Bidding Opportunities
Thank you for your interest in bidding opportunities with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
Please see the links below to visit the page for the type of bidding opportunity you are interested in.
Business Support Administrative Goods and Services Bidding Opportunities
Below please find a list of IPM Administrative Goods and Services bidding opportunities currently being offered by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Please see the listing below for the opportunity that is of interest to you:
SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS ARE DUE BY: September 8, 2023 2:00 PM (ET)
PROPOSALS ARE DUE BY: September 26, 2023 2:00PM(ET)
QUESTIONS ARE DUE BY: May 1, 2023 2:00PM(ET)
PROPOSALS ARE DUE BY: May 22, 2023 2:00PM(ET)
REal Estate Procurement opportunities
Below please find a list of Real Estate procurement opportunities currently being offered by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Please see the listing below for the opportunity that is of interest to you:
Currently there are no open bidding opportunities. Please check back often. New opportunities are posted as they become available. Thank you.
Questions are due: September 26th at 1:00pm
Qualification Submittals are due: October 10th at 1:00pm
- 0000060 – Addendum #1
- 0000060 – Legal Notice
- 0000060 – 2023-RERFQ-0000060
- 0000060 – Exhibit A-1 – Contractor’s Qualification Statement – AIA Document A305
- 0000060 – Exhibit A-2 – RCM 1
- 0000060 – Exhibit B – Acknowledgement of Receipt of Addenda / Q&A form
- 0000060 – Exhibit C – Submittal Checklist
- 0000060 – Exhibit D – Notice of Executive Order 166 Requirement for Posting Winning Proposal and Contract Documents
- 0000060 – Exhibit E – Notice of Required State of New Jersey Compliance (Informational Purposes)
- 0000060 – Exhibit F – Notice of Required Terms Relating To All Contracts Funded, In Whole or In Part, By Federal Funds (Informational Purposes)
- 0000060 – Exhibit G – Insurance Requirements (Informational Purposes)
- 0000060 – Exhibit H – Terms and Conditions Relating to Contracting With Minority, Women and Veteran Owned Businesses
Questions are due: September 11th at 2:00pm
Qualification Submittals are due: September 29, 2023 at 2:00pm
- 0000059 – Addendum #2
- 0000059 – 2023-RERFQ 0000059-REVISED
- 0000059 – Addendum #1: September 15, 2023
- 0000059 – Legal Notice
- 0000059 – 2023-RERFQ-0000059
- 0000059 – Exhibit A – Professional Services Qualification Statement (PSQS)
- 0000059 – Exhibit B – RFQ Firm Project Matrix
- 0000059 – Exhibit D – Acknowledgement of Receipt of Addenda / Q&A form
- 0000059 – Exhibit E – Submittal Checklist
- 0000059 – Exhibit F – Notice of Required State Compliance
Industry Engagement – Requests for Information (RFI)
Below please find a list of RFIs currently being offered by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Please see the listing below for the RFI that is of interest to you:
New Jersey Economic Development Authority
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
2023-RFI-180 for Commercial Building Decarbonization
NJEDA is extending the deadline to submit responses to the Commercial Building Decarbonization RFI to 5:00 pm EDT on July 24, 2023.
INTENT/SUMMARY OF SCOPE
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (“Authority,” “NJEDA,” or “EDA”), an independent authority of the State of New Jersey, is seeking information and ideas from qualified entities (“Respondents”) regarding potential programs and funding allocations from the EDA to support commercial building decarbonization projects in the State. Specifically, the EDA would be focusing on potential programs for commercial buildings, but these may also include institutional, industrial, and larger multifamily buildings.
Building decarbonization refers to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. This includes, but is not limited to, reducing operational emissions via fuel switching; beneficial electrification; energy efficiency improvements; on-site renewable energy generation and storage; replacement, repairs, or installation of leak detection systems for highly warming refrigerants; and implementation of demand responsive building systems. In addition, embodied carbon can be considered, which includes also evaluating the lifecycle emission impacts of the materials that make up the physical construction of the building. Reducing embodied carbon for a building includes evaluating and reducing emissions resulting from a building material’s extraction, manufacturing, transport, construction, maintenance, and disposal.
The Authority is interested in receiving information (including but not limited to comments, questions, recommendations, white papers, tools, case studies, information, ideas, references, and general responses, e.g., willingness to participate in a focus group) that will help it to shape new programs and initiatives to accelerate building decarbonization within the commercial building sector within New Jersey. More specifically, this RFI aims to help the Authority better understand:
- The key opportunities and barriers (financial, policy, regulatory, technological, logistical) around decarbonization of commercial buildings in New Jersey.
- Specific partnerships, funding, programs, and/or other resources needed to enable building decarbonization projects to occur.
BACKGROUND
The Authority serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The Authority is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on strategies that help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the Authority creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness.
Under the leadership of Governor Murphy, New Jersey has taken bold action to reduce climate pollutants and accelerate the transition to clean energy, while fostering growth of our clean energy economy. The State has set several key energy and climate targets, including transitioning to 100% clean electricity by 2035 (Murphy E.O. 315). The “Global Warming Response Act”, P.L. 2007, c.112, (“GWRA”) commits New Jersey to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 2006 levels by 2050, and as updated within Murphy E.O. 274, to 50% below 2006 levels by 2030.
Governor Murphy has furthered the push for building decarbonization in the State with the goal that, by December 31, 2030, 400,000 additional dwelling units and 20,000 additional commercial spaces and/or public facilities statewide will utilize electric systems for space heating/cooling and water heating (Murphy E.O. 316).
