Contents. 1. Overview.

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1 Minnesota Diesel Replacement Program VW Settlement: Phase 1 Level 2 Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations Request for Proposals (RFP) FY Volkswagen (VW) The RFP assists proposers in applying for and managing state grants. This document describes the Level 2 EV Charging Station grant round, including information on who may apply for funding, the funding priorities for the round, match requirements, activities eligible for funding, and other information that will help proposers plan their project and submit a competitive proposal. Proposals are due no later than 2:30 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday, September 5, The proposer should check the Level 2 grant for the most recent updates on this competitive grant, including frequently asked questions (FAQ) sheet, and addendums. Contents 1. Overview Funding Applicant Eligibility Proposal Content Eligible and ineligible costs Proposal review process Grantee responsibilities Proposal instructions Questions and answers (FAQ sheet)... 9 Appendix 1: Scoring Criteria A Sample Grant Agreement, Project Workplan and Budget and the Affidavit of Noncollusion, can all be found at: Level 2 grant. 1. Overview The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) requests proposals from qualified proposers to install Level 2 EV charging stations in places available to the general public, workplaces, and multi-unit dwellings in Minnesota. The Level 2 charging stations, powered by 240 volts of alternating current provide Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J-1772 standard protocol connectors for drivers to charge their EVs in 2 to 4 hours. The purpose of this program is to increase use of EVs in place of gas-powered cars to mitigate nitrogen oxides, and decrease particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions in the state. The intent is to support a healthy environment for all Minnesotans and achieve significant emissions reductions across the state, especially in Minnesota Pollution Control Agency or use your preferred relay service Info.pca@state.mn.us Available in alternative formats

2 those communities most impacted by vehicle pollution. It will contribute toward fulfilling program goals as described in the Minnesota Volkswagen Settlement Beneficiary Mitigation Plan. 2. Funding The MPCA plans to award a total of approximately $158,625. This program anticipates an installation of at least forty-five Level 2 charging stations. The maximum amount available is $5,000 per single-station installation or $10,000 per dual-station. Match requirements Proposers are required to provide a 20% cash match for charging stations installed at places available to the general public regardless if the charging stations are located on Government Owned Property or Non- Government Owned Property. Proposers are required to provide a 40% cash match for workplace and multi-unit dwelling charging station installations not available to the public. Eligible sources of a cash match include cash, loans, other grants, or capital assets dedicated to the project. Payment schedule Grant payments are made as reimbursements after the project work is completed and approved by the MPCA. Invoices will be reviewed and approved by the MPCA. Invoices must include photographs of the installed station, a copy of the certification of the equipment as described in the Equipment Requirements section, receipts for equipment, contractor hours, installation, and supplies. All project work must be completed by September 30, Reporting The MPCA may request quarterly data reporting after installation. This includes and is not limited to, the number of charging sessions, average kilo-watt-hours used per charging session, maximum instantaneous peak power, start and charge times. Priorities It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to ensure fairness, precision, equity, and consistency in competitive grant awards. This includes implementing diversity and inclusion in grant making. The Policy on Rating Criteria for Competitive Grant Review establishes the expectation that grant programs intentionally identify how the grant serves diverse populations, especially populations experiencing inequities and/or disparities. This grant prioritizes communities with higher concentrations of low-income residents and people of color, including tribal communities. 3. Applicant eligibility Eligible proposers For-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, and public entities including state, tribes, counties, municipalities, schools, and higher education institutions are eligible proposers. While multi-organizational collaboration is allowed, no single entity may be part of multiple proposals. Only one organization may apply as a contractor on behalf of collaborators. Eligible contractors may request up to 10% for administrative costs above the overall grant amount requested. This amount will be included in the total cost to determine cost effectiveness. To qualify as a contractor: All projects must be on the same proposal. (One proposal per contractor). Contractor must represent at least three (3) different entities. Contractor is responsible for all contract oversight responsibilities as stated in the grant agreement. Page 2 of 10

