Granite State Clean Fleets | Request for Proposals Open to Public Entities, Accepted on a Rolling Basis

Funded by the New Hampshire Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust

March 30, 2026

A competitive reimbursement program open for public entities to propose projects that reduce diesel emissions. Eligible projects include those that scrap and replace existing diesel units with newer, cleaner, diesel-powered, electric or alternative-fueled units.

Granite State Clean Fleets

Table of Contents Section 1. Program Overview

1.1 Program Criteria:

Section 2. Program Administration

2.1 Program contact

2.2 Program schedule

2.3 Project proposal application submittal

2.4 Project award effective dates and completion dates

Section 3. Project Eligibility

3.1 Usage requirements

3.2 Eligible existing units

3.3 Eligible replacement units

3.4 Eligible marine shore power units

Section 4. Funding Parameters

4.1 Funding and reimbursement

4.2 Maximum grant funding percentages and reimbursement caps

4.3 Maximum per entity award cap

4.4 Eligible project costs

4.5 Ineligible project costs

Section 5. Application Scoring and Selection

5.1 Priority New Hampshire communities

5.2 Scoring criteria

Section 6. Post Award Conditions

6.1 Administrative conditions

6.2 Scrappage requirements

Section 7. RFP Terms and Conditions

7.1 Proposal preparation cost

7.2 RFP addendum

7.3 Property of NHDES

7.4 Proposal confidentiality

7.5 Public disclosure

7.6 Electronic posting of RFP results and resulting grant agreement

7.7 Non-commitment

Section 1. Program Overview The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) is administering the Granite State Clean Fleets (GSCF) Request for Proposals (RFP). GSCF is a competitive grant program offering partial reimbursement for projects that reduce transportation-related emissions. Under this program:

• Existing diesel vehicles, engines, equipment and systems (units) are scrapped for replacement. These units are replaced with newer, cleaner diesel-powered, electric or alternative-fueled replacement units. Please see Section 6 Post Award Requirements for more details.

• All applicants must cover the full cost of the project upfront prior to seeking partial reimbursement for eligible project costs.

• Approximately $2.5 million is available from New Hampshire’s Volkswagen Mitigation Trust (VW Trust) to support diesel emissions reduction projects that have been selected through the competitive scoring process.

• This RFP is open to public entities operating in New Hampshire to submit project proposal applications. There is no limit to the number of applications an entity may submit.

• Applications will be accepted on a rolling monthly basis until all the available funding has been obligated. NHDES plans to score complete and accurate project proposal applications received on or before the last day of each calendar month and notify selected applicants electronically within five (5) business days (e.g., applicants applying on or before April 30 would be notified of selection status by May 7).

• Applications received after midnight on the last day of each month will be scored in the following calendar month.

1.1 Program Criteria:

• Eligible applicants:

o New Hampshire government entities such as municipalities, state agencies, public school districts, public community colleges/universities and transit agencies.

• Eligible projects:

o Diesel-to-diesel unit replacements (e.g. diesel-powered plow/dump truck).

o Diesel to alternative fuel and electric unit replacements.

Compressed natural gas (e.g. CNG-powered refuse truck).

Electricity from batteries, grid or hydrogen fuel cells (e.g. electric-powered school bus), including the necessary charging infrastructure.

Hybrid (e.g., conventional or plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) transit bus).

Propane (e.g. propane-powered delivery/utility truck).

o Marine Shore Power Unit Installations.

o See Section 3.4 for more details.

• Maximum reimbursement cap per project:

o Diesel and conventional hybrid projects - $250,000.

o CNG, plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), propane and marine shore power projects

- $350,000.

o Battery-electric, grid or hydrogen fuel cell projects - $500,000.

o See Section 4.2 for more details.

• Anticipated project completion date:

o See Section 2.4 for more details.

Section 2. Program Administration

2.1 Program contact

The designated email address for questions or the submittal of project proposal applications is the Mobile Sources Grants inbox, ms-grants@des.nh.gov. Applicants may also call with questions by phone at (603) 271-8330.

2.2 Program schedule

The following schedule is subject to change at NHDES’ discretion. Such changes will be posted to the GSCF webpage.

RFP opens March 30, 2026

Rolling monthly application due date Last day of each calendar month.

RFP closing date The RFP shall remain open until all available funding has been obligated.

