GFO-25-608 - Electric Vehicle Hub, Outreach, Messaging, and Equipment (EV HOME)

GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Clean Transportation Program

Electric Vehicle Hub, Outreach, Messaging, and Equipment (EV HOME)

GFO-25-608

,

,

State of California

California Energy Commission

May 2026

Attachments

01 - Project Narrative

02 - Scope of Work Template

03 - Schedule of Products and Due Dates

04 - Budget Forms

05 - Resumes

06 - Contact List

07 - Letters of Commitment

08 - Letters of Support

09 - California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Worksheet

10 - Past Performance Reference Form

11 - Applicant Declaration

I. Introduction

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 $10 million in grant funding for projects that will accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption by connecting prospective drivers with incentives for EVs and residential charging equipment, facilitating home charger installations, and providing education and outreach on EV benefits, charging options, and available incentives. Additional funding of up to $10 million may be made available in the future to support a second phase of work for projects initially awarded under this solicitation.

Background

Assembly Bill (AB) 118 (Nunez, 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.

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.

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.

How Award Is Determined

Applications that pass administrative and technical screening will be scored and ranked based on evaluation criteria in Section IV. 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 for Phase 1 are exhausted. If multiple applications propose projects within the same region (see Section II.B.4 for more information on regions), the CEC intends to recommend only the highest-scoring application for that region.

Funding for Phase 2 is contingent on availability of funds and completion of specified performance metrics, as determined by the CEC. If available, funding for Phase 2 will be distributed, at the CEC's discretion, to awarded projects that proposed a Phase 2 and meet specified key performance metrics (See Section I.G.).

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.

Solicitation Phases

This solicitation is designed to accommodate up to two project phases. Phase 1 is required for all projects. Phase 2 is optional; Applicants may propose Phase 2 activities and budget in their application, but Phase 2 may proceed only if funding is available and performance requirements are met, as determined by the CEC. Funding for Phase 2 is subject to future appropriations and is not guaranteed. Projects must be completed within three years to meet Phase 1 requirements, with an additional three years for Phase 2 activities (if proposed). The CEC reserves the right to modify or cancel Phase 2.

Availability of Funds

A total of $10 million is available for awards under this solicitation. Up to $10 million in additional grant funding may be available in the future to complete a second phase of work for projects initially awarded under this solicitation. CEC may, at its sole discretion, fund Phase 2 activities for awarded projects that included a proposed Phase 2. Funding for Phase 2 is subject to future appropriations and is not guaranteed. CEC, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to increase, decrease, or cancel the amount of funds available under this solicitation for Phase 1 and future Phase 2 project activities.

Maximum and Minimum Award Amounts

Phase 1 (required): minimum $500,000; maximum $5 million.

Phase 2 (optional): minimum $500,000; maximum $5 million.

Maximum Number of Applications

Applicants are only eligible to submit one application under this solicitation.

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 call the Commission Agreement Officer (CAO) listed below or refer to at https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/solicitations to confirm the date and time.

June 1, 2026

10:00am-12:00pm

Via Zoom

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 Zoom at: . You may also access the workshop by going to the at https://join.zoom.us and enter the unique meeting ID and password below:

Meeting ID: 830 1317 9233

Meeting Password: 446589

Topic: Pre-Application Workshop for EV HOME Solicitation

Telephone Access Only:

Call (669) 219-2599 or (213) 338- 8477. 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 at .

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 , or (916) 957-7910.

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

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

Questions

During the solicitation process, for questions only related to submission of applications in ECAMS, please contact . 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 at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. of the application deadline date.

The question-and-answer set will be posted on the 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.

Contact Information

Kevyn Piper, Commission Agreement Officer

California Energy Commission

715 P Street, MS-1

Sacramento, California 95814 Email: Kevyn.Piper@energy.ca.gov

Reference Documents

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

https://www.energy.ca.gov/publications/2025/2025-2026-investment-plan-update-clean-transportation-program (CEC-600-2025-033-CMF).

https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/funding-resources/ecams-resources.

https://www.energy.ca.gov/publications/2026/access-public-near-home-charging-among-electric-vehicles-without-home-charging (CEC-600-2026-007).

https://www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov/priority-populations.

II. Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Requirements

Eligibility

This solicitation is open to non-profit organizations, community choice aggregators, and Community-Based Organizations. Applicants that are not Community-Based Organizations must identify at least one Community-Based Organization in their application as a subrecipient to conduct education and outreach about EV benefits, charging options, and available incentives. Applicants must include a Letter of Commitment from each identified Community-Based Organization in Attachment 07.

The entity applying to this solicitation (the Applicant) will become the Recipient, if awarded.

For the purposes of this solicitation, a Community-Based Organization is defined as a public or private non-profit organization that:

Have deployed projects and/or outreach efforts within the specified region.

Have official mission and vision statements that expressly identify serving disadvantaged and/or low-income communities.

Currently employ staff member(s) who specialize in and are dedicated to diversity, or equity, or inclusion, or is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.

For the purposes of this solicitation, California Native American Tribes and California Tribal Organizations serving California Native American Tribes are considered Community-Based Organizations.

Ineligible applicants include investor-owned utilities and all other entities besides those identified as eligible above.

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 following terms and conditions may apply to the Applicant: Special Terms and Conditions for California Native American Tribes and California Tribal Organizations serving California Native American Tribes with Sovereign Immunity, in addition to the standard terms and conditions; Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Special Terms and Conditions; the Special Terms and Conditions on Insolvency, Bankruptcy, or Receivership; and any other special terms and conditions required by the CEC.

These terms and conditions are located at at .

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.

