Question
There seems to be a discrepancy between your website and your PDF document. Can you clarify if the hardcopies have to be postmarked or in your hands by midnight tonight?
Answer
The hard copies must be postmarked by midnight on Monday, May 15, 2006. They do not have to be received by that deadline. The electronic submission, however, must be received by the midnight deadline.
Question
One of the qualifiers is that the technology must follow the verification APCT process (i.e. ETV or equivalent). Must we meet this requirement and added cost if we obtain both CARB and EPA certification on the new engine standard?
Answer
CARB and EPA emissions certification can be substituted for ETV or equivalent emissions verification.
Question
RFGA-03 is seeking to fund applicants that develop aftermarket technologies to existing diesel engines which we accomplish via repowering both the engine and the fuel system to natural gas at the new .2NOx standard. Since we will be certified by CARB and EPA to meet their requirements do we need to factor in the additional costs of verification (i.e. APCT protocol). Is this a correct assumption?
Answer
CARB and EPA emissions certification can be substituted for ETV or equivalent emissions verification. No additional verification costs would have to be included.
Question
Will NOX reducing fuel additives be considered in the grant qualification process, or is this program just for mechanical, retrofit and exhaust downstream devices?
Answer
RFGA-03 solicits applications for funding to address the following areas:
- Verification testing of existing verified technologies for new applications
- Development and verification testing of engine upgrade or retrofit kits for existing engines. These kits may be based on new engine and emission control technologies.
- Development and verification testing of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technologies for retrofitting existing engines.
- Development and verification testing of exhaust gas treatment devices, other than SCR, for retrofitting existing engines.
- Application testing (installation, operations, maintenance) of devices that have been verified or are ready for verification testing.
If your technology has been CARB verified for NOx reduction, then you could apply for verification testing for new applications.
Question
What are the eligible Texas counties for this grant? Are there any areas outside of Texas that are eligible to receive this grant?
Answer
The solicitation does not specify any limitations on the location of grant recipients. NTRD grants provide incentives to expedite the commercialization of new and innovative emission reduction technologies that will improve the air quality of Texas.
Question
Please advise if the waived indirect costs, the amount of indirect cost (authorized under our federally negotiated rate) which is in excess of the 15% authorized by this NTRD program, can be counted to meet part of the cost share requirement?
Answer
Federally approved indirect costs in excess of the 15% allowed under this RFGA may be treated as cost sharing.
Question
We are a Canadian company preparing an application for RFGA-03. HARC Form 52 has certain Required fields : 1. EIN (Employer Identification Number) that the IRS will issue. As a Canadian company we do not have/ have not been assigned an EIN number.
May we just indicate N/A (Not Applicable) on the line item for EIN?
Answer
Yes. You should enter "N/A" for that field.
Question
The project narrative addresses specific requirements. However, there is no reference, especially when a new technology is presented, with regard to description of the technology, strength and limitations, economics of retrofit, competitive assessment, means to obtain durabilities, field testing, etc. Can we include these issues separate from the minimum requirements under A, B, C and D, or should they be integrated in those minimum requirement items?
Answer
As stated in the RFGA, the narrative should provide a clear description of the work to be undertaken and how you plan to accomplish it. It must be formatted to address each of the merit review criteria and sub-criteria listed. It must provide sufficient information so that the reviewers will be able to evaluate the application in accordance with the merit review criteria.
Question
The 5 areas of interest in RFGA-03 address priority for certain diesel engine applications. However, no reference is given to stationary diesel generators. In a study for HARC by Environmental International Inc., peak shaving diesel generators contribute to 44% of the total NOx emissions in the HGA. Will a new technology that is effective on diesel generators fit the needs under RFGA-03 or not?
Answer
Diesel generators may be considered as construction/non-road equipment, therefore, RFGA-03 includes stationary diesel generators.
Question
Please let me know if the amount of grant awarded is per year or is it per project from beginning to end?
