InClime would like to provide an update regarding the timeline for the project awards. As a reminder, the bidding window opened on December 1, 2022, and closed on January 31, 2023. Over the subsequent weeks, the Program Administrator has been reviewing project proposals. The Program Administrator will complete all bid reviews by April 14, 2023. Subscriber Organizations must supply all requested additional information to the Program Administrator within five business days of receiving the request. In the interest of maintaining the program timeline, extensions to supply additional information cannot be granted.
Beginning April 24, 2023, bidders will have access within the portal to their individual project scores, including a detailed breakdown. Bidders may email the Program Administrator with any scoring discrepancies by 3 pm Mountain on April 27, 2023. Please note that bidders may only point to documentation attached to their bids and cannot supply any new documentation at that time.
Project awards will be announced in a single batch with a target of being announced in early May. At that time, bidders of selected projects may enter the interconnection queue. The Program Administrator will release interconnection application information in conjunction with the announcement of selected projects. Please note that the utilities will review interconnection applications in order of ranking by utility rather than first come, first serve into the queue.
If a tiebreaker is needed, it tentatively will be held the first week of May, though this timeline may be extended, and bidders will be notified of any changes.
The Program Administrator will establish and maintain a waitlist of projects in rank order by utility and in capacity equal to the capacity of selected projects (i.e., 125 MWac for PNM, 45 MWac for SPS, and 30 MWac for EPE). Projects will be selected from the waitlist in rank order if and when projects ahead of them fall out and capacity becomes available.
As a reminder, if a project is selected, there is also a $2,500/MWac fee due within 30 days of notification of the project award, payable directly to the state of New Mexico only via ACH in the program portal. While it is acceptable that funds may take a day or two to transfer, payment of fees must be initiated within the stated time frame. Fees are not refundable.
Finally, the first reporting benchmark for subscriber commitments is June 1, 2023, and monthly thereafter until the Program Administrator confirms that a project’s low-income commitment has been met, then quarterly from that point forward. Bidders must supply the Program Administrator with subscriber updates within the program portal five business days before each monthly or quarterly reporting date.
Important upcoming dates to keep in mind:
April 14, 2023: Program Administrator concludes the review of project bids.
April 21, 2023: Deadline for bidders to respond to requests for information.
April 24, 2023: Program Administrator releases individual project scores to bidders.
April 27, 2023: Deadline for bidders to submit any score discrepancies.
May 2023: Program Administrator announces project awards.
June 2023: Deadline for bidders to pay project fees for selected projects.
June 1, 2023: First reporting benchmark for subscriber commitments.
We appreciate the bidders’ continued participation in this process and look forward to announcing the successful project bids in May. Please do not hesitate to contact the Program Administrator with any questions or concerns.
