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["INSTRUCTIONS"]
[1,"All questions pertaining to this funding opportunity announcement should be emailed to HydroNextFOA@ee.doe.gov. "]
[2,"All questions pertaining to EERE Exchange should be emailed to EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov. Include FOA name and number in subject line."]
[3,"All questions and answers pertaining to this FOA will be posted on EERE Exchange within this spreadsheet."]
[4,"DOE will attempt to respond to a question within 3 business days, unless a similar question and answer has already been posted in this spreadsheet. "]
[5,"All questions should be submitted not later than 3 business days prior to the application due date. Questions submitted after this date will not be answered."]
[6,"Questions are assigned a number in accordance with when they are reviewed by DOE.  "]
[7,"Questions are assigned a topic area by DOE when reviewed."]
[]
["TIPS"]
[1,"Applicants may sort questions and answers in the question tabs of this spreadsheet by selecting the drop-down box arrow on the column headers and selecting any of the listed attributes."]
[2,"Applicants may search for questions and/or keywords by holding CTRL+F on the keyboard and typing in a phrase or keyword."]

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["ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTION AND ANSWER LOG"]
["DE-FOA0001286 - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR LOW IMPACT HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT"]
["Question #","Date Submitted","Topic","Question","Answer"]
[1,"2015-04-09","Eligibility","Is it possible to apply for multiple topic areas, or is it preferable to address multiple topic areas in one project application?","Please review Section III. F of the FOA. \"Applicants may submit more than one Full Application to this FOA, provided that each application describes a unique, scientifically distinct project. Note: Only applicants who have submitted a compliant Concept Paper will be eligible to submit a Full Application. In order to submit more than one application to this FOA, a separate Concept Paper must be submitted for each, unique, scientifically distinct project.\""]
[2,"2015-04-10","Technical Topics","Please provide a link to the following as mentioned in this FOA:  “A recent study by Oak Ridge National Lab has shown that there is up to 60 GW of new hydropower development potential available in the United States.”","Please refer to the bottom of page 6 of the FOA document for a link to the study. http://nhaap.ornl.gov/nsd"]
[3,"2015-04-13","Foreign Entities/Work","Is there a possibility of funding opportunities (grants) to develop a transfer technology program in hydropower technology between a foreign country and USA?","Please review http://www.grants.gov/ and https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx for Funding Opportunity Announcements your organization may be interested in.  If you find a FOA that you are interested in applying for, please review the Areas of Interest of the FOA and the eligibility section to determine whether your organization is eligible to apply."]
[4,"2015-04-14","Technical Topics","I'm hoping to visit program directors involved in funding renewable energy projects to discuss research projects. Would it be possible to meet with you? I'm wondering if technologies we are developing fit this solicitation and would be of interest to the DOE? If not, is there another DOE program and program director I should contact? If you know of other program directors supporting renewable energy research, could you please share those contacts with me as well?","Please review Section I, Funding Opportunity Description, to determine whether your project falls under one of the Areas of Interest of the FOA. EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant. DOE personnel are prohibited from communicating directly with potential applicants to open FOAs."]
[5,"2015-04-16","Webinar","Is it possible to listen to the webinar after it has occurred? (I am unable to attend during the scheduled time.)","Yes, it is our plan to record the webinar and make it available through the Exchange system."]
[6,"2015-04-16","Application Content/Format","Is there a reference website discussing the rules/regulations/obligations if awarded funding from the DOE?","Rules, regulations and obligations are outlined in the FOA. Please review the FOA document, which is available for download from Exchange."]
[7,"2015-04-16","Registration Requirements","I am interested in applying and need the application guidelines and forms. Can you email them to me?","Please review the posting on the Exchange website. All of the applicable FOA guidelines and forms can be downloaded from there. \n\nhttps://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaIdc83c5ee0-0614-40fd-b8cc-f7ad98ecefc1"]
[8,"2015-04-17","Foreign Entities/Work","We are a foreign company. We are reviewing the opportunity to establish a new company in the U.S. Are we eligible to apply for this opportunity?","Please review Section I of the FOA to determine whether your project falls under one of the Areas of Interest, and Section III to determine whether your organization is eligible to apply. "]
[9,"2015-04-17","Technical Topics","The FOA does not mention the specific technology that my company is working on, and the examples seem to be mainly civil structure related. Would our technology apply to Topic 1, 2 or 3, or none of the above?","Topic Areas 1 & 2 are targeting civil infrastructure technology improvements. Topic Area 3 is targeting powertrain components with an emphasis on composite type assemblies for turbine runners and innovative generator designs to mitigate the possible damages caused by flexible dispatching in hydroelectric machines. \n\nIt is up to the applicant to determine if their technology, and to what extent, meets the goals and objectives of the FOA. Technology specific feedback regarding responsiveness to the FOA will be provided for concept papers submitted to Exchange by the concept paper deadline."]
