27N-1.300. Renewable Energy Technologies Grants Program (Transferred)

(1) REQUEST FOR GRANT PROPOSALS.

(a) The department shall issue a request for grant proposals (“RFGP”). The RFGP shall include a copy of the grant application form, instructions for submission of the grant application, and contact information for the department.

(b) The RFGP shall be issued by publication on the Florida Department of Management Services State Vendor Bid System under MyFlorida MarketPlace, and on the department’s website.

(2) QUALIFIED APPLICANTS. Qualified applicants are those applicants identified in Section 377.804(2), F.S., and State of Florida agencies.

(3) APPLICATIONS. Applications for the Renewable Energy Technologies Grants Program shall be submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection, ATTN: Renewable Energy Technologies Grants Program, Renewable Energy Projects, Florida Energy Office, 2600 Blair Stone Road, MS-19, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400 as follows:

(a) Six copies of the application shall be submitted in hard copy format, using application Form 62-16.900(1) which is adopted and incorporated by reference at subsection 62-16.900(1), F.A.C. One copy shall be submitted in electronic format on compact disc at the same time as the hard copy. Acceptable formats for electronic versions are Microsoft Word for Windows versions 5.0 or higher; and Rich Text Format. Acceptable formats for electronic versions of the signed commitment letters required by Form 62-16.900(1) from third parties are Adobe PDF; Microsoft Word for Windows versions 5.0 or higher; and Rich Text Format.

(b) Applications must be received by the department no later than 5:00 p.m. on the date specified by the department in the RFGP.

(c) The application filing deadline shall be extended by the department when the department determines specifically for this grant program that extenuating circumstances exist, such as a hurricane or other natural disaster. Any deadline extension shall apply for all applicants. The department shall publish notice of the deadline extension on the Florida Department of Management Services State Vendor Bid System under MyFlorida MarketPlace, and on the department’s web site.

(d) For grant requests, the minimum allowable amount for an application to be eligible for consideration for award shall be $50 thousand, and the maximum allowable amount shall be $2.5 million.

(e) COMPLETENESS. Any application which does not include all required information shall be determined incomplete and ineligible for the award of the grant sought. The department shall notify the applicant of the determination of ineligibility.

(f) An applicant is not eligible for award of a grant if at the time the department determines the recipients for the grant:

1. The department has a pending civil or administrative action against the applicant that alleges that the applicant has committed violations of Chapters 373, 376, or 403, F.S., or the department rules implementing these statutes; or

2. The department has a final judgment or final order finding that the applicant has committed violations of Chapter 373, 376, or 403, F.S., unless the applicant has satisfied all requirements for corrective actions and has paid all costs, civil penalties, damages, and other financial assessments required by the judgment or order; or

3. The applicant has entered into a consent order with the department, unless the applicant has satisfied all requirements for corrective actions and has paid all costs, civil penalties, damages, and other financial assessments required by the consent order.

(4) CRITERIA.

(a) The criteria listed in Section 377.804(4), F.S., shall apply to grants evaluated pursuant to Sections 377.804(1) through 377.804(5), F.S.

(b) In addition to the criteria in Section 377.804(4), F.S., grant applications shall be evaluated for the degree to which a project incorporates multiple renewable energy technologies.

(5) MATCHING FUNDS.

(a) For matching funds, the minimum allowable amount for an application to be eligible for consideration for award shall be $1.00.

(b) All matching funds and other in-kind contributions, including third party in-kind, shall be verifiable from the applicant’s and/or its partners’ records, and not be included as contributions for any other state-assisted project or program.

(c) Expenses related to a proposed project incurred prior to the award announcement are not eligible as matching funds or in-kind contributions.

(d) State funds are not eligible as matching funds or in-kind contributions.

(6) RANKING.