If a California Native American Tribe (Tribe) or a California Tribal Organization serving a California Native American Tribe (Tribal Organization) with sovereign immunity is listed as a proposed awardee in the Notice of Proposed Awards (NOPA), before bringing the proposed award to a Business Meeting, CEC staff must receive (a) resolution(s) or other authorizing document(s) by the governing body of the Tribe or Tribal Organization which:

i. Authorizes the Tribe or Tribal Organization to enter into the proposed agreement, including accepting the Special Terms and Conditions for California Native American Tribes and California Tribal Organizations Serving California Native American Tribes with Sovereign Immunity, including the Limited Waiver of Sovereign Immunity and Consent to Jurisdiction; and

ii. Approves a limited waiver of tribal sovereign immunity, to the extent that any such sovereign immunity exists, for any and all claims by the CEC that may arise relating to this Agreement and any remedies therefore under the laws of the state of California and the laws of the United States of America; and

iii. Consents to personal jurisdiction over the Tribe or Tribal Organization, and consents to venue in any court of the State of California and any federal court sitting in the State of California; and waives any and all claim that the Tribe or Tribal Organization may have, including without limitation that such court is an inconvenient forum, for the purposes of any proceeding related to this Agreement; and, with respect to a proceeding in a court of the State of California or a federal court sitting in the State of California, any requirement that tribal remedies must be exhausted; and

iv. Delegates authority to execute the proposed agreement to an appropriate individual.

The above requirements may be provided in one or more documents. The document(s) will be included as an exhibit to the resulting grant agreement.

Delay in award. Any delay in the Tribe or Tribal Organization's ability to provide the documentation specified in sections (i)-(iv) above may result in delayed award of the grant agreement.

Reservation of right to cancel proposed award. Funds available under this solicitation have encumbrance deadlines which the CEC must meet in order to avoid expiration of the funds. In addition to any other rights reserved to it under this solicitation or that it otherwise has, the CEC reserves the right to cancel a proposed award if it determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that the documentation described in sections (i)-(iv) above would likely not be provided prior to an encumbrance deadline, and that the CEC's ability to meet its encumbrance deadline may thereby be jeopardized. In this instance, the CEC may cancel the proposed award and award funds to the next highest scoring applicant.

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.

Project Requirements

Program Administration Structure and Participants

Recipients or subrecipients will serve as program administrators responsible for delivering all required activities within the region identified in their proposals. The CEC expects to fund multiple administrators to serve different eligible regions of the state (see Section II.B.4. for more information on eligible regions). Each administrator will be responsible for implementing all project activities, overseeing participant engagement, and coordinating with local partners within their designated region.

Participants are defined as members of the public that receive assistance from the Recipient or subrecipients over the course of the program. Participants must reside in a disadvantaged community (DAC) and/or low-income community (LIC) census tract (see "4. Eligible Regions" below).

Number of EV Acquisitions Supported

A minimum of 250 new or used EVs must be acquired by participants in Phase 1. These 250 EVs may be supported through Activity 1, 2, or 3, described in Section II.B.3. Applicants proposing Phase 2 must support a minimum of 500 new or used EV acquisitions in Phase 1 to be eligible to be considered for Phase 2, in addition to other key performance metrics (See Section I.G.). These are minimum requirements and Applicants are encouraged to target a larger number of EV acquisitions in their applications. Applications will be evaluated on the cost effectiveness of their proposals (for example, the expected number of EV acquisitions considering the budget proposed).

Up to 20 percent of the EVs acquired by participants may be plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). For the purpose of this solicitation a PHEV must be U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rated for at least 40 miles of all-electric range.

To verify that EV acquisitions counted toward program key performance indicators (KPIs) are directly connected to program participation, Recipients must collect attestation from participants who purchase or lease an eligible vehicle while participating in the program. Attestation must include the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and proof of purchase, lease, or registration dated within the program period.

Program Activities

Programs must include all of the following activities:

Activity 1: Education and Outreach

Eligible activities include:

Providing education and outreach on EV benefits, available charging options, and incentive opportunities to potential EV adopters at eligible residences.

Activity 2: Assistance Applying for Incentives and Rebates

Eligible activities include:

Connecting participants to available EV and EV charging rebates, grants, or incentives offered by third parties.

Providing participants with technical assistance on EV charging options and how to install EV charging to EV adopters.

Activity 3: Residential EV Charger Installation Support

In areas where other funding programs are not available to support charging installations, this solicitation will provide funding for residential EV charger installations, limited to households/participants that acquire a new or used EV during the program. Residential EV charger installation support is not eligible for existing EV drivers. Eligible activities include:

Installing Level 1 or Level 2 residential plug-in EV charging equipment at single-family homes and multifamily homes of participants. The Recipient or a subrecipient will facilitate the installation of the charger and will be reimbursed by the CEC up to a cost cap following installation as described in Section II.C. Eligible Project Costs. Note that panel upgrades at single-family homes are not an eligible cost.

For the purpose of this solicitation, multifamily housing includes duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes, and all other multifamily dwellings.

Projects must comply with all applicable electrical codes and safety standards.

The participant must acquire (or have acquired) a new or used EV during the term of the program.

An Activity 3 installation counts towards the EV adoption goal described in Section II.B.2, with one EV charger counted as one EV.

Projects must be completed within three years for Phase 1 with an additional three years for Phase 2 activities (if proposed). The CEC reserves the right to modify this requirement.

Eligible Regions

Applicants must identify a region that they or their subrecipients will serve if proposed for an award. This region must be geographically defined, be within the state of California, and must not be statewide.

All activities conducted by the Recipient or subrecipient must only serve residents of DAC and/or a LIC census tracts. Applicants should use the to identify DACs and LICs. EV charger installations under Activity 3 must be exclusively located within DACs or LICs.

For the purpose of this solicitation, the definition of a DAC is any census tract that meets at least one of the following criteria:

Ranks within the top 25 percent of census tracts statewide according to CalEnviroScreen 4.0.

Lacks an overall CalEnviroScreen score but ranks within the top 5 percent statewide in pollution burden.

Was designated as a DAC in CalEPA's 2017 DAC update, irrespective of its current CalEnviroScreen score.