Anticipated date of notification of selection Within five (5) business days of the last day of the month in which a complete and accurate application was received (e.g., applicants who applied on or before April 30 would be notified by May 7).

Project award effective date The date that a grant agreement is approved by the New Hampshire Governor and Executive Council (G&C).

Anticipated project completion date December 31, 2027

2.3 Project proposal application submittal

Project proposal applications must provide all information requested in the following application forms, which can be found on the GSCF webpage:

• Appendix A1 (for unit replacement projects).

• Appendix A2 (for marine shore power installation projects).

mailto:ms-grants@des.nh.gov tel:+16032718330 https://www.des.nh.gov/business-and-community/loans-and-grants/volkswagen-mitigation-trust/granite-state-clean-fleets https://onlineforms.nh.gov/nform/?formtag=nhdes-a-03-030 https://onlineforms.nh.gov/nform/?formtag=nhdes-a-03-032

Applicants submitting multiple units for replacement must submit them each as separate project proposal applications. Each application will be scored separately. There is no limit to the number of applications an entity may submit.

Applications must be submitted to the email address in Section 2.1. The email subject line when submitting applications should be: “GSCF Proposal – [Entity Name]”. If submitting multiple proposals, submit each application in a separate email and suffix the subject line with “Project [#]”.

If an applicant is unable to submit a proposal electronically, please contact the NHDES Mobile Sources Grants Coordinator at (603) 271-8330 for instructions on alternate options. Feasibility studies, quotes and site assessments should be completed prior to application submittal and are not considered eligible costs.

2.4 Project award effective dates and completion dates

NHDES will develop grant agreements with applicants whose projects have been scored and selected. The effective date of the grant agreement is contingent upon G&C approval.

Project completion is achieved through the procurement of the replacement unit, scrappage of the original unit (if applicable), and submission of invoice and proof-of-payment documentation for reimbursement. Project completion dates are set at the discretion of NHDES and will be specified in individual agreements, but they must generally occur on or before December 31, 2027. Extensions of project completion dates may be pursued at the discretion of NHDES and are subject to G&C approval. Recipients are required to submit documentation of justification along with a formal request for extension.

Please note: Any costs incurred prior to the effective date of the grant agreement are ineligible for partial reimbursement without the prior written approval of NHDES.

Section 3. Project Eligibility

3.1 Usage requirements

• On-road units must have a minimum of 2,500 miles of annual use, or 500 hours of engine use annually.

• Freight switcher locomotives must operate at least 1,000 hours of annual use.

• Ferry and tug engines must have a minimum of 250 hours of annual use.

• Replacements must perform the same duties as the replaced units.

• Each existing unit must have at least one year of remaining useful life, be fully operational, and be in active, current use.

• If an existing unit does not meet a minimum usage requirement, the usage of multiple existing units may be combined to meet the usage requirement. All existing units combined to meet the usage requirements in the RFP must be scrapped.

Unit usage should be from the most recent year and not an average that has been annualized over the lifetime of the unit. In exceptional circumstances, NHDES may, at its own discretion, consider waiving the minimum usage or active, current use requirements for a project, provided the project demonstrates superior other additional benefits.

tel:+16032718330

3.2 Eligible existing units

The following diesel-powered units are eligible for replacement with newer, cleaner alternative fuel-powered, electric or diesel units. Units with an asterisk (*) must be replaced or repowered with fully electric units (e.g., battery, grid or hydrogen fuel cell electric).

Port cargo handling equipment: May include equipment operating at nodes within distribution networks, including warehouses, fulfillment centers, intermodal facilities, and sea or river ports.

Project Type Engine Model Year Requirements Additional Requirements

Buses Engine model year (EMY) 2009 or older

Class 4-8 (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) 14,001+lbs)

On-road vehicles EMY 1992-2009 Class 4-8 (14,001 + lbs. GVWR) Freight switcher locomotives N/A Pre-Tier 4 Ferry/Tug marine engines N/A Unregulated, Tier 1 or Tier 2

*Airport ground support equipment N/A

Tier 0-2 and which are either certified to at least 3 g/bhp-hr or are uncertified.

*Forklifts N/A With greater than 8,000 pounds lift capacity.

