4-000. RFP-200-25 Specifications.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Community Electric Vehicle Charging

RFP Release Date: August 26, 2025

Proposals Due: September 26, 2025

I. Introduction

A. Purpose of Request for Proposals (RFP)

B. Background

II. Funding and Vendor Match Requirement

A. Total Project Budget

B. Federal Funding and Local Government Match

C. Vendor Match Requirement

D. Phases of Funding and Availability of Funding

III. Eligible Applicants

IV. Charging Station Locations

V. Categories for Selection of Awards

Category 1

Category 2

Category 3

Category 4

VI. Scope of Services

Pre-Construction

Construction and Installation

Operations and Maintenance

VII. Eligible Project Costs

VIII. Federal Requirements

IX. Data and Reporting

X. Timeline

XI. Application Format and Submission

XII. Evaluation Process and Criteria

XIII. Attachments

I. Introduction

A. Purpose of Request for Proposals (RFP) This Request for Proposals (RFP) seeks vendor(s) to design, construct, install, maintain, and operate electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with the objective of expanding access for communities that have gaps in EV charging.

Boulder County invites applications for projects that will support the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that prioritize underserved and disadvantaged communities.

This project will fund the installation of publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure to increase access in communities that currently have gaps in EV charging, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, rural areas, and neighborhoods with multifamily housing in Boulder County. Expanding access to charging stations enables these communities to adopt EVs and benefit from lower fuel and maintenance costs. The project includes the installation of EV charging stations on public and private properties, and operations and maintenance of the EV charging stations.

The demand for electric vehicles is growing rapidly, and charging infrastructure is needed to match the demand. In 2024, 30% of new car sales in Boulder County were EVs. The State of Colorado conducted an electric vehicle survey in 2023. With a survey sample size of 2000, 922 responses came from low-income households. Nearly half of those surveyed reported a household income below $50,000. For those with household annual income of less than $35,000, 83% reported owning vehicles and 49% said they are considering an EV. Among households with incomes between $35,000 and $50,000, 92% reported owning a vehicle and 50% are considering an EV. Of multifamily respondents specifically, 39% said they want EV charging at the property where they live, an increase of 20% from 2020 survey data. Furthermore, Colorado has great opportunities for incentives for new and pre-owned EV purchases. Therefore, it appears that addressing the lack of charging for low- and moderate-income multifamily residents will help to eliminate a barrier that is currently preventing these potential EV adopters from using this technology. Through this project, residents will benefit from increased access to home charging at affordable housing, multifamily housing, and manufactured home parks where charging is currently limited and where residents often face the highest barriers to EV adoption. This project also includes the opportunity for public charging in areas proximate to the aforementioned dwellings as well as low- to moderate-income neighborhoods and rural areas.

Vendor(s) will install an estimated 70-90 EV charging stations in total. A minimum of 40 percent of charging infrastructure investment must serve disproportionately impacted communities. Both Level 2 and DC Fast Charging are included in this project. Each site host will dedicate parking spaces for four EV charging ports with these charging stations.

The charging will prioritize serving existing properties.

The vendor(s)’s services will be provided to property owners in Boulder County who choose to offer EV charging. The vendor(s) will provide a one-stop-shop service to each property owner. Vendor(s) will provide a turnkey solution by guiding each site host through site assessment, preliminary engineering, installation, and excellent ongoing maintenance and operations support. Vendor(s) will supply all charging station equipment, as well as associated electrical upgrades, the charging network, and provide necessary engineering, pre-construction, construction, installation, operations, and maintenance services to ensure stations are safe, convenient, accessible, affordable, and reliable. The vendor’s services will include the operations needed to have high satisfaction rates of the users of the stations, greater than 97% station uptime, and excellent customer service. Vendor(s) is responsible for compliance with federal funding requirements, including the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) standards1 and requirements (23 CFR Part 680), adherence to financial principles and recordkeeping, and reporting. The NEVI standards and requirements is provided as Attachment 3 to this RFP and can also be found online.

The reliability of charging stations to be consistently operational is a priority of this project.

Boulder County will facilitate the introductions between each site host and each vendor.

The vendor will complete station installations and establish any necessary operation and maintenance arrangements to ensure high reliability for station users.

In addition to reliability, the project emphasizes delivering an excellent user experience, including ease of use, clear parking management, and other features that make charging convenient and dependable.

Stations must be in operation and maintained for a minimum period of five years; stations would be ideally maintained and in use for the lifetime of the equipment to maximize this investment. Vendor will provide information and education to site host about the opportunity, costs, and partnership arrangements to operate the stations beyond the 5-year minimum to maximize success in long-term stewardship of the asset.