Is located on lands under the control of federally recognized Tribes.

For the purpose of this solicitation, the definition of LIC is a census tract that satisfies either of the following incomebased criteria:

The tract's median household income is less than or equal to 80 percent of the statewide median household income.

The tract meets the lowincome threshold established by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) pursuant to Health and Safety Code 50093.

Experience in Proposed Region

The program administrator must have at least one year of experience providing energy-related services or activities in the proposed project region. This experience must be clearly identified in the resume (Attachment 05).

Ineligible Projects

Ineligible projects include installations of EV charging equipment outside eligible census tracts or that do not serve single-family homes and multifamily homes. Projects that do not directly support a designated region are not eligible, nor are projects that fail to focus on DACs and LICs within that designated region. Installation of EV charging equipment for existing EV drivers is not eligible.

A project or any installation of charging equipment that receives incentive funding from another CEC grant funding opportunity (GFO) or block grant incentive project is not eligible for funding under this GFO.

Phase 2 Eligibility (if applicable)

Recipients awarded under this solicitation may be eligible to receive additional funding to expand project activities at the CEC's discretion. Phase 2 is optional and only Applicants that propose a Phase 2 in their Application will be eligible to receive Phase 2 funding if it becomes available. Applicants proposing Phase 2 must describe proposed Phase 2 activities in their Project Narrative (Attachment 01), Scope of Work (Attachment 02), and Schedule of Projects (Attachment 04), as well as submit separate Budget Forms (Attachment 04) for Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 2 funding is subject to future appropriations and is not guaranteed.

If available, Phase 2 funding may be awarded at the CEC's discretion. To be eligible for Phase 2 funding, projects must have met or exceeded 500 new or used EV adoptions directly facilitated by the program in Phase 1. In addition, Phase 2 funding may be opened by the CEC once the Recipient has met 90 percent of the new or used EV adoptions proposed by the Recipient.

The CEC will also determine whether to award Phase 2 funding based on the Recipient's completion of key performance indicators identified in the Scope of Work (Attachment 02). See the Scope of Work (Attachment 02) and Section III.D.3. for more information on key performance indicators.

If the CEC notifies the Recipient that Phase 2 funding is available, the Recipient must request that the CAM initiate a Phase 2 agreement amendment. The CAM will review appropriate documentation and data reporting to verify Phase 2 eligibility. If the CAM confirms eligibility and funding availability, the CAM will work with the Recipient to amend the project budget to incorporate eligible expenditures for Phase 2 activities.

Requirements for Charging Equipment Pursuant to AB 2061 (Chapter 345, Statutes of 2022)

In addition to the other requirements set forth in this solicitation, the terms and conditions applicable to the Applicant and the law, the Applicant must comply with applicable EV charging data collection requirements, including those of Title 20 California Code of Regulations, Chapter 12, Articles 1 and 2.

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) Requirements

If funded under this project, EV charging infrastructure and equipment located on the customer side of the electrical meter shall be installed by a contractor with the appropriate license classification, as determined by the Contractors' State License Board, and at least one electrician on each crew, at any given time, who holds an EVITP certification. Projects that include installation of a charging port supplying 25 kilowatts or more to a vehicle must have at least 25 percent of the total electricians working on the crew for the project, at any given time, who hold EVITP certification. One member of each crew may be both the contractor and an EVITP certified electrician. The requirements stated in this paragraph do not apply to any of the following:

Electric vehicle charging infrastructure installed by employees of an electrical corporation or local publicly owned electric utility.

Electric vehicle charging infrastructure funded by moneys derived from credits generated from the Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program (Subarticle 7 [commencing with Section 95480] of Article 4 of Subchapter 10 of Chapter 1 of Division 3 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations).

Single-family home residential electric vehicle chargers that can use an existing 208/240-volt outlet.

Compliance with California EVSE Commercial Device Requirements

All electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) installed for commercial use shall have a type approval certificate issued through the California Type Evaluation Program (CTEP) administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) or Certificate of Conformance issued by the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) administered through the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM). California accepts NTEP certificates so long as the device also meets CCR Title 4, Section 4002.11. Applicants should note that these requirements apply to all chargers that charge a fee for use, including those in multifamily dwellings.

Unless otherwise updated by the CDFA DMS, any installation, repair, or maintenance on commercial EVSE must be performed by a Registered Service Agency (RSA) and after the device is placed in service, the RSA must report this information to the county within 24 hours. Device owners are responsible for registering their device with the county.

Eligible Project Costs

Administrative costs are capped at 10 percent of total eligible reimbursable costs, including the administrative costs of any subrecipients. The administrative cost cap does not apply to costs for education and outreach, technical assistance, or EV charging equipment deployment.

The following costs are eligible for CEC reimbursement:

Labor, materials, equipment, and other resources to administer the project, capped at 10 percent of total reimbursable costs.

Labor, materials, equipment, and other resources supporting education and outreach, technical assistance, and EV charging equipment deployment (note cost caps below), including but not limited to:

Staff time planning outreach events and providing technical assistance

Cost of education and outreach, webinars, workshops, events, etc.

Site preparation, planning, and EV charging equipment installation

Residential plug-in EV charging equipment

Ancillary devices such as load management devices, circuit splitters, etc.

Costs for the installation of EV charging equipment include the following caps for CEC reimbursement:

$1,000 per 120-volt single-family home installation

$2,000 per 240-volt single-family home installation

$2,500 per 120-volt multifamily home installation

$6,000 per 240-volt multifamily home installation

Panel upgrades at single-family homes are not an eligible cost for this solicitation (see "E. Unallowable Costs" below)

The cost caps include, but are not limited to, charger hardware, installation labor, installation materials, circuit splitters, load management devices, and other costs directly related to the installation of the charger.

Match Funding Requirements

No match funding is required for this solicitation. Match funding contributions will not be considered among the evaluation criteria for scoring proposed projects.

