Opportunity number
693JJ323NF00004
Agency
Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Program
Federal Highway Administration
Link
Website
Due date
May 30, 2023
Location
National
Sector
Accessibility Climate Change Community Development Equity Infrastructure Sustainability Transportation Workforce Development
Project funding
More than $500,000 per program.
Program funding
$700M
Funding size
$0.5M or more

Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program

RFP Summary provided by the agency

The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program), established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with the following goals:

  • supplement, not supplant, necessary private sector investment
  • complement existing Federal programs; 3) facilitate broad public access to a national charging and alternative fuel infrastructure network to accelerate adoption of zero emissions vehicles
  • implement Justice40 objectives, lower transportation costs, and increase economic opportunity
  • advance job quality, workforce development, and workforce equity
  • reduce greenhouse gas and vehicle-related emissions

This $700 million program is divided into two separate grant categories:

Community Grants 

  • Up to $350 million for the Community Charging and Fueling Program Grants (Community Program), to strategically deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, hydrogen fueling infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure, and natural gas fueling infrastructure located on public roads or in other publicly accessible locations owned or managed by a private entity (See Note below).
  • Must be publicly accessible.
  • May use funds to contract with a private entity.
  • Minimum award amount of $500,000, maximum award amount of $15 million.
  • Must address environmental justice.
  • Expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to expand or fill gaps in access to publicly accessible infrastructure.
  • Must be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

Corridor Grants

  • Up to $350 million for the Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program), to strategically deploy charging and alternative fueling infrastructure located along designated alternative fuel corridors.
  • Located along a designated AFC; EV charging within 1 mile and other alternative fuels within 5 miles of the AFC.
  • Must be publicly accessible.
  • Minimum award amount of $1 million14, no maximum award amount.
  • Must use funds to contract with a private entity.
  • Must address environmental justice.
  • Must be accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.

Note:

  • Publicly accessible means the equipment is available to the public without restriction. A station that is not maintained or restricts access only to customers, tenants, employees, or other consumers is not publicly accessible. Publicly accessible locations may include public parking facilities, parking at public buildings, public transportation stations, Park-and-Rides, public schools, public parks, private parking facilities available for public use, and visitor centers and other public locations on Federal Lands. See Guidance here
  • While applicants can choose to apply for only one grant program, this combined solicitation allows applicants to simultaneously apply for funding under both programs by submitting only one application. To the extent possible, all applications will be considered for both the Community and the Corridor programs.
  • The FHWA seeks to award funding under this notice to projects that address environmental justice, particularly for communities (prioritizing rural areas and low- and moderate-income neighborhoods) that may disproportionately experience the consequences from climate change and other pollutants.
  • The FHWA seeks to fund projects that help achieve the goal that at least 40 percent of benefits flow towards low-income communities, disadvantaged communities, communities underserved by affordable transportation, or overburdened communities.
  • In addition, FHWA intends to use this funding opportunity to support the creation of good-paying jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union and the incorporation of strong labor standards and diverse workforce programs, in particular registered apprenticeships, labor management partnerships and Local Hire agreements, in project planning stages and program delivery.

Recipients of an award under this program related to EV infrastructure are required to comply fully with applicable sections of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements (23 CFR Part 680).12 These Standards specify technical aspects of chargers including connector types, power levels, minimum number of charging ports per station, minimum uptime (reliability standards), payment methods, and more; data submittal requirements; workforce requirements for installation, operation, or maintenance by qualified technicians; interoperability of EV charging infrastructure; traffic control devices and signage; network connectivity; and publicly available information

Information Links:

  • Webinar Details: USDOT held informational webinars on 3/21 and 3/22/2023 regarding this Funding Opportunity entitled Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program. Recording here Passcode: i#l2b6UV
  • National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Standards and Requirements here 
  • Program website

What is the mission and focus of the program: research, social, economic or others?

Accelerate the implementation and adoption of innovation in highway transportation

How do you submit to this opportunity?

Electronic applications must be received at grants.gov. The project must be authorized within 6 months of applying for AID Demonstration funding. Completed applications will be evaluated and award determinations made on a rolling basis until the program ends or funding is no longer available.

Who are the target applicants: cities, universities, companies, small business, nonprofits, or others?

  • A State or political subdivision of a State
  • A metropolitan planning organization
  • A unit of local government
  • A special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority
  • An Indian Tribe
  • A territory of the United States
  • An authority, agency, or instrumentality of, or an entity owned by, 1 or more entities as listed above
  • A group of entities as listed above
  • A State or local authority with ownership of publicly accessible transportation facilities (In-eligible for the Corridor Program)

Eligible projects for Community Program:

Community Program grants may be awarded to any project that is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to expand or fill gaps in access to eligible infrastructure.

  • Eligible infrastructure is publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure, hydrogen fueling infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure, or natural gas fueling infrastructure. Propane fueling infrastructure is limited to infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
  • Projects may be located on any public road or in other publicly accessible locations, such as parking facilities at public buildings, public schools, and public parks, or in publicly accessible parking facilities owned or managed by a private entity.

Eligible project Costs

  • Acquisition and installation of eligible infrastructure (as defined above). An applicant that receives a CFI grant for installation of eligible infrastructure may also use grant funds for:
    o Any related construction or reconstruction and the acquisition of real property directly related to the project.28
    o Development phase activities, including planning, feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, environmental review, preliminary engineering and design work, and other preconstruction activities.
    o Contracting with a private entity for the acquisition, construction, installation, maintenance, or operation of eligible infrastructure included in the project.30
  • Educational and community engagement activities to develop and implement education programs through partnerships with schools, community organizations, and vehicle dealerships to support the use of zero-emission vehicles and associated infrastructure (may not exceed more than 5 percent of the grant amount awarded).

Eligible projects for Corridor Program:

Corridor Program grants are expected to support buildout of charging or alternative fueling infrastructure along designated AFCs

  • Corridor Program grants must be awarded to any project that contracts with a private entity for acquisition and installation, or operation, of eligible infrastructure.
    o Eligible infrastructure is publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure, hydrogen fueling infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure, or natural gas fueling infrastructure that is directly related to the charging or fueling of a vehicle. Propane fueling infrastructure is limited to infrastructure for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
    o Projects must be located along an alternative fuel corridor designated under this section, on the condition that any affected Indian tribes are consulted before the designation.
    o EV charging infrastructure should be conveniently and safely located as close to the AFC as possible, and, in general, no greater than one mile from Interstate exits or highway intersections along designated corridors.
    o Hydrogen fueling infrastructure, propane fueling infrastructure, and natural gas fueling infrastructure should be conveniently and safely located as close to the AFC as possible, and, in general, no greater than five miles from Interstate exits or highway intersections along designated corridors.

Eligible project Costs

  • Contracting with a private entity for acquisition and installation of eligible infrastructure (as defined above).
  • Providing a private entity with operating assistance for the first 5 years of operations after the installation of eligible infrastructure while the facility transitions to independent system operations.
    o Operating assistance shall be limited to costs allocable to operating and maintaining the eligible infrastructure and service and may not exceed the amount of a contract to acquire and install eligible infrastructure.
  • An applicant that receives a CFI grant for acquisition and installation, or operations, of eligible infrastructure may also use grant funds for acquisition and installation of traffic control devices located in the right-of-way to provide directional information to eligible infrastructure included in the project.

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