Buildings currently are the second highest source of overall greenhouse gas emissions (26% of total emissions) in the State. Commercial buildings alone account for 10% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the State (NJDEP Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Dec. 2022). Most building-generated direct greenhouse gas emissions result from space heating via energy derived from fossil fuel combustion. A smaller portion is derived from similar energy used for water heating and cooking. Greenhouse gas emissions from electric consumption within buildings are already accounted for via overall electric generation sources (21% of the State’s total emissions).
Therefore, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector is a critical strategy for reducing overall statewide emissions. This work includes retrofitting and upgrading existing buildings in the State while also constructing new buildings to highly efficient and net zero carbon/energy standards. As outlined in the State’s 2019 Energy Master Plan, successfully acting to combat the threat of climate change includes expanding the clean energy innovation economy to “support the growth of in-state clean energy industries through workforce training, clean energy finance solutions, and investing in innovative research and development programs.”
In accordance with a statewide effort to address environmental justice (Murphy E.O. 23), the Authority is committed to prioritizing building decarbonization and clean energy investments in the State’s overburdened communities—those that have been subject to a disproportionally high number of environmental and public health stressors due to a legacy of historically siting sources of pollution in low-income communities and communities of color.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The RFI is seeking responses from all interested stakeholders. Specifically, this RFI welcomes input from entities, organizations, and individuals including:
- Commercial building owners and property developers of all development models and sizes, including those with single buildings or larger portfolios
- Financial institutions involved in real estate transactions and construction financing
- Building management, maintenance, and operations personnel
- Building construction businesses and workers, including but not limited to industry associations, chambers of commerce, and unions
- Other businesses and associated trade groups (restaurants, manufacturers, retailers, grocers, etc.)
- Building design professionals (engineers, architects, planners, modelers, etc.), especially those with experience in green buildings, energy management, and building decarbonization approaches
- Subject matter experts and entities with expertise on green building technologies and best practices, including research institutions
- Manufacturers and installers for electric heating and cooling systems (including heat pumps, VRF systems) and other electric appliances
- Energy efficiency, building envelope, and related contractors
- Utility providers and operators
- Environmental and other public policy-focused organizations
- Organizations representing Environmental Justice communities (together with individual representatives of these communities)
- Jurisdictional and regulatory representatives (from NJ, all other states and territories, and international sources)
Qualified entities do not need to be located within the State of New Jersey to provide a response.
RFI RESPONSE QUESTIONS
In submitting responses to this RFI, respondents are encouraged to answer any questions they consider relevant and to the best of their ability. Respondents do not need to answer all questions for their response to be considered. Answers are understood to be preliminary and non-binding. Respondents are free to go beyond the scope of the questions and/or structure responses as necessary to increase clarity and efficiency of responses. Respondents should also feel free to submit additional or alternate information as deemed necessary and appropriate.
The NJEDA is considering establishing programs to support building decarbonization projects in New Jersey for the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors. Potential programs are intended to provide financial support for building decarbonization projects for retrofits and/or new construction. Projects may include, but are not limited to, electrifying building systems/appliances, conducting energy efficiency improvements, and related work that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from the State’s buildings sector. Financial support may be in the form of low interest/forgivable loans, grants, and/or other financing mechanisms. In particular, the NJEDA is looking to understand what kind of additional financial support it can provide to complement other existing building incentive and financing programs offered from its public and private partners.
The questions within this RFI are intended to garner feedback on potential programs and priorities, as well as solicit general information from relevant stakeholders.
Background
- Please provide information on you/your entity’s background (name, location, organization/business type and size), and your involvement or interest in building decarbonization. How do you define building decarbonization?
Building Decarbonization Projects
2. Given New Jersey’s clean energy goals and commitment to building decarbonization, what specific actions would you recommend the NJEDA take to accelerate building decarbonization in the State?
3. What are the major financial barriers (e.g., construction/installation costs, operational costs, access to capital, enabling work required, investment payback period, etc.) and non-financial barriers (e.g., regulatory barriers, lack of familiarity with new building system technologies, operational and reliability issues, procurement timelines, space constraints, etc.) to the pursuance of building decarbonization projects in New Jersey?
a. How can these barriers be addressed and overcome?
4. Where are there gaps in existing incentive programs (considering all incentives at the local, utility, state, and federal level) that are meant to encourage adoption of energy efficiency improvements, implementation of on-site renewable energy generation, and similar projects related to building decarbonization goals?
a. Are there project costs not adequately covered by incentives that prohibit participation in building decarbonization?
b. Is the timeline for awarding incentives within the overall project schedule sufficient to encourage participation?
5. For what kind of projects [size (capital cost or square footage), building type (style or material), occupant use] is additional financial support for building decarbonization most needed?
a. During what phase (design, procurement, construction, commissioning, etc.) of a typical construction project (renovation or new construction) would this support be most valuable?
6. Does the recognition from securing industry-recognized building certifications (i.e., LEED, ILFI, Passive House, etc.) provide any/sufficient incentive for pursuing building decarbonization projects?
a. Are these certifications appropriate metrics to use for properly evaluating a building’s emissions/energy performance, or should other approaches be used?
b. Are there barriers (i.e., administrative time, application fees) to securing these building certifications that impact decisions on whether to pursue net-zero energy/carbon building design on a given project?
7. Are there any specific or notable barriers to building decarbonization projects that are unique to overburdened communities?
a. How can these barriers be overcome or eliminated?
b. In what ways can residents of overburdened and environmental justice communities be supported to engage in building decarbonization projects both in their own communities and beyond?
c. How could a program best support the inclusion of small and diverse businesses in the building decarbonization economy?
