If there's anything else see if it works
Hi, everyone welcome to our webinar today. we will just give a few minutes here to let some stragglers come in, so sit tight, and we'll be starting shortly
Hi, everyone welcome. We will be starting in about a minute or 2, just letting a few people come in and kicking it off quickly.
Here.
Hi, everyone welcome. We will get started here. it's about 3 min after, so I think everyone has joined that's going to join, so to kick it off.
Welcome to the New Mexico Community Solar Program Freebid Conference.
My name is Miana Campbell i'm the community solar lead for the program administrator in time, and i'd like to start off and say that we are just absolutely thrilled and honored to be working on
this program. I want to thank all the participants for their time.
Today we did ask for a large chunk of time and a special thank you for those who submitted questions ahead of this webinar.
We excited to see the such high engagement and we're looking forward to working with all of you throughout this process in a collaborative manner.
Today's goal is to review important logistics ahead of the bid of window opening, which is december first, and answer any questions you may have regarding the Rfp.
In process.
Just a quick overview of what we will be reviewing today.
First just general housekeeping then you'll meet the team. So you'll get to meet all of this here at in time.
The program overview the Rfp. process overview, and then a large chunk of time will be submitted on those questions that people have submitted ahead of time.
Which again, thank you so much for doing that and then we'll open up to live.
Q. A. For those who didn't have an opportunity to submit any questions, or just have different questions that pop up as you see what's come through
So general housekeeping just fyi. Everyone is muted in this meeting today.
The chat functionality is disabled, so please submit any questions in the Q. A. All of Q. A.
Will be posted to the program website. So if you have to pop off at any point today feel free, we will make sure that all this information is shared.
With everyone. If you Haven't done so already please go to our website, Cs.
New Mexico dot com and subscribe for updates that way.
You'll just get an automatic email when we do updates for example, these Q. A's.
That will probably be posting as faq's later on in short order here.
If we're unable to answer any specific questions or run out of time, we will continue to update our website with additional information.
So not only will we be posting Q. A. that comes through today, but we will also be posting any questions that come through to us in general.
Now, or in the future, and then if everyone hasn't seen it.
Yet the Rfp. is available. It was released on November third, and it's on our website at Cs.
New Mexico dot com under subscriber organizations and Then there's a little box that's under program information to plus just click that plus and open it up and there's a download here option for the
Rfp.
So now, just to meet our team, I will actually turn it over to our CEO.
Alex and Alex. if you want to just give a refund down of in time and your role and I've already introduced myself here.
Thanks, Myanna. Hello, everyone I'm Alex ryan I'm.
The chief operating officer of incline I'll Echo. my honest comments that we're thrilled to be administering this community solar program for New Mexico in climb is a company
that runs technically enabled renewable programs.
We work for utilities. government agencies and help them to facilitate the addition of renewables and energy efficiency programs throughout their territories, and i'll turn it back to you Yeah, just to give a little bit of
an overview of our community solar experience coming into this program.
So in climb, has actually reviewed over 1.7 gigawatts of Community Solar Project applications.
We have verified over 25,000 subscribers, generated over 95,000 dynamic disclosure forms and facilitated over well nearly 400 million worth of insane payments.
So we come to this program with quite a bit of experience and looking forward to implementing new ideas here and building on the ideas.
I've been successful previously
So quick review of the program. So program administrator role.
The role of are The role of us in this is to manage an unbiased non-discriminatory process for selection.
A proposed process for building and operating community solar facilities on behalf of the Commission.
One thing I want to know is, it is important to understand that the Commission and Prc.
Will have no involvement in in this process except to the extent that the administrator us, or any participant in the process.
So everyone here may raise before the Commission on the issue that is not fully addressed in the rule, and the Commission finds it in its discretion that it should address it.
So any questions that come through please contact us. We are the main point of contact for this program
Just an overview of the important upcoming dates so you'll see that we have november third.
We publish the Rfp. and we also launched our website again.
Cs New Mexico com. Please book market that's where all our updates will go. So please subscribe to our updates.
So you don't have to check It every day today's November seventeenth.
We are hosting the pre-bid conference. Welcome!
Thank you for coming on December first. This solicitation window will open, as well as the release of program guidebook, and the closing of the solicitation window will take place at 4 Pm.
Mountain January 30 first from there we have a few different benchmarks. we're we're going to hit like releasing a marketing guidebook, releasing information on a public tie breaker if needed and
solicitation results will be announced. starting April first.
So we did receive a few questions on just broad definitions so just to ensure that we're all on the same page today.
Everyone's working with the same foundation I thought it might be helpful to review some of the important terms within this program.
So the Community Solar program is defined through the adoption of roles by the Commission that allows for the development of community solar facilities provides customers of the qualifying utility with the option of accessing
solar energy produced by a community solar facility in accordance with the Community Solar Act, a subscriber organization which is a different term that maybe some of you are used to in other markets.
So really wanna nail this one down and make sure everyone feels comfortable with it.
So please ask questions if there's continuing confusion around this term.
But the subscriber organization, and likely the the majority of those here today will go on to register as a subscriber organization within the program.
That so, as I will call it, going forward, is an entity that owns or operates a community.
Solar facility, and may include a qualifying utility, a municipality, a county, a for profit or nonprofit entity or organization, and so on.
So they are generally the acid owners or developers in the program subscriber.
So we, within this person a subscriber is defined as a retail customer of a qualified utility that owns a subscription to a community solar facility.
Or qualifying sorry customer that owns a subscription to community solar facility, and that is, by that is, by rate class, a residential customer, or a small commercial retail customer.
So. No large commercial entities here, but organizations like public school, community, college, public housing, authority all of those can be a subscriber in this.
In this program. small business could also be a subscriber affiliated entity.
That means any entity under common control by a company and partnership. Any contract between 2 or more business partners.
The partners use an agreement to outline their rights and responsibilities so hopefully that provides some clarity. and if there's still confusion again, please put it in the Q.
A moving on to the Rfp. process overview.
So, as I mentioned, subscriber organization is a very important term, and probably why you are all here today.
So. The first step in even submitting a bid is to register has a subscriber organ organization, or so.
The purpose of this is to ensure that no one bidder is awarded more than the allowed capacity, per utility, as well as management of compliance and consumer protection so subscriber organizations that take part
in this program must abide by a series of requirements related to project development and operations as well as participant enrollment and engagement requirements can be updated, and they will be provided in the program guidebook Anything that's.
Not introduced in the Rfp. which will be published on December first, and this is subject to change over the course of the program.
Should there be updates, we, the program and administrator will make it publicly available on our website.
We will update those who are on our subscribe to update list.
So again, just a plug. Please do that, and it is your responsibility as a subscriber organization to understand and adhere to those requirements, and if not, you could face disciplinary actions.
If requirements are violated. again, the requirements may change, and should this happen, we will update everyone, but it is the responsibility of the subscriber Subscribing organizations to remain informed and current of all requirements subscriber
organizations are also responsible for disclosing other entities that they are that are known or expected to be involved in developing or operating the project.
And just another really important thing to think about. It is extremely important to enroll with the correct point of conduct or update the pointer contact to someone that is relevant. and somebody who is going to respond to things timely so while we are
evaluating bids. We, the program Administrator, may issue a request for additional information about any item in the bid or request for clarity.
These requests will be made in writing. they will be available to you on your program.
Dashboard. but they will also be emailed to you.
So the respondent and the point of contact that is tied to the project bid is required to provide a written response to us within 5 business days of our request to you, or we may deem the respondent The better term is interchangeable
here to be non-responsive, and we may stop evaluating the bid.
So just a really important thing to make sure you have that process in place that you're getting the notifications that you need hint to move on just how the registration will work for you.
So everything about our portal is it's electronic We will not be expected you to mail us documents.
We will shepherd you through multiple steps here. That Cs New Mexico dot com.
If you look there today, they'll be over right little plugin on the right hand banner that says Login, and that's where you will start your process of creating credentials.
And then in the future logging in so here's just kind of the workflow of what that will look for like for you.
So you click the login from the Program administrators website and you enter new credentials.
I want to make sure everyone knows and is comfortable with the email credentials you use can only be used for one login.
So just be aware if you're using just a specific person i'm like Joe Smith, that so and so dot com they are the ones that will get the updates about the subscriber organization or as you'll see later on here.
affiliate updates needed. if that person leaves the company potentially.
You won't have access to that so i'd suggest creating some sort of process flow like a shared inbox at multiple people have access to and if you do plan to create more than one registration again, you will
need multiple different emails. so creating that process for yourself to ensure that everyone has access that needs access.
So once you enter those new credentials you'll have an option, you'll be asked if you're a subscriber organization which we defined earlier today, or an affiliate which we also defined affiliate
registrations are for potentially llcs different businesses that you're creating under your parent Umbrella Company.
All affiliates have to be tied to a subscriber organization.
So to kind of go through workflow subscriber organization that's what you'll register as first if that's what you deem that role to be.
Then go to us, the program administrator, to review and hopefully approve that registration. Once it is approved, then you can start creating bids again through our portal.
You cannot create a bid ahead of having to subscribe or organization attached and approved.
First and the other side. you can also register as an affiliate.
If you start that registration process you will have to connect to a registered subscriber organization, so if you're an affiliate out there partnering with the subscriber organization, please ensure that they have
enrolled, and they are registered and approved.
Once you connect to a subscriber organization or ask to the subscriber organization, will then see the ask on their program dashboard in that portal, and they can approve it.
No affiliate can just attach with the subscriber organization approving it.
Once the subscriber organization approves that says yes this is someone I'm working with.
Then the affiliate registration will come to the program.
Administrator us to again go through that process of reviewing and hopefully approving it.
