Delaware Clean Vehicle Rebate Program Administration

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
DELAWARE CLEAN VEHICLE REBATE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
ISSUED BY DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
CONTRACT NUMBER NAT26001-CVRP_ADMN
Contents:
I. Overview
II. Scope of Services
III. Required Information
IV. Professional Services RFP Administrative Information
V. Contract Terms and Conditions
VI. RFP Miscellaneous Information
VII. Attachments
Appendix A - MINIMUM MANDATORY SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Appendix B - COST PROPOSAL FORM
Appendix C - NETWORK DIAGRAM
Appendix D - SOFTWARE INVENTORY
** Ctrl + Click on the headings above will take you directly to the section.
I. Overview
The State of Delaware Department of Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
(DNREC) seeks a qualified Vendor to market, implement and administer for DNREC the Delaware
Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP), which provides rebates for the purchase or lease of any
new or used battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle. The current available funding for the Delaware
CVRP per year is $4 million (subject to change) with the anticipation of providing 1500-1700 plug-
in hybrid and battery electric vehicle rebates. This request for proposals ("RFP") is issued pursuant
to 29 Del. C. 6981 and 6982.
The proposed schedule of events subject to the RFP is outlined below:
Public Notice Date: September 28, 2026
Deadline for Questions Date: October 9, 2026
Response to Questions Posted by: Date: October 16, 2026
Deadline for Receipt of Proposals Date: October 30, 2026 at 4:00 PM (Local Time)
Estimated Notification of Award Date: November 20, 2026
Each proposal must be accompanied by a transmittal letter which briefly summarizes the proposing
firm's interest in providing the required professional services. The transmittal letter must also clearly
1

state and justify any exceptions to the requirements of the RFP which the applicant may have taken
in presenting the proposal. (Applicant exceptions must also be recorded on Attachment 3).
Furthermore, the transmittal letter must attest to the fact, at a minimum, that the Vendor shall not
store or transfer non-public State of Delaware data outside of the United States. For technology
related solicitations, Vendors may refer to the Delaware Department of Technology and Information
identified terms and conditions included in this solicitation.
The State of Delaware reserves the right to deny any and all exceptions taken to the RFP
requirements.
MANDATORY PREBID MEETING
A mandatory pre-bid meeting has not been established for this Request for Proposal.
II. Scope of Services
The State of Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of
Climate, Coastal and Energy (DCCE) seeks a qualified Vendor to administer and manage the
Delaware Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP) and make recommendations on program elements
to support electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the State of Delaware. The successful Vendor shall be
responsible for program review and design, managing and implementing the CVRP. DCCE
anticipates the award of one contract from this RFP. The initial term of the Contract will be five (5)
years with, at DCCE's discretion, up to three (3) optional annual extensions. The current available
funding for consumer rebates through the Delaware CVRP per year is $4 million (this amount is
subject to change) with the anticipation of providing 1500-1700 plug-in hybrid and battery electric
vehicle rebates.
Vendor shall provide the following services:
SCOPE A:
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
The Vendor shall provide comprehensive program development, implementation, and administrative
support for the CVRP. This work includes developing and maintaining a secure, user-friendly
application portal and supporting program infrastructure; providing technical assistance to applicants,
participating dealerships, and DCCE; processing rebate applications in accordance with program
requirements; collecting and reporting program data; and evaluating program performance to support
continuous improvement. The Vendor shall also provide recommendations to inform future funding
rounds and ensure the program is administered efficiently, securely, and in accordance with all
applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and program requirements.
A. Technical Assistance and Recommendations to update the CVRP for Funding Round 9 and all
subsequent funding rounds through the end of the contract period.
1. Vendor shall review the existing and past CVRP rebate funding rounds, including market
penetration, dealer participation, and funding levels on an annual basis and make
recommendations to DCCE regarding program eligibility and guidelines, vehicle eligibility, and
appropriate rebate amounts. The review should include review of market trends, other existing
EV rebate program guidelines and eligibilities, and price parities.
2