3 Ineligible proposers Entities or individuals that are currently suspended or debarred by the State of Minnesota and/or the federal government are ineligible proposers. The MPCA may also deem an applicant ineligible because of, but not limited to enforcement issues, labor standards issues, tax status or other such issues. 4. Proposal content The purpose of this program is to install Level 2 EV charging stations at places available to the general public, workplaces, and multi-unit dwelling locations in Minnesota. The charging stations located at places available to the general public must be accessible 24-hours a day, seven days a week at Government Owned Property and Non-Government Owned Property sites. Examples of locations available to the general public include local (municipality, township, county) and tribal government facilities, K-12 schools, higher education institution parking facilities, and grocery and retail stores. Potential workplace sites are at businesses for employee and fleet use. Multi-unit dwelling installations might include parking facilities within apartment or condominiums buildings or property. The intent of the program is to provide charging services to EV drivers who will likely park at the station for 15 minutes or longer. Proposals must address the following charging station equipment and installation requirements. This grant cannot be used to fund the purchase, rent, or lease of real estate. 1. Locations: Host site name(s) and address(es) 2. Letters of commitment from the charging station host sites must be included. 3. Equipment Requirements: Describe procurement, installation, activation/commissioning, and testing of Level 2 charging stations that meet Equipment Requirements below. Describe whether the station will be a single-station installation or dual-station installation (allowing one car to charge at a time or two cars simultaneously). 4. Renewable Energy: Provide a detailed description of any plans to use renewable energy for powering charging stations and how it will be provided. 5. Networking: If choosing to connect stations to a communications network, which may include smart charging, describe which Level 2 charging stations will be networked and how the service will be maintained. Equipment requirements The Level 2 charging stations must offer either single SAE J-1772 standard connection to charge one EV at a time or two SAE J-1772 connectors to charge two EVs at once. Powered by 240-volt alternating current, the station must provide a charge of 6.6 kilowatts (kw) of power to provide up to 100 miles of travel in 3 to 4 hours. It is optional for the stations to be networked or not networked via a communications protocol. Smart charging controls are also optional. All charging station equipment must meet the following minimum requirements for safety testing by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The equipment must be listed and labeled as required by Minnesota Administrative Rule , the National Electrical Code (NEC) section and be Federal Communication Commission (FCC) compliant. Level 2 (240-volt alternating current) charging stations with Society of Automotive Engineer (SAE) J-1772 standard connector(s) that provide a minimum of 6.6 kw of charging power and shall be certified to one of the following options: a. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) UL 2594 (Standard for EV Supply Equipment). b. IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) , IEC 62196, and IEC Electric Motor Cars (EMC) standards. These charging stations must be certified (listed and labeled) with ETL. Page 3 of 10

4 c. An equivalent Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory certification. Supporting evidence must be provided. Equipment physical appearance and design a. Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Enclosure: The EVSE enclosure must be constructed for use outdoors in accordance with UL 50E Standard for Safety for Enclosures for Electrical Equipment, Environmental Considerations, Type 3R exterior enclosure or equivalent. b. Environmental: The EVSE must be capable of operating without any decrease in performance over an ambient temperature range of minus 22 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of up to 95%. c. Cord Management System: The EVSE must incorporate a cord management system or method to eliminate potential for cable entanglement, user injury, or connector damage from lying on the ground. Optional elements a. Renewable Energy: Powering the installed charging stations with electricity generated from renewable sources will contribute toward the State s goals of reducing greenhouse gas and other air pollutant emissions. This requirement can be met by signing up for a utility wind or solar program, community solar program, or the installation of a solar array in proximity to the charging stations. If a utility renewable energy program does not exist where the charging station is installed, wind or solar renewable energy credits (RECs) can be purchased online. Points awarded on a percentage of renewable energy planned usage scale. b. Networking: Connecting a charging station to a communications network can allow for collection of usage data and electronic payment from station users. Networking can also allow optimizing use of renewable sources of electricity when production is high or for electricity load balancing. Although these features can add additional costs and may not be needed at every location, they increase the potential benefits of the station; therefore, the proposal evaluation includes points for their inclusion. Grantees must submit a plan for MPCA review and approval prior to station installation describing how the following requirements will be met. a. Map of station location with the following details: Geographic Information System (GIS) coordinates of proposed station location Parking spaces: Minimum two dedicated parking spaces Bollards: placement of bollards to protect the station equipment (if stand-alone charging station) Electrical service box placement b. Assurance the charging stations are ADA compliant ( pages 3-4). c. Posted signage: EV parking only signs are required on each side of each charging station along with EV parking only stenciled graphics on each striped parking pad. d. Warranty: The Level 2 charging station units must be covered by a 5-year warranty. All stations must continually be in full-working order to the extent possible. e. Payment options: The installed Level 2 charging stations have the option either to require payment or not require payment from users. Payment options are at the discretion of the grantee who will operate and maintain the stations. Should payment be required to access and use the charging stations, it must allow for multiple options including direct use of a credit or debit card at the station itself. Other optional payment methods may include subscription methods, smart cards, or smart phone applications (apps). Page 4 of 10