Once the affiliate is approved, the affiliate can create bids. So kind of the same process, An important thing to know is the subscriber organization will be able to see and modify all bids that they have created
if they're working with an affiliate the subscriber organization, can only read the affiliates bids that are tied to that subscriber organization, and the affiliate login will be the one that has to manage
that bid the affiliate cannot see any bits outside of the ones they were attached to would subscribe our organizations, or, you know, multiple if they're attaching to multiple subscriber organizations
again. Just a note, Please think through how you want to design
The point of contact here potentially shared inboxes, just making sure that everyone has access projects can be transferred to no new owner at any time.
If they are, the owner does need to be in registered subscriber organization or an affiliate tide to registered subscriber organization.
If it's ahead of awarded capacity the developer Cap will be applied.
So just keep that in mind, my and one thing i'd like to clarify.
Is that if anyone tries to go to the website right now and register, you'll find that you're not able to, and that's by design. the registration functionality will be launched on December first in
conjunction with the opening of the bit window thanks Alex that's that's really important.
I know a few people have attempted to log in ahead of time, so as the bid window opens, no bits will actually be accepted until registrations are approved.
Not all for individual, so make sure you're on top of getting registered there
Okay. So now, Han, to how to submit a bit so pretty, self-explanatory.
The Rfp. is out there, tells you what you need.
So review the requirements again. you'll need to register as a subscriber organization, or to affiliate attached to a subscriber organisation.
You will gather and submit information. Everything will be submitted through our portal. so you'll see kind of a screenshot of our Cs.
New Mexico landing page. the login highlighted in that upper right, and then below is a screenshot of project information.
You can see it's it's just an online portal that will shepherd you through the different questions.
And ideally we've taken away most of the narrative components.
So it'll be a quicker process, for everyone here. We will have optional uploads for things that are obviously needing explanation or for example, providing as proof of perviting and then the last
step in the process will be to pay us application fees.
Each application has a fee of a $1,000. in order to be submitted to us.
The apple will actually be shepherd you will actually have the opportunity to pay it through our portal.
So we'll take you through that and it will be through Ac.
Only so our portal will accept Ac. H. and you can submit it through.
There. primary screening of these applications so first we'll just be reviewing them for completeness if we're seeing things that need to be clarified or potential uploads that may have been missed or just
information that seems contradictory. We will reach out to you again.
You have 5 business days to respond to our requests you'll get the request in your portal, so you'll have just a login with a homepage and a dashboard. that will seal the request there but
you'll also get them via email with the point of contacts that you listed.
So please keep that in mind that 5 business days, otherwise it may be deemed unresponsive, and we may stop evaluating the bid.
And then projects cannot be fully reviewed until after the close of the business or the bed window.
So part of the reason for that is there some discretionary points that we need to see the entire environment of the project submitted to us before we can evaluate those points and start attaching them.
To project, so that's why the bid window will close January 30 first, and announcements of Awards will start April first.
You do have to submit your payment to the project.
Bye, January 30, first, 4 Pm. Mountain.
Just make sure you you pay that $1,000 application fee
So minimum requirements. Part of this program are. there are few requirements that you actually have to hit before you can even submit a bid.
So as you go through the bit process, we are validating that you have these kind of minimum requirements before you can even do the entire bid.
So, thanks to keep in mind, you need the legally binding site control.
A commitment to meet the statutory subscriber requirements which I have on their twice the utility pre application which you will upload to us.
So the utility will provide you something, and then you will upload it to our portal or portal, will ask that proof of access to collateral for the applicable project deposit that can just be so screenshot
of a bank statement bank account. it's nothing huge as a project selected.
They will have to pay $2,500 per megawatt to continue through that process within 30 days of selection.
So just keep that in mind Again, the payment of the $1,000 application fee project sizes, and the project has to be located in interconnected on property wholly within the State of New Mexico.
Just a few other subscriber requirements. Since it is you do have to commit to these entering the program.
So there is that minimum 30% company that is has to be reserved for low-income customers and low income service organizations.
But there's a few other things the project must have at least 10 subscribers.
No single subscriber, maybe allocated, more than 40% of the capacity, and at least 40% of the capacity must be available in subscriptions of 25 kilowatts or less.
Just a kind of a brief overview of the low income customers that are eligible to meet the 30% carve out.
I can be pretty qualified, based on participation. and Medicaid snap lie heap first time.
Homeowner programs affordable. housing facilities and state and Federal income tax credit, and entire multi-family affordable housing project make qualify.
It's entirely at if its entire load is considered the low income subscriber, and then a customer who does not qualify under one of those programs may provisionally qualify as a low income subscriber by signing a
self at testation that the customers income and household size qualified.
The customer is a low income subscriber until the customer provides sufficient confirming documentation, and they need to do that with 90 days of their self attestation.
Just a reminder. Each subscriber organization's ongoing authorization to operate a project in New Mexico is dependent upon the organization's compliance with the statutory 30% low income subscription minimum for
each project. Each subscriber organization is mandated to report to us the program administrator on a monthly basis.
The organization's progress towards meeting that requirement it is mandated that the subscriber organization hit that 30% within 12 months of project selection.
So just keep that in mind, and reporting will continue quarterly thereafter.
Once their subscriber commitments are met, and not just the minimum, but anything that you have committed to above and beyond in your project that
Just a few consumer protection updates. So some upcoming documents to keep an eye out for we will be producing a best practice as toolkit.
So just suggestions on how you can be a good subscribing organization in the market and protect your customers.
And not only that, but protect yourself from complaints. So we will be producing that for everyone here.
Program guidebook will be released on December first.
And can be modified and updated throughout the program.
So just again, ensuring that you are so subscribing to our updates.
So when we make those updates, you are informed about and it is your responsibility to understand and adhere to anything that's in the program guidebook.
There is a uniform disclosure form that was adopted by the Commission for this program at the disclosure form needs to be presented.
If you look at the adopted rule, needs to be presented and executed ahead of a subscription agreement.
The disclosure form asks for project information, and since no projects have been selected and will not be selected until April of 2,023, therefore no subscriptions can be signed today.
Or head of Projects selection. The disclosure form will be made available by us through the program portal.
So keep an eye out for that when it becomes available for you.
And the last thing is once a project selected you will have an attestation that you will comply to program requirements and any other materials that we deem appropriate for you for your project to continue so that will happen as projects.
Are selected next year.
Announcement of rewards. so we will stagger announcements by utility of 30.
Mix every 2 business days starting april first I think It's Ep.
Only has 30 megawatts, so all of Eps will go.
And what tranche sps has, I think 45 Megawatts.
So they will have 2 tranches, and then Pnm.
Has the line share which will happen over a few days.
So just be aware and make sure somebody is there, and ready for those announcements as they come through, so they can submit their interconnecting at, or interconnection applications to take priority in the queue project
selection date. So the official date of the project selection is the first of the month following the award announcement.
So that will be may first for everyone. If your project selected you of 30 days to pay a fee of 2,500 per megawatt, wait listed projects.
If if a project drops out a weight listed project subs in again, you'll have to pay that 2,500 megawatt fee per megawatt within 30 days, and then if there's a need for tie
breaking process. We will publish that and update everyone sure it's a transparent process that the market is comfortable with
That wraps up our review of the program, the big portal
Our role as the program administrator. And hopefully, you need definitions.
People had questions on. So now we will walk through this submitted questions.
We pull them out by topic. and hopefully, this leads to, you know, a foundation for a good conversation.
Moving, forward.
Okay, So first questions here are just administrative questions first one.
If we accepted community solar program applications. If this is in regards to the New Mexico market.
No, we have not. The big window does not open until 13 December First we Won't accept applications ahead of that application or ahead of that window opening, and the application needs to be submitted through our website the login
which Alex mentioned earlier is not open yet for anyone, so there is no login capability.
Yet today to help prevent those bits from coming in ahead of the window.
Well in climb host a state program Resource website Yes, It's at Cs.
New Mexico. dot com. Please go there, Please subscribe to updates.
Will the application be via an online application form that can be prefilled to submit a head?
Oh, so window opening! and then Yada Yada!
No, the The application will be on it will be online.
Correct, but you can't prefill it ahead of the Rfp.
Opening. So just so, everyone is aware, there is no priority of bids or no points added for submitting a bit ahead of another bid.
There's no time stamping of these beds outside of was it submitted and paid for within the window from December first, through January 30 first, so shouldn't be a need to prefill the application it does
there's no advantageous there. there's no advantage for that. And then will there be specific sections in the online portal which responded to you to fill out fill out or respondents need to upload documents to the portal so the portal will
shepherd you through questions, for example. you know how many communities projects have you previously built for development? experience?
Where were they? What size were there delays they'll just ask you specific questions, and shepherd you through.
And then there are areas we will need to upload documents, for example, that utility pre application. You'll just upload with the utility provided to you, and different different steps throughout that process But one thing we are excited to offer in the market.
Is, I think we took away a lot of the huge writing components which I hope everyone's excited about
Alex, Do you want to take this slide? Thanks. yes, thank you.
May I will be tag teaming the pre submitted questions.
So the Rfp. contemplates a project deposit.
What are the fees associated with each project? So there is a $1,000, application fee, and then a $2,500 per megawatt fee.
If the project is selected, how will encounter address the volume of applications so as noted?
This is structured as an online portal rather than a written Rfp.
The portal will guide you through submitting the information that you need to provide.
And in that way it makes the process much more efficient for you and for us in being able to evaluate the information.
This is what we do. This is the kind of program that we run, and so we're geared to to provide the service and evaluate these applications.
Howeline clime and shirk consistency in scoring so that one person doesn't score differently than another for a given category.
So again, the online nature of the application will enable a very apples to apples comparison.
We'll have a lot of the same people looking at the all of the applications.
Much of the application, or fair amount of it, is very objective.
If you meet the certain criteria or you commit to a certain level, you get a certain number of points on the items that are more subjective, we'll make sure that we have an internal consensus of all the reviewers
that are redoing applications before we assign any points and we'll make sure that we do that after the bid window closes, so that we see the entire universe of applications that get submitted.