Answer
The application should list out the entire amount of funding requested.
Question
If a company has an aged unit could it be considered for the RFGA-03 or do they have to start from beginning?
Answer
There are no restrictions specified in the request for grant application. The application may state what is proposed.
Question
What is the acceptable level of ammonia slip?
Answer
There are no restrictions specified in the request for grant application. The application may state what is proposed.
Question
What is the acceptable degreening? Field or Dyno (in house)?
Answer
There are no requirements or restrictions specified in the request for grant application. The application may state what is proposed.
Question
If a MY07 diesel engine is certified to FEL of 1.2g/bhp-hr NOx, would the emission reductions associated with the retrofit technology be measured against the actual diesel engine NOx emissions of 1.2g/bhp-hr NOx, or would the reductions be measured against the 2007 EPA standard of 0.2g/bhp-hr NOx?
Answer
The solicitation states that the ideal application concerning Engine Upgrade/Retrofit Kits would be to develop and verify an upgrade kit/methodology that would significantly reduce NOx emissions without increasing PM-2.5 emission for applications in one or more of the following sectors: Freight (On-road Heavy Duty Vehicles), other on-road heavy duty vehicles (refuse haulers, utility trucks, etc.) Marine/Port (including drayage trucks, cranes and other diesel engine applications), Locomotive, and Construction/non-road equipment.
A MY07 engine certified to FEL of 1.2g/bhp-hr NOx could be considered as an existing engine for this solicitation.
Question
Will you please provide guidance for page limitations. I did not find a reference to page limits at the solicitation web page.
Answer
As stated in the Request for Grant Applications, the abstract must not exceed 1 page, single spaced, when printed using standard 8.5" by 11 paper with 1" margins (top, bottom, left and right) and using type not smaller than 12 point. The project narrative should not exceed 25 pages, double spaced, 1" margins (top, bottom, left, right), and when printed will fit on size 8 1/2" by 11" paper. The type must be legible and not smaller than 12 point. Evaluators will review only the number of pages specified (25). Appendices are permitted and do not count against the page limits, but any information considered essential to the application must be contained in the project narrative.
Question
Which HARC forms are required for a subcontractor?
Answer
Applicants may instruct subcontractors to use any of the HARC forms, but at a minimum should require biosketches and current and pending support forms from subcontractors that will be performing a significant portion of the scope of work. If the Certifications and Assurances pages are not included in the subcontractor's application, they will be required as a condition of executing the subcontract.
Question
Are all of the HARC forms (including current and pending support) required for Co-P.I.s?
Answer
As key personnel for the application, Co-PIs should provide biosketches and statements of current and pending support.
Question
I understand that submissions must be made electronically by the deadline. Must surface mail format submission copies arrive by the deadline as well?
Answer
The paper submissions must be mailed prior to the deadline but do not have to be received by HARC by the deadline.
Question
Can the Project Narrative include supporting tabular, image or graphical exhibits, or must it include only text? If so, are there any specific formatting requirements for such exhibits?
Answer
The project narrative may include supporting tabular, image or graphical exhibits within the page limitation. As stated in the request for grant applications, the project narrative shall not exceed 25 pages, double spaced, 1" margins (top, bottom, left, right), and when printed will fit on size 8 1/2" by 11" paper. The type must be legible and not smaller than 12 point. Evaluators will review only the number of pages specified (25).
Question
Would the costs associated with developing and certifying technology on a MY07 heavy duty engine at a NOx level 25% below the MY07 diesel engine level be considered as a project under RFGA-03?
Answer
RFGA-03 covers the following areas of interest:
- Expanded Verification of Existing Verified Technologies: Verification testing of existing verified technologies for new applications
- Engine Upgrade/Retrofit Kits: Development and verification testing of engine upgrade or retrofit kits for existing engines. These kits may be based on new engine and emission control technologies.
- Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Technologies: Development and verification testing of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technologies for retrofitting existing engines.
