CFI Project FAQ

ARC’s application was developed on behalf of our entire metropolitan transportation planning area, which includes 19 counties and over 100 cities.

Charging stations will be built at 75 to 100 locations around the region, with each location featuring a minimum of four charging ports.

Locations have not been determined yet. Emphasis will be given to placing chargers in communities which may otherwise be overlooked by the free market. Most chargers will likely be located in the parking lots of everyday destinations such as shopping centers, grocery stores, pharmacies, and government service centers.

The private sector implementation partner will be responsible for defining an initial universe of potential locations. That list will be reviewed to ensure it aligns with requirements that will be defined by ARC. If any significant gaps in regionwide coverage are identified, ARC will work with stakeholders to identify potential additional locations for consideration. The engagement process for finalizing charging station locations has not yet been defined.

We’ll be looking for sites where the land is already disturbed, such as parking lots. This will greatly streamline the environmental review and permitting processes. To further expedite the rollout process, the implementation partner should already have right of access agreements in place to install and maintain equipment at a range of sites around the region. Charging stations can be located on either public or private property, but must be accessible to the general public 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

The funding application which ARC submitted to USDOT proposed that there would be no cost to the consumer. This would include any kilowatt-hour taxes or fees imposed by local, state or federal agencies.  The minimum period for which the electricity must be provided free-of-charge will be five years, but the private sector partner may propose a longer timeframe.

It will be up to the private sector implementation partner to define a business model where this outcome is achieved. ARC believes this can be accomplished in a variety of ways, such as generating revenue through advertisements on the charging equipment, partnering in cost-sharing agreements with the business owners/managers of the property, or installing the equipment in conjunction with other revenue generating services. Other creative approaches will be encouraged and considered.

The private sector implementation partner will own all the EV charging infrastructure they install. Per federal requirements of the CFI program, they will be required to operate and maintain the equipment for a minimum of five years. Following that, the equipment owner will be free to transfer ownership and all ongoing responsibilities to another entity at its discretion.

Possibly. ARC will encourage the private sector implementation partner to deliver a solution which can also serve these other mobility options. However, it’s not likely this will be a “make or break” requirement in selecting a partner.

Since the project will use federal funds, ARC must allow a fair and open process for companies in the EV industry to compete for this project. Interested entities are invited to respond to a request for proposals (RFP) and the partner will be selected using an objective evaluation and scoring process. The precise selection methodology is defined in the RFP, but will be heavily based on the firm’s demonstrated ability to deliver on the expectations outlined in this FAQ document. The proposal may be submitted by a single firm, or a collaboration of more than one firm.

The CFI project webpage contains a link to sign up for updates. The registration form allows you to indicate what your particular area of interest in the project is.

Due to the nature of the project, ARC expects the lead applicant to be a firm which has a proven track record of providing reliable EV charging infrastructure solutions and has the expertise to install, operate and maintain all equipment. The overall project, however, will include scope elements that may fall outside the normal business model of such a firm, such as environmental review/clearance, permitting, safety analyses, traffic engineering, and community engagement. The full range of services to be provided will be defined in the RFP.  ARC may secure the services of a consultant team, through other funding sources, to assist the EV charging partner in these activities so that CFI funding can be maximized on the purchase and installation of charging equipment.  However, the EV charging partner will still need to include qualified staff on its team to work with any firm(s) which ARC selects on these ancillary elements of the project work scope.

ARC is unable to play matchmaker and cannot release a list of individuals or companies who have expressed interest in the project.  Firms which provide planning/engineering services and wish to work with an EV charging company on this project can sign up at the link on the CFI project webpage. They will receive notice that the RFP has been released and are free to pursue partnership opportunities with charging companies at their discretion.

The federal funding associated with this project requires a minimum 20% match, which must be provided by the private sector implementation partner. This means that the $6.1 million of CFI funding will require a minimum contribution of approximately $1.5 million from the selected partner. To fully implement the project’s defined vision of 300 to 400 charging ports at 75 to 100 locations around the region, it’s possible that the private sector contribution will need to be in excess of the $1.5 million, however.  In addition, costs associated with activities not directly related to site selection, environmental reviews, and the construction, purchase, and installation of EV charging equipment will not be permissible charges against the available CFI funding.  Permitting, safety reviews, traffic engineering, community engagement, and administrative management costs must be borne entirely by the implementation partner.

Following receipt of proposals (due June 27), it will take several weeks to evaluate them, determine a winner, and negotiate a contract with the winning firm(s).  Completion of the project will be defined during the procurement and contracting process, but ARC expects an initial set of sites to be operational within approximately one year of the NTP.  All stations implemented using CFI funds under ARC’s agreement with FHWA must be operational no later than March 31, 2029.  A more defined schedule with acceptable milestone completion dates is included as part of the RFP.  Applicants will be free to propose a more aggressive delivery schedule at their discretion and this will be a factor in the evaluation/selection process.

The email registration link on the CFI project webpage is also available for individuals who are interested in the project for reasons other than as a business opportunity. If you’re a property owner/manager, representative of a local government, an energy supplier, or just have a general interest, please sign up. Once the project gets underway, we hope to keep everybody updated through quarterly newsletters and/or by direct email at key milestones.