[10,"2015-04-21","Webinar","I could not get audio on the webinar.  I am experienced using GoToMeetings and none of the options worked.  Is the webinar recording available to listen to on-line?","Yes, the webinar was recorded and will be made available through the Exchange system."]
[11,"2015-04-23","Cost Sharing","We are not able to provide the cost share required under this FOA. Is it possible to obtain award without the cost share? If not, what options are available?","This FOA has a mandatory cost share requirement. Please review the section of the FOA titled \"Cost Sharing\" for cost share minimum required amounts and kinds of allowable cost share. There is no deviation from this statutory requirement."]
[12,"2015-04-23","Technical Topics","In section I.C (page 7) it is stated that MHK technologies are an area specifically not of interest. However, would an application to develop a method of rapid deployment of an existing MHK technology be considered?","No, this would not be of interest. This FOA specifically addresses hydropower."]
[13,"2015-04-27","Technical Topics","Topic I states in part, \"Design and laboratory testing of ...\". Can this be taken to mean also a digital laboratory using computerized fluid dynamics (CFD), often referred to a \"digital water tunnel\" or \"digital wind tunnel\"?","The basic intention of FOA Topic Area 1 is for the design and fabrication of a prototype with  prototype laboratory testing to follow.  However, depending on the type, scale and maturity of the design, use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) may be an acceptable approach in lieu of laboratory physical testing.  Per the FOA, \"Specific testing methodologies performed in the laboratory may vary based on the technology developed.\" "]
[14,"2015-04-29","Application Content/Format","At any point of creating and submitting our concept papers and full applications, do we have to designate which Topic Area (1, 2, or 3) our innovations fall under?  Do we choose the Topic Area at the point of the submission or does the review board determine which Topic Area our submission falls under and notifies us? I know we have to submit a different concept paper for each distinctly different innovation, but I've read through the FOA documents and I don't see a detailed explanation as to how we, or the DOE, designates which innovations fall under which Topic Areas.","The Applicant designates the appropriate Topic Area.  When you click “Apply” to start the process for submitting your Concept Paper within EERE Exchange, you will be asked to provide certain basic information, including the Topic Area under which you are applying. Please note that when the deadline for submission of Concept Papers expires, the “Apply” button automatically disables."]
[15,"2015-04-29","Technical Topics","What does \"mitigate the possible damages caused by flexible dispatching in hydroelectric machines\" mean?  Is this the same as adaptable generation to meet changes in water flow or grid need?  Or is this a mechanical reference to synchronization or out of step reclosing damage?","In order to accommodate integration of variable renewable sources and a dynamic electric grid, the majority of hydropower generation is being dispatched much more dynamically than in previous decades.  This change in dispatching has been associated with additional deterioration of many hydroelectric powertrain components.  While efforts are still underway to accurately describe and quantify this cost, minimal efforts have been undertaken to address fundamental powertrain design characteristics and improve the robustness of components and systems in response to changing operating load profiles.   Topic Area 3 of the subject FOA attempts to challenge applicants to address this issue through novel generator designs and materials selection."]
[16,"2015-05-05","Application Content/Format","What is the \"Control Number\" to be placed in the Upper left hand corner?","A control number will be issued when an Applicant begins the Exchange application process. See FOA Section IV. Application And Submission Information, Subsection A. Application Process.\n\nA control number is the identifying number unique to each application provided by Exchange."]