5 f. Service requirements: Assurance must be provided for station repairs. Service must be contacted within 24 hours and the station up and fully operating within 48 to 72 hours to ensure a 95% annual uptime guarantee. g. Local electrical permits: Local electrical permits must be secured and regulations followed for the Level 2 charging station installations at each respective host site. Conduit and an electrical service box of adequate size and disconnect capacity that will allow additional electrical cable to be run to the site for potential future installation of two additional Level 2 charging stations must be included as part of the installation. h. Renewable energy: If choosing to use renewable energy, a signed copy of the agreement with local utility documenting the percent of renewable energy purchased for each station or other documentation agreed upon with the MPCA. 5. Eligible and ineligible costs Eligible costs Eligible costs are those directly incurred through the charging station installation and activation. Only eligible costs will be reimbursed. Level 2 charging station units and associated equipment Conduit, signage, bollards, cable/wiring, electrical service box disconnect addition Concrete or asphalt addition or replacement Paint striping and stenciling of the charging station parking spaces Permit costs Charging station installation labor (electrical, trenching) Warranties for equipment (at least 5 years) Administrative costs (for contractors only and 10% or less) Ineligible costs Ineligible costs include costs that are not directly related to the project. In addition, the following costs, even if they are directly related to the project, are ineligible. Purchase, rent, or lease of real estate. Capital costs such as construction of buildings, parking facilities, etc. General maintenance. Any expenses incurred before the grant agreement is fully executed including applicant s expense for preparing the eligibility and cost proposals. Any expenses incurred during workplan proposal and final workplan development. Bad debts, late payment fees, finance charges or contingency funds, interest, and investment management fees. Attorney fees. Administrative costs for contractors over 10%. Lobbying, lobbyists, and political contributions. Mark-up on purchases and/or subcontracts. Taxes, except sales tax on eligible equipment and expenses. Activities addressing permit fees. Activities addressing enforcement actions that involve a financial penalty. Page 5 of 10

6 Memberships (including subscriptions and dues). Food (other than staff per diem). Alcoholic refreshments. Entertainment, gifts, prizes and decorations. Merit awards and bonuses. Donations and fundraising. Computer(s), tablets, and software, unless unique to the project and specifically approved by the MPCA as a direct expense. Purchase or rental of mobile communication devices such as cell phones, unless unique to the project and specifically approved by the MPCA as a direct expense. 6. Proposal review process Proposals received by the grant deadline will be reviewed by MPCA staff and community based grant reviewers, using a two-phase process. Late proposals will not be considered for review. Phase 1: Eligibility review The MPCA will determine if eligibility requirements are met. Any proposal found to be ineligible will be eliminated from further evaluation. Minimum Requirements: Proposal received on time Applicant is eligible Project is eligible Complete proposal Phase 2: Proposal scoring Only proposals meeting the eligibility criteria under Phase 1 will be considered for scoring in Phase 2. Reviewers will evaluate proposals per project using the weighted criteria listed in Appendix 1. No activity or comments from proposers regarding this RFP shall be discussed with any of the reviewers during the evaluation of the proposals. However, the MPCA may request clarification of submitted information from one or more proposers. The clarifications must be made in writing. The MPCA will only accept written responses for evaluation purposes. The response to the request for clarification may be considered along with the original proposal for proposal scoring. In addition to the ability to partially award projects, the MPCA reserves the right to refrain from awarding any grants. At its discretion, the MPCA may perform an appropriate cost and pricing check of a proposal. The proposers past performance, as a grantee of that state agency will be considered when evaluating a grant proposal. Financial review Before awarding any grant over $25,000 to any nonprofit organization, the MPCA will assess the most recent financial statement from the applicant and resolve any items of significant concern prior to making a funding decision. Notification All proposers will be notified by MPCA staff within approximately 45 days of proposal due date. Proposals selected for funding will be contacted concerning the next steps in the award process, including execution of the appropriate agreements and workplan submissions. Page 6 of 10