B. Develop Application Portal and Application Process Flow
1. Vendor shall develop and implement the framework, tools, and processes to implement the
program via an online portal to efficiently and easily collect rebate applications from eligible
Delaware residents and businesses as defined by the rebate program guidelines.
a. Vendor shall meet the State of Delaware's system security requirements to ensure that
customer applications, hosting environment and any other personally identifiable
information is securely collected and stored in compliance with all federal and state laws
and regulations.
b. Vendor shall develop and maintain and update as needed a website that contains relevant
program information, including a list of eligible vehicles, the vehicle rebate amounts, and
program guidelines.
c. Vendor shall develop and maintain an application portal that allows applicants to submit
both online and paper applications.
d. Vendors shall meet or exceed the State of Delaware's system and security standards
located here: Standards and Policies - Department of Technology & Information (DTI) -
State of Delaware. In particular respondents must detail how customer information,
including any sensitive and personally identifiable information, will be securely collected,
stored, archived or destroyed in accordance with policy.
e. Vendor shall develop application processes that are easy for the public to both understand
and use and also easy for DCCE to implement.
f. Vendor shall work with DCCE to identify the necessary elements to be included on
application documentation as well as a mechanism to collect, approve, and verify incentive
applications.
g. Vendor shall support Delaware automobile dealerships participating in the Clean Vehicle
Rebate Program (CVRP).
h. Vendor shall serve as the primary point of contact for participating dealerships and provide
technical assistance regarding program requirements and processes.
i. Vendor shall assist DNREC with dealership outreach and engagement activities, as
requested.
i. On an annual basis, Vendor shall provide training to participating Delaware
automobile dealerships regarding program requirements and processes.
ii. Vendor shall create and maintain an accessible and secure database for
program management that allows DCCE to track in real-time, for reporting and
3

internal purposes, (i) total funds available, (ii) total funds expended, and (iii) total
number of rebates issued.
C. Delaware CVRP Implementation Plan
1. Vendor shall provide guidance and customer support to applicants and potential applicants on
the application process, eligibility requirements to participate in the CVRP, and the online
portal.
2. Vendor shall maintain a call center with a toll-free number during normal business hours to
address customer service needs for the CVRP.
3. Vendor shall utilize the developed mechanism (B.1.D.) to collect and process clean vehicle
rebate applications.
a. Vendor shall process applications under both the guidelines of an existing rebate
program and the revised rebate program.
i. After consultation with DCCE, Vendor shall communicate with applicants who seek
reconsideration of a denial of a rebate. If the issue cannot be resolved by the
Vendor, Vendor will escalate to the DCCE Contract Manager promptly.
ii. Vendor shall approve or deny all applications no more than (10) days from receipt of
a complete application.
iii. Vendor shall submit invoices to DCCE for each application after approval for
payment. Invoices shall include invoice number (as established by DCCE), name
and address of applicant, state-issued Supplier ID of the applicant (the applicant
must obtain this prior to applying for the rebate), and the rebate amount. All invoices
approved for payment during each business week shall be sent to DCCE no later
than every Friday by 4 p.m.
D. Reporting and Program Evaluation
1. Vendor shall conduct surveys of rebate recipients and other relevant information gathering
techniques to learn about the EV purchasing decisions, driver satisfaction, and ease of the
rebate application process.
a. Vendor shall develop and implement two surveys with the intent of collecting information
from rebate recipients to inform future program design. The survey should be short and
simple to ensure a meaningful level of participation.
i. Vendor shall develop and administer surveys to rebate recipients shortly after the
rebate approval and assess the influence of rebates on consumer purchases,
subject to review of survey questions by DCCE.
ii. Vendor shall develop an EV owner satisfaction survey to be issued 6 months
after rebate award to collect information relating to EV satisfaction, driving habits,
and EV charging use.
4