Boulder County plans to select up to four vendors to provide the services described, and each vendor must identify in their application which category(s) of both charger type (i.e.

Level 2 or DC Fast Charger) and operations and maintenance they provide. Refer to Section V for the Categories for Selection of Awards. Boulder County asks applicants to include one or more business models in their application that they have implemented in the past and which can serve the different needs of site hosts, ranging from those site hosts who want to own and operate the stations with minimal third-party support to those site hosts who want vendors to fully manage the charging stations.

Note: The definitions of key words can be found in the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Standards and Requirements under 23 CFR Part 680. The NEVI

1 This EV charging infrastructure project funded with federal funds must be performed in compliance with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements under 23 CFR Part 680.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-23/chapter-I/subchapter-G/part-680 standards and requirements is provided as Attachment 3 to this RFP and can also be found online.

B. Background This project is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) discretionary grant program, authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act). Boulder County was awarded $4.9 million in CFI federal funds for the deployment of EV charging stations to support community charging. In addition to federal funds, this project leverages local government funding contributions, utility incentives when available, and the private sector vendor(s)’s matching funds.

The overall CFI federal award to Boulder County includes Level 2 and DCFC EV charging stations installation and maintenance (which is covered under the scope of this RFP) as well as separate efforts outside this RFP for EV education and outreach as well as workforce development (refer to Attachment 9, Boulder County’s CFI Award Agreement with FHWA).

This EV charging infrastructure project funded with federal funds must be performed in compliance with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements under 23 CFR Part 680. The NEVI standards and requirements is provided as Attachment 3 to this RFP and can also be found online.

II. Funding and Vendor Match Requirement

A. Total Project Budget The total budget for this project is $6,316,000, including federal funding, local government match funding, and vendor match funding.

B. Federal Funding and Local Government Match Federal funding will cover 80 percent of the total contract budget between Boulder County and each vendor that includes acquisition, construction, installation, operations, and maintenance costs for the electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The other 20 percent must be paid by the selected vendor(s) (see next section below). For the costs for development phase activities/ pre-construction, federal funding will cover 80 percent and local government funding will cover 20 percent of those contract costs.

The total federal and local government funding available is $5,129,000 for awards under this RFP, including $4,900,000 in federal funding and an estimated $229,000 in local government match funding. Required vendor match funding is described in the next section below. Up to four awards will be made.

The scope of work under this RFP is funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), 23 U.S.C. 151 (Pub. L. 117-58, 11401 November 5, 2021).

Contracts with selected vendors under this RFP and the continuation of the contracts are contingent on continued funding under Boulder County’s federal grant award and funding approvals by the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners for the county’s match.

C. Vendor Match Requirement The selected vendor(s) must pay the non-federal cost share for the portion of the contract value (i.e. 20 percent) that includes acquisition, construction, installation, operations, and maintenance of charging infrastructure. Pre-construction costs are excluded from this requirement.

The total estimated match required from all selected vendor(s) is $1,187,000 in total. If one vendor is selected, this is the estimated total match requirement for the single selected vendor. If more than one vendor is selected (up to 4 total vendors), the required match will be divided amongst the vendors based on each vendor’s respective contract value with Boulder County.

D. Phases of Funding and Availability of Funding Boulder County’s grant award agreement with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) includes the full scope of work for EV charging infrastructure, including pre-construction, construction and installation, and operations and maintenance (refer to Attachment 9, Boulder County’s CFI Award Agreement with FHWA). Boulder County will also establish a contract with up to four vendors encompassing the full scope of work for EV charging infrastructure (refer to Section V, Categories for Selection of Awards, and Section VI, Scope of Services, of this RFP).

However, federal funds are only obligated for Phase 1, Pre-Construction, of Boulder County’s grant award agreement with FHWA. Therefore, upon the execution of a contract between Boulder County and selected vendor(s), each selected vendor will be directed to begin and incur pre-construction costs. Once the deliverables of the pre-construction phase are satisfactorily completed, Boulder County will request FHWA’s approval to amend Boulder County’s federal grant award to obligate the remainder of grant funding.

Boulder County will notify each vendor when they can proceed to final design, construction, and installation through the issuance of a Task Order under each contract.

Boulder County will reimburse project costs only after vendor(s) incurs eligible costs, satisfactorily completes tasks, and provides required invoices and associated documentation (refer to Attachment 7, Federal Request for Reimbursement Form, for invoice-related information required of selected vendor). Eligibility for reimbursement of operating assistance costs is limited to a period of five years after the date of installation or until September 30, 2031, whichever occurs first.

III. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants to this RFP are “private entities,” i.e. a corporation, partnership, company, or nonprofit organization.

An applicant may partner with subcontractors. The implementation processes need to be seamless for the client site host and the arrangements must meet the federal grant and NEVI standards and requirements.

IV. Charging Station Locations Boulder County will identify interested site hosts and provide a recommended site list to the vendor. Boulder County will provide this list to the vendor after award selection when Boulder County and vendor execute a contract. The vendor will also have the opportunity to provide site host recommendations upon execution of a contract with Boulder County.

Because final site locations are not included in this RFP, the applicant’s budget must describe costs on a per unit basis. More information about the project budget information requested from applicants is described in Attachments 1 and 2, Applicant Pricing Bid Template, of this RFP.

Site hosts are not eligible to apply to this RFP. Vendors should NOT partner with site hosts as part of their application. Eligible site locations are described below to provide additional context as applicants prepare their approach to the scope of services and describe their experience on completing similar EV charging projects in their applications.

Eligible site locations:

• Site hosts can be private or public property owners.

• Both Level 2 and DC Fast Charging are included in this project.

• This project will fund the installation of publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure for communities and areas that have gaps in EV charging.

• Furthermore, a minimum of 40 percent of charging infrastructure must serve disproportionately impacted communities. High-priority locations for filling gaps in EV charging are: low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, neighborhoods with multifamily housing, manufactured home communities, and rural areas. Final site selections for EV charging will be informed by state and county maps, and outreach to property owners.

• Each site host must dedicate parking stalls to four EV charging ports. The NEVI standards and requirements specify that each site host must have four network-connected charging ports and be capable of simultaneously charging four EVs.

• The NEVI standards and requirements specify that charging stations must be available for use and accessible to the public at least as frequently as the business operating hours of the site host. Stations at on-site multifamily housing or manufactured home park locations must be unassigned parking and available to both residents and visitors.

Assigned or deeded parking spots are not eligible for EV charging infrastructure.

• Single family homes are not eligible sites.

• The site host’s property for the charging installation must be located in Boulder County.

The interested site host locations will be categorized into Level 2-only charging, DC Fast Charging only, or a combination of both L2 and DCFC. Upon execution of a contract between Boulder County and each vendor, Boulder County will match each selected vendor with interested site hosts, based on the vendor’s award category (L2 versus DCFC) and the site host’s choice of charging type (L2 versus DCFC), as well as site host’s O&M needs. Each site host will be contacted by only one vendor. Each selected vendor(s) will then work 1-on-1 with each interested site host to conduct accurate site assessments, identify any electrical upgrades needed, provide site host and Boulder County with cost quotes, provide all required information and documentation to fulfill the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, and complete any other necessary pre-construction services.

Upon completion of the pre-construction phase, both the vendor and site host will determine whether to proceed to construction and installation. At this time, the site locations will be finalized and the total costs for construction, installation, and operations and maintenance will be finalized. Once the deliverables of the pre-construction phase are satisfactorily completed, Boulder County will request FHWA’s approval to amend Boulder County’s federal grant award to obligate the remainder of grant funding. Boulder County will notify each vendor when they can proceed to construction and installation through the issuance of a Task Order under each contract. Each vendor would proceed to final design, purchase equipment, complete construction and installation of the stations, provide site host with training and education, activate the networked stations, and provide operations and high-quality customer support for an excellent site host and EV user experience. Site hosts will benefit from low or no upfront costs and a turnkey solution.

V. Categories for Selection of Awards All respondents to this RFP (“applicants”) must offer pre-construction, equipment acquisition, installation, station activation, and site host training. Applicants may, however, provide different types of operations and maintenance (O&M) services to site hosts, which is reflected in the four categories listed below.

Each applicant must indicate which category they are applying for. An applicant may apply for more than one category. For an applicant who wants to apply for more than one category below, the applicant must submit a separate application for each category.

Boulder County will select between 1-4 applicants for award under this RFP. Boulder County may select four separate vendors for each category below or may select less than four vendors who cover multiple categories.

Category 1 Minimal 3rd party support for O&M at Level 2 Charging Stations

Vendor offers limited operations and maintenance service to site host, for those site hosts that choose to own, operate, and maintain their stations. A warranty for 5 years must be included in this service. Stations must exceed 97% uptime reliability requirement.