- Exhaust Gas Treatment Devices: Development and verification testing of exhaust gas treatment devices, other than SCR, for retrofitting existing engines.
- Applications Testing of NOx Reduction Technologies: Application testing (installation, operations, maintenance) of devices that have been verified or are ready for verification testing.
The solicitation states that the ideal application concerning Engine Upgrade/Retrofit Kits would be to develop and verify an upgrade kit/methodology that would significantly reduce NOx emissions without increasing PM-2.5 emission for applications in one or more of the following sectors: Freight (On-road Heavy Duty Vehicles), other on-road heavy duty vehicles (refuse haulers, utility trucks, etc.) Marine/Port (including drayage trucks, cranes and other diesel engine applications), Locomotive, and Construction/non-road equipment.
A MY07 engine could be considered as an existing engine for this solicitation.
Question
In allocating an appropriate budget are there any costs that should be included for the actual ETV "verification process"?
Answer
The budget justification should contain all items that the grant would cover. If the grant is to include ETV testing, then the grant applicant should contact the appropriate organization to develop a cost estimate.
Question
Is this grant competition open to companies and organizations nationally or only within the state of Texas?
Answer
The competition is not limited geographically. Any qualified applicant, regardless of location, may submit an application.
Question
You provided related forms from Form 51 throughout Form 59. It is my understanding that all of them should be completed and included in Application. Does project narrative for 25 pages include these Forms? Is it possible to send some additional information like test results in form of Appendix?
Answer
The required forms do not count against the 25 pages allowed for the project narrative. You may add appendices to include supporting information. Any appendices will be made available to the reviewers, but the reviewers are not required to evaluate the appendices in the course of their reviews. Any material or information that you deem essential to understanding your proposal should be put in the project narrative itself.
Question
Are technologies that have been approved to participate in the TxLED program eligible for participation in RFG-03?
Answer
Applications related to the first topic (Expanded Verification of Existing Verified Technologies) must cover technologies that have already been verified by EPA or CARB or in Europe or that are in the verification process.
Question
Can indirect, overhead and other expense for project support be treated as in-kind contributions toward meeting the minimum cost-share requirement?
Answer
To be allowable as cost sharing, expenses must meet the same criteria as the funded expenses. In other words, if an expense would not be allowed to be paid from the grant, it cannot be counted as cost sharing. Since we have expanded the criteria for allowability to include indirect costs or overhead up to 15% of total direct costs, indirect costs in excess of 15%, but not to exceed your organization's standard IDC rate, may be counted as cost sharing.
Question
Are definitions available for differentiating between "direct" and other such non-direct expenses that are incurred in support of the proposed work?
Answer
The guidelines for distinguishing between direct and indirect costs are set forth in the Texas Uniform Grant Management Standards (UGMS), available online at http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/stategrants/guidelines/files/UGMS062004.doc.
Question
Must the in-kind cost-share contributions occur during the same period the work is performed, or could prior investments / costs related to development of the technology also be used?
Answer
The cost share expenses must be incurred within the project period as specified in the grant agreement. Costs incurred prior to or after the work is done are not allowable.
Question
Can Federal dollars invested directly in the technology, concurrent with or prior to the work proposed, also be used to meet (or exceed) the minimum cost-share requirement?
Answer
As a rule, the U.S. government does not allow federal funds to be used cost sharing for other projects. Before federal funds can be proposed or used as cost sharing, the applicant will need to provide HARC with a letter from the federal CONTRACTING OFFICER explicitly stating that federal funds may be used as cost sharing for this project.
Question
Does the maximum 15% reimbursable rate for indirect costs need to flow down to any subcontractor that may be used by the performing party during the project?
Answer
Yes.
