NEW - Request for Engagement
Inflation Reduction Act - Assistance for Latest and Zero Building Energy Code Adoption
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) is seeking feedback and potential partners for its application to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for funding related to Assistance for Latest and Zero Building Energy Code Adoption. Responses to this Request for Engagement (RFE) are due by August 14, 2024. The response form is available at the bottom of this RFE.
This RFE is not a competitive procurement. Qualified partners identified through this RFE may act only as subrecipients to this federal funding opportunity. Subrecipient partners may not provide goods or services to DOER related to the program for which they are a subrecipient. Any future contractor partners would be procured through an official competitive process.
Background
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) provides states and local governments with the authority to adopt and implement the latest building energy codes, zero energy building codes, or equivalent codes or standards. Adoption and implementation of such codes supports the decarbonization of new and existing residential and commercial buildings. As set forth in the program requirements for Assistance of Latest and Zero Building Energy Code Adoption, states may seek funding for activities regarding the adoption, implementation, training, enforcement, and measurement of compliance rates of specified building energy codes.
DOER, in consultation with the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) and the Division of Occupational Licensure (DOL), is looking to develop programs to utilize federal funding awarded by formula to the state. The funding opportunity permits funding in a series of categories shown below with approximate funding allocations:
| Category | Technical Assistance with Code Adoption | Code Implementation | Code Compliance and Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Base Code (LMC) | $400,000 | $800,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Commercial Base Code (LMC) | $390,000 | $780,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Residential Specialized Code (ZEC) | $280,000 | $500,000 | $740,000 |
| Commercial Specialized Code (ZEC) | $270,000 | $500,000 | $720,000 |
Current Status
The current Massachusetts base energy code for residential buildings is the IECC2018 with Massachusetts amendments, and the current Massachusetts base energy code for commercial buildings is the IECC2018 (and by extension ASHRAE 90.1-2016) with Massachusetts amendments. Jointly, these represent the current 9th edition base building energy code in the Commonwealth. In addition, DOER develops and adopts two additional building energy code options: a Stretch energy opt-in code and a Specialized opt-in code that offer municipalities in Massachusetts the option to adopt higher performing building energy codes.
Future Updates
DOER is seeking funding from DOE to be used for the adoption, implementation, and compliance and enforcement of the base energy code and the Specialized energy code for both residential and commercial construction. The base energy code funding may be used for both the 2021 IECC and 2024 IECC model codes with strengthening Massachusetts amendments, to be known as the 10th edition base energy code (2021 IECC with MA amendments) and the 11th edition base energy code (2024 IECC with MA amendments).
Massachusetts has already published qualifying Stretch and Specialized building energy codes for both residential and commercial construction, which are available to municipalities in Massachusetts to adopt and implement as a package (i.e., Residential and Commercial must be adopted together and unamended), and is seeking funds for local adoption, implementation, compliance and enforcement.
Partners
DOER is seeking feedback and potential partners to assist with Technical Assistance, Adoption, Implementation, and Compliance and Enforcement to accomplish the following goals:
- Adoption
- Increasing compliance rates (workforce training, enforcement)
- Capacity building and staff
- Educating jurisdictions, stakeholders, and diverse communities about the benefits of updated codes
- Improving resilience of buildings
- Providing meaningful health/affordability benefits to disadvantaged communities
DOER is seeking suggestions and partnerships to go beyond what is currently available. For example, new training will be needed on the skills necessary to meet certification requirements, rather than the code training, which is already available through the Mass Save® energy code training and technical support. Potential partners may include, but are not limited to, private and non-profit building code certifiers, trainers and associations, building science experts, and critical community interests.
Any selected subrecipients will be expected to contribute to the application and deliver programming designed to achieve federal program objectives. DOER reserves the right to select none, one, or more subrecipients. Additional entities required to deliver the initiatives will be competitively procured following receipt of federal grant funds.
