DDOT opens $9.6 million NEVI grant for DC fast-charging stations; applications due May 26
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Summary
DDOT detailed a NEVI grant round with $9.6 million available to build DC fast-charging stations near FHWA-designated corridors, reviewed eligibility and technical standards, and answered applicant questions about Pepco letters, match requirements and deadlines.
Tasim Malik, of the District Department of Transportation's Environmental Programs Branch, outlined a DDOT NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) grant opportunity with $9,600,000 available and a May 26 application deadline. DDOT said the round targets five remaining FHWA-designated Alternative Fuel Corridor segments in the District and aims to reach 'fully built out' status before moving to a community build-out phase.
Malik said the RFA (posted March 3) includes a demand‑charge incentive: DDOT will reimburse delivery and distribution demand charges incurred through Pepco over five years, subject to a cap of $100,000 per site. He described required application materials — an applicant profile, a one-page project summary, staffing and equipment specifications, a conceptual site plan, a project schedule and an operations-and-maintenance plan — and said templates for price proposals and other attachments are provided with the RFA.
On eligibility, DDOT said stations must be located within one travel mile of an FHWA-designated Alternative Fuel Corridor and must be sited in parking facilities (parking lots or garages); curbside charging is not eligible in this round. Minimum technical requirements listed in the RFA and cited from Title 23, Part 680, include at least four ports capable of CCS Type 1 charging, 24/7 public access to the parking facility, an annual uptime target of 97% or greater, and contactless payment for major credit and debit cards.
Malik reiterated financial and schedule rules: NEVI funds will cover 80% of project costs while awardees must provide a 20% match; awardees have one year from grant‑agreement execution to complete installation and then five years of operation and maintenance. During installation, monthly reporting to DDOT is required; once a station is operational reporting shifts to quarterly, and reimbursement requests are submitted to DDOT annually.
For utility feasibility, Malik explained applicants should submit a Pepco service application through Pepco’s online portal to obtain a Pepco letter of support showing available service at a proposed site; he said DDOT will follow up with Pepco to clarify expected turnaround time and will add that information to the posted presentation. Malik also described a public partnership‑facilitation form and spreadsheet linked from the NEVI web page to help applicants find site hosts, contractors and partners.
In the live Q&A, Miles Walker asked whether Advisory Neighborhood Commission coordination is required. Malik said it is not required for NEVI stations in this round, and reiterated that curbside proposals are not eligible; he suggested applicants may choose to engage ANCs informally if they wish. Malik confirmed there is no DDOT-approved vendor list for this RFA and said projects that include battery storage or renewable-energy features receive additional points under the scoring criteria.
DDOT said conditional awards will be announced in summer and that grant agreements will be executed thereafter. Malik provided contact information for follow-up questions and said presentation slides and links — including RFA attachments and the Pepco contact shown on screen — will be posted on DDOT’s NEVI web page.
