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["INSTRUCTIONS"]
[1,"All questions pertaining to this funding opportunity announcement should be emailed to CleantechUPFOA@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 spreadhseet 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-FOA0001271 - Cleantech University Prize (Cleantech UP)"]
["Question #","Date Submitted","Topic","Question","Answer"]
[1,"2015-02-12","Webinar","How might I be added to the informational webinar being hosted for the Cleantech UP FOA? The FOA did not indicate sign up details.","Please register for Cleantech University Prize Funding Opportunity Announcement: First Informational Webinar for Applicants (Pre-Concept Paper) on Feb 17, 2015 2:00 PM EST at: \n\nhttps://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6497826012441739777\n\nThis is the U.S. Department of Energy’s first informational webinar about its Cleantech University Prize Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0001271). The purpose is to give applicants a chance to ask questions about the FOA process generally. Webinar topics include:\n\n• FOA Description \n• Topic Areas/Technical Areas of Interest \n• Award Information \n• Statement of Substantial Involvement \n• Cost Sharing \n• Pre-Selection Interviews \n• Concept Papers \n• Full Applications \n• Merit Review and Selection Process \n• Registration Requirements \n\nAttendance is not mandatory and will not positively or negatively impact the overall review of any Applicant submissions. Applicants should refrain from asking questions or communicating information that would reveal confidential and/or proprietary information specific to their project. The second webinar will be after Concept Paper encourage/discourage notifications have been sent, but before the due date for Full Applications.\n\n\nAfter registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.\n"]
[2,"2015-02-13","Webinar","For those who will not be available to attend the first CLEANTECH UP webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 17, will it or the slides be posted?  If so, how can it/they be accessed? ","The slides will be posted shortly after the Informational Webinar on the FOA page in Exchange."]
[3,"2015-02-17","Webinar","Is the prize money included in the award or is it administered separately? For example, in Topic 2, are the 3 x $50k in award prizes included in the $225k award, leaving $75k for the proposed 3yr program?","The prize money is included in the award. Of the $700,000 awarded to Topic 1, $300,000 is allocated toward the national prize, and $400,000 is for activities and program support for the three-year program. For Topic 2, of the $225,000 awarded, $150,000 is directed toward prizes and $75,000 is for activities and program support. "]
[4,"2015-02-17","Webinar","Is the $50,000 prize for the Topic 2 awards a single prize for the one winner, or can it be distributed among several top winning teams?","While DOE encourages applicants to support other prizes in addition to the Collegiate Competition prize, each Topic 2 awardee is expected to award a single prize of $50,000 to the top winning team. "]
[5,"2015-02-17","Webinar","You request “Geographic Diversity of selected awardees to ensure national scope.” Does this mean each of the topic 2 applicants should strive for national scope, or is a regional approach acceptable for a topic 2 proposal?","\"Geographic diversity of selected awardees to ensure national scope,\" is a program policy factor. Program policy factors that can be considered by the Selection Official when determining which Full Applications to select for award negotiations. Per page 13 of the FOA, applicants can propose regional or national scope. For more information on how applicants are reviewed, please refer to Section V of the FOA. "]
[6,"2015-02-17","Webinar","Is the $225,000 award for topic 2 an annual dollar amount, or is that the total for the entire 3-year period of performance?","The $225,000 is the total DOE project cost share for the three year program. "]
[7,"2015-02-17","Webinar","For topic 2 -- the collegiate competition -- it sounds like the intent may be to select representative universities from regions across the U.S. Have the geographical boundaries of those regions been determined or considered? ","Geographic boundaries of regions have not been determined. "]
[8,"2015-02-17","Webinar","Will the prize money be provided by EERE in addition to funding? In other words, if a university were successful in obtaining a total award of $225k plus cost share, would the three $50k prizes come from the $225k funding source, or would EERE provide the total of $150k funding for prizes in addition to the $225k award?","The prize money is included in the award. Of the $700,000 awarded to Topic 1, $300,000 is allocated toward the national prize, and $400,000 is for activities and program support for the three-year program. For Topic 2, of the $225,000 awarded, $150,000 is directed toward prizes and $75,000 is for activities and program support. "]
[9,"2015-02-18","Webinar","Will the Cleantech UP program be supplementing or replacing the National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition?","The Cleantech UP FOA replaces the National Clean Energy Business Competition."]
[10,"2015-02-18","Application Content/Format","When I click on FOA_FAQs in Exchange, I receive several characters in scrambled fashion.","Please contact Exchange-Support@hq.doe.gov. For EERE Exchange Technical Support (include FOA name and number in subject line)."]
[11,"2015-02-18","Webinar","We intend to apply for the Topic 2 collegiate competitions award. How are the 8 regions being divided? (especially in regard to the Midwest)","There are no pre-assigned regions."]