*Port cargo handling equipment N/A N/A

3.3 Eligible replacement units

The following unit types qualify as replacement options, providing that the replacement unit is new and the engine model year (EMY) is the same year in which the eligible mitigation action occurs, or one EMY prior:

• Battery, grid or hydrogen fuel cell electric units.

o Note: Eligible project costs for electric units include the necessary charging infrastructure.

• Alternative-fuel (propane, CNG, hybrid) units.

• Diesel units.

3.4 Eligible marine shore power units

• Shoreside plug-in systems for ocean-going vessels that enable a compatible vessel’s main and auxiliary engines to remain off while the vessel is at berth, to reduce idling.

• Replacement systems must comply with international shore power design standards, either:

o ISO/IEC/IEEE 80005-1-2012 High Voltage Shore Connection Systems.

o IEC/PAS 80005-3:2014 Low Voltage Shore Connection Systems.

Section 4. Funding Parameters

4.1 Funding and reimbursement

Applicants must cover the full cost of the project upfront and submit a request to NHDES for partial reimbursement of eligible project costs.

These upfront costs may be covered by project partners or other entities/sources/programs including conventional loans, foundation funding, or grant/rebate programs like the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program, or the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Bus Programs, as long as GSCF funds are able to be used as matching funds. Applicants may not profit from combined funding sources, and GSCF funds may not be used to fund only one aspect of the project proposal (e.g., funding only the charging infrastructure for an electric vehicle project).

4.2 Maximum grant funding percentages and reimbursement caps

Under this program, maximum grant funding percentages and reimbursement caps for eligible project costs are determined by the project type.

Project Type Maximum Grant Funding Percentage

Per Project Reimbursement Cap

Diesel-to-diesel vehicle replacement or engine repower/replacement

80% $250,000

Diesel-to-alternative fuel vehicle replacement or engine repower/replacement 90% $350,000

Diesel-to-battery-electric, grid or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle replacement or engine repower/replacement

95% $500,000

Marine shore power 90% $350,000

4.3 Maximum per entity award cap

Under this program, the maximum grant award per entity is $750,000. There is no limit to the number of applications a single entity can submit, and a single entity may receive multiple awards.

However, no single entity will be awarded more than $750,000.

4.4 Eligible project costs

Eligible project costs include:

• Replacement units.

• Components necessary for replacement units to perform the same duties as the replaced units (e.g., plow blades, sanders).

• Acquisition and installation of electric vehicle charging (EVC) stations necessary to charge electric replacement units.

• Electrical infrastructure required to and exclusively used to power the necessary EVC.

• Energy storage (i.e., batteries) to supplement power to the necessary EVC.

• EVC maintenance or networking contracts.

• Driver education and training for alternative fuel and electric units.

• Installation of marine shore power systems, including cables, cable management systems, shore power coupler systems, distribution control systems and power distribution components.

4.5 Ineligible project costs

Ineligible project costs include:

• Any costs incurred prior to the effective date of the grant agreement without the prior written approval of NHDES.

• Registration of replacement units.

• Project management, engineering, personnel, and project administration, including preparing/submitting reports, proposals and documentation.

• Scrapping replaced unit.

• Optional or unnecessary components and add-ons.

• Operation and maintenance of system or unit or EVC (excluding maintenance or networking contracts for EVC).

Section 5. Application Scoring and Selection Applications will be reviewed for completeness and eligibility and will be assessed based on scoring criteria approved by a scoring committee. Applicants may be contacted should clarifying information be needed. Incomplete applications may not be scored.

NHDES reserves the right to offer partial funding for any selected application. Upon offer of partial funding, the applicant may request a reduction of the project’s scope. If the applicant requests modification of the project as submitted, the project scoring may be re-evaluated and may result in de-selection of the project. Any award is contingent upon the successful negotiation of final terms.

5.1 Priority New Hampshire communities

The program seeks to prioritize projects benefiting rural or resource-strapped New Hampshire communities. These communities may be economically challenged with fleet and technology procurement, and/or may be disproportionately affected by higher levels of diesel pollution or legacy environmental issues. To this end, NHDES has assembled a list of “Priority New Hampshire communities,” ranked by the percentage of individuals below the poverty line using New Hampshire Employment Security’s New Hampshire Community Profiles data.

