(a) This subpart sets forth DOE's policies and procedures for implementing special projects financial assistance under this part.

(b) For years in which such funding is available, States may apply for financial assistance to undertake a variety of State-oriented energy-related special projects activities in addition to the funds provided under the regular SEP grants.

(c) The types of funded activities may vary from year to year, and from State to State, depending upon funds available for each type of activity and DOE and State priorities.

(d) A number of end-use sector programs in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy participate in the funding of these activities, and the projects must meet the requirements of those programs.

(e) The purposes of the special project activities are:

(1) To utilize States to accelerate deployment of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and alternative transportation fuel technologies;

(2) To facilitate the commercialization of emerging and underutilized energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies; and

(3) To increase the responsiveness of Federally funded technology development efforts to the needs of the marketplace.

(a) If in any fiscal year DOE has funds available for special projects, DOE shall publish in the Federal Register one or more notice(s) of availability of SEP special projects financial assistance.

(b) Each notice of availability shall cite this part and shall include:

(1) Brief descriptions of the activities for which funding is available;

(2) The amount of money DOE has available or estimates it will have available for award for each type of activity, and the total amount available;

(3) The program official to contact for additional information, application forms, and the program guidance/solicitation document; and

(4) The dates when:

(i) The program guidance/solicitation will be available; and

(ii) The applications for financial assistance must be received by DOE.

After the publication of the notice of availability in the Federal Register, DOE shall, upon request, provide States interested in applying for one or more project(s) under the special projects financial assistance with a detailed program guidance/solicitation that will include:

(a) The control number of the program;

(b) The expected duration of DOE support or period of performance;

(c) An application form or the format to be used, location for application submission, and number of copies required;

(d) The name of the DOE program office contact from whom to seek additional information;

(e) Detailed descriptions of each type of program activity for which financial assistance is being offered;

(f) The amount of money available for award, together with any limitations as to maximum or minimum amounts expected to be awarded;

(g) Deadlines for submitting applications;

(h) Evaluation criteria that DOE will apply in the selection and ranking process for applications for each program activity;

(i) The evaluation process to be applied to each type of program activity;

(j) A listing of program policy factors if any that DOE may use in the final selection process, in addition to the results of the evaluations, including:

(1) The importance and relevance of the proposed applications to SEP and the participating programs in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; and

(2) Geographical diversity;

(k) Reporting requirements;

(l) References to:

(1) Statutory authority for the program;

(2) Applicable rules; and

(3) Other terms and conditions applicable to awards made under the program guidance/solicitation; and

(m) A statement that DOE reserves the right to fund in whole or in part, any, all, or none of the applications submitted.

(a) Consistent with § 420.32 of this part, DOE shall set forth general and special project activity-specific requirements for applications for special projects financial assistance in the program guidance/solicitation.

(b) In addition to any other requirements, all applications shall provide:

(1) A detailed description of the proposed project, including the objectives of the project in relationship to DOE's program and the State's plan for carrying it out;

(2) A detailed budget for the entire proposed period of support, with written justification sufficient to evaluate the itemized list of costs provided on the entire project; and

(3) An implementation schedule for carrying out the project.

(c) DOE may, subsequent to receipt of an application, request additional budgetary information from a State when necessary for clarification or to make informed preaward determinations.

(d) DOE may return an application which does not include all information and documentation required by this subpart, 10 CFR part 600, or the program guidance/solicitation, when the nature of the omission precludes review of the application.

DOE may require (as set forth in the program guidance/solicitation) States to provide either:

(a) A matching contribution of at least a specified percentage of the Federal financial assistance award; or

(b) A specified share of the total cost of the project for which financial assistance is provided.

(a) DOE staff at the cognizant Regional Office shall perform an initial review of all applications to ensure that the State has provided the information required by this subpart, 10 CFR part 600, and the program guidance/solicitation.

(b) DOE shall group, and technically evaluate according to program activity, all applications determined to be complete and satisfactory.

(c) DOE shall select evaluators on the basis of their professional qualifications and expertise relating to the particular program activity being evaluated.

(1) DOE anticipates that evaluators will primarily be DOE employees; but

(2) If DOE uses non-DOE evaluators, DOE shall require them to comply with all applicable DOE rules or directives concerning the use of outside evaluators.

The evaluation criteria, including program activity-specific criteria, will be set forth in the program guidance/solicitation document.

(a) DOE may make selection of applications for award based on:

(1) The findings of the technical evaluations;

(2) The priorities of DOE, SEP, and the participating program offices;

(3) The availability of funds for the various special project activities; and

(4) Any program policy factors set forth in the program guidance/solicitation.

(b) The Director, Office of State and Community Programs makes the final selections of projects to be awarded financial assistance.

(a) Expenditures under the special projects are subject to 10 CFR part 600 and to any prohibitions and limitations required by the DOE programs that are providing the special projects funding.

(b) DOE must state any expenditure prohibitions or limitations specific to a particular category of special projects in the annual SEP special projects solicitation/guidance.