Building Decarbonization Strategies and Technologies
8. Which technologies that support building decarbonization are most viable for adoption in New Jersey in the immediate term? Which technologies are not (or not yet) viable for adoption? Please explain your reasoning and provide any supporting references.
9. Please describe the factors that are considered when deciding when to replace or upgrade building systems and determining what technologies should be utilized if replacement occurs. This includes MEP systems, appliances, and building envelope components.
10. Do building owners and/or business owners have sufficient sources of information to make informed decisions on which technologies or equipment to adopt in their buildings?
a. Are building operations and maintenance personnel adequately trained and comfortable working with new technologies?
b. If not, what possible steps could be taken to help support education and information sharing to support building decarbonization adoption?
11. To what extent does consideration of embodied carbon (i.e., lifecycle emissions impact of building materials and construction/deconstruction methods) factor into project decisions about building design and construction?
a. In what ways could financial support accelerate the consideration of embodied carbon on a project level or larger industry scale?
12. What type or level of additional incentives or financial support would be necessary to encourage adoption of building technologies and construction methods that surpass existing minimum building code requirements for energy performance
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (from Respondents to NJEDA)
All questions concerning this RFI must be submitted in writing no later than 5:00 PM ET, on Monday, June 19, 2023, via e-mail to: buildingdecarbRFI@njeda.gov.
The subject line of the e-mail should state: Questions-2023-RFI-180.
Answers to questions submitted will be publicly posted on the Authority’s website on or about Monday, June 26, 2023, at: https://www.njeda.gov/bidding/#OET as Addenda.
IT IS THE RESPONDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THIS URL REGULARLY FOR UPDATES.
RESPONSE DETAILS (Info Provided to Respondents Regarding Document Submission)
All RFI responses must be submitted in writing no later than 5:00 PM ET on Monday, July 24, 2023, via e-mail to: buildingdecarbRFI@njeda.gov.
The subject line of the e-mail should state: RFI Response-2023-RFI-180.
FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS (from NJEDA) / ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Respondents may be invited to provide additional information to allow the Authority to better understand information provided.
PROPRIETARY AND/OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
The Authority reserves the right to copy any information provided by the Respondents. The Authority reserves the right to use ideas that are provided by Respondents, applicants, stakeholders, or vendors. By submitting a Response, the submitter represents that such copying or use of information will not violate any copyrights, licenses, or other agreements with respect to information submitted or product solutions demonstrated, if applicable. Responses must clearly be marked for any information the Respondent deems Proprietary and/or Confidential.
The Authority further reserves the right to share information with the NJDEP, NJBPU, and the Governor’s Office on Climate Action and the Green Economy
DISCLAIMER / NO OBLIGATION
The Authority is under no obligation to contact Respondents to this RFI. If necessary, it may contact respondents through telephone calls, written or electronic communications, presentation requests and/or interviews to seek clarification on submissions. Please note that, Respondents shall not be under any obligation to respond to any such request.
This RFI is completely voluntary and will not affect scoring or consideration of any applications that may in the future be submitted to the Authority under programs or projects intended to strengthen New Jersey’s clean energy economy.
This RFI is issued solely as a means of gathering information. Interested parties responding to this RFI do so at their own expense. There will be no monetary compensation from the Authority for the time and effort spent in preparing the response to this RFI. All expenses incurred are the sole responsibility of the Respondent.
This RFI is not a request for qualification/proposal. It may or may not result in further action.Should the Authority to move forward and issue an RFQ/P or announce a program/product related to this RFI, Respondents need not have submitted a response to this RFI in order to be eligible for the program or to respond to the RFP. Should an RFQ/P be issued, responding to this RFI will not affect scoring or consideration for that process.
NEW JERSEY OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS ACT
Respondents should be aware that responses to this RFI are subject to the “New Jersey Open Public Records Act” (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.), as amended and including all applicable regulations and policies and applicable case law, including the New Jersey Right-to-Know law. All information submitted in response to the RFI is considered public information, notwithstanding any disclaimers to the contrary, except as may be exempted from public disclosure by OPRA and the common law.
Any proprietary and/or confidential information submitted in response to this RFI will be redacted by the Authority. A person or entity submitting a response to this RFI may designate specific information as not subject to disclosure pursuant to the exceptions to OPRA found at N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, when such person or entity has a good faith legal and/or factual basis for such assertion (i.e. information that may be included in another ongoing public procurement or solicitation). The Authority reserves the right to make the determination as to what is proprietary or confidential and will advise the person or entity accordingly. The Authority will not honor any attempt to designate the entirety of a submission as proprietary, confidential and/or to claim copyright protection for the entire proposal. In the event of any challenge to the Respondent’s assertion of confidentiality with which the Authority does not concur, the Respondent shall be solely responsible for defending its designation.
New Jersey Economic Development Authority
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
2023-RFI-187 for Maritime Workforce Needs
- INTENT/SUMMARY OF SCOPE
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (“Authority”), an independent Authority of the State of New Jersey, is seeking information and ideas from qualified entities (“Respondents”) such as maritime and offshore wind industry professionals and stakeholders to:
- Better understand the state of the maritime workforce and any existing workforce gaps.
- Familiarize with the mariner recruitment and training process.
- Collect information on potential projects, approaches, or solutions to support maritime workforce training and development needs.
- Learn about existing models in the United States and throughout the world that should be explored when developing workforce development programs.