b. Vendor shall perform an analysis of these participant surveys and distribute the results
of the surveys to DCCE on an agreed upon timeline but not less than every 6 months.
Survey data shall also be available to DCCE upon request.
2. Vendor shall prepare a written monthly progress report on its progress in meeting the
requirements of the RFP, including the attainment of milestones, the identification of work to be
completed, and any delays and justification of the delay for any schedule modifications, with
particular focus on the work performed in the prior month and the work anticipated in the
upcoming month.
a. Vendor shall also provide monthly data to DCCE to be placed on the State of
Delaware's Open Data Portal: https://data.delaware.gov/Energy-and-
Environment/State-Rebates-for-Alternative-Fuel-Vehicles/8z8z-di7f. Data shall be
submitted in an Excel format and will include, but is not limited to, vehicle type, make,
model, year, city, zip code, applicants age, date of purchase, dealership and rebate
amount.
3. Vendor shall prepare and submit a written annual report no later than September 30 of each
calendar year. The report shall summarize program activity and outcomes for the preceding
program year and include aggregated program and survey data collected under Sections D.1.a
and D.1.b. Final reporting metrics and data elements will be determined by DCCE following
contract award.
4. Vendor shall attend regular progress meetings, not less than quarterly via teleconference.and
shall provide any status reports, deliverables or other material needed or any meeting a
minimum of three (3) business days prior to the meeting. For all meetings, Vendor shall
prepare and provide minutes of the meeting to the DCCE Contract Manager within three (3)
business days after the meeting.
SCOPE B:
LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME REBATE PROGRAM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
ROADMAP
The Vendor shall evaluate options for the development and implementation of a low- and
moderate-income (LMI) Clean Vehicle Rebate Program for Delaware and prepare a
comprehensive roadmap to inform future program design and decision-making.
1. The Vendor shall evaluate and compare potential LMI rebate program models and identify
implementation options appropriate for Delaware.
a. The evaluation shall include a review of existing LMI electric vehicle incentive
programs administered by other states and identify lessons learned, best practices,
administrative approaches, and program outcomes.
b. The Vendor shall evaluate multiple program design options, including but not limited
to eligibility criteria, income verification methods, rebate structures, point-of-sale versus post-
5

purchase incentives, funding mechanisms, and coordination with existing federal, state, utility,
or other incentive programs.
c. The Vendor shall assess the operational, administrative, financial, legal, and
technological requirements associated with implementing each program model.
2. The Vendor shall identify implementation considerations and operational impacts associated
with establishing an LMI rebate program.
a. The assessment shall identify potential barriers, risks, and implementation challenges
for applicants, automobile dealerships, program administrators, and DCCE.
b. The Vendor shall evaluate anticipated impacts on participating dealerships, including
administrative burden, customer experience, training needs, reimbursement processes, and
program participation.
c. The Vendor shall identify modifications to the existing Delaware Clean Vehicle
Rebate Program that would be necessary to support an LMI rebate component.
3. The Vendor shall develop recommendations for program implementation.
a. Recommendations shall include proposed program objectives, policies and
procedures, staffing and resource requirements, technology needs, customer support
considerations, fraud prevention measures, and performance metrics.
b. The Vendor shall identify decision points, implementation milestones, estimated
timelines, and key actions necessary to launch an LMI rebate program.
4. The Vendor shall submit a written Low- and Moderate-Income Rebate Program Design and
Implementation Roadmap to DCCE within nine (9) months of contract execution. The roadmap
shall provide DCCE with actionable recommendations and implementation options that can be
used to inform future program development and procurement activities.
III. Required Information
The following information shall be provided in each proposal in the order listed below. Failure to
respond to any request for information within this proposal may result in rejection of the proposal at
the sole discretion of the State.
A. Minimum Requirements
1. Provide Delaware license(s) and/or certification(s) necessary to perform services as
identified in the scope of work.
Prior to the execution of an award document, the successful Vendor shall either furnish the
Agency with proof of State of Delaware Business Licensure or initiate the process of
application where required.
2. Vendor shall provide responses to the Request for Proposal (RFP) scope of work and clearly
identify capabilities as presented in the General Evaluation Requirements below.
6

3. Complete all appropriate attachments and forms as identified within the RFP.
4. Proof of insurance and amount of insurance shall be furnished to the Agency prior to the start
of the contract period and shall be no less than as identified in the bid solicitation, Section V,
Item 8, subsection g (insurance).
5. Vendor shall demonstrate its company has experience in both implementing and
administering a rebate program or a similar program of comparable size and complexity for
state or local governments as defined in this RFP.
a. Vendor shall provide a list of all former and current government (state, local and federal)
clients' projects, within the last 5 years, where the Vendor has provided same or similar
services to those requested in this RFP.
6. Vendor shall, to the extent the standards apply to Vendor's proposed solution, comply with all
the minimum standards outlined in the Technical Standards and Security Requirements set forth
by the Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI) below:
Technical Standards and Security Requirements - Acknowledgement of all
requirements outlined in this section are required.
1. Terms and Conditions - The State of Delaware is taking a very deliberate approach to
cloud-based engagements because of concerns around the protection of our data. It is
for this reason that explicit details of the cloud solutions are required, including an item-
by-item acknowledgement from the candidate vendor. Proposals must contain
Acknowledgement of the Terms and Conditions for Cloud Contracting and External
Hosting, found in Attachment 11.
2. Confidentiality and Data Integrity - The Department of Technology and Information is
responsible for safeguarding the confidentiality and integrity of data in State computer
files regardless of the source of those data or medium on which they are stored. All data
generated from the original source data, shall be the property of the State of Delaware.
The control of the disclosure of those data shall be retained by the State of Delaware
and the Department of Technology and Information.
The Contractor is required to agree to the requirements in the CONFIDENTIALITY AND
INTEGRITY OF DATA STATEMENT, found in Attachment 10, and made a part of this
RFP. Contractor employees, individually, may be required to sign the statement prior to
beginning any work.
3. Security - Computer, network, and information security is of paramount concern for the
State of Delaware and the Department of Technology and Information. Vendor agrees
at all times to provide, maintain and support its Software and subsequent updates,
upgrades and bug fixes such that the Software is, and remains secure from those
vulnerabilities as described in:
(a) The Open Web Application Security Project's (OWASP) "Top Ten Project" -
http://www.owasp.org;
(b) The CWE/SANS Top 25 Programming Errors - http://www.sans.org/top25-
programming-errors/;
(c) The Center for the Internet Security Critical Security Controls
https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/;
7