Unallowable Costs

For an item of cost to be allowable for reimbursement with CEC funds 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Vehicle costs and incentives - For example, payments, rebates, or other direct incentives for participants to purchase, lease, or otherwise procure EVs is not an allowable item of cost.

Administrative costs that exceed 10 percent of the project budget. For example, costs pertaining to project management, invoicing, or CEC coordination is not an allowable item of cost. This includes the administrative costs of any subrecipients.

The following are not allowable items of cost:

Direct current fast charging equipment

Panel upgrades at single-family homes

Installation of electrical outlets that do not directly support EV charging, or more than one outlet per single-family home

More than one project per single-family home

Distributed generation or battery storage

Distribution grid or other equipment costs that are otherwise covered by programs or tariff rules of the electric utilities

III. Application Format, Required Documents, and Delivery

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.

Method for Delivery

The method of delivery for this solicitation is the , 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 under General Funding Information.

The CEC is providing a team of technical assistants to support Applicants with this process. Please email 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 04, 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.

Please plan accordingly. First time users must register as a new user to access the system. There will be two types of user accounts to establish: 1) An organizational account, for the entity applying to the solicitation; and 2) user accounts for individuals who will be submitting the application on behalf of the organization.

Applicants will be required to upload all attachments marked "required" in the system in order for the application to be submitted.

Page Limitations

The total number of pages for an application's project narrative (Attachment 01) is limited to 15 pages.

Application Content

Items listed below are required as part of the application package. Failure to provide any items may result in disqualification of the application. Attachment requirements are further described below and in the attachments themselves. Applicants that are not Community-Based Organizations must submit a Letter of Commitment (Attachment 07) from a Community-Based Organization that intends to subcontract (referred to as a subrecipient) with the Applicant to implement the program. Letters of Support (Attachment 08) are optional.

Applicant Certifications

ECAMS will require Applicants to provide the required authorizations and certifications listed below prior to final submission of their application:

All Applicants must certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that:

I am authorized to submit this application on behalf of the Applicant.

I authorize the CEC to make any inquiries necessary to verify the information presented in this application.

I authorize the CEC to obtain business credit reports and make any inquiries necessary to verify and evaluate the financial condition of the Applicant.

I have read and understand the terms and conditions contained in this solicitation. I accept the terms and conditions contained in this solicitation on behalf of the Applicant and the Applicant is willing to enter into an agreement with the CEC to conduct the proposed project according to the terms and conditions without negotiation.

I certify that (1) this application does not contain any confidential or proprietary information, or (2) if confidential information is allowed under the solicitation, it has been properly identified.

I certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that, to the best of my knowledge, the information contained in this application is correct and complete.

I am authorized to agree to the above certifications on behalf of the Applicant.

Project Narrative (Attachment 01)

The Project Narrative must include a detailed description of the proposed project, its operational goals and objectives, and an explanation of how these will be implemented and achieved through the tasks described in the Scope of Work (Attachment 02). The project narrative is limited to 15 pages.

Applicants must address each of the scoring criteria described in this solicitation by providing sufficient, unambiguous detail so that the evaluation team will be able to evaluate the application against each scoring criterion.

The Project Narrative must respond directly to each criterion with the headings as titled below, and must include the following information:

Organization Information

1) Describe the organization and how the Community-Based Organization requirement will be met.

Demonstrated Ability to Serve Communities, Households, and Participants in the Proposed Region

Describe partnerships with Community-Based Organizations in the proposed region, including their role, responsibilities, and expected contributions. Indicate whether partnerships are new or existing, and duration of collaboration. Include Letters of Commitment (Attachment 07).

Demonstrate past success administering or implementing previous program(s) focused on EV charging, energy efficiency, solar installations, or similar programs. Include quantifiable metrics (e.g., number of installations, participants served, geographic coverage). Describe the outcomes achieved and any lessons learned.

Describe key strategies to help drivers take advantage of cost effective EV charging, including savings through smart charging programs, utility emergency response programs, off-peak electric rates, and solar self-consumption (if applicable). Provide examples of past efforts and their effectiveness (if applicable).

Describe experience coordinating with utility companies on load management and panel upgrades, including any relevant utility programs that minimize the need for customer or utility-side upgrades for EV charger installations (such as panel upgrades). Provide examples of how projects reduced or avoided panel/service upgrades.

This may be supplemented with a Letter of Support (Attachment 08 - optional) from utilities.

Describe experience coordinating with city or county planning departments to support the process of obtaining an electrical permit.

This may be supplemented with a Letter of Support (Attachment 08 - optional) from city planning departments or similar agencies

Describe experience coordinating with electrical contractors to support EV charger installations.

This may be supplemented by a Letter of Support (Attachment 08 - optional) from one or more electrical contractors, including evidence of their previous installations.

Consumer Engagement Strategy

Describe strategies to connect with Community-Based Organizations and residents to identify optimal households open to EV adoption and multifamily housing property owners. Include, as applicable, examples of past Community-Based Organization collaboration and outreach success.

Describe strategies to reach drivers with high gasoline expenses who may benefit the most from lower-cost EV charging. Explain how these populations will be identified.

Describe strategies to help drivers take advantage of cost-effective EV charging, including savings through smart charging programs, utility emergency response programs, off-peak electric rates, and solar self-consumption (if applicable).

Describe strategies to verify new or used EV acquisition is directly attributable to the program, including collecting participant attestation with VIN and proof of purchase, lease, or vehicle registration.

Project Budget and Cost Effectiveness

Describe how administrative costs will be minimized and kept below the 10 percent cap. This may include organizational practices and/or past examples.

Describe how the proposed budget is reasonable, transparent, and aligned with the project's consumer engagement strategy. Describe how the budget is cost-effective and maximizes the number of EV acquisitions by participations and EV charger installations considering the budget proposed.

