Voucher Opportunity 6: Hydropower Testing Network (HyTN) (Recipients)

The HyTN Voucher Opportunity for Phase 2 launched on September 18, 2024. Please see the announcement article for more information.

Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session (IW/OSS) [October 2, 2024 from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET]: DOE will present and summarize the details of the HyTN Voucher Opportunity. Potential Voucher Recipients can better understand the scope, scale, and intent of the Voucher Opportunity and ask questions of the DOE staff.

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Informational Office Hours [October 15, 2024 from 1:00 PM – 2:00PM ET]: DOE will host Office Hours to answer any remaining questions from potential applicants before the submission deadline.

The deadline to complete the Voucher Recipient application is October 30, 2024, at 3:00 PM ET.

Click Here to Start Your Application

Phase 1 – Voucher Provider Capability Submissions [June 26, 2024 – August 8, 2024] – COMPLETE

Phase 2 – Voucher Recipient Applications and Matchmaking [September 18, 2024 – October 30, 2024]: Hydropower technology developers apply to receive a testing service available in the capabilities catalog and meritorious applications will be matched to one of the requested capabilities approved during Phase 1.

• Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session (IW/OSS) [October 2, 2024 from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET]: DOE will present and summarize the details of the HyTN Voucher Opportunity. Potential Voucher Recipients can better understand the scope, scale, and intent of the Voucher Program and ask questions of the DOE staff.
• Office Hours [October 15, 2024 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET]: DOE will host Office Hours to answer any remaining questions from potential applicants before the submission deadline.
• DOE Selection [October 30, 2024 – November 30, 2024]: DOE will review submissions based on the selection criteria and will notify selected entities for next steps.
  • ‍NOTE: DOE may choose to meet with applicants or ask additional clarifying questions prior to selection.
• Project agreement development [November 30, 2024 – January 2025]: Matched Provider-Recipient pairs will have an option to accept or decline the match. Accepted pairs will then establish project agreements with DOE or ENERGYWERX to define the scope of work, budget, timing, and outcomes.

Phase 3 – Project Execution [January 2025 – January 2026]: Projects will have one year from the agreement start date (listed in the provider contract with DOE or ENERGYWERX) to complete testing activities, including four standardized milestones. Please see the HyTN VO Rules document in the Downloadable Files section for more information on the project milestones.

Complete submission and upload here: Click Here to Submit (Submissions are due NLT October 30, 2024 by 3:00 PM ET)

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All projects will be required to complete the following four milestones, including:

• Milestone 1 – Memorandum submitted to the HyTN point of contact verifying that all requisite agreements (e.g., non-disclosure agreements, Co-operative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), site access paperwork) between the Voucher Provider and Voucher Recipients are completed. This document must be signed by both the Voucher Provider and Recipient.
• Milestone 2 – Test plan document submitted to the HyTN point of contact describing the scope and schedule for the planned testing activities.  
• Milestone 3 – Testing progress update presentation submitted to the HyTN point of contact containing a status description of testing activities and any relevant images. A virtual meeting may also be requested by HyTN program staff.
• Milestone 4 – Submission of a Project Summary Report to the HyTN point of contact containing a summary of the project objectives, methods, results, discussion, and attachments with relevant data.

The Voucher Provider is responsible for timely submission of all milestones to the HyTN point of contact, but the Provider and Recipient are expected to work collaboratively on project milestones. Templates will be provided for each milestone submission.

The schedule of milestone due dates will depend on the project and will be established in the relevant agreement between HyTN and the Voucher Provider. Milestones 1 and 2 must be completed before testing activities can begin. Milestone 3 should be completed approximately 50-75% through the project timeline, while testing is ongoing. Milestone 4 may not be scheduled more than one year after the start of the project, as such participants must complete project activities within one year of the agreement start date (listed in the provider contract with DOE or ENERGYWERX).

Eligible applicants (Voucher Recipients and Voucher Providers) must meet the following criteria:

1. Applicant qualifies as a domestic entity, and  
2. Applicant must certify it is not owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a government of a country of risk.  

To qualify as a domestic entity, the entity must be organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the United States; have majority domestic ownership and control; and have a physical place of business in the United States. DOE defines countries of risk to include China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. This list is subject to change. DOE retains the prerogative to require additional information from the applicants to verify the applicant meets the eligibility requirements.

In the interest of promoting access to testing, organizations may apply as both a Voucher Provider and Voucher Recipient but may NOT apply for Voucher services from their own capability list. Employees of the Department of Energy are NOT eligible to apply for HyTN vouchers. National laboratory (FFRDC) employees are eligible to apply as Voucher Recipients but may not apply for voucher services from their own laboratory. Voucher Recipient applicants cannot use WPTO funds to contribute to Voucher Recipient activities, such as application drafting, test plan development, or testing activities.

Please review the HyTN Voucher Opportunity Rules document and the Intellectual Property Management Plan included in the Downloadable Files for additional rules and considerations regarding eligibility, project activities, NEPA, cost share, project milestones, and intellectual property.

The Voucher Recipient application form requires information about the applicant, the technology to be tested, the objectives of the testing, and a prioritized list of capabilities to be matched with. The capabilities requested must be selected from the approved list on the HyTN Website (or in the HyTN Capabilities Overview in the Downloadable Files section). All capabilities on the approved list were reviewed during the phase 1 solicitation.