(d) Other generally recognized and comparable industry practices or standards. The
Contractor is guaranteeing that any systems or software provided by the Contractor are
free of the vulnerabilities listed above.
4. Cyber Security Liability -- It shall be the duty of the Vendor to assure that all products of
its effort do not cause, directly or indirectly, any unauthorized acquisition of data that
compromises the security, confidentiality, or integrity of information maintained by the
State of Delaware. Vendor's agreement shall not limit or modify liability for information
security breaches, and Vendor shall indemnify and hold harmless the State, its agents
and employees, from any and all liability, suits, actions or claims, together with all
reasonable costs and expenses (including attorneys' fees) arising out of such breaches.
In addition to all rights and remedies available to it in law or in equity, the State shall
subtract from any payment made to Vendor all damages, costs and expenses caused
by such information security breaches that have not been previously paid to Vendor.
5. Architectural Documentation Requirements --
a. Network Diagram - A network diagram of the proposed solution is required that
clearly documents the user's interaction with the solution and the State. The network
diagram should follow the example include in Network Diagram Template, found in
Appendix C.
b. Software Inventory - A list of web browsers supported, and any software required to
transfer data must be provided. This information should be provided in the format
include in Software Inventory Template, found in Appendix D.
c. Database Dictionary or Data model - A data dictionary OR a conceptual data model
for state-owned business data must be provided to the state. The data dictionary or
conceptual data model does not have to be submitted with a vendor response to this
RFP but must be submitted once the design of the solution is complete or prior to
implementation of the solution. The submitted data dictionary or conceptual data
model must include at least the following items: entity names and descriptions, entity
relationships and descriptions, attribute names, attribute descriptions, attribute data
type, attribute lengths, and primary identifier for each entity.
Data dictionaries must be submitted in Excel or in a .csv file. The directions for how
to format the Excel workbook is explained in the first section of the Data Model
Samples document. If a data model is submitted, it must be in either Sybase
PowerDesigner or CA ERwin format.
B. General Proposal Requirements
Proposals must address each of the items listed in this section and all other requirements set
forth in this RFP. A Proposal that merely offers to provide the services stated in the RFP may
be considered non-Responsive to this RFP and will not be considered further. Proposals
should be straightforward and address the requests of the RFP and should not contain
extensive artwork or other materials essential to the utility and clarity of the Proposal.
1. Company Profile:
The Vendor shall provide a profile of its company. At a minimum, the company profile must
include the following:
a. Locations of office headquarters, offices that will provide Services under the Contract,
office locations of employees assigned to under the Contract
b. Name, address, telephone number and email address of Vendor's Account Manager if
awarded a Contract;
8