Question
Do the words "verifies the performance of commercially available, innovative or improved technologies as an independent third party" require that any/all technologies to be "verification" tested in this program be "commercially available" (offered for sale) before "verification testing" can be performed, or can the "verification testing" be completed (thus completing the program) before commercializing the technology a year or two later (as long as commercialization is expected to take place within 5 years of the grant award)? It would seem that the intention would logically be to "verify" the proposed technology will supply the expected benefits BEFORE the technology is "offered for sale" (i.e. made "commercially available") before major investments are made to actually commercialize a new, innovative or improved technology; however, the wording of the Vendor's Guide and elsewhere in the RFGA seems to imply the converse, requiring the technology to be commercially available first/before the technology is verified by "verification testing.
Answer
Grants may be used to fund the development of innovative or improved technologies. The ultimate goal of the grant is to verify the performance of commercially available technologies. Grants may be used to test the innovative or improved technologies prior to verification. Verification testing is performed on commercially available technologies.
Question
If a Request for Grant Application addresses the "development and testing" of technologies prior to verification testing, must the Grant Application also cover final "verification testing," (eg. as Phase 2) that the EPA's APCT has, in the past, limited to only commercially available technologies, along with the proposed "development and testing" (eg. as Phase 1)? Likewise, if an Application for "development and testing" must also include "verification testing," will it be possible to have such "verification testing" performed via the APCT before commercialization, rather than after commercialization as has been the norm of the EPA and APCT in the past? This question could be equivalent to asking "must the technology be commercialized first in order to qualify to obtain "verification testing" required by this RFGA?
Answer
As stated in the RFGA Appendix: APPENDIX - VENDOR'S GUIDE TO VERIFICATION PROCESS: EPA's ETV Program (http://www.epa.gov/etv/), funded by EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD), verifies the performance of commercially available, innovative or improved technologies as an independent third party.
Question
The RFGA states that any overhead or other indirect costs are not eligible under this program. This would mean that normal labor related costs that are tied to salaries by service organizations who might perform the testing would not be eligible. Normally indirects on labor for fringes and federal or state allowable overhead would be eligible expenses. Is the RFGA in error or is it meant to be stated this way?
Answer
We are amending this condition in the RFGA. An organization's normal indirect costs will be allowed up to a maximum of 15% of total direct costs. There are no additional funds available to cover indirect costs, so the total award limits indicated in the RFGA will still apply. Fees or profits will continue to be unallowable.
Question
If a company bids on this project as a subcontractor of a university (the primary contactor), can the university retain ownership of any equipment that the company sells to the university as part of the project?
Answer
Unless otherwise negotiated at the time the contract is issued, any equipment purchased in the course of the project will vest with the subcontractor. If HARC issues a contract to an awardee, such as the university in this question, the university will have the right to own any equipment purchased under the contract. If the university in turns issues a contract to a subcontractor, the subcontractor should expect to own title to any equipment purchased under the subcontract unless the university negotiates to retain title to the equipment. HARC would expect to be made aware of the reason for such a variation.
Question
Are there any time limits when the project needs to be completed. (1-year after award, 2-years after award)?
Answer
The solicitation does not specify when projects need to be completed. As stated in the solicitation, applications should:
"Provide a proposed work plan and schedule to include milestones and performance metrics in the work plan to gauge technical progress. Provide a Gantt chart or equivalent depicting the project schedule, milestones, and interrelationship of the project tasks. Identify the critical path which identifies the sequential tasks which, if not completed on time, will result in a delay in the overall project schedule. Define all significant milestones in a milestone log and depict them on the schedule."
Question
Do the retrofit demonstrations have to be installed exclusively on vehicles in Texas?
Answer
The solicitation does not specify that demonstrations have to be installed exclusively on vehicles in Texas. NTRD grants provide incentives to expedite the commercialization of new and innovative emission reduction technologies that will improve the air quality of Texas.
Question
I can't seem to find the sample grant agreement. Can you please forward the link or the actual document to me?
Answer
The link to the sample grant agreement document was not active during the first few days after the RFGA was posted, but the document is now on the web site and is available for viewing or download on the Related Forms page.
