Integrated Microgrids | W81EWF22SOI0003

Opportunity Information: Apply for W81EWF22SOI0003

The Integrated Microgrids opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number W81EWF22SOI0003) is a Department of Defense, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) cooperative agreement aimed at reducing reliance on diesel fuel for power in austere environments and disaster-affected areas. The core problem the announcement is trying to solve is that many remote or disrupted locations still depend on diesel generation, which is expensive, logistically heavy to resupply, and vulnerable to supply chain disruptions. In response, the government is looking to accelerate the development and field-readiness of modular, local, resilient microgrid solutions that can be deployed where conventional infrastructure is limited or damaged.

The project centers on creating a "microgrid living laboratory" on a strategically located West Coast site with at least 20 acres available for development. Conceptually, this is meant to be an open, flexible testbed rather than a permanent build-out: the expectation is that infrastructure will be temporary, modular, or portable, so new and emerging technologies can be set up, evaluated, and demonstrated without the constraints of a traditional fixed facility. A key element of the living lab is the equipment and instrumentation needed to supply electrical loads and monitor performance, allowing technologies to be tested under realistic operating conditions. The lab is intended to be accessible not only to the CESU partner and the government, but also to microgrid industry participants that want to test equipment or approaches in a controlled but field-relevant environment. The work also emphasizes integrated systems thinking, including how power systems interact with food and water systems, with the goal of improving overall operational effectiveness and resilience rather than optimizing electricity generation in isolation.

From a research and mission standpoint, the effort is designed to complement and extend existing Army energy resilience work performed at ERDC-CERL and related testbeds, specifically the ERDC Forward Operating Base Laboratory (EFOB-L) and the Contingency Basing Integration Training and Evaluation Center (CBITEC). Because those existing facilities are in the Midwest, the Army is explicitly looking for a West Coast location to capture different climatic conditions and other regional variables, then compare results across sites for consistency. The living laboratory may include demonstrations of modular and portable systems such as energy-efficient Structurally-Insulated Panel (SIP) huts, solar arrays, energy storage, and other power generation equipment, all aimed at de-risking technologies before they are deployed in operational settings.

The CESU partner selected for the award is expected to play a leading role in establishing and running the living laboratory. The announcement highlights three main responsibilities: first, providing technical oversight and leading development of the site to ensure federal resources are managed effectively; second, designing a scalable data collection plan that works for industry-wide testing while also meeting Department of Defense requirements so that collected data can be integrated with existing and future DoD datasets; and third, advising on infrastructure decisions so the site remains compatible with what industry and Army testbeds already deploy and evaluate, which is meant to strengthen ongoing partnerships across federal agencies, universities, and the private sector.

The public benefit argument is tied to energy security and humanitarian outcomes. By generating reliable performance data and practical demonstrations of resilient, renewable, and modular power solutions, the living lab is positioned as a resource that can inform technology choices for disaster relief operations and support energy resilience for public-facing facilities in harsh or disrupted environments. The government also frames the lab as a collaboration hub that can speed up renewable energy enabling technologies by connecting the DoD, academia, and industry around shared test methods and comparable datasets.

In terms of award details, the government anticipated a single cooperative agreement with an estimated funding level of about $3,000,000 for FY22, to be executed within 12 months after award, and noted that additional funds were not expected at the time of posting. The instrument is a cooperative agreement, which aligns with the stated level of government involvement: USACE/ERDC-CERL intends to provide guidance on the living lab concept, sustainable infrastructure design, power generation planning, and a data collection approach consistent with existing DoD practices. Cost sharing is not required; the action is described as 100% funded by USACE.

Eligibility is narrowly restricted. Applicants must be non-federal partners of the Californian and Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Units (CESU), meaning organizations outside that CESU network would not be eligible under this posting. The submission process is explicitly two-phase. Phase I requires a Statement of Interest/Qualifications submitted by email (two pages maximum, single-spaced, 12-point font) describing the applicant team, relevant experience, available personnel, capabilities and facilities, and, importantly, the ability to provide or access a minimum 20-acre site. No budget is requested in Phase I. Applicants selected from Phase I are invited to Phase II to submit a full technical proposal and a detailed cost proposal/budget using the SF-424 R&R forms and associated budget detail, including labor, fringe, travel, materials/equipment with supporting documentation, subrecipient information, tuition if applicable, and indirect costs (noting a 17.5% negotiated indirect rate referenced for CESU awards).

Applications are evaluated through an impartial peer/scientific review consistent with DoD assistance regulations. The selection criteria are limited to two categories: technical merit (with equal emphasis on the merits of the proposed R&D and its relevance to DoD missions) and cost/price realism. Proposals are categorized as Selectable or Not Selectable based on the review, and the government reserves the right to fund some, all, or none of the proposed work, including partially funding a proposal if only certain elements are chosen. Award administration would be through a formal cooperative agreement signed by a Grants Officer, with clear direction that no work can begin without Grants Officer authorization, and reporting governed by federal assistance rules in 2 CFR (including financial, performance, and real property reporting requirements).

• The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- Corps of Engineers in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Integrated Microgrids" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on Oct 13, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 12, 2021. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for W81EWF22SOI0003

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