Category 2 High Level 3rd party support for O&M at Level 2 Charging Stations

Vendor offers a complete charging infrastructure operations, maintenance, and repair service to the site host, for those site hosts that own the stations but choose not to operate and maintain the stations. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to include both site host ownership and vendor ownership options under this category. A warranty for 5 years must be included in this service or an appropriate alternative. Stations must exceed 97% uptime reliability requirement.

Category 3 Minimal 3rd party support for O&M at DC Fast Charging Stations

Vendor offers limited operations and maintenance service to site host, for those site hosts that choose to own, operate, and maintain their stations. A warranty for 5 years must be included in this service. Stations must exceed 97% uptime reliability requirement.

Category 4 High Level 3rd party support for O&M at DC Fast Charging Stations

Vendor offers a complete charging infrastructure operations, maintenance, and repair service to the site host, for those site hosts that own the stations but choose not to operate and maintain the stations. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to include both site host ownership and vendor ownership options under this category. A warranty for 5 years must be included in this service or an appropriate alternative. Stations must exceed 97% uptime reliability requirement.

VI. Scope of Services The following scope of services description details what is expected of the selected vendor(s) from this RFP.

The vendor will supply all charging station equipment, as well as associated electrical upgrades, and provide necessary engineering, pre-construction, construction, installation, station activation, commissioning when appropriate, operation, and maintenance services.

The vendor may implement these services with in-house staff or subcontract, but the processes need to be seamless for the client site host and the arrangements must meet the federal grant and NEVI standards and requirements.

The vendor must offer a minimum of one operations and customer support package. Refer to Section V, Categories for Selection of Awards, to view the options on O&M service levels.

Each applicant must indicate which category(s) they are applying for. An applicant may apply for more than one category.

Boulder County will compile a list of prospective site hosts. Each site host will select which category of O&M service (refer to Section V, Categories for Selection of Awards, for more details) best meets their needs. Boulder County will then organize prospective site hosts by category and send site hosts to the selected vendor that matches the O&M category, upon execution of a contract between vendor and Boulder County. Each site host will be contacted by only one vendor.

Pre-Construction Vendor(s) will conduct the following pre-construction services for each site:

• Connect with site host to describe the benefits of EV charging.

• Confirm the site host can dedicate parking spaces for four EV charging ports. The NEVI standards and requirements specify that the EV charging stations must have at least four network-connected charging ports and be capable of simultaneously charging at least four EVs.

o For the required four EV charging ports, either DCFC or Level 2 or a combination of

DCFC and Level 2 can be installed, as specified by the NEVI standards and requirements.

• Discuss with the site host that charging stations must be available for use and accessible to the public at least as frequently as the business operating hours of the site host, as defined in the NEVI standards and requirements. Stations at on-site multifamily housing or manufactured home park locations must be unassigned parking and available to both residents and visitors.

• Conduct site visit, including parking space layout and unassigned parking spot suitability, proximity to electrical infrastructure/power sources, construction needs, existing lighting, safety considerations, traffic patterns, cell signal and wi-fi availability, ADA accessibility design guidelines, future charging expansion considerations, and so forth.

• Explain the EV charging installation process and ongoing operations to site host, including five or more years of maintenance, operations costs and potential revenue, data sharing, data collection and reporting, and reliable station operation.

• Inform site host of accessibility guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including accessible mobility features and accessible communication features.

Each site must incorporate accessible design standards as detailed by the U.S. Access Board. At least one parking stall of the total parking served by the four charging ports must be accessible. The stall must be van-accessible with an access aisle. If allowable by federal and state law, use EV-only and Accessible-EV-use-last signage and pavement markings. Beginning January 1, 2026, accessible design is required under House Bill (HB) 24-1161, Motor Vehicle Access Individuals with Disabilities, in the State of Colorado for new EV charging station installations. Vendor must track the latest federal and state requirements and guidance regarding accessibility. Vendor is encouraged to contact ReCharge Coaches as well to answer accessibility questions.

• Incorporate safety and security in the station design, including but not limited to secure access control systems, physical barriers, tamper-resistant components, and safety mechanisms to protect users and equipment. Vendor must include physical security and cybersecurity strategies in the design and implementation of the charging.

• Determine curb and gutter, parking lot modifications, signage, lighting, landscaping, and other associated site preparations and costs.

• Lead a meeting with site host and electric utility to understand electrical upgrades if needed and available utility incentives if available; the vendor must ensure the stations meet the NEVI power level requirements.

• Vendor will be asked to provide technical EV charging education as needed and collaborate with another vendor responsible for resident outreach, who will be selected under a separate competitive procurement RFP process. The other outreach vendor will conduct EV education and general EV charging education for the neighborhoods of the interested site host locations.