If you are interested in engaging or partnering with DOER on the application, please submit this Request for Engagement Response form by August 14, 2024. Please send questions to Jodi Hanover, Decarbonization Grants Program Officer, Department of Energy Resources (jodi.hanover@mass.gov). Please include “Codes Formula” in the subject line of your email.
Letters of Support from DOER
Please review the information below before requesting a Letter of Support from DOER.
Overview & Terms
For federal funding opportunities where DOER is not an applicant or a partner to an applicant, DOER welcomes applicants to submit a Request for a Letter of Support about how the proposed project (Proposed Project) meets DOER and Commonwealth of Massachusetts energy goals. DOER will review Requests for a Letter of Support and provide a Letter of Support, at its discretion, for applications that are found to meet key Commonwealth energy goals, as determined by DOER. DOER will not review full applications and will not evaluate project design, nor will it compare application summaries that are applying to the same funding opportunity.
Please note that Letters of Support will not commit DOER or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in any manner to the Proposed Project, nor will the issuance of such Letters of Support include commitments of state funding or project management or represent a commitment or obligation to support, financially or otherwise, any Proposed Project.
Any Letter of Support issued by DOER shall be considered a public record and shall be public. The information Applicants submit to DOER in their Request for Support Letter shall be considered public, unless specifically identified as confidential energy information. However, DOER will only keep any such specifically identified confidential energy information confidential to the extent permitted by law and shall not be liable for any disclosure. As such confidential information cannot be included in DOER’s Letter of Support, Applicants should limit including or relying on this confidential information as much as possible in their Requests.
How to Request a Letter of Support from DOER
Make sure to provide enough time (preferably two weeks or more) for DOER to review your request prior to the due date of the associated federal funding opportunity application.
Interested parties must Request a Letter of Support through the online form below to ensure prompt review and approval.
If DOER needs any clarification on the request, we may reach out to you using the submitted primary contact’s email address. If you have questions on the form, or if you encounter an issue when using the form, please contact Christina Moroney-Ebarb, Federal Program Coordinator at DOER, via email (christina.moroney-ebarb@mass.gov). Please include “Request for Letter of Support” in the subject line of your email.
Information on Requests for Engagement (RFE)
RFE on a Federal Grant Opportunity Overview & Purpose
DOER may post an RFE on this webpage in relation to federal funding opportunities where DOER is an eligible and interested applicant.
RFE announcements may have any of the following objectives:
- DOER to share information about the federal funding opportunity;
- DOER to collect stakeholder thoughts on the opportunity, including asking specific questions;
- DOER to identify potential funded and unfunded subrecipients to the application;
- DOER to solicit potential support; and
- DOER to understand program impacts on disadvantaged populations and environmental justice communities.
RFE Terms & Confidentiality
Information received through these RFE will be used by DOER to build and refine application design. Responses will not be considered confidential unless DOER states otherwise. DOER will consider a response as indicative of openness to engage on the application and may contact respondents with updates on the federal funding opportunity.
Subrecipient Roles & Responsibilities
If DOER selects any organization(s)/entity(ies) as a subrecipient through a RFE, subrecipients are expected to assist with designing the proposal and completing the application; and will be named in any final application submission. Depending on the federal opportunity, subrecipients may be required to provide a cost match. Please see the RFE for more details on each opportunity.
If a federal funding application submitted by DOER is chosen for award, subrecipients must sign a subrecipient agreement with DOER. Subrecipients must act independently within this agreement with limited oversight or project management from DOER. Subrecipients cannot provide commercially available services or goods to DOER with the subrecipient funding but will still be able to participate in future competitive procurements.
How Subrecipients are Selected
The following is a non-exhaustive list of RFE respondent qualifications DOER may prefer when selecting a potential subrecipient(s):
- Respondents that can improve the competitiveness of the application (e.g. DOE has indicated a preference for partners in general or specific types of partners or subrecipients propose work that is significantly aligned with the goals of the federal funding opportunity);
- Respondents that can perform tasks or work not normally completed by DOER;
- Respondents seeking no or limited profit from the opportunity;
- Respondents can demonstrate supplier diversity and diversity, equity, and inclusion plans,
- Respondents that can provide a cost match, financing support, or are not seeking funding; and
- Respondents that can build coalitions where their participation does not exclude other subrecipients.