This Request for Information (RFI) is issued by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (“Authority”, “NJEDA”) to seek information from firms with perspectives on the current state and needs of the maritime workforce. The NJEDA is interested in receiving comments, questions, recommendations, facts, information, ideas, and responses that will help the NJEDA better understand the scope and characteristics of maritime-related workforce development programs in anticipation of shaping new programs and initiatives to support workforce development for occupations as licensed captains, pilots, mates, and crew, and all workers on a vessel operating at sea to install or maintain offshore wind energy components.
2. BACKGROUND
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The Authority is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the Authority creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness.
Under the leadership of Governor Murphy, New Jersey has taken bold action to reduce climate pollutants and accelerate the transition to clean energy, while fostering growth of the clean energy economy. Governor Phil Murphy’s economic development plan, “The State of Innovation: Building a Stronger and Fairer New Jersey Economy” identifies offshore wind (OSW) as one of the State’s strategic sectors for accelerating growth in New Jersey’s economy. OSW is also a key energy source in the State’s plan to reach 100 percent clean energy by 2035 with an established target of 11 GW of OSW by 2040. NJEDA is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development in offshore wind energy. Under Governor Murphy’s direction, NJEDA is developing the Wind Institute for Innovation and Training to coordinate and galvanize cross-organizational efforts to accelerate the development of a robust and diverse offshore wind workforce.
Offshore wind is a vital component of the United States’ net-zero goals and the domestic energy future. It can provide a source of renewable energy, help decarbonize the electrical grid, and accelerate the nations clean energy transition. Based on the current national and international pipeline of projects, offshore wind has the potential to be the fastest growing energy source this decade. Offshore wind development also represents a critical opportunity to concurrently stimulate low carbon energy development and create jobs. NJEDA is interested in creating opportunity for New Jerseyans to buildout the State’s renewable energy workforce and offshore wind deployment value chain.
The maritime workforce is integral to the success of offshore wind projects. Maritime operations provide direct access to lease areas and supportive services throughout the full lifecycle of a project. The maritime workforce is one of the highest gap occupations-based on state specific projected offshore wind employment needs. The Authority is considering developing grant or other types of programs to bridge the workforce gap, expand maritime training in New Jersey and support offshore wind workforce development initiatives to address the talent needs of offshore wind maritime operations.
While there are many other occupations that require additional workforce training support to meet the needs of the offshore wind industry, this RFI is focused on maritime workers and specifically captains, pilots, mates, and crew, and other vessel-based workers operating at sea to install or maintain offshore wind energy components.
3. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA (If applicable)
The RFI is seeking responses from all interested stakeholders. Specifically, this RFI welcomes input from entities, organizations, and individuals including:
- Maritime workforce groups
- Maritime labor unions
- Maritime training providers
- United States Merchant Marine Academies
- Offshore wind developers
- Maritime services providers
- Private entities interested in mariner training and development
- Private entities with a need for mariners
Qualified entities do not need to be located within the State of New Jersey to provide a response.
4. RFI RESPONSE QUESTIONS
In submitting responses to this RFI, respondents are encouraged to answer any questions they
consider relevant and to the best of their ability. Respondents do not need to answer all
questions for their response to be considered. Answers are understood to be preliminary and
non-binding. Respondents are free to go beyond the scope of the questions and/or structure
responses as necessary to increase clarity and efficiency of responses. Respondents should also feel free to submit additional or alternate information as deemed necessary.
Background
- Please provide information on you/your entity’s background (name, location, organization/business type and size), and your involvement or interest in maritime activities or maritime workforce development.
Maritime Industry Occupations and Skills
- What are the greatest opportunities and/or challenges for growth of the maritime workforce in the coming decade?
- What support does the maritime industry need to avoid future workforce bottlenecks?
- What maritime positions are in greatest demand? What is the turnover and how long does it take to train/hire staff?
- Do you train/hire certified staff or have them obtain certifications once employed? Does this approach provide longevity to business needs, job security and retention?
- What level of education do you require for new hires?
- What specific certifications, training, and skills are required for mariners to work in the offshore wind industry?
- What are the timelines, costs and training needs for achieving those certifications?
- What are the biggest challenges individuals face when seeking to obtain these certifications?
- Are there other secondary trainings employees typically need to complete to fulfill job responsibilities?
Training Programs
- What are the most successful existing education or training programs in the United States for specific maritime occupations?
- If not currently readily accessible for New Jersey residents, how can these training programs be replicated, or linked to programs in New Jersey to increase this accessibility?
- What types of training programs are needed to address gaps in the maritime workforce?
- What is the cost to develop and run needed maritime training programs? What type of equipment is needed?
- What types of incentives or programs are needed to accelerate the growth of the maritime workforce?
- What innovations can training providers utilize to accelerate or improve maritime training? What innovations can training providers use to reduce at-sea specialized trainings?
Recruitment and Retention
- Where and how do you currently recruit training participants or maritime workers? What partners do you work with to assist with recruitment?
- What are the biggest challenges/obstacles to maritime workforce recruitment and retention?
- What type of programs or partnerships exist or are needed to achieve a diverse and inclusive maritime workforce?
- What programs or services can remove or reduce employment barriers for potential mariners?
5. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (From Respondents to the EDA)
All questions concerning this RFI must be submitted in writing no later than 5:00pm EST, on Friday, October 13, 2023, via e-mail to: windinstitute@njeda.gov.
The subject line of the e-mail should state: Questions-2023-RFI-187.
Answers to questions submitted will be publicly posted on the Authority’s website on or about Friday, October 20, 2023, at: Bidding Opportunities – NJEDA as Addendum.
IT IS THE RESPONDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK THIS URL REGULARLY FOR UPDATES.
