DOE announced up to $2.7 million in federal funding available to help local communities across the country create a roadmap toward repurposing existing energy assets, with expanded eligibility for participants. This announcement builds on the Capacity Building for Repurposing Energy Assets initiative that was first launched in August 2023 to assist communities where a significant portion of their local economy has historically been supported by energy assets, such as coal, oil, and/or natural gas power facilities and accompanying equipment and infrastructure.

The initiative will help communities build technical capacity and develop a workforce necessary to help revitalize energy systems, address environmental impacts, and tackle challenges associated with energy assets that have been retired, or are slated for retirement (2009-2033).

The re-issuance of this initiative expands the eligibility for communities to partner with eligible entities that include:

1. Community Colleges, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Minority Serving Institutions, and other educational entities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights;
2. Local economic development entities;
3. Community based organizations and non-governmental organizations;
4. Local elected officials from municipalities (e.g. mayors’ offices);
5. Labor unions and labor-management organizations;
6. Organizations that represent workers in energy communities; and
7. Workforce development entities involved in administering the public workforce system.

Objective

This effort seeks to support performers (e.g., municipal governments, community-based non-government organizations) in capacity building and workforce development planning in communities that host existing energy assets that have retired, or are slated for retirement, and that comprise or comprised a significant portion of local activities (e.g., jobs, tax revenue, and related considerations).

In particular, the objective of this effort is to directly support an embedded work stream supported by a staffer whose primary responsibility is coordination and planning, with a particular emphasis on workforce development oriented around productively and sustainably repurposing such assets, their sites and associated infrastructure.

Community-based government or nongovernmental organizations (e.g., municipal governments; nonprofit organizations dedicated to community development, especially related to energy and economic transition) will dedicate a staff member whose primary responsibility is coordination and planning the productive and sustainable repurposing of an existing energy asset(s), especially emphasizing workforce development.

Organizations should be based in communities that host existing energy assets that currently comprise (or comprised at some point within the last 5 years) a significant portion of local economic activities (e.g., jobs, tax revenue, and related considerations).

Existing energy assets of interest are primarily large, single facility assets (e.g., power plant; mine) with a planned or reasonably anticipated closure date between 2009 and 2032, but could also be a collection, network, or other agglomeration of facilities (e.g., natural gas or oil wells) that is expected to retire in the that time range.

• Organizations should articulate how this work stream is new and additive: the goal is to enable work not previously completed and to build capacity within the organization.
• Organizations should commit to knowledge sharing with other selected performers, e.g., through quarterly calls and/or meetings, and should be able to articulate how they will continue to share knowledge with other organizations facing similar challenges after the completion of this work stream.
• Organizations should commit to knowledge sharing with other selected performers, e.g., through quarterly calls and/or meetings, and should be able to articulate how they will continue to share knowledge with other organizations facing similar challenges after the completion of this work stream.

Timeline

• Phase 1 – Submissions Open [February 22, 2024 to April 18, 2024]: Interested respondents must complete a submission form (for Government review only) no later than April 18, 2024, 3:00 PM ET. Submitters must download, complete, and upload a Capabilities Overview (maximum of 3 pages).
• Phase 2 – Government Review and Downselect [April 18, 2024 to May 31, 2024]: DOE will downselect respondents/submissions with the highest likelihood of satisfying their needs.
• Phase 3 – Path Forward [June 2024 to March 2025]: Subsequently, selectees will participate in a discussion with DOE subject matter experts to learn more about the scope of work determined by the Government.
• Phase 4 – Effort Underway [August 22, December 12, 2024 and January 30, 2025]: Throughout the work, DOE seeks that selected organizations work closely with the DOE team, including attending and participating in three interactive sessions as a commitment to knowledge sharing and learning with other selected performers.