Connecticut Department of Transportation
Request for Proposals
2007 - Connecticut Clean Fuel Program
Funds Available
The Connecticut Department of Transportation has allocated funds for Clean Fuel Vehicles in fiscal year 2007.
Deadline
Requests for Proposals shall be received by 4:00pm EDST, May 25, 2007. It is anticipated that the initial awards will be announced July 1, 2007.
All awarded funds are required to be claimed and expended by December 31, 2008.
Alt Fuel Program 2007 Application (Word format) Alt Fuel Program 2007 Application (PDF Format)
Eligibility Requirements
· Public entities including state agencies, town governments, city governments, municipal governments, municipal utilities, or transit districts.
· Profit or non-profit organizations which provide public transportation.
Abbreviations
AFV – Alternative Fuel Vehicle
CCF – Connecticut Clean Fuel program
CFV – Clean Fuel Vehicle
ConnDOT – Connecticut Department of Transportation
OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer
RFP – Request for Proposal
Introduction
The Connecticut Clean Fuel (CCF) program is intended to improve air quality, reduce our dependency on petroleum based fuels and enhance public awareness of alternative fuel based technologies in the automotive and transportation industries by providing incentives for public entities to adopt clean fuel technologies.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) is seeking municipal, state and private agencies that want to add alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) or clean fuel vehicles (CFV) to their fleet operations. Typically, clean fuel vehicles tend to operate as hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), or operate on compressed natural gas (CNG), propane (LPG), flex-fuel (FFV), hydrogen, fuel cells or electricity (EV).
These technologies may provide cost savings in purchased fuel and vehicle maintenance, as well as reduce emissions and improve compliance with environmental quality standards.
Program Description
ConnDOT is seeking proposals from eligible applicants who want to add, operate, and maintain AFVs or CFVs to their fleet operations. The CCF program has a secondary goal of increasing the awareness of alternative fuel vehicle availability and the availability of funding through ConnDOT for providing for the purchase of these vehicles.
Since the purchase cost of an AFV or CFV tends to be higher than the conventional gas powered vehicle, CCF program intends to fund the incremental cost associated with the purchase of an AFV or CFV. It is important to note that only new Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) models are eligible for reimbursement.
Examples of AFVs or CFVs eligible for reimbursement.
1. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV).
2. Compressed natural gas vehicles (CNG).
3. Other alternative vehicles.
· Electric vehicles (EV).
· Hydrogen vehicles
· Fuel cell vehicles.
· Propane vehicles (LPG).
4. Eligible vehicles.
· Passenger Automobiles
· Buses – Transit, Shuttle, or Para-transit.
· Trucks – Light duty, Medium duty, or Heavy duty.
· Utility vehicles.
· Vans – Cargo or Passenger.
Funding Guidelines
1. This program will supplement the incremental cost of an OEM, AFV or CFV:
2. The applicant is responsible for providing an OEM invoice and, if requested to do so, an invoice from a comparable vehicle to assist ConnDOT and/or its contractor in determining the eligible incremental cost of the purchase.
3. Specialized AFVs or CFVs can be awarded incremental funding. The applicant must provide an OEM invoice statement from a conventional gas or diesel powered counterpart or similar make and model to serve as a basis for ConnDOT and/or its contractor (2Plus) to determine the incremental cost of the AFV/CFV. The invoice must show all credits, rebates, or other incentive funding that the applicant has or will receive.
Several AFVs and CFVs have entered into the market and may not have a conventional gas or diesel powered counterpart, however, these vehicles maybe eligible for reimbursement. ConnDOT and/or its contractor will determine eligibility and award amounts for all vehicles requested through this RFP.
Non Eligible Vehicles
Any vehicle purchased outside of the executed agreement between the applicant and the state is ineligible for reimbursement.
Reimbursement
Submitting a proposal does not guarantee that funding will be awarded. The proposal must have been awarded and the applicant must have an executed agreement with ConnDOT in order to receive reimbursement. The applicant is responsible for expending its own monies first, and then is reimbursed for the award amount specified in the agreement. Without a fully executed agreement in place, the applicant assumes all costs for all purchases.
Below is the proposed timeline for this program.
