Q&A Dec 10.pdf

Clean Buildings Compliance Support

Request for Proposal - RFP NO. 95702-01

Questions and Answers

1. Question: What is the due date for this RFA?

Answer: March 4th, 2026 3:00 p.m. PST

2. Question: Can a grant/incentive recipient incur costs prior to the contract execution date?

We have many clients waiting on grant funding, and by the time contracts are executed the biennium will be halfway over.

Answer: Costs incurred prior to award approval are not eligible for reimbursement.

3. Question: 1.4.4 lists two different square footage criteria. Is 200,000 or 220,000 SF the cutoff?

Answer: 220,000 sq. ft.

4. Question: For Clean Buildings Performance Grants, can a private building owner receive grant funding for an energy audit (and Forms D and F if applicable)? The following statement says that audits may be funded. How would a private building owner of a Tier 1 building know if they are eligible? “Additionally, privately owned Tier 1 covered buildings and certain Tier 2 multifamily covered buildings financed by the Washington State Housing Trust may be eligible to receive funds for energy audits.”

Answer: Tier 1 private buildings are eligible for this funding if they meet this stipulation:

Section 1.3.1: "Only buildings above their EUIt or that does not have an EUIt or that does not have the ability to measure EUI is eligible to apply for an energy audit".

5. Question: If private owners can receive funding for energy audits, is that funding limited to

$0.50/SF?

Answer: See amended RFA section 1.4.1.

Energy Audit funding is allocated at a maximum payment of $0.50 per square foot of gross floor area, excluding parking areas Additional funding per square foot may be given for buildings with documentation evidencing need Applicants should provide supporting documentation in Exhibit B of this RFA

6. Question: For CBPG, can a building owner apply for a grant to cover EMP/O&M/Energy Audit costs well before the due date of March 2026 with the intent of receiving an incentive/grant award prior to May 2026? It might make sense for this program to be first-come, first-serve to reward those owners who are proactive in complying with the CBPS.

Answer: Eligible buildings must submit an application by March 4, 2026. Successful applicants will be notified by April 23, 2026 of award approval. Costs incurred prior to award approval are not eligible for reimbursement.

7. Question: Can a building owner apply for an audit incentive well before the due date of

March, 2026 with the intent of receiving an incentive award prior to May, 2026? It might make sense for this program to be first-come, first-serve to reward those owners who are proactive in complying with the CBPS.

Answer: Eligible buildings must submit an application by March 4, 2026. Successful applicants will be notified by April 23, 2026 of award approval. Costs incurred prior to award approval are not eligible for reimbursement.

8. Question: This statement appears to make having a completed EMP and O&M a prerequisite to applying for the Energy Retrofits for Public Buildings grant. Is that the case?

“Evidence of an O&M and EMP in accordance with the CBPS”. Could a building owner apply for the Clean Buildings Performance Grant in order to fund EMP and O&M development at the same time as applying for the Energy Retrofits for Public Buildings grant?

Answer: Please see section 1.3.3 Energy Retrofits for Public Buildings. Minimum qualifications of the project include, “Evidence of an O&M and EMP in accordance with the

CBPS.”

9. Question: Are buildings owned by public housing authorities considered "Publicly Owned"?

Answer: It depends on the ownership structure of the public housing authority. Publicly owned is defined as: A property that is owned by a state or local government, including but not limited to municipalities, port and hospital districts, public higher education institutions, school districts, federally recognized Tribal governments and state agencies.

10. Question: Is the $125,000 maximum grant request amount for Clean Building

Performance Grants per building, per project (multiple buildings) or per agency?

Answer: 1.4.1: Applications are limited to $125,000 for projects with less than 220,000 gross square feet of combined building space o Additional funding may be awarded to projects involving more than 220,000 gross square feet of combined building space or located in small towns or cities with populations less than 5,000

11. Question: Is a public housing authority considered a "state agency" as referenced in 1.2.4 on page 5 of the RFA?

Answer: See this state government webpage for a list of qualifying Washington state agencies: https://wa.gov/agency https://wa.gov/agency

12. Question: Would a LIHTC project, financed exclusively with 4% bonds, owned by an LLLP, of which a public housing authority is a partner, be considered a "Publicly Owned" property?

Answer: It depends on the ownership structure of the public housing authority. Publicly owned is defined as: A property that is owned by a state or local government, including but not limited to municipalities, port and hospital districts, public higher education institutions, school districts, federally recognized Tribal governments and state agencies.

13. Question: Clean Buildings Performance Grants: Is there a limitation in terms of cents per square foot? i.e. audits are limited to $0.50/SF?

Answer: Please see amended version of 1.4.1.

14. Question: Energy Retrofits for Public Buildings: We must show a BCR > 1.0. Can you define what a “benefit” is?

a. Are the following benefits?

i. Energy savings over the life of the proposed equipment

1. Can we include utility cost escalations?

ii. Maintenance savings over the life of the proposed equipment

1. Can we include maintenance cost escalations?

iii. Deferred capital costs

1. i.e. replacing a piece of equipment now is less expensive than replacing it in 5 years.

iv. Cost of capital if a project is financed

v. Utility rebates

vi. Lost revenue due to failing equipment

vii. Increased occupant productivity and/or revenue generation

viii. Rental equipment costs in the event of failure

ix. Social cost of carbon

Answer: Benefits for this program are 1) energy cost savings over life of project, and 2) maintenance cost savings. All other listed items are not considered benefits for this program (this includes cost escalations).

15. Question: Energy Retrofits for Public Buildings: We must show a BCR > 1.0. Can you define what “cost” is?

a. Does cost include the following?

i. Equipment

ii. Labor

iii. Design

iv. Supervision/Management

v. Sales tax

vi. DES fee (if appropriate)

vii. M&V fee (if appropriate)

Answer: For the definition of cost please Refer to x3.1.1 in Normative Annex X of the CBPS (include deducting utility rebates). Of the list above all are considered costs with the https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=194-50-140&pdf=true exception of M&V. A typical year of M&V would extend beyond the performance period and is not an allowed expense should you choose to attach that to your project.

16. Question: In addition to the BCR, is there a simple payback requirement for projects?

Answer: For Energy Efficiency Retrofit Grants there are no other simple payback requirements.

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