RFE Timelines & Updates
All subrecipient identification timelines will be dependent on the federal funding opportunity and application deadlines.
DOER Announcements & Updates on Federal Funding Opportunities
DOER Submits Initial Applications to the U.S. Department of Energy to Receive Home Energy Rebates Programs Funding
On March 18, 2024, DOER held a public input session to gather public feedback on the initial proposal for implementing the Home Energy Rebates Programs. In addition to verbal comments received during the public input session, DOER accepted written comments. DOER greatly appreciates all the public input. Many comments directly impacted the DOER application and DOER will continue to rely on other comments as the more detailed implementation plans are developed.
DOER has submitted the initial applications to DOE to receive the Commonwealth’s Home Energy Rebates Programs funding allocation. This application requires DOE approval and further submission of documentation by DOER, though it marks the biggest step toward securing the Commonwealth’s funding from the Home Energy Rebates Programs.
Following this application, DOER will be required to develop a State Implementation Blueprint. This will provide further details on the programs, and will include additional materials, including a Community Benefits Plan, Education and Outreach Strategy, Consumer Protection Plan, Utility Data Access Plan, and Privacy and Security Risk Assessment for State Systems. DOE approval on the State Implementation Blueprint is required before programs can be launched.
Answers to frequently asked questions from the public input sessions and public comments are available to be viewed, with answers based on the DOER application to DOE.
DOER intends to implement the Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) funding through one existing and one new program, as follows:
- HER program delivery targeting 1-4 unit housing in communities served by Municipal Light Plants (MLP-HER) for customers not served by the Mass Save® program.
- MLP-HER is a new funding program designed to support residential customers of the 40 Municipal Light Plant (MLP) cities and towns in Massachusetts that do not currently participate in the Mass Save energy efficiency programs offered by the investor-owned utilities and energy efficiency service providers. The program design of MLP-HER builds on a prior demonstration scale program administered by DOER from 2018-2020 – the Home Energy Market Value Performance (Home MVP) Program – which incentivized energy savings primarily via heat pumps and weatherization for just over 500 homes.
- Additional funding for the DOER Affordable Housing Decarbonization Grant Program (AHD), targeting multi-family affordable deed-restricted rental housing statewide.
- This program has an initial $50M in state-provided project funding and an additional $3.5M in technical assistance funds. Project funding launched in 2023 and technical assistance funds are expected to be launched in mid-2024. DOER announced the first round of project awards in November 2023 and is currently reviewing a robust second round. HER funds awarded to AHD projects will augment the DOER and other state funds awarded to these projects where needed to close funding gaps. This combined funding will allow AHD projects to go forward when they otherwise would not, enabling them to achieve high levels of electrification and efficiency improvements over the historical baseline and the traditional refinance capital investment.
DOER intends to implement the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) funding by integrating the federal funding into Mass Save. The HEAR rebates will be delivered through two Mass Save programs:
- The long-standing income eligible program serving households at or below 60% State Median Income (SMI) for single-family/60% AMI for multifamily, and
- a newly expanded moderate-income initiative providing enhanced rebates and services to households in the income range of 61-80% AMI.
DOER will continue to engage the public during the implementation of the proposed new and expanding programs. DOER expects to begin receiving funding from DOE by the end of 2024 (contingent on DOE approval and timelines), with implementation to begin in early 2025.
Sign up for our mailing list to stay up to date on future information about the IRA Home Energy Rebates.
