The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO), a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled "Clean Energy Supply Chain and Manufacturing Competitiveness Analysis for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies." Significant challenges must be overcome to scale-up the production of today's hydrogen and fuel cell components and systems, which are currently built using laboratory-scale fabrication technologies, to commercially viable products at high-volume. FCTO's Manufacturing R&D Program aims to improve processes and reduce the cost of manufacturing components and systems for hydrogen production and delivery, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells for multiple applications.

As the market for hydrogen and fuel cells grows, the need to develop a robust supply chain to support mass production of these systems has been identified as a high priority need. In addition, key opportunities must be identified in the hydrogen and fuel cell supply and value chain where the United States can achieve or maintain a competitive advantage. To support these dual needs, EERE anticipates issuing a FOA for the following two topic areas:

1. Conduct outreach to develop strategies and new approaches to facilitate the development and expand the domestic supply chain of hydrogen and fuel cell related components in the United States (Topic 1)

2. Conduct an extensive global manufacturing competitive analysis for hydrogen and fuel cell-related technologies (Topic 2).

EERE plans to issue the FOA in May 2014. The FOA will be available for viewing at the EERE Exchange website. If applicants wish to receive official notifications and information from EERE regarding this FOA, they should register in EERE Exchange.