GFO-26-601 - Charger Service Skills Accelerator

GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Clean Transportation Program

Charger Service Skills Accelerator

GFO-26-601

Solicitation Information , https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/solicitations

State of California

California Energy Commission

August 2026

Table of Contents

Attachments

1 - Project Narrative
2 - Scope of Work Template

3 - Scope of Work Instructions

4 - Schedule of Products and Due Dates

5 - Proposal Budget Template

6 - Resumes (Project Team Form)

7 - Contact List

8 - Letters of Commitment

9 - Letters of Support

10 - California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Worksheet

11 - Past Performance Reference Form

12 - Applicant Declaration

I. Introduction

A. Purpose of Solicitation

This is a competitive grant solicitation. The California Energy Commission’s (CEC’s) Clean Transportation Program announces the availability of up to $6,000,000 in grant funds for projects that will increase the qualified workforce needed to service electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment.

Funding will support training that leads to portable, industry-recognized credentials and may be used to expand existing training programs to include EV charging equipment service.

B. Background

Assembly Bill (AB) 118 (Nuñez, Chapter 750, Statutes of 2007), created the Clean Transportation Program. The statute authorizes the CEC to develop and deploy alternative and renewable fuels and advanced transportation technologies to help attain the state’s climate change and clean air goals. AB 126 (Reyes, Chapter 319, Statutes of 2023) reauthorized the funding program through July 1, 2035 and focused the program on zero-emission transportation.

The Clean Transportation Program has an annual budget of approximately $100 million and provides financial support for projects that:

• Develop and deploy zero-emission technology and fuels in the marketplace.

• Produce alternative and renewable low-carbon fuels in California.

• Deploy zero-emission fueling infrastructure, fueling stations, and equipment.

• Establish workforce training programs and conduct public outreach on the benefits of alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies.

The CEC, in collaboration with the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), is further committed to integrating the California Jobs First Strategic Sectors https://jobsfirst.ca.gov/blueprint/ and California Jobs First Regional Plans https://jobsfirst.ca.gov/regions/ that will support the creation of and access to family-supporting jobs including prioritizing industry sectors for future growth.

C. Commitment to Diversity

The CEC is committed to ensuring that participation in its programs and funding opportunities reflects the rich and diverse characteristics of California and its people. To meet this commitment, CEC staff conduct activities to:

• Ensure potential new applicants throughout the state are aware of CEC’s programs and the funding opportunities.

• Encourage greater participation by underrepresented groups including disabled veteran-, women-, minority-, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)-owned businesses.

• Assist applicants in understanding how to apply for funding from CEC’s programs.

D. Key Activities and Dates

Key activities including dates and times for this solicitation are presented below. An addendum will be released if the dates change for the asterisked (*) activities. Times listed are Pacific Standard Time or Pacific Daylight Time, whichever is being observed.

ACTIVITY	ACTION DATE
Solicitation Release	August 6, 2026
Pre-Application Workshop*	August 19, 2026
Deadline for Written Questions by 5:00 p.m.*	September 1, 2026
Anticipated Distribution of Questions/Answers	Week of October 5th
Support for Application Submission in the Energy Commission Agreement Management System (ECAMS) until 5:00 p.m.	Ongoing until October 30, 2026
Deadline to Submit Applications by 11:59 p.m.*	October 30, 2026
Anticipated Notice of Proposed Awards Posting	January 2027
Anticipated CEC Business Meeting	April 2027

E. How Award Is Determined

Applicants passing administrative and technical screening will compete based on evaluation criteria and will be scored and ranked based on those criteria. Unless CEC exercises any of its other rights regarding this solicitation (e.g., to cancel the solicitation or reduce funding), applications obtaining at least the minimum passing score will be recommended for funding in ranked order until all funds available under this solicitation are exhausted.

If the funds available under this solicitation are insufficient to fully fund a grant proposal, CEC reserves the right to recommend partially funding that proposal. In this event, the proposed Applicant/Awardee and Commission Agreement Manager (CAM) shall meet and attempt to reach agreement on a reduced scope of work commensurate with the level of available funding.