Page 12, section, 2, point 7, 4 prior to bid acceptance.
The program to administrator reserves the right to reject bids for reasons other than price or energy production.
What is the purpose of this language, and how does incline vision?
It being used just in case a Beta submitted, that is, non-responsive.
For any reason. we reserve the right not to not to let it go forward.
But hopefully, that's not the case for anyone
I believe we're on the next slide now
Okay to jump back in. So we'll incline allow for clothing, capabilities, update information. No, that's not a feature that we will be offering in this market.
Will the portal have word count restrictions. So as Ali said. The nature of our online application is, we've taken away most of the writing narratives.
There are upload options, and there are upload optional uploads as well.
If you do feel that you need to have some sort of narrative component.
But if at any point there is some sort of restriction you come across in our portal, please just reach out to us the program administrator, and we'll work with you to ensure that you can get your information into us
the next question there. Appendix A is just the bid certification at anti collusion.
Is there anything else that needs to be supplied so i'm?
Not sure if many people saw the draft form of this Rfp.
Was presented in June of this past year. The original Rfp.
Was a lot of narrative components and appendix A was a good amount of forms that people had to complete, to submit a bid.
We decided to integrate that narrative format as just online portal questions and make them quick questions that you can just answer.
And just a few seconds. So Appendix A was then, as a result, just shortened to that big certification.
Anti-cololution form
All right. Some questions on registration. What are warning or disciplinary letters from partners which are need?
If in any other program, any other solar program in particular, you have received a a warning letter or a disciplinary letter for violating program requirements or anything of that nature, please provide that to us.
We do expect that you that's answered honestly and that information is provided, and if you have not been a part of the program before, or you have not received a warning or disciplinary later, you would answer no and there's nothing else to
provide This is Alex. just to jump in also for your partners so subscriber acquisition partners, subscriber management partners.
Anyone you're partnering with in the project bid or plan to partner with.
Thank you. Great clarification clarify that developers are eligible respondents, even when they may not ultimately be the subscriber organization that owns our operates.
The facility. Yes, a developer can be in the terms used by the New Mexico solar program.
The subscriber organization, even though they may not actually be the organization that manages the subscribers to the project
Okay, So, moving on to some project, sizing questions does in time have a preference of project size.
So I think the person's asking is is it easier to be the program administrator with different project sizes, or are we trying to award more projects or less?
No, we're we're completely agnostic to project size.
We have an We have a capacity that we are trying to put out in the market, and best utilize with, you know, innovative projects that are committing to, you know, above and beyond low income. subscribers.
You know, however, the points score out, but the idea is to push the most innovative projects forward.
And first in line here. but project size is not part of the scoring component.
Well, developers have a chance to downsize a project from 5 megawatts to a smaller size in order to utilize the remaining capacity of an Io, or based on what roles in over to the
waitlist. Yes, you can downsize. but you do not get to hold the capacity you vacated.
So big vaccinated capacity goes back into the pool.
It's this This program is by project so even though there are developer caps.
It's not like developers. get awarded capacity that they can utilize across their portfolio.
It is the project that has the capacity awarded to them tied to the subscriber organization, and if a bidder chooses to not accept the reduced capacity, allocation, could they retain their number one weightless
position, and an effort to secure the full capacity of they're bid.
Yes, you can. simple answer to
Alright. Some questions on administrative issues can incline, provide detail on what forms of payment are acceptable for the bid trees.
But it is ac only, and that will be available for to be able to be paid through the portal.
As you get to the end of your bit application. Section 2.1.
The paragraph that stakes that bids are submitted no later than 4 Pm.
Mountain time, January the thirtieth, but in the table below it states the bid window close at 4 0.
Pm. and January 30 first. that is a typo.
It is 4 Pm. Mountain, January 30. First, we will clarify that in writing on the website
Hey? A few questions on affiliates and partners in the current July twelfth Rule.
It says a bed made by a bitter, composed to partners.
But what is the definition? Partners? so it's any entity that controls is controlled by or under common control with each other? or third entity?
Is any legal partnership required to be considered partners?
Or if we have an mou, for example, with a subscription management company that we intend to work with on projects, is that considered a partnership?
Yes, it is, but they are not tied to the developer cap in any way.
For example, the subscription management company for awarded capacity, but they are a part of your organization in terms of compliance factors.
So just something keep in mind, and I think we defined what a bidder is, but it's a subscriber organization, and any of their affiliates
I think it's worth revisiting that definition of affiliates before we hit the questions on this page, a an affiliate would be any entity or a affiliated entities would be any entities that
are that control are controlled by or under common control with each other, or a third entity.
So not a partner that you contract to do business with. But there is a common ownership element to another between one company and another that would define an affiliate
Moving on to questions, on permitting. what is the definition of a non ministerial permit, and what documentation is required?
A ministerial permit is one for which, if there is a stated requirement and you meet that requirement, then you get the permit on non ministerial permit, is one where more discretion is involved and required in
evaluating and determining whether that permit can be issue.
So a ministerial permit would be a building permit or an electrical permit.
A non ministerial permit could be a land use permit?
What kind of documentation is required whatever documentation you received from the Aa. The authority having jurisdiction would be what we'd be looking for to prove that you have secured that permit.
If you do not have all the permits the permitting plan that's signed by a licensed engineer would at least lay out which permits you have identified as required, and whether or not you've secure them what the
status of that process is State Land sites may require non-ministerial permits from the State but due to state land procurement processes.
Those permits are not able to be applied for or obtained until a bid has been awards for selection.
How is this scored? So if your project is on state lands and your permitting plan signed by a license engineer, identifies all of the permits that are required, but because it's on state land, you're not able to apply for
those permits. you'll get full credit for a fully permitted permanent plan.
However, if you're permitting plan does not identify all of the permits that are required, then you would not get full credit.
You would get credit according to some lower criteria.
If a project has secured all permits for a project except the building and electrical permits, will this be categorized as fully permitted?
Yes, if it's got all of The non ministerial permits are identified and secured.
The building and electrical permits are ministerial, and would not be included in that requirement.
Clarify What a permit plan is. Is it an endered drawing or a matrix of permits required?
It is a document drawn up by license, engineer, signed by that license engineer that identifies all of the permits that are required, and it should also identify the state of applying for and securing those
permits. If a project has secured all permits for a project except the building and electrical permits required to start construction With that did get the maximum of 15 points again, Yes, as long as the project has identified and
secured all non-ministerial permits. or if the project is on State land identified, all non ministerial permits, it does not have to have the building and electrical permits to get the maximum number of
points.
Okay, so permitting, continued under what conditions are permit permits approvals are considered, secured, granted, and pending so secured and granted Aren't the same thing.
There's anonymous pending is anything up to that point, but you don't have them yet.
So. hopefully, that clarifies that for you. Do we need the permitting plan to be signed by licensed engineering firm?
If yes, does it have to be an engineering firm, or can it be a sole proprietor?
Yes, it can be a sole proprietor. It just needs to be a licensed engineer.
How does one prove that certain jurisdictions do not require land use, slash zone increments for solar projects?
So our suggestion is to request a letter from the jurisdiction that no permits are required, and that they don't issue any or or just something of that that matter.
And can just upload it to our portal.
Some questions on site, control our projects on State lands exempt from proof of site control, or they exempt from site control as well as proof of receipt of non ministerial permits.
So riffing off of the question from 2 slides ago.
Project on State lands is to get fully full points for permitting, would have to have a permitting plan that's I. that identifies all of the requirement non ministerial permits, and because a project on stateland also cannot
secure site, control It would be exempt from having to provide proof of site control and would get full points for securing side control, even though it doesn't because it's on stay land for legally binding site control
is it acceptable if the bidder will have contractual access to the site control. But site control will be in another entities name.
Yes, that is acceptable as long as you provide via uploads to the portal and the bid documentation whether it's contracts, or some kind of documentation that proves the relationships between those parties, So If party a
has site control. the party. B is the subscriber organization, a document showing that party A.
Has a contractual relationship with party B such. That party B.
So actually has side control. What specific documentation as well to prove legally binding site control.
Basically a document signed by all the parties that grants the developer.
The access to build on that site. it cannot be an Mou.
It cannot be something that landowner can back out of it must be legally binding municipal, county, or Stateland.
What documentation is required. That would be the same documentation that would be required if project is being proposed to be built on privately held land legally binding site control except for it, except for State land in which case legally binding
site. control is not required because it cannot be obtained
Okay. quick questions on financing clarify if we need a commitment letter from both a cache equity and tax equity financing. you just need the cache equity.
Just making sure the project can be built is a commitment.
A 100% of total build cost or something less. The commitment does need to be for a 100%, and will projects be allowed to change financing partners after the award or change from internal financing to external fans.
Financing. Yes, you can switch your financing partners.
We just want to ensure that financing is established at the time of the bid
Questions on project location confirm that the entire community. solar facility must be wholly located within the Iow's Distribution Service territory the project itself does not have to be located within the iru service territory but the
interconnection point does, and that will be proven out by the pre application report that must be submitted along with your bit and it does need to be connected to the distribution service, not the transmission service which is the next
question. Had there been any minimum land-size requirements or design requirements for the option of co-location.
For instance, if there is a 5 megawatt community solar facility next to an 8 megawatt standard, Ppa would easily fulfill the requirements for other energy resources.
Strictly, not Cs. but the term energy resources sounds big.
The co-location requirement applies only to other community solar projects.
In this New Mexico community solar program. if there are 2 projects that are in the program that are next to each other on the same on the same land, then those would be considered co-located.
But if a project in this program is next to any other energy resource that's not in the program, there would be no co-location
Okay. Some utility pre application questions. What document documentation is required for the utility pre application report.
So that is defined by utility. I would suggest going to our websites.
