critical material byproducts and other \nvalue-added products from industrial feedstocks, processes, and process wastes including mine waste.\"\n\nAn intermediate produced by industrial waste is considered to be a feedstock from industrial process wastes."]
[90,"Admin","2025-12-03","The file naming convention do not have a dash in the control number, for instance, ControlNumber_LeadOrganization_424, however,  an auto generated control number contains a dash after submission. Should the file name include the dash between the two number sets or not?","Yes, if it is auto-generated by the system after submission, you can keep the dash within the control number."]
[89,"Tech","2025-12-03","While reviewing this NOFO, we noticed that both \"minerals\" and \"materials\" are used to describe the interest to the Department of Energy. On the \"critical minerals\" list, we do not find materials like Al, Cu and Si. But they are listed in the \"Notice of Final Determination on 2023 DOE Critical Materials List\" as \"critical materials for energy\". Under this context, can you please clarify whether this NOFO includes \"critical materials for energy?\"","From NOFO Part 1 page 6, \"The Department of Energy’s Critical Materials List [https://www.energy.gov/cmm/what-are-critical-materials-and-critical-minerals] is defined by statute and includes all of the critical minerals on the Department of Interior List (which includes Rare Earth Elements), and additional materials the Secretary of Energy determines (i) has a high risk of supply chain disruption; and (ii) serves an essential function in one or more energy technologies, including technologies that produce, transmit, store, and conserve energy.\""]
[88,"Admin","2025-12-03","the Application requirements specify use of SF-424 for Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs. Should this be completed for the grand total of all budget periods or just for the first year, as specified in the form's instructions? What if there are costs in categories other than those listed in for SF-424?","Please refer to page 19 of NOFO Part 2 (the paragraph tilted: Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)), for instructions on how to complete SF-424A. The \"Other Direct Costs\" row can be utilized for direct costs that do not fall into the listed categories, such as Travel or Personnel."]
[87,"Admin","2025-12-03","What should be included in the budget for the operational phase of the large-scale pilot plant? Direct operating costs? Indirect costs? A credit for expected revenues from product sales? ","Please refer to the SF-424A template available on eXCHANGE for direct cost categories such as personnel, travel, or equipment , 2 CFR 200.412 for differences between direct costs and indirect costs, and 2 CFR 200.307 for details on program income. Additionally, please refer to page 30 of NOFO Part 2 concerning allowable costs."]
[86,"Tech","2025-12-03","We're seeking guidance on how the TRL advancement requirements apply to facilities deploying proven technology in new geographic markets, specifically for a technology that currently operates internationally at TRL 9.","Please see the Technology Readiness Levels Reference attachment, particularly in regard to the integrated Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) system. Also, please see the Topic Area requirements table for Technology Readiness Levels on page 18 of NOFO Part 1."]
[85,"Tech","2025-12-03","For Topic Area 2, are end-of-life electronics from institutional sources considered within scope as 'industry sources,' or would they fall under the excluded category of scrap recycling?","End-of-life materials are considered to be 'post-consumer  recycling.'"]
[84,"Tech","2025-12-03","Can you please clarify what is required to be submitted for the following SOPO items listed on page 36: Third party Vendor Material Test and Market Ready Verification Report, Technoeconomic Analysis, Energy Consumption Analysis, and EDX characterization. \n\nAlso, is the Technoeconomic Analysis (TEA) for the Pilot Plant or Commercial Plant?","These are SOPO deliverables and are not due with the application, but instead are due during the performance of a project. Details will be finalized post selection, if selected.\n\nThe TEA deliverable will be for the pilot plant."]
[83,"Tech","2025-12-03","Page 34 of the NOFO says \"The PID field is required for all NOFOs and Awards that encompass R&D activities, or technical assistance to support R&D activities. For NOFOs and Awards that do not meet the criteria above, the PID field is optional.” How do we know if our application meets the threshold for \"R&D activity\"?","Yes, this is an R&D NOFO (81.089 Fossil Energy Research and Development, page 5). All awards are classified as R&D awards and, therefore, a PID is required."]
[82,"Tech","2025-12-03","Can an intermediate beneficiation step occur out of country, assuming no costs are included in grant request or applicant share? i.e.  industrial byproduct domestically produced, beneficiated out of the US, and beneficiated byproduct feedstock used in domestic critical mineral recovery pilot.","Please see \"Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)\" on NOFO Part 2 page 23.\n\nBeneficiated byproduct feedstocks may be used in a domestic pilot at a U.S. industrial site."]
[81,"Tech","2025-12-03","Should the tasks to be performed under Project Management and Planning also be incorporated into the Work Breakdown Structure in the Technical Volume? Similar information is asked for in various forms in the Technical Volume's WBS, the SOPO, and the milestone log of the project management plan. ","Yes, please follow the NOFO guidance. Some sections may include more details than others."]
