DOER PON-ENE-2025-032 Regional School District Grant Program Opportunity Notice 06.04.25.pdf

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY AND

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESOURCES

ELIZABETH MAHONY, COMMISSIONER

100 Cambridge Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02114

Program Opportunity Notice (PON)

Document Title: DOER Regional School District Decarbonization Grant Program

COMMBUYS Bid Number: BD-25-1041-ENE01-ENE01-117596

Agency Document Number: PON-ENE-2025-032

Issued: June 4, 2025

Please note: This is a single document associated with a complete Bid (also referred to as Solicitation) that can be found on www.COMMBUYS.com. All Bidders are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all information, forms and requirements for the entire Bid, which are all incorporated into the Bid. Bidders may also contact the COMMBUYS Helpdesk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or the COMMBUYS Helpline at 1-888-MA-STATE. The Helpline is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal, state and Suffolk county holidays.

http://www.commbuys.com/ mailto:COMMBUYS@state.ma.us

Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources – PON-ENE-2025-032

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1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) develops and implements policies and programs to ensure the adequacy, security, diversity, and cost-effectiveness of the Commonwealth’s energy supply to create a clean, affordable, equitable, and resilient energy future.

The Green Communities Division provides grants, technical assistance, and local support from DOER Regional Coordinators to assist municipalities to reduce energy use and costs by implementing clean energy projects in municipal buildings, facilities, and schools.

The DOER Regional School District (RSD) Decarbonization Grant Program (Program) aims to assist RSDs in their transition from fossil fuel equipment to efficient electric alternatives at existing facilities. The grant Program focuses on the preemptive avoidance of in-kind replacement of fossil fuel-based systems and equipment by providing the necessary funding to deploy efficient electrified solutions. This includes but is not limited to financial support for the deployment of renewable thermal technologies for space conditioning, efficient electric water heating, battery-powered facilities maintenance equipment (BPFME), and electric commercial kitchen equipment, where that equipment is replacing a gas-powered alternative.

RSD Decarbonization Grant Program projects must demonstrate efforts toward electrification and reducing emissions, thereby contributing to the Commonwealth’s commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions in 2050 and efforts to combat climate change and protect vulnerable communities.

The grant Program may prioritize eligible Applicants and projects in the following order:

1) Located in disadvantaged communities, as defined by the Justice40 Initiative

2) Not currently part of the Massachusetts DOER Green Community Program, and thereby ineligible for Green

Communities grants.

3) The proposed projects are not eligible for Mass Save incentives because the Applicant isn’t served by a Mass Save utility.

Grant funding not exceeding two million dollars ($2,000,000) is available through this Program. Funding for this Program originates from the U.S. Department of Energy State Energy Program (SEP) and is administered by the DOER Green Communities Division. The maximum grant award per Applicant, including qualifying adders, is two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000). See Section 5 for project category limits.

Applications will be accepted by DOER starting on the issue date of this PON and are due for block 1 September 5, 2025, by 4:00 PM. Applications will be accepted in future blocks following the deadlines below, or until all funds have been awarded, whichever comes first.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Department of Energy Resources 100 Cambridge Street, 9th Floor

Boston, MA 02114 http://www.mass.gov/doer

DOER Regional School District Decarbonization

Grant Program

PON-ENE-2025-032

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Block Due Date 1 September 5, 2025, by 4:00 PM 2† March 6, 2026, by 4:00 PM 3† September 4, 2026, by 4:00 PM 4† March 5, 2027, by 4:00 PM

† If funding remains from the previous block.

Grants shall not be awarded after June 30, 2027. Projects must be completed within twelve (12) months of the award date, and all funds must be expended by January 1, 2028, whichever comes first.

Grants will be reviewed, and the selected Applicant(s) will be notified within two (2) months of the application due dates.

Contracts will be negotiated within two (2) months of the notification to the selected Applicant(s).

These are anticipated dates and timelines. All dates and timelines are subject to change at DOER’s sole discretion.

DOER intends to leverage funds and support as many projects as possible with the available funding.

All grant applications will be submitted to the DOER. Grants through this Program will be between the DOER and the eligible public entity(s); see Section 3, Applicant and Project Eligibility.

2. PROGRAM OUTLINE

This Program intends to support decarbonizing facilities owned and operated by Regional School Districts (RSDs); it is thereby designed to address funding gaps for small- to medium-heating system and facility equipment electrification projects to ensure Program funding is leveraged as cost-effectively as possible.

