{"text_format":"2","workbook":"xlsx","n_sheets":1,"sheets":["Sheet1"],"not_rendered":{"charts":0,"images":0,"macros":0,"external_links":0,"defined_names":1,"comments":0,"pivot_tables":0},"unopened":[],"bounds":{"document_bytes":16777216,"sheet_cells":100000,"run_cost":"one","rows_first":2000,"rows_last":500,"rows_between":2000,"halvings":0,"cell_chars":16384,"cell_head_chars":4096},"cells_cut":0,"cells_raw":0,"read":"whole","date_system":"1900"}

{"sheet":"Sheet1","index":0,"n_rows":8,"n_cols":6,"rows_kept":8,"cut":false,"hidden":false,"merged":[[1,1,1,5]]}
[]
[null,"43625RCD0000006: Pilot-scale Rapid Operational Validation of key Energy Infrastructure Technologies (PROVE IT) - Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)"]
[null,"Question #","Date Submitted","Topic","Question","Answer"]
[null,1,"2024-12-16","Application Content/Format","Is this considered a new requirement? If not, would it possible to get the incumbent contractor, contract number, and value?","The PROVE IT solicitation is a new requirement."]
[null,2,"2024-12-16","Tech Topics","We are a floating wind start-up. We are looking to deploy our technology at pilot scale and are looking forward to the PROVE IT solicitation. I noticed that the TAs were only focused on LDES and CCUS - would you be open to expanding the TAs to include other technologies that still: exhibit technological diversity when compared to the existing OCED portfolio of demonstration projects[2] or that have not already been demonstrated at a scale larger than the proposed project. We believe our pilot project would fall be responsive to that overall mission (but not to the target TAs). ","The solicitation will be limited to two topic areas related to Long Duration Energy Storage and Carbon Capture based on availability of Congressionaly authorized and appropriated funding for this program."]
[null,3,"2024-12-20","Tech Topics","In the Topic Area 1 (Carbon Capture Point Source), the current pre-solicitation language contemplates Applicants having a 1-3 TPD CO2 capture pilot system already built and tested for 100 hours.  For a small business, this is a large pilot plant requiring significant investment.  In our assessment, a typical bench pilot operated by a small business is in the range of 50-100 kg of CO2 / day utilizing 50 to 500 lb/hr of flue gas depending upon the CO2 concentration.  This size is adequate to obtain performance results with a real industrial flue gas to develop an engineering design for a large pilot (>100 ton/day of CO2) or even a small commercial demonstration plant (300 to 500 ton/day).  Therefore, we request OCED reduce this size requirement to 50-100 kg CO2 per day range.","OCED appreciates the feedback  and will consider it as appropriate."]
[null,4,"2024-12-20","TA1","We suggest that OCED require testing of the pilot with actual industrial flue gas for this program.  It is difficult to fully simulate all the contaminants in the flue gas as well as fluctuations in CO2 concentration, flow rate and temperatures in the lab.  Actual flue gas testing for 1,000 hours will provide industrial validation of the technology and the only major risk for scale-up will be scalability of the reactor design and associated balance of plant components, which can be done with engineering expertise with suitable EPC companies working on Carbon Capture.  Successful completion of 1,000 hours of testing with actual flue gas will make the technology significantly more investable by the private sector.","The intent of this solicitation is to require or prioritize projects validating technologies and materials in industrial-relevant conditions - in the context of topic area 1, it means actual industrial flue gas."]
[null,5,"2024-12-20","Application Content/Format","The pre-solicitation makes clear that a detailed milestone table (with associated payments for their achievements) will be negotiated with best-suited applicants. Further, it specifies contract ceilings for each phase (i.e. Plan, Integrate, Validate). It is not clear from the pre-solicitation that upfront/initial payable milestones, and interim payable milestones are contemplated by OCED, though we suggest that such should be acceptable as part of the detailed milestone table. From a cash flow perspective, it would be extremely difficult, for example, for a non-VC backed small business to finance $2 million for 6-9 month Integrate phase (and almost impossible to finance the $2 million, 12-18 months Validate phase).  In any resulting solicitation, please strongly consider a statement that initial/early and interim payable milestones are encouraged or acceptable, in addition to phase final completion, such that small businesses may understand the cash flow risks when applying.","The intent is to negotiate a list of milestones for each phase of the contract, including the price of each milestone. The small business will receive a payment upon completion of each milestone, as deemed by OCED."]