National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Round 2

The Delaware Department of Transportation is requesting proposals for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Round 2 program to deploy, operate, and maintain public electric vehicle charging stations across Delaware, with proposals due August 4, 2026 at 2:00 PM local time and questions due July 21, 2026.

Delaware receives $17.7 million over five years under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; $8 million is currently available for this round. The maximum funding award is the lesser of requested Community EV Charging Infrastructure Grant Funds or 80 percent federal cost share of eligible costs, requiring a 20 percent non-federal match. Vendors may submit proposals for multiple charging station sites, with each site requiring separate Technical and Financial Proposals but only one Administrative Proposal per proposer.

The scope encompasses Level 2 and DC fast charging (DCFC) stations at publicly accessible locations such as parking facilities at public buildings, schools, parks, or privately managed sites. Corridor sites (positioned no farther than one mile from designated Alternative Fuel Corridors including I-95, SR-1, US-13, and US-113; half-mile proximity preferred) must include at least four DCFC ports capable of simultaneous 150kW delivery with minimum 600kW total capacity. Non-corridor sites require minimum four network-connected ports of either DCFC or AC Level 2. All equipment must maintain at least 97 percent uptime throughout five years, remain publicly accessible 24/7, and be operational within one year of contract award with minimum five-year warranty and maintenance. Eligible expenses include charging infrastructure acquisition and installation, operation and maintenance costs for up to five years, workforce development training, grid updates, ADA compliance modifications, and data-sharing infrastructure. Real estate purchase, used or refurbished equipment, electricity costs, and insurance are ineligible.

Proposals are evaluated on community benefit and impact (55 points), project feasibility (25 points), accessibility (10 points), and cost-effectiveness (10 points). Contract award is expected within 90 days of bid opening. The successful vendor's contract is valid for six years with options to extend for up to two additional one-year periods. No DBE participation goal has been established due to current certification limitations. Bid bonds of 10 percent of bid value and performance bonds of 100 percent of award are required. Mandatory insurance includes worker's compensation, commercial general liability, medical/professional liability, product liability, and automotive liability with specified minimum limits. All proposals must be submitted electronically in searchable PDF format through https://deldot.bonfirehub.com/portal/. Vendors must demonstrate prior EV installations completed within the past five years, with specific focus on Delaware projects.