The Program provides necessary funding to deploy efficient electric solutions at existing RSDs. This grant Program requires that projects take advantage of other funds (e.g., utility incentives) where they are available and utilize grant funds to increase project cost-effectiveness and feasibility. In addition to accelerating decarbonization and reducing GHG emissions, this Program helps familiarize RSD facility staff with decarbonization technologies and strategies and supports a growing workforce focused on these technologies, making it more likely that these efforts will be more cost-effectively expanded across greater numbers of locations in the future.

At DOER’s sole discretion, Program funding levels will vary depending on the scope of the grant request and the location of the facility, as detailed in Section 5, Funding. Funding priority will be given to eligible projects located in disadvantaged communities, as defined by the Justice40 Initiative.

3. APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

Entities eligible to apply for this Program are Regional School Districts as defined in 603 CMR 41.00. Potential Applicants should contact DOER to confirm eligibility if unsure.

4. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Program Applicants must demonstrate that the project meets the requirements and criteria described in this section. DOER in its sole discretion reserves the right to waive any requirements should Applicants demonstrate sufficient rationale for doing so.

There are four primary categories for electrification funding under this Program: space heating, water heating, battery-powered facilities maintenance equipment, and commercial kitchen equipment.

Note that by law, any applicable products must meet the Massachusetts Appliance Energy and Water Efficiency Standards.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/appliance-energy-and-water-efficiency-standards

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External Funding Requirements

For all project categories, eligible Applicants must agree to take advantage of applicable utility incentives such as the Mass Save offerings. Applicants should demonstrate their ability to meet the eligibility requirements of the relevant utility program(s) if such incentives are available or shall otherwise demonstrate good cause for forgoing incentives where applicable. Applicants are also encouraged to ensure projects are eligible for any applicable clean energy tax credits, whether credits are applied through a third-party contractor or accessed directly through elective pay.1

If applicable, Applicants must apply for, or agree to apply for (e.g., in the case of utility post-purchase rebates), external funding prior to applying for this Program. These external funding requests must be outlined in the Application Form (Attachment B).

Space Heating System Requirements

The Program may provide grant funding for heating systems currently fueled by oil, natural gas, propane, or electric resistance, particularly with systems nearing the end of their useful life. Eligible projects must target preemptive system conversion to efficient electric air-source heat pump technology.

Technical Requirements

Air-source heat pump solutions shall meet the minimum performance and sustainability standards as defined by the DOER Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (APS). In cases where adhering to the APS requirements for air-source heat pump equipment proves too restrictive or financially burdensome, projects must use a heat pump system that is ENERGY STAR® Certified, and whenever possible, use equipment included on the current Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) Cold Climate Air-Source Heat Pump Specification Product List.

For Applicants who are eligible to take advantage of the Mass Save incentives, any space heating solutions must meet the applicable Mass Save specifications.

Applicants must provide estimated energy savings, both consumption and cost, and the relative greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction estimates as part of the Program application.

Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA) Requirements Applicable to Space Heating Systems

This grant Program uses federal funding that is subject to BABAA, which extends to any sub-recipients of the funds (i.e., grantees under the Program). BABAA requires that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in federally funded projects for infrastructure must be produced in the United States. Under the Act, installations of building heating and cooling systems (e.g., air-source heat pumps) are considered infrastructure projects.

Applicants shall include BABAA certification as part of the request for responses from vendors when soliciting project cost quotes. If BABAA-certified solutions are available from one or more responding vendors, the Applicant must consider these alternatives and procure them if they are not cost-prohibitive. However, if vendors confirm in writing that they cannot offer solutions that are BABAA certified (“nonavailability”), or if the cost of pursuing a BABAA-certified solution increases the total project cost by more than twenty-five percent (25%) (“unreasonable cost”), this can be used as backup documentation in the BABAA waiver request process. See Section 8, Application Process and Schedule, for more information on integrating the BABAA waiver request process into procurement timelines.