7 7. Grantee responsibilities Grant awardees are required to be a registered vendor in SWIFT and will sign the grant agreement using SWIFT. To register, go to the Supplier Portal webpage SWIFT and click on the Vendor Registration Link. Grant agreement Each awardee must formally enter into a grant agreement. The agreement will address the conditions of the award, including implementation of the project. Once the agreement is signed, the recipient is expected to read and comply with all conditions of the agreement. A sample State of Minnesota Grant Agreement can be found on the Level 2 grant webpage for your reference. Much of the language reflected in the agreement is required by statute. Grant monitoring Minn. Stat. 16B.97 and Policy on Grant Monitoring require the following: One monitoring visit during the grant period on all state grants of $50,000 and higher. Annual monitoring visits during the grant period on all grants of $250,000 and higher. Conducting a financial reconciliation of grantee s expenditures at least once during the grant period on grants of $50,000 and higher. For this purpose, the grantee must make expense receipts, employee timesheets, invoices, and any other supporting documents available upon request by the State. The monitoring schedule will be determined at a later date. Public data Proposals are private or nonpublic until opened. Once the proposals are opened, the name and address of the proposer and the amount requested is public. All other data in the proposal is private or nonpublic data until all agreements are fully executed. After MPCA has fully executed all agreements, all remaining data in the proposal is public with the exception of trade secret data as defined and classified in Minn. Stat A statement by a grantee that the proposal is copyrighted or otherwise protected does not prevent public access to the proposal (Minn. Stat , subd. 3). Conflict of interest Minnesota state agencies must work to deliberately avoid actual, potential and perceived conflicts of interest at the individual and organizational levels. Please refer to the State of Minnesota, Office of Grants Management for information on any potential, actual, or perceived conflicts of interest: Grantee bidding requirements For NGOs (non-governmental organizations): Any grant-funded services and/or materials that are expected to cost: $100,000 or more must undergo a formal notice and bidding process. Between $25,000 and $99,999 must be competitively awarded based on a minimum of three (3) verbal quotes or bids. Between $10,000 and $24,999 must be competitively awarded based on a minimum of two (2) verbal quotes or bids or awarded to a targeted vendor. For grant-funded projects that include construction work of $25,000 or more, prevailing wage rules apply, per Minn. Stat through The bid request must state the project is subject to prevailing wage. These rules require that the wages of laborers and workers should be comparable to wages paid for similar work in the community as a whole. A prevailing wage form should accompany these bid submittals. Page 7 of 10

