The U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) issued its call for proposals for the Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF) and Operational Energy Prototyping Fund (OEPF) programs. Submissions can include multi-year and single-year project proposals, as well as single-year study proposals. From the call for proposals,

OECIF and OEPF serve to fund energy innovation and improve military force operational effectiveness through targeted investments. These investments focus on improving the operational energy [] performance of our military forces in two primary ways: 

1. Developing, demonstrating, and rapidly transitioning operational energy technologies, processes, or standards within the force for improving military [operational energy] capabilities, reducing costs, and decreasing carbon emissions. 
2. Establishing sustainable institutional capacities that will continue researching, developing, training, educating, and adopting [operational energy] innovations (Darling, 2022, p. 3)

OSD is soliciting proposals that support three operational energy strategy areas—Powering the Force, Electrifying the Battlespace, and Commanding Energy (described on p. 6)—in three topical areas. The topical areas are:

• "Advanced Technology Development Relevant, Aviation and Space Efficiencies. … efficiencies could include but are not limited to manned and or unmanned: aviation powerplants (i.e., electrification, hybridization, etc.), aerodynamics, flight software planning tools, inflight algorithms, and capabilities that improve efficiency, lower energy consumption and/or reduce harm to the environment. Analytic, Modeling& Simulation, War Gaming, and Training and Education opportunities are also on-topic.” (Darling, 2022, p. 6)
• Contested Logistics, which "'means an environment in which the armed forces engage in conflict with an adversary that presents challenges in all domains and directly targets logistics operations, facilities, and activities in the United States, abroad, or in transit form one location to the other'" (FY22 National Defense Authorization Act, as cited in Darling, 2022, p. 6).
• Vehicle Electrification and Hybridization. "For hybrid vehicles, industry trends highlight transitioning from the production of internal combustion engines to the development and production of alternative propulsion systems to improve climate impacts, energy use/costs, and sustainability." (Darling, 2022, p. 7)

The submission dates for proposals depends on the topical area, which are also posted to the SLAMR Proposals calendar.

• 1 August 2022 (5pm Eastern): Advanced Technology Development Relevant, Aviation and Space Efficiencies 
• 4 August 2022 (5pm Eastern): Contested Logistics
• 6 February 2023: Vehicle Electrification and Hybridization (a time by which proposals must be submitted was not identified in the call for proposals)

Learn more about this opportunity and how to submit a proposal by clicking the document titles below.

• Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF) and Operational Energy Prototyping Fund (OEPF) Fiscal Year 2023 Call for Proposals and Project Selection Evaluation Plan
• OECIF-OEPF Proposal Appendix 1 Whitepaper Template
• OECIF-OEPF Proposal Appendix 2 Quad Chart Template
• Operational Energy Innovation Letter of Support Template

Reference
Darling, R. A. (2022). Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF) and Operational Energy Prototyping Fund (OEPF) Fiscal Year 2023 Call for Proposals and Project Selection Evaluation Plan.