About the Inflation Reduction Act Home Energy Rebates Programs
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Pub. L. 117-169, was signed by President Biden on August 16, 2022. The law authorized the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to administer two Home Energy Rebate Programs and included funding opportunities for states to implement the programs:
- Section 50121: Home Energy Performance-Based, Whole House Rebates (Referred to as Home Efficiency Rebates or HER)
- Section 50122: High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program (Referred to as Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates or HEAR)
Together, these two provisions are referred to as the Home Energy Rebates.
The Home Energy Rebates Programs together authorize $8.8 billion in funds nationally for the benefit of U.S. households and home upgrades, to be distributed by State Energy Offices and Indian Tribes. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) is the Commonwealth’s energy office, and in turn will be responsible for designing and implementing the Commonwealth’s allocation of Home Energy Rebates funds from DOE. The federal funds allocated to Massachusetts are: $73,086,125 (HER) and $72,809,130 (HEAR).
On January 18, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a Request for Information on Inflation Reduction Act Home Efficiency & Electrification Rebate Programs (RFI). DOER received public input that helped inform its response to the DOE and will help inform design of the state program.
Previous Requests for Engagement (RFEs) & Notices of Interest (NOIs)
[Expired] - Notice of Interest - Federal Workforce Development Funding Applications
Training for Residential Energy Contractors (TREC) & Energy Auditor Training (EAT) Federal Workforce Development Funding Applications
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued funding opportunity announcements for workforce development programs, including:
- a State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training, also known as Training for Residential Energy Contractors (TREC) Competitive program, and
- an Energy Auditor Training (EAT) program.
DOER and MassCEC asked for Notice of Interest (NOI) Responses from parties interested in participating in the programs, including as a subrecipient in the application, by June 28, 2024 to be considered for the grant applications. DOER and MassCEC are no longer collecting NOI responses. Applications for the Energy Auditor Training Program were due on July 12, 2024. On June 26, 2024, the TREC application deadline was extended to January 15, 2025.
DOER and MassCEC are developing programs designed to support clean energy job creation, increase access to energy efficiency opportunities for underrepresented workers and businesses, and collaborate with workforce and community organizations. As an eligible applicant, DOER asked for NOI responses to identify partnerships and cross-disciplinary collaborators to develop the following proposed programs:
Training for Residential Energy Contractors (TREC) Competitive: The proposed program will focus on rural workforce development strategies to provide accessible clean energy job training opportunities to residents in rural communities and training deserts in Massachusetts. Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources submitted a Letter of Intent to apply under Topic Area 2: Innovative, Effective, and Equitable Workforce Development Programs. The proposed program will focus on rural communities that have significant gaps in climate workforce training resources as identified in the MassCEC Workforce Needs Assessment – Berkshire Region, Cape Cod and Islands Region, and portions of Pioneer Valley, specifically the Northeast corner of the region, near Charlemont, Hawley, and Orange. The program will include a Climate Service Corps program for young adults ages 18-24, which would offer work and service-based learning, career navigation, training, and on-ramps to full-time long-term employment. DOE-recognized training and certifications for TREC may include those related to: Heat Pump Installation, Heat Pump Comfort Advising, Heat Pump Water Heater Installation, Home Energy Audit (Single and Multifamily), Envelope Retrofit Program (not yet detailed). For more information, please see the U.S. DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Energy Auditor Training (EAT): The proposed program will train energy auditors to work in the small to medium sized commercial building sector. This program will be implemented across the Commonwealth and will be designed to address the need for energy efficiency and decarbonization services for public, private, and non-profit owned small to medium-sized commercial buildings. The program will provide support to develop additional energy auditors as well as address the immediate workforce shortage and upskilling needs among existing workers and contractors. EAT will connect participants trained through the program with career opportunities that promote job quality and economic mobility, and will provide expanded support elements that can address additional skills development and provide expanded access to work-based learning and on-the-job training. For more information, please see the U.S. DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Both proposed programs will create high-quality jobs, provide necessary supports (stipends, childcare, transportation, etc.) to encourage successful program participation and completion, recruit and retain workers from historically underrepresented or excluded groups, and engage with local governments and host communities, especially disadvantaged communities. Additional information on the proposed programs is available in the slide deck, Workforce Grant Applications – Proposed Programs for TREC & EAT.