1 Through a provision of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), tax-exempt entities such as state agencies and municipalities can monetize clean energy tax credits. If a tax-exempt entity places a project in service that utilizes a clean energy credit from IRA, they will get refunded for the full amount of the credit by filing a tax form with the Internal Revenue Service. See https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/elective-pay-and-transferability-frequently-asked-questions.

https://www.mass.gov/alternative-energy-portfolio-standard https://www.energystar.gov/products/air_source_heat_pumps https://www.energystar.gov/products/air_source_heat_pumps https://neep.org/high-performance-air-source-heat-pumps/ccashp-specification-product-list https://www.energy.gov/management/build-america-buy-america https://www.energy.gov/management/doe-buy-america-requirement-waiver-requests https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/elective-pay-and-transferability-frequently-asked-questions https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/elective-pay-and-transferability-frequently-asked-questions

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Program Applicants may work with DOER to compile the information necessary for a BABAA waiver request. However, DOER cannot apply for BABAA waivers on behalf of any Applicants.

Service Water Heating Requirements

The Program can provide grant funding for water heating systems that are currently fueled by oil, natural gas, propane, or electric resistance, particularly those with systems nearing the end of their useful life. The proposed replacement system to be installed must target preemptive system conversion to efficient electric heat pump technology or the most efficient electric alternative.2

Technical Requirements

Electric heat pump water heating solutions, which may include split-system heat pump water heaters, must be ENERGY STAR® Certified (residential- or commercial-scale).

For Applicants that are eligible to take advantage of the Mass Save incentives, any electric heat pump water heater solution must meet the applicable Mass Save specifications.

Applicants must provide estimated energy savings, both consumption and cost, and the relative GHG emissions reduction estimates as part of the Program application.

Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA) Requirements Applicable to Service Water Heating Equipment

The Program uses federal funding that is subject to BABAA, which extends to any sub-recipients of the funds (i.e., grantees under the Program). BABAA requires that all iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials used in federally funded projects for infrastructure must be produced in the United States. Under the Act, installations of water heaters are considered infrastructure projects.

Applicants shall include BABAA certification as part of the request for responses from vendors when soliciting project cost quotes. If BABAA-certified solutions are available from one or more responding vendors, the Applicant must consider these alternatives and procure them if they are not cost-prohibitive. However, if vendors confirm in writing that they cannot offer solutions that are BABAA certified (“nonavailability”), or if the cost of pursuing a BABAA-certified solution increases the total project cost by more than 25% (“unreasonable cost”), this can be used as backup documentation in the BABAA waiver request process. See Section 8, Application Process and Schedule, for more information on integrating the BABAA waiver request process into procurement timelines.

Program Applicants may work with DOER to compile the information necessary for a BABAA waiver request. However, DOER cannot apply for BABAA waivers on behalf of any Applicants.

Battery-Powered Facilities Maintenance Equipment (BPFME) Requirements

Grant funds can be applied to the electrification of existing fossil fuel-based landscaping equipment3 owned by and used at eligible RSD facilities, including but not limited to lawnmowers, leaf blowers, string trimmers, off-road electric utility vehicles, hedge trimmers, lawn edgers, pole saws, and chainsaws. Additional batteries, charging equipment, and applicable accessories are eligible if Applicants can demonstrate necessity. Applications should include project information about how equivalent piece(s) of BPFME will primarily replace fossil fuel-powered models, to phase out or eliminate fossil fuel use.

2 Alternative technologies for electric heat pump water heating include high-efficiency electric point of use (POU) or on-demand water heaters, geothermal systems, and solar hot water systems. The system(s) selected should consider both lifetime emissions reductions and cost-effectiveness.

https://www.energystar.gov/products/res_water_heaters_partners https://www.energystar.gov/products/commercial_water_heaters/partners https://www.energy.gov/management/build-america-buy-america https://www.energy.gov/management/doe-buy-america-requirement-waiver-requests

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DOER reserves the right to request periodic updates during the first year following equipment procurement to gather information about equipment use, operational challenges, etc.

In evaluating and selecting BPFME to replace fossil fuel-powered equipment, eligible Applicants should consider the multiple co-benefits of BPFME for both staff and non-staff visitors or residents. Applicants can visit the Leading By Example (LBE) Sustainable Landscaping webpage for further details on the operational, environmental, and health benefits of such equipment.

Technical Requirements

For BPFME that will be used in institutional settings and/or are high-volume tools, it is recommended that, at minimum, the equipment meets the specifications detailed in the Commercial Grade Battery-Powered Landscape Equipment Specifications document created by the Massachusetts Operational Services Division (OSD)4. It is also strongly recommended that products be American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) Field Tested Certified (AFTC).5

Applicants eligible for Mass Save are required to apply for rebates upon purchase of electric lawnmowers, leaf blowers, string trimmers, chainsaws, and other equipment for which Mass Save offers rebates. Applicable BPFME must meet the respective Mass Save specifications (e.g., battery capacity requirements).

