Connect Werx #CWX-028-CESER

DOE CESER seeks nonprofit-led cybersecurity assistance and threat sharing for electric utilities

DOE CESER’s RMUC program supports nonprofit-led cybersecurity assistance for rural and municipal electric utilities. - Government buyer: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER). ConnectWerx (CWX) is identified as program administrator. - Opportunity: Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity (RMUC) Advanced Cybersecurity Technical Assistance program, seeking nonprofit applicants formally partnered with at least six eligible electric utilities. - Requested services: Cybersecurity assessments and planning, workforce training, exercises, tool implementation and integration, incident response and continuity support, validation, and follow-up. Applicants may focus on utility system hardening and technical assistance, threat information sharing, or both. - Threat-sharing focus: A Protective Domain Name System (PDNS) service may provide centralized DNS resolution, real-time threat blocking, filtering, customizable policies, DNSSEC validation, analytics, security integrations, flexible deployment, and DDoS protection. Threat sharing is intended to coordinate with CESER’s Energy Threat Analysis Center and established information-sharing programs. - Requirements and funding: Projects should demonstrate utility cybersecurity needs and measurable improvements. Review considerations include utility reach, technical merit, readiness, organizational capability, cost effectiveness, validation, and sustainability. Cost share is not required; the program identifies $100 million in available funding. - Named organizations: DOE, CESER, ConnectWerx, James Forrestal LLC, and Olson and Olson LLC. James Forrestal LLC and Olson and Olson LLC appear in illustrative budget examples, not as identified OEMs or required suppliers. - Illustrative budget examples: The attachment includes sample budgets of $1.89 million and $1.5 million, with example activities such as convenings, technology experiments, staff, analysis software, technical validation, prototyping, consultants, and project closeout. These examples do not establish required contract amounts or specified product purchases. - OEMs and products: No OEMs, commercial product models, or part numbers are specified. No product line items or quantities are requested.

Description

This funding opportunity supports not-for-profit performers providing advanced cybersecurity technical assistance, technologies, services, and related support to eligible rural and municipal electric utilities, while facilitating threat information sharing. Applicants must demonstrate formal partnerships with at least six qualifying electric utilities and propose work in system hardening and technical assistance, cybersecurity threat information sharing, or both. Supported activities include assessments, workforce training, exercises, cybersecurity tool implementation, verification and validation, and development of a Protective Domain Name System (PDNS) service. The program has $100 million in funding available, and submissions are due October 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET.

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