Solicitations

Solicitation 4.0 – Innovations in Floating Offshore Wind

This solicitation will fund up to $10.6 million of projects that address several major areas of need for floating offshore wind, including innovation in ports and vessels, transmission technology, and uncrewed underwater vehicles for environmental monitoring.

This solicitation is a collaborative effort with anchor funding from the California Energy Commission (CEC), and leveraged funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).

NOWRDC intends to support projects in partnership with the best research and innovation organizations to achieve maximum impact. Proposals are welcomed from all geographic locations within the United States, with additional eligibility parameters outlined in the Request for Proposals (RFP).  

Topic Areas

1. Topic Area 1: Innovations in Ports and Vessels to Support Floating Offshore Wind Deployment
2. Topic Area 2: Floating Offshore Wind Transmission Technology Advancement
3. Topic Area 3: Evaluating Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles for Environmental Monitoring Around Floating Offshore Wind Development Infrastructure

Key Dates 

• August 14, 2024 – Full solicitation released, application period open
• September 10, 2024 – Informational webinar (registration linked here)
• September 17, 2024 – Deadline for written questions
• November 14, 2024 by 3pm PDT – Proposal submissions due
• Anticipated February 2025 – Award notifications issued

Solicitation 4.0 Request for Proposals (RFP)

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the RFP in depth prior to forming their project proposal. 

• Solicitation 4.0 – Request for Proposals

Application Documents

All proposals must include, at minimum, the following documents:

• Attachment A: Proposal Narrative (with required attachments) 
• Attachment B1: Statement of Work and Schedule 
• Attachment B3: TRL/CRL Calculator
• Attachment C1: Milestone Payment Schedule
• Attachment C2: Budget Justification
• Attachment D: Applicant Assumption of Risk Form

Proposals may need to submit the following additional documents:

• Att. B2: Business Model Canvas Template (required for funding categories B and C)
• Att. B4: Three-year Financial Projection Worksheet (required for funding categories B and C)
• Att. E: CEQA Compliance Form (required for applicants proposing projects located in California, including off the coast of California, or projects proposing 60% or more of grant funds spent in California.)

Instructions for all proposal attachments are provided in the Attachment A: Proposal Narrative file.

Application Portal Assistance

Applicants must create an account and submit their application at https://nationaloffshorewind.fluxx.io/.

In case you run into any issues using Fluxx, refer to the user guide below:

• Fluxx User Instructions for Solicitation 4.0 Applicants

Questions?

All questions regarding Solicitation 4.0 should be directed to info@nationaloffshorewind.org with the subject line “Solicitation 4.0 Inquiry.” NOWRDC encourages applicants to submit questions by September 17, 2024. NOWRDC will publish submitted questions and associated answers on October 1, 2024. 

Learn More

→ Sign up for Notifications to be notified of Solicitation 4.0 updates and reminders.

→ The previously issued Notice of Intent is available here.

Previous NOWRDC Solicitations