[17,"2015-05-07","Application Content/Format","I am assisting a client in finalizing the concept paper for today. We have a confirmed team of researchers to date, but may want to change or add to the team in the full proposal. Are changes in the team members between the concept paper and the full proposal allowed?\n\nAt this concept paper stage, our budgets are not firm. We see that on the EERE Exchange website we need to enter budget numbers. How binding are these at the full proposal stage?","Yes, team members can change, but the prime applicant should remain the same.\n\nYes, budget changes can be addressed during award discussions. DOE funding is contingent on the amount proposed in the full application. If the final budget changes, be aware that the DOE share may be reduced."]
[18,"2015-05-07","Application Reviews","When will the evaluations of the concept paper (with the \"encourage\" or discourage\" feedback) be provided?","DOE's goal is to provide Concept Paper feedback by 5 PM Eastern on 5/15/2015."]
[19,"2015-05-09","Eligibility","Can we apply to your program/opportunities if we are non-U.S. citizens?","Please review section III. A \"Eligible Applicants\" of the FOA for eligibility information pertaining to foreign individuals and foreign entities."]
[20,"2015-05-15","Application Content/Format","We are unsure of the requirements for the Principal Investigator. Parts of the FOA refer to a Principal Investigator/Project Director, and in other places describes the Principal Investigator as a project manager. Is it acceptable to have a Printipal Investigator whose strengths are directing and sucessfully commercializing innovations but without a technical degree supported by co-PIs who are PhDs or PEs that provide the expert technical depth?","Yes. Please keep in mind that one of the primary review criteria is the \"Team and Resources\". \n\nPer the FOA:\nCriterion 3: Team and Resources - Weight 20%\n- The capability of the Principal Investigator(s) and the proposed team to address all aspects of the proposed work with a good chance of success;\n- The sufficiency of the facilities to support the work;\n- Degree to which the proposed consortia/team demonstrates the ability to facilitate and expedite further development and commercial deployment of the proposed technologies;\n- Level of participation by project participants as evidenced by letter(s) of commitment and how well they are integrated into the Workplan; and\n- Reasonableness of budget and spend plan for proposed project and objectives."]
[21,"2015-05-19","Cost Sharing","On page 6 of the FOA there is the statement, “with an average award amount of $1,500,000.” Please confirm this means that with the 20% cost share this equates to an average total project cost of $1,800,000.","The average award amount listed in the FOA includes only the government share of the project. If the recipient is required to contribute 20% cost share, that would be added to the government share."]
[22,"2015-05-26","Application Content/Format","I have a question on Funding Opportunity Announcement, DE-FOA-0001286 Research and Development of Low Impact Hydro power development.  On page 23, it describes the Summary Slide (1 page limit, Microsoft Power Point Format).\n\nThen on page 31 and 32 it lists all the items needed on the summary slide.\n\nIt would be very difficult to get all those items on one page of a power point slide. Do you literally want all those items on one slide? My initial attempt to follow the instructions resulted in 8 slides in the single file.","At this time, the expectation is all applicants will only use one slide, as requested in the FOA.  The amount of information should be condensed.  "]
[23,"2015-05-27","Application Content/Format","Where do I find the current version of the SF-424 form? \n\nWhat form do we use for the FFRDC budget?","The SF-424 can be found in Exchange. Please follow this link https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaIdc83c5ee0-0614-40fd-b8cc-f7ad98ecefc1. Under the heading “Required Application Documents” click on the “View Required Application Documents” link. The first downloadable form under “Full Application” is SF-424 Application for Financial Assistance.\n\nFor the FFRDC budget, the FFRDCs should submit their own budget proposal form. You will also need to provide the Authorization from the Cognizant Contracting Officer for the FFRDC. Please see section IV. D. 8. of the FOA for further information."]
[24,"2015-06-02","Technical Topics","We are preparing the business plan and are wondering if there are any State or Federal incentives available for potential buyers? Such as tax, credits, etc which can reduce the total cost to install such unit.","Incentives for any renewables can generally be found on the DSIRE website for States and Fed. http://www.dsireusa.org/"]
[25,"2015-06-02","Due Dates","We noticed that the Submission Deadline for Full Application of DE-FOA-0001286 is 6/15/2015. Is it possible to get an extension on the Full Application deadline?","At this time, DOE does not plan to extend the deadline for full applications."]
[26,"2015-06-04","Application Content/Format","In form EERE 335 where do I make the entry to request a fee (profit)? Should I put this on the \"indirect\" tab as \"Other Indirect\" and explain it is a requested fee?","Profit and/or fee is unallowable."]