F. Availability of Funds

A total of $6,000,000 is available for awards under this solicitation. CEC, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to increase or decrease the amount of funds available under this solicitation.

G. Minimum and Maximum Award Amounts

• The minimum CEC award amount per application is $500,000 and the maximum award amount per application is $2,000,000. Applicants must request at least $500,000.

H. Maximum Number of Applications

Applicants are only eligible to submit one application under this solicitation. In addition, an Applicant may not be identified as a major subrecipient on another application submitted under this solicitation.

An Applicant or any other entity may participate in multiple applications only if it serves as a subrecipient that is not a major subrecipient. There is no limit to the number of applications in which an entity may participate as a non-major subrecipient. For purposes of this solicitation:

• A recipient is defined as the entity that executed the grant agreement with the CEC.

• A subrecipient is defined as an entity that receives grant funds directly from the Recipient and is entrusted by the Recipient to make decisions about how to conduct some of the grant’s activities. A subrecipient’s role involves discretion over grant activities and is not merely just selling goods or services.

• A major subrecipient is defined as any subrecipient receiving $100,000 or more in CEC funds.

Please see ECAMS Resources, Budget Category Guidance https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/funding-resources/ecams-resources/budget-category-guidance for more information about entity relationships including recipients, subrecipients, vendors, and consultants.

A group of entities (e.g., jurisdictions, agencies, or organizations), applying as a consortium must identify a single entity to serve as the Applicant. A letter of commitment (Attachment 08) must be provided from each entity planning to participate certifying the Applicant has authority to apply on behalf of the consortium and that they are the sole entity applying on its behalf.

I. Pre-Application Workshop

There will be one Pre-Application Workshop; participation in this meeting is optional but encouraged. The Pre-Application Workshop will be held remotely through Zoom at the date, time and location listed below. Please email the Commission Agreement Officer (CAO) listed below or refer to CEC's solicitation information website at https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/solicitations to confirm the date and time.

August 19, 2026

10:00 AM Pacific Time

Via Zoom

J. Participation Through Zoom

Zoom is the CEC's online meeting service. When attending remotely, presentations will appear on your computer/laptop/mobile device screen, and audio may be heard via the device or telephone. Please be aware that the Zoom meeting will be recorded.

Zoom Instructions:

To join this workshop, go to the Zoom workshop page at: https://energy.zoom.us/j/82726888303?pwd=8YB2tWmpJCWnenxgGfs1rX5Dat4SKY.1. You may also access the workshop by going to the Zoom webpage at https://join.zoom.us and enter the unique meeting ID and password below:

Webinar ID: 827 2688 8303

Meeting Password: 996713

Topic: GFO-26-601 Charger Service Skills Accelerator Workshop

Telephone Access Only:

Call (888) 853-5257 or (888) 475-4499 (toll-free). When prompted, enter the unique meeting ID number above. To comment over the telephone, dial *9 to “raise your hand” and *6 to mute/unmute your phone line.

Access by Mobile Device:

Download the application from the Zoom Download Center at https://energy.zoom.us/download.

Technical Support:

For assistance with problems or questions about joining or attending the meeting, please call Zoom technical support at (888) 799-9666 ext. 2, or you may contact the CEC’s Public Advisor’s Office at publicadvisor@energy.ca.gov , or (916) 957-7910.

To determine whether your computer is compatible with Zoom, visit:

this website : https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362023-System-requirements-for-Windows-macOS-and-Linux.

K. Questions

During the solicitation process, for questions only related to submission of applications in ECAMS, please contact ECAMS.SalesforceSupport@energy.ca.gov . By contacting this email address, Applicants will be able to access a team of technical assistants who can answer questions about application submission. Please also see Section III for additional information about ECAMS.

