Engage stakeholders and coordinate with utilities, NEVI report recommends

A new report from energy, transportation and public policy groups recommends that states work closely with stakeholders and with utility companies when applying for the next round of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) awards.

According to a new report out from the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and Atlas Public Policy, there are seven key recommendations for applying for the next round of NEVI solicitations. The report stems from applicant feedback from the first round of NEVI awards, officials said.

Among the recommendations are engaging early on with stakeholders and being clear in what the proposed solicitation is.

“Once a draft solicitation is complete, publishing it for public comment and proactively sharing it with potential applicants for feedback provides states with an opportunity to revise procurement documents before formal solicitations are published,” the report authors said. “In addition to engaging with energy experts, soliciting input from EVSPs and site hosts at the solicitation design stage can help produce more relevant and productive applications. Additionally, conducting a proactive outreach campaign can help identify and address questions efficiently.”

Another key recommendation, the report found was coordinating application efforts with utility companies. Those interviewed said state offices could avoid two pain points – estimating interconnection costs, and obtaining written commitments from utilities at the application stage – could be avoided by working early on with utility companies.

“When scoping EV charging sites for NEVI, coordinating with local electric utilities is critical,” the report said. “States can continue to work with their electric utilities to navigate… challenges.”

Additionally, the report said, it is key to provide flexibility on geographic siting.

“Because NEVI aims to expand the national charging network’s geographic footprint to enable long-range nationwide travel, site location is critically important,” the report said. “States are balancing where they intend to encourage EV charging station development with the existing network of transportation infrastructure and amenities. To best support applicants in siting potential NEVI projects, states should provide clarity in their solicitations around site criteria and allow flexibility relative to site locations when possible.”

The report authors said the recommendations came as a result of interviews EVSPs, including ChargePoint, Electrify America, EVgo, Jule, and Tesla, as well as EVSPs that operate as site hosts like Applegreen Charging and BP Pulse/Travel Centers of America; and site hosts like Pilot and Love’s. The authors said the goal was to provide key recommendations for NEVI state programs as they approach applying for a second round of funding.

“The first round of NEVI implementation has solicited many successful applications, reflecting the use of effective practices by state NEVI programs already,” the report said. “As states prepare to disseminate subsequent rounds of funding, these recommendations reinforce approaches that have been successful and highlight strategies that could improve the process for applicants and NEVI program administrators. Ultimately, well-designed solicitations can and should encourage quality proposals to build out EV charging infrastructure at a high standard, as well as streamline the resources required of applicants to respond and program officers to process applications.”
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