In the Application Form (Attachment B), Applicants will be required to include information about how landscaping practices will account for electric equipment, including but not limited to retraining staff who will be using the BPFME, availability of existing or new equipment charging infrastructure, equipment storage and maintenance strategy, how charging costs will be mitigated (e.g., off-peak hours), estimated fuel savings, any initial operational adjustments to be implemented (e.g., reducing number of hours on landscaping services per day to account for battery run times), as well as any parallel plans to reduce overall mowing or create a pollinator habitat. See Section 5 for more information on pollinator habitats.

BABAA Requirements Applicable to BPFME

Battery-powered facilities maintenance equipment is not considered infrastructure by the U.S. DOE and is therefore not subject to BABAA requirements. However, Applicants shall include a request for availability of BABAA-certified products as part of the request for responses from vendors and include vendor response information as part of the Program application.

Commercial Kitchen Equipment Requirements

Grant funds can be applied to the electrification of fossil fuel-based commercial kitchen or food service equipment6 owned by eligible RSD facilities, including but not limited to griddles, fryers, steam cookers, pre-rinse spray valves, broilers, ovens, and induction cooktops.

Technical Requirements

For any equipment types for which there are existing ENERGY STAR® performance specifications at the time of purchase, the proposed electric replacement equipment must be ENERGY STAR® certified.

For Applicants who are eligible to take advantage of the Mass Save incentives, any applicable commercial food service equipment must meet the respective Mass Save specifications.

4 See the specifications document attached to the FAC116 Master Blanket Purchase Order on COMMBUYS.

5 Field testing verifies equipment performance in high-heat cycles and at maximum usage hours and ensures that battery protection circuitry is sufficient. A list of certified equipment can be found through the American Green Zone Alliance at https://agza.net/agza-approved-equipment/.

6 Typical benefits of electrifying commercial kitchen equipment include little or no idling time, reduced building emissions and overall environmental impacts, operational efficiencies from energy and utility cost savings, precision cooking controls, improvement to thermal comfort, extended life of pots and pans, lower chemical (cleaning) costs, and improved indoor air quality.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/sustainable-landscaping-at-state-facilities https://www.mass.gov/info-details/sustainable-landscaping-at-state-facilities https://www.mass.gov/info-details/sustainable-landscaping-at-state-facilities https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/purchaseorder/poSummary.sdo?docId=PO-21-1080-OSD03-SRC3-21990&releaseNbr=0&external=true&parentUrl=close https://agza.net/agza-approved-equipment/ https://agza.net/agza-approved-equipment/

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BABAA Requirements Applicable to Commercial Kitchen Equipment

Commercial kitchen equipment is not considered infrastructure by the U.S. DOE and is therefore not subject to BABAA requirements. However, Applicants shall include a request for availability of BABAA-certified products as part of the request for responses from vendors and include vendor response information as part of the Program application.

Eligible Costs

Grant funding may be used to support project deployment, including but not limited to infrastructure upgrades, fossil fuel tank removal, and/or installation costs and services. Program funding may not be used for project elements that are not directly associated with the equipment procurement and any applicable installation costs unless Applicants can demonstrate that grant funding (e.g., for infrastructure upgrades) will support electrifying multiple end-uses. For Applicants requesting the Pollinator Habitat Creation Adder as part of BPFME projects, habitat site preparation and associated materials or services are eligible. Potential Applicants with questions should contact DOER about what activities are allowable.

Federal Davis-Bacon Requirement and Associated Reporting

Because the Program is supported through federal funds, the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts7 (DBRA) apply to projects with fixtures or systems affixed to a building; therefore, heat pumps, kitchen equipment, and water heater projects would be subject to DBRA, but facilities maintenance equipment would not. Grantees under this Program are responsible for including the applicable wage determinations and DBRA contractor reporting requirements in any solicitation or bidding documents, and in the prime contract. Since both federal and state prevailing wage requirements apply, any contractors hired by grantees for labor-related work must pay whichever rate is higher for each job classification and meet whichever requirements are more protective of workers; typically, Massachusetts prevailing wage requirements will be higher than the federal threshold.

The DBRA prevailing wage rates are set by the county and can be found through the System for Award Management (SAM) Wage Determinations page. The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (DLS) issues prevailing wage information for construction projects and other types of public work.

5. FUNDING

The total funding available under this PON is two million dollars ($2,000,000). DOER intends to leverage funds and support as many projects as possible with the available funding.