Applicants may ask questions at the Pre-Application Workshop and may submit written questions via e-mail to the CAO listed in the following section. However, all technical questions must be received by the deadline listed in the “Key Activities and Dates” table above. Questions received after the deadline may be answered at the CEC's discretion. Non-technical questions (e.g., questions concerning application format requirements or attachment instructions) may be submitted to the CAO at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. of the application deadline date. Similarly, questions related to submission of applications in ECAMS may be submitted to ECAMS.SalesforceSupport@energy.ca.gov at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. of the application deadline date.

The question-and-answer set will be posted on the CEC’s solicitation information website at www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/solicitations.

Any verbal communication with a CEC employee concerning this solicitation is not binding on the State and shall in no way alter a specification, term, or condition of the solicitation. All communication must be directed in writing to the CAO assigned to the solicitation.

L. Contact Information

Laura Williams, Commission Agreement Officer

California Energy Commission

715 P Street, MS-18

Sacramento, California 95814

E-mail: laura.williams@energy.ca.gov

M. Reference Documents

Applicants responding to this solicitation may want to familiarize themselves with the following documents:

• 2026-2027 Investment Plan Update (CEC-600-2026-021-LCF) https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/clean-transportation-program/clean-transportation-program-investment-1.

• Zero-Emission Vehicle Workforce Training and Development Strategy – Staff Draft (CEC-600-2024-049-SD) https://www.energy.ca.gov/publications/2024/zero-emission-vehicle-workforce-training-and-development-strategy-roadmap-clean.

• Energy Commission Agreement Management System (ECAMS) https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/funding-resources/ecams-resources.

• California Jobs First Strategic Sectors https://jobsfirst.ca.gov/blueprint/

• Jobs First Regional Plans https://jobsfirst.ca.gov/regions/.

• Essential Elements of High Road Training Partnerships https://cwdb.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2020/01/HRTP-Essential-Elements_ACCESSIBLE.pdf.

II. Eligibility Requirements

N. Applicant Requirements

1. Eligibility

This solicitation is open to all California public entities, private entities, community-based organizations, non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations, California Community Colleges, California State Universities, the University of California, labor management partnerships, local workforce development boards, California Native American Tribes, and California Tribal Organizations serving California Native American Tribes.

Ineligible applicants include K-12 Local Educational Agencies (a school district, county office of education, or charter school) and investor-owned utilities.

2. Terms and Conditions

Each grant agreement resulting from this solicitation will include terms and conditions that set forth the grant recipient’s rights and responsibilities. By providing the authorizations and certifications required under this solicitation, each Applicant agrees to enter into an agreement, if awarded, with the CEC to conduct the proposed project according to the terms and conditions that correspond to its organization, without negotiation: (1) University of California and California State University terms and conditions; (2) U.S. Department of Energy terms and conditions; or (3) standard terms and conditions.

In addition to the applicable terms and conditions listed above, the Special Terms and Conditions on Insolvency, Bankruptcy, or Receivership and any other special terms and conditions required by the CEC may apply to the Applicant. These terms and conditions are located at CEC's funding resources website at https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/funding-resources.

Failure to agree to the terms and conditions by taking actions such as failing to provide the required authorizations and certifications or indicating that acceptance is based on modification of the terms may result in rejection of the application. Applicants must read the terms and conditions carefully. CEC reserves the right to modify the terms and conditions prior to executing grant agreements.

3. California Secretary of State Registration

All corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships (LPs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) that conduct intrastate business in California are required to be registered and in good standing with the California Secretary of State prior to its project being recommended for approval at a CEC Business Meeting. If not currently registered with the California Secretary of State, Applicants and project team members (e.g., subrecipients and even match fund partners) are encouraged to contact the Secretary of State’s Office as soon as possible to avoid potential delays in beginning the proposed project(s) (should the application be proposed for funding).

For more information, contact the Secretary of State’s Office via the Secretary of State Office’s website at www.sos.ca.gov. Sole proprietors using a fictitious business name must be registered with the appropriate county and provide evidence of registration to CEC prior to their project being recommended for approval at a CEC Business Meeting.

