Summary of Program
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law on November 15, 2021, established the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program to provide dedicated funding to states to deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure along key interstate and state highway corridors. The goal of the Program is to create a reliable, convenient network of fast EV charging stations for drivers nationwide in order to help speed the adoption of electric vehicles and increase equitable access to infrastructure and economic opportunity.
For federal fiscal years 2022-2026, Vermont will receive $21.2 million, with the Federal Highway Administration already apportioning $3.1 million for FY2022 and $4.5 million for FY2023. The funding comes with a federal share of 80% and match requirement of 20%, which can be met with the private investment of third-party contractors.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued program guidelines, which establish minimum standards for the buildout of designated Alternative Fuel Corridors, as well as the processes for nominating new corridors and developing the required state deployment plan. Some highlights include:
- EV charging stations must be located within one (1) mile of an interstate exit or highway intersection, and within fifty (50) miles of the next charging location
- A minimum of four (4) CCS ports capable of charging at 150kW simultaneously must be installed at each location (600kW minimum per location)
- A state deployment plan must be submitted annually with all the required elements to FHWA and approved in order for the state to access the NEVI funds
Vermont’s Plan
Vermont has been a leader in public EV charging deployment, with more chargers per capita than any state in the nation. In the fall of 2021, the Vermont Agency of Transportation sought to build upon the state’s early success by working with Drive Electric Vermont to develop a ten-year, statewide strategic Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) deployment plan. This initial effort formed the foundation of the required NEVI plan, which will be updated annually to reflect sustained public engagement, lessons learned from implementation, and revised projections. The initial state plan and subsequent FHWA-approved plans will be posted on this page for reference below.
Vermont 2022 State NEVI Plan, Approved by FHWA on September 27, 2022
Vermont 2023 State NEVI Plan Update, Approved by FHWA on September 29. 2023
Public Engagement
The Vermont Agency of Transportation recognizes that the program funding is highly prescribed in the first few years until the State of Vermont has met its requirements to have its alternative fuel corridors certified as “built-out.” Nevertheless, the Agency has sought and continues to seek public and stakeholder input through multiple meetings and a variety of means, including future plans to deepen engagement with rural, disadvantaged and underserved communities.
On May 18, 2022, the Agency, along with Vermont Clean Cities Coalition and Drive Electric Vermont, jointly hosted a virtual public forum as part of the statewide EV charging infrastructure planning process. The forum opened with an overview of charging infrastructure, Vermont’s charging investments to date, and federal and state goals for EV charging. The group then shared funding opportunities available to expand charging availability in Vermont and the components in Vermont’s EV charging plan under development. Attendees broke out into smaller groups to provide feedback, share their thoughts, and ask questions.
Contracting
To create an efficient, effective, and fair contracting process for NEVI-funded projects, and future charging installations regardless of funding source, the Agency is working to develop a process to solicit competitive bids that advance plan objectives.
EVSE projects do not fit neatly into traditional design-build contracts as the NEVI program requires an ongoing relationship with maintenance, uptime, reporting, and other requirements that must extend for at least five years beyond the construction itself. To navigate this new contracting territory, the Agency is working with FHWA to develop a contract for services model that blends the two, with the idea that the contracts will be performance-based, reimbursements made upon meeting certain milestones/deliverables, including annual submissions attesting to program compliance.
Once the contracting process is approved, the Agency will issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to develop a list of EV charging providers who can perform nearly all aspects of the NEVI program from working with site hosts on agreements, designing and installing NEVI-compliant equipment, to operating and maintaining the equipment to meet accessibility, uptime, reporting and other requirements. The Agency will then issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to the list established through the RFQ and award projects based on transparent scoring criteria and according to a provider’s interest, ability, and price.
The Agency will also contract with third party vendors to verify the delivery of EV charging infrastructure at the locations proposed in the plan and at new sites identified throughout the duration of the program according to all state and federal requirements. To ensure EVSE projects meet grant program requirements, the Agency's contract for services model will pass through all the provisions to which these projects will be subject.
The Agency anticipates finalizing the contracting process in the Fall of 2023 with the RFQ and RFP to follow with awards expected in the Winter of 2023/24 and work to begin in the Spring of 2024.
Resources
- NEVI Guidance
- Alternative Fuel Corridors
- EV Charging in Vermont (Drive Electric Vermont)
- Environmental Justice Mapping Tool
- Rural EV Toolkit
Agency Contacts
Patrick Murphy
Sustainability and Innovations Project Manager
patrick.murphy@vermont.gov
Hilary DelRoss
Sustainability Projects Coordinator
hilary.delross@vermont.gov
Public Input
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