Describe the targeted number of new and used EVs adopted by participants (beyond the minimum requirement of 250) and new EV charger installations under the proposed project, distinguishing between Phase 1 and Phase 2 (if applicable).

Describe how the project will leverage additional funding sources, including utility rebates and local incentives.

Describe the project's ability to scale EV adoption and EV charger installations while minimizing administrative costs, if additional funding becomes available under Phase 2 (if applicable).

6) Describe the charger hardware and technologies to be deployed at residences, including expected average cost per installation. Distinguish between single-family and multifamily installations, and include information on charger power levels, charger models (if applicable), charger network providers (if applicable), strategies to maximize use of existing electrical infrastructure, and any charging related programs that help reduce electric bills.

7) Describe key strategies employed to minimize charger installation costs and reduce the need for electrical upgrades. If applicable, describe the specific technologies and providers considered for power sharing, adaptive load management, smart meter connected EV chargers, and other electrical management solutions.

8) Describe the project's costeffectiveness by explaining how the proposed budget minimizes the cost per new or used EV adopted. Include a clear justification for the total funding requested relative to the number of new or used EVs the project expects to facilitate.

Evidence of Familiarity with Local Incentive Programs

Describe available incentives (including, but not limited to, federal, state, local, and utility incentives) for EV adoption and EV charger installation in the proposed region. Include details such as application submission deadlines, applicant eligibility criteria, available funding, anticipated program phase-out, and other details as appropriate.

Scope of Work (Attachment 02)

Applicants must submit a completed Scope of Work using the template provided in Attachment 02. The activities proposed and described in the Project Narrative must align with the tasks in the Scope of Work. Electronic files for the Scope of Work must be in MS Word format.

Please note that the information, requirements, and deliverables set forth in the Scope of Work template are subject to revision. CEC reserves the right to modify the Scope of Work at any time during the negotiation and development of a grant agreement.

Applicants must present a comprehensive and credible Scope of Work which includes (presented in a logical manner) comprehensive and sequential tasks, products resulting from the individual tasks, and how the tasks are related to or are dependent on each other.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be used to track progress toward program goals, verify completion of Phase 1, and determine eligibility for Phase 2 funding, if available. (Applicants are not required to propose a Phase 2.)

Applicants must incorporate KPIs into the Scope of Work. KPIs shall include, but are not limited to:

Number of participants who acquire an EV through the program

Number of participants who use program funds to install an EV charger

Number of participants who leverage program funding with external funding sources

Average education and outreach cost per participant that purchases an EV, installs an EV charger, or both.

For EV acquisition metrics, up to 20 percent of counted vehicles may be qualifying PHEVs that are EPA rated for at least 40 miles of all-electric range.

Schedule of Products and Due Dates (Attachment 03)

Applicants must include a completed Schedule of Products and Due Dates. Phase 1 activities must be completed within 3 years from the date of agreement execution; Phase 2 activities (if proposed) must be completed within 6 years from the date of the agreement execution.

Instructions for the Schedule of Products and Due Dates are included in Attachment 03. The Schedule of Products and Due Dates must be in MS Excel.

Budget Forms (Attachment 04)

The Applicant must submit a proposed budget for Phase 1. If the Applicant is proposing Phase 2 activities, a separate budget must also be submitted for Phase 2. The proposed budget(s) must comply with the minimum and maximum award amounts (see Section I.H.)

Applicants have two options for uploading a budget:

Option 1: Prime Applicant's budget is both keyed directly into ECAMS and uploaded as an MS Excel attachment; Major Subrecipient(s) budgets are uploaded as MS Excel attachments. ECAMS allows Applicants to build the Prime Applicant's budget directly into the system. At this time, there is no way to input major subrecipient budgets directly into the system. Instructions for inputting budget items into ECAMS are included at .

Option 2: Upload all budgets (Prime and Major Subrecipients) as MS Excel attachments and leave the ECAMS budget sections blank in ECAMS.

The Applicant must submit information on all tabs of the budget forms. The salaries, rates, and other costs entered must reflect the salaries, rates, and other costs the Applicant would include if selected as a grant recipient. A separate set of complete budget forms is required for the Applicant and for each subaward containing $100,000 or more of CEC funds.

Detailed instructions for completing these forms are included at the beginning of Attachment 04.

Rates and job descriptions shown must reflect rates and job descriptions charged under an agreement resulting from this solicitation. The salaries, rates, and other costs entered on these forms become a part of the final agreement. The entire term of the agreement and projected rate increases must be considered when preparing the budget. Unless a federally approved indirect rate is used, indirect rates proposed are considered capped and shall not change during the term of the agreement. The grant recipient shall only be reimbursed for their actual rates up to the indirect rate cap. A description of available indirect rate options is available on the under for indirect rates. Unlike indirect rates, the rates for Direct Labor and Fringe Benefits are treated as estimates; a grant recipient can invoice at higher rates as long as it is only invoicing for actual expenditures it has made. The hourly or monthly rates provided shall be unloaded (before fringe benefits or indirect costs).

The information provided in these forms will not be kept confidential.

All reimbursable expenditures must be expended within the approved term of the grant agreement.

Applicants must budget for the expenses of a Kick-off Meeting, at least one (1) Critical Project Review meeting, and a Final meeting. Meetings may be conducted at the CEC or remotely, as determined by the CAM.

Applicants must budget for the preparation and submission of quarterly progress reports during the term of the agreement, and a Final Report (if required in the Scope of Work (Attachment 02)). Instructions for preparing the Final Report, if required, will be provided to Applicants that are proposed for funding.

The purchase of equipment (defined as items with a unit cost greater than $5,000 and a useful life of greater than one year) with CEC funds will require disposition of purchased equipment at the end of the project. Typically, grant recipients may continue to utilize equipment purchased with CEC funds as long as the use is consistent with the intent of the original agreement. There are no disposition requirements for equipment purchased with match share funding.