Grants will be awarded based on the Section 8 Application Process and Schedule requirements until funds are depleted.

Applications will be accepted by DOER starting on the issue date of this PON and due for block 1 by September 5, 2025, by 4:00 PM. Applications will be accepted in future blocks following the deadlines below, or until all funds have been awarded, whichever comes first.

Block Due Date 1 September 5, 2025, by 4:00 PM 2† March 6, 2026, by 4:00 PM 3† September 4, 2026, by 4:00 PM 4† March 5, 2027, by 4:00 PM

† If funding remains from the previous block.

7 The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts apply to contractors and subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts totaling more than $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings or public works. Grantees of the Program must pay their laborers and mechanics no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits for corresponding work on similar projects in the area.

https://sam.gov/wage-determinations https://sam.gov/wage-determinations

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No grants will be awarded after June 30, 2027. Projects must be completed within twelve (12) months of the award date, and all funds must be expended by January 1, 2028, whichever comes first.

Grants will be reviewed, and the selected Applicant(s) will be notified within two (2) months of the application due dates.

Contracts will be negotiated within two (2) months of the notification to the selected Applicant(s).

These are anticipated dates and timelines. All dates and timelines are subject to change.

Individual funding requests will vary depending on the project specifics and whether the project is sited within an area with a designated disadvantaged population(s) as defined by the federal Justice40 Initiative. In no instance may an applying entity receive more than one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of a project from this grant when combined with other internal and/or external funding sources.

DOER, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to amend any grant limits as provided for below. Potential Applicants are encouraged to contact both Green.Communities@mass.gov and Caitlin Hart at Caitlin.Hart@mass.gov before submitting a Statement of Interest (Attachment A) to confirm eligibility and availability of funds.

The maximum grant award per Applicant, including qualifying adders, is $250,000.

Grant Project Category Category Limits Potential Grant Amount Adder(s)

(As further described below) Space Conditioning System Up to 75% of the project cost after accounting for other available incentives, with a maximum category amount of $200,000 per site address.

Climate and Economic Justice Adder

Service Water Heating Up to 75% of the project cost after accounting for other available incentives, with a maximum category amount of $150,000 per site address.

Climate and Economic Justice Adder

Battery-powered Facilities Maintenance Equipment

For handheld equipment, push mowers, and push snow throwers, this grant will provide up to 75% of the total equipment plus battery cost after accounting for other available incentives.

For ride-on mowers (including zero-turn and stand-on mowers) and utility vehicles, this grant will provide up to 75% of the total cost of equipment after accounting for other available incentives.

This grant category is subject to a maximum category amount of $150,000 per site address.

Climate and Economic Justice Adder

Pollinator Habitat Creation Adder

Commercial Kitchen Equipment Up to 75% of the total equipment cost after accounting for other available

Climate and Economic Justice Adder mailto:Green.Communities@mass.gov mailto:Caitlin.Hart@mass.gov

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Climate and Economic Justice Adder

This adder provides up to one hundred percent (100%) of the respective category amounts after accounting for other available incentives. If the project location, determined by the site street address, falls within a disadvantaged census block under the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool, this adder shall apply.

Pollinator Habitat Creation Adder

This adder can be applied when BPFME is purchased in conjunction with the creation of a new productive pollinator habitat at the site that is equal to or greater than 0.5 acres. The specific site location and proposed habitat project details must be included as part of the Program application. At its sole discretion, DOER may consider the submission of smaller sizes on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants may request up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for costs associated with site preparation, including but not limited to seeds, plants, bulking agents, site preparation, equipment rental, or third-party vendor services. Projects between

0.5 and 1.5 acres are eligible to request up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), and projects greater than 1.5 acres are eligible to request up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

Pollinator habitats greater than 0.5 acres are typically created via seeding. Selected seed mixes should follow the criteria described in the Creating Pollinator Habitat: Seeding guidance document developed by the DOER Leading by Example Division. Specifically, species should be native to the Northeast U.S., preferably native to Massachusetts, and not listed as rare or endangered. See the Sustainable Landscaping at State Facilities website for further guidance.

Grantees must complete deployment of the proposed habitat within twelve (12) months of an executed grant agreement and maintain habitat health to the best of their abilities for at least five (5) years thereafter. Grantees may be asked to provide periodic (no less than annual) updates on the habitat, even after a grant agreement between DOER and the entity has closed.

