Command the Conversation: How to Lead, Influence, and Win with the DOE’s 2026 Critical Materials Assessment

A Strategic Primer from Grant Management Associates (GMA)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched the public comment process for its 2026 Energy Critical Materials Assessment, a pivotal federal initiative that will shape the future of American energy, manufacturing, and industrial policy. Conducted under Executive Order 14154: Unleashing American Energy, this effort is focused on identifying and securing access to the materials that power the clean energy transition. 

This is not just another federal request for input. It is a rare opportunity for companies, researchers, and strategic partners to influence national priorities, guide future funding, and position themselves at the center of U.S. energy leadership.

Grant Management Associates (GMA) is here to help you not just participate , but lead. We work with clients across sectors to strategically engage, respond, and win during this kind of high-impact federal initiative.

Why the DOE’s Critical Materials Assessment Matters

A Foundational Moment for National Energy Policy

The DOE’s assessment determines which materials ,such as rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, nickel, and emerging alternatives are considered “critical” to the U.S. energy economy.

These designations drive:

• Federal research funding and commercialization priorities

• Clean energy and advanced manufacturing grant programs

• Procurement rules and industrial strategy across multiple agencies

This process addresses core questions such as:

• Which materials are vital to clean energy and electrification?

• Where are the vulnerabilities in global supply chains?

• What recycling and substitution pathways can be accelerated?

• How can domestic production be scaled responsibly?

The Policy Decisions Made Now Will Shape the Next Decade

By responding to this RFI, your organization can help influence:

• How funding is structured

• Which materials receive federal investment

• How the U.S. reduces reliance on foreign-controlled supply chains

• Where innovation is focused and accelerated

The Strategic Role of Rare Earth Minerals

What Are Rare Earth Minerals (REMs)?

Rare earth elements are a group of 17 metallic elements including neodymium, dysprosium, terbium, europium, and yttrium that are essential to many high-performance energy, defense, and communications technologies. Despite their name, rare earth minerals are relatively abundant in the earth’s crust but difficult and expensive to extract and process in economically viable and environmentally responsible ways.

Source: U.S Department of Energy

Where Rare Earths Are Used

REMs are critical to the performance of:

• Permanent magnets used in wind turbines, electric vehicle motors, drones, and industrial robotics

• LED lights, smartphones, and flat screen displays

• Defense systems, including guidance systems, radar, and secure communications

• Medical imaging and diagnostic devices

• Nuclear reactors and specialized fuel systems

Supply Chain Vulnerability

China currently dominates global production and processing of rare earth minerals, accounting for more than 80 percent of global supply. This concentration presents significant national security risks and economic dependencies. In response, the DOE and other U.S. agencies are actively seeking:

• Domestic mining and processing capacity

• Environmentally responsible extraction technologies

• Substitutes and advanced materials that reduce dependence

• Recycling and recovery strategies from industrial and consumer waste

• Partnerships with allied nations to diversify sourcing

How Stakeholders Can Respond Strategically

The RFI invites input on:

• Specific challenges in mining, refining, or deploying rare earths

• Innovative processes for recycling REMs from electronics or industrial waste streams

• Workforce and permitting constraints

• Ideas for public-private collaboration, including regional hubs, technology validation, and capital access

Organizations working in mining, critical materials R&D, advanced magnet manufacturing, electronics recycling, and defense technology should strongly consider submitting comments. Your insights could shape everything from grant design to future public-private partnerships and funding mechanisms.

The Evolving Role of Coal in the Critical Materials Landscape

While often viewed through the lens of traditional energy production, coal is increasingly being recognized for its strategic role as a source of carbon-based and mineral-based critical materials.

Why Coal and Coal Derivatives Matter

• Coal-derived graphitic carbon, pitch, and activated carbon are used in batteries, supercapacitors, filtration, and composite materials.

• Coal byproducts, particularly coal ash, contain extractable concentrations of rare earth elements, an emerging area of interest for the DOE.