[80,"Tech","2025-12-03","Is the conversion of methane to battery-grade graphite allowed?","Yes."]
[79,"Tech","2025-12-03","Question #1 Does DOE consider methane from non-traditional sources—such as coalbed methane, landfill gas, wastewater digester gas, stranded natural gas, or renewable natural gas (RNG)—as eligible feedstocks under Subtopic 2A if they would otherwise be vented, flared, combusted, or discarded?  \n\nQuestion #2 Does DOE consider gaseous waste streams (for example, methane produced during industrial processing or vented gas streams) to fall under the category of manufacturing scrap, even though they are not solid waste materials?         ","Answer #1 \"Feedstocks for Topic Area 2 can come from all industry sources other than coal-based industry and\nfeedstock materials related to post-consumer and manufacturing scrap recycling.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 15)\n\nMethane from non-traditional sources such as coalbed methane, landfill gas, wastewater digester gas, stranded natural gas, and renewable natural gas are considered to come from industry sources.\n\nAnswer #2 The use of gaseous waste streams as feedstock is not considered to be manufacturing scrap recycling."]
[78,"Tech","2025-12-03","Does extraction of lithium from brines not associated with geothermal activities or volcanic-hosted environments qualify for this NOFO?","NOFO Part 1 page 26 states that the following are not of interest, \"Applications that focus on recovering lithium or other critical materials from brines associated with geothermal activities or volcanic-hosted systems with the potential for geothermal power.\"\n\nOther brines from \"industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes including mine waste\" (NOFO Part 1, page 25) are of interest to Topic Area 2."]
[77,"Tech","2025-12-03","Can pilot scale activities be performed at a university (by a university-based research team), instead of an existing industrial or mining facility?","\"Applications must focus on the development of fully operational processing systems, located at and integrated with a domestic industrial site, that will be operated in a continuous/semi-continuous manner to produce market-ready critical materials.\" (NOFO Part 1, pages 18-19)\n\nThe large pilot critical material production facility must be \"located at and integrated with a domestic industrial site.\" "]
[76,"Admin","2025-12-03","Does an academic institution must partner with an industrial site to apply?","No. An academic institution is one of the eligible entities and can apply as a recipient. Please see Ofo Part 1, Section 2, Eligibility for more details."]
[75,"Tech","2025-12-03","Are end-of-life hard-scrap materials from diverse industrial sources, such as Polycrystalline Diamond Compact cutters and WC-Co hard scrap, an eligible feedstock under this DOE funding opportunity?","End-of-life hard-scrap materials are considered to be a feedstock that is related to post-consumer recycling. Therefore, these feedstocks are not of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity."]
[74,"Admin","2025-12-01","Can we submit the attached memo in place of the required FFRDC Authorization Letter? CO Letters are no longer required for DOE Office of Science labs at the time of submission, but are required after award.","Office of Science National labs may provide a cognizant CO for the FFRDC authorization at time of award, not at time of application, in accordance with DOE OS memo dated June 3, 2025 titled \"Streamlining Strategic Partnership Projects and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements\"."]
[73,"Admin","2025-12-01","Part 2, Section 16 Intellectual Property Provisions, page 52 - http://energy.gov/gc/standard-intellectual-property-ip-provisions-financial-assistance-awards - Please confirm that only the Standard Intellectual Property (IP) Provisions for Financial Assistance Awards issued ON or AFTER December 26, 2014 table is the applicable table for this effort?","The Standard Intellectual Property (IP) Provisions for Financial Assistance Awards issued ON OR AFTER October 1, 2021 are applicable to this NOFO.\n "]
[72,"Admin","2025-12-01","Part 2, Section 16 Intellectual Property Provisions, page 52, states that “The standard DOE financial assistance intellectual property provisions applicable to the various types of recipients are located at http://energy.gov/gc/standard-intellectual-property-ip-provisions-financial-assistance-awards.” When one goes to the provided link, it provides a table of applicable provisions, can you please confirm whether “Special Data Statute e.g., EPACT” for this effort is applicable?","The Special Data Statute (e.g., EPACT) is not applicable to this NOFO."]
[71,"Admin","2025-12-01","Are the budget estimates required to be presented to the nearest one dollar or can they be presented in thousands of dollars, if clearly labeled? See e.g. pp. 30-31 of the NOFO and the budget template Budget_Information_Non-Construction_Programs_(SF-424A)_Oct_2024.","The SF-424A template automatically round numbers to the nearest dollar, that is a template feature. Additionally, details will be finalized post selection, if selected."]