O. Project Requirements

Recipients are responsible for implementing training consistent with this Solicitation and the resulting Agreement. See Attachment 02 - Scope of Work Template for more information. Eligible projects must provide training; collaborate with worker, employer, and educational provider partners; and provide a clear career path from training to quality jobs.

1. Provide Training

Eligible projects must provide training for servicing EV chargers. See Section II.E. Eligible Project Costs for examples of eligible reimbursable training activities. In addition, training projects may, but are not required to:

a) Provide supportive services for individuals who experience barriers to training (see Section II.C. Project Requirements if Providing Supportive Services for more information on supportive services), or

b) Expand an existing training program (see Section II.D. Requirements if Expanding an Existing Training Program). If expanding a training program, the new or expanded training must be provided to at least one cohort of students during the project term.

Training Program Standards

Training Programs must meet academic quality standards for curriculum development, qualified instructors, facilities, instruction, student performance, and employment outcomes.

In Attachment 01 – Project Narrative, Applicants must demonstrate that the training program meets the following requirements:

• Be an established training program.

• Training is delivered by instructors with work experience in the trade, industry certifications, or journeyman status.

• Facilities include adequate labs, tools, and technology for hands-on training.

• Curriculum and instruction must:

o Focus primarily on vocational skills for EV charger service, defined as installation, commissioning, verification and testing, maintenance, repair, technical support, and decommissioning of EV charging equipment;

o Be developed in partnership with industry, align with industry standards, and skills taught must be relevant to employer needs;

o Include classroom instruction (either online or in person) and on-the-job or hands-on training;

o Include electrical safety best practices, such as Lock-Out Tag-Out.

• Meet applicable Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards; Be adaptable to different learning styles to maximize participant learning potential and program effectiveness.

• Regularly evaluate student performance and employment outcomes.

• Result in portable skills and industry recognized credential(s) or certification that is standardized, transparent, and has tangible value in the labor market.

Examples of eligible training programs include but are not limited to: registered apprenticeship programs; career and technical education programs; original equipment manufacturer training; adult education; internships; and certification programs.

2. Project Partnerships

This solicitation follows principles from the High Road Training Partnership (https://cwdb.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2020/01/HRTP-Essential-Elements_ACCESSIBLE.pdf) model, a systemic approach to industry-led workforce development that can address critical issues of equity, job quality, worker voice, industry efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Project partners align training with real industry needs, connect workers to quality jobs, share resources, and ensure equitable career pathways through collaboration between employers, labor, and community organizations.

Project Partners must consist of at least one of each of the following:

• A Worker Voice Representative;

• An Employer; and

• An Educational Provider

Applicants must substantiate all proposed partnerships in Attachment 01 – Project Narrative and provide a Letter of Commitment (Attachment 08) from each Project Partner. A letter of commitment is not required for an Applicant that is also serving as one of the required Project Partners. The application will function as the organization’s formal commitment to complete the proposed project activities.

Worker Voice Representatives provide industry expertise and input equally as important as the expertise of employers. They help shape training programs and curricula by providing firsthand experience about job safety, identifying barriers and solutions to employment, mentorship opportunities, and often advocate for underrepresented or marginalized groups. Worker Voice Representative Partners also help employers understand the value of worker-centered practices which can improve retention and productivity.

The project’s Worker Voice Representative partner must:

• Be independent of the Employer partner.

• Be an organization, rather than an individual worker.

• Demonstrate a record of meaningful, consistent, and ongoing advocacy of workers’ interests.

• Provide representation throughout the term of the project.

Any of a project’s Employer partners with Collective Bargaining Agreements must demonstrate participation and support from the union(s) representing their workers. If not represented by a union, eligible Worker Voice Representative partners may include, but are not limited to: work centers; worker cooperatives; employment social enterprises; and relevant non-profits such as environmental justice organizations or community-based organizations.

