AG 2011 06 20 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

INTRODUCTION The mission of the North Carolina Weatherization Assistance Program is to improve energy efficiency, household safety and to educate the public about maintaining energy efficiency. Families with income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level or those receiving cash assistance payments under Work First or Supplemental Security Income are eligible for weatherization services. Priority is placed on providing assistance to the elderly, individuals with disabilities and families with children. The goal of the Weatherization Assistance Program is to keep North Carolina citizens warm in the winter, cool in the summer and safe all year long. The Weatherization Assistance Program is administered through the State Energy Office ( "SEO ") in the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The program receives annual funds from the US Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and was awarded nearly $132 - million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for expenditure in federal fiscal years 2009, 2010 and 2011. SEO grants funds to 28 local community action agencies and units of government that receive and process weatherization applications and dispatch in -house crews and subcontractors to perform weatherization work. As such, only these 28 sub - grantees may enter into a contract to conduct weatherization work. With this Invitation to Submit Applications, SEO will evaluate each Application in order to create a list of approved subcontractors for the Weatherization Assistance Program (the "Approved Subcontractors List" or the "List "). The SEO will provide this list to its 28 sub - grantees. Sub - grantees will have the option of continuing to use their own procurement processes or of using this Approved Subcontractors List to select subcontractors to perform the shell work described herein. However, those sub - grantees that select from this Approved Subcontractors List will be able to contract with Applicants and begin dispatching work immediately while sub - grantees that engage in their own procurement process must submit their selections to the SEO for subsequent approval before a contract may be awarded. To reemphasize, the purpose of this Invitation to Submit Applications: — At this time, the SEO is only pre- approving providers of weatherization services; — After a review of each Application, the Approved Subcontractors List, including the services and service areas of the approved subcontractors will be provided to each of the SEC's 28 sub - grantees; — All service providers must be approved by SEO before contracting with sub - grantee and this invitation to submit applications is a method, but not the only method, to become approved; — It will be the option of the sub - grantees to contract with any or none of the pre- approved weatherization service providers on the Approved Subcontractors List or to perform their own independent procurement process to select subcontractors. However, when a sub - grantee performs its own procurement process, its selection must be approved by the SEO before a contract may be awarded. Please note that any agreement between the sub - grantee and their subcontractors may not be transferred to or contracted out to any other organization. AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009 SEO offers this solicitation as part of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to encourage energy conservation and economic investment in energy technologies. ARRA and U.S. Department of Energy guidelines also require that projects adhere to a number of reporting and project implementation standards that are outlined below. Be advised that sub - grantees are required to abide by special terms and conditions that apply to all projects funded by ARRA and these requirements may pass some of these terms and conditions on to subcontractors. All projects are subject to monitoring site visits before, during, Solicitation No. 2011WXSSP Pape 5 of 53 Attachment number 1 F -4 Page 117