Yes, New Mexico dot com the subscriber organization page.
And there is a pre application section of that page that lists the context for the utilities and some of their websites.
If they had them available, I think Pnm. might actually be the only one with the website available.
But please recap to those utility contacts to work through that process. After the Rfp.
Was issued on November third pm said they did not have a community solar pre application process in place.
They do It's actually again on our website so pn does have a website.
If you go from our website, Cs new mexico dot com Gpm's community solar website, if you scroll down, there's a link to something called Power click, and that walks you through the committee solar pre application
process. What if our pre-application study came back with no capacity?
But then, after speaking to the utility, they indicate that through the interconnection study, they can propose to us an upgrade of the feeder, and hence provide the required capacity for the project will be okay to submit a
pre application that shows 0 capacity or lower capacity than what we are bidding for.
No you can't bid for more than what the pre application report says that can what says can fit or be accommodated.
So. if that's something the utility is working through with you, I would suggest making sure they have for pre application report.
That shows the capacity that you're hoping to get These are just estimates may may not reflect the actual capacity that could be installed on the feeder as they do not take into account the bidder's ability to
perform system upgrades to increase hosting capacity will incline, take their results into consideration when selecting bits.
Pretty much the same question as above no you can't pay for more than what the preabla Pre-app report says that can fit or be accommodated.
What if our pre application report comes back with 5 megawatts capacity available?
We submit our bid through the Rfp process and get awarded 5 megawatt contract, only to find out later from the utility that we can only connect a 3 Megawatt project.
So as we mentioned earlier, you can downsize. But this capacity is vacated. so you'd only be able to utilize that 3 megawatts or you can choose to remain on the waitlist and vacate the entire
capacity and hope that more comes through for you
Turning to subscriptions due to the tight timeline to subscribe.
But within 12 months of project selection, could you provide clarity on delays?
So there is a requirement that a project be fully completed within 12 months of the selection date, and, as noted earlier, the selection date is deemed to be the first of the month after a project is awarded so You might have a little
bit more than 12 months in actuality. and that is a project.
The program. requirement that, if not met, could be result in disciplinary action, However, extensions will be considered on accounts by case basis may require some additional documentation.
Please approach that on a case by case basis. If you find yourself in that situation, is this meant as total savings.
A bid, including a commitment to supplement the Community Solar Bill credit for any low income subscriber for a minimum period of 5 years, by including, in addition to the credit as calculated and provided by the utility a credit from the
subscriber organization to the subscriber in the amount of an additional 20 to 30% of the utility solar bill credit.
It's not total savings it's just a 20 to 30% additional
That would be credited to the subscriber. based on the value of this solar bill.
Credit, please clarify whether the percentages are calculated based on numbers of customers or the percent of overall community solar capacity.
Percentages are based on the capacity of the project, not numbers of customers.
Good clarification. good question.
Some additional subscription questions We have a few pec came in
This description of how low income verification will occur so the subscriber organization will have to submit proof of subscriber, low income status, low income status will be checked at any point at time, and and
we'll be uploaded into our portal so we have the right to audit them.
Well, i'll well eligibility for low income only be checked when a subscriber is initially assigned to the project again.
It'll be checked at any point at time vr our program portal.
Well, where will low income, self attestation and qualifying humanity?
Sort program portal. I should group these together, Sorry for making everyone sit through that.
How will subscriber verification? affect non us citizens that wants participate as subscribers?
So if you have a utility account, you can be a subscriber.
But you do need low income documentation to be considered a low income subscriber on the project, or part of those qualified organizations.
So just something to consider there and then. last question here.
Define direct build customer this is something We interpreted one way, and then we received quite a few questions about this, so we're not exactly sure where we're landing on that. right now.
We're working with the Prc. to clarify definition for everyone there, and we will update that on our website and make sure everyone has access to that in short order here
What constitutes proof of commitment to low in some low income.
Subscribers around upfront costs, termination fees and credit checks.
So in the bid you will choose whether to commit to providing this level of service to low income subscribers.
There is no because it's a a future commitment there's no documentation that really can be provided upfront.
But That's something that the program administrator reserved the right to audit at any point throughout the program's life.
The Rfp. states that each subscriber organization shall provide a copy of the agreement they intend to use to acquire subscribers for the project, that what point do we need to provide a copy of the subscription agreement Does
this agreement need to be included in the Rfp.
Bid. Yes, it does need to be included in the Rfp.
Bid and that will be looked at during Project evaluation
Some scoring questions. So we'll scoring maximum points without bonus points.
Make this eligible for securing projects. So any project that has the minimum requirements is technically eligible for potential awards.
But the projects that will be awarded capacity are just the highest scoring projects in general.
So there's not like You've got the maximum points without bonus points.
You're guaranteed a spot it's just dependent on how it falls in the universe of projects that come.
Come. Okay, is our understanding correct at the maximum point you can get for the previous section is 5 boy, and's 5% for resident business.
Should you choose. So up to 10% of the 92 points can actually be given to a subscriber organization.
That's a resident business. especially if they're the 10% is for small resident business.
What would be considered as examples of innovative commitment hurt beneficial provision noted in the Cs rule.
So this is just going to be defined by the environment of the bids we get.
So I suggest you get creative and try to do something interesting and you unique.
It's not limited to only one bid so again.
Please try to be innovative in your bids it'll only be beneficial to you, and exciting for the market.
Well a bed he valuable yep well a bit evaluated, based on the maximum points of 92 or 106.2 out in 92 Well, baby, it's just the highest scoring
bits, so the bids are scored out of. I guess the 106.2.
Those are just the bonus points. they are included in just general scoring, and the high scoring projects are the ones that will be awarded capacity
Certain criteria mentions that points will be awarded on a scale workforce, training, education, opportunities and existing and continuing relationship categories.
Will these points be in these sections be awarded relative to other bids?
Or will all bids that meet certain thresholds of death via the same points?
It is relative to everyone. So we will look at the what submitted for all the all of the the bids, and decided determine who how many points should be awarded to to each bid based on their level of
commitment to to these particular things it's a subjective measure?
Can you clarify what constitutes racial minorities? in section 4.
Point 3. so racial minority we'd be a a non-majority group.
That would be someone of Latin descent American, Indian and Alaskan native.
I believe that. is it actually but it's essentially a non-majority ethnic group.
If you have any questions about i'm working with a particular group would they be considered a racial minority?
Please email us, and we will take a look into it and see if they would.
They would qualify. How will incline evaluate the respondents response?
As for the bonus points, our respondents, contractors, and subcontractors, is considered as part of the respondent.
No, your contractors and subcontractors would not be considered part of your respondent.
There would be someone that you partner with in developing building, operating the solar project.
But in terms of are you? if the question is about is the subscriber organization part of us selected or protected disadvantage group that would have to be the ownership of the subscriber organization itself?
That meets that criteria just to jump in on the second question there.
So just so everyone's aware of the new mexico legislative Finance committee describes a disadvantaged small business is one majority owned by a woman, or a member of a recognized minority group which
I think, Alex was saying, but just to kind of wrap it up for everyone, including African, American, Hispanic, American, Indian, or Alaskan native.
So just so kind of good. The The legal definition there for everyone.
Thanks, man. I definitely missed some groups in there him, and I think this is the last submitted question that we have to go through.
So have the community. Solar Bill. Credit rates per utility been determined, and if so, where are they published?
So the utilities are are doing this through the 2 tariffs, through their tariffs, which are in the docket.
Each utility has, submitted it in an individual docket, which makes it a little bit complicated to follow.
But the Commission has ordered that the bill credits be approved.
The entire tariffs are still under discussion. They could be subject to change before the opening of this program, which is a little tough.
We will be posting in an illustrative table with what it stands today, or as it stood on November first, when this was happening, we will be having that posting that on our website as well as an explanation of how
those credits were calculated. And then just please continue to watch that and keep an eye out for it.
So that wraps up the submitted questions, and we can move to live. Q.
A alright. we have a healthy queue of questions.
We will start up at the top will you be going through an example of how to upload a project on the platform.
We're not walking through that today. However, if you are at all familiar with any other program that inclined has ministered in any other market, and the county kind of portal down.
We have built for that program. you'll know that we walk you through the application.
Very clear about what kind of information you need to provide. answer Dropdowns?
Yes, nose level of commitments uploads were required.
Optional information Where? where appropriate and and we'll shepherd you through the process, and if you have any questions about that definitely reach out to us, what is the Prc.
Looking for in terms of permitting plans being approved by a licensed engineering firm.
Our environmental consultants not sufficient for signing off on these plans as addressed earlier.
A permitting plan would be a slate of plans of a non ministerial permits that are required, or the particular project and the status of the application or securing of those plans, and our must be signed by a license
engineer does not have to be an engineering firm can be a single licensed engineer, and if an environmental consultant is or has a license engineer on staff, then they would could be the ones to sign it if all
updated. Go on the website. Can you also send you an email notification or a weekly summary.
So we don't miss any important updates I believe The question is asking any information that's communicated here.
Any questions that get answered, addressed, and answered, Will they be updated on the website?
Yes, we put on the website, and if you subscribe to updates, we, you will get notified that those Q and A.
Are now available, so you can sift through them at your leisure, for the cultural resource points in the Rfp.
As a letter from a cultural resources consultant, sufficient, or as a formal letter from the State.
Historic preservation office required. At 1 point letters from cultural resource consultants was potentially considered to be sufficient.
If you have identified that a cultural resource permit, 9 ministerial permit is required.
Then you would need to have that permit from that relevant State office in order to qualify being fully permitted.
You cannot provide one from a consultant. it would actually have to have the permit
Will the recording of this webinar be posted on the website as well?
Yes, it will, and we will also send a an update if you're subscribed for updates.
That the information is up there
Can we update our submission after the initial submission?
If the solicitation window is still open. if you submit your bid, and then you have a change to it.