Each Voucher Recipient applicant should only submit one application form. In the application form, applicants will be able to list up to 3 capabilities in the priority list to be matched with. Meritorious applications may only be matched to one capability from the priority list. Organizations (e.g., a national laboratory) may have multiple applicants if those applicants are from distinct business units with distinct technologies.  

All information provided in the Voucher Recipient application may be shared with one or more Voucher Providers to ensure appropriate matches. As such, Recipient applications should not include proprietary or business sensitive information. Additionally, by completing the Voucher Recipient application, the facilities consent to publication of the following information on the HyTN website and for DOE articles and related media: Project Title, Company Overview, Testing Subcategory, and Public Project Summary.

The following criteria will be used by DOE to review and select Voucher Recipient applications for Voucher Projects.

• The application demonstrates a direct relevance and benefit to advancing the technology readiness of a feasible, cost-effective, and scalable hydropower technology that supports carbon-free, renewable energy.
• The proposed technologies and objectives require physical testing capabilities that are within scope of the network of testing facilities to advance the readiness of the technology.
• The proposed objectives are feasible and achievable given the scope of the Voucher Opportunity.
• The application involves research questions that require testing at technology readiness level (TRL) 4 (component and/or system validation in a laboratory environment) up to a maximum of TRL 7 (full-scale, similar or prototypical system demonstrated in relevant environment).
• The application team clearly indicates that the applicant team can dedicate the time, personnel, materials, and resources needed to work with a testing facility to develop a plan of testing, conduct the tests, and evaluate results to inform refinements to the technology.  

DOE retains the prerogative to require additional information from the applicants to verify the applicant meets the eligibility requirements and selection criteria. WPTO may disqualify an application for any reason, including but not limited to if the applicant engages with the HyTN Program in a manner that, in the sole discretion of the WPTO, is indecent, obscene, or lacking in professionalism. This includes but is not limited to the application itself or emails to the facilities or HyTN Program staff.  

The selection process for Voucher applications is competitive and subject to available funding. DOE retains the prerogative to decide whether to fund the proposed project entirely, partially, or not at all. Per WPTO’s discretion, applicants may be selected as an alternate to be awarded if funding becomes available. Awarding of the Voucher is dependent on successfully establishing an agreement between the matched Voucher Provider and the Voucher Recipient.

What is considered a hydropower technology?

Hydropower technologies are defined as the equipment, materials, and structures used to support the construction and/or operation of hydropower projects, which capture the potential energy of flowing water over an elevation or pressure drop (referred to as head). Technologies do not have to be directly related to power generation and can include a variety of powertrain, environmental, electrical, electronic, hydraulic, structural, materials, and mechanical technologies. These technologies can be applied to existing hydropower systems, non-powered dam retrofits, new stream-reach developments, conduit hydropower, and pumped storage hydropower. Hydrokinetic technologies, which capture the kinetic energy of flowing water without a significant head, and marine energy technologies are not within scope as these technologies may be more applicable to the TEAMER program run by WPTO’s Marine Energy program.

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What are the roles of ENERGYWERX and the Department of Energy?

The HyTN program is directed by the Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) who is responsible for all selections. Voucher Opportunities (VO’s) are conducted through a Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) with ENERGYWERX. PIA’s are “designed to increase outreach to and engagement with small business firms, institutes of higher education, and non-traditional partners.” PIA’s are an alternative to conventional financial assistance opportunities, like funding opportunity announcements (FOAs), and work through an intermediary to provide streamlined and flexible solicitations that are approachable to entities unfamiliar with DOE funding programs.  

ENERGYWERX was selected as the Partnership Intermediary during for DOE’s PIA Pilot program, which started in 2023. ENERGYWERX is tasked with several aspects of the HyTN Voucher Opportunity, including management of the opportunity announcement webpage and application, engagement with applicants through webinars and office hours, and contracting of selected projects. ENERGYWERX acts as a neutral facilitator and resource for program participants.  

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Why is this called Voucher Opportunity-6 if this is the first round of applications?

In partnership with several DOE offices, ENERGYWERX has created a platform of Voucher opportunities that support the commercialization of energy technologies and projects. The initial HyTN Voucher Opportunity is the sixth program to begin work with ENERGYWERX, so it is referred to as VO-6, even though it is the first iteration of the HyTN program.

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How is matchmaking conducted?

In Phase 2, applicants are required to submit a prioritized list of pre-approved capabilities within the Network that they would like to work with. The list of capabilities is available on the HyTN website and in the HyTN Capabilities Overview in the Downloadable Files section. During selections, the meritorious applications will be initially matched to a Voucher Provider based on the strength of the application, the relevance of testing needs and capabilities, the availability of the facility (capability throughput), and the prioritized list provided by the Recipient. Once initial matches are made, the Voucher Provider and Voucher Recipient will be contacted by HyTN Program staff to ensure a proper match and begin developing project agreements. If a match is not successful, WPTO has discretion to proceed to another facility on the prioritized list or discontinue the application.

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What project agreements are needed?

The project agreements depend on the type of Voucher Provider on the project. The following table describes the possible avenues.

Are there cost share requirements?

DOE and ENERGYWERX do not require direct cost share from Voucher Providers or Recipients. However, selected Recipients are expected to fund their own travel, arrangements, materials, shipping, personnel, and any other miscellaneous costs to ensure successful completion of the proposed project activities. No funding is distributed to Voucher Recipients through the VO.

Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact ENERGYWERX:  info@energywerx.org

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