8 The grantee must take all necessary affirmative steps to assure that targeted vendors from businesses with active certifications through these entities are used when possible: State Department of Administration's Certified Targeted Group, Economically Disadvantaged and Veteran-Owned Vendor List Metropolitan Council s Targeted Vendor list: Minnesota Unified Certification Program Small Business Certification Program through Hennepin County, Ramsey County, and City of St. Paul: Central Certification Program The grantee must maintain: Written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the actions of its employees engaged in the selection, award and administration of contracts. Support documentation of the purchasing and/or bidding process utilized to contract services in their financial records, including support documentation justifying a single/sole source bid, if applicable. The grantee must not contract with vendors who are suspended or debarred in MN: For Municipalities: Grantees that are municipalities must follow: The contracting and bidding requirements in the Uniform Municipal Contracting Law as defined in Minn. Stat The requirements of prevailing wage for grant-funded projects that include construction work of $25,000 or more, per Minn. Stat through The bid request must state the project is subject to prevailing wage. These rules require that the wages of laborers and workers should be comparable to wages paid for similar work in the community as a whole. A prevailing wage form should accompany these bid submittals. The grantee must not contract with vendors who are suspended or debarred in MN: Audits Per Minn. Stat. 16B.98 Subdivision 8, the grantee s books, records, documents, and accounting procedures and practices of the grantee or other party that are relevant to the grant or transaction are subject to examination by the granting agency and either the legislative auditor or the state auditor, as appropriate. This requirement will last for a minimum of six years from the grant agreement end date, receipt, and approval of all final reports, or the required period of time to satisfy all state and program retention requirements, whichever is later. Affirmative action and non-discrimination requirements for all Grantees: A. The grantee agrees not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, status in regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local commission, disability, sexual orientation, or age in regard to any position for which the employee or applicant for employment is qualified. Minn. Stat. 363A.02. The grantee agrees to take affirmative steps to employ, advance in employment, upgrade, train, and recruit minority persons, women, and persons with disabilities. B. The grantee must not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of physical or mental disability in regard to any position for which the employee or applicant for employment is qualified. The grantee agrees to take affirmative action to employ, advance in employment, and otherwise treat qualified disabled persons without discrimination based upon their physical or mental disability in all employment practices such as the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment, advertising, layoff or termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship. Minnesota Rules, part Page 8 of 10

9 The grantee agrees to comply with the rules and relevant orders of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights issued pursuant to the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Voter registration requirement The grantee will comply with Minn. Stat by providing voter registration services for its employees and for the public served by the grantee. 8. Proposal instructions Proposers must submit the following in order for the proposal to be considered complete: Workplan (must address all requirements listed to be considered for evaluation) Host site letter of commitment (attached) Budget Affidavit of noncollusion Proposal submission instructions Proposals must be received electronically by the MPCA no later than 2:30 p.m. Central Time on Wednesday, September 5, The properties header will reflect the date and time submissions are received. Proposal submissions received after the deadline will not be considered eligible. proposals and required forms to with the subject line: Level 2. The MPCA is not responsible for any errors or delays caused by technology-related issues, even if they are caused by the MPCA. Proposals submitted via any other method, including but not limited to fax, mail, in-person deliveries, will not be accepted. 9. Questions and answers (FAQ sheet) All questions must be submitted in the same manner, and answers are only provided via the Level 2 grant website. It is the applicant s responsibility to check the MPCA website for the most recent updates on a competitive grant, including the FAQ sheet and addendums. Proposers who have any questions regarding this RFP must questions to grants.pca@state.mn.us, subject line: Level 2, no later than 2:30 p.m. Central Time on August 28, Answers to questions will be posted weekly on the FAQ sheet. MPCA personnel are not authorized to discuss this RFP with proposers outside of the question and answer forum. Contact regarding this RFP with any MPCA personnel may result in disqualification. Page 9 of 10

10 Appendix 1: Scoring criteria A 100-point scale will be used to evaluate eligible Proposals. Scores will be used to develop final recommendations. Proposals will be evaluated and ranked according to the following criteria: Cost effectiveness: (publically accessible and not publically accessible will be ranked separately) Renewable energy use: Top 20%: 25 points Next 20%: 20 points Next 20%: 15 points Next 20%: 10 points Next 20%: 5 points Percentage of electricity to power the Level 2 charging stations is from renewable sources (wind or solar). Environmental justice: Up to 25% = 2 points 26 to 50% = 5 points 51 to 99% = 15 points 100% = 20 points Can only receive points for A or B, not both. See workplan for additional information. A. Located in Environmental Justice Areas: 20 points. Points awarded based on the address of the charging equipment. B. Located not in Environmental Justice Areas, but answering YES to one or more questions 1 8 in the proposal: 10 points Operation in health concern areas: (Can receive points for both) Points awarded based on the ZIP code and county of address of the installed Level 2 charging equipment. Health vulnerability area: up to 10 points Higher air pollution area: up to 10 point Networking; includes smart charging/intelligent charging 10 Business type: Points awarded to projects that include small businesses that are certified veteran-owned, economically disadvantaged, or targeted group businesses in Minnesota based on the business s ownership by a woman, a minority, a person with a substantial physical disability. Additional information is at 5 Page 10 of 10