You would need to contact us, and we'd have to see what the status of your submission is, as to whether or not it could be updated
Is there a limit to the size of business that can be a subscriber?
No, there's no limit to the size of business that can be a subscriber.
However, there are limits to the kind of subscription they can have, so no subscriber can take up more than 40% of the nameplate capacity of the project, and at least 40% of subscribers based on the
capacity project must be small subscribers, 25 kilowatts, or less just to jump in The act does define subscriber a certain way for this program, and there is a rate class qualification.
And there are a few organizations that may seem like large commercial organizations that would be outside of those great classes, but they have actually been approved through different orders.
So I would suggest reviewing the act and ensuring that you feel comfortable with the definition of the subscriber and the mandates.
There.
Can you have more than 1 point? of contact? I believe We allow more than 1 point of contact in the subscriber organization and affiliate registration?
Yes, we're allowing for one more than 1 point of contact, and the point of context can change depending where you're asking about.
So the subscriber organization will have a point of contact, and potentially another point of contact listed and also the project bits will have point of contact.
So just make sure you are creating a process internally that you feel comfortable, that somebody will be responsive.
And everyone has access that needs access in case somebody is out unexpectedly
Page 4 of the Rfp. described subscribe organization as respondent on page 19, under bonus points.
Responding is changed to resident contractor, perhaps meeting, containing consistency on respondent to be the subscriber organization and rewarding section on Bonus points.
Page 19 to read as a bid, including a commitment to contract with the resident contractor rather than is currently written as respondent as a resident contractor.
I don't quite see a question in there but we will take a look at that and see if any clarification would be needed in that
In that passage I noticed the webinar is being recorded.
Yes, it will be available. It will be posted to the website.
Possibly today, if not in tomorrow, and an update will be sent to the distribution list.
The bid. deadline is January 30 first.
Can payment be made after since it takes 5 days Hi since payment must come in as an ac, you will have to submit that payment information in order to have a fully submitted bid.
It can take. yes, a couple of days for the money I actually transferred.
But you actually have to make that Ac. initiate the acceleration within the portal before the big window closes on January 30, first
Anticipating that local partners, such as low income organizations and nonprofits, do not have in-house, legal, or bandwidth, to execute and agreement.
Well simple Mlus, or other simple letters, be given the same value as an agreement.
It should be appreciated that such organizations have boards of directors, and since being awarded is not a foregone conclusion, many organizations will simply not do the heavier listing to have an executed agreement but prefer
a simple representation of partnership depends what is being asked here, and what the relationship is.
So if it's a group that you are partnering with So you're contracting with them, subcontracting with them.
So let us know who they are If it. is This is a group that you're working with for site. control.
It has to be a legal agreement, non-binding side control, and Mo would not suffice just jumping in here, too, if this is asking about subscriptions.
So again, the disclosure form is not yet available to the public.
They will not be made available until project selections have occurred since project identifying information is is required on the disclosure for so just full disclosure.
There should be no subscriptions being presented in the market today.
If this is talking about Cpos, the community based organizations that qualify for low-income subscriptions within a garden.
Also would like to announce that in crime will be working with a low income outreach partner, and they will also be helping us think through some guidance around this ahead of that April selection.
So we will be posting more information in either program guidebook or an update on our website.
So again, please subscribe to the updates on our website.
Alright to New Mexico. Epcs need to register as affiliates.
If the related ess is the one submitting the overall bid.
If the so is the one submitting the bid. No, your your partners do not need to register only the entity that is submitting.
The bid would need to register either as an so or as the affiliate that's submitted.
There are portions of the bid, though that will ask for
You know I have your partners been recognized. or do you know who your partners are, and that's where you'll enter information just in general, like Yes, we have secured these people.
But they are not a part of kind of the big capacity or
The compliance aspect of being a subscriber organization.
Hopefully, that clarifies that our project is 5 megawatts with some use by ourselves.
Can we bid in only a portion of the project in this process you would have to bid in the entire project.
And you could either be a large subscriber to the project or you would have to buy forcate the project and be part that gets submitted to the program would have to be separately interconnected
How do you square the statement that multifamily low-income housing entities can qualify as subscribers as long as all the rest?
Residents are low income. With the previous definition of subscriber, which was residential for small commercial customer based on great class, those facility rate classes are likely to fall under a C.
And I designation. If a multi-family, low-income, housing entity can provide d documentation, that of that status, and that all this residents qualify as low income, then all of those subscribers that live
in that in that housing facility would qualify as low-income subscribers for the purpose of meeting program requirements
Mine anything to add on that? Yeah. So again, just wanted to refer everyone to the act.
The community. Solar acted clearly to find what a subscriber is in this program, which is a little bit nuanced and different than potentially other programs.
So again, it's a retail customer of a qualifying utility that overs a subscription to a community solar facility, and that is, by rate class, a residential retail customer, or small commercial retail customer.
or regardless. And I think this is where the question comes from of rate class is a nonprofit organization, a religious organization, an Indian nation, tribe or playblow or tribal entity, a municipal or county in
the State, a charter, a public school as defined by section 22, 1, 2, 2 blah blah blah rules Community college has defined by other things or public housing authority.
So again, I would say, get comfortable with that definition.
It's a bit different than other markets live it breathe it, Repeat it to yourself until you you can just memorize it
Alright, please please explain the project. selection, date again.
So. Because projects selections are going to project awards are going to be trotched in groups of 30 megawatts every 2 business days.
Project selection date is going to be deemed as the first of the month after a project is awarded, so that most projects, probably not all.
But most projects are in sync with with with all subsequent timeline requirements.
So a project must be completed 12 months after Project selection.
If a project is selected on April first, another on April third, another on April fifth, that would stagger those dates and be more difficult to administer and more confusing.
So grouping everyone on a monthly cadence will make things cleaner If the $2,500 fee per megawatt based on Ac or Dc.
Size of the system. It will be based on Ac, and we will calculate that for you in the application.
So you know exactly how much the fee is going to be we'll copy this presentation be shared online.
Yes, we will put the presentation online as well along with the recording of the webinar.
Will a disclosure statement be created by the subscriber organization and signed by the subscriber in the organization's enrollment process, or will the disclosure statement be created on a separate platform?
Like, what is the process in Illinois which is unfortunately created meeting issues?
The disclosure form will be published at a later date before the project.
Selections Project Project awards are made, and it will be able to be completed in several different ways.
We will go into this in much more detail as the date gets closer, but at a high level there are options.
It will be able to be signed by the subscriber on the
The program platform. It can be downloaded and wet, signed and uploaded.
It can be created outside of the platform and signed by a subscriber.
Then as long as that's provided then it might upload to the program, there are a number of different issues trying to make it give Sos lots of different options in cleaned ways and we'll go into more detail on that at a later
date also, just to jump in there. The disclosure form cannot be modified, so we are opening up access to disclosure farm in a number of ways.
Not just including in the portal, but the disclosure form cannot be modified.
The Commission adopted a uniform disclosure form which has which identifies mandatory information that shall be provided by a subscriber organization to potential subscriber.
And there's other requirements as well in both English and Spanish, and, you know, appropriate native languages for those who need it.
And it does need to, you know, go through grievance structures and things like that.
But this is something that's in the act and it also is in the adapted rule.
So. But again, just no modification of the disclosure forum subscription should not be offered before project selections are announced, and that is something we will monitor in the program.
But disclosure forms will be rightly accessible in a multitude of ways to ensure that people can easily access them.
And it doesn't prevent subscribers from enrolling in the program
Alright under contract with local businesses, Section Page 18, and reference to contract materials, supplies, and services.
Only please confirm that these requirements will all have been satisfied if one contracts with a resident contractor
If if the resident contractor meets the criteria for the the disadvantage they're protecting group, then yes, if not, then no, that would not be satisfied If that doesn't answer your
question. Then please reach out to us via email or form on the web, and we can try to clarify further.
Can we pay the application fee prior to finalizing and submitting our bids?
This will allow us to ensure the fee has been processed correctly.
Yes, that will be paid via a ch on the program portal and you'll know that it goes through.
If for some reason the funds aren't able to be pulled by the bank after you submit it will reach out to you, and we'll work it out so just to clarify when you pay the the fee
you are submitting your bid just to clarify that.
So ensure you you don't you can save along the way your project.
But that is the last step before submitting a bid to us.
Will these answers be submitted in writing on the website?
Yes, we are actually going to go through all these questions and answer them in writing on the website. So there is no deposit.
Just 2 fees. there is a $1,000 application fee, and a $2,500 per megawatt ac fee.
Once a project is selected or awarded capacity in the program.
In regards to the favorable analysis by the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the rule that stated that a bid for a project that has received received a favorable analysis from the department of cultural affairs, or a qualified independent
expert. She'll be awarded 2 points however, in the Rfp.
The language about a qualified independent expert is not, there will a favorable analysis by a qualified independent expert.
The award in 2 points. we will have to go back and take a look at that. I don't know if you have any ready answer for that, or something.
We need to go back and look at Yeah. I believe in June. The Prc.
Actually agreed to this. But again i'd like to just kind of check in and make sure we're not saying something contrary here. so that will be posted on our website.
Thank you for a good question
Substantial completion definition on page 5 of the Rfp.
Recommend that this be replaced with mechanical completion since integration by utility is outside the control of the developer. I'm. a developer, if awaiting interconnection, completion, and construction by the utility should
not disadvantage the developer onto the Rp process as long as the project is mechanically complete, also suggest the 12 month timeframe be increased to 18 months, due to industry Wide Supply chain constraints that
is a fair comment on substantial completion versus mechanical completion.
We will take a look at that. the 12 month. timeframe, I believe, is in the final rule, so I don't know if that's anything I don't think we have any discretion on that
If you are a subscriber organization, can you support another subscriber organizations Project with specific expertise civil finance subscriber acquisition without running a foul of the anti-collusion?