6. RESPONSE DETAILS (Info Provided to Respondents Regarding Document Submission)
All RFI responses must be submitted in writing no later than 5:00pm EST, on Monday, October 30, 2023, via e-mail to: windinstitute@njeda.gov.
The subject line of the e-mail should state: RFI Response-2023-RFI-187.
7. FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS (from EDA) / ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Respondents may be asked to provide additional information to allow the Authority to better understand the responses or services available.
8. PROPRIETARY AND/OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
The Authority reserves the right to copy any information provided by the Respondents. The Authority reserves the right to use ideas that are provided by Respondents, applicants, stakeholders, or vendors. By submitting a Response, the submitter represents that such copying or use of information will not violate any copyrights, licenses, or other agreements with respect to information submitted or product solutions demonstrated, if applicable. Responses must clearly be marked for any information the Respondent deems Proprietary and/or Confidential.
9. DISCLAIMER / NO OBLIGATION
This RFI is not a request for qualification/proposal. It may or may not result in further action.
This RFI is issued solely as a means of gathering information regarding the Authority’s desire to understand the types of products and level of service available in the market to meet the Authority’s needs. Interested parties responding to this RFI do so at their own expense. There will be no monetary compensation from the Authority for the time and effort spent in preparing the response to this RFI. All expenses incurred are the sole responsibility of the Respondent.
Should the Authority decide to move forward and issue an RFQ/P or announce a program/product related to this RFI, Respondents need not have submitted a response to this RFI in order to be eligible to respond to the RFP. Should an RFQ/P be issued, responding to this RFI will not affect scoring or consideration for that process.
The Authority is under no obligation to contact Respondents to this RFI.
10. NEW JERSEY OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS ACT
Respondents should be aware that responses to this RFI are subject to the “New Jersey Open Public Records Act” (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.), as amended and including all applicable regulations and policies and applicable case law, including the New Jersey Right-to-Know law. All information submitted in response to the RFI is considered public information, notwithstanding any disclaimers to the contrary, except as may be exempted from public disclosure by OPRA and the common law.
Any proprietary and/or confidential information submitted in response to this RFI will be redacted by the Authority. A person or entity submitting a response to this RFI may designate specific information as not subject to disclosure pursuant to the exceptions to OPRA found at N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, when such person or entity has a good faith legal and/or factual basis for such assertion (i.e. information that may be included in another ongoing public procurement or solicitation). The Authority reserves the right to make the determination as to what is proprietary or confidential and will advise the person or entity accordingly. The Authority will not honor any attempt to designate the entirety of a submission as proprietary, confidential and/or to claim copyright protection for the entire proposal. In the event of any challenge to the Respondent’s assertion of confidentiality with which the Authority does not concur, the Respondent shall be solely responsible for defending its designation.
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (RFEI)
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (“RFEI”)
New Jersey Green Fund
1.0 Purpose and Intent
To meet New Jersey’s ambitious clean energy goals, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (“NJEDA”) is issuing a Request for Expressions of Interest (“RFEI”) from project developers, owners, financial institutions, and other relevant parties seeking capital from the NJEDA through the New Jersey Green Fund (“NJGF”), a planned initiative that will be housed within the NJEDA to invest in clean energy projects in the State. Currently contemplated NJGF products include warehousing and aggregation credit facilities; credit enhancements; pre-development and construction financing; and term loans and investments, amongst other structures. The purpose of this RFEI is to help inform the NJGF on desired financial structures and investment products best suited to the needs of the marketplace and help accelerate progress toward the State’s clean energy goals. Additionally, through the responses to the RFEI, the NJEDA can best determine the scale of financing needs across various NJGF products and market sectors. Please note, providing a response to this RFEI is not a formal application for funding nor a binding intent to pursue investment opportunities that may be made available through the NJGF in the future.
NJEDA is seeking expressions of interest from Respondents that identify specific sites, projects, or assets (“project”) within New Jersey that are interested in financial support from the planned NJGF. To be eligible for the anticipated NJGF financial support, assets/projects must be seeking at least $5 million in capital and must be new projects rather than ones seeking refinancing. In particular, NJEDA is looking to support projects in New Jersey that have financial needs that cannot be fully met by existing financial tools available on the private market.
2.0 Background
NJEDA works to expand the State’s economy and increase equitable access to opportunity by supporting high-quality job creation, catalyzing investment, and fostering vibrant, inclusive community development. In order to meet the State’s joint objectives of building a stronger and fairer economy while simultaneously accelerating the transition to a clean energy future, the NJEDA formed a designated Clean Energy department. NJEDA’s Clean Energy department is focused on advancing the growth of clean energy technologies and organizations in the State through various products that support NJEDA’s mission. Currently, NJEDA’s Clean Energy department actively manages several existing programs that finance clean energy investments, including the New Jersey Clean Energy Loans program (NJ CELs), the Offshore Wind Tax Credit program, the New Jersey Zero-Emission Vehicle Incentive Program (NJ ZIP), and the soon-to-be-launched Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program.