Employers’ understanding of specific industry workforce needs is critical to connecting workforce development and training to labor market needs. They can prove valuable labor insights such as relevant in-demand job skills, career pathways to sustainable employment, and opportunities for hiring and upskilling. Employer partners also provide specific information about technology, equipment, and operational conditions that are critical for effective job training.

Eligible Employer partners may include, but are not limited to, direct employers, employer associations, or local workforce boards.

Educational Providers must meet institutional quality standards for governance, financial stability, and administrative and student services. In Attachment 01 – Project Narrative, Applicants must provide evidence of the Educational Providers’ overall structure, student achievement across program offerings and demonstrate capacity to facilitate the project’s training program.

Eligible Educational Provider partners may include but are not limited to community colleges; vocational or technical schools; joint apprenticeship and training committees; and relevant non-profit, environmental justice, and community-based organizations.

3. Career Pathways

Collaboration between Educational Providers and Employers is critical to align training programs with industry needs ensuring participants graduate with skills employers are actively seeking.

Applicants must describe in Attachment 01 – Project Narrative the career pathway(s) for trainees and the proposed project’s job placement strategy for placing trainees and graduates in quality jobs upon program completion.

P. Requirements if Providing Supportive Services

• Proposed projects may provide supportive services to trainees who face physical, economic, or social barriers, and a portion of the project budget may be allocated to providing supportive services. Supportive services may be provided directly to trainees by the Recipient or administered through an experienced subrecipient. See Section E. Eligible Projects Costs, 2. Supportive Services for examples of reimbursable supportive services.

• If the project includes providing supportive services to trainees, the Applicant must describe in Attachment 01 – Project Narrative the:

o Project team, or subrecipients’, experience administering supportive services. Include examples of past programs, quantitative data on services and services served, established systems and processes, and collaborative partnerships that expand available services.

o Type of services offered, how they will be delivered, expected number of trainees to be served, and any demographic group(s) supported by the services.

o Fiscal strategy (cost estimate for each type of service, administrative costs, and funding source) for providing services.

• The Applicant must include the estimated cost and funding source (i.e., CEC funding or match share funding) for the supportive services in Attachment 01 – Project Narrative, Project Costs by Task table or a similar table summarizing project costs by task. CEC funds and match funds allocated to supportive services must also be clearly identified in Attachment 05 – Proposal Budget.

Q. Requirements if Expanding an Existing Training Program

• Projects may expand an existing training program by developing new curriculum to include charger service skills, geographically expanding the training program, or seeking program accreditation. Training through the expanded training program must be provided to at least one cohort of students during the project term. See Section E. Eligible Projects Costs, 3. Existing Training Program Expansion for examples of eligible reimbursable activities to expand a training program.

• Educational Providers of the existing training program must meet standards for overall structure, management, consistent quality across offerings, and demonstrate capacity to facilitate the training program. If developing new curriculum to include chargers service skills within an existing training program, the existing training program must align with industry standards, and meet quality standards in areas such as facilities, curriculum, instruction, and training outcomes.

If the project includes expanding a training program, the Applicant must describe in Attachment 01 – Project Narrative how the training program will be expanded, how the expansion aligns with anticipated labor market demand for graduates, and how the expanded training program will be fiscally sustained beyond the project term.

R. Eligible Project Costs

Costs incurred for the following activities are eligible for CEC reimbursement or as the Applicant’s match share.

1. Training

• Deliver EV charger service vocational skills training, such as charger installation, commissioning, verification or testing, maintenance, repair, technical support, and decommissioning.

• Professional (instructor) development, or train-the-trainer models, to facilitate skill transfer from subject matter experts to instructors or other training providers.

• Classroom or lab equipment needed to support training delivery or instructional purposes.

2. Supportive Services

Reimbursable supportive services may include, but are not limited to:

• Career services – mentoring, resume writing, interview coaching, job search assistance, and career counseling.

• Direct services - transportation assistance, childcare, personal protective equipment, and certification fees.