[12,"2015-02-18","Webinar","We intend to apply for the Topic 2 collegiate competitions award. Can the awards be distributed as convertible notes?","DOE understands a convertible note is a financial instrument that will ultimately grant the issuer an ownership interest or a return of the funds invested in the person who receives the note.  The Collegiate Competition prize money under this FOA is intended to be a prize, not an investment that will yield some type of return.  The awards to the Prime recipients will be given as cash financial assistance, and the cash prize money given by the Prime recipients to the winners of the Collegiate Competitions should be given without expectation of a return."]
[13,"2015-02-23","Application Content/Format","Is indirect cost an allowable budget item on this grant?  If so, what is an acceptable percentage","Indirect costs may be allowable. A federally approved indirect rate agreement, or rate proposed (supported and agreed upon by DOE for estimating purposes) is required if reimbursement of indirect costs is requested. In lieu of a federally approved indirect rate agreement or a rate proposal, the Grantee may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC) which may be used indefinitely. For more information, see §200.414 “Indirect (F&A) costs\" at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=57053110e7bdf98e4691c79124250b36&node=se2.1.200_1414&rgn=div8.   "]
[14,"2015-02-23","Cost Sharing","Does the 1:1 match apply to the prize money administered under the grant?  For example, on topic 1, 300k of the 700k award is prize money.  Do we need to match all 700k or just the 400k coming to our institution?","Cost share requirement applies to the project as a whole.  The percentage is calculated off the Total Project Cost.  Please see section III.B of the FOA for Cost Sharing and Appendices B and C for the Cost Share Information sheet and sample cost share calculation."]
[15,"2015-02-24","Application Content/Format","Is full F&A an allowable expense?","Please see the answer to question #13."]
[16,"2015-02-24","Application Content/Format","Is a budget (and the other forms listed under Full application) required for the concept paper?  If not, is anything required beyond the 5 page concept paper and appendix.","Please see the FOA section IV.C - \"Content and Form of the Concept Paper\" for Concept Paper requirements."]
[17,"2015-02-24","Eligibility","Are Community Colleges (i.e. two-year schools) eligible to apply to this FOA?","Yes.  Please see FOA Section III \"Eligibilty Information\"."]
[18,"2015-02-24","Cost Sharing","Are we allowed to cost share more than 20% for topic 2?","Yes. Cost share of more than 20% is allowed."]
[19,"2015-02-25","Webinar","I’ve tried accessing the webinar https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/5702344743189496578https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/5702344743189496578 and it doesn’t work. ","The corrected link has been posted to Exhange. We apologize for any inconvenience."]
[20,"2015-02-25","Application Content/Format","How is “relevant field and application” defined?","Relevant field and application refers to the specific technology area (i.e. solar, HVAC, etc.) for which you have a business idea, and the current state-of-the-art for that technology. "]
[21,"2015-02-25","Application Content/Format","With the $225k award for program 2, a 3-yr period of performance, and an annual competition with a prize of $50k, then there will be 3 contests, 3 prizes of $50k, and so $150k of the total cost of each regional contest will simply go to prize money, correct?","See answer to question #3."]
[22,"2015-02-26","Application Content/Format","Is the annual budget of $50,000 for the prize is indirect exempt?","It depends on the Recipients normal base for handling such costs. Administrative costs associated with the prize money may likely  fall under the Indirect cost calculation and the applicant should ensure costs are treated consistently."]
[23,"2015-02-27","Application Content/Format","Does the funder, encourage/recommend the acquisition of other outside funding to help boost what  might be paid to working project team members (e.g., part time experience employee; graduate-level assistant). For example, could local foundations or business partners or venture capitalists chip in to help cover labor?","Applicants can partner with other organizations who could contribute to cost share."]
[24,"2015-02-27","Application Content/Format","Is there an F&A limit. Our university requires 52%.","Applicants can charge whatever their approved rate is."]
[25,"2015-02-27","Application Content/Format","Can applicants speak to you, the funder, if that would be a better way to address questions?","Unfortunately, we cannot speak to applicants via telephone."]
[26,"2015-03-01","Technical Topics","SAM appears to be down for maintenance. ","SAM was temporarily down for routine maintenance on 3/1/2015. As of 3/2/2015, SAM is available."]