DOER and MassCEC asked for NOI responses to identify entities that have interest in active participation in either or both of the programs through different roles, functions, and partnerships as listed below, with a preference for entities that can serve in at least two of these roles. The NOI was not a competitive procurement. Qualified partners identified through the NOI may act only as subrecipients to this federal funding opportunity. Subrecipient partners may not provide goods or services to DOER related to the program for which they are a subrecipient. Any future contractor partners would be procured through an official competitive process.
The NOI Response Form will also be used to better understand (a) how the proposed programs might support the goals, functions, and needs of such entities, and (b) what expertise and capabilities such entities might bring to the programs. Under this NOI, DOER and MassCEC asked for information, expressions of interest, and statements of qualifications from organizations who are interested in a role in the programs and will use the information contained in the responses submitted to inform plans and decisions pertaining to the proposed program and grant application, selection of subrecipients, and for the development of a future Request for Proposals. DOER and MassCEC may request follow-up meetings to discuss an entity’s response to seek clarification and/or additional information.
Partners may include entities that can provide:
- New or enhanced contractor training
- Employer engagement (for instances with contractors and other businesses who currently employ or would employ participants who successfully complete a program)
- Community outreach, including TREC focus rural areas (Berkshires, Cape/Islands, Pioneer Valley) and Justice40 communities
- Recruitment and retention strategies and services
- Organized labor collaboration
- Other relevant potential partnerships
This NOI is not intended to legally bind any party and can be withdrawn at any time and for any reason.
[Expired] - Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grants Program
On August 29, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a funding opportunity of up to $300 million in grants to accelerate and strengthen electric transmission siting and permitting processes. The Transmission Siting and Economic Development (TSED) grant program is a new initiative designed to overcome state and local challenges to expanding transmission capacity while also supporting communities along major new and upgraded lines.
After August 29, 2023, DOER asked for concept papers that explored or supported an application for Area of Interest 2 – Economic Development, where eligible applicants must be a state, local, or Tribal governmental entity. DOE anticipates Area of Interest 2 awards will be between $100,000 and $50 million per award. Eligible projects must be related to an eligible “covered transmission project” and promote economic development in communities that may be impacted by the construction or operation of a “covered transmission project”.
A “covered transmission project” is defined as a “high voltage interstate or offshore electricity transmission line” for which an entity has applied for, or informed a siting authority of an intent to apply for, regulatory approval, and that is proposed to be constructed and to operate:
- At a minimum of 275 kilovolts of either alternating-current or direct-current electric energy by an entity; or
- Offshore and at a minimum of 200 kilovolts of either alternating-current or direct-current electric energy by an entity.
In Massachusetts, the relevant siting authority is the Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB). The following eligible transmission projects are currently before the EFSB:
- New England Wind 1 Connector (Park City Wind LLC, EFSB 20-01/D.P.U. 20-56/20-57). Affected communities: Barnstable
- SouthCoast Wind 1 (SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC (Brayton Point) EFSB 22-04/D.P.U. 22-67/22-68). Affected communities: Somerset
- New England Wind 2 Connector (Commonwealth Wind LLC, EFSB 22-06; D.P.U. 22-105/22-106). Affected communities: Barnstable
DOER asked for:
- (1) information from transmission developers of any additional transmission projects that may be eligible under this funding opportunity (e.g. projects likely to reach a final decision on any application relating to the siting or permitting of the applicable covered transmission project within two years of receiving a grant under this funding opportunity). DOER intends to share this information on this website and with communities to develop potential applications.
- (2) interest from affected communities and associated organizations to discuss local needs; and identify one or more economic development activities that may include (but are not limited to) sub-grant programs, local energy democratization and resilience projects, development of community facilities, etc. More examples of eligible economic development activities may be found in the funding opportunity announcement (FOA).
