[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 97 (Friday, May 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24923-24924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12421]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


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

AGENCY: The Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of intent to provide optional prescreening process for 
potential applicants under the DOE NICE \3\ program solicitation.

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    Presolicitation: In September, the DOE's Office of Industrial 
Technologies will issue its FY 1997 competitive solicitation under 
DOE's NICE \3\ program to fund innovative industrial technologies that 
reduce energy consumption, waste production, and operating costs. In an 
effort to assist perspective applicants, DOE intends to accept 
presolicitation submissions from potential applicants that set out a 
brief description of the project to be proposed under the FY 1997 
solicitation. DOE's technical staff will review these brief 
descriptions and provide constructive feedback to the potential 
applicant within a two week period. This feedback can be used by a 
potential applicant in refining their proposal under the FY 1997 
solicitation.
    Background Information: The goals of the NICE \3\ Program are to 
improve energy efficiency, promote cleaner production, and to improve 
competitiveness in industry. The intent of the NICE \3\ program is to 
fund projects that have completed the research and development stage 
and are ready to demonstrate a fully integrated commercial unit. Some 
industrial technologies that the NICE \3\ project has funded follow: SO 
<INF>3 Cleaning Process in the Manufacture of Semiconductors; 
Innovative Design of a Brick Kiln Using Low Thermal Mass Technology; 
Continuously Reform Electroless Nickel Plating Solutions; Recovery and 
Reuse of Water-Washed Overspray Paint; and HCl Acid Recovery System. 
For the past five years the NICE \3\ program has offered 47 grants 
(approximately $14.8 million) to fund innovative industrial 
technologies.
    Eligible applicants for funding under that solicitation include any 
authorized agency of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. 
Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or 
possession of the United States. For convenience, the term State in 
this notice refers to all eligible State agency applicants. Local 
governments, State and private universities, private non-profits, 
private businesses, and individuals, who are not eligible as direct 
applicants, must work with the appropriate State agencies in developing 
projects and forming participation arrangements. DOE strongly 
encourages and requires these types of cooperative arrangements in 
support of program goals.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number assigned to this 
program is 81.105. Up to $9 million in Federal funds will be made 
available by

[[Page 24924]]

DOE for the 1997 solicitation. Cost sharing is required by all 
participants. The Federal Government will provide up to 40 percent of 
the funds for the project in FY 1997. The remaining funds must be 
provided by the eligible applicants and/or cooperating project 
participants. In addition to direct financial contributions, cost 
sharing can include beneficial services or items, such as manpower 
equipment, consultants, and computer time that are allowable in 
accordance with applicable cost principles. The state applicant is 
required to have an industrial partner to be considered eligible for 
grant consideration.
    Presolicitation: This notice is to advise potential applicants to 
the FY 1997 solicitation that DOE will accept presolicitation 
submissions that set out that a brief description of the potential 
project. The submissions should not exceed two pages and should adhere 
to the format laid out in the preproposal format. This format can be 
obtained by calling the U.S. Department of Energy's Golden Field Office 
contacts (listed below). All preproposals submission will be reviewed 
by NICE \3\ project monitors at the Golden Field Office. The monitors 
will provide comments to the submitter on the proposed project's 
applicability to the NICE \3\ program. In addition, the reviewers will 
provide feedback which the applicant can use to formulate and refine 
their proposal.
    The submission of a presolicitation description is not mandatory 
for submitting an application under the FY 1997 solicitation. DOE 
reviews and comments under the presolicitation process will not be used 
by DOE in evaluating or awarding applications under the FY 1997 
solicitation. The only purpose of the presolicitation process is to 
assist potential applicants, who may need assistance, in refining their 
application.

DATES: A brief description of the proposed project can be submitted to 
the Golden Field Office on or before August 2, 1996. All summaries must 
be submitted through a state agency.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Hass, at (303) 275-4728, or Doug 
Hooker, at (303) 275-4780, at the U.S. Department of Energy Golden 
Field Office, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401, for referral 
to appropriate DOE Regional Support Office or State Agency and to 
receive a copy of the format for the brief description. In addition, 
the format for the brief description and a list of participating state 
agencies can be located on the internet at WWW.nrel.gov/documents/
nice3. The Contract Specialist is James Damm, at (303) 275-4744, and 
the Contracting Officer is Robert Brown, at (404) 347-2879.

    Issued in Golden, Colorado, on May 9, 1996.
John Meeker,
Chief, Procurement.
[FR Doc. 96-12421 Filed 5-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P