The U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory, under the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, has issued Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) DE-FOA-0003390. Titled "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) - Mine of the Future - Proving Ground Initiative," this NOFO provides financial assistance. The complete grant application package and detailed instructions are available on the NETL Exchange website (https://netl-exchange.energy.gov). Applicants can locate the NOFO by searching for keywords, the title, or the NOFO number in the "Funding Opportunities" search box. The full document can then be accessed via the link under the "FOA DOCUMENTS" heading on the NOFO's dedicated page. This initiative seeks to outline a comprehensive financial assistance opportunity related to future mining infrastructure.
The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Part 2, a companion to NOFO Part 1, outlines fixed Department of Energy (DOE) requirements for financial assistance applications, award negotiations, and post-award obligations. It details essential registration steps for SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eXCHANGE, emphasizing that these can take several weeks and are crucial for eligibility. The document specifies comprehensive cost-sharing criteria, including allowable and unallowable sources, verification, and calculation examples. It also addresses other critical eligibility factors such as the "Entity of Concern" prohibition and guidelines for using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in applications, highlighting responsibilities for accuracy and potential risks. Application content requirements are extensive, covering format, specific forms like SF-424, letters of commitment, and detailed documentation for projects impacting Indian Tribes. Furthermore, it outlines criteria for foreign entity participation and work waivers, resume requirements for R&D and non-R&D NOFOs, and current and pending support disclosures, all aimed at ensuring transparency and compliance with federal regulations. Funding restrictions, submission deadlines, application review processes, and post-award administrative and reporting requirements are also thoroughly explained.