c. Company's background/history and why the Vendor is qualified to provide the services
described in the RFP.
d. Length of time the Vendor has been providing services of the same or similar type of
programs described in the RFP and provide a brief description;
e. Company's client base; and
f. A description and documentation of Company's organizational security program,
including policies, processes, and procedures, including but not limited to business
continuity, disaster recovery, incident response, and risk management plans.
g. The Vendor should provide a comprehensive listing on contracts of similar size and scope
with specific inclusion of its (including proposed subcontractors) work in the electric
vehicle industry that it has successfully completed, as evidence of the Vendor's ability to
successfully complete services similar to those required by this RFP. Emphasis should
be placed on contracts that are similar in size and scope to the work required by this RFP.
A description of all such contracts should be included and should show how such
contracts relate to the ability of the firm to complete the services required by this RFP.
For each such contract, the Vendor should provide two names and telephone numbers
of individuals for the other contract part. Beginning and ending dates should also be given
for each contract.
2. Cost Proposal
The Vendor shall submit a detailed Cost Proposal (Appendix B) in a separate electronic file
on the USB drive, DVD or CD stating the total cost for the development, implementation,
administration and management of the Delaware CVRP that includes:
A proposal for completion of the work described in the Vendor's Project Plan, Program
Plan and Statement of Work. The proposal must:
a. Identify a proposed budget which includes all estimated labor and material costs
associated with developing, implementing and managing the Delaware CVRP, records
retention and any other implementation facets of the Delaware CVRP for the first year of
the Contract's term.
b. Identify not-to-exceed hourly rates to be applied by classification for the individuals
identified and described in the Staffing Proposal (See Section 5). These rates will be used
in computing interim payments based on the Project Plan, Program Plan and SOW, and
in estimating any changes negotiated during contract execution and changes resulting
from any contract amendments.
c. Provide an estimate of staff hours by person and total costs associated with the
accomplishment of each project and program deliverable listed in the Vendor's Project
Plan and Program Plan based on the hourly rates listed above. Include a Total Price.
Include an estimate of any sub-contractor, if utilizing.
3. General Qualifications
Vendor shall address the following components for this section. Vendor should not; however,
feel constrained to answer only specific questions listed below in its explanation and should
feel free to provide attachments, if necessary, to provide a more thorough response:
* Executive Summary: Provide a brief executive summary describing the Vendor's
business, its understanding of DNREC's needs, and its proposed solution to meet the
Scope of Work defined in this RFP.
* Ability to Deliver Services: Provide a brief, descriptive statement detailing evidence
of the Vendor's ability to deliver the services under this RFP (e.g. prior experience,
training certifications, resources, program, and quality management systems, etc.)
9

* Experience Implementing and Administering a Rebate Program: Provide a
statement demonstrating the Vendor's experience administering a rebate program or
a similar program of comparable size and complexity as defined in this RFP.
* Business Qualities and Characteristics: Provide a statement describing the
qualities and characteristics of Vendor's business that contribute to or enhance
Vendor's ability to align with DNREC's goals and meet the needs identified in this
RFP.
4. Staffing Proposal
Vendor shall include a staffing proposal to include the follow sections:
a. Staffing Plan: Vendor shall provide a description of the staffing plan to accomplish the
Scope of Work for the Delaware CVRP. This could include an organizational chart
identifying the key people who would be assigned to provide the services required by
this RFP. The Vendor should include a list of backup staff that may be called upon to
assist or replace primary individuals assigned. Back up staff must be clearly identified
as backup staff.
a. In the event that the Vendor must hire management, supervisory and/or key
personnel if awarded the Contract, the Vendor should include, as part of the
recruitments plan, a plan to secure backup staff in the event personnel initially
recruited need assistance or need to be replaced during the Contract term.
b. Resumes: Vendor shall submit detailed resumes for all management, supervisory and
key personnel to be assigned to the Contract. Resumes should emphasize relevant
qualifications and experience of these individuals in successfully completing Contracts of
a similar size and scope to those required by this RFP. Resumes should include the
following:
i. The individual's previous experience in completing each similar Contract;
ii. Beginning and ending dates for each similar Contract;
iii. A description of the Contract demonstrating how the individual's work on the
completed Contract relates to the individual's ability to contribute to successfully
providing the services required by this RFP; and
iv. With respect to each similar Contract, the name and address of each reference
together with a person to contact for a reference check and a telephone number.
c. Key Persons Experience: Vendor shall list the specific individuals on Attachment B
who would be assigned to key positions to accomplish the Scope of Work for the
Delaware CVRP. Include, by individual, their title, a description of their duties and
responsibilities, hourly rate, work phone number and work email address.
d. Subcontractors (if applicable): The Vendor should provide documented experience to
demonstrate that each subcontractor has successfully performed work on contracts of a
similar size and scope of work that the subcontractor is designated to perform in the
Vendor's proposal. The Vendor must provide a detailed description of services to be
provided by each subcontractor.
i. The Vendor should provide detailed resumes for each Subcontractor's
management, supervisory and other key personnel that demonstrate knowledge,
ability and experience relevant to that part of the work which the Subcontractor is
designated to perform. When a Vendor submits resumes pursuant to this
10