RFI #HTDC-10-2026 Posted 10-1-2026.pdf

Washington State Department of Commerce, Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness Page 1 of 4

Rev. 6/3/2026

STATE OF WASHINGTON

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

RFI #HTDC-10-2026

10-1-2026

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Hard to Decarbonize Projects

ANNOUNCEMENT

The Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness (OEDC) is requesting input and seeking to identify potential projects on behalf of the State of Washington that foster economic development through decarbonization of hard-to-decarbonize sectors of the economy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Purpose:

This RFI will help to inform the design of a potential program for projects that address hard-to-decarbonize sectors. OEDC seeks to understand current prospective projects, types of technology deployments, potential impacts, and their projected costs. These projects are intended to advance the state's progress towards greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and bring both private investment and federal funding into the state. Hard-to-decarbonize sectors include the following: :

• Advanced materials, minerals, and metals manufacturing and processing;

• Aerospace, space, and maritime components manufacturing;

• Chemical production and processing;

• Food production and processing;

• Fuels production and processing;

• Electronics and computer components manufacturing processing and assembly;

• any other energy intensive industrial processes not identified above.

OEDCs purpose of creating a prosperous, sustainable economy goes hand in hand with building world-class communities and focuses on strengthening our key sectors to drive economic impact, create job and business opportunities, and maintain Washington’s competitive edge.

Washington is a leader in the clean technology sector and the circular economy. It is also home to many economic sectors that are hard to decarbonize, including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, maritime, and more. Finding ways to decarbonize these sectors provides an opportunity to improve the conditions of workers and communities home to those sectors and strengthens Washington’s clean technology and circular economy sectors.

https://climate.wa.gov/washington-climate-action-work/big-seven-washingtons-biggest-climate-policies https://choosewashingtonstate.com/why-washington/our-key-sectors/industrial-symbiosis/

Request for Information (RFI)

Washington State Department of Commerce, Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness Page 2 of 4

Background:

(1)(a) [Funding] is provided solely for the office of economic development and competitiveness to administer a grant program that advances the goals of improving the state's progress towards greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, reducing emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors, and bringing private investment and federal funding to the state.

(b) The office must prioritize projects that leverage the greatest amount of matching funds, such as local levy funding, federal funding, or private investment.

(c) Entities eligible for grants under this section include, but are not limited to, local governments, federally recognized tribal governments and tribes' contracted service providers, public and private utilities, ports, associate development organizations, for-profit entities, academic and research institutions, nonprofit organizations, and state agencies.

(d) To the extent practicable, the office shall prioritize grants that provide benefit to vulnerable populations in overburdened communities, as defined in RCW 70A.65.010, with a goal of directing at least 20 percent of funds to this purpose.

Geographic Scope: Statewide

Commerce Staff Contacts:

Please contact the following staff for programmatic questions relating to this RFI:

- Vin Valentino, Energy Economy Lead: vincent.valentino@commerce.wa.gov

- Kyle Gitchell, Circular Economy Development Director:

kyle.gitchell@commerce.wa.gov

INFORMATION REQUESTED

Project Lead Contact Information:

1. Project Title:

2. Full Legal Name of Organization:

3. Entity Type:

4. Organization Mailing Address:

5. Project Site (if different than mailing address):

6. Primary Contact Information for RFI:

a. Name and Title:

b. Email:

c. Phone:

Project Sector and Decarbonization Type:

mailto:vincent.valentino@commerce.wa.gov mailto:kyle.gitchell@commerce.wa.gov

Washington State Department of Commerce, Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness Page 3 of 4

Please answer the following questions below to the best of your ability. Please limit your responses to 500 words or less.

7. What is your total anticipated project cost?

8. How much match funding is anticipated to support the project, and what type of match support is it (In-kind, private investment, matching grant funds, donation, federal fund, levy funds, other)?

9. From the list provided in the Background and Purpose section of this RFI, which sector type or types best describe the responding business’ activity?

10. From the decarbonization pathways below, select one or more pathway that best aligns with your project summary:

a. Energy Efficiency

b. Low Carbon Fuels

c. Carbon Capture, Utilization, & Storage

d. Materials Substitution or Efficiency

e. Industrial Electrification

Project Concept:

11. Project Summary

a. Describe the industrial decarbonization project. Provide specific details including technology being deployed, material or fuel substitutions, state of project development (history, current progress, next steps), size of the project, and project readiness.

12. Anticipated Economic Impact

a. Describe the anticipated jobs created or retained including average projected salaries of those jobs, new revenue generated, cost savings, new investment attraction, and competitive strength building that the project may have upon completion.

13. Anticipated Energy Impact

a. Describe the energy requirements for the project. Will the energy needs at the planned installation site change as a result? If so, how and why? Will the project reduce the site’s energy needs? Why or why not? Does the site currently have enough energy capacity to support the project?

14. Anticipated Climate Impact

a. Describe the estimated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the project beyond business as usual. Describe any additional climate impacts, such as changes in waste generation, water use, or direct ecological impact.

Describe methods for calculating and verifying emission reductions from this

Washington State Department of Commerce, Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness Page 4 of 4 project.

15. Community Engagement and Social Impact

a. Describe the community engagement plan and the Tribal engagement plan

(in alignment with Executive Order 21-02, Executive Order 25-10 and RCW 70A.65.305) for this project. Describe the impacts of the project to the workers on the site and the adjacent members of the community. What partnerships would be needed to address project challenges and ensure success?

16. Stakeholder Feedback for Commerce

a. This section is geared toward both applicants to provide feedback and information you want Commerce to know concerning program design considerations. The authorizing legislation is provided on the next page for your reference.

HOW TO RESPOND

Submit responses to this RFI via email to the Procurement Coordinator no later than 4pm on October 30, 2026.

RFI responses are not mandatory to participate in any solicitations released by the State of Washington. However, your input may help the development of future solicitations. All direct communication about this RFI must go directly to the Procurement Coordinator.

Latojanae Hull, Procurement Coordinator: OEDCProcurement@commerce.wa.gov

PUBLIC RECORDS

All documents (written and electronic) submitted to Washington State Department of Commerce as part of this RFI are public records. Unless statutorily exempt from disclosure, such records are subject to disclosure if requested. See RCW 42.56, Public Records Act. Washington State Department of Commerce strongly discourages businesses from unnecessarily submitting sensitive information (e.g., information that businesses might categorize as ‘confidential,’ proprietary,’ sensitive,’ trade secret,’ etc.). For the purposes of this RFI no information considered confidential or proprietary should be included.

NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT

Release of this RFI in no way obligates the State of Washington to award a contract.

https://dahp.wa.gov/sites/default/files/eo_21-02.pdf https://governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/exe_order/25-10%20-%20Tribal%20Relations%20%28tmp%29_1.pdf https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70A.65.305 https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70A.65.305 mailto:OEDCProcurement@commerce.wa.gov http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=42.56