The R-STEP program was established in 2023 to enhance the decision-making capacity of state, local, and Tribal governments regarding large-scale renewable energy planning, siting, and permitting. It provides funding, technical assistance, and peer-to-peer information sharing to support state-based collaboratives in developing resources for local communities. Currently, R-STEP supports twelve collaboratives across thirteen states, each receiving up to $2M in funding to improve renewable energy planning and siting. Activities include community surveys, guidebook development, and workshops to disseminate information.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is seeking applications from technical assistance (TA) providers with expertise in renewable energy planning and siting. Selected providers will support R-STEP collaboratives in understanding priority siting topics and developing state-based resources. EERE will select TA providers based on the needs of the collaboratives and the criteria outlined in the Submission Guidance document.

Eligible applicants include for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions. EERE anticipates awarding four to eight TA providers with awards ranging from $20,000 to $300,000. Applicants must identify TA deliverables they can execute over two years, with a defined cost for each deliverable.

Applications must include a project narrative, resumes of subject matter experts, and an online questionnaire. The submission window is from November 12, 2024, to January 9, 2025, with a deadline of 3:00 PM ET.