[27,"2015-03-06","Application Content/Format","My organization submitted three concept papers in response to DE-FOA-0001271.  We understand that only 1 Full Application may be submitted; however, we could not find any limitation on the number of concept papers. Is it correct to assume that, assuming we are compliant in all other respects, that all 3 concept papers will be scored?","FOA Section III.F. “Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Full Applications Eligible for Review\" states that Applicants may only submit one Full Application for each topic area of this FOA. If an organization submits more than one Concept Paper to the same topic area, all the Concept Papers will be reviewed. However, if an applicant submits more than one Full Application to the same topic area, EERE will only consider the last timely submission to each topic area for evaluation. Any other submissions received listing the same applicant for the same topic area will be considered noncompliant and not eligible for further consideration. This limitation does not prohibit an applicant from collaborating on other applications (e.g., as a potential Subrecipient or partner) so long as the entity is only listed as the Prime Applicant on one Full Application submitted under this FOA.  "]
[28,"2015-03-16","Webinar","We are interested in viewing tomorrow's Webinar, and are hoping to obtain more information on how to access it?","Please register for Cleantech University Prize Funding Opportunity Announcement: Second Informational Webinar for Applicants (Pre-Full Applications) on Mar 17, 2015 2:00 PM EDT at: \n\nhttps://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7494398063090731010\n\nThis is the U.S. Department of Energy’s second informational webinar about its Cleantech University Prize Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0001271). The purpose is to give applicants a chance to ask questions about the FOA process generally. Webinar topics include: \n\n• FOA Description\n• Topic Areas/Technical Areas of Interest\n• Award Information\n• Statement of Substantial Involvement\n• Cost Sharing\n• Full Applications\n• Merit Review and Selection Process \n• Registration Requirements\n\nAttendance is not mandatory and will not positively or negatively impact the overall review of any Applicant submissions. Applicants should refrain from asking questions or communicating information that would reveal confidential and/or proprietary information specific to their project.\n\nAfter registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.\n"]
[29,"2015-03-16","Webinar","We saw the Notice to Issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Cleantech Up. In our review, we saw that it specifically said the application deadline was TBD. Is there still an opportunity to submit a concept paper?","A Notice of Intent is issued so that applicants are aware of the EERE's intention to issue a FOA in the near term.   When the FOA is released all information, including Application deadlines, will be specified there.  The Concept Paper Submission Deadline for the Cleantech UP FOA was 5:00 PM 3/4/2015 as stated on the cover page of the FOA.  Applicants must submit a Concept Paper in order to be eligible to submit a Full Application."]
[30,"2015-03-17","Webinar","I was late for the meeting, will the slides be posted? ","The webinar slides are on EEERE Exchange under Cleantech UP “FOA Documents” (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/#FoaId5d7b39bf-31cb-4bee-b015-b1c1c8c38a2b)."]
[31,"2015-03-17","Webinar","Can concept submitters have access to list of other concept submitters with contact info?","EERE does not routinely release information on application submissions. Per FOA Section VIII. “Notice of Potential Disclosure Under Freedom of Information Act,” identifying information regarding all applicants, including applicant names and/or points of contact, may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), whether or not such applicants are selected for negotiation of award. See http://www.foia.gov/ for information on the FOIA request process."]
[32,"2015-03-17","Webinar","Can we apply for this opportunity without having submit a concept paper?","No. Please see page 30 of the FOA, which states: “To be eligible to submit a Full Application, Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by specified due date.” Concept Papers were due on March 4, 2015."]
[33,"3/23/1025","Application Content/Format","Can additional PI’s beyond those in the concept paper be added to the full proposal?","PIs can change from Concept Paper to Full application, but Prime/Lead Organization cannot. "]
[34,"2015-03-23","Cost Sharing","I have a question about cost sharing. Could we double count cost share from another grant? Say from a state administered grant?","Per FOA Section III.B.3., project teams may use funding or property received from state or local governments to meet the cost share requirement, so long as the funding was not provided to the state or local government by the Federal Government. See also 10 CFR §200.306 “Cost sharing or matching” at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=8e93d90729a12a559b67642e3a65eb5f&node=se2.1.200_1306&rgn=div8 for more information."]
[35,"2015-03-27","Application Content/Format","Could you please tell me whether or not awards made under this FOA will allow F&A costs","Please see the answer to question #13 & #24."]
[36,"2015-03-27","Application Content/Format","Could you please send along guidelines about to whom and how the 50,000 dollar prizes should be awarded by universities administering Cleantech UP Collegiate Competitions","The $50,000 prize will be awarded by each selected Topic 2 Cleantech UP Collegiate Competition awardee to the winning team from their competition. If selected, prior to award, selected competitions must submit a detailed “Competition Judging and Selection Plan” and “Participant Eligibility Requirements” for DOE’s approval. Competition managers must collaborate among themselves as well as with DOE to achieve consistency in eligibility, judging, and prize criteria. The cash prizes should be distributed and awarded in accordance with the Recipient’s accounting principles. "]
[37,"2015-03-30","Application Content/Format","May we change our Technical Point of Contact from the person listed in the Concept Paper submission","Please see the answer to question #33."]
[38,"2015-03-30",null,"Are we able to revise slightly our Abstract that was submitted with our Concept paper, or should it appear exactly as originally submitted?","Any revisions to the Concept paper content must meet the Full Applications Compliance criteria listed under content and form requirements in Section IV.D of the FOA."]
