Request for Information: Energy Critical Materials Assessment | DE FOA 0003568

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - DOE RFI DE-FOA-0003568 (2026 Energy Critical Materials Assessment)

1) What is DE-FOA-0003568?

DE-FOA-0003568 is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Golden Field Office. It is requesting public input to inform DOE's upcoming 2026 Energy Critical Materials Assessment.

2) Is this a grant or funding opportunity?

No. This is not a traditional grant competition and it does not have funding attached. The RFI is a discretionary, information-gathering process intended to collect comments, data, and stakeholder perspectives.

3) What is DOE trying to accomplish with this RFI?

The purpose is to improve the accuracy and usefulness of the 2026 Energy Critical Materials Assessment by incorporating current market intelligence, real-world supply chain constraints, and feedback on both the content and the methodology used in the assessment.

4) What will DOE do with the information submitted?

DOE will use submissions as input to shape how the federal government evaluates which materials are most important and most vulnerable within energy-related supply chains, as reflected in the 2026 Assessment.

5) What kinds of topics does the RFI cover?

The RFI is broad and seeks input across multiple topic areas, including energy technologies to emphasize, materials considered critical to those technologies, how supply chains function in practice, market dynamics, domestic industry challenges, and feedback on the assessment methodology.

6) What does DOE mean by "energy technologies" in this RFI?

The RFI requests input on which energy technologies should be emphasized in the assessment. Stakeholders can recommend which technologies should be prioritized or included as the assessment evaluates critical materials in energy-related supply chains.

7) What does DOE want to know about "critical materials"?

DOE is seeking input on which materials should be considered critical to the energy technologies emphasized in the assessment and why, including evidence tied to supply chain importance and vulnerability.

8) What supply chain information is DOE looking for?

DOE is asking for perspectives on how supply chains for relevant materials actually function in practice, including real-world constraints that may affect reliability, scalability, and resilience.

9) What market dynamics does DOE want commenters to address?

The RFI invites information on market dynamics such as production capacity, demand outlooks, price volatility, substitution possibilities, recycling potential, and geopolitical or trade-related risks.

10) Does DOE want input on recycling and substitution?

Yes. DOE explicitly invites input on substitution possibilities and recycling potential as part of the market dynamics and supply chain considerations for materials evaluated in the assessment.

11) Is DOE asking about geopolitical or trade risks?

Yes. The RFI requests information on geopolitical or trade-related risks that could affect the vulnerability of energy-related supply chains for critical materials.

12) What domestic industry challenges does DOE want to hear about?

DOE is explicitly looking for stakeholder views on challenges faced by domestic industry, including barriers to developing U.S.-based mining, processing, refining, manufacturing, and recycling.

13) What specific barriers to scaling U.S. supply chains are included in the RFI?

The RFI notes multiple potential barriers and considerations, including workforce, permitting, financing, infrastructure, environmental factors, and community considerations that affect the ability to scale supply chains inside the United States.

14) Is feedback on methodology part of this RFI?

Yes. A key element is feedback on methodology, including how DOE should evaluate criticality and risk, what data sources and assumptions should be used, and how to handle uncertainty and rapidly changing conditions.

15) What does DOE want to know about data sources and assumptions?

DOE is seeking comments on what data sources and assumptions should inform the 2026 Assessment, and how those choices should be handled given uncertainty and fast-changing market and supply chain conditions.

16) Does DOE want comments on how to evaluate criticality and risk?

Yes. The RFI asks for stakeholder input on how DOE should evaluate criticality and risk as part of the assessment methodology.

17) How does this RFI relate to the Department of the Interior (DOI) critical minerals list?

The RFI seeks input on how DOE should treat and align its own critical materials list with the DOI critical minerals list, including suggestions related to additions, removals, definitions, or categorization approaches.

18) Can commenters suggest changes to DOE's critical materials list?

Yes. DOE invites suggestions for additions, removals, definitions, or categorization approaches as part of aligning and refining how critical materials are treated in the assessment.

19) Can stakeholders raise issues not listed in the RFI topic areas?

Yes. DOE invites stakeholders to raise other issues that may not fit neatly into the listed categories but are still relevant to the Energy Critical Materials Assessment.

20) Who is eligible to submit a response?

Eligibility is unrestricted. Anyone may submit comments, including companies, industry associations, universities, national laboratories, state and local governments, tribes, non-profits, investors, and individual members of the public with relevant expertise or evidence.

21) Is this opportunity associated with a CFDA number?

Yes. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 81.086, which is an energy-related federal assistance category. The posting also reflects that no funding is expected from this action.

22) Does the posting indicate any expected awards or an award ceiling?

Yes. The posting reflects that there is no funding expected: the award ceiling is listed as 1 and expected awards are 0. This reinforces that the goal is information collection rather than awarding grants or contracts.

23) When was the RFI created?

The RFI was created on 2025-06-25.

24) What is the deadline to submit input?

The deadline for submissions is 2025-07-25.

25) Why does submitting to this RFI matter if there is no funding?

DOE is building the evidentiary foundation for a major federal assessment that can influence policy direction, research priorities, industrial strategy, and potentially later funding and program decisions connected to critical materials and energy supply chain resilience.

26) What is the main takeaway for stakeholders considering a submission?

Stakeholders who want to shape how DOE defines, evaluates, and prioritizes energy critical materials in 2026 have a clear window to provide data-backed comments before the closing date.

27) Which DOE office is issuing this RFI?

The RFI is being requested by the U.S. Department of Energy through its Golden Field Office.

28) Is DOE looking for evidence-based input or general opinions?

The RFI describes DOE as collecting comments, data, and perspectives, with an emphasis on incorporating current market intelligence, real-world supply chain constraints, and stakeholder feedback. Submissions supported by relevant expertise or evidence are within scope.