• Determine the manufacturer and equipment option(s) that meet the needs of the site host, complies with equipment certifications and SAE International standards, conforms to Open Charge Point Protocol and ISO, are ENERGY STAR certified, meets connector type and minimum required power levels, meets pricing and payment https://www.access-board.gov/tad/ev/ https://www.access-board.gov/tad/ev/ https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1161 https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24-1161 requirements, and complies with all federal grant specification requirements including NEVI standards and requirements.

o Each Level 2 charging port must have a permanently attached J1772 connector and must charge any J1772-compliant vehicle. Vendor is strongly encouraged, but not required, to add a J3400 connector additionally.

o Each DC Fast Charging port must have at least one permanently attached CCS Type 1 connector and must be capable of charging any CCS-compliant vehicle. Vendor is strongly encouraged, but not required, to add a J3400 connector additionally.

• Ensure the selected chargers and charging network meet the NEVI standards and requirements for interoperability of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and for charging network connectivity of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. All chargers and charging management software must support the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) and ISO 15118 communication protocol.

• Provide a bid estimate including, but not limited to, site assessment, preliminary engineering, site preparation, electrical infrastructure, equipment, permits, construction, installation, commissioning, warranty, and networking costs to both site host and Boulder County.

• Conduct due diligence to ensure compliance with building codes and regulations;

describe local zoning, codes, permitting, and regulatory compliance requirements to site host.

• Provide all required information and documentation to fulfill the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. Vendor(s) must collaborate with a NEPA consultant. Roles are expected to be the following:

o The vendor(s) selected under this RFP will collect and provide site-specific data and information as required by the NEPA requirement and be available to answer any questions.

o Boulder County will select and contract with a NEPA consultant through a separate procurement process.

o The vendor(s) selected under this RFP and the NEPA consultant will collaborate to fulfill the NEPA requirements. Once the final sites are selected, the NEPA consultant, with the vendor(s)’s support, will complete and provide items for review by FHWA. A copy of the FHWA NEPA Environmental Scoping Form is provided as Attachment 8 to this RFP.

o IMPORTANT: Final design and construction for site installations cannot proceed until the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review is completed by the

FHWA.

• Other pre-construction activities that are standard practice in the industry, as required by NEVI standards and requirements, and as required by applicable federal statutory and regulatory requirements.

Deliverables

• Site drawings

• Engineering plans

• Charging infrastructure equipment identified and recommended, including specifications and certifications, as defined in the NEVI standards and requirements

• Charger hardware and software identified and recommended that meet the requirements for interoperability of the EV charging infrastructure and for network connectivity of EV charging infrastructure, as defined in the NEVI standards and requirements

• Permitting requirements

• Landscaping plan

• Cost bid per site

• Timeline per site, including pre-construction, construction and installation, and operations and maintenance

• Preliminary design and completion of the information needed for National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews and incorporation of any required NEPA mitigation measures

• Agreement template for site host and service provider arrangements

• Other deliverables as necessary for pre-construction

Vendor(s) cannot proceed with final design and construction until Boulder County and site host provide approval to do so.

Construction and Installation Charging station installations must comply with local and state codes and regulations and be completed by a licensed electrical contractor. The vendor’s team must have the appropriate licenses, certifications, and training to ensure that the installation, operations, and maintenance of the chargers are performed safely. The NEVI standards and requirements indicate some EV charging-specific requirements for electricians including electrician Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) certification or other national standard certification, as well as additional electricians being enrolled in a registered electrical apprenticeship program.

Vendor(s) will conduct the following construction and installation services for each site:

• Site preparation

• Equipment acquisition

• Construction and electrical infrastructure installation

• Charging equipment installation

• Curb and gutter, parking lot modifications, signage, lighting, landscaping, and other associated site modifications

• Safety and security features

• Software and network integration

• Permitting requirements

• Final inspections and approvals

• Other construction activities that are standard practice in the industry, as required by

NEVI standards and requirements, and as required by applicable federal statutory and regulatory requirements

Deliverables

• Station activation, including activation of networking services, warranties, etc.