Building on NJEDA’s experience of supporting the growth of clean energy technologies, Governor Murphy and the State legislature allocated seed capital in the FYE ’24 State budget to the New Jersey Green Fund, which is currently being organized within the NJEDA to invest in clean energy projects in the State. Planned NJGF investments, which may include equity investments, credit enhancements, loans, and other vehicles, will be aimed to facilitate an equitable clean energy transition in New Jersey by attracting private capital to enable the State to reach 100% clean energy by 2035 while also providing measurable benefits to Overburdened Communities, as designated by the New Jersey Environmental Justice Law (N.J.S.A. 13:1D-157).[1] For more information on New Jersey’s Overburdened Communities, including a list of these communities and an associated map, please visit: https://dep.nj.gov/ej/communities/. NJGF will accelerate clean energy deployment in New Jersey by collaborating with public and private investors, foundations, and other non-profit organizations to transform financing markets that will have positive and long-lasting environmental, economic, and social benefits. This work in New Jersey is able to leverage the growing track record and experience of state-level green banks across the United States that have, to date, deployed over $4.2 billion to mobilize more than $10.6 billion in private co-investment, including a strong focus on clean energy in low-income communities.[2] The NJGF represents a transformative opportunity for New Jersey through its introduction of a self-sustaining financial model that would augment the State’s current annual spending and anticipated federal funding to promote and advance energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy storage, and clean transportation.
[2] American Green Bank Consortium Annual Industry Report
The planned NJGF will offer financial products and support to stimulate larger private capital investments for, and deployment at scale of, clean energy technologies within New Jersey. Its market-responsive approach to structuring investments will allow the NJGF to be able to design products that address commercial gaps and barriers to clean energy advancement in the state.
Beyond its State allocation, NJEDA is actively pursuing other funding opportunities made available at the federal level, including the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s National Clean Investment Fund competition, to bolster the planned NJGF’s capital base. Additionally, NJEDA is working with the Department of Energy Loan Programs Office and was recently qualified as a State Energy Financing Institution (SEFI) that can unlock low-cost capital available through the federal Title 17 financing program
3.0 NJGF Priority Investment Categories
The planned NJGF through its investments will focus on creating and supporting clean energy opportunities by expanding financing markets, mitigating risk to attract private investment, and increasing availability of capital where it is limited. Minimum project requirements for NJGF investment are outlined in Section 4.0. In particular, NJGF is seeking information on projects that either would likely not occur given the current state of the private markets or might occur in the private markets but would likely (i) involve less favorable tenor, cost, fees, and/or other key transaction terms; (ii) not happen at the market breadth needed to scale the sector; (iii) not have the same level of focus on reaching New Jersey residents in Overburdened Communities; and/or (iv) not happen as expeditiously. Consequently, the NJGF will accelerate an equitable transition to a clean energy economy in the State. That focus will be centered thematically on three key market areas:
3.1 Innovation Center Focus Areas
New Jersey has aggressive goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its building sector, which is the second highest source of emissions in the State.[1] These include:
- 100% clean energy by 2035 (Murphy Executive Order 315)[2]
- Zero-emission heating/cooling systems in 400,000 dwelling units by 2030 (Murphy Executive Order 316)[3]
- Zero-emission heating/cooling systems in 20,000 commercial/public spaces by 2030 (Murphy Executive Order 316)[4]
Given New Jersey’s coastal location in the northeast, enhancing resiliency within the built environment is also critical to managing climate change. Since 1980, the State of New Jersey has been affected by 62 extreme weather events that each have had nationwide cumulative losses exceeding $1 billion.[5] Climate change is expected to continue to threaten New Jersey (and the nation) with increased temperatures, rising sea levels, and more intense rainfall events.[6] These challenges pose risk to buildings in the State that, through its own operating emissions, can continue to exacerbate these threats without increased decarbonization and resiliency efforts.
[2] Murphy Executive Order #315
[3] Murphy Executive Order #316
[4] Murphy Executive Order #316
[5] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”) National Centers for Environmental Information (“NCEI”)
By providing access to affordable capital, the planned New Jersey Green Fund can empower additional greenhouse gas emissions reductions from the existing and proposed buildings in the State. The State continues to make measured progress towards the goal of reducing overall emissions by 80 percent by 2050 (Global Warming Response Act of 2007)[1], as well as an interim goal of a 50 percent reduction by 2030 (Murphy Executive Order 274)[2]. With an extensive statewide existing building stock and as the nation’s most densely populated state, New Jersey’s capital requirements will continue to be a significant barrier to building sector emissions reductions.[3] In particular, building decarbonization projects for existing buildings typically have longer payback periods and can be more capital intensive than conventional energy efficiency improvements. These challenges are even more burdensome for buildings located in Overburdened Communities that historically have seen less access to capital and often face a backlog of regular building maintenance activities.
[1] Global Warming Response Act
[2] Murphy Executive Order #274
3.2 Zero-Emission Transportation
The transportation sector is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the State.[1] In addition to targeting 100% clean energy by 2035 (Murphy Executive Order #315)[2], New Jersey’s aggressive goals for greenhouse gas emissions reductions also include having 330,000 light duty zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025, with 2 million registered by 2035 (EV Act of 2019)[3].
[2] Murphy Executive Order #315
In conjunction with electrification of fleets from polluting combustion vehicles, associated charging stations are required throughout the State to enable convenient and efficient vehicle charging. Zero-emission transportation does not just reduce emissions from the transportation sector. When coupled with managed charging programs or vehicle to grid power connections, zero-emission vehicles can function as battery storage systems and grid assets.
Ongoing zero-emission vehicle grant and incentive programs available through the NJEDA, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”), the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (“NJBPU”), and private utilities have helped encourage increased adoption of electric vehicles in New Jersey. However, these programs do not cover the full acquisition costs of vehicles or fully address the scale of transition needed within the timeline of the State’s goals, leaving a funding gap that can be met by financing. In particular, for medium and heavy-duty vehicles, the high costs of vehicles pose challenges to commercial entities looking to transition their fleets to cleaner alternatives. Additionally, conventional financing institutions are often hesitant to finance innovative technologies, such as alternative zero-emission vehicles, that are newer to the marketplace
To maximize the testing opportunity and application for OSW, the tank is envisioned to be at least 10 meters wide by 10 meters long and 10 meters in depth. There are no test sites for this technology at this scale in the northeast and a New Jersey based deep tank would fill a major gap. While there is the potential to repurpose a deep-port ship dock for the test site, it is anticipated that an on-land, enclosed facility will enable greater control of site conditions for testing purposes and be more cost-effective.