6. AWARDS

Upon written notice to proceed from DOER, Applicants shall complete the GMS online application form and submit the Application Form (Attachment B) (see Section 8, Application Process and Schedule).

Upon request, Applicants shall be willing to meet with DOER for periodic check-ins and shall respond to DOER requests for additional information. Any material changes to the project and/or grant application should be communicated as soon as possible to DOER. If material changes occur before a grant award, DOER reserves the right to require application re-submission under the most recent amended PON.

Grants will be awarded based on the Section 8 Application Process and Schedule requirements until funds are depleted.

Applications will be accepted by DOER starting on the issue date of this PON and due for block 1 by September 5, 2025, by 4:00 PM. Applications will be accepted in future blocks following the deadlines below, or until all funds have been awarded, whichever comes first.

Block Due Date 1 September 5, 2025, by 4:00 PM 2† March 6, 2026, by 4:00 PM 3† September 4, 2026, by 4:00 PM 4† March 5, 2027, by 4:00 PM

† If funding remains from the previous block.

https://climateprogramportal.org/resource/climate-and-economic-justice-screening-tool-cejst/ https://www.mass.gov/doc/pollinator-seed-checklist-for-state-entities-31622/download https://www.mass.gov/info-details/sustainable-landscaping-at-state-facilities

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No grants will be awarded after June 30, 2027. Projects must be completed within 12 months of the award date, and all funds must be expended by January 1, 2028, whichever comes first.

Grants will be reviewed, and the selected Applicant(s) will be notified within two (2) months of the application due dates.

Contracts will be negotiated within two (2) months of the notification to the selected Applicant(s).

These are anticipated dates and timelines. All dates and timelines are subject to change.

Grant applications must be approved by DOER, and a grant contract is required to be signed between DOER and the grantee before the purchase of equipment or commencement of any work to be funded by this grant. DOER shall not disburse funds until all requirements under the PON and any terms and conditions have been satisfied, as determined by DOER in its sole discretion.

7. EVALUATION CRITERIA

The following criteria will be used for evaluating grant applications under this PON:

• Minimum requirements: Applicants and Projects must meet all requirements as provided for under Sections 3 and 4 of this PON.

• Applications will be evaluated based on the proposed deployment plan for and cost-effectiveness of electrified solution(s), as well as the respective emissions reduction benefits and co-benefits, where applicable.

• Applicants meeting the minimum requirements are encouraged to apply. If grant funds are limited, the Program may prioritize eligible Applicants and projects in the following order:

1) Located in disadvantaged communities, as defined by the Justice40 Initiative

2) Not currently part of the Massachusetts DOER Green Community Program, and thereby ineligible for Green Communities grants.

3) The proposed projects are not eligible for Mass Save incentives because the Applicant isn’t served by a Mass Save utility.

DOER reserves the right to request clarifying information or amendments in support of the application and evaluation process and may fully or partially fund projects based on the information provided.

8. APPLICATION PROCESS AND SCHEDULE

Application Process

Step 1: Statement of Interest

Applicants must first submit a Statement of Interest (Attachment A) to DOER via email to both Green.Communities@mass.gov and Caitlin Hart at Caitlin.Hart@mass.gov before applying to the Program; such Statements of Interest shall outline the proposed project, including but not limited to the estimated emissions reduction impacts. Statements of Interest shall be signed by the Regional School District Superintendent.

DOER shall review Statements of Interest on an ongoing basis and may request additional information from potential Applicants within thirty (30) days of Statement of Interest receipt as part of this process. Potential Applicants will have no more than thirty (30) days to satisfactorily respond to DOER requests for information or the Statement of Interest shall be considered null and void. If a proposed project is deemed eligible under the Program based on the Statement of Interest, DOER shall issue, via email, a notice to proceed with the application form (Step 2).

Applicants are responsible for ensuring there is sufficient time to respond to the Statement of Interest and any additional information requests. If DOER issues a notice to proceed after the application due date, Applicants will need to apply for the next block, if funding remains available.

mailto:Green.Communities@mass.gov mailto:Caitlin.Hart@mass.gov

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Step 2: Application Form and Grants Management System

After a Statement of Interest is approved by DOER, Applicants may move ahead with soliciting quotes (if not already solicited) and/or submitting the application. Project cost quotes must be received prior to formally applying to the Program.8 Once quotes have been received and the best value option has been selected, Applicants shall complete the online application form via the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Grants Management System (GMS) as well as complete and upload the Application Form (Attachment B). One application must be submitted for each project category to which the Applicant wishes to apply. In addition, Applicants must submit a copy of the proposal from the selected vendor(s), including a detailed breakdown of associated project costs and the vendor’s BABAA certification, or documentation of “nonavailability” or “unreasonable cost.”