1. Proposals must be received by 4:00pm EDT on May 25, 2007.
2. Eligible applicants will be notified if their proposal was approved, modified, or denied on, or after July 1, 2007.
3. The notification of approval or modification will indicate the award amount. The applicant must accept the award amount and the program terms and conditions within 30 days of receiving the notification in order to remain eligible to receive funding. The applicant will then enter into the agreement process with ConnDOT. ConnDOT will not provide reimbursement for any vehicle purchases made prior to having a fully-executed agreement in place.
4. The applicant will have until December 31, 2008 to purchase the approved vehicle and claim the incremental funding for this project. After this date the agreement will become invalid.
All awardees must adhere to the guidelines of this RFP prior to being reimbursed.
Alt Fuel Program 2007 Application (Word format) Alt Fuel Program 2007 Application (PDF Format)
Request for Proposal Outline
Please refer to the contact list for any questions regarding this RFP. Applicants may be disqualified if portions of their proposal are missing or may be asked to submit additional information regarding their proposals.
Proposals shall have the following information submitted in order to be considered:
1. Cover page. Include the following information:
A. Applicant’s name and affiliation
Mailing address
Phone and fax numbers
B. Contact information
Name and affiliation
Mailing address
Phone and fax numbers
Email address
2. A summary of existing operations that includes the following information:
- A description of the organization.
- A description of the existing fleet operation including existing vehicle types, maintenance facilities, existing fueling stations used, specific operational tasks per vehicle type, and miles driven per year per vehicle type.
3. Proposed AFV/CFV purchase(s). Provide a summary that includes the following information:
- A detailed list of vehicles the applicant is proposing for reimbursement under the CCF program.
- If applicable, will the vehicle(s) require an alternative fuel station? If yes, where will the vehicle(s) be fueled and how many miles away is the fueling station?
4. Specialized vehicle purchases. Provide the following information:
- Provide any relevant information that would determine the award amount. Include the OEM invoice price for the proposed purchase and an OEM invoice price of a similar make and model.
5. Purpose and need. Provide a project summary including the following information:
- Will the purchase of this AFV/CFV replace an existing vehicle or expand current fleet operations? If expanding, please describe your needs for expansion.
- Who will be the primary operator of the vehicle and who will benefit?
- What are the organizational benefits of this purchase?
- Please describe how the AFV/CFV will be used including specific tasks, estimated yearly mileage, and estimated hours of operation.
6. A secondary goal of this program is an education and outreach effort to enhance public awareness of alternative fuel technologies. Explain how the applicant will foster this effort.
7. Optional. Please provide any additional information that would assist the committee. (One page maximum)
Reimbursement Guidelines
· Vehicles are to be purchased directly from a dealer and must be original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicles.
· The name and address of the applicant in charge of purchasing must be provided.
· The make, model and VIN of each purchased vehicle must be provided.
· The dealership name, address, and phone number and name of the sales representative must be provided.
· A copy of the final invoice price of the AFV/CFV or OEM invoice of the other alternative or specialized vehicle must be provided.
· A copy of proof of insurance must be submitted.
· ConnDOT reserves the right to perform spot inspections to verify purchases of AFV.
All awardees must adhere to the guidelines of this RFP prior to being reimbursed.
Evaluation Criteria
- Proposed usage of vehicle. (35%)
- Funding requested in relation to the total cost of the AFV/CFV and appropriateness of the AFV/CFV to perform the tasks described by the applicant. (30%)
- Experience of personnel assigned to carry out the requirements set forth in the guidelines. (25%)
- Applicant’s education and outreach goals to enhance public awareness. (10%)
Awards
Award letters and agreements will be provided to those eligible applicants whose proposals most closely meet the standards as outlined within this program.
Contact List
2Plus, Incorporated has been hired by ConnDOT to coordinate the CCF program. As the ConnDOT contractor, 2Plus will be the primary contact for all correspondences and inquiries regarding this RFP.
All RFPs and future guideline submittals shall be addressed to:
2Plus, Incorporated Phone (860) 242-1722 ext. 104
1800 Silas Deane Highway #305-N Fax (860) 740-6109
P.O. Box 97 E-mail: travis@2plus.com
Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Attn: Dr. Travis Bradshaw
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