Questions and Answers
Block Grant for Electric Vehicle Charger Incentive Projects
GFO-16-603
These answers are based on the Energy Commission’s interpretation of the questions received. It is the applicant’s responsibility to determine whether or not their particular proposed project is eligible for funding, by reviewing the Eligibility Requirements in Section II. The Energy Commission cannot give advice as to whether or not your particular project is eligible for funding, because all proposal details are not known.
Q1Why is the solicitation restricted to technology non-profits?
A1The Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP) only has statutory authority to award block grants or incentive projects to “public entities or not-for-profit technology entities.” (See Health and Safety Code Section 44272(e)(11)). Commission staff has decided not to include public entities as potential applicants under this solicitation, which only leaves not-for-profit technology entities.
Q2What is meant by “organized to advance transportation technologies”?
A2ARFVTP is seeking a block grant recipient that can successfully implement the incentive projects and also has relevant transportation experience, expertise and knowledge including electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Applicants should explain how they are organized to advance transportation technologies.
Q3Should applications include potential host sites with shovel-ready charger infrastructure projects?
A3No. This solicitation is to award a block grant to an entity that can meet the requirements of the solicitation including the successful implementation of multiple electric vehicle charging incentive projects in California.
Q4Is the block grant recipient responsible for determining and approving the projects that will be conducted through a block grant?
A4Yes, subject to review and approval from the Commission Agreement Manager. After an award is made under this solicitation and an agreement is finalized, the Energy Commission and the block grant recipient will work together to determine specific incentive projects for electric vehicle charging stations. Please refer to Section III.D.3.d.2 of the solicitation for an example of a hypothetical incentive project.
Q5Should administration costs related to the potential addition of $200 million be included with this $14 million grant?
A5Only administration costs of up to 7% of the $14 million dollars currently available should be included in the budget as part of the application package. As appropriate, Applicants should propose decreasing administrative cost percentages if additional funds are allocated to the block grant. The degree to which administrative costs are minimized will be evaluated as part of the scoring criteria. If additional funds are allocated to the block grant, the block grant recipient will be required to adhere to the administrative cost percentage(s) proposed in the Applicant’s proposal.
Q6Will only one recipient be selected for an award?
A6Yes.
Q7Is the block grant recipient going to manage the available funds or will vendors doing work under a block grant be required to invoice the Energy Commission directly?
A7For each approved incentive project, the Energy Commission expects to advance the amount of the incentives to the block grant recipient. The block grant recipient will be responsible for managing the funds and disbursing incentives to incentive project participants.
Q8Can you provide an example of what you mean by Program Requirement number 11 on page 10, "Establish separate accounts and implement procedures to separately accept, track, disburse and report on funding from sources other than the Energy Commission"?
A8If multiple sources of funds are allocated to the block grant, the block grant recipient must have the ability to manage, track and report on the use of those specific funds. For example, separate accounts and strong accounting procedures will be required to: 1) tie specific funding sources to specific incentive disbursements; 2) properly track and allocate earned interest; 3) attribute administrative costs to specific funding sources; and 4) return unused funds to the appropriate source. Other funding sources beyond ARFVTP are expected to have different requirements which require separate tracking and accounting.
Q9What will be the duration of the block grant recipient agreement?
A9The duration of an agreement resulting from this solicitation was not pre-determined and specified within the solicitation. An agreement period of three years is a commonly used period of time for Energy Commission agreements. The length of the agreement will be negotiated with the block grant recipient.
Q10For the hypothetical incentive project example in the solicitation, what is the estimated number of unique projects to be funded with $14 million?
A10There is not currently an estimated number of unique projects to be funded with the initial $14 million. The number of projects will be contingent upon the details for the individual incentive project(s) developed and implemented as part of the block grant agreement. The hypothetical incentive project example on page 15 of the solicitation is intended to gain an understanding of the applicant’s methodology and approach for developing and implementing incentive projects. The amount of funding allocated to the hypothetical incentive project is one of the elements that should be contained in applications.
Q11Which agency should applicants list as the lead agency when completing Attachment 7 CEQA Worksheet?
A11The answer depends on what other public agencies, if any, beyond the Energy Commission have responsibility for the proposed activities. Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section 15367 defines a lead agency as “the public agency which has the principal responsibility for carrying out or approving a project.” Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section 15051 contains criteria for identifying the lead agency. Energy Commission staff cannot know the answer to this question without reviewing applications. Please work with your legal counsel to evaluate the applicability of CEQA and complete and submit the CEQA worksheet.
Q12Does the Energy Commission have an opinion as to whether non‐networked chargers should be eligible for the rebate system(s) as proposed by Applicants?
A12The specific requirements for each future incentive project will be determined in coordination between the block grant recipient and the Energy Commission once the block grant is awarded and executed.
Q13What is considered equipment purchased with Commission funds?
A13Equipment is defined in Attachment 9, which contains the terms and conditions, Section 12. Purchased with Commission funds means any equipment purchased in whole or part with Commission funds. The block grant recipient will be providing incentives for installed electric vehicle chargers. These incentives are typically not a purchase or reimbursement of equipment or labor costs; rather an incentive for completion of an eligible electric vehicle charger. However, equipment purchases might occur under the resulting agreement. Equipment purchased with Energy Commission funds has disposition requirements at the end of the agreement. Typically, incentive recipients will be allowed to continue to use equipment for the same purposes as the agreement.
Questions and Answers1Block Grant for Electric Vehicle
Charger Incentive Projects
GFO-16-603