Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) Program – IACs at Trade Schools, Community Colleges, and Union Training Programs; and Building Training and Assessment Centers (BTAC) Program | DE FOA 0002940

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002940

This Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0002940) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), administered through the Golden Field Office, uses cooperative agreements to expand hands-on energy efficiency and decarbonization training while delivering real-world assessments to industry and buildings. The FOA is jointly issued by DOE's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) and Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP). The core idea is to replicate and broaden the proven Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) model by placing new centers in settings that can reach a wider and more diverse workforce pipeline, including community colleges, trade schools, and union training programs, while also launching Building Training and Assessment Centers (BTACs) at institutions of higher education, including Tribal colleges and universities.

The opportunity is structured around creating new IACs and BTACs that combine applied learning with direct technical assistance. For the IAC component, the focus is on building high-quality skilled trades pathways tied to in-demand energy and manufacturing occupations such as industrial electrician work, energy management, renewable energy integration, and advanced manufacturing. These new IACs are expected to provide hands-on support to small and medium-sized manufacturers, helping them identify and implement opportunities to reduce energy use, cut costs, and improve operational efficiency. In practice, this generally means training students and workers through real assessment work, where they learn to spot savings opportunities and understand how energy improvements translate into stronger competitiveness for local manufacturers.

For the BTAC component, the program extends the same assessment-and-training concept to commercial and institutional buildings, with the goal of reducing utility bills and freeing up resources that organizations can reinvest in their workforce, services, and communities. BTACs are intended to train a broad range of building and construction professionals, including engineers, architects, building scientists, building energy permitting and enforcement officials, and building technicians. The training emphasis is energy-efficient design and operation, which aligns with improving building performance over time, not just identifying one-off fixes. The overall direction is to grow the workforce capable of designing, operating, and maintaining more efficient buildings while also providing practical assessment services that deliver measurable benefits.

DOE frames these investments as part of a broader national strategy to strengthen domestic manufacturing, increase economic resilience, and move toward a net-zero emissions economy-wide future. The FOA also emphasizes workforce priorities: empowering workers, supporting safe and healthy workplaces, promoting inclusive outcomes, and developing a diverse talent pipeline capable of building and maintaining U.S. energy infrastructure. In other words, the centers are not just service providers; they are meant to function as training hubs that produce job-ready graduates and upskilled workers while delivering energy and cost savings to real clients.

Key administrative details include that this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism (meaning DOE expects substantial involvement during the project), within the Energy funding activity category, under CFDA 81.117. The listed award ceiling is $9,000,000. The FOA notes that there are eligibility restrictions, even though the summary field may show "Unrestricted," so applicants are directed to review Section III.A of the FOA for the controlling eligibility rules and any limits on who can apply under each topic area or center type.

Two modifications are highlighted in the notice. Modification 0001 extended the Concept Paper deadline to June 16, 2023 at 5:00 pm ET and extended the Full Application deadline to August 15, 2023. Modification 0002 updated Section I.B.iii (pages 20-21) under "Topic Area 3 Building Training and Assessment Centers Program" to reflect a change related to how applicants must address the criteria listed in that section in their full application; applicants should read that revised language closely because it affects what must be included and how compliance is evaluated for BTAC proposals.

Applicants are directed to the full Funding Opportunity Announcement and submission details on DOE's Infrastructure Exchange site at https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov. The FOA itself is the definitive source for topic structure, required elements, cost share (if any), allowable activities, reporting expectations, review criteria, and the specific eligibility rules referenced in Section III.A.

• The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) Program – IACs at Trade Schools, Community Colleges, and Union Training Programs; and Building Training and Assessment Centers (BTAC) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.117.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-04-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-08-15. (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 $9,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

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