[39,"2015-03-30",null," Where would the Open Source Software Distribution Plan be added in the application?  Would that be listed on the Upload and Submit tab, as “ Additional files”?"]
[40,"2015-03-30",null," Where would the Open Source Software Distribution Plan be added in the application?  Would that be listed on the Upload and Submit tab, as “ Additional files”?","Any documents submitted for the Application that do not have a separate upload field should be uploaded to additional files."]
[41,null,null,"Regarding Time frame for sustainability, might that imply that there might be some DOE funds available in the early years following the completion of the 3 funded years for the Cleantech UP Competition? Would the University of Oregon be required to sustain the $50K Award each year.","As stated in  Section I.A. of the FOA, Collegiate Competitions must demonstrate plans to sustain their competitions beyond this FOA’s period of performance."]
[42,"2015-03-30",null,"the FOA requires that \"each project must have at least one project‐wide go/no‐go decision point for each year (12‐month period) of the project.\"  Could there instead be just two for the three-year grant if the two points are situated (a) in between years 1 and 2 and then (b) in between years 2 and 3, respectively?  Is there more information available from DOE on the Go/no-go points and what the process is that occurs at this points in the project?","As stated in Section II.A.2 of the FOA, At the go/no-go decision points, EERE will evaluate project performance, project schedule adherence, meeting milestone objectives, compliance with reporting requirements, and overall contribution to the program goals and objectives. As a result of this evaluation, EERE will make a determination to continue the project, re-direct the project, or discontinue funding the project. Only those projects demonstrating a high probability of successfully meeting the program targets will be continued.  \n\nSection IV.D.1 of the FOA states that the minimum requirement is that each project must have at least one project-wide go/no-go decision point for each year (12-month period) of the project.  There will only be two Go / No-Go Decisions during the three year project period. One at the end of year one  and a second at the end of year two.\n"]
[43,"2015-03-30",null,"Can you provide the number of “encouraged” concept paper evaluations for topic 2 of Cleantech UP?","EERE will not disclose the number of applications received or Encouraged/Discouraged."]
[44,"3015-03-30",null,"One of the required documents is a one‐page summary/abstract for public release; however, there isn’t a separate field to upload this file.  Should we upload this document in the additional files section?","As stated in the FOA Section IV.D.1. “Full Application Content Requirements,” both a “Summary for Public Release (1 page max)” PDF and a “Summary Slide (1 page limit, Microsoft PowerPoint format)” are separate required documents.  Exchange did not list the “Summary for Public Release (1 page max)” PDF as a required file upload, but this now has been corrected and a file upload field has been added so Applicants can submit it as the FOA intends.  In addition, the required file upload that was named “Summary Slide for Public Release” in Exchange has been renamed to “Summary Slide” to match the correct file name in the FOA. We apologize for the error."]
[45,"2015-04-02",null,"Could you please clarify (1) the cost threshold (either $250,000 or $100,000?) at which sub-awardees must complete a separate EERE 159 budget justification (see text below) , and (2) if these thresholds are for annual costs, or for total costs over the length of the grant (3-years)?","The correct Subrecipient cost threshold for completing a separate detailed Subrecipient budget justification is $250,000 in total costs per Subrecipient (not annual) as stated in the FOA document. The EERE 159 workbook references an outdated threshold. We apologize for the discrepancy."]
[46,"2015-04-06",null,"Can a specific institution offer a letter of support for more than one application? The two applications are from the same region and both in area of interest?","There are no restrictions on an institution offering multiple letters of support."]
[47,"2015-04-08",null,"I've noticed the summary slide in the required documents links to a SunShot template and asks \"how this project will result in a significant advancement in solar market maturity in your area of focus\" under the Project Impact section.  Is this the correct document for all Cleantech UP Topic 2 applicants to use?","Yes. This is the correct document to use."]
[48,"2015-05-15",null,"I contacted the EERE Exchange help desk and they suggested I contact you.  As part of the CleantechUP FOA, we submitted a full application.  We never received the email notifying us that our reviewer comments were ready on the full application so had to check manually.  I just wanted to identify this problem and see how it could be avoided in the future - I wasn't sure if we needed to add additional contact information or something like that.  This hasn't been an issue for the organization in the past (indeed, we received an email about reviewer comments on our concept paper).","Amy Francetic is listed as the Business Point of Contact for this Application. Her email is shown as amy@cleanenergytrust.org The EERE Exchange System sent an email notification to that email address notifying you of the option to view Reviewer Comments. If Ms. Francetic did not receive this email, please check your email filters to ensure that it didn’t inadvertently go into a SPAM or other folder or was somehow filtered before delivery."]

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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"]