U.S. Department of Energy, Golden Field Office, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401

R -- NORTHEAST REGIONAL BIOMASS ENERGY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PROJECT!! SOL DE-PS3699GO10385!! POC Contract Specialist, James Damm, e-mail: jim_damm@nrel.gov, Contracting Officer, John Meeker, e-mail: john_meeker@nrel.gov!! WEB: Click here to download a copy., http://www.eren.doe.gov/golden/solicit.htm. E-MAIL: Click here to contact the Contracting Officer., Contract Specialist, James Damm, email: jim_damm@nrel.gov, Contracting Officer, John Meeker, e-mail: john_meeker@nrel.gov. 17. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the DOE Financial Assistance Rules, 10 CFR 600.8, is announcing its intention to solicit applications for the Northeast Regional Biomass Program (NERBEP) Management Project. The selected applicant will receive financial assistance to manage NERBEP under a cooperative agreement with DOE. The major goals of the DOE NERBEP are: to promote biomass energy by creating awareness, a positive image, and confidence in biomass energy technologies within the region; to develop a climate supportive of biomass energy among the general public and relevant government agencies; to assist both the public and private sectors in the responsible development, commercialization, and utilization of biomass energy technologies so that the region achieves full realization of associated energy, economic, and environmental benefits; and to select and perform activities that provide for responsible development of biomass energy within the region. The Northeast Region includes the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. Applications must address each of the following activities in order to be considered for award. The activities are (1) management and planning, (2) information and outreach, and (3) project oversight and evaluation. 1. Management and Planning includes a plan for the overall management of the project at the state level, including coordination with the DOE Boston Regional Support Office (BRSO) and NERBEP ad hoc steering committees. The responsibility also includes development of resource plans and the provision of technical input to DOE for development of annual operating plans for the NERBEP. The NERBEP Annual Operating Plan (AOP) is a document which will be prepared each year by the BRSO, with appropriate committee input, which provides guidance and direction to the program for the following Fiscal Year. The draft FY '99 AOP will be made an attachment to the solicitation. It will be the responsibility of the recipient to guide the Program in meeting AOP objectives, recommend and implement changes to the AOP as necessary, and assist the BRSO in the preparation and completion of future AOP's. 2. Information and Outreach includes responding to inquiries about the program from interested parties, developing biotech briefs, collecting and contributing articles to support dialogue, and preparing regional biomass energy program reports. The recipient also will coordinate and publish a regional newsletter at least quarterly and will establish and maintain a NERBEP Internet site which provides relevant biomass program information and project summaries. 3. Project Oversight and Evaluation includes the award and administration of subgrants to organizations in the region. The recipient will solicit applications for projects in support of program objectives through a competitive solicitation. Administration of the individual subgrants, including financial commitments, performance tracking, and the provision of periodic reports to DOE, will be the responsibility of the recipient with appropriate oversight from the BRSO. In response to this solicitation, DOE expects to make a single award. Solicitation number DE- PS36-99GO10385 will include complete information on the program including technical aspects, funding, application preparation instructions, application evaluation criteria, and other factors that will be considered when selecting projects for funding. No pre-application conference is planned. Issuance of the solicitation is planned on or about November 30, 1998, with responses due on January 20, 1999. To obtain a copy, interested parties must access the Golden Field Office Application, Award and Solicitation page after that date at http://www.eren.doe.gov/golden/solicit.htm, click on "solicitations" and then locate the solicitation number identified at item 9 above. DOE does not intend to issue written copies of the solicitation. All responsible sources may submit anapplication and all timely applications will be accepted.***** U.S. Department of Commerce Commerce Business Daily 5959 Harlem P.O. BOX 5999 Chicago, Illinois 60680 Posted 11/19/98 (W-SN272981). (0323)

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