The Budget must reflect estimates for actual costs to be incurred during the approved term of the agreement. CEC can only approve and reimburse for actual costs that are properly documented in accordance with the grant agreement terms and conditions.

Current policy dictates that Applicants shall NOT budget for, and CANNOT be reimbursed for, more than their actual allowable expenses (i.e., the budget cannot include profit, fees, or markups) under the agreement. Subrecipients (all tiers) are allowed to include up to a maximum total of 10% profit, fees or mark-ups on their own actual allowable expenses less any expenses budgeted to sub-subrecipients (i.e., profit, fees and markups are not allowed on lower tier subrecipient expenses). For example, if a subrecipient has $100,000 in actual allowable costs but has budgeted $20,000 to a sub-subrecipient, then the subrecipient can only include up to 10% profit on $80,000 ($100,000 minus $20,000). See terms and conditions for additional restrictions and requirements.

IMPORTANT - Payment of Prevailing Wage: Applicants must read and pay particular attention to the terms and conditions section related to Public Works and payment of Prevailing Wages. Prevailing wage rates can be significantly higher than non-prevailing wage rates. Failure to pay legally required prevailing wage rates can result in substantial damages and financial penalties, termination of the grant agreement, disruption of projects, and other complications.

Resumes (Attachment 05)

Applicants must include resumes for key personnel identified in the proposal. "Key personnel" are individuals that are critical to the project due to their experience, knowledge, and/or capabilities. Resumes are limited to a maximum of 2 pages each.

Note that the program administrator must have at least one year of experience providing energy-related services or activities in the proposed project region. This must be clearly identified in the resume.

Contact List (Attachment 06)

Applicants must include a completed Contact List by including the appropriate points of contact for the Applicant. CEC will complete the CEC points of contact during agreement development.

Letters of Commitment (Attachment 07)

Applicants must submit commitment letters from entities that the Applicant intends to subcontract with (referred to as subrecipients) as well as from any key project partners identified in the application.

A commitment letter commits an entity or individual to providing the service described in the letter, and the letter must demonstrate their ability to fulfill their identified roles in the project. If the Applicant is not a Community-Based Organization, at least one Letter of Commitment from a Community-Based Organization as defined in Section II.A.1. must be provided. Letters are limited to two-pages each.

Letters of Support (Attachment 08 - optional)

Applicants are encouraged to submit letter(s) of support that substantiate the estimated demand and/or the potential benefits of the proposed project. Third-party letters of support can be provided by, but are not limited to: air districts, state or federal agencies, local safety officials, potential users of the proposed project, and any other relevant organizations. Letters are limited to two-pages each.

CEQA Worksheet (Attachment 09)

Applicants must include a completed CEQA Worksheet. CEC requires this information to assist it in making its own determination under the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq).

The CEQA worksheet will help Applicants and CEC to determine CEQA compliance obligations by identifying which projects may require more extensive CEQA review. Failure to complete the worksheet may lead to disqualification of the application.

Applicants are encouraged to provide documentation of communication with the local lead agency, if one exists (e.g., a county or city). Documentation may include a completed notice of exemption, a letter from the local agency acknowledging its role in the CEQA process, or a permit application to the lead agency that is stamped as received. If no CEQA review would be required by the local lead agency, provide documentation (e.g. a letter or e-mail) from the local agency explaining why CEQA review is not required.

Additional Requirements

Time is of the essence. Funds available under this solicitation have encumbrance deadlines. Prior to approval and encumbrance, the CEC must comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). To comply with CEQA, the CEC must have CEQA-related information from Applicants and sometimes other entities, such as local governments, in a timely manner. Unfortunately, even with this information, the CEC may not be able to complete its CEQA review prior to the encumbrance deadline for every project. For example, if a project requires an Environmental Impact Report, the process to complete it can take many months. For these reasons, it is critical that Applicants organize project proposals in a manner that minimizes the time required for the CEC to comply with CEQA and provide all CEQA-related information to the CEC in a timely manner such that the CEC is able to complete its review in time for it to meet its encumbrance deadline.

Reservation of right to cancel proposed award. In addition to any other right reserved to it under this solicitation or that it otherwise has, if the CEC determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that the CEQA review associated with a proposed project would not likely be completed prior to the encumbrance deadline referenced above, and that the CEC's ability to meet its encumbrance deadline may thereby be jeopardized, the CEC may cancel a proposed award and award funds to the next highest scoring Applicant, regardless of the originally proposed Applicant's diligence in submitting information and materials for CEQA review.

Past Performance Reference Form(s) (Attachment 10)

Applicants must complete and submit a separate Past Performance Reference Form for each CEC agreement (e.g., contract, grant or loan) received by the Applicant in the last 10 years, including ongoing agreements, and the 5 most recent agreements with other public agencies within the past 10 years.

Applicant Declaration (Attachment 11)

This form requests the Applicant declare that they: are not delinquent on taxes nor suspended by the California Franchise Tax Board; are not being sued by any public agency or entity; are in compliance with the terms of all settlement agreements, if any, entered into with the CEC or another public agency or entity; are in compliance with all judgments, if any, issued against the Applicant in any matter to which the CEC or another public agency or entity is a party; are complying with any demand letter made on the Applicant by the CEC or another public agency or entity; and are not in active litigation with the CEC regarding the Applicant's actions under a current or past contract, grant, or loan with the CEC. The declaration must be signed under penalty of perjury by an authorized representative of the Applicant's organization.

IV. Evaluation Process and Criteria

Application Evaluation

Applications will be evaluated and scored based on the responses to the information requested in this solicitation and on any other information available such as past performance of CEC agreements. The entire evaluation process from receipt of applications to posting of the Notice of Proposed Award is confidential.

To evaluate applications, the CEC will organize an Evaluation Committee. The Evaluation Committee may consist of CEC staff or staff of other California state entities.

