Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages can apply annually to receive on-request technical assistance with energy planning; housing and building energy efficiency; project development; climate resilience; village power; and policy and regulation. Assistance is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy and its national laboratories, along with other partnering organizations, at no cost.
The goal of the technical assistance is to address a specific challenge or fulfill a need that is essential to a current project's successful implementation. The intended result of this technical assistance is a tangible product or specific deliverable designed to help move a project forward. The technical assistance provided is not intended to compete with industry by performing activities typically performed by consultants/contractors, nor is it intended to provide skills/job training or field general inquiries.
Each request will be evaluated based on scope and available budget. Note that in addition to the request form, additional information may be needed to better evaluate a request, such as past energy audits or engineering designs.
Read more about:
View a map and list of completed on-request technical assistance. For general information or inquiries, please contact our help desk.
Eligibility
The following tribal entities are eligible for on-request technical assistance:
- Federally recognized Indian tribes, including Alaska Native villages
- Other organized tribal groups and communities—including Alaska Native regional and village corporations
- Tribal energy resource development organizations
Current projects funded by DOE grants receive priority.
Application Process
To apply for on-request technical assistance, complete the online technical assistance request form.
Office of Indian Energy staff will process and review your application to determine whether your request fits within the program's scope and can be met with available resources. The review is anticipated to take 1 to 2 weeks. If approved, your request will be forwarded to the appropriate technical assistance provider, who will contact you before beginning work.
To ensure successful delivery of technical assistance, the program asks that applicants:
- Provide an accessible tribal contact who will field calls and respond to emails
- Designate a tribal representative who can be available to sit in on a scoping call as needed
- Respond to requests for additional information (e.g., energy usage data) in a timely manner.
