Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003302

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and administered by the Golden Field Office, issued an informational notice titled "Request for Information (RFI): Offshore Wind National and Regional Research and Development Priorities" (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0003302). Despite appearing in grant-style listings, this is not a funding program and it is not a solicitation for proposals. Instead, it is a market and stakeholder input exercise meant to gather detailed feedback that could help DOE shape future offshore wind research, development, and deployment strategies.

The core purpose of the RFI is to collect perspectives on offshore wind research and development (R&D) needs and deployment barriers that matter at both the national level and across distinct U.S. regions. DOE is explicitly looking for input relevant to offshore wind development conditions in the Atlantic, Pacific, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico. The agency is seeking responses from a broad set of stakeholders, including private industry, universities, national and private research laboratories, federal/state/local government agencies, financial institutions, insurers, community-based organizations, workforce development groups, labor organizations, and other parties with relevant expertise or lived experience. In practice, this means DOE is trying to understand not only technology gaps, but also real-world constraints such as supply chain readiness, port and vessel capacity, grid interconnection challenges, permitting timelines, environmental considerations, community impacts, and workforce training needs that can vary substantially by region.

DOE emphasizes that it is specifically interested in responses aligned to the topics listed in the document section titled "Request for Information Categories and Questions." That language signals that the RFI is structured: responders are expected to address defined question areas rather than submitting generic essays. While the summary text does not list those categories, it indicates DOE is trying to prioritize future R&D directions and deployment-support efforts, and to understand where federal involvement could have the greatest effect. The RFI also frames offshore wind as an ecosystem problem, not just a turbine problem, by inviting input from financing and insurance providers alongside technical organizations. That is a strong hint that DOE is also assessing risk, bankability, cost drivers, and the kinds of data or standards that might reduce uncertainty for investors and insurers.

Several points in the notice are meant to avoid confusion with a grant competition. This RFI is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). DOE is not accepting applications, will not make awards, and does not plan to pay for the preparation or submission of responses. No projects will be supported as a direct result of responding. DOE also notes that it may or may not issue a future FOA based on what it learns from the RFI. In other words, participation could influence the direction of future funding or programs, but it does not provide funding now and does not guarantee a later funding opportunity.

Submission instructions are straightforward and time-bound. Responses had to be submitted electronically by email to WindEnergyRFI@ee.doe.gov as attachments, no later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time on February 20, 2024. The full RFI document, including the detailed categories and questions DOE wants addressed, was made available through EERE Exchange at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Administrative details included in the posting characterize it as a discretionary opportunity with an "Other" funding instrument type, a CFDA number of 81.087 (a DOE energy program assistance listing), unrestricted eligibility (since it is information gathering rather than an award), an expected award count of zero, and an award ceiling listed but not applicable in practice because no awards are being made under the RFI.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as DOE taking a structured pulse of the offshore wind sector to identify priority R&D topics and deployment bottlenecks across different U.S. water bodies and market conditions. For stakeholders, the value of responding is strategic rather than financial: it is a chance to inform federal priorities, highlight regional constraints or opportunities, and point DOE toward research, demonstration, data, standards, or coordination efforts that could accelerate offshore wind deployment and reduce cost and risk over time.

  • The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for Information (RFI): OFFSHORE WIND NATIONAL AND REGIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
  • This funding opportunity was created on 2024-01-19.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-20. (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: Unrestricted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this DOE opportunity (DE-FOA-0003302)?

This notice is a "Request for Information (RFI): Offshore Wind National and Regional Research and Development Priorities" issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and administered by the Golden Field Office. It is an information-gathering request intended to collect stakeholder input on offshore wind R&D priorities and deployment barriers.

2) Is this a grant, funding program, or solicitation for proposals?

No. This RFI is not a funding program and not a solicitation for proposals. DOE is not accepting applications, will not make awards, and no projects will be supported as a direct result of responding.

3) What is DOE trying to accomplish with this RFI?

DOE is seeking detailed feedback to help shape potential future offshore wind research, development, and deployment strategies. The goal is to understand national-level and region-specific needs, identify barriers to deployment, and prioritize where federal involvement could have the greatest impact.