By providing access to affordable capital, the planned NJGF will accelerate the adoption of zero-emission transportation in the New Jersey market and reduce emissions from the highly polluting transportation sector.
[1] NJDEP
[1] Global Warming Response Act
[1] Murphy Executive Order #274
[1] NJDEP
[1] Murphy Executive Order #315 [1] EV Act of 2019
3.3 Clean Energy Generation and Storage
Increased access to clean distributed power generation with renewable energy systems will strengthen the local and national power system, improve energy security, and help ensure that every community benefits from the clean energy transition.
New Jersey State goals for clean energy production and storage include:
- 100% clean energy by 2035 (Murphy Executive Order #315)[1]
- 2 GW of energy storage available by 2030 (Renewable Energy Bill, A3723)[2]
- 11 GW of offshore wind capacity completed by 2040 (Murphy Executive Order #307)[3]
New Jersey has made progress towards these targets with 1.5 GW of offshore wind projects actively under development[4] and 4.56 GW of solar capacity installed in the State as of September 30, 2023.[5] However, even with these notable achievements, renewable energy only makes up 8.30% of the overall electric power generation in New Jersey as of 2022.[6]
By providing access to affordable capital, the planned NJGF can empower the development of additional renewable energy capacity and storage and allow the State to meet its clean energy goals. Low-cost financing will be critical for continued renewable energy investment. New Jersey is also particularly focused on developing community solar in the State. Recently, NJBPU raised the annual cap for its community solar program on allowed community solar subscriptions from 150 MW to 225 MW.[7] NJEDA is interested in investing in community solar projects, especially those that benefit Overburdened Communities and are housed on contaminated brownfield sites around the State.
[1] Murphy Executive Order #315
[2] Renewable Energy Bill, A3723
[3] Murphy Executive Order #307
[5] New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program
4.0 Minimum Project Requirements
Focusing on these three priority investment categories, the NJEDA is seeking project information to help design investment products best suited to accelerate progress toward the State’s clean energy goals and better understand the scale of financing need across various NJGF products and market sectors. Notwithstanding, we would seek interests for other types of projects as well. Projects supported by the planned New Jersey Green Fund will be subject to the following limitations:
- Assets/projects must be seeking at least $5 million in capital from the NJGF
- Assets/projects must have an equity contribution of at least 20%, excluding tax equity financing
- Assets/projects supported by NJGF must be primarily located in the State of New Jersey
- Assets/projects must be new rather than seeking refinancing
- Assets/projects must lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and/or criteria pollutants in the State; or similarly support New Jersey’s current clean energy and environmental goals
- The NJGF cannot provide support directly to individual consumers
5.0 RFEI Submission
5.1 Potential Respondents
The planned NJGF is interested in supporting a wide range of entities undertaking clean energy projects. These include conventional organizations such as major renewable energy developers or large real estate developers, but also smaller entities that may be more community focused. NJEDA encourages all interested parties to provide feedback to the RFEI. Potential Respondents to the RFEI may include but are not limited to:
- Property owners
- Real estate developers
- Renewable energy developers and operators
- Financial institutions
- Corporations
- Non-profit organizations
- Venture and private equity groups
- Community-based organizations, including those representing Environmental Justice Communities
- Other private entities
Please note, Respondents can submit multiple proposals to the RFEI, or include reference to multiple projects in one comprehensive proposal.
5.2 Timeline
| Date | Event |
| November 29, 2023 | Distribution of RFEI |
| December 15, 2023 | Deadline for Respondents to submit any questions on the RFEI content or process |
| January 12, 2024 | Deadline for Respondents to provide responses to the RFEI |
5.3 Required Information for Submission
| Category | Page Limit | Description |
| Cover Page | 1-page maximum | a. Lead entity’s name b. Primary point of contact information for lead Respondent (including: name, title, address, phone number, email address) c. Similar information for any Co-Respondents/partners |
| Entity Profile | 2-pages maximum | a. Summary of Respondent’s organizational history and background b. Organizational involvement with and/or commitments to clean energy, including a summary of relevant ongoing or recently completed projects c. Organizational size and/or operating capacity |
| Project Information | 5-pages maximum | a. Describe the project/asset seeking NJGF support. Include location, project type, specific technologies utilized, overall business model, expected sources of project revenue, and other relevant details to inform the project scope (size, renewable capacity, etc.). b. Explain how the project falls under any of the planned NJGF’s three priority investment categories (building decarbonization and resiliency, zero-emission transportation, or clean energy generation and storage), if applicable. c. Detail any potential benefits to the State, especially in regard to the State’s Overburdened Communities. These benefits should include positive environmental (i.e., projected emissions reductions, local air quality improvements) and economic (i.e., job creation) impacts directly or indirectly resulting from the project. |
| Capital Requirements and NJGF Investment Support | 5-pages maximum | a. Detail capital requirements expected for each project or total capital needs if Respondent is submitting regarding a portfolio of projects. Include an anticipated schedule for the project, detailing when capital will be needed during various stages of project development. b. Include an explanation for why the Respondent is seeking NJGF support in lieu of or in addition to existing financial tools available on the private market. This explanation may include barriers such as project credit constraints, high cost of capital, long project payback periods, technological risks, complex underwriting requirements, innovative business models, small transaction sizes, etc. c. Indicate what type of investment support you are seeking (e.g., loan, credit enhancement, equity investment, etc.) and when during project development the support would be needed (predevelopment, construction, acquisition, commercial operation date/term loan, etc.). c. Explain how the project/asset is expected to contribute to financial market transformation in terms of e.g., (i) reaching New Jersey residents in Overburdened Communities and/or with credit profiles that are typically deemed to be high risk (e.g., FICO scores below 650); (ii) creating scale; (iii) improving private sector participation; (iv) increasing level of awareness and confidence in the relevant sub-sector or business model; and/or (v) other aspects of market transformation. d. Outline any current or expected internal/external sources of funding (if known) to address financial needs beyond what financial support is being sought via the planned NJGF. |
5.4 Submission Process
All RFEI responses must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM ET on January 12, 2024, via email to: NJGFrfei@njeda.gov. The subject line of the email should state: NJGF RFEI Response – [Primary Applicant Name].
