Second round of awards announced
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announces more than $739,000 awarded to state government agencies to install Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations. These awards are the final grants that will be awarded through the North Carolina Volkswagen Settlement Program, which has distributed more than $92 million for clean vehicles and EV chargers.
Round 1 Funding
DAQ announced grant awards to state agencies on Oct. 17, 2022.
These 103 charging ports will be installed at 25 sites, including state parks, museums, aquariums, government office buildings, universities, and community colleges. In this program, 22 of the charging ports will be in historically under-resourced counties. Thirteen of those chargers will be used to charge state agency fleet vehicles and support Governor Cooper’s efforts under Executive Order No. 80 to transition the state motor fleet to zero-emission vehicles, while the remainder will be available for public use.
In the first round of program funding, $1 million in Volkswagen funds were allocated to the Level 2 State Agency Program to install Level 2 electric vehicle charging infrastructure at state-maintained facilities and attractions.
| Program | Eligible Action Category | Program Funding Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2 State Agency Program (round 1) - Completed |
Light Duty Zero Emission Vehicle Supply Equipment |
$1,009,684 |
| Level 2 State Agency Program (round 2) - Completed | $739,839 | |
| Total | $1,749,523 | |
Round 2 Funding
DAQ announced grant awards to state agencies on Nov. 20, 2023.
These 50 charging ports will be installed at 17 sites, including state parks, museums, aquariums, government office buildings, universities, and community colleges. In this program, 16 of the charging ports will be in historically under-resourced counties. Ten of the chargers will be available to charge state agency fleet vehicles and support Governor Cooper’s efforts under Executive Order No. 80 to transition the state motor fleet to zero-emission vehicles, while the remainder will be available for public use.
Timeline
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Release of RFP | June 1, 2023 |
| PDF reference application available on program webpage | June 1, 2023 |
| Program RFP information session | June 15, 2023 |
| Information sessions will be online and registration is required. Dates and times will be posted below under the Level 2 State Agency Applicant Webinar section. | |
| Application available in DAQ Grants Management System | July 3, 2023 |
| Proposal application must be submitted in DAQ Grants Management System | September 1, 2023 |
| Proposal application evaluations | September - October 2023 |
| Phase 2 project selections | October 2022 |
| Grant awards announced | November 2023 |
Eligibility
Eligible projects were submitted by:
-
NC State Government Agencies and state maintained attractions. NC State Government Agencies include state agencies, departments, institutions, public universities and community colleges. State maintained attractions includes state parks, aquariums, museums, etc. State agencies are subject to using contractors approved on the mandatory Statewide Term Contract 691A – Electric Vehicle Charging Station Equipment, Accessories Installation & Infrastructure.
- Additionally, any project applications submitted by public-private partnerships where the lead applicant represents a state agency or state managed attraction listed above.
For full details, read the Request for Proposal.
Funding Levels - Level 2 State Agency
| Project Type | Maximum % of Total Project Costs* |
|---|---|
| Public Access, Networked | 100% |
| Public Access, Non-networked | 80% |
| No Public Access, Networked or Non-networked | 60% |
*NCDEQ reserves the right to partially fund an application based on available funds.
Program Applicant Webinar
A webinar on the Level 2 State Agency Program Request for Proposals was held on June 15, 2023, from 10am - 12pm, for interested stakeholders and state agency applicants. During this webinar, staff discussed the RFP and the requirements, answer questions regarding the Level 2 State Agency Request for Proposals and the application.
Additional guests from the Governor's Office and the NC Department of Administration discussed electrification of state fleet vehicles, State Term Contracts for charging infrastructure and vehicles, and work to identify state fleet vehicles best suited to transition to an EV. Additionally, guests from the NC Clean Energy Technology Center also discussed their CFAT grant program and the opportunity for state agencies to leverage funding from both programs to fund infrastructure projects.
A recording of this webinar along with a downloadable copy of the presentation can be found in the Documents and Workshops Section below.
Documents and Workshops
Before you submit your application, check your eligibility in the RFP.
Download the Level 2 State Agency PDF Reference Application
Download the Level 2 State Agency Application Spreadsheet
Download Required Attachments Checklist
This checklist includes all the required attachments for applications.
Helpful Documents
Send Questions to DAQ VW Grants
- Read the RFP and check your project eligibility before applying
- Register for an NCID
A sample application from Phase 1 data entered into the DAQ Grants Management System is provided below.
Example Level 2 State Agency Application
View the recording of the Level 2 State Agency Program webinar held on June 15, 2023.
View the recording of the Level 2 State Agency Program webinar held on March 14, 2022.
Are there Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment vendor constraints? Or is any vendor that aligns with the RFP criteria permitted?
Vendors have to be on the Department of Administration (DOA) state contractor’s list
Does the government entity have to own the charger, or can anyone own it as long as it’s on gov’t property?
Whichever state agency applied for funding, either on state owned or leased property – so ownership must be by the state.
Please explain the requirements for public access – only when the parking lot is open? Only when the building / site is open? We close our buildings and lots overnight and Sundays.
Chargers must be accessible during business hours to the public without restriction
What does “networked” versus “non-networked” mean?
Networked changers provide data to the owners and operators across the system. Non-networked changers do not provide this information unless it is downloaded. Check the resources list for a more detailed answer.
Once the charging station goes live, which government agencies will regulate the charging station / inspections?
NC DEQ staff inspects the station after it goes live.
Several of the NC aquariums fall outside the routes identified – are those allowed for this funding?
Map is for DC Fast charging – this program is different, and the map doesn’t matter here.
If we pay a vendor to help us complete the grant, will that count against us since we have started working on the project?
Application time frame extends until the end of May 2022. Projects cannot start until you have a Fully Executed Contract
Do you have standardized language for a survey of employees? Or should we make up our own?
No, there is no template. A list of people engaged in having charging stations would be helpful for project selection
Are the charging stations regulated by any other agency? Like gas stations etc.?
No, the station is regulated by the state agency that applied for funding. The only thing that is regulated is the cost of charging.