[70,"Admin","2025-12-01","Is the grant funding available for FY 2026 for Topic Area 2 (all industries other than coal)? The Funding Details section seems to state that FY 2026 funding is only available for part 1, coal based industries.","Both Topic Areas are fully funded, Topic area 2 is funded with FY (Fiscal Year) 2024 and FY 2025 IIJA funding, while Topic Area 1 is funded with IIJA funding from FY 2024 to 2026."]
[69,"Admin","2025-12-01","Does a company who is a subsidiary of a foreign owned corporation considered as a foreign entity and need to include a written waiver request in an application to this NOFO?","Yes."]
[68,"Tech","2025-12-01","Is silicon carbide a critical material?","Silicon carbide is considered to be a critical material by DOE. See              https://www.energy.gov/cmm/what-are-critical-materials-and-critical-minerals."]
[67,"Admin","2025-12-01","The EQ downloaded from NETL Exchange says the following: Final form to be completed online only at https://www.eere-pmc.energy.gov/NEPA.aspx unless you are instructed otherwise by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). This fillable PDF is provided for your convenience to allow the form submitter adequate time to collect the necessary information for online form submission. However, the NOFO states on page 29 that the EQ is required as a PDF. Should the applicant submit on the EERE website and the fillable pdf?","Please complete the fillable PDF and submit it as a PDF file with your application package."]
[66,"Admin","2025-12-01","Do host sites need to complete an environmental questionnaire if they are a 3rd party cost share only and not a sub awardee?","No, they are not required to fille out a separate questionnaire. Please note the potential prime recipient needs to list all planned/estimated locations where work will be performed, including host sites. Only subrecipients need to fill out separate questionnaires specific to their work location(s)."]
[65,"Admin","2025-12-01","Could you please confirm whether co-applicants are allowable, or if the application must designate a single prime recipient?","Only one prime applicant is allowed."]
[64,"Admin","2025-12-01","Where can I find PART 2 of DE-FOA-0003583? It is not posted on NETL Exchange. ","It is posted as one document with NOFO Part 1, please scroll down on the document to access Part 2."]
[63,"Admin","2025-12-01","For the pilot sited at an existing facility, does DOE require a formal letter of intent at the time of submission, or can that be provided before award during negotiation?","On Page 38 of the NOFO, a post selection requirement includes \"Letters of Commitment from all subrecipients,\" which can be provided during award negotiation. "]
[62,"Admin","2025-12-01","Can DOE clarify which documents on page 38 are truly optional at the proposal stage, and which items become required only after selection (e.g., NEPA documentation, environmental questionnaires, site control)?","All five items listed on page 38 of NOFO Part 1 are required after selection and are not due at the proposal stage. The items that are required at the proposal stage are listed and described in detail on page 27 to 37 of NOFO Part 1. "]
[61,"Tech","2025-12-01","Are photocatalytic or photothermal gas-processing systems—operating at low temperature and low pressure—considered fully responsive under Subtopic 2A?","\"Feedstocks for Topic Area 2 can come from all industry sources other than coal-based industry and\nfeedstock materials related to post-consumer and manufacturing scrap recycling.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 15)\n\nPhotocatalytic or photothermal gas-processing byproduct feedstocks may be considered to come from industry sources. "]
[60,"Admin","2025-12-01","Is DOE open to smaller pilot proposals (for example, $3–6 million) if they meet the technical objectives and provide clear national benefits?","The approximate dollar value of individual awards is stated under \"1. Funding Details\". Please consider adding your information to the teaming partner list for consideration and collaboration with other larger applicants. In addition, the NOFO states the approximate dollar value of individual awards under \"1. Funding Details\". If an applicant believes they can meet the objectives of the NOFO for less than the stated approximate minimum, it is up to the applicant to decide if they want to apply."]
[59,"Admin","2025-12-01","1. Timing of Cost Share Availability Must the full 20 percent cost share be secured and documented at the time of application, or can commitments be finalized after selection, during award negotiation? 2. Staged Cost Share Across Budget Periods Can cost share be contributed proportionally across multiple budget periods instead of being fully committed upfront? 3. Eligible Forms of Cost Share Does DOE accept in-kind contributions such as equipment purchases, engineering services, materials, or donated facility use as allowable cost share? Unpaid Labor from the Prime Recipient Can unpaid labor of key personnel of the prime count as in-kind cost share if properly documented?","1. It must be documented on SF 424A, cost share details will be finalized after selection if selected. 2. Yes, incremental cost share contribution is required by the DOE, please see page 53 of NOFO Part 2 for more details. 3. Yes we do, for more information please refer to 2 CFR 200.306: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.306"]
[58,"Tech","2025-12-01","Is feedstock flexibility satisfied when a pilot facility can process multiple methane sources (e.g., natural gas, RNG, coalbed methane), or is DOE expecting solid-mineral feedstock flexibility (e.g., clays, red mud, phosphate waste)?","\"Large pilot-scale facilities are encouraged to exhibit feedstock flexibility, enabling them to process multiple feedstock types (e.g., bauxite red mud, kaolinite clay, and/or phosphate wastes) within the same facility, though not necessarily concurrently.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 20)\n\nThe NOFO specifically defines flexibility as the ability to use \"multiple feedstock types,\" which would be different types of feedstocks rather than a single type of feedstock from multiple sources."]