Screening Criteria

The CEC's Contracts, Grants and Loans Office will screen applications for compliance with the Administrative Screening Criteria. The Evaluation Committee will screen applications for compliance with the Technical Screening Criteria. Applications that fail any of the Administrative or Technical Screening Criteria shall be disqualified and eliminated from further evaluation.

Administrative Screening Criteria

Technical Screening Criteria

Applicant's Past Performance Screening Criterion (Pass/Fail)

An Applicant may be disqualified under this solicitation due to severe performance issues under one or more prior or active CEC agreement(s) within the last 10 years. For the purposes of this screening criterion an Applicant is defined as either (a) an entity, principal investigator, or lead individual acting on behalf of themselves, that received funds from the CEC (e.g. a contract, grant, or loan) and entered into an agreement(s) with the CEC; or (b) an entity, principal investigator, or lead individual that received a CEC-funded incentive. Any Applicant that does not have an active or prior agreement and has not received a CEC-funded incentive equates to no severe performance issues and therefore would pass this screening criterion.

Severe performance issues are characterized by significant negative outcomes under an agreement and may include:

Agreement was terminated with cause.

CEC filed litigation against the Applicant.

Severe audit findings are not resolved to CEC's satisfaction. Severe audit findings may include but are not limited to: incomplete or unsatisfactory deliverables; grant funds used inappropriately (i.e., other than as represented); or questioned costs.

Project objectives were not met.

Significant delays in project completion resulting in delayed benefits for California. Project completion delays of one year or more from the originally proposed project schedule and caused by factors within the Applicant's control may be considered significant.

Deliverables were not submitted to the CEC or were of poor quality. For example, Applicant delivered poorly written reports that required significant rework by staff prior to acceptance or publication.

Demonstrated poor or delayed communication when significant issues or setbacks were experienced that materially and negatively impacted the project. For example, delays in informing the CEC when the Applicant experiences loss of a key project partner or site control may be considered significant.

Grounds to Reject an Application or Cancel an Award

In addition to the Screening Criteria identified within this solicitation, CEC reserves the right to reject an application and/or cancel an award for reasons including, but not limited to the following:

The application contains false or intentionally misleading statements or references which do not support an attribute or condition contended by the Applicant.

The application is intended to erroneously and fallaciously mislead the State in its evaluation of the application and the attribute, condition, or capability is a requirement of this solicitation.

The application does not comply or contains caveats that conflict with the solicitation and the variation or deviation is material or it is otherwise non-responsive.

The CEC, in its sole discretion, determines the Applicant's, a subrecipient's, or a vendor's financial condition may materially impact its ability to complete the proposed project.

The Applicant does not propose to facilitate the adoption of at least 250 EVs during Phase 1.

Technical Evaluation

Applications passing all screening criteria will be submitted to the Evaluation Committee to review and score based on the Evaluation Criteria using the Scoring Scale described below.

The Evaluation Committee reserves the right to schedule a clarification interview with an Applicant to clarify and/or verify information submitted in the application. However, these interviews may not be used to change or add to the contents of the original application. Applicants will not be reimbursed for time spent answering clarifying questions.

The total score for each application will be the average of the combined scores of all Evaluation Committee members. A minimum score of 70 percent is required for the application to be eligible for funding.

CEC will recommend awards to the highest ranked projects (according to final overall application score) until available funding under this solicitation for Phase 1 has been exhausted.

Notice of Proposed Awards

The results of the evaluation will be posted in a Notice of Proposed Awards (NOPA) and will include (1) the total proposed funding amount; (2) the rank order of Applicants; and (3) the amount of each proposed award. Funding for Phase 1 will be distributed based on the rank order of score. Funding for Phase 2 will be distributed at the CEC's sole discretion, if available. CEC will publish the NOPA on the CEC's website.

Debriefings

Applicants that are not proposed for funding may request a debriefing after the release of the NOPA by e-mailing the CAO listed in Part I. A request for debriefing should be received no later than 15 calendar days after the NOPA is released.

Scoring Scale

Using this Scoring Scale, the Evaluation Committee will give a score for each criterion described in the Evaluation Criteria.

Evaluation Criteria

Tie Breakers

If the scores for two or more applications are tied, the application with a higher score in the Demonstrated Ability to Serve Communities, Households, and Participants in the Proposed Region criterion will be ranked higher. If still tied, an objective tiebreaker (such as a random drawing) will be utilized.

V. Administration

Definition of Key Words

Important definitions for this solicitation are presented below:

Cost of Developing Application

The Applicant is responsible for the cost of developing an application, and this cost cannot be charged to the State.

Confidential Information

The Applicant shall not submit any confidential information as part of its application. All information submitted in an application will be considered and treated as non-confidential information that is subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act (Gov. Code 7920.000 et seq.).

Solicitation Cancellation and Amendments

It is CEC's policy not to solicit applications unless there is a bona fide intention to award an agreement. However, if it is in the State's best interest, CEC reserves the right, in addition to any other rights it has, to do any of the following:

Cancel this solicitation;

Revise the amount of funds available under this solicitation;

Amend this solicitation as needed; and/or

Reject any or all applications received in response to this solicitation.

If the solicitation is amended, CEC will post an addendum on at www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/solicitations.

Errors

If an Applicant discovers any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other error in the solicitation at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. of the application deadline date, the Applicant should immediately notify CEC of the error in writing and request modification or clarification of the solicitation. The CEC will provide modifications or clarifications by written notice to all entities that requested the solicitation, without divulging the source of the request for clarification. The CEC shall not be responsible for failure to correct errors.

Modifying or Recalling an Application

An Applicant may recall or modify a submitted application within ECAMS before the deadline to submit applications. Applications cannot be changed after that date and time. An application cannot be "timed" to expire on a specific date. For example, a statement such as the following is non-responsive to the solicitation: "This application and the cost estimate are valid for 60 days."

