Request for Information on Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants for Electrified Vehicles: State Partnerships for Small- and Medium-Sized Manufacturers (SMMs) | DE FOA 0003360

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003360

The Request for Information (RFI) titled "Request for Information on Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants for Electrified Vehicles: State Partnerships for Small- and Medium-Sized Manufacturers (SMMs)" is an early-stage market and stakeholder input effort from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), specifically its Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains Office (MESC), with administration connected to the National Energy Technology Laboratory. The opportunity is labeled DE-FOA-0003360, categorized as "Other" rather than a standard open grant solicitation, and it is tied to the DOE effort to implement the Inflation Reduction Act Automotive Conversion Program. In plain terms, DOE is not yet asking for full project applications here; it is gathering detailed public feedback to shape how a future funding program will work, what it should prioritize, and how it can be structured to best support domestic manufacturing transition needs.

The central policy goal behind the RFI is to accelerate U.S.-based conversion of existing automotive manufacturing facilities so they can produce electrified vehicles and related components. DOE frames this effort as a continuation of an earlier initiative under Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA-0003106, signaling that this is part of a broader, multi-step federal strategy to expand and modernize the domestic automotive supply chain for electrification. The emphasis is on "conversion" of domestic facilities, which usually implies retooling, retrofitting, process changes, equipment upgrades, workforce and training adjustments, and other investments needed to shift from conventional internal-combustion-oriented production to electrified vehicle production or associated supply chain production. While the RFI itself does not define the final eligible project types, it points respondents to the forthcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement for formal eligibility rules.

A defining feature of the upcoming program, as described in the RFI, is a deliberate focus on small- and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) and the use of state-federal partnerships to reach and support them. That focus suggests DOE is looking for ways to design the program so that smaller firms in the automotive ecosystem (including component suppliers and specialized manufacturers that may not have large grant-writing teams) can realistically participate and benefit. State involvement may be used to coordinate regional industrial strategies, identify candidate facilities and supply chain gaps, provide technical assistance, align with workforce and economic development programs, and reduce barriers to participation. The RFI is essentially asking stakeholders to help DOE figure out how to operationalize those partnerships in a practical, scalable way.

This RFI includes 24 questions in its Purpose section, and DOE explicitly states that respondents do not need to answer every question. That structure is typical of RFIs that seek targeted expertise from a wide range of stakeholders, including manufacturers, state energy and economic development offices, workforce organizations, industry associations, labor groups, universities, national labs, and other parties with relevant experience. The questions are meant to surface on-the-ground realities: what conversion needs look like, what assistance SMMs actually require, what program rules would be workable, how to measure outcomes, and how to avoid unintended design issues that could limit participation or slow deployment.

From the source information provided, the RFI is associated with the energy funding activity category and CFDA (Assistance Listing) number 81.253. The instrument type is listed as a grant, but because this specific posting is an RFI, it should be read as pre-solicitation input rather than an immediate grant competition. The closing date for submitting RFI responses is May 20, 2024, and the posting date (creation date) is April 17, 2024. The entry shows an award ceiling of 2, but because RFIs typically do not make awards, this figure should not be treated as an actual maximum grant amount for applicants; the actual funding levels, cost-share expectations, number of awards, and eligibility requirements would be established in the later Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Overall, the key takeaway is that DOE is shaping a forthcoming domestic manufacturing conversion grant program aimed at expanding U.S. capacity for electrified vehicles, with a specific intent to make the program accessible and impactful for small- and medium-sized manufacturers through structured collaboration with states. Organizations interested in influencing program design, flagging barriers, proposing partnership models, or recommending how DOE can best support SMM-led facility conversion are the primary audience for this RFI, while organizations seeking to apply for funding should monitor the follow-on Funding Opportunity Announcement where the binding requirements and application process will be defined.

• The National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for Information on Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants for Electrified Vehicles: State Partnerships for Small- and Medium-Sized Manufacturers (SMMs)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.253.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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