[57,"Tech","2025-12-01","For gaseous feedstocks that do not have a single defined “owner” (e.g., pipeline-quality natural gas, coalbed methane, or commercially available RNG), what documentation is sufficient in place of letters of support? Would DOE accept: regional production data, market-accessibility evidence, public production statistics, or a written confirmation of feedstock availability without a formal ownership letter?","From NOFO Part 1 page 20, \"A letter of support should be included in the application from all companies, agencies, or other parties that have ownership/rights to any proposed feedstock materials to allow large pilot-scale facility operation for the performance of the award ... If no letters of support can be obtained, applicants must provide an explanation in the Technical Volume as to why they are not necessary, or how the necessary feedstock is intended to be obtained.\""]
[56,"Tech","2025-11-25","Is a project deriving lithium from brine left behind from now decommissioned oil & gas operations, where the brine now requires new wells for extraction, eligible under Topic Area 2b?","NOFO Part 1 page 26 states that the following are not of interest, \"Applications that focus on recovering lithium or other critical materials from brines associated with geothermal activities or volcanic-hosted systems with the potential for geothermal power.\"\n\nBrine from oil & gas operations is a feedstock from \"from industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes including mine waste\" (NOFO Part 1, page 15) and is not considered to be \"associated with geothermal activities or volcanic-hosted systems with the potential for geothermal power.\""]
[55,"Admin","2025-11-25","Does the indirect caps mentioned on page 20 of NOFO Part2 applicable to  FFRDCs?","No, FFRDCs are not any of the entity types mentioned in Part 2. "]
[54,"Tech","2025-11-25","There are no minimum concentration levels set forth in the NOFO.  Must feedstocks have a minimum concentration level? Do concentration levels matter?","There are no minimum concentration levels for feedstocks required according to the NOFO. Note that Technical Review Criterion 3.1 (NOFO Part 1, page 44) is \"Financial viability of the technical approach.\""]
[53,"Tech","2025-11-25","Is the recovery of iridium and platinum from production waste/scrap  streams in the processes used for making catalyst coated membranes for fuel cell and electrolyzer components eligible?","Production waste/scrap streams that are from a manufacturing process are considered to be manufacturing scrap recycling, which is not of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity."]
[52,"Admin","2025-11-25","Does an applicant need to have a related previous DOE award? We have done previous lab work on our own.","This NOFO does not require a previous DOE award. Please note the starting TRL requirements for each Topic Area (see the table in NOFO Part 1, page 18). Also, see the Technology Readiness Levels Reference attachment for more information. "]
[51,"Admin","2025-11-25","Review Criterion 1, number 2, requests schematics to demonstrate technical viability. Because of the extensive detail of schematics, would FECM allow the font size of schematics to be smaller than the required Calibri 10 point but no smaller than Calibri 6 point?","Compliance with the font requirements is required. Any changes, if they occur, will be published in a modification to the NOFO. At this time, no changes are anticipated."]
[50,"Admin","2025-11-25","Due to the scope of the program and requirement for quarterly milestones and associated activities and verification data, would the FECM please increase the page limitations for the SOPO to 15 pages and the PMP to 8 pages?","Compliance with the current page limits for the SOPO and PMP is required. Be as comprehensive as possible, but note that for successful applicants these documents may be expanded post selection during negotiations. Any changes, if they occur, will be published."]
[49,"Tech","2025-11-25","Would an industrial site that is currently under construction be considered eligible, provided the site will be operational in time to align with the work plan for integrating the waste-to-value system?","This may be considered eligible if the industrial site will be operational in time and not delay the project."]
[48,"Admin","2025-11-25","Is it acceptable for applicants to cross-reference between an application's Technical Volume, Statement of Project Objectives, Project Management Plan, and Technology Commercialization Plan?","The Technical Volume, Statement of Project Objectives, Project Management Plan, and Technology Commercialization Plan may cross-reference language between documents. Please be as specific as possible in the cross-reference."]