Statement. the respondent hereby certifies that no collusion has occurred with other being parties.
This seems overly restrictive. Given that this is not a price.
Rfp. hi collusion is different than partnering or contracting with the company.
Collusion would be conspiring to to arrange to to work with someone in a in an unethical way or illegal way. I don't think partnering with anyone would be even if you're submitting
a bid yourself would be considered collision. if you have an attorney on staff? or are you want to consult with one?
Yeah, i'm sure that they can clarify the definition of collusion, and see if whatever practice you're engaging in would risk running a foul of that
For the non project viability points which rely upon commitments, plans, etc.
There is a risk that non-violable projects will be awarded. program.
Capacity failed to get permitted and built, and resulted in a negative experience for New Mexico and its residents with the community.
So a program. we recommend that only those projects who have received the full 15 points were permitting which have secured all non-ministerial permits to be eligible for additional points through a creative writing exercise interesting suggestion The the
scoring rubric is some that went through a stakeholder feedback process.
Earlier in the year, and so that's why it is what it is right now.
The idea behind allowing a project that are giving points to a project that is not fully permitted is that it wouldn't get as many points as a project that is fully permitted.
It also could be a bad experience for New Mexico if some of the 200 megawatts is not awarded.
If the the projects are not available to to fill that capacity. So that's why there is a scale of points awarded to projects with differing levels of securing these these levels of of permitting
So I want to clarify. Stay, if all the bids chosen for excel which is Sps come out so 42 megawatts will a 3 Megawatt project be given preference or will the next
highest going project. say it's 5 megawatts have the chance to downsize and be selected to fill the cap.
So I believe the question is about the waitlist if let's say, a 5 megawatt project is first in line in the waitlist, and 3 megawatts becomes available because the project the head of it that was awarded
capacity fell out, that first 5 megawatt project would be given the right to the the option to say Yes, I would like to downside the 3 Megawatts and take that slot if they read the decline that
option. Then nothing happens after that until additional capacity becomes available.
If another megawatt becomes available, we'd say hey? there's 4 megawatts available.
Would you like downside the 4 megawatts, and take that slot if they decline?
They want to wait until 5 megawatts becomes available.
That capacity would not get awarded to anyone else on the wait list. it's only the first weightless position that has the right of first refusal
Are you concerned that bidders will submit projects on State lands for which they have no reasonable site control?
That is a possibility that would be a development risk as well.
If they submit a project on State land, and they are not able to obtain site control, in which case that project would fall out, and a project on the waitlist would get would be able to slide in
There's an engineer for permitting sign off need to be independent?
Do. They need to be in New Mexico just a license Engineer could be independent, could be with a firm.
There's no requirement stated that they need to be into Mexico.
Must a prospective. solar project site or parcel already has a 9, 1 one address assigned in order to participate in the bid. No, you don't have to have an address in the bid application.
We're going to ask for a street address which is optional, because we understand that particularly projects in rural areas may not have a street address.
We'll ask for city town the zip code the latitude and longitude, so you can pinpoint it exactly.
And and I believe we're also going to allow up to the upload of I think as a Kml file for Google Earth.
So you can show us exactly where it is. just the license engineer signing the permitting plan need to be licensed in the state of New Mexico.
Nope. They do not. If a project previously submitted an interconnection, application, and holds a position in the interconnection queue? Can the project submit?
The new required post. Rfp. Interconnection application prior to withdrawing its Pre Rfp.
Application. or does it mean to first withdraw it's pretty Rfp.
Application prior to submitting the required post. Rfp. Interconnection.
Application. if you have a pre application report from any other process So if i'm i'm assuming the question is about the the s gip process, if you have a pre-application report from the interconnection, utility from
s chip Then that can be used for this program
Is there an expiration on pre applications acquired for bids if we got a pre app last year?
No, you can use that that's fine given I ou points and contacts have not been responsive to date.
Is there any requirement for reasonable responsiveness from the Iow's?
If the if an iu is not responding to you, please let us know
We have talked with the Ios, we talk with them on a very regular basis, and they have provided contact information bulk of pre-application reports and for any questions specific to issues related to them.
That's on the website under the the subscriber organization section and if some reason you're not getting reply to please let us know
Is a permit plan signed by a license engineer, certifying that no non-ministerial permits are required for the project.
Sufficient of evidence that no non-ministerial permits are required. Do we need to obtain an actual letter and writing from me, using a permitting plans, saying that no non ministerial permits are required would be
sufficient
However, if you do need an a not-minute, still a permit.
We need documentation of that to prove that you haven't If you claim that it's secured for interconnection.
What if there is sufficient available capacity? But there is a waitlist, for example.
There are 5 megawatts available and you are applying for a 5 megawatt project, but there's 20 megawatts in the queue.
So the question is, if there is a waitlist for interconnection.
That's something you would need to work at with the utility. once you're awarded capacity in the program, you do have the 12 months to build if you're running into an issue with integration connection then
Perhaps the project is not viable, you, can certainly reach out to the interconnecting utility. You can reach out to us with any questions, and explain your particular circumstance, and and we'll see how that might be able to be addressed within
the confines of the program requirements
Can you please affirm that rooftop projects would be eligible to receive the 2 points, a favorable analysis from department of cultural affairs by simply providing evidence they are cited on a roof to waving the
requirement that rooftop projects. Get an analysis from the department of cultural affairs, but also free up the departments time to process other applications from ground map to projects
That's an interesting idea. something we will take a look at it's possible, also, that a ground mounted project may need to sorry a rooftop project may need to roll construction equipment on an area that require an
evaluation from the Department of Cultural Affairs.
So we will take a look at one and see if that's something that is viable to to give credit for.
Thank you for the question. Please further clarify the low income solar bill, credit, subsidy, and the low income subscriber.
Pay a subscription fee to the so that is, 20 to 30% less than the total solar bill credit.
Or must the subscriber retain the full value of the bill?
Credit plus the so pays the subscriber to subscribe.
Brian would you mind taking that one I don't actually have a great answer for that one.
So sorry sorry for that, but essentially we'll get clarification, and we will post that I think that's more just kind of an operational question that doesn't potentially mean anything to us as long as that 20 to
30 is met, and you are, you know a testing that you will meet it. and then, if upon audit, it is met how it's rolled out operationally logistically for your corporation, I don't think we can answer that for
you
One thing I wanna jump back to. There was a question about pre application reports and the subscriber organization paying for upgrades to make capacity available for the proposed project.
I just want to clarify that we'll look into that and post a a final analysis on it
Next question for most rooftop projects there will be no requirement for any non-ministerial permits.
As these projects are not typically required to get zoning or land use permits.
Well a letter from an engineering firm asserting that there are no non-mistial permits required for rooftop project within a particular age to be sufficient to be categorized as fully permitted and receive the full 15
point. if you're permitting plan signed by a license engineer says that you have no required non ministerial permits, then you would meet that requirement and get full credit, I do want to clarify though that this
is this and anything else? Any information submitted during this program could be audited and could be followed up on by the program.
Administrator. So if you say that you don't need any non ministerial permits, and then later it's determined that you do, or that you knew about it.
But you weren't sure you didn't put that in the permitting plan that could result in some consequences.
So. if in all honesty your project does not require non ministerial permits and a license engineer says so.
Then you would get full credit. Can you please confirm whether any evidence of an existing partnership of contract will be required to receive the full 6 points in the community, and local benefits section, or Does a simpler bit?
Or does a bidder simply need to state their commitment, to contract and to receive the full 6 points?
So this is a commitment you don't have to have those contracts in those partnerships in place.
At this point we understand that because you're probably not moving forward very much with your project until, unless you get an award so similar to the last question, anything you submit, including this commitment, could be audited at future, points So if
you make the commitment, and then we check into it and you're not following up on the commitment.
There could be consequences. but initially, with the bid application. just the commitment is what you need.
Market conditions, construction, commodity costs, interest rates, interpretation of ire rule, ira rules, etc., are constantly changing.
May we submit a proposal, assuming our best understanding of current market conditions, yet acknowledging that our proposal may change as any one or more of these assumptions change in the future, or making an assumption
like this disqualify our proposal certain changes to the project within certain boundaries are allowed.
If you're downsizing you need to change the layout. you're changing the configuration of the panels.
That's that's all allowed if you're changing your interconnection point that would be a significant change that may not be allowed.
If you have a question about a change 2 year proposed submitted project that you're not sure if it would be allowed, reach out to us, and we'll take that on a case by case basis will bids be limited by the respondent to 20%,
developer cap, or are the capacity awards subject to the 20% developer tap.
It is the capacity awards that are subject to the 20% developer.
Cap. you can submit as many bids as you want.
You can have as many businesses you want on the waitlist it's only awarded capacity that would be subject to that 20% developer cap
What is meant by the word commitment as it is used in the community.
And local benefits section of the rfp criteria It's a promise you're committing to fall to following through on doing that.
And again. if you if it's found at some point that you've not followed through on that commitment, there could be
Will in so be awarded bonus points. if their partner, for example, a subscriber, acquisition, and management firm is the one responsible for providing innovative commitment.
If that innovative commitment is a part part of your project, then those bonus points could be awarded doesn't have.
Yes, it doesn't have to be the esso that that implements that innovative commitment. it's just the price project that is implementing the innovative commitment
Need clarity on what development and technology risk are being referred to.
Are there any particular documents we need to provide in regard to that development and technology risk?
Will the evaluation team check the risk of the project and of so how so?
We're just looking to make sure that you're not using inverters that are cobbled together in someone's garage.
The there's a question that asks about the experience of the development team.
We just want to make sure that everyone is knows what they're doing, and has certain experience, and you're using reasonable projects and taking reasonable development risks.
If there are any questions from what we, what we see get submitted, we will reach out to you and ask
Would you please clarify whether the that one went away?
