The Notice of Intent (NOI) No. DE-FOA-0003546 outlines the anticipated re-issuance of the funding opportunity announcement titled “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing” under FOA DE-FOA-0003099. This initiative, managed by the Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC), supports the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), particularly sections 40207(b) and (c). It aims to strengthen U.S. energy independence, reduce reliance on foreign competitors, and enhance domestic manufacturing of battery materials and supply chains for defense, transportation, and grid resilience.

The program anticipates making approximately $725 million in federal funding available, with individual awards ranging from $50 million to $200 million. It plans to fund 3 to 14 projects for periods of 24 to 60 months. Projects may focus on capital and operational support for facilities that handle battery-grade precursor materials, constituent materials, components, and cell manufacturing or recycling. Areas of interest include creating U.S. capacity for producing cathode and anode materials, electrolyte and electrolyte salts, pre-industrial-scale cell manufacturing, and developing open topics in materials, processing, and manufacturing technologies.

Applicants will receive priority if their projects avoid sourcing battery materials from or exporting recovered materials to Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOCs). As per final interpretive guidance issued in May 2024, adherence to statutory definitions of FEOC is required.

Submission requirements include registration with the **Infrastructure Exchange**, where applications will be submitted. Additional registrations in SAM.gov, FedConnect, and Grants.gov are recommended to receive updates and notifications. The official funding opportunity announcement is expected to be released in spring 2025. Applications must demonstrate the ability to address challenges in qualifying and securing offtake agreements for new production capacity, in light of current market volatility.

Potential applicants are encouraged to register and prepare in advance to comply with the submission guidelines and ensure alignment with the program's goals of bolstering domestic energy supply chains and infrastructure modernization. Further details will be provided upon release of the full funding opportunity.