Immaterial Defect

The CEC may waive any immaterial defect or deviation contained in an Applicant's application. CEC's waiver shall in no way modify the application or excuse an Applicant proposed for funding from full compliance with solicitation requirements.

Opportunity to Cure Administrative Errors

The CEC understands and appreciates the significant time and expense Applicants spend preparing applications. An administrative error that prevents an Applicant from submitting a complete application frustrates both the CEC and Applicants. The purpose of this process is to reduce the number of applications screened out or receiving a significantly reduced score for administrative errors while maintaining a fair competition. This process also ensures better competition and thus better projects to benefit California.

After the application deadline, an Applicant might identify, or the Evaluation Committee may find what reasonably appears to be, an administrative error. For purposes of this solicitation only, an administrative error is defined as an Applicant's inadvertent mistake that prevents materials in existence as of the application deadline from appearing in its submitted application. Examples include, but are not limited to, accidentally:

Scanning and submitting every other page in a document instead of every page.

Submitting the wrong document.

Leaving out a document.

If the Evaluation Committee find what reasonably appears to be an administrative error, they can communicate with the Applicant to confirm. If an Applicant finds an administrative error in its application, it should immediately contact the Commission Agreement Officer listed in the "Contact Information" section of this solicitation.

If an administrative error has been identified and communicated to the Commission Agreement Officer, the CEC may, but is not required to, allow the Applicant a period of time to provide the missing materials. Reasons why the CEC might NOT allow an Applicant to fix an administrative error include, but are not limited to:

The funds have a deadline that does not allow time to fix the error.

The application has been screened out or does not receive a passing score for reasons unrelated to the administrative error, making irrelevant any efforts to fix the error.

The Applicant brings the error to the CEC's attention too late in the solicitation process (e.g., after awards have been approved at a Business Meeting).

If the Evaluation Committee allows an Applicant the opportunity to fix an administrative error, the Commission Agreement Officer will communicate in writing to the Applicant's project manager listed the deadline by which the Applicant must provide the missing materials. Reasonable efforts will be made to confirm receipt of the notice, but actual notice cannot be guaranteed and the obligation is on the Applicant to ensure the proper contact(s) are listed and available to respond. The Evaluation Committee will not consider any materials submitted after the deadline.

This process only allows Applicants to submit materials in existence as of the application deadline. This process does NOT allow Applicants to submit material created or modified after the application deadline. The CEC has sole discretion to determine whether materials submitted are eligible for consideration by the Evaluation Committee under this opportunity to cure.

Applicants must include the following certification along with the materials it submits to fix an administrative error and must explain why the materials were not provided due to an inadvertent administrative error:

"I certify on behalf of the Applicant that the materials provided herein existed at the time of the application deadline, have not been modified since, and were not originally provided due to an inadvertent administrative error as described herein."

The Evaluation Committee is not responsible for finding, or communicating with the Applicant about, any errors in an application. Applicants remain solely responsible for submitting applications, including any material submitted to fix an administrative error, that meet all solicitation requirements.

Disposition of Applicant's Documents

The entire evaluation process from receipt of applications up to the posting of the Notice of Proposed Award is confidential. On the Notice of Proposed Award posting date, or date of solicitation cancellation, all applications and related material submitted in response to this solicitation become a part of the property of the State and public record.

Applicants' Admonishment

This solicitation contains the instructions governing the requirements for a firm quotation to be submitted by interested Applicants, the format in which the technical information is to be submitted, the material to be included, the requirements which must be met to be eligible for consideration, and applicant responsibilities. Applicants are responsible for carefully reading the entire solicitation, asking appropriate questions in a timely manner, submitting all required responses in a complete manner by the required date and time, and making sure that all procedures and requirements of the solicitation are followed and appropriately addressed.

Agreement Requirements

The content of this solicitation shall be incorporated by reference into the final agreement. See the terms and conditions on the CEC Funding Resources page at: . This information is also in Section II.A.2.

CEC reserves the right to negotiate with Applicants to modify the project scope, the level of funding, or both. If CEC is unable to successfully negotiate and execute a funding agreement with an Applicant, CEC, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to cancel the pending award and fund the next highest ranked eligible project.

If proposed for an award, the CEC reserves the right to request information it deems appropriate to evaluate the financial condition of a proposed awardee, subrecipients, and vendors prior to approval of a grant award. If CEC, in its sole discretion, determines that a proposed awardee's, a subrecipient's, or a vendor's financial condition may materially impact its ability to complete the proposed project, CEC reserves the right to cancel the proposed award.

CEC must formally approve all proposed grant awards. Clean Transportation Program agreements must be scheduled and considered at a CEC Business Meeting for approval by the CEC.

Public agencies that receive funding under this solicitation must provide an authorizing resolution approved by their governing authority to enter into an agreement with CEC and designating an authorized representative to sign.

CEC will send the approved agreement, including the standard terms and conditions and any additional terms and conditions, to the grant recipient for review, approval, and signature. Once the grant recipient signs, CEC will fully execute the agreement. Recipients are approved to begin the project only after full execution of the agreement.

No Agreement Until Signed and Approved

No agreement between CEC and an Applicant is in effect until the agreement is approved at a CEC Business Meeting and signed by both the grant recipient and the CEC.

CEC reserves the right to modify the award documents prior to executing the agreement.

Executive Order N-6-22 - Russia Sanctions

On March 4, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-22 (the EO) regarding Economic Sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals. "Economic Sanctions" refers to sanctions imposed by the U.S. government in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine, as well as any sanctions imposed under state law. By submitting a bid or proposal, Applicant represents that it is not a target of Economic Sanctions. Should the State determine Applicant is a target of Economic Sanctions or is conducting prohibited transactions with sanctioned individuals or entities, that shall be grounds for rejection of the Applicant's bid/proposal any time prior to agreement execution, or, if determined after agreement execution, shall be grounds for termination by the State.