(a) The department shall use a point system to score grants. In scoring grants, points shall be awarded as follows:

 

Criteria	Max Points Possible
Cost Share Percentage1	20
Economic Development2	16
Technical Feasibility3	16
Innovative Technology4	16
Production Potential5	16
Energy Efficiency6	16
Fostering Awareness7	16
Project Management8	16
Duration & Timeline9	6
Location Served10	4
Public Integration11	4
Multiple Technologies12	4
Total Numerical Rating	150

 

1Cost Share Percentage: The availability of matching funds or other in-kind contributions applied to the total project from the applicant.

0 points = $1.00 up to and including 1% of total project cost.

2 points = Greater than 1% up to and including 10% of total project cost.

4 points = Greater than 10% up to and including 20% of total project cost.

6 points = Greater than 20% up to and including 30% of total project cost.

8 points = Greater than 30% up to and including 40% of total project cost.

10 points = Greater than 40% up to and including 50% of total project cost.

12 points = Greater than 50% up to and including 60% of total project cost.

14 points = Greater than 60% up to and including 70% of total project cost.

16 points = Greater than 70% up to and including 80% of total project cost.

18 points = Greater than 80% up to and including 90% of total project cost.

20 points = Greater than 90% of total project cost.

2Economic Development: The degree to which the project stimulates in-state capital investment and economic development in metropolitan and rural areas, including the creation of jobs and the future development of a commercial market for renewable energy technologies.

Minimum (0 points): Negative contribution or this element of the evaluation criteria was not addressed.

Maximum (16 points): Significant potential for economic development in Florida.

3Technical Feasibility: The extent to which the proposed project has been demonstrated to be technically feasible based on pilot project demonstrations, laboratory testing, scientific modeling, or engineering or chemical theory that supports the proposal.

Minimum (0 points): No proof of feasibility or this element of the evaluation criteria was not addressed.

Maximum (16 points): Project demonstrated to be technically feasible and claims are fully supported.

4 Innovative Technology: The degree to which the project incorporates an innovative new technology or an innovative application of an existing technology.

Minimum (0 points): No degree of innovation or this element of the evaluation criteria was not addressed.

Maximum (16 points): Project incorporates technologies or processes that are not in common use in Florida, that represent a novel application of an existing technology or process, or that overcome obstacles to meeting Florida’s energy needs in new or innovative ways.

5 Production Potential: The degree to which a project generates thermal, mechanical, or electrical energy by means of a renewable energy resource that has substantial long-term production potential.

Minimum (0 points): No production potential or this element of the evaluation criteria was not addressed.

Maximum (16 points): Significant potential for energy production in Florida.

6 Energy Efficiency: The degree to which a project demonstrates efficient use of energy and material resources.

Minimum (0 points): No consideration for energy efficiency or pollution prevention or this element of the evaluation criteria was not addressed.

Maximum (16 points): Project incorporates energy efficient products and practices including process improvements that lead to source reduction, waste minimization, and on-site recycling.

7Fostering Awareness: The degree to which the project fosters overall understanding and appreciation of renewable energy technologies.

Minimum (0 points): No contribution or this element of the evaluation criteria was not addressed.

Maximum (16 points): Significant potential for fostering awareness of renewable energy technologies throughout Florida.

8Project Management: The ability to administer a complete project.

Minimum (0 points): Project team mismatched for tasks identified. No prior management experience on project team. Budget is unrealistic.

Maximum (16 points): Project team has extensive management experience and expertise in the proposed field of study. Budget suited to tasks involved.

9Duration & Timelines: Project duration and timeline for expenditures.

Minimum (0 points): Project objectives will not be met and grant funds will not be exhausted within the 3 year grant agreement timeframe.

Maximum (6 points): No difficulty accomplishing project objectives and expending funds within grant agreement timeframe.

10Location Served: The geographic area in which the project is to be conducted in relation to other projects.

Minimum (0 points): Project duplicates existing efforts in the county or counties in which the project is proposed, minimizing its potential value to the community and state.