[47,"Tech","2025-11-25","Does an applicant need to have a processing facility already operational? \n\nRegarding Topic Area 1, if the resource has been proven, is that sufficient to meet initial technical compliance?","The large pilot critical material production facilities will be constructed and operated during performance of the projects awarded form this NOFO.\n\nPage 15 of NOFO Part 1 states, regarding Topic Area 1, \"Previously developed bench-scale efforts are expected to advance the TRL of their process/system from 5 to 7.\" Topic Area 1 has a minimum beginning TRL of 5. See the attached Technology Readiness Levels Reference for more information. Page 19 of NOFO Part 1 states [for all Topic Areas] that \"applicants must identify the feedstock ... that has been successfully demonstrated in their existing bench-scale or pilot-scale system on actual (non-simulated) feedstocks.\""]
[46,"Admin","2025-11-25","Is there any flexibility in the December 15 deadline?","Currently the NOFO submission deadline is 12/15/25. Any changes, if they occur, will be published."]
[45,"Tech","2025-11-25","May an applicant propose a project which separates critical minerals from a by-product generated by an existing geothermal brine critical mineral recovery project? The potential technology does not use geothermal brine as a primary feedstock, the critical minerals recovered are different from those at the existing brine recovery project, the process uses a different technology for separation of critical minerals, and the value-added products that are produced are critical for a different market sector than the existing critical mineral recovery project.","The separation of critical minerals from a byproduct generated by an existing geothermal brine critical mineral recovery project is considered to be recovery of \"critical materials from brines associated with geothermal activities or volcanic-hosted systems with the potential for geothermal power.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 26). Therefore, this feedstock is not of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity."]
[44,"Admin","2025-11-25","Is the Cooperative Agreement found at this link https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/07/f33/eere_110_model_cooperative_agreement.pdf the template that will be utilized for award?","No, each award will be tailored to the recipient. You may view the current Standard Terms and conditions at https://www.energy.gov/funding-opportunities?auHash=uHUGp4KM46GH870coDZPNDjVYP70zJlgp60oDdCAETc\n\nPrio to award, the special terms and conditions will be shared with each applicant. "]
[43,"Admin","2025-11-25","Where can I find additional guidance on how to calculate allowable indirect cost reimbursement other than what is provided in the NOFO (as mentioned on page 21 of NOFO Part II)?","Please refer to the new attachment added to eXCHANGE by clicking on this content.."]
[42,"Admin","2025-11-25","Does an academic institution must partner with an industrial site to apply?","NO. An academic institution is one of the eligible entities and can apply as a recipient. Please see Ofo Part 1, Section 2, Eligibility for more details."]
[41,"Admin","2025-11-25","For projects proposing later stage TRL with pilot project scale up, not R&D, is the Digital persistent identifier (PID), Research Security Training Requirement and other academic research information still required? ","PID is required for all covered individuals as stated in NOFO Part 1, Section IV, Application Content and Form."]
[40,"Admin","2025-11-25","What information are required to be included in the biographical sketch and Current and Pending Support and how do I create them?","Please follow the provided link on page 33 nd 34 of NOFO Part 1 to create a biographical sketch (biosketch) and a separate Current and Pending (other) Support form. There is no template, you will follow the link to create an account if you do not have one. After which, from your Dashboard, you will be able to select the SciEncv tile, select NSF biological Sketch to create a biosketch, and NSF Current and Pending (other) Support to create a Current and Pending Support Common Form. For more instructions please go to My NCBI Help: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK154494/"]
[39,"Admin","2025-11-25","Does a company who is fully incorporated under U.S. law, maintain a physical place of business in the U.S., but have majority foreign ownership and control be classified as a foreign entity under this NOFO, and if it is considered as a foreign entity, will it be eligible to apply as a recipient or a subrecipient?","Please see NOFO Part 1, Section 2 Eligibility, for definition of domestic entity under this NOFO, and if a foreign entity is eligible to apply either as a recipient or a subrecipient. For waivers, please see Part 2, Section IV. B. 12, Waiver for Foreign Entity Participation and Foreign Collaboration for waiver for details.                                                                           Please note \"DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to the NOFO Part 1 must be submitted. The decision to apply in response to the NOFO Part 1 lies solely with the applicant (NOFO Part 2, II, B.1) \""]
[38,"Admin","2025-11-25","Could you please clarify the difference between a subrecipient and a contractor?","Please refer to  2 CFR § 200.331, Subrecipient and Contractor Determinations."]
[37,"Admin","2025-11-25","Are the following definitions correct and applicable to this NOFO? A recipient is a non-Federal entity that receives Federal funds in the form of a grant. A subrecipient is a non-Federal entity that receives a subaward from a recipient (or from another subrecipient) to carry out a portion of the Federal award’s scope of work or objectives, and therefore has a Federal assistance relationship with the recipient. A contractor is a non-Federal entity that enters into a procurement contract with a recipient or subrecipient to provide goods or services needed to carry out the project, and thus has a procurement relationship rather than an assistance relationship.","Please refer to 2 CFR 200.1"]
[36,"Admin","2025-11-25","Part 2 of the NOFO states that applicants must indicate in the project summary if AI was used to develop their application or proposal. Since the project summary is not a required document per NOFO Part 1, can you confirm where we should include the AI statement if applicable?","Please insert this statement, if applicable, on the top margin of SF 424."]