• Reasonable job placement incentives for employers after trainees have completed at least three months of employment.

For projects that are delivering training through existing training programs, reimbursable expenses for supportive services must not exceed 15% of CEC reimbursable funds. For projects expanding a training program and delivering training to at least the first cohort of students, reimbursable expenses for supportive services must not exceed 5% of CEC reimbursable funds.

3. Existing Training Program Expansion

• Develop or incorporate EV charger service curriculum.

• Geographical expansion of a localized training program to serve new areas.

• Seek institutional or academic accreditation, or accreditation renewal for an existing training program through an accreditation body approved by the U.S. Department of Education - Office of Postsecondary Education or Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

4. Match Share Eligible Costs

Expenditures related to the following training, supportive services, and training program expansion costs are not eligible for CEC reimbursement, but may be included as an Applicant’s match share:

• Foundational skills such as high school diploma, literacy, English as a Second Language, and numeracy.

• Soft skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, organization, adaptability, time management.

• Wrap around services such as affordable and stable housing, legal assistance, unemployment assistance, and assistance with living expenses.

S. Match Funding Requirements

1. Total Match Share Requirement

Applications must include a minimum of 25 percent of total project costs as match share. For example, for a project with a total project cost of $1,000,000, at least $250,000 must come from match share contributions.

“Match funding” or “match share” means cash or in-kind (non-cash) contributions provided by the Applicant/Recipient, subrecipients, or other parties that will be used in performance of the proposed project. Match share percentage is calculated by dividing the total match share contributions by the total allowable project cost. “Total allowable project cost” is the sum of the CEC’s reimbursable share and Recipient’s match share of the project costs. Match share expenditures have the following requirements:

a. Total match share must conform to the “Cash Match Share Requirement” contained in this solicitation.

b. All match share expenditures must conform to the terms and conditions of this solicitation and the resulting grant agreement.

c. Applicants must disclose the source and provide verification and documentation for the match share funding committed to the project. For any match share committed by a third party (i.e., other than match share committed by the Applicant), Applicants must submit a letter of commitment from each match share partner identifying the source(s) and availability of match funding.

d. During the term of the grant agreement, Recipients will be required to document and verify all match share expenditures through invoices submitted to CEC.

e. Match share funding may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions such as donated labor hours, equipment, facilities, and other property.

f. Equipment, facilities, and property may count as match funds as long as the value of the contribution is based on documented market values or book values, prorated for its use in the project, and depreciated or amortized over the term of the project using generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

g. Match share expenditures (cash and/or in-kind) must be documented, reasonable, allowable, and allocable to the project as determined by CEC.

h. Match share expenditures are allowable under an agreement only if they are incurred after CEC notifies the Applicant that its project has been proposed for an award through the release of a Notice of Proposed Awards (NOPA). Match expenditures incurred after the release of a NOPA but prior to the execution of an agreement are made at the Applicant’s own risk. CEC is not liable for Applicant’s match share costs if the grant is not approved, if approval is delayed, or if the match share expenditure is not allowable under the terms and conditions of the grant or this solicitation. Please note that non-match expenditures incurred prior to agreement execution are not reimbursable from CEC funds.

2. Cash Match Share Requirement

No cash match is required for this solicitation.

Cash match means the net of any funds actually expended by the Applicant for the project. Net means after any sort of discount or rebate is applied. Expenditures for Applicant’s compensated labor hours, including allowable fringe benefit and overhead rates, travel, materials, supplies, equipment, subrecipient costs, and other miscellaneous expenditures may be claimed as cash match if the expenditures are included in the approved agreement budget, paid in full with funding sources other than CEC funds, including block grants funded by the CEC, and supported with appropriate documentation, including proof of payment. For indirect overhead, backup documentation, such as a cost allocation plan based on actual expenditures incurred and paid, is required. Cost allocations must be reasonable and allocable to the proposed project.