• Station commissioning

• Completed curb and gutter, parking lot modifications, signage, lighting, landscaping, and other associated site modifications

• Responsive to respective municipality’s inspection process for permit completion

• Establish pricing for EV owners’ usage of the charging station; vendors and site hosts are requested to maintain affordability for community members

• Training for site host

• Other deliverables as necessary for construction and installation

Operations and Maintenance One of the key objectives for this service is high reliability of the electric vehicle charging stations. In order for EV owners to have a positive experience in owning and using their car, EV charging stations must be highly reliable. The NEVI standards and requirements include the requirement that each charging port must have an uptime of greater than 97%. This service must meet this requirement for every port at every host site. Stations must be in operation and maintained for a minimum period of five years; stations would be ideally maintained and in use for the lifetime of the equipment to maximize this investment. The NEVI standards and requirements include the requirement that the workforce maintaining and operating chargers has the appropriate licenses, certifications, and training to ensure maintenance of chargers is performed safely.

Vendor(s) will conduct the following operations and maintenance services for each site:

• High quality customer service to site hosts and users of the station.

• Vendor will provide on-site training for property owner or property manager as needed to ensure smooth station activation, operations, and maintenance and quality customer experience for EV charging customers.

• Ensure software, personally identifiable information, and payment processes are arranged correctly for activation and operations.

• Routine maintenance to proactively keep the station in good working order; the service should include options for either the vendor to conduct routine maintenance or for the site host to conduct routine maintenance, when relevant to site host preferences and capabilities.

• Station remote monitoring: the service should include options for either the vendor to conduct remote monitoring and/or for the site host to conduct remote monitoring, according to site host preferences and capabilities.

• EV charging customers must have a mechanism to report outages, malfunctions, and other issues with charging stations as specified by the NEVI standards and requirements.

• Prompt station repairs: the service should include options for either the vendor or site host to conduct repairs, according to site host preferences and capabilities.

• Vendor will be responsible for data management and reporting; data submittal is required on a quarterly and annual basis, as well as data sharing, as specified by the NEVI standards and requirements.

• Other operations and maintenance activities that support site host needs, ensure smooth reliable station user experience, as required by NEVI standards and requirements, and as required by applicable federal statutory and regulatory requirements.

Deliverables:

• Training for site hosts

• Stations operational for a minimum of five years with greater than 97% uptime

• Data management and reporting as required (refer to Section IX of this RFP and NEVI standards and requirements for details)

• Network provider third-party data sharing of specific data must be made available, free of charge, to third-party software developers via application programming interface (API), as defined in the NEVI standards and requirements

• Allow Boulder County to provide customer service quality surveys to site hosts and station users

• 5-year warranty and 5-year network subscription

• Service agreements or asset management agreements that meet the needs of each site host for high level third-party support for operations and maintenance (applicable to vendors selected under Categories 2 and 4, see Section V, Categories for Selection of Awards, of this RFP)

• Other deliverables as necessary for operations and maintenance

VII. Eligible Project Costs Funds can be used for the following:

• Development-phase activities, including planning, feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, environmental review, preliminary engineering and design work, and other preconstruction activities.

• Acquisition, construction, installation, maintenance, and operation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure that is directly related to the charging of a vehicle, including any related construction or reconstruction and the acquisition of real property directly related to the project.

• Regarding operating costs, operating assistance shall be limited to costs allocable to operating and maintaining the electric vehicle charging infrastructure and service.

• Costs must adhere to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations 2 CFR 200: Title 2 “Federal Financial Assistance,” Part 200 “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”

VIII. Federal Requirements The vendor(s) shall ensure that the project is designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with all Federal laws, regulations, and policies that are applicable to the project. These requirements include, but are not limited to, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR Parts 200, 1201); the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) standards and requirements (23 CFR Part 680); Buy America requirements; Build America, Buy America Act; Davis Bacon federal wage rate requirements; the American with Disabilities Act (ADA);

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Act; the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Refer to FHWA’s Exhibits to Boulder County’s CFI grant award agreement, specifically Exhibit A titled “Applicable Federal Laws and Regulations” (refer to Attachment 11 to this RFP).

All requirements are subject to change. The NEVI standards and requirements, other federal requirements, and the terms and conditions of Boulder County’s CFI federal grant award may change during the duration of this project. The selected vendors will monitor https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 any changes to the NEVI standards and requirements and are expected to maintain flexibility to any changes in order to meet the standards and requirements.

The FHWA is subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C 552. The applicants and vendors selected for award under this RFP should be aware that application and contract materials may become FHWA records subject to public release.

The Recipient, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that for any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

IX. Data and Reporting The following data collection, data sharing, and reporting are required.

• Vendor(s) will be responsible for data management and reporting. Data submittal is required on a quarterly and annual basis, as specified by the NEVI standards and requirements. A final report will be required as well. Refer to Attachment 3, National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Standards and Requirements; Attachment 4, EV Chart Data Requirement Memo; and Attachments 9-11 with Boulder County’s CFI Grant Award Agreement with FHWA and associated Terms and Conditions and Exhibits.

