Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003026
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) program is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity designed to help federal agencies plan, upgrade, and deliver projects that reduce energy and water use and move federal buildings toward net-zero performance. The opportunity is run through DOE's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and is structured as a Federal Agency Call (FAC), meaning federal agencies compete against each other and are scored using technical review criteria described in the solicitation. The underlying authority traces back to the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA) requirements in Section 543 (42 U.S.C. 8253), which set energy and water conservation expectations for federal facilities. In practical terms, DOE is using this grant mechanism to accelerate compliance with federal sustainability mandates while also building a pipeline of replicable net-zero building approaches across the federal portfolio.
This specific AFFECT round is funded by Section 40554 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), better known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Under that provision, Congress authorized $250 million (FY 2022, available until expended) to support the grant program authorized under 42 U.S.C. 8256(b). FEMP indicates it intends to award the full $250 million through this BIL AFFECT FAC. Individual awards can be as large as $10,000,000, and DOE anticipates making around 100 awards, signaling an emphasis on broad portfolio impact rather than a small number of mega-projects. The opportunity is listed as discretionary grant funding in the energy and IIJA activity categories (Assistance Listing/CFDA 81.117) and is administered by DOE's Golden Field Office. The posting date is April 20, 2023, with an original closing date of November 27, 2024.
The program is explicitly tied to federal leadership and climate goals laid out in statute and executive direction, including NECPA as amended by the Energy Act of 2020, Executive Order 14057 (federal sustainability and clean energy economy), and Executive Order 14008 (whole-of-government climate response). DOE is looking for projects that do more than produce one-off savings; the emphasis is on creating "showcase" net-zero facilities and/or multi-site deployments that can serve as models the rest of the federal government can copy, scale, and standardize over time. In other words, projects are expected to contribute to a long-term strategy for a net-zero federal building portfolio, not just incremental improvements.
Applications must align with one of three topic areas that cover the full lifecycle of net-zero delivery. Topic Area 1 focuses on assistance with net-zero buildings opportunity development, which generally means early-stage work that helps agencies identify, scope, analyze, and prepare viable net-zero projects (for example, planning, assessments, energy and water studies, and other pre-implementation development steps that make later construction or deployment possible). Topic Area 2 supports modifying existing projects for net-zero buildings, aimed at situations where an agency already has a planned project underway but needs additional funding or technical work to elevate it to net-zero performance (such as redesign, added measures, or integration changes that shift a conventional upgrade into a net-zero solution). Topic Area 3 targets new or in-development net-zero buildings projects, which is the most direct path to implementation and deployment, supporting agencies that are ready to execute net-zero projects at individual sites or across multiple facilities.
Eligibility is aimed at federal agencies (the solicitation notes "Others" in the standard field, but clarifies eligibility in additional text), consistent with the program's purpose of helping agencies meet federal energy and water mandates. Awards are made competitively, and proposals are evaluated against technical review criteria referenced in the funding announcement. Overall, the opportunity is essentially a large BIL-funded push to help federal agencies turn net-zero goals into tangible building projects, using grant funding to move from planning to redesigned upgrades to fully developed net-zero deployments, while producing examples that can be replicated across the federal government.Apply for DE FOA 0003026
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy, infrastructure investment and jobs act (iija) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW (BIL) ASSISTING FEDERAL FACILITIES WITH ENERGY CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES (AFFECT) ADVANCING NET-ZERO FEDERAL FACILITIES" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.117.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 20, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 27, 2024. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BIL AFFECT program?
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) program is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity intended to help federal agencies plan, upgrade, and deliver projects that reduce energy and water use and move federal buildings toward net-zero performance.
Who runs and administers this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is run through DOE's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and is administered by DOE's Golden Field Office.
What is the main goal of this grant opportunity?
The main goal is to accelerate federal progress toward net-zero buildings by funding projects that reduce energy and water use, support compliance with federal sustainability mandates, and create replicable approaches that can be copied and scaled across the federal building portfolio.
What does it mean that this is a Federal Agency Call (FAC)?
This opportunity is structured as a Federal Agency Call (FAC), which means federal agencies compete against each other for awards. Proposals are scored competitively using technical review criteria described in the solicitation.