Projects benefiting these communities may receive up to five or ten bonus points, depending on the percentage of individuals below the poverty line ranking. The 50 communities with the highest individual poverty rates may receive up to ten (10) bonus points, contingent upon project impact; communities ranked 51-100 on this list may receive up to five (5) bonus points, contingent upon project impact. Please see the full list of Priority New Hampshire communities and their respective bonus point eligibility on the GSCF webpage for more information.

https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/ https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/ https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/inline-documents/sonh/gscf-priority-communities.pdf https://www.des.nh.gov/business-and-community/loans-and-grants/volkswagen-mitigation-trust/granite-state-clean-fleets

5.2 Scoring criteria

Eligible project proposal applications will be ranked competitively based on the following scoring criteria:

Scoring Criteria Maximum Points

Proposal Clarity, Project Readiness & Funding Viability – Application is complete and directly addresses all questions asked. All aspects of project proposal application are thoroughly developed. Project seems feasible within budget and will be completed within a reasonable timeframe.

Cost Effectiveness of NOx Reductions – Calculated using tools provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or National Renewable Energy Laboratory

(NREL). 20

Cost Effectiveness of PM2.5 Reductions – Calculated using tools provided by the EPA or NREL. 20

Cost Effectiveness of CO2 Reductions – Calculated using tools provided by the EPA or NREL. 10

Additional Benefits – Project provides benefits in addition to air quality, such as water quality, noise reduction, scalability, plans to showcase the project and/or economic or workforce development. 10

Total 100

Bonus Criteria Potential Points

Alternative Fuel Bonus:

• 15 points for battery-electric, grid electric or hydrogen fuel cell electric

• 10 points for propane, CNG or plug-in hybrid

• 5 points for conventional hybrid

Priority New Hampshire Communities Bonus – Project impacts an area identified as a Priority New Hampshire Community based on Individuals Below Poverty Line Percentage. Rankings determined using New Hampshire Employment Security’s New Hampshire Community Profiles data.

• Up to 10 points if community is ranked 1-50 in highest percentage of individuals below poverty line, contingent upon project impact.

• Up to 5 points if community is ranked 51-100 in highest percentage of individuals below poverty line, contingent upon project impact.

Total 125

Section 6. Post Award Conditions The Mobile Sources team will work with selected applicants to develop a formal grant agreement to present to G&C for consideration. Any award is contingent upon the successful negotiation of final terms. If negotiations cannot be concluded successfully, NHDES reserves the right to negotiate a grant agreement with other applicant(s) or cancel the RFP. Any award resulting from this RFP shall not be effective until a grant agreement is approved by G&C.

All applicants must provide timely responses to NHDES to enable the development of a grant agreement in a timely manner and, if awarded, must be prepared to comply with the following conditions:

6.1 Administrative conditions

• Provide quarterly reports from the date of G&C approval until two years after project completion, followed by annual reports for a subsequent three years or as specified in the recipient’s grant agreement. Reports must be submitted via a form or template provided by NHDES.

• Register the unit in accordance with New Hampshire law, if applicable.

• Maintain the unit or system in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.

• Not make any modifications to the unit or system.

• Provide all project related documents (including maintenance records) for follow-up inspection by NHDES for five years after G&C approval.

6.2 Scrappage requirements

• Replaced unit must be scrapped.

• Replaced engine(s) and (if applicable) chassis must be scrapped no later than 90 days from the date that the corresponding replacement unit is put into service.

• Scrappage must be accomplished by cutting a minimum 3-inch diameter hole in the engine block and, as applicable, cutting the chassis rails.

• Scrapped engine(s)/chassis and attachments can be sold for scrap/salvage. Funds from such sales may be used to meet the mandatory match.

• Documentation of the scrapped engine(s) including engine model year, engine serial number, engine family number and the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or Product Identification Number (PIN), as applicable, must be provided to NHDES.

• NHDES must be notified at least two weeks prior to scrappage taking place, as NHDES may wish to send a representative as a witness.

Third-party scrappage: Applicants that do not possess an eligible existing unit to scrap may utilize third-party scrappage for the program. Under a third-party scrappage scenario, the applicant and recipient of the grant award may scrap a qualifying unit owned by a third-party to meet the scrappage requirements. Units being scrapped in a third-party scrappage scenario must meet all minimum usage and remaining life requirements of the program as outlined in Section 3.1.

Section 7. RFP Terms and Conditions

7.1 Proposal preparation cost

By submitting a project proposal application (proposal), an applicant agrees that in no event shall NHDES be either responsible for or held liable for any costs incurred by an applicant in the preparation of or in connection with the proposal, or for work performed prior to the effective date of a resulting grant agreement.