[35,"Admin","2025-11-25","Please clarify the criteria that define a \"domestic entity\", given that Part 1 of the NOFO specifies a 3-prong test (requiring organization under U.S. law, majority domestic ownership and control, and a physical U.S. presence), but Part 2 lists only a 2-prong test (omitting the majority domestic ownership and control criteria).  Does the majority domestic ownership and control requirement apply to both prime recipients and subrecipients, or only to prime applicants?","NOFO Part 1 requirements are required.  Please refer to II. Eligibility, A. Eligible Applicants, 1. Domestic Entities.  The requirement applies to both potential Prime and Subrecipient applicants."]
[34,"Admin","2025-11-21","When attempting to download the files under “Application Forms and Templates” in eXCHANGE for DE-FOA-0003583, a pop-up window displays that indicates the documents we’re about to download are CUI. Are these documents (mandatory templates, supplemental instructions, the NOFO itself, etc.) true CUI? If these documents are not true CUI, can the pop-up window warning that they are CUI files be removed?","This is a system generated message, please click ok to continue downloading desired file(s). The message will not pop up when attempting to download the NOFO."]
[33,"Admin","2025-11-21","Part 1 of the NOFO states that the file name for the “Technology Commercialization Plan” should be ‘ControlNumber_LeadOrganization_TCF’, should I name it \"ControlNumber_LeadOrganization_TCP\" instead?","Please follow all naming conventions stated in NOFO Part 1."]
[32,"Admin","2025-11-21","Part 1 of the NOFO requires use of SciENcv to generate Current and Pending Support documents. Part 1 of the NOFO also requires individuals to attest that they have completed Research Security Training in their Current and Pending Support files. However, SciENcv doesn’t include this certification in its CP documents. Should this attestation be a manual addendum to each SciENcv-generated CP file submitted with the application, or does DOE require something else?","Yes, a manual addendum to each SciENcv-generated CP file submitted with the application will fulfil this requirement."]
[31,"Admin","2025-11-21","Does a separate SF424A budget form need to be included for each subrecipient receiving $500,000 or more on the project?","Not at time of application as that is a post selection requirement. Please refer to page 38 of NOFO Part 1 for more details."]
[30,"Admin","2025-11-21","Concerning required application documentation, there are several inconsistencies between Part 1 and Part 2 of the NOFO, for instance, Part 2 of the NOFO says that a budget justification workbook Excel file is required at proposal submission, but Part 1 of the NOFO says that these documents are required post-submission/during negotiations. When it comes required application document, should we refer to Part 1 or Part 2?","Please refer to Part 1 of the NOFO (page 27 to page 38)  for required application documents. Additionally please note the following verbiage highlighted in yellow *Please see NOFO Part 1 for specific required documents. The following is for reference only.\" in Part 2, Section IV, Application Content and Form."]
[28,"Tech","2025-11-21","Are waste streams generated during oil and gas drill bit manufacturing considered to be eligible feedstocks?","Waste streams generated during drill bit manufacturing are considered to be manufacturing scrap recycling. Therefore, this feedstock is not of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity."]
[27,"Tech","2025-11-21","What deliverables listed in section IV.C.6 Statement of Project Objectives (NOFO Part 1, page 36) must be included in application package? The NOFO states in section IV.C.6 that \"all deliverables listed in the template must be included.\"","The \"all deliverables listed in the template must be included\" language means that all deliverables listed in the SOPO template's table of deliverables must be included in the table of deliverables in the applicant's SOPO. In other words, applicants may not remove SOPO deliverables from this table. SOPO deliverables are items that are due after the project begins and their due dates are specified in the SOPO template's table. Note that some items included in the SOPO template's table of deliverables are also application requirements due with the application specified in section IV.C.2 Summary of Application Requirements (NOFO Part 1, pages 28-29). All items mentioned in the Summary of Application Requirements section must be included with the application."]
[26,"Tech","2025-11-21","Are biomass processing wastes considered eligible feedstocks?","\"Topic Area 2 requires the use of feedstocks from industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes including mine waste.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 25)\n\nBiomass processing wastes are considered to be a feedstock from industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes."]
[25,"Tech","2025-11-21"," Is subterranean brine considered an applicable feedstock only if it is produced from an active oil and gas well? Or can it be from a depleted well?","\"Applications that focus on recovering lithium or other critical materials from brines associated with geothermal activities or volcanic-hosted systems with the potential for geothermal power [are not of interest].\" (NOFO Part 1, page 26)\n\nA subterranean brine produced from an active or depleted oil and gas well is not associated with geothermal activities or volcanic-hosted systems."]