Maximum (4 points): Location of project benefits related efforts in the county or counties in which the project is proposed and surrounding areas, creating value for the community and state.

11Public Integration: The degree of public visibility and interaction.

Minimum (0 points): No visibility and interaction with the general public or this element of the evaluation criteria was not addressed.

Maximum (4 points): Significant potential for public visibility and interaction.

12Multiple Technologies: The degree to which a project incorporates multiple renewable energy technologies in the project.

0 points = One renewable energy technology is used.

2 points = Two renewable energy technologies are used.

4 points = Three or more renewable energy technologies are used.

(b) The department shall establish a review group of no less than 3 people, who shall each individually review grant applications, and score each application according to the point system provided in paragraph (6)(a).

(c) Score points from all reviewers shall be ranked and averaged as follows:

1. Each reviewer shall rank each eligible application by assigning a ranking number to each eligible application based on the score of the individual application compared to all other applications reviewed by that reviewer. For example, the top scored application shall be assigned a ranking number of 1, the second highest scored application shall be assigned a ranking number of 2, the third highest scored application shall be assigned a ranking number of 3, and so on, until all eligible applications are ranked.

2. After all eligible applications are ranked by the individual reviewers, the ranking numbers from all reviewers for each individual application shall be averaged.

(7) AWARD. The department shall award grants based upon highest averaged ranking and availability of funding, with 1 being the highest ranking. Grants shall be awarded to the top ranked application first, to the second highest ranked application second, and so on until the total amount of the fiscal appropriation in each state fiscal year is met.

(a) The maximum amount for an individual award shall be limited to $2.5 million.

(b) The minimum amount for an individual award shall be limited to $50 thousand.

(c) The department shall award up to the total amount requested in individual grant applications to the top ranked grant applicants up to the maximum amount allowed under paragraph (7)(a). If funds are not available to award the total amount requested by an applicant due to awards of grants to higher ranked applications, the department may award partial grants to applicants up to the amount of the fiscal appropriation remaining in each state fiscal year.

(d) In the instance of a ranking tie between two or more applications, the application proposing the higher percentage of match shall be ranked higher. In the instance of a ranking tie between two or more applications, and those applications propose the same percentage of match, the individual scores of the reviewers shall be added, and the application with the higher added reviewer scores shall be ranked higher. If there is still a tie, then the application submitted earlier in date shall be ranked higher.

(8) ADMINISTRATION.

(a) Grant funds must be awarded through a formal grant agreement negotiated and executed between the department and the grant applicant. Either party has the discretion to terminate negotiations if an agreement is not reached within 45 days of announcement of award. If the department and the grant applicant are unable to negotiate an agreement, the grant shall not be awarded to that grant applicant.

(b) Grant agreements shall be limited to no longer than three years in duration.

(c) Grant funds shall be distributed as reimbursements to recipients upon receipt of a formal invoice, supporting documentation, and upon department grant manager approval for compliance with all requirements of the grant agreement, this rule chapter, and the Florida Statutes.

(d) Invoices shall be submitted by grantees not more frequently than once per month, and not less frequently than once per quarter.

(e) Expenses incurred by a grantee and its project partners for its project after the execution of a formal grant agreement shall be considered as match based upon the requirements of Section 377.804, FS., and this chapter.

(f) Expenses incurred by a grantee and its project partners for its project between the date of a notice of grant award and execution of formal grant agreement shall be considered as match if the proposed match would meet all requirements of this rule chapter and Chapter 377, F.S., which would be otherwise applicable to an awarded grant, and if the proposed match would not violate any other provisions of the law. The department shall determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether such expenses qualify for match. Approval of such expenses as match are subject to negotiation of the grant agreement, and prior written approval by the department is required. Consideration as match is not guaranteed.

Specific Authority 377.804(3) FS. Law Implemented 377.802, 377.804 FS. History–New 10-22-07, Formerly 62-16.300.