If you are interested in applying to be the Washington State IRA Home Rebate programs implementer, watch our webinar recording (MP4) for more information.
Author: Paul Currington
Commerce seeks third-party rebate administrator for the Inflation Reduction Act Home Energy Rebate programs
The IRA Home Energy Rebates programs will provide rebates to low- and moderate-income households for whole-home energy-efficiency retrofits and electrification. These programs will reduce costs for households weatherizing their homes or purchasing high-efficiency electrical appliances.
There will be an emphasis on supporting households in overburdened communities. At least 40.8% of funds from both programs must be distributed to low-income households and an additional 10% of funds will be distributed to low-income multifamily buildings.
The successful applicant will be responsible for the following:
- Providing a project delivery solution with customer support and rebate processing capabilities
- Providing the project database and public-facing project website (including website development, hosting, and maintenance)
- Producing educational materials, conducting outreach, and managing outreach channels
- Facilitating and reviewing home energy assessments for modeled energy savings pathways rebate applications and reviewing the limited home assessments for HVAC rebates
- Onboarding and managing contractors in the Qualified Contractor Network
- Processing rebate payments to contractors and retailers
- Developing and implementing an approach to provide navigation support for braiding and stacking existing incentive and funding options
- Program monitoring, tracking, reporting, auditing
- Program coordination with Commerce, stakeholders, and vendors conducting income verification and home retrofit quality assurance
Please see the complete RFP (Box link) for more information and minimum requirements for applicants.
The Zoom pre-proposal webinars will be held on Jan. 8, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. (PST) and Jan. 16, 2025, at 12 p.m. Registration is required. Attendance is strongly encouraged but not required.
The deadline to submit applications is March 3, 2025, at 4 pm.
Please email contract coordinator AnnaJoy Gillis if you have any questions.
Join us in the IRA Home Rebate program webinar for contractors
Are you a contractor currently working or looking to work in the residential field? The Department of Commerce Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Home Rebate Programs have $165M to help people upgrade their homes through weatherization and high-efficiency appliances, and we need qualified contractors to do the work.
The Qualified Contractor Network, or QCN, will be a statewide list of residential contractors who are qualified to work on IRA home energy rebate projects. Contractors must be members of the QCN to work on these projects. Contractors needed include:
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- HVAC/heat pump technicians
- Home insulators and air sealers
- Home energy auditors
Join us on January 14, 2024, from 12:30-1:30 pm for a webinar where you will learn how the program works, how you can join the QCN, how people will find out about QCN contractors in their area, what financial incentives are available for contractors and how contractors will get paid.
Register on Zoom and include any questions you would like the Commerce team to answer during the webinar. The webinar recording will be provided to registrants afterward, along with the PowerPoint.
This webinar is best for individual contractors, companies that employ residential contractors, unions that work with residential contractors, community-based organizations interested in supporting this work, and utilities that have similar rebates and programs with contractors.
DOE confirms WA request for higher IRA Home Rebates
Washington State Department of Commerce has been awarded $83,102,750 for its Whole Home Efficiency Program. This brings Washington’s total IRA Home Rebate Awards for both the Whole Home Efficiency Program and the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate Program to just over $165 million. We are also pleased to announce that the program has received approval to increase the maximum rebate amount for low-income households. Washington State now has the highest rebates in the country.
The approval of Washington’s application is the first step in a multi-phase process outlined by the Department of Energy for the federal Inflation Reduction Act. Next steps include the submission of five individual plans which detail critical program processes. We expect to submit these plans in the coming months and to launch both programs to the public in 2025.