[24,"Admin","2025-11-21","Will there be a public repository of all the Q's and A's that are submitted on the FOA or will we just have access to the Q and A's our company specifically submits?","Answers to questions will be posted on Exchange."]
[23,"Admin","2025-11-21","Are NNSA labs eligible to apply as a subrecipient?","Yes, NNSA labs are part of the 17 DOE-funded FFRDCs (all are eligible except NETL). For current lists of DOE FFRDC and non-DOE FFRDCs please see: https://www.energy.gov/science/office-laboratory-policy and https://ncses.nsf.gov/resource/master-gov-lists-ffrdc"]
[22,"Tech","2025-11-21","We do not currently have a fully-staffed team. May we include our hiring plan and forecast numbers for CAPEX/OPEX and still meet the minimum application requirements?","Yes, this may meet the minimum application requirements. It is up to the Technical Evaluation Committee and Federal Merit Review Panel members to evaluate the strength of application materials."]
[21,"Tech","2025-11-21","Will a scale up from 50-100 kg volume bench scale to a 20kt facility be considered too big a scale up given testing was done at a much smaller scale. For a project at an earlier stage (TRL 3/4) eligible?  ","Please see the Topic Area requirements table for Technology Readiness Levels on page 18 of NOFO Part 1."]
[20,"Tech","2025-11-21","Are byproduct wastes of recycling processes, such as auto shredding residue, characterized as 'feedstock materials related to post-consumer and manufacturing scrap recycling,' and therefore not of interest for this NOFO?","Auto shredding residues are considered to be a feedstock that is related to post-consumer recycling. Therefore, auto shredding residues are not of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity."]
[19,"Tech","2025-11-21","Would further processing of lower-grade ore concentrates that otherwise typically incur penalty costs or require blending with high-grade ore concentrates qualify as an acceptable feedstock for Topic Area 2?","\"Topic Area 2 requires the use of feedstocks from industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes including mine waste.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 25)\n\nLower-grade ore concentrates, as described, are considered to be a feedstock from industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes."]
[18,"Tech","2025-11-21","Does the industrial site for the pilot facility have to be the same as the industrial location that supplies the waste/ byproduct feedstock for critical metal extraction?  Meaning, does the feedstock source and critical material extraction pilot facility have to be co-located?","No, the industrial site for the pilot facility does not have to be the same industrial site as the industrial location that supplies the waste/ byproduct feedstock."]
[17,"Tech","2025-11-21","Is waste carbon dioxide that is a byproduct of an industrial process considered a feedstock of interest for Topic Area 2 for production of graphite?","\"Feedstocks for Topic Area 2 can come from all industry sources other than coal-based industry and feedstock materials related to post-consumer and manufacturing scrap recycling.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 25)\n\nCarbon dioxide captured at an existing industrial facility is considered to be an industry-sourced feedstock."]
[16,"Tech","2025-11-19","Under Subtopic 2a of Topic Area 2, the NOFO permits the use of “industrial feedstocks, processes, or process wastes including mine waste,” and specifies that eligible feedstocks may come from “all industry sources other than coal-based industry.” Could DOE confirm that these allow for including solid carbon-bearing materials originating from legacy or historical coal-based industrial activities—particularly materials and feedstocks that are stockpiled, impounded, or otherwise no longer associated with an active coal-based industry—when the proposed effort focuses on producing critical materials?","\"Topic Area 1 requires the use of coal and coal byproducts as feedstocks.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 24)\n\n\"Feedstocks for Topic Area 2 can come from all industry sources other than coal-based industry and feedstock materials related to post-consumer and manufacturing scrap recycling.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 25)\n\n'Solid carbon-bearing materials originating from legacy or historical coal-based industrial activities' are considered to be coal-based industry feedstock."]
[15,"Tech","2025-11-19","Can an application in Topic Area 1 propose a primary focus on recovering a non-REE critical material from coal-derived feedstocks—while incorporating REE recovery as a secondary, enabling, or coproduct activity—so long as REE recovery is included in the integrated process?","\"REE recovery is the required focus of Topic Area 1, preferably with co-recovery of other critical materials and other value-added materials; Critical materials recovery without REE recovery and other value-added material production without REE recovery are not of interest.\" (NOFO Part 1, page 24)"]
[14,"Admin","2025-11-19","Where can I find the Summary Slide template or the specific content requirements for the Summary Slide for NOFO DE-FOA-0003583?","A summary slide is not required for this NOFO. See part 2, 27. Summary Slide for required content for informational purposes only. There is no template, just requested information. "]
[13,"Admin","2025-11-19","Can meetings be set up with one of the DOE NOFO team member for any questions related to the NOFO?","To ensure fairness and impartiality, we are currently only answering questions through our weekly updated Q&A sheet. "]
[12,"Admin","2025-11-19","on November 10th the courts threw out the rate limitation on state and local governments. Those limitations still appear in this NOFO. Can we expect an updated NOFO soon?","See resources in question 8 above. And also: https://www.energy.gov/management/pf-2025-38-fal-2025-05-implementation-indirect-and-fringe-benefits-cost-reimbursement"]
[11,"Admin","2025-11-19","Where can I find information on indirect cost rate for IHE?","You can find this information in 2 CFR 200.414 and Appendix III to Part 200—Indirect (F&A) Costs Identification and Assignment, and Rate Determination for Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs). See also resources in question 8 above."]