• The reuse of coal waste aligns with circular economy principles and offers economic development opportunities in coal regions.

• Coal-to-products innovation (carbon fibers, advanced ceramics) strengthens U.S. competitiveness in clean manufacturing sectors.

If your organization is working on coal-based innovation, this RFI is a strategic entry point to shape policy and investment direction.

Why a Strategic RFI Response Is Critical

Responding to this RFI is more than checking a box. It is an opportunity to:

• Shape acquisition and funding priorities

• Demonstrate technical leadership

• Influence how the government defines and funds innovation in your space

• Position for upcoming funding solicitations before they're written

A compelling response should:

• Be tightly aligned with DOE goals

• Offer actionable, data-driven recommendations

• Showcase your capacity to deliver technical, economic, and policy solutions

• Elevate your organization’s voice in the federal innovation community

How to Be Strategic in Your RFI Engagement

1. Understand the Larger Landscape

The assessment’s scope reaches across:

• Batteries and energy storage

• Electric vehicles and mobility

• Wind turbines, solar panels, and grid modernization

• Advanced manufacturing and national security supply chains

• Critical carbon and mineral materials, including rare earths and coal derivatives

Make sure your response speaks to the interconnectedness of your work with these national priorities.

2. Align with Federal Language and Intent

• Use terms found in DOE reports and strategies

• Reference goals in the Energy Act, CHIPS Act, and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

• Reinforce themes like domestic resilience, clean energy transition, and industrial competitiveness

3. Be Clear, Specific, and Actionable

• Share real-world use cases and material dependencies

• Provide data and evidence when possible

• Offer policy suggestions grounded in your operational insight

4. Frame Your Voice as Part of a Larger Ecosystem

Show how your work supports or depends on:

• Collaborations with universities, labs, or OEMs

• Workforce pipelines, permitting strategies, or logistics hubs

• Regional or national clean energy initiatives

GMA’s Role: Full-Lifecycle Support to Maximize Your Federal Engagement

Grant Management Associates (GMA) is a trusted federal grants and strategy partner, helping clients turn complex policy signals into successful engagement and funding wins.

We support the entire lifecycle, including:

1. Opportunity Identification and Strategic Positioning

• Assess alignment between DOE priorities and your organizational capabilities

• Forecast follow-on grant programs and agency engagements

• Develop messaging that positions you as a priority stakeholder

2. Interpretation of DOE Guidance and Technical Framing

• Translate policy and technical language into strategic action

• Ensure your response speaks both to agency mission and scientific rigor

• Highlight how your solution contributes to energy, security, and economic goals

3. High-Quality RFI Response Development

• Structure responses that are technically compelling and policy-aligned

• Include narratives, past performance, and recommendations that make an impact

• Format and edit content to maximize clarity and effectiveness

4. Submission Support and Communication Strategy

• Manage submission logistics and ensure compliance with DOE requirements

• Support post-submission visibility and stakeholder engagement

• Position you for invitation to future workshops, listening sessions, and partnerships

5. Future Funding Readiness

• Track related FOAs, prize competitions, and DOE demonstration initiatives

• Prepare full proposal packages for high-impact funding programs

• Support cross-sector partnerships with universities, labs, and industrial coalitions

Who Should Engage?

Organizations across the following domains are encouraged to respond:

• Rare earth element producers and processors

• Battery developers and electric vehicle supply chain partners

• Clean energy and carbon-based materials innovators

• Research universities and national labs

• Coal-to-carbon technology developers

• Nonprofits and regional alliances focused on sustainability and economic development

Act Now: The Deadline Is July 25, 2025

This is your moment to shape the federal strategy on critical materials and align yourself with billions in future investment. Don’t wait until funding is announced, shape it now.

Contact GMA Today to Get Started

Grant Management Associates (GMA)

Email: info@grantmanagementassoc.com

Phone: (530) 228-4499

Website: www.grantmanagementassoc.com

Let GMA help you command the conversation, elevate your visibility, and lead the transformation of America’s clean energy and critical materials strategy.