FY25 Electric School Bus Grant Program Application Form

Instructions

• Before beginning this application, prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to thoroughly review the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) found on the program website.
• Carefully review and complete all sections of the application: General Information, Project Narrative, Electric School Bus (ESB) Summary Table, Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Summary Table (if applicable), Attachment Checklist, and Applicant Signature.
• Do not submit a separate application for each vehicle. A single application should capture all planned vehicle purchases/leases associated with the project.

Project Narrative

Please complete the Project Narrative tab. Answers should focus on items identified in the evaluation criterion through a discussion of the following items:

1. Number and type of eligible Electric School Buses (ESBs) to be purchased and if the ESBs will be owned or leased.
2. Applicant’s projected fleet management plan for the eligible ESBs:
   
   2.1. Where will the ESBs operate in Maryland?
   2.2. Anticipated mileage and hours of use for each ESB on an annual basis.
   2.3. Fleet replacement schedule/anticipated life of the ESBs.
   2.4. Percentage of time the ESBs will be traveling outside of Maryland (if applicable).
   
   
3. Describe the existing vehicles being replaced by the ESBs, if applicable. Are these existing conventional-fuel vehicles being retired or redeployed.
4. Please describe where you intend to charge the proposed ESBs (i.e., location, ownership of charging location, accessibility of location (e.g., 24/7, limited hours)).
5. Please describe any experience purchasing, operating and/or maintaining electric school buses within an applicant’s fleet, if applicable.
6. Describe the projected maintenance plan (in-house, 3rd party company, etc.) that will provide maintenance during the ownership of the proposed ESBs.
7. Any available information pertaining to project readiness (vehicle orders, deposits made, estimated delivery dates, consideration of charging infrastructure, community support, etc.). Applicants may be expected to provide such documentation upon request.
8. Will the fleet continue to operate the electric school buses beyond the grant term and acquire additional electric school buses in the future?
9. Any relevant policies or requirements adopted by the applicant (green purchasing requirements, GHG reduction targets, EV goals etc.) that support ESB deployment.
10. Will this project be owned or operated by an entity engaging in a business activity that impacts public health, the environment, or infrastructure in overburdened or underserved communities as defined in § 1–701 of the Environment Article?
    
       I. A map of communities meeting the definition of an underserved or overburdened community can be viewed at https://mdewin64.mde.state.md.us/EJ/.
       II. To use this map, first toggle off the "MDE_EJ_Score_All" layer on the left of the screen. On the top right, click the "underserved" and the "overburdened" buttons.
    
        - For underserved communities, click "socioeconomic/demographic score 2020 (percent score)(Underserved community)" and then click "apply".
        - For overburdened communities, click "Overburdened Communities Combined Score" and then click "apply".
        - The communities will be identified on the resulting map. To check to see if an address falls into this area, type the address in "Find Address or Place" in the top left of the map area.
    
    
11. Identify any other funding sources (e.g., federal (EPA Clean School Bus Grant Program), local utility incentives/rebates, etc.) being sought for project, and discuss if project completion is contingent upon obtaining those other funding sources.
12. What, if any, additional safety features are being included on the ESBs being proposed for award under this Program? Additional safety features may include: automatic emergency braking, advanced driver assistance systems like lane assist and blind spot monitoring, intelligent speed adapters, and strong rear and side underride guards.

Attachment A: Electric School Bus (ESB) Summary Table

• List each vehicle on a separate row in the table.
• Use the drop-down menu(s) for all columns denoted with "(DD)".
• The maximum award amount cap will be $1,500,000.00 per Grantee, which includes electric school bus purchase, charging infrastructure, and associated costs. Depending on income qualifications and the size of the school district, the maximum award amount cap may be increased to $2,000,000.00.

 

Attachment B: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Summary Table

• List each EVSE on a separate row in the table.
• Use the drop-down menu(s) for all columns denoted with "(DD)".
• Maximum cap on requested charging infrastructure is 30% of total project funding request.