I think we're we're
I think we're we're trying to over questions that have been asked before, and I answered before
Does the utility bill credit vary over time, or is it fixed for the life of the program?
If it varies, does it change with retail prices are fixed by an annual escalator.
That is something that is between the Utilities and the Public Regulation Commission.
If they are not yet finalized, if once they get finalized, we will post them on our website, and if they get changed over time, then they would be subject to change.
So that's outside the purview of the program administrator
Do tribes, quivelos or nonprofit community organizations have to from New Mexico or anywhere in the Us.
If this refers to groups that you're working with or I guess groups that are that would own the project, or groups that you are working with potentially, So a subscriber does need to be within the state of new mexico the
project needs to be in the state of new Mexico and they need to be receiving the benefits there.
So I think that's. what this question is asking about but all the language in the procurement process is really based on New Mexican residents.
So, if it's for a broader question the procurement rules in the saving of Mexico is based on New Mexico residents.
Thanks, bye, will we be able to save a partial application in the portal?
Or does application have to be completed in one sitting? yeah, bring some coffee and snacks?
No, I'm completely, completely kidding you can save your progress as you go along, and you do not have to submit it in in one.
Go. What are the rates of the tariffs based on which customer tariffs would be based?
The tariffs will be published on the program website and draft form.
They're not fully approved by the Prc.
But once we get confirmation from the Prc.
We will get those at on the program website with respect to demonstrating a commitment to ownership of the proposed facility by members of the local community.
What would such an ownership structure look like with having the homeowners name on the title about the developer still impending the benefits of the project?
Facility. hey? it's a commitment to ownership it's not.
Yeah, yeah, I would say, show show us what you propose to do.
And we can evaluate and you can ask us questions. if you're not sure about it, and we can evaluate whether or not that would meet criteria for making a commitment to ownership
Will there be editor adders in addition to the fixed tariff, or just a fixed rate per kilowatt hour.
It's just a re per kilowatt hour There are no adders in this program is the 20% developer. cap.
I guess we ever answered that one state lands can't start a permit.
Yet after award we'd go through a multi-month process to finalize State land.
Lease. that time one is well over 12 months. Will this be sufficient grounds for an extension if we provided details for the long time.
List of Asjs and other government agencies. please reach out to us on a case by case basis with your project, and we can determine if an extension would be about it.
In that case
User connection to you. the Rfp. States. the interconnection applications will be reviewed based on the highest score of points, but in the document it also states the Q.
Position will be determined on a date and timestamp.
Could you please elaborate? A cute position is based on crazy interior points or timestamp.
So your submission of your project did it's not based on a date or timestamp, as long as you get it in within the bid window. your submission of an interconnection application is based on priority of
submittal utilities are required to evaluate them in in in the order in which they receive them.
So that is why we are tranching the project awards, so that the higher scoring projects have a chance to get their interest connection applications in first, before the next set of lower scoring applications, so they can move forward with the project that's
the benefit of scoring higher in the program. What is meant by 50% ownership by the local community?
Is it 50% ownership of the equity of the fully financed project company, or something else?
Yes, 50% ownership of the project of the fully finance project
Regarding the points available for a bid, including a commitment to contract for materials only with businesses owned or operated locally or owner operated by members of racial minorities.
Women and veterans or native Americans, may some points be awarded for a commitment contract with some local businesses, but not exclusively with local businesses.
So in the points are awarded only for a commitment to contract only with businesses that are in those groups
It's not clear if tribal solar can be interconnected before the public interconnection Submission start in April.
The twentieth 3. Does the New Mexico, Prc.
Have guidance document for tribal solar interconnection.
Timing any timing on interconnection. I think that would be an issue.
You would need to discuss directly with the interconnecting utility.
And if there are questions as it pertains to the program, reach out to us.
And we will evaluate them and see what we can do to help
The one-year completion timeline is simply untenable, and out of the norm for other industry timelines. we don't think it's feasible.
Where did incline determine? This is the best timeline to include is possible to reconsider this.
This the 12 month completion timeline is in the Prc's final order, and not something that incline had any discretion or subjectivity over.
I do want to jump in and just say, I think the State is kind of viewing this program as essentially pilot program, right?
And then we're as the program administrator doing reports for the Legislature.
So on November, in November of 2024, we will provide a report on how this program rolled out.
And just a progress report in general, and things like this can be reconsidered in 2024.
So. we do hope you've tried to participate in this program, and we think there is an avenue to success.
But, please submit any feedback, and we also will be reporting on that in the future
Thanks, man, that's a good qualification clarification, financing letter confirming. If an executive commitment letter from a project financier is sufficient for all 10 points, and if further information is or will be required, if you have an
executive commitment letter from project finance. Here, then, that would meet criteria for being fully financed, A little confused about the affiliates piece can maybe subscribe or management, or do they need to register so an
affiliate is different than a partner that you're working with.
If you are subcontracting, out a a service for the project, that would be a partner that you're working with and affiliate would be
Let's say you are a development organization and you're putting every project bid in under a different llc.
Then the Lllc. would need to register as an affiliate connect back to the parent company as a subscriber organization, and the Llc.
Would submit the project that just to kind of jump in, and and I guess hammer that.
Now. So that one is kind of business architecture right If you're creating special entities or limited liability corporations and creating portfolios under you know, project names or company names right to mitigate risk that would be an affiliate that you need
to register under your subscriber organization. And then, in terms of the partnerships, the subscriber management and acquisitions, which is a bit confusing. when the asset owners are called subscriber organizations here in
the market. but your partners that are helping to fill and manage these projects, or anywhere else that you're working on projects in general.
They are not affiliates in that sense. So hopefully, that helps clarify for you
Existing and continuing relationship points here. What are my sliding scale? What sort of proof agreement is anticipated?
To provide all 6 points. We will look at the universe of what is submitted and determined.
On a subject subject the basis, if something meets criteria for getting all 6 points propose what you send us what you propose to do. and that's part of the project.
Evaluation. If we're not a resident business but partnered with several resident businesses for development, do we qualify for a fraction of the resident business points?
No, the ownership of the subscriber organization or the affiliate that's submitting the the project that needs to meet criteria for being in that class.
There is another section in the Rfp. so outside of the bonus Point, and I guess the regular points, if you'll better way to describe it.
But well, if you partner with local residents and and different groups will help you obtain some points as well.
But in terms of bonus points, that is, the subscriber organization themselves, and that is defined in New Mexico Code.
We certify Again, if the respondent can be a different organization than the so pre award, and how the relationship should be structured.
So the subscriber organization is the one or the
The affiliate is the one submitting the project bid, and that entity is also the respondent
To go back, answered how recent to the pre-abs and utility needs to be a pre app from 10 years ago. probably won't cut it but one from last year should be fine i'd say you exercise reasonable discretion and if
we have any questions about, the still recency and applicability of that Pre-app report will reach out to
Here's a list of several questions that pertain the tribal lands to be used the New Mexico Community solar program.
Instead of reading all of it, which is fairly wordy.
I will just answer that if a project community solar project is cited on tribal lands and interconnected with one of the 3 ius ape, Pnm.
Or Sps. It does not need to be part of this program.
If it can participate in this program and compete for an award.
But it does not have to. and if the project is not part of this program. It is not subject to any of the requirements of the program.
It's completely outside of the program, completely outside of the scope of of incline, as the program administrator.
You're working exclusively with the interconnecting utility on your project
Well, application and review begin after the january 30 first deadline.
I'll really begin with doing applications as soon as December the first we may start, and likely we'll start reviewing some applications prior to the close of the bid window.
So to to spread out our work but we won't complete reviewing any applications until after the bid window closes.
So we have the entire universe of bid applications.
Some of the things that we can review and evaluate initially are many of the objective requirements.
But the the subjective ones not something that we can evaluate before we know all of the respond responses. Can you please provide W. 9 and Ac.
H. payment instructions. so we convey you as a vendor.
If you ask, where will you post it we're not able to do that?
The the fees, both the $1,000 application fee and the $2,500 per megawatt ac project fee are actually payable to the State.
To the public regulation commission. and they're not will not be able to be enrolled as a vendor.
Do we need to be incorporated as doing business in New Mexico?
Or can we bid into this project as an out of State company?
You actually have to. I believe you have to provide proof of being.
We're being registered to do business in New Mexico. Yeah.
So you do need A certificate of good standing or resident registered to be able to transact in New Mexico.
But the company can be headquartered in another state.
You know if it's a national company. it doesn't need to be located purely in New Mexico.
But you do need to be registered with the State.
Yeah, you'd be registered as a foreign foreign company in New Mexico.
If the pre application says no capacity. But if the project site can be interconnected with an upgrade feeder facility at the substation, can we still submit the bit?
As a combination of questions answered before if the pre application report says that there's no capacity available.
It's going kind of hard to bid in a project an application that says i'll build a 5 megawatt project here, because the utility is telling you that no capacity is available.
However, if you're working with the utility and there is a upgrades will be put in place such that capacity will be available.
Then reach out to us we'll take a look at whether that's something that's feasible reach out to us and ask questions about it, and we'll post an answer as the whether that's something that can that can
work. If a respondent does not plan to be the end owner of the project and intend to sell the project prior to Ntp.
With the respondent bill can still be considered a subscriber organization.
Yes, the respondent is still the subscriber organization, or in a affiliate of the subscriber organization.
Whichever of those 2 is submitting the project bid, and it still can be sold.
The the program is not intend, is not intending to interview, interfere with
The buying and selling of projects in the in the free market just the the so or the affiliate that's submitting the bid would be the the respondent in this case, and it project.
Ownership does change, please let us know, so that we know who to communicate with
Regarding the question on local partners. we are seeking more clarification not related to Epc's, but mou loi for nonprofits.
These entities have low bandwidth funds to work with.
These types of agreements in advance so an award we'll want to mou loi carry the same weight that just went away.
