Coordination of Multi-Stakeholder Forums for Energy Demonstration Projects

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) and Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), in collaboration with its newly established Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA), called ENERGYWERX, will identify local organizations located in specific OCED project host communities interested in convening and leading logistics for multi-stakeholder engagement processes for federal projects.  

This effort will assist selected energy demonstration project communities to engage with government and the selected OCED project performers in a process to share their priorities and concerns across multiple workshops and forums. The selected organization(s) will be responsible for coordinating the event logistics and conducting engagement with local groups to support the process, which will be led and facilitated by a third-party entity identified by the Department of Energy. Activities may last up to a year and will include coordination with a range of groups – including third-party facilitators, local industry partners leading projects, local community groups, and Department of Energy officials – as well as event planning and relationship building with local groups.  

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) and Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), in collaboration with its newly established Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA), called ENERGYWERX, seeks to identify local organizations located in OCED project host communities interested in convening and leading logistics for multi-stakeholder engagement processes for federal projects. Selected local organizations will have the skills, resources, and expertise in event planning and convening multi-stakeholder initiatives or civic engagement processes and serve as a trusted community entity.

OCED is committed to collaborative engagement between OCED, project performers, and host communities throughout the demonstration project lifecycle. For the recently selected Direct Air Capture demonstration projects, OCED plans to use an in-depth community engagement and collaboration process based on Shared Principles for Community Collaboration. ‘Shared Principles’ is a locally co-created framework that informs the engagement approach throughout an OCED-funded project lifecycle. This effort seeks to support the development of Shared Principles via a Participatory Technology Assessment (pTA) conducted by a third-party entity, by identifying local organizations that can support the coordination of event logistics and conduct engagement with local groups to support the pTA process.

In particular, the objective of this effort is to provide logistical and coordination support for event execution in Calcasieu Parish, LA, including: drafting and sending event invitation lists and text, identifying event venues, attending events, providing light refreshments, paying participating honorariums for specific convenings, and managing childcare arrangements (with other sub-contractors, as needed) during specific Shared Principles events.

This effort advances OCED’s mission of delivering clean energy demonstration projects at scale in partnership with the private sector to accelerate deployment, market adoption, and the equitable transition to a decarbonized energy system.

Selected organizations will dedicate a staff member(s) to support coordination, logistical planning, and engagement with local groups to support the Shared Principles pTA process.

• Organizations should be based in close proximity to Calcasieu, LA the community hosting OCED’s Project Cypress Direct Air Capture Hub project, where the ‘Shared Principles’ engagement process will take place, or demonstrate the ability and experience needed to conduct in-person engagement processes in the Calcasieu Parish area if not located locally. Organizations should commit to knowledge sharing with other selected performers, e.g., through regular calls and/or meetings.
• The selected organization(s) will serve as the event logistics coordinator and collaborate, as appropriate and as approved, with other performers who have been selected to facilitate and lead the events and the OCED team, so that there is communal learning from each other.
• Selected organizations are responsible for verifying and meeting childcare standards and requisite licenses in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Selected organizations shall oversee all aspects of on-site childcare during Shared Principles event. Upon DOE approval, selected organizations may work with an approved sub-contracted entity to provide these services. In such a case, a sub-contracted organization will meet all childcare license and certification requirements and selected organizations will maintain oversight and responsibility over this service.

How to Participate

1. Download the Capabilities Overview Template
2. Review the resources frpm the Informational Office Hours Session on February 22, 2024 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET
3. Complete the Submission and Upload Capabilities Overview: Click Here to Submit (Submissions are NLT May 8, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET)