Fiscal Year 2025 Vehicle Technology Office Program Wide | DE FOA 0003514

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This is the Fiscal Year 2025 Vehicle Technology Office Program Wide funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0003514), a federal competitive funding program supporting research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) projects aimed at lowering the energy use and overall cost of moving people and goods across the United States.

What is the main goal of the program?

The program focuses on accelerating adoption of advanced vehicle and infrastructure technologies so consumers and businesses have more practical options, while strengthening U.S. competitiveness in transportation and clean energy industries. It is framed around real-world outcomes like safer and more reliable batteries, more convenient charging and travel, lower cost of driving, higher efficiency, and a more resilient and secure domestic supply chain.

What types of activities does the program fund?

The opportunity supports a range of RDD&D activities. It is not limited to early-stage lab research; it also includes projects that move into demonstration and deployment, including efforts to validate performance at scale, prove operability in the field, and address barriers that prevent promising technologies from reaching the market.

What technology areas are prioritized?

Priority topic areas called out include improved battery technologies for light-duty and heavy-duty applications, smart charging infrastructure (including intelligent and optimized charging approaches), sustainable farming-related technology pathways, workforce development initiatives, and projects that advance beyond lab research into demonstration and deployment.

Are projects limited to passenger vehicles?

No. The opportunity spans both on-road and off-road vehicles. It also emphasizes light-duty and heavy-duty use cases and includes agricultural and farming-related contexts, indicating an intent to improve transportation energy efficiency and emissions outcomes across a broad range of vehicles and industries.

Does the NOFO support charging infrastructure projects?

Yes. Smart charging infrastructure is specifically highlighted, including more intelligent and optimized ways to charge vehicles and improve the charging experience.

Does the NOFO support battery technology projects?

Yes. Improved battery technologies are a priority topic area, with mention of both light-duty and heavy-duty applications and real-world outcomes such as safer and more reliable batteries.

Does the NOFO include workforce development?

Yes. Workforce development efforts are explicitly included, with an emphasis on building the talent pipeline needed to deploy and maintain advanced vehicle and infrastructure systems.

Does the opportunity include agricultural or farming-related projects?

Yes. The description highlights sustainable farming-related technology pathways and notes off-road and agricultural contexts as part of the program scope.

Is this a grant or a cooperative agreement?

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. This typically implies substantial federal involvement during the project period, such as coordinated technical direction, shared milestones, and active project management compared to a standard grant.

What agency administers this opportunity?

The administering agency listed is the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number?

The CFDA/Assistance Listing number provided is 81.086.

How is this opportunity categorized?

It is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under activity areas including energy, environment, science and technology, other research and development, and transportation.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted. However, applicants are expected to follow the specific eligibility requirements in Section II.A. of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), where detailed conditions, exclusions, cost share expectations, teaming rules, or other compliance requirements would be specified.

Where are the detailed eligibility conditions described?

Detailed eligibility requirements are referenced as being in Section II.A. of the NOFO.

What is the application deadline?

The application deadline is June 18, 2025.

How many awards are expected?

The opportunity anticipates making around 47 awards.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $6,000,000 per award.

What kinds of projects fit the award size and program intent?

Based on the stated award ceiling and the emphasis on RDD&D through demonstration and deployment, the opportunity appears designed to support substantial efforts, potentially including multi-year projects or multi-partner work that can meaningfully advance technology readiness, infrastructure readiness, or workforce capacity.

What outcomes is the program trying to deliver?

Outcomes described include safer and more reliable batteries, easier and more convenient travel and charging experiences, lower cost of driving, higher vehicle and system efficiency, and a more resilient and secure domestic supply chain.

Is the program focused on deployment barriers as well as technology development?

Yes. The description explicitly notes support for projects that help overcome deployment barriers that keep promising technology from reaching the market, including field operability and performance validation at scale.

Does the program address supply chain resiliency?

Yes. One of the stated real-world outcomes is a more resilient and secure domestic supply chain.

What is the overall focus of the Vehicle Technology Office Program Wide opportunity?

Overall, it is aimed at accelerating advanced vehicle technology progress across batteries, charging systems, and related transportation solutions, while also addressing deployment and workforce needs that determine whether innovations can scale across the United States.