Question
Will the APCT Verification Center make an exception to its normal focus on, or requirement for, technologies that are already "commercially available" in its support of the verification testing required for an "Exhaust Gas Treatment Device" proposed for development and verification under this TERC/HARC RFGA-03 program, if the advanced device is expected to be "offered for sale in less than five years after grant award"?
Answer
APCT verifies technologies that are commercially available. This Request for Grant Applications covers the following areas of interest:
- Expanded Verification of Existing Verified Technologies: Verification testing of existing verified technologies for new applications
- Engine Upgrade/Retrofit Kits: Development and verification testing of engine upgrade or retrofit kits for existing engines. These kits may be based on new engine and emission control technologies.
- Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Technologies: Development and verification testing of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technologies for retrofitting existing engines.
- Exhaust Gas Treatment Devices: Development and verification testing of exhaust gas treatment devices, other than SCR, for retrofitting existing engines.
- Applications Testing of NOx Reduction Technologies: Application testing (installation, operations, maintenance) of devices that have been verified or are ready for verification testing.
Applications may include development and testing of technologies prior to verification, in addition to verification testing, as stated in the RFGA.
Question
I am Canadian for-profit company working in emission control field. Is my company eligible for funds? Please respond directly to me ASAP because not to much time left before deadline.
Answer
Yes, companies located in countries other than the USA may submit applications under this RFGA. Foreign companies, however, must:
- understand that all budget amounts, requests for payments, and payments will be in US dollars, and
- have financial systems in place to provide the level of financial accountability and documentation as required by the State of Texas (briefly summarized in the RFGA).
Question
RFGA-03 identifies 5 areas of interest for potential funding. Item #2 refers to development and testing of engine upgrades or retrofit kits for existing engines, then goes on to explain that these kits may be based on new engine technologies. Does the scope of item #2 include low emission engines that may be used in new vehicle applications for the purpose of replacing existing fleet vehicles as they are retired? Or does this category only refer to engines that would be used to replace existing engines in existing vehicles at rebuild/overhaul intervals?
Answer
The overall objective is to increase the commercial availability of verified emission reduction technologies that reduce NOx emissions in Texas' non-attainment areas. Each project funded under this solicitation should result in a verified commercially available technology that will reduce NOx emissions for non-road, on-road, marine/port, or locomotive applications. For the second category, the ideal application would be to develop and verify an upgrade kit/methodology that would significantly reduce NOx emissions without increasing PM-2.5 emission for applications in one or more of the following sectors: Freight (On-road Heavy Duty Vehicles), other on-road heavy duty vehicles (refuse haulers, utility trucks, etc.) Marine/Port (including drayage trucks, cranes and other diesel engine applications), Locomotive, and Construction/non-road equipment.
Question
My company has an emulsified diesel fuel product that is carb verified for on-road transportation. Can se apply for RFGA-03 funding to test the performance of the fuel in a locomotive engine?
Answer
RFGA-03 solicits applications for funding to address the following areas:
- Verification testing of existing verified technologies for new applications
- Development and verification testing of engine upgrade or retrofit kits for existing engines. These kits may be based on new engine and emission control technologies.
- Development and verification testing of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technologies for retrofitting existing engines.
- Development and verification testing of exhaust gas treatment devices, other than SCR, for retrofitting existing engines.
- Application testing (installation, operations, maintenance) of devices that have been verified or are ready for verification testing.
If your technology has been CARB verified for NOx reduction, then you could apply for verification testing for new applications, such as locomotives.
Question
Is there an instruction guide for submission of RFGA-03?
Answer
All of the directions for preparing the application are included within the RFGA. There are no current plans to issue a supplemental instruction guide. Specific questions about the application forms or the process can be submitted as questions as provided in the RFGA.
Question
Is it that this project/research should be carried out in the state of Texas only or can the work be done in other states?
Answer
There is no geographic restriction in this solicitation. The work for the project can be performed at any location, assuming that the results will benefit the State of Texas.
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