[27,"2015-06-05","Technical Topics","Are there any restriction from using data from existing DOE awarded contracts to reduce risk, lower project costs and help advance the TRL for the proposed work, and if there are no restrictions, what process is required to obtain approvals if necessary?","Permissible use of data under awards issued pursuant to this FOA is described in Section VIII, Paragraph N of the FOA."]
[28,"2015-06-08","Application Content/Format","In the subject FOA it says to include letters of commitment in an appendix to the Technical Volume.  These letters from the sub-reciepents also have budgets in them, so should we include them in both the Technical Volume appendix, or only as additional sheets in the budget justification form?","Commitment Letters from Third Parties Contributing to Cost Share, if applicable , are not required to be submitted until after a recipient has been selected for award, see Section IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION   , Subsection E. POST-AWARD INFORMATION REQUESTS\n\nEach subaward budget justification must be submitted in a Microsoft Excel file using the following convention for the title \"ControlNumber_LeadOrganization_Subawardee_Budget_Justification\", Section IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION, Subsection D. CONTENT AND FORM OF THE FULL APPLICATION"]
[29,"2015-06-09","Application Content/Format","How do I know if my full application is subject to review by state under executive order 12372 process?","Please see page 36 of the FOA, Section IV. H. Intergovernmental Review. “Technology Office not subject to Executive Order 12372. This FOA is not subject to Executive Order 12372 – Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”"]
[30,"2015-06-09","Due Dates","I am interested in applying for a grant on the DE-FOA-0001286 program.  Is it too late to begin the process?","Thank you for your interest in this FOA. In order to be eligible to submit a full application, applicants must have submitted a Concept Paper by the 5/7/2015 due date. For applicants who successfully submitted Concept Papers, the Full Applications are due by 6/15/2015. \n\nPlease check the EERE Exchange website http://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ for other Funding Opportunities that your organization may be interested in."]
[31,"2015-06-12","Application Content/Format","Our organization submitted a concept paper which was approved for full application.  We may want to change the wording of the Project Title of the Full Application, vs the title used in the Concept Paper. Is it ok to make a wording change to the Project Title? Or does the Full Application Title need to match the Concept Paper Title exactly?","It is acceptable to change the wording of the Project Title of the Full Application. But please make it clear that you submited a concept paper under a different title. "]
[32,"2015-07-07","Application Reviews","According to the schedule, replies to reviewer comments are due on 7/13/15. When should we expect to receive reviewer comments?","The deadline for replies to reviewer comments has been extended by one day to 7/14/15. "]
[33,"2015-08-05","Application Reviews","The expected date for EERE Selection Notification was scheduled for 7/31/15.  If we haven’t received a response, do we assume that we have not been selected?","EERE is in the process of making award selections.  Selection notifications are anticipated in September."]
[34,"2015-08-27","Application Reviews","When should we anticipate being notified of selection or non-selection with respect to a proposal submitted under DE-FOA-0001286?","Selection notifications are anticipated in September."]
[35,"2051-09-01","Application Reviews","I found on the EERE FOA listing (Exchange) a new FOA 1309 that explains that FOA 1286 will be re-issued under the 1309 number as though it never had been issued before.  Does this mean we have to re-apply on an as yet unknown future date and all of our work was for nothing?","No, DE-FOA-0001309 is not a new FOA, nor does it explain “that FOA 1286 will be re-issued under the 1309 number”. DE-FOA-0001309 is the Notice of Intent (posted in March of 2015) related to DE-FOA0001286. A Notice of Intent for each FOA is required to be posted in Exchange at least 14 days prior to the posting of the associated FOA,  to notify the public that it is DOE’s intent to issue a FOA. This NOI (DE-FOA-0001309) was posted in March of 2015, and the associated FOA (DE-EE0001286) was then posted in April of 2015."]

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["Pick List"]
[]
["Registration Requirements"]
["Webinar"]
["Eligibility"]
["Labs/FFRDCs"]
["Foreign Entities/Work"]
["Cost Sharing"]
["Due Dates"]
["Application Content/Format"]
["Intellectual Property"]
["Data Management"]
["U.S. Manufacturing Plan"]
["Application Reviews"]
["Technical Topics"]