What is the legal and policy basis behind the program?
The underlying authority traces to the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA), including Section 543 (42 U.S.C. 8253), which sets energy and water conservation expectations for federal facilities. The program is also explicitly tied to federal leadership and climate goals reflected in NECPA as amended by the Energy Act of 2020, Executive Order 14057, and Executive Order 14008.
What law provides funding for this specific AFFECT round?
This round is funded by Section 40554 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
How much funding is available under this BIL AFFECT FAC?
Congress authorized $250 million (FY 2022, available until expended) to support the grant program authorized under 42 U.S.C. 8256(b). FEMP indicates it intends to award the full $250 million through this BIL AFFECT FAC.
What is the maximum award amount per project?
Individual awards can be as large as $10,000,000.
How many awards does DOE expect to make?
DOE anticipates making around 100 awards, suggesting an emphasis on broad portfolio impact rather than a small number of very large projects.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is aimed at federal agencies. While the standard field may note "Others," the solicitation clarifies eligibility in additional text consistent with the program's purpose of supporting federal agencies in meeting federal energy and water mandates.
Is this a competitive grant?
Yes. Awards are made competitively, and proposals are evaluated against technical review criteria referenced in the funding announcement.
What kinds of projects is DOE looking to fund?
DOE is looking for projects that reduce energy and water use and move federal buildings toward net-zero performance. The opportunity emphasizes "showcase" net-zero facilities and/or multi-site deployments that can serve as models other federal agencies can replicate, scale, and standardize over time.
Does the program focus on one-off efficiency upgrades or broader strategies?
The emphasis is on projects that do more than deliver one-off savings. Applicants are expected to propose work that supports a long-term strategy for a net-zero federal building portfolio, including approaches that can be replicated across multiple facilities.
What are the three topic areas applicants must align with?
Applications must align with one of three topic areas covering the full lifecycle of net-zero delivery: (1) opportunity development, (2) modifying existing projects to achieve net-zero performance, or (3) new or in-development net-zero projects ready for execution.
What is Topic Area 1 (assistance with net-zero buildings opportunity development)?
Topic Area 1 supports early-stage work that helps agencies identify, scope, analyze, and prepare viable net-zero projects. Examples described include planning, assessments, and energy and water studies, as well as other pre-implementation steps that enable later construction or deployment.
What is Topic Area 2 (modifying existing projects for net-zero buildings)?
Topic Area 2 is for situations where an agency already has a planned project underway but needs additional funding or technical work to elevate it to net-zero performance. Examples described include redesign, added measures, or integration changes that turn a conventional upgrade into a net-zero solution.
What is Topic Area 3 (new or in-development net-zero buildings projects)?
Topic Area 3 supports agencies that are ready to execute net-zero projects at individual sites or across multiple facilities. This is described as the most direct path to implementation and deployment.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number and funding type?
The opportunity is listed as discretionary grant funding and is associated with Assistance Listing/CFDA 81.117.
What activity categories are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under the energy and IIJA activity categories.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posting date is April 20, 2023.
What is the closing date for applications?
The original closing date is November 27, 2024.
How does this program relate to federal energy and water conservation requirements?
The program is designed to accelerate compliance with federal sustainability mandates and NECPA-related expectations for energy and water conservation in federal facilities, while also building a pipeline of replicable net-zero building approaches across the federal portfolio.
What is meant by "net-zero" in the context of this opportunity?
Based on the opportunity description, "net-zero" refers to moving federal buildings toward net-zero performance, with the program supporting planning, redesign, and project execution steps that collectively enable net-zero buildings delivery and replicable models across the federal government.
What is the strategic value DOE is seeking beyond individual project benefits?
DOE is seeking projects that can be showcased and replicated, helping to create standardized approaches and a scalable pipeline of net-zero solutions across the federal portfolio rather than isolated improvements.
Where does the authorized grant authority for this program appear in federal law?
The funding round references support for the grant program authorized under 42 U.S.C. 8256(b), and it is connected to NECPA requirements in Section 543 (42 U.S.C. 8253) regarding federal facility energy and water conservation expectations.
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