7.2 RFP addendum

NHDES reserves the right to amend this RFP at its discretion, prior to the proposal submission deadline. In the event of an addendum to this RFP, NHDES, at its sole discretion, may extend the proposal submission deadline, as it deems appropriate.

7.3 Property of NHDES

All materials received in response to this RFP shall become the property of NHDES and will not be returned to the applicant. Upon grant agreement award, NHDES reserves the right to use any information presented in any proposal.

7.4 Proposal confidentiality

Unless necessary for the approval of a grant agreement, the substance of a proposal must remain confidential until the effective date of any grant agreement resulting from this RFP. An applicant’s disclosure or distribution of proposals other than to NHDES may be grounds for disqualification.

7.5 Public disclosure

The information submitted in response to this RFP (including all materials submitted in connection with it, such as attachments, exhibits, addenda, and presentations), any resulting grant agreement, and information provided during the development of a grant agreement may be subject to public disclosure under Right-to-Know law, including RSA 91-A.

Confidential, commercial or financial information may be exempt from public disclosure under RSA 91-A:5, IV. If an applicant believes any information submitted in response to this RFP is exempt from RSA 91-A as confidential, the applicant must specifically identify that information where it appears in the submission in a manner that draws attention to the designation and must mark/stamp each page of the materials that the applicant claims must be exempt from disclosure as “CONFIDENTIAL.”

Marking or designating an entire proposal, attachment or section as confidential shall neither be accepted nor honored by NHDES. Applicants must also provide a separate copy of the full and complete document, fully redacting those portions and shall note on the applicable page or pages that the redacted portion or portions are “confidential.”

Submissions which do not conform to these instructions by failing to provide a redacted copy (if necessary), by failing to designate the redactions in the manner required by these instructions, or by including redactions which are contrary to these instructions or operative law may be rejected by NHDES as not conforming to the requirements of the RFP.

Pricing, which includes but is not limited to, the administrative costs and other performance guarantees in Proposals or any subsequently awarded grant agreement shall be subject to public disclosure regardless of whether it is marked as confidential.

If a request is made to NHDES to view or receive copies of any portion of an applicant’s proposal, NHDES shall first assess what information it is obligated to release. If NHDES determines that it is obligated to release portions of a document marked “confidential,” NHDES will notify the applicant that a request has been made, and that the information will be released pursuant to the request on a specific date unless the applicant submits a written objection with NHDES prior to the specific release date that clearly explains all of the reasons why the applicant believes the information should not be released. If NHDES does not receive a written response by the specified date, the information will be released. If a response is received, NHDES will provide a copy to the requestor and NHDES will request assistance from the New Hampshire Department of Justice to resolve the dispute.

By submitting a proposal, applicants acknowledge and agree that:

• NHDES may disclose all portions of the proposal or related materials which are not marked as confidential and/or which have not been specifically explained in the letter to the NHDES Mobile Sources team at ms-grants@des.nh.gov;

• NHDES is not obligated to comply with an applicant’s designations regarding confidentiality and must conduct an independent analysis to assess the confidentiality of the information submitted in your proposal; and

• If NHDES determines, pursuant to the criteria in Env-C 208.06, that the information is non-confidential information, it will follow the procedures described in Env-C 208.07.

7.6 Electronic posting of RFP results and resulting grant agreement

Pursuant to RSA 91-A and RSA 9-F:1, the Secretary of State will post to the public any document submitted to G&C for approval, including grant agreements resulting from this RFP, and posts those documents on its website). By submitting a proposal, applicants acknowledge and agree that, in accordance with the above-mentioned statutes and policies, (and regardless of whether any specific request is made to view any document relating to this RFP), any grant agreement resulting from this RFP that is submitted to G&C for approval will be made accessible to the public online.

7.7 Non-commitment

Notwithstanding any other provision of this RFP, this RFP does not commit NHDES to award a grant agreement. NHDES reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject any and all proposals, or any portions thereof, at any time; to cancel this RFP; and to solicit new proposals under a new acquisition process.

mailto:ms-grants@des.nh.gov https://sos.nh.gov/administration/miscellaneous/governor-executive-council/ https://sos.nh.gov/administration/miscellaneous/governor-executive-council/