Energy Conservation

The summary for the Energy Conservation grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Maritime Administration, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Energy Conservation: Maritime Administration
Energy Conservation
Request for Proposals

The Maritime Administration Office of Environment is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects that demonstrate criteria pollutant or greenhouse gas emissions reductions from marine vessels through repowering, use of alternative fuels or an alternative energy source, or use of energy conservation technology.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

In support of its statutory mission to foster and support the U.S. merchant maritime industry, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) partners with government agencies, industry, and academia to support development of technology and practices that reduce vessel and port air emissions, and increase energy efficiency. Recent efforts have included development of planning and modeling tools, in-situ testing of alternative renewable fuels, the use of fuel cells for vessel and shore power, and vessel repowers. MARAD is seeking to further these efforts through a cooperative agreement to demonstrate technology or practices that reduce vessel or port air emissions through use of alternative fuels or energy sources, or enable greater energy efficiency and conservation.

This RFP is being issued under the authority of 46 U.S.C. § 50307, 49 C.F.R. § 1.93, and Pub.L. 113-235 (December 16, 2014). See also 160 Cong. Rec. H9307, at H9980 (daily ed. Dec. 11, 2014) (Explanatory Statement Submitted by Mr. Rogers of Kentucky, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations Regarding the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment on H.R. 83).

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

MARAD recognizes the limited Federal funding opportunities specific to the maritime sector for emission reduction projects and proposes to enter into a cooperative agreement to help offset costs. The total amount of funding under the RFP will be $750,000.

MARAD is seeking to provide cost share funding through cooperative agreements for U.S.-flagged vessels that operate in international trade, on inland or coastal waterways, or on the Great Lakes. Eligible applicants include vessel owners, operators, or sponsors. Awardees must demonstrate a reduction of criteria pollutant air emissions (such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (PM), or greenhouse gases). In-situ emissions testing or an acceptable emissions reduction verification scheme correlated to energy conservation will be required. If in-situ emissions testing will be completed, testing must be performed during three distinct intervals: a baseline period before the conversion or application of new technology or fuel; immediately after the conversion (factoring in a “break-in” period); and one year after the conversion to quantify the change in emissions and determine efficacy. If an emissions reduction verification scheme is to be completed, energy conservation will have to be directly correlated with emissions reductions. Emissions data must be made available to MARAD and will be made publically available. Shoreside equipment upgrades or shore power projects are not eligible for funding. Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.

MARAD intends to use the results/data of the demonstration projects to verify emissions estimates and technology effectiveness, identify installation or operational challenges, support further work related to air emissions reduction research and assess the public benefit of incentives. Projects that may be funded under the RFP include engine conversion/retrofits, the use of alternative fuels or an alternative or energy source, or the use of energy conserving technologies. MARAD will not fund more than 50% of the total cost of the project.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants. MARAD is seeking to provide cost share funding through cooperative agreements for U.S.-flagged vessels that operate in international trade, on inland or coastal waterways, or on the Great Lakes. Eligible applicants include vessel owners, operators, or sponsors. MARAD will not make an award to any applicant whose proposed project involves activity on a non U.S.-flagged vessel.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching. Cost sharing is required. MARAD will not fund more than 50% of the total cost of the project. Proposals must include a detailed cost share analysis that shows how Federal funds will be used for the project. Please see Section D.2 for information on proposal requirements.

3. Systems for Award Management (SAM) Requirements. MARAD will not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time MARAD is ready to make an award, MARAD may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. Please see Section D.3 for information on SAM requirements. MARAD will not make an award to any applicant with an active exclusion in SAM.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package. This RFP contains all the information needed to submit a proposal and be considered for award. No specific application form or other materials need to be obtained from MARAD.

2. Content and Form of Application.

Proposals must include a detailed description of the project that provides:
• Vessel class, engine type, and size
• Operation specifics and area (including ports serviced, waterway used, frequency of operation, cargo carried)
• Existing emissions profile and expected results after technology is applied
• The identity of project partners and their role as well as partner contribution to the project
• Detailed cost share analysis that shows how Federal funds will be used
• Type of conversion, technology, or fuel to be used
• Readiness level of technology to be used

Proposals are limited to 15 pages maximum (including any appendices/attachments). Any proposal that exceeds this requirement will not be considered for award. Any proposal that does not clearly address the evaluation criteria in Section E.1 will not be considered for award.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM).

Each applicant is required to: (a) be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (b) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (c) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. MARAD will not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time MARAD is ready to make an award, MARAD may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

4. Submission Dates and Times. The deadline for proposal submissions is 2:00 PM, Washington, DC local time, on the Closing Date listed for this RFP on Grants.gov. Proposals received by MARAD after the deadline will not be considered for award. An email will be deemed “received” by MARAD on the date and time the email was “sent” to the email address in Section D.7, below, as determined by MARAD’s servers.

5. Intergovernmental Review. This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”

6. Funding Restrictions. Applicants are advised to review 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements For Federal Awards, as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 1201, for cost principles used to determine allowable costs of work performed under Federal awards.

7. Other Submission Requirements. Proposals must be submitted by the deadline set forth in Section D.4 above by electronic mail to Judy Bowers, Agreement/Grants Officer, at [email protected]. Please include the Funding Opportunity Number and Title in the Subject Line.


E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Criteria.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria, which are of equal importance:
• The clarity of the proposal in describing the details of the project and the steps to complete it.
• Financial viability and readiness of the project (i.e. MARAD is looking for projects that are ready to be demonstrated aboard a vessel).
• Determined longevity of use of technology, alternative fuel, or engine conversion.
• Partnerships and use of partnering resources.
• Demonstrated ability to cost share at least 50% of the total cost of the proposed project.
• Demonstrated ability to complete the project within a three-year timeline.

2. Review and Selection Process.

MARAD has set up an internal review team to evaluate all proposals that are submitted under this announcement. All eligible proposals will be evaluated within 3 weeks after the closing date. If the review team has any questions on an individual proposal, it will notify the applicant for clarification.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices.

The successful applicants(s) will be notified by MARAD’s Office of Acquisition via telephone; however, the telephone call is not the actual award or the authorization to begin performance. All awards will be made by a cooperative agreement signed by MARAD’s Agreement/Grants Officer. After an award has been made, a MARAD representative from the Office of Environment will notify the awardee to set up a kick-off meeting for the project.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified via email.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. Applicants are advised to review 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements For Federal Awards, as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 1201, for applicable administrative and national policy requirements. For a copy of the general terms and conditions of the Federal award made under this RFP, please contact Judy Bowers, Agreement/Grants officer, at [email protected]. Federal awards made under this RFP may include additional terms that are specific to the project, including without limitation awardee information, project description, funding details, and appropriate data rights clauses.

3. Reporting. Applicants are advised to review 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements For Federal Awards, as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 1201, for applicable reporting requirements. Federal awards made under this RFP may include additional reporting requirements that are appropriate for the specific project to be funded by MARAD.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT

For any questions relating to the technical or programmatic aspects of this RFP, please contact Daniel Yuska, Environmental Protection Specialist, at [email protected].

For any questions about the administration of this funding opportunity and any awards, please contact Judy Bowers, Agreement/Grants Officer, at [email protected].


H. OTHER INFORMATION

Applicants must identify all proprietary information in its submission.

MARAD is not obligated to make any Federal award as a result of this RFP.