Concept Papers were due October 31, 2023.
[Expired] - Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) Program
On August 1, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced plans for a new funding initiative to support the creation or expansion of existing, state-based programs or initiatives that improve renewable energy planning, communication tools, and siting processes for local communities. The Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program seeks to expand the decision-making capacity and expertise of state and local governments around large-scale renewable energy planning, siting, and permitting.
As an eligible applicant, DOER was interested in identifying partnerships and cross-disciplinary collaborators to develop a Massachusetts-based program and application that will improve renewable energy siting in the Commonwealth while engaging local governments and host communities, especially disadvantaged communities. Activities eligible under this DOE opportunity included but were not limited to:
- Engaging with local governments and communities to identify renewable energy siting and planning priorities,
- Hiring and subcontracting to expand technical capacity and leverage experts in the region or state,
- Developing state-specific resources that could improve siting practices and outcomes for local communities and the renewable energy industry, and
- Conducting trainings and workshops with local governments to improve technical understanding of renewable energy siting.
Interested collaborators were encouraged to reach out DOER by September 15, 2023.
[Expired] - Grid Innovation Program (Section 40103(b))
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), was signed by President Biden on November 15, 2021. This law included billions of dollars in funding opportunities for energy infrastructure projects, some of which is to be awarded through states. The Grid Innovation Program (GIP), outlined in Section 40103(b) of the BIL, is intended to fund projects that improve grid reliability and resilience using advanced technologies and innovative partnerships and approaches. States were eligible to apply for GIP funding, with $1.82 billion in total funding available and project awards of $250 million, or up to $1 billion for interregional transmission projects.
On November 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the GIP. As an eligible entity, DOER was interested in information that supported pursuing GIP funding and submitting Concept Papers to the U.S. DOE by the January 13, 2023 deadline. DOER also explored coordination with neighboring states to collaborate on this effort. DOER could submit more than one Concept Paper and Full Application to this FOA, provided that each application describes a unique, scientifically distinct project and provided that an eligible Concept Paper was submitted for each Full Application.
To assist DOER in exploring development of a Concept Paper and potential application for the GIP, DOER requested a Notice of Interest (NOI) and Draft Concept Paper from any project developers interested in proposing projects for DOER to consider including as part of a funding application to the GIP. Interested parties were requested to submit a Notice of Interest and Draft Concept Paper as outlined in the Notice of Interest to DOER and Questions for Draft Concept Papers to DOER by December 22, 2022.
Confidential Information provided in the Notice of Interest is treated as confidential energy information, to the extent permitted by law. Pursuant to DOER’s authority under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 25A, Section 7, certain energy and other information collected by DOER can be maintained for the sole and confidential use of the Commonwealth, its agencies, and offices. DOER may also apply any applicable exemption under the Commonwealth’s public records law. Energy information collected under this section may be confidentially shared with the energy offices of other states which afford such information similar protection from public disclosure. In the event confidential information is submitted to DOER and confidential treatment is not afforded for any reason, by a governmental agency or otherwise, DOER shall not be held responsible. Should any party seek further information regarding the treatment of this information under Massachusetts’ public records law, please email Marian Swain of DOER at marian.swain@mass.gov.
This request for Notices of Interest and Draft Concept Paper does not obligate DOER or any other state entities to pursue a Concept Paper or application.
Other States’ NOI Requests
Other New England States also released Requests for Notices of Interest and Draft Concept Papers for the GIP program (see links below). Massachusetts coordinated on this effort with these neighboring states and encouraged developers with projects of regional benefit to submit NOIs and Draft Concept Papers to these states as well as to MA DOER.
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (responses were due 12/23/22 by 5:00 pm)
Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (responses were due 12/28/22 by 5:00 pm)
Maine Governor’s Energy Office and the Maine Public Utilities Commission (responses were due 12/30/22 by 5:00 pm)