4) Which U.S. regions does DOE want input on?

DOE is explicitly looking for input relevant to offshore wind development conditions in the Atlantic, Pacific, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico regions.

5) What kinds of topics is DOE interested in?

DOE is looking for perspectives on offshore wind R&D needs and real-world deployment barriers. Examples mentioned include supply chain readiness, port and vessel capacity, grid interconnection challenges, permitting timelines, environmental considerations, community impacts, workforce training needs, and other factors that can vary by region.

6) Does DOE only want technical turbine-related feedback?

No. The RFI frames offshore wind as an ecosystem challenge, not just a technology challenge. DOE is inviting input that includes technology gaps as well as deployment constraints and market factors.

7) Why are financial institutions and insurers included as target respondents?

The notice indicates DOE is also interested in factors such as risk, bankability, cost drivers, and the types of data or standards that could reduce uncertainty for investors and insurers. This suggests DOE wants input beyond engineering, including market and risk perspectives.

8) Who can respond to the RFI?

DOE is seeking responses from a broad set of stakeholders, including private industry, universities, national and private research laboratories, federal/state/local government agencies, financial institutions, insurers, community-based organizations, workforce development groups, labor organizations, and other parties with relevant expertise or lived experience.

9) Is eligibility restricted?

No. The posting characterizes eligibility as unrestricted, consistent with the fact that this is an information-gathering request rather than an award competition.

10) Do responders have to follow a specific structure or can they submit general comments?

DOE emphasizes it is specifically interested in responses aligned to the topics listed in the RFI section titled "Request for Information Categories and Questions." This signals that responders are expected to address defined question areas rather than submitting generic essays.

11) Where can the full RFI document and the detailed categories/questions be found?

The full RFI document, including the detailed categories and questions DOE wants addressed, is available through EERE Exchange at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov.

12) How were responses submitted?

Responses had to be submitted electronically by email to WindEnergyRFI@ee.doe.gov as attachments.

13) What was the submission deadline?

Responses were due no later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time on February 20, 2024.

14) Will DOE pay for the time and cost to prepare an RFI response?

No. DOE states it does not plan to pay for the preparation or submission of responses.

15) Will responding lead to funding or an award?

No. DOE will not make awards under this RFI, and no projects will be supported as a direct result of responding.

16) Could this RFI lead to a future Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)?

Possibly, but it is not guaranteed. DOE notes it may or may not issue a future FOA based on what it learns from the RFI.

17) If there are no awards, why does this appear in grant-style listings?

The notice can appear in grant-style listings because it is posted in systems that track federal opportunities, but DOE clarifies it is not a FOA and not a solicitation for projects. Administrative fields may still be populated (for example, instrument type or award ceiling), even though they are not applicable in practice.

18) What DOE office is associated with this RFI?

The RFI was issued by DOE through EERE and administered by the Golden Field Office.

19) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0003302.

20) What does "expected award count of zero" mean here?

It means DOE does not expect to make any awards because this is an RFI for information only, not a funding opportunity.

21) What does the CFDA number 81.087 indicate?

The posting references CFDA 81.087 as an administrative assistance listing associated with DOE energy programs. In this case, it does not imply funding is available through the RFI itself.

22) What is the practical value of responding if there is no funding?

The value is strategic rather than financial. Responding gives stakeholders a chance to inform DOE priorities, highlight regional constraints or opportunities, and suggest R&D, data, standards, demonstration, or coordination needs that could accelerate offshore wind deployment and reduce cost and risk over time.

23) What kinds of barriers does DOE want to hear about?

Based on the notice, DOE is interested in barriers that affect deployment such as supply chain readiness, port and vessel capacity, grid interconnection, permitting timelines, environmental considerations, community impacts, and workforce training needs, including how these differ across regions.

24) Is this focused on national priorities, regional priorities, or both?

Both. The RFI is designed to collect perspectives on offshore wind R&D needs and deployment barriers at the national level and across distinct U.S. regions.

25) Does the listed "Other" instrument type or award ceiling mean funding is available?

No. The posting includes administrative fields (such as "Other" instrument type and an award ceiling), but DOE states awards will not be made under this RFI and the ceiling is not applicable in practice.

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