3. In-Kind Match Share

In-kind match share contributions are: 1) non-cash contributions provided by the Applicant; 2) cash or non-cash contributions provided by subrecipients; and 3) cash or non-cash contributions provided by other third parties. Applicant in-kind match share can be in the form of volunteer labor, real property, existing equipment, existing supplies, services provided by a third-party or subcontract, and other expendable property. The value of in-kind match is based on the fair market value of the goods and services provided at the time it is claimed as match. In-kind match share must be included in the agreement budget and supported with appropriate documentation. Cost allocations must be reasonable and allocable to the proposed project.

4. Match Share Restrictions

a. Other Sources of CEC Funding – Other sources of CEC funding may not be claimed as match share. This includes block grants or workforce development programs that are funded by the CEC.

b. Property Not Owned by the Applicant – Donated property may be claimed as match based on the fair market value of renting or leasing the property. Fair market value is based on rental costs of comparable property (if any), market conditions in the area, alternatives available and the type, life expectancy, condition, and value of the property.

c. Existing Property Owned by the Grant Recipient – Applicants may use the property’s depreciation expense as a method to allocate the value of the property to the project. Valuation will need to be documented to support the initial acquisition costs as well as the method of depreciation.

d. Valuation of Land – Land cannot be depreciated. If the value of land is claimed as match, the Applicant must provide documentation to support a fair market value for the use of the land (i.e., rent or lease cost) for the time period it is used. Appraised value of land cannot be used since this represents the full value of the land if it is sold which includes value beyond the term of the proposed project.

e. Property Owned by a Related Party – Related parties are individuals or other entities that are able to control or substantially influence the actions of the Applicant and includes spouses, board members, family members of principals or employees of the Applicant as well as property owned by principals/employees of the Applicant. Because an agreement between an Applicant and a related party is a “less than arms-length” transaction, Applicants must disclose the relationship between the Applicant and the related party and be able to support the fair market value of property that is claimed as match.

If CEC funds are used to reimburse lease/rental payments for property owned by a related party, the Applicant can only claim the lesser of fair market value or actual lease payments, regardless of lease agreement terms.

f. Prorated Value of Property – The allowable claimed value of property must be prorated based on the percentage the property is used for the proposed project. For example, if only half of a building is being used for the proposed project, then only 50% of the monthly fair market value of the entire building can be claimed as match while the building is being used for the project.

g. Documentation – If selected for an award, all claimed match share expenditures must be adequately documented to CEC during the agreement invoicing process which may include but is not limited to: the fair market value of existing property, methodology to allocate existing property on a prorated basis, lease agreements, and other appropriate documentation.

T. Unallowable Costs (Reimbursable or Match Share)

For an item of cost to be allowable for reimbursement with CEC funds or as match share expenditure, it must be included in the executed agreement budget and allowable per the terms and conditions of the resulting agreement. The following are examples of unallowable costs under an agreement resulting from this solicitation. This list is not comprehensive and additional items of cost may be unallowable in accordance with the agreement terms and conditions.

1. Forgone Profit – For example, if a company usually charges 10% profit but only charges 4% to CEC the unclaimed difference is not an allowable item of cost.

2. Forgone Rent – For example, rent that is not paid is not an allowable item of cost.

3. Discounted or Refunded Equipment Costs – For example, a claim that equipment costs $10,000 but the grant recipient only pays $6,000 due to some “special” discount. The difference of $4,000 is not an allowable match share expense. Another example is if the grant recipient actually pays $10,000 but the vendor refunds $4,000 – only the net $6,000 is an allowable item of cost.

4. Forgone Salary, Fringe, Indirect or Other Types of Cost – For example, a person normally charges or is paid $100 per hour, but will only charge $50 per hour towards the CEC award. Only actual costs incurred and paid to the employee are allowable. Therefore, if an employee is actually paid $100 per hour and CEC only reimburses at $40 per hour, then the unreimbursed $60 per hour is an allowable match share cost because this is an actual payment as opposed to a forgone salary amount. Volunteer labor (i.e., labor from a person who does not receive any compensation for their labor) may be an allowable in-kind match share expense if the value of the labor is reasonable and justified.

