I. INTRODUCTION
Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA), Management & Operating Contractor of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) owned Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is seeking an Expression of Interest (EOI) from prospective offerors to support the Regional Biomass Resource Hub Initiative (RBRH) as a Regional Lead for the Southwest United States. The RBRH is a new initiative from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) designed to accelerate the mobilization of purpose-grown energy crops to create biofuels and bioproducts and to support rural economies. The RBRH’s mission is to identify and validate market-driven regional strategies that help mobilize purpose-grown energy crops across varied agronomic landscapes. RBRH does this by generating modeling tools, data, and guidelines that support feedstock supply chain development. The RBRH is led by BETO and INL along with a group of Regional Leads. More information on the RBRH can be found here: https://regionalbiomassresourcehub.inl.gov/
II. PROCESS
BEA is seeking a qualified individual to support the RBRH as a Southwest Regional Lead enabling the RBRH mission by playing a key leadership role for each hub. RBRH Regional Leads will build regional networks with community members and stakeholders and advise on feedstock specific regional considerations and policy. The Regional Lead must be a nationally or internationally recognized subject matter expert in production and utilization of purpose grown energy crops.
Qualifications include:
- Technical Expertise and Leadership: Strong technical credentials and experience, demonstrated by impactful research publications and/or successful project implementations, along with proven leadership skills.
- Experience in Regional Matters: Practical experience in agribusiness, market development, third-party certification, or similar experience beyond academic publications.
- Collaboration and Networking: Demonstrated ability to work with and lead teams from different organizations, host working groups, and leverage established connections within the field and region.
- Industry and Workforce Development Connections: Extensive ties with the agricultural and/or forestry sectors, including USDA ARS, and a solid understanding of workforce development in rural areas.
As determined by BEA, responders to this EOI may receive a Request for Proposal (RFP) that may require detailed technical and price proposals be provided for evaluation and ranking under a source selection process. The Regional Lead role will fund a maximum of 20% of a person’s time for one year with a possibility of extension.
III. REGIONAL LEAD DESCRIPTION
A Regional Lead is being considered for the Southwest U.S. region. Each lead will be responsible for:
- providing technical leadership for the Regional Hub and representing the Regional Hub on the leadership team along with INL, DOE BETO and the USDA;
- advising on feedstock specific regional matters including agribusiness, market development and third-party certification;
- hosting working groups to identify feedstock specific challenges;
- providing connections to industry partners to support mobilization for RBRH teams;
- interacting with organizations supporting business and workforce development in rural areas;
- helping identify gaps and needs for data collection efforts to support mobilization and to facilitate out year opportunities; and
- helping lead RBRH teams by integration of projects from BETO competitive funding opportunities as well as projects funded by other agencies seeking to partner with RBRH hubs (i.e., USDA) into one team.
IV. SUBMITTAL
Interested individuals are requested to submit expressions of interest by close of business on March 28, 2025. Included must be sufficient written information confirming the responder’s qualifications, including the following:
- Name
- Institution
- Contact Information
- CV or Resume
- A brief statement (no more than one page in length) including:
- Why are you interested in the position and what unique expertise would you bring to a Regional Lead role.
- Describe any experience you have related to the qualifications above.
Expressions of interest may be submitted by 1) contracting RBRH@inl.gov to receive a link to securely transmit your application using Box or 2) emailed directly to RBRH@inl.gov. If you do the latter, please enable encryption features in your email platform to ensure secure transmission. Securely sending emails protects sensitive information from unauthorized access. Transmitting PII via non-secured methods carries inherent risks for which you are accountable.
Only potentially qualified offerors, as determined by BEA, will be contacted for further discussions or the release of a request for proposal for the project. If you have questions, need additional information, or need to speak with a BEA subject matter expert for clarification, please email RBRH@inl.gov. If you have submitted an expression of interest for the Northeast, Southeast, South Central and/or Midwest region(s) and would like to be considered for the Southwest region please contact RBRH@inl.gov.