Attachment Checklist

For each ESB being proposed, please include vendor documentation showing the range, charge capacity (for a electric vehicle), and any safety features.

For each EVSE being proposed, please include vendor documentation showing quantity, manufacturer and model information, and additional pertinent information.

Vehicle Lease Documentation (if applicable)

• For lessees, the application must include a signed letter or agreement from lessor approving the vehicle purchase and agreeing to the use of the vehicle in MD for no less than three years.
• The letter must also document the lessors commitment to the use of the vehicle primarily in MD for not less than three years if lessor regains control of the vehicle during this time.
• For lessors, the application must include a signed letter from the lessee agreeing to the use of the vehicle in MD for no less than three years.
• Applicant may be expected to provide vehicle lease agreement to MEA upon request if selected for award.
• If vehicle is being hosted at a site owned by another entity other than the applicant to this ESB program, MEA requires a signed letter of commitment from the site host for the application of grant funds.

Applicant Signature

• Certification must be made by the appropriate person legally authorized to represent the applicant.
• This individual will also be the authority that will sign off on the grant agreement, if selected for award, unless otherwise requested/noted by applicant.
• This individual may differ from the individual identified as the project point of contact in the "General Information" section of the application.
• Signature of the site host will be required in the Grant Agreement.

Submission Instructions

• Your submission will be recorded as soon as you hit Submit on the last page of this form.
• Once you Submit the Jotform, you will be directed to a Thank You page, where you will have the opportunity to print a PDF version of your submission.
    - Please DO NOT email the PDF version of your submission to MEA - this copy is just for your reference.
• MEA will confirm receipt of application within 2 businesses days. See funding opportunity announcement for more information.

General Information

Section A: Applicant Information

Fleet name and address must match name and address identified on corporate W9 form. This is not necessarily the address where the vehicles will be located (see below). If the federal tax identification number is a personal social security number, do NOT submit this information via this form. Contact MEA for alternative submission instructions.

Section B: Supplemental Project Information

Section C: Project Narrative

1. A map of communities meeting the definition of an underserved or overburdened community can be viewed at https://mdewin64.mde.state.md.us/EJ/.
2. To use this map, first toggle off the "MDE_EJ_Score_All" layer on the left of the screen. On the top right, click the "underserved" and the "overburdened" buttons.
   
   - For underserved communities, click "socioeconomic/demographic score 2020 (percent score)(Underserved community)" and then click "apply".
   - For overburdened communities, click "Overburdened Communities Combined Score" and then click "apply".
   - The communities will be identified on the resulting map. To check to see if an address falls into this area, type the address in "Find Address or Place" in the top left of the map area.

Attachment A: Electric School Bus (ESB) Summary Table

Please upload a completed ESB Summary Table in this section. An Excel spreadsheet template for this table can be found on the program webpage. You would download the spreadsheet template, fill it out, and upload it here.

In case you have any further questions or require any form of clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us at transportation.mea@maryland.gov

 

Please make sure to submit a spreadsheet in .xlsx format.

Attachment B: EVSE Summary Table (if applicable)

Please upload a completed EVSE Summary Table in this section. An Excel spreadsheet template for this table can be found on the program webpage. You would download the spreadsheet template, fill it out, and upload it here.

In case you have any further questions or require any form of clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us at transportation.mea@maryland.gov. 

 

Please make sure to submit a spreadsheet in .xlsx format.

Section D: Attachment Checklist

Please make sure that the Name and Address on the W9 is an exact match to those provided in this appication. The address on your W9 must be the mailing address specified in Section A of this form. 

Section E: Applicant Signature

I solemnly affirm under penalties of law that I am authorized to make representations of behalf of the applicant, that the contents of the foregoing application are true to the best of my knowledge, information and belief. I solemnly affirm that I have reviewed the funding opportunity announcement for this program available on https://energy.maryland.gov/Pages/ElectricSchoolBus.aspx, as well as the General Provisions available here Grant Program General Provisions.