5. Utility Provided Electrical Upgrades and Funding – For example, expenses that are already paid or to be paid for through a utility program, tariff, or other ratepayer funding is not an allowable item of cost. This includes ratepayer funded enrollment incentives.

6. Compliance with Local, Regional, State, or Federal Law, Rule or Regulation – For example, expenses associated with ensuring compliance with state or federal building codes, including provisions of the California Green Building Standards Code requiring the installation of a minimum amount of electric vehicle supply equipment, Electric Vehicle Capable, or Electric Vehicle Ready parking spaces, is not an allowable item of cost.

7. Ineligible Curriculum and Training Programs – For example, training or training program development expenses related to EVs (including maintenance and repair), internal combustion vehicles, hydrogen refueling infrastructure, project or employee management.

8. Stacking Funds - funds may not be used in conjunction, or stacked, with other CEC funds for the same project, including the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) Fund funding administered by the Employment Training Panel.

9. Capital Improvements and Construction – For example, expenses related to new facility construction or building renovations is not an allowable item of cost.

10. Technology Research or Deployment – For example, software/firmware/hardware technology development such as Learning Management Systems, market studies, literature reviews and surveys, feasibility studies, case studies, proof-of concepts, technology surveys and development, or data-analysis studies is not an allowable item of cost.

11. Infrastructure Deployment – For example, expenses associated with manufacturing, constructing, or deploying EV charging infrastructure for purposes other than training, such as for retail or commercial use, is not an allowable item of cost under this solicitation. Expenses associated with manufacturing, constructing, or deploying hydrogen refueling infrastructure is not an allowable item of cost.

III. Application Format, Required Documents, and Delivery

U. Required Format for an Application

This section contains the format requirements and instructions on how to submit an application. The format is prescribed to assist the Applicant in meeting State requirements and to enable CEC to evaluate each application uniformly and fairly. Applicants must follow all application format instructions, answer all questions, and supply all requested information.

All applications submitted under this solicitation must be typed or printed using a standard 11-point font, single-spaced and a blank line between paragraphs. Pages must be numbered, and sections titled.

V. Method for Delivery

The method of delivery for this solicitation is the Energy Commission Agreement Management System (ECAMS) , available at https://ecams.energy.ca.gov/.

Information about ECAMS will be provided at the Pre-Application Workshop. Information about how to register for an ECAMS account and guidance on how to apply through the system is available at https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/funding-resources under General Funding Information.

The CEC is providing a team of technical assistants to support Applicants with this process. Please email ECAMS.SalesforceSupport@energy.ca.gov for support.

ECAMS allows Applicants to complete and submit their application to the CEC prior to the date and time specified in this solicitation. Files uploaded to the system must be in Microsoft Word (.doc format) and Excel Office Suite formats unless originally provided in the solicitation in another format. PDF format is acceptable. The completed Proposal Budget Template, Attachment 5, must be in Excel format.

The deadline to submit grant applications through ECAMS is 11:59 p.m. ECAMS automatically closes at 11:59 p.m. If the full submittal process has not been completed before 11:59 p.m., your application will not be considered. NO EXCEPTIONS will be entertained.

The CEC strongly encourages Applicants to upload and submit all applications by 5:00 p.m. because CEC staff will not be available after 5:00 p.m. or on weekends to assist with the upload process. And please note that while we endeavor to assist all would-be Applicants, we cannot guarantee staff will be available for consultation on the due date, so please plan accordingly.

Please give yourself ample time to complete all steps of the submission process: do not wait until right before the deadline to begin the process. Due to factors outside the CEC’s control and unrelated to ECAMS, upload times may be much longer than expected. For example, some past Applicants experienced unexpected issues on their end, causing long delays that prevented timely submission. They spent significant time and resources on applications the CEC will not consider.

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