I would say, reach out to us separately, and we can answer that question.
It sounds like you have something specific in mind that you're thinking about.
We can take a look at that on a case case by case basis
What is development and technology risk? Will this be evaluated and affect the score?
It's a subjective evaluation we just want to make sure that all reasonable development and efforts and technology risk is being accounted for. If you're using commonly available equipment and taking reasonable development risk then
there's nothing to worry about there I would expect that most folks would get an easy pass on this it's just if we see something that jumps out it.
How to us as very out of the ordinary and concerning we'll reach out to and let you know When does the question period close?
Will we be able to ask questions after this pre-bid conference?
Yes, you will there is an email address it's admin at Cs.
New Mexico Com, and there's a web form on the Cs.
New Mexico Com Program website, too. You can submit questions at any time
What will be the expected method of reporting for the monthly and quarterly upon qualification proof of 30% low-income subscribers. and we're quarterly reporting be done at any point during the quarter or on
a specific and consistent date, it will be on a specific quarterly cadence.
Which will let you know what that is and from this one away. i'm trying to remember the first part of the question.
The man I do remember the first part of that question i'm sorry.
What was the I was up. i've been answering questions on the side here?
It was the exact question. Let me let me try to find that question.
Okay.
Okay, I can't find it right now, but if that didn't answer your question.
Please reach out to us separately, and we'll we'll address it.
Sorry for that
Please clarify.
Please clarify If subscriber organizations can bid more than 40 megawatts Ac.
Worth of projects, even if that cannot be awarded more than 40 megawatts.
Aca projects please clarify how the escap applies to each utility.
For example, given that an so can only be awarded 6 megawatts of capacity in the ep territory. can we only bid one effect 5 megawatt acp project and 1 one megawatt ac
project that, can we? 2 5 megawatt ac projects in ppe territory?
You can bid in as much as you like, but oh!
A project awards will be limited to the 20% developer cap.
So in youpe there's 30 Megawatts so 20% of that would be 6 Megawatts, so you can only be awarded 6 megawatts.
That may take the 4 mode, 2, 3 megawatt projects.
If you have a yeah i'll just leave it there if the respondent is local, eligible, to receive the bonus points, how long?
After a word, must they retain ownership of the project?
Are they allowed to sell the project to an out-of-state entity immediately upon award interesting question.
We will have to look at that and get back to you.
Could see some concerns with potential situations. so we'll have to take a look at that and follow up Are there penalties.
If we do not have low income commitments if audited after Pto.
Yes, you need to maintain those low-income commitments.
At least 30% and possibly more, if you commit to it.
For the life of the project. and there will be consequences if those thresholds are not met follow up to the question of previously red market conditions. I'm.
Wondering specifically what happens if market changes adversely that affect the savings we are calculating, projecting that we can provide to the Lmi subscribers or the low income subscribers.
What happens if the market changes adversely that affects the savings that you're not able to follow through on that commitment that you made for that 20 to 30% additional bill credit?
If you're not sure if you can make they follow through on that commitment, I would recommend not making the commitment
Sounds like in climb, is offering to answer questions directly.
Will these questions be recorded and released publicly? Yeah, we will.
Any questions we get that are not specific to a case. to a particular circumstance of a developer will publish on the website
Let's see
Miami is answering questions. questions. Bytext, where did the 50% community ownership come from?
That is not a stated requirement. Does the project have to have at least 50% equity ownership?
The 50% ownership is part of the scoring rubric that was run through stakeholder. feedback process is where it comes from.
A careful reading of the final order, completion, timeline address of subscribers.
It does not mandate mechanical completion, imposing a 12 month mechanical completion.
Deadline means the projects will have to start construction prior to executing their Isa.
The requirement is for projects to meet there. so there's subscriber commitments within 12 months after project selection in order to have subscribers to a project that project would need to be operational otherwise.
No one can subscribe to. it. so it's sort of imputed that the project must be operational in order to meet those subscriber commitments.
That's where that comes from. What weight is being put on the sorry next question.
There are no panel manufacturers in New Mexico, so how would an So work only with local companies for supplies?
If that's a commitment that is not able to be made. and please do not make that commitment.
Can a local bidder submit a project, bid and receive the bonus points for being from in State, and then sell the project to an out of state.
Developer at pto Yes, there's no restriction on whether a project can be sold, and to whom we wanna make sure that if a commitment is made, then that is followed through on can we Bid a project with 2
sizes, one at 5 megawatts and one at 3 megawatts, 3 and a half megawatts, for example, we build only one. No, you can't have different iterations of the same project can
bid in 2 project applications, one at 5, one at 3 and a half.
Those would be deem co-located if they both went through
But you can't been in different variations of the same project in the same bed
And it looks like that is the bottom of our question list.
Amazingly 1 min before our hope. There it goes, 12 at noon.
Mountain time. Alright, i'm going to pause take a sip of water, and see see if any additional questions come in over the next 2030 s.
I also want to thank everyone again who submitted questions ahead of this conference.
It helped us understand where people were confused or where the majority of the concerns, like were, which was wonderful and hopefully helpful to everyone.
Here in the audience again, if we didn't answer any questions that came in ahead.
We will be answering those questions on our website. so you will have access to answers to ensure consistency across the board.
I also posted here how to contact us. So it has our email phone and our website again, Please, bookmark.
That website
All right. Some more questions have come in feels like we're getting conflicting information regarding 12 month. timelines.
Is it 12 months Is it cod or mechanical completion?
As now it's cod But we will take a look into that and see if mechanical completion is it's viable to change it to mechanical complete and we'll post that on the website, and clarify
cool question that has been asked a couple times and has not been answered.
The Stateland office is providing site control agreements to developers who want to put projects on Stateland.
They've created a special process for this specifically for community solar They're doing that through short term lease agreements can incline.
Consider changing the site. control exemption for state sites, so that short term lease agreements are required.
Wired demonstrate site control. that would be on state land.
We will take a look at that We'll discuss with the Prc.
And work with other agencies. The state to determine if that's something that would need to be modified in the criteria.
Thanks for pointing that out. for my latter question on 5 megawatts versus 3 and a half megawatt bids?
Could we submit separate kids for each site? Yes, you could, with a commitment to get supplies from a local contractor, be considered honored if an in-state organization procured panels manufactured from out out of
state, I? The short answer is I believe so I think it's unreasonable to think that literally everything could come from New Mexico.
Things do come from other States and other countries but the point is that you're partnering and working with local businesses.
If you have a specific situation in mind that you're thinking of that you have questions of, please reach out to us, and we can help clarify
Can you play on my question? Do businesses owner operated locally, Need to be registered.
New Mexico resident businesses under Mexico law?
Or can those contracts be sleeve through any Llc.
With a New Mexico address. They believe they would need to be resonant, registered New Mexico resident businesses.
There is a specific section of the New Mexico statute that defines the those businesses.
We will post that link in the portal at the relevant point of that question.
So you can take a look at that. If you want that ahead of time, please feel free to reach out to us, and we can get that.
We can also post it in the answer to the question, when we post it online, can we request a schedule extension with justified reasons in our response?
A schedule extension. You need to submit that separately.
And I would recommend looking at that waiting for a project award after you request a response and request an extension cause.
It may not be something that's relevant to you if you don't get into work
It says Several of my questions have been answered, live, but they were not.
Please make sure to address all questions submitted. Live in writing on the website.
We certainly will. I think if it was dressed live it means we talked about it.
Hopefully we addressed your question, but if not then we'll make sure we get everything in writing on the website.
What is the difference between supplies and materials? Thank you.
That is a good question. we are clarifying that with Prc.
And we'll post a clarification of that on the website
Is the energy profile of a proposed project a determining factor for selection under the Rp.
One that proves produces more power than another. No, the estimated production from a project is not something that is that is scored.
We just ask for that information. but A project that produces more power will not get more points than one that produces less power.
Attendee still has questions or confusion about something. If a subscriber organization is providing the financing commitment letter or subscriber or management services for another bidder. but is also being their own company projects and the rfp are we considered as working in
partnership with this company and be held to the 20% megawatt cap as a combination.
So the 20% megawatt, the 20% developer cap is based on the ownership of the entity that is submitting the bid.
So if development, a submits a bid and is either owns or is under common ownership with another developer that is submitting another bid, those 2 developers would be considered affiliate.
But a developer that that sums out a product or service.
I guess in this case i'll i'll service related to the project to another company, that company would not be considered an affiliate, because there is an arms arms length, constructual relationship, not an ownership.
Association. So that company would not be an affiliate and would not factor into the 20% developer cap
Can incline, clarify that any project with an existing position in utilities and through connection, queue, drop out of the queue in order to be eligible, to submit the project to the community solar rp process.
no, you do not have to No project can be forcibly made to drop out of the interconnect.
Utility, interconnection, queue, And that is not a criteria of the program.
What is an example of a potential penalty for a project that commits to securing a 100% of materials from a local source, but then does not follow through.
That's something that's not yet established and something that we'd have to look at.
In that case, to determine what a reasonable penalty could be.
Penalties. Could go up to being kicked out of the program?
When can we expect the answers to the questions to be posted online? perhaps by next week?
Perhaps we'll get them up as soon as we can we've had several 100 questions here not including the ones that were submitted ahead of time. so we will do our best to get them up and post it on the website, as
soon as possible. we appreciate your patience if it takes a little bit longer than than everyone would like, but we'll get them up there.
Alright, I see no open questions and we're 7 min over so I think that's a good place to end it.
Any other questions that you have. Please submit to us through the website or by email.
Thank you again, everyone, for taking 2 plus hours of your time to spend with us today.
Again. we're super excited to be administering this program working with the Prc.
New Mexico to bring community solar access to all the residents, and in particular low income residents of New Mexico.
Looking forward to working with you all as well. and again.
Any questions please reach out to us. have a great thing. Thank you.
Everyone