U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
DOE Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains Announces up to $1.5 million in funding to accelerate Industrial Assessment Center Program's support for small and medium-sized manufacturers

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) is announcing up to $1.5 million in funding to accelerate the Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) Program's support for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs). Specifically, DOE is seeking applications from IACs and their partners to work directly with SMMs to deploy a new EV conversion "playbook" for small and medium-sized manufacturers in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory.

The move toward electrification will impact how vehicles are manufactured, used, and maintained. To support this transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and other emergent clean energy manufacturing, DOE is developing a playbook offering technical, financial, and strategic guidance for these essential smaller manufacturers. This guide will describe the transferability of current equipment and processes at automotive suppliers to enable new production lines in EV and other clean energy supply chains, and identify potential process or equipment improvements, business strategy and financing considerations, and workforce development and retention opportunities.

The $1.5 million in funding will support selectees' partnership with Argonne to develop and deploy the playbook. Selected regional entities will work directly with manufacturers to test the playbook's effectiveness in assisting the manufacturing transition process, as well as to refine the playbook to benefit a much larger group of manufacturers. Universities, Community Colleges, union training programs, or trade schools may also apply to become IACs in order to execute this work.

This solicitation will be managed by DOE's Partnership Intermediary, ENERGYWERX, who will help reach and support applicants who may have limited experience with DOE funding opportunities. Final applications must be submitted by May 23, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET. MESC will be hosting an informational webinar on April 23, 2024, from 3-4 p.m. ET.

Learn about the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains and its mission to catalyze investments in America's energy future in support of the re-shoring, skilling, and scaling of U.S. manufacturing across energy supply chains.

This solicitation is managed by ENERGYWERX in partnership with DOE, a collaboration made possible through an innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) set up by the DOE's Office of Technology Transitions (OTT). This agreement enables ENERGYWERX to broaden DOE's engagement with innovative organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of clean energy solutions.