• Vendors (s) must ensure the network provider makes certain data publicly available.

The third-party data sharing of specific data must be made available, free of charge, to third-party software developers via application programming interface (API), as defined in the NEVI standards and requirements.

X. Timeline All times below are mountain time zone.

Item Deadline Release RFP Aug. 26, 2025 Deadline for written questions Sep. 2, 2025 at 5 p.m.

Anticipated posting of answers to questions

Sept. 5, 2025

Proposals due Sept. 26, 2025 Interviews with finalists Oct. 7-10, 2025 Anticipated notice of awards Oct. 24, 2025

Anticipated project start Dec. 1, 2025 Site hosts identified, primarily by Boulder County

Q3 and Q4 2025

Site Assessments, Quotes, and Info for

NEPA

Dec. 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026

Procure equipment, construction and installation2

Q3 2026 – Q2 2028

All stations in service July 31, 2028 Operations, maintenance, data collection, reporting

For 5 yrs from start of operation (estimated Oct. 1, 2027 – Sep. 30, 2032)

Final Report Q3 2028

XI. Application Format and Submission If an applicant is applying for more than one category (see section V. Categories for Selection of Awards), the applicant must submit a separate application per category. This will allow the selection committee to accurately evaluate and score each proposal.

Applications submitted in response to this RFP and any resulting contract are subject to the provisions of the Colorado Open Records Act. Any restrictions on the use or inspection of material contained within the application or resulting contract should be clearly stated in the application and contract.

Application checklist Project Summary Project Narrative Statement of Work, including schedule and deliverables Pricing Bid Resumes Comparable Projects References Example Equipment Data Sheets / Specification Sheets Example Manufacturer Warranty Example 5-year Network Subscription

2 Vendor cannot proceed to equipment acquisition and construction until Boulder County approves. Estimated timeline for approvals is between May 1, 2026 and Sep. 30, 2026.

Service Agreement or Asset Management Agreement Template (Applications under Categories 2 and 4 only)

Revisions to Boulder County construction contract template (if applicable) (refer to Attachment 6 of this RFP)

The application must include the following:

Project Summary The purpose of the project summary is to provide a clear and succinct description of the proposal. Indicate on the summary page which category you are applying for (refer to Section V, Categories for Selection of Awards, of this RFP). The project summary is limited to one page in length.

Project Narrative The purpose of the project narrative is to give each applicant the opportunity to describe their equipment, team, approach, and service to design, acquire, install, and manage EV charging infrastructure that will best serve the needs of site hosts and EV charging customers. The project narrative needs to describe each applicant’s approach to fulfill the complete scope of services, described in Section IV of this RFP, and demonstrate that they can meet the NEVI requirements. Applicants are encouraged to review the evaluation criteria, described in Section XII of this RFP, as they prepare their project narrative and other application materials.

o Clearly describe the project and approach and how it will be responsive to achieving the Scope of Services and objectives of this RFP. Include details of your approach for a turnkey solution for site hosts.

o Describe the proposed technology and business model for the EV charging infrastructure deployment. Projects proposed under the Level 2 Charging Station categories should demonstrate a technology and business model that will specifically serve multifamily housing and mobile home parks (refer to the descriptions of Category 1 and Category 2 in Section V, Categories for Selection of Awards). Applicants must clearly describe their business model(s), including which party can own, operate, and/or maintain the stations.

o Describe how you will fulfill the vendor match requirement (refer to Section II.C of this RFP).

o Include your approach for communications with site host with the goal of a smooth, high quality, and convenient experience for the client site host.

o Describe your approach to achieving exceptional customer service for site hosts during the pre-construction, installation, and operation phases of the project, and a positive experience for station users. In addition, the inclusion of a description of response times is requested.

o Describe the qualifications, experience, and capabilities of the key team members and subcontractors to complete this project. The description must include how many charging stations your organization has installed and activated to date. Please also indicate if any of those stations are NEVI-compliant. The description must include the appropriate licenses, certifications, and completed trainings that are required to meet the NEVI requirements and to comply with local and state codes and regulations. Please share details of your team’s experience completing similar or comparable EV charger projects (ideally a minimum of three similar or comparable projects). Applicants may provide brief descriptions of comparable projects in the project narrative and then supplement with additional details in the separate Comparable Projects document. Please include comparable project experience that aligns with the category you are applying for (i.e. multifamily properties and manufactured home communities for Categories 1 and 2 and community charging to fill gaps in charging for Categories 3 and 4).