Depending on the project, Applicants may submit additional supporting documentation.

EEA Grants Management System

Respondents are REQUIRED to use the online application form and upload tool provided at the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Grant Management System. Applicants are required to establish a profile on the system and apply through the portal.

No paper applications will be accepted for this program. No applications will be accepted through any other electronic means other than the online system. The online application and other supporting documents must be submitted on or before xx February 2025 at 11:59 PM at which time the online portal will close for this opportunity. Submissions through the site will be digitally time stamped. EEA shall make no allowance for technical difficulties or inability of the respondent to utilize the online system. No applications will be accepted after the deadline for any reason. No additional documentation will be accepted after the deadline for any reason.

Digital files uploaded to the application site must be provided in Microsoft Office compatible format or unlocked Adobe Acrobat. Electronic files of the design reports and drawings in PDF must be included with the digital submission. Respondents may not return to the application form to edit or add files after the deadline. Digital files shall be uploaded through the Grant Management System as directed in the application form. No files will be accepted by any means other than uploading to the system. Files not uploaded to GMS prior to the deadline will not be considered.

Applicants will need to create a user profile in order to apply.

1. Obtain a username and password utilizing the MyMassGov (MyMassGov | Mass.gov).

MyMassGov is a secure service that allows members of the public to use a single account and password to sign in to all participating Massachusetts state services and applications.

2. When creating your new MyMassGov username and password, please select the business account option and utilize your work email address.

3. Follow the steps to verify your email address and set up multifactor authorization.

When logged into the MyMassGov you will see a number of Commonwealth of Massachusetts Services.

Select the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Grant Management System. The site may also be accessed through greenhub.eea.mas.gov.

The System will request information about the user in order to validate the user. Users will not be provided access to the grant application until their profile is validated. Please follow the instructions provided. Please note that validation may require one or more days to complete.

For projects subject to BABAA requirements that are unable to meet said requirements, the BABAA waiver process should be pursued by the Applicant once vendor quotes are received. DOER grant agreements for projects that are subject to BABAA requirements will not be fully executed until the associated waiver is approved. Project waivers

8 When submitting a request for proposals to vendors for project types subject to BABAA requirements, e.g., space conditioning projects, Applicants should request at least a 120-day timeframe for quote validity, since equipment may not be procured prior to an approved BABAA waiver if applicable (which may take up to 90 days for approval) and an executed grant agreement between DOER and the Applicant.

https://www.mass.gov/mymassgov

12 | P a g e that are denied will not be eligible for grant funding. Once a grant agreement has been approved and executed, and a BABAA waiver has been approved if applicable, the Applicant may then move forward with project initiation and procurement.

Step 3: Application Review and Approval

Applications will be accepted by DOER starting on the issue date of this PON and due for block 1 by September 5, 2025, at 4:00 PM. Applications will be accepted in future blocks following the deadlines below, or until all funds have been awarded, whichever comes first.

Block Due Date 1 September 5, 2025, at 4:00 PM 2† March 6, 2026, at 4:00 PM 3† September 4, 2026, at 4:00 PM 4† March 5, 2027, at 4:00 PM

† If funding remains from the previous block.

No grants will be awarded after June 30, 2027. Projects must be completed within twelve (12) months of the award date, and all funds must be expended by January 1, 2028, whichever comes first.

Grants will be reviewed, and the selected Applicant(s) will be notified within two (2) months of the application due dates. Contracts will be negotiated within two (2) months of the notification to the selected Applicant(s).

These are anticipated dates and timelines. All dates and timelines are subject to change.

Step 4: Ongoing Grantee Responsibilities

DOER reserves the right to request periodic updates about grant-funded projects, which will be addressed at a project-specific level within respective interagency service agreements.

Grant recipients may be responsible for completing federal reporting, such as weekly Davis-Bacon compliance reporting.

Schedule

Applicants must provide anticipated schedules for the project implementation as part of the Program application, including the start and completion dates and expected timeline for project implementation if known. The following dates are subject to change.

