609.4—Submission of Pre-Applications.

In response to a solicitation requesting the submission of Pre-Applications, either Project Sponsors or Applicants may submit Pre-Applications to DOE. Pre-Applications must meet all requirements specified in the solicitation and this part. At a minimum, each Pre-Application must contain all of the following:
(a) A cover page signed by an individual with full authority to bind the Project Sponsor or Applicant that attests to the accuracy of the information in the Pre-Application, and that binds the Project Sponsor(s) or Applicant to the commitments made in the Pre-Application. In addition, the information requested in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section should be submitted in a volume one and the information requested in paragraphs (d) through (h) of this section should be submitted in a volume two, to expedite the DOE review process.
(b) An executive summary briefly encapsulating the key project features and attributes of the proposed project (for clarity, with respect to any project in which project assets or facilities are jointly owned by the Applicant and one or more other persons, each of whom owns an undivided ownership interest in such project assets or facilities, the Applicant may submit a project proposal with respect to its undivided ownership interest in such project assets or facilities);
(c) A business plan which includes an overview of the proposed project, including:
(1) A description of the Project Sponsor, including all entities involved, and its experience in project investment, development, construction, operation and maintenance;
(2) A description of the new or significantly improved technology to be employed in the project, including:
(i) A report detailing its successes and failures during the pilot and demonstration phases;
(ii) The technology's commercial applications;
(iii) The significance of the technology to energy use or emission control;
(iv) How and why the technology is “new” or “significantly improved” compared to technology already in general use in the commercial marketplace in the United States;
(v) Why the technology to be employed in the project is not in “general use;”
(vi) The owners or controllers of the intellectual property incorporated in and utilized by such technologies; and
(vii) The manufacturer(s) and licensee(s), if any, authorized to make the technology available in the United States, the potential for replication of commercial use of the technology in the United States, and whether and how the technology is or will be made available in the United States for further commercial use;
(3) The estimated amount, in reasonable detail, of the total Project Costs;
(4) The timeframe required for construction and commissioning of the project;
(5) A description of any primary off-take or other revenue-generating agreements that will provide the primary sources of revenues for the project, including repayment of the debt obligations for which a guarantee is sought.
(6) An overview of how the project complies with the eligibility requirements in section 1703 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 16513 );
(7) An outline of the potential environmental impacts of the project and how these impacts will be mitigated;
(8) A description of the anticipated air pollution and/or anthropogenic greenhouse gas reduction benefits and how these benefits will be measured and validated; and
(9) A list of all of the requirements contained in this part and the solicitation and where in the Pre-Application these requirements are addressed;
(d) A financing plan overview describing:
(1) The amount of equity to be invested and the sources of such equity;
(2) The amount of the total debt obligations to be incurred and the funding sources of all such debt if available;
(3) The amount of the Guaranteed Obligation as a percentage of total project debt; and as a percentage of total project cost; and
(4) A financial model detailing the investments in and the cash flows generated and anticipated from the project over the project's expected life-cycle, including a complete explanation of the facts, assumptions, and methodologies in the financial model;
(e) An explanation of what estimated impact the loan guarantee will have on the interest rate, debt term, and overall financial structure of the project;
(f) Where the Federal Financing Bank is not the lender, a copy of a letter from an Eligible Lender or other Holder(s) expressing its commitment to provide, or interest in providing, the required debt financing necessary to construct and fully commission the project;
(g) A copy of the equity commitment letter(s) from each of the Project Sponsors and a description of the sources for such equity; and
(h) A commitment to pay the Application fee (First Fee), if invited to submit an Application.