[10,"Admin","2025-11-19","Can a foreign-incorporated for-profit entity (majority foreign ownership) participate as a subrecipient on a project led by an eligible domestic prime applicant? Is there any case-by-case waiver or determination process available under this NOFO that would allow a foreign-incorporated entity to serve as a prime recipient?","Please see NOFO Part 2, Section IV. B. 12, Waiver for Foreign Entity Participation for more details and instruction. Also in Part 2, please review Foreign Collaboration Consideration and Part 1, II. Eligibility.  Additionally, please see NOFO Part 2, II.B.1 where it states \"DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to the NOFO Part 1 must be submitted. The decision to apply in response to the NOFO Part 1 lies solely with the applicant.\"'"]
[9,"Tech","2025-11-19","Is domestic recovery of niobium from an existing waste stream of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity?","Niobium is considered to be a critical material by DOE. See https://www.energy.gov/cmm/what-are-critical-materials-and-critical-minerals."]
[8,"Admin","2025-11-19","Can DOE please confirm whether Institutions of Higher Education are exempt from the indirect-plus-fringe limitation in this FOA (DE-FOA-0003583), consistent with FA-TC-0007.1-CH, or whether this specific FOA intends to apply the 10%/15% limitation to all applicants including IHEs? Can DOE please confirm whether Institutions of Higher Education are exempt from the indirect-plus-fringe limitation in this FOA (DE-FOA-0003583), consistent with FA-TC-0007.1-CH, or whether this specific FOA intends to apply the 10%/15% limitation to all applicants including IHEs?","Please see: https://www.energy.gov/management/pf-2025-26-adjusting-department-energy-financial-assistance-policy-nonprofit and\n\nhttps://www.energy.gov/management/pf-2025-22-adjusting-department-energy-grant-policy-institutions-higher-education-ihe for more information and references to policy."]
[7,"Admin","2025-11-19","Page five of the announcement states that the funding instrument will be a Cooperative Agreement. Is this the only funding instrument allowable for this opportunity or might there be an opportunity to set up another contract type such as an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) or Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) agreement?","Correct, the only type of funding agreement under this NOFO will be cooperative agreements. Applicants are encouraged to visit grants.gov or the various DOE exchange sites for other funding opportunities."]
[6,"Tech","2025-11-19","Is the extraction of critical materials from the recycling of both residential and commercial solar panels of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity?","Critical materials from recycled solar panels is considered to be a feedstock that is related to post-consumer recycling. Therefore, this feedstock is not of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity."]
[5,"Tech","2025-11-19","Are swarf and kerf waste considered to be \"manufacturing scrap recycling\" for this Notice of Funding Opportunity?","Swarf and kerf waste are considered to be manufacturing scrap recycling. Therefore, these feedstocks are not of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity."]
[4,"Admin","2025-11-19","The NOFO says that the expected approximate dollar amount of individual awards is $10,000,000-$75,000,000 for Topic Area 2. Will projects significantly smaller than this, in the $1,000,000 - $2,000,000 range, be entertained?","The NOFO states the approximate dollar value of individual awards under \"1. Funding Details\". If an applicant believes they can meet the objectives of the NOFO for less than the stated approximate minimum, it is up to the applicant to decide if they want to apply."]
[3,"Tech","2025-11-19","Is the use of rare earth magnet streams from recycled wind generators as a feedstock source of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity?","Rare earth magnet streams from recycled wind generators is considered to be a feedstock that is related to post-consumer recycling. Therefore, this feedstock is not of interest to this Notice of Funding Opportunity."]
[2,"Admin","2025-11-19","Is there a Teaming Partner List where I can add my information and check the information of others?","The Teaming Partner List for this NOFO can be found on NETL eXCHANGE, search for: \"TPL-0000006: Teaming Partner List for DE-FOA-0003583 IIJA: Mines & Metals Capacity Expansion – Piloting By-Product Critical Minerals and Materials Recovery at Domestic Industrial Facilities\" "]
[1,"Admin","2025-11-19","Is the above-mentioned grant still available for applications?","Please see page 1 and 5 of the NOFO for key dates."]