Procurement Milestone Due Date

Issue PON on COMMBUYS June 4, 2025

PON Responses Due by*

Applications will be accepted by DOER starting on the issue date of this PON and due for block 1 by September 5, 2025, at 4:00 PM. Applications will be accepted in future blocks following the deadlines below, or until all funds have been awarded, whichever comes first.

Block Due Date 1 September 5, 2025, by 4:00 PM 2† March 6, 2026, by 4:00 PM 3† September 4, 2026, by 4:00 PM 4† March 5, 2027, by 4:00 PM

† If funding remains from the previous block.

13 | P a g e

Questions and Answers** DOER will respond to questions in accordance with the following schedule: DOER will respond to questions received on or before 4:00 PM EST on July 11, 2025, by 4:00 PM EST on July 25, 2025.

Applicants notified of selection*** Grants will be reviewed, and the selected Applicant(s) will be notified within two (2) months of the application due dates

Contracts negotiated*** Contracts will be negotiated within two (2) months of the notification to the selected Applicant(s).

* DOER reserves the right to re-open this solicitation if funds are not fully awarded.

** Potential Applicants are encouraged to submit written questions per Section 9

“Written Questions via the Bid Q&A on COMMBUYS” below.

*** These are anticipated dates and timelines. All dates and timelines are subject to change.

9. GRANT AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Type of Grant

This PON, being conducted under 815 CMR 2.00, has been distributed electronically using COMMBUYS, the Commonwealth’s official procurement record system (http://www.commbuys.com). The project name is DOER Regional School District Decarbonization, and the project number is PON-ENE-2025-032.

Correspondence to DOER should include this project number as well as the title. All notifications and amendments to this PON will be posted on COMMBUYS. Applicants are advised to periodically check this PON on COMMBUYS to ensure that they have the most recent information.

All proposals and information submitted in response to this PON are subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L., Chapter 66, Section 10, and to Chapter 4, Section 7, Subsection 26. Any statements in submitted responses inconsistent with these statutes shall be disregarded.

Written Questions via the Bid Q&A on COMMBUYS

The “Bid Q&A” provides the opportunity for Applicants to ask written questions and receive written answers from DOER regarding this bid. All Applicants’ questions must be submitted through the Bid Q&A, found on COMMBUYS (see below for instructions).

It is the Applicant’s responsibility to verify DOER’s receipt of questions.

Please note that any questions submitted to DOER using any other medium (including those that are sent by mail, fax, email, or voicemail, etc.) will not be answered. To reduce the number of redundant or duplicate questions, Applicants are asked to review all questions previously submitted to determine whether the Applicant’s question has already been posted.

Applicants are responsible for entering content suitable for public viewing since all of the questions are accessible to the public. Applicants must not include any information that could be considered personal, security sensitive, inflammatory, incorrect, collusory, or otherwise objectionable, including information about the Applicant’s company or other companies.

DOER reserves the right to edit or delete any submitted questions that raise any of these issues or that are not in the best interest of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or this bid.

All answers are final when posted. Any subsequent revisions to previously provided answers will be dated. It is the responsibility of the Applicant and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep

14 | P a g e current the email address of the Applicant’s contact person and contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts assume no responsibility if an Applicant designates an email address that is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the Applicant’s computer, network, or internet service provider cause email communications sent to/from the Applicant and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

1. Locating the Bid Q&A

Log into COMMBUYS, locate the bid, acknowledge receipt of the bid, and scroll down to the bottom of the bid header page. The “Bid Q&A” button allows Applicants access to the Bid Q&A page.

2. Amendment Deadline

DOER reserves the right to make amendments to the bid after initial publication. It is each Applicant’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any amendments, addenda, or modifications to this bid, and any Bid Q&A records related to this bid. DOER and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts accept no responsibility for and will provide no accommodation to Applicants who submit a quote based on an out-of-date bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

All questions must be submitted to DOER, through COMMBUYS. All questions and answers will be posted periodically on COMMBUYS.

No Guarantee of Resulting Contract

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts makes no assurance that any contract will result from this PON.

Contact

Grant Contact: Caitlin Hart Clean Energy Project Coordinator Department of Energy Resources 100 Cambridge Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02114

E-mail: Caitlin.Hart@mass.gov

PON Name: DOER Regional School District Decarbonization Grant Program

PON File Number: PON-ENE-2025-032

Attachment A: Statement of Interest, DOER Green Communities Regional School District Decarbonization Grant Program

Attachment B: Application Form, DOER Green Communities Regional School District Decarbonization Grant Program mailto:Caitlin.Hart@mass.gov