o Describe the roles and responsibilities of the key team members and subcontractors, if applicable, in project implementation.

o Describe the equipment, hardware, software, and networking that will fulfill the services required, including how NEVI requirements will be met.

o Describe how your team will ensure that the hardware and software are compatible, including describing your team’s experience designing past projects with compatible hardware and software.

o Describe how your team will expedite project completion including equipment sourcing, and collaboration with utilities and local permitting authorities.

o Describe how user and vehicle safety will be ensured.

o Describe how you will conduct training for site hosts, keeping in mind that those site hosts who choose to operate and maintain their stations may need more training than site hosts who choose not to operate and maintain their stations.

o Indicate which category(s) of Operations and Maintenance you are applying for under. Describe your team’s operations and customer support package(s) that will accommodate the needs of site hosts. Describe how routine maintenance, station monitoring and troubleshooting, and prompt station repairs will be achieved. The description should include hardware and software features, roles of team members and site host, specific timeframe for responsiveness with labor and parts, the qualifications of charger maintenance and operating staff, and other relevant details that achieve high quality management and safety of the EV charging infrastructure.

Your description should include which of your team’s services include onsite only, remote only, or a mix of onsite and remote support.

o Describe your approach to ensure station reliability and to meet the NEVI requirement that each charging port has uptime greater than 97% over five years.

o Describe how pricing (i.e. the cost to charge) will be determined during the first five years, and beyond, and any methods that will be used to keep pricing affordable for residents (for Level 2 and DC Fast charging respectively). Describe how your payment method, pricing, and customer data privacy meet the NEVI requirements.

For Category 1 and Category 2 applicants, describe how your payment method, pricing, and customer data privacy meet the needs of multifamily housing and mobile home parks in particular.

o Describe your approach to ensure stations are operational and maintained for a period of not less than five years from the initial date of operation, as well as long-term financial viability beyond five years.

o Describe how your team will fulfill the data sharing and data reporting requirements, in order to meet the NEVI standards and requirements.

o Describe any risks or barriers to successful project completion and how the project team will mitigate them.

o Describe any other project elements that are important to successful implementation.

Statement of Work Please provide a Statement of Work (SOW) in your application. The purpose of the SOW is to give each applicant the opportunity to clearly describe the purpose, tasks, schedule, and deliverables of the proposed project.

o Please organize the SOW into the phases described in the Scope of Services of this RFP (i.e., Pre-construction, Construction and Installation, and Operations and Maintenance). The SOW needs to describe each applicant’s tasks and deliverables to fulfill the complete scope requested in this RFP.

o Include the project timeline, key milestones, and deliverables in the SOW. The NEPA process must be complete before vendor(s) can proceed to final design and construction.

o The content of the SOW and the Project Narrative should be consistent and complimentary to each other.

Pricing Bid Site host locations will be finalized after vendor(s) are selected for award. Therefore, the applicant’s budget must describe costs on a per unit basis.

o An applicant must complete the relevant Pricing Bid Template for the category they are applying for. Applicants for Level 2 charging (Categories 1 and 2) must complete Attachment 1, Applicant Pricing Bid Template for Level 2 Charging. Applicants for DC Fast Charging (Categories 3 and 4) must complete Attachment 2, Applicant Pricing Bid Template for DC Fast Charging.

Resumes Provide resumes of key team members, including employees of the primary applicant as well as employees of subcontractors.

Comparable Projects Provide details of your team’s experience completing similar or comparable EV charger projects (ideally a minimum of three similar or comparable projects).

o Applicants may provide brief descriptions of comparable projects in the project narrative and then supplement with additional details in this Comparable Projects document.

References Please include three references. Please include the name, title, organization, email address, and phone number for each reference.

Example Equipment Data Sheets / Specification Sheets Provide data sheets or specification sheets for up to three equipment examples that are suitable for this project and meet the NEVI standards and requirements. This is intended to be an example as it is anticipated that applicants may vary as to whether they provide turnkey, customizable solutions to a site host and are therefore hardware-agnostic.

Example Manufacturer Warranty Provide a manufacturer 5-year warranty template that is suitable for this project. This is intended to be an example as it is anticipated that applicants may vary as to whether they provide turnkey, customizable solutions to a site host and are therefore hardware-agnostic.

Example 5-year Network Subscription Provide a 5-year network subscription that is suitable for this project.

Service Agreement or Asset Management Agreement Template Provide a sample service agreement or asset management agreement…