Any questions by prospective Respondents concerning this RFEI shall be sent by email to: NJGFrfei@njeda.gov, no later than 5:00 PM ET on December 15, 2023.The subject line of the e-mail should state: NJGF RFEI Questions.
6.0 Post-Submission Process
NJEDA may invite Respondents to provide additional information to allow NJEDA to better understand the information provided in the submittal.NJEDA may also request meetings with some or all of the Respondents to discuss details of responses.
Based on the feedback provided via the RFEI, NJEDA anticipates designing products within the planned NJGF. Future opportunities will be made available for Respondents and other members of the public to apply for NJGF funding regardless of whether they respond to the RFEI. The exact nature of these products will depend on product design, relevant project scope, and relevant source of NJGF funding.
7.0 New Jersey Open Public Records
Respondents should be aware that responses to this RFEI are subject to the “New Jersey Open Public Records Act” (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.), as amended and including all applicable regulations and policies and applicable case law, including the New Jersey Right-to-Know law. All information submitted in response to the RFEI is considered public information, notwithstanding any disclaimers to the contrary, except as may be exempted from public disclosure by OPRA and the common law.
Any proprietary and/or confidential information submitted in response to this RFEI will be redacted by the NJEDA. A person or entity submitting a response to this RFEI may designate specific information as not subject to disclosure pursuant to the exceptions to OPRA found at N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, when such person or entity has a good faith legal and/or factual basis for such assertion (i.e., information that may be included in another ongoing public procurement or solicitation). The NJEDA reserves the right to make the determination as to what is proprietary or confidential and will advise the person or entity accordingly. The NJEDA will not honor any attempt to designate the entirety of a submission as proprietary, confidential, and/or to claim copyright protection for the entire proposal. In the event of any challenge to the Respondent’s assertion of confidentiality with which the NJEDA does not concur, the Respondent shall be solely responsible for defending its designation.
Fort Monmouth Economic REvitalization Authority (FMERA)
Bidding Opportunities
NOTICE TO INTERESTED BIDDERS
The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) was created to provide investment, continuity and economic growth to the communities impacted by the federal government’s decision to close Fort Monmouth. FMERA has replaced the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority implementing the Reuse and Redevelopment Plan for economic development, growth and planning, with a focus on technology-based industries, for the 1,126 acres of real estate at Fort Monmouth following the base closure in September, 2011. The Fort Monmouth Reuse and Redevelopment Plan forwarded by the dissolved planning authority is a highly collaborative blueprint for action to:
- Promote, develop, encourage and maintain employment, commerce, economic development, and the public welfare
- Conserve natural resources
- Advance the general prosperity and economic welfare of the people in the affected communities and throughout the state
FMERA is given a multitude of tools to revitalize and redevelop the Fort Monmouth area and implement the revitalization plan. Among these are the abilities to undertake redevelopment projects, adopt development and design guidelines and land use regulations in connection with the provision of utilities, streets, roads or other infrastructure required for the implementation of the revitalization plan.
For additional bidding opportunities exclusive to FMERA; please access the FMERA website at www.fortmonmouthnj.com
Forms, Registrations & Certifications
Thank you for your interest in bidding opportunities with the NJEDA (Authority).
The Authority currently partners with the State of New Jersey and uses their vendor eProcurement Portal Database (NJSTART) to help identify potential vendors.
When seeking potential bidders for various procurements, the NJEDA will often refer to NJSTART to help identify registered businesses for designated goods and services.
To ensure your company can be considered on designated bids and request for quotes, we are encouraging vendors to register their company with NJSTART at www.njstart.gov.
NJSTART is designed to streamline the procurement process and make it more efficient for companies looking to do business with the State. NJSTART provides vendors with the opportunity to create their own vendor files, identify relevant commodity codes, designate Small, Women, Minority, Veteran-Owned Business Certification and upload designated compliance and other applicable documents. NJSTART will be used by the State of NJ, in addition to other State Agencies and Authorities, to obtain lists of potential bidders.
The NJEDA attempts, but does not guarantee, to provide NJSTART registered firms with an email notice of bidding opportunities, related to the commodity codes currently identified in the database.
The NJEDA will continue to post new bidding opportunities on our website at www.njeda.gov/bidding.
Vendors are encouraged to regularly check our website for new bidding opportunities. (Please note that NJEDA bidding opportunities will not be posted on NJSTART).
Should you need additional information, please contact Theresa Graham at (609) 858-6652 or tgraham@njeda.com
Thank you for your interest in doing business with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
