Clean Energy Career Pathways Training

Description of goods to services to be bid:

The New York State Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is seeking proposals for clean energy Career Pathways projects. These projects must include clean energy technical training as well as career preparation, wraparound services, and job placement support to prepare new workers for entry-level clean energy careers. Projects funded under this solicitation are intended to build or expand training infrastructure and capacity to build an equitable and inclusive pipeline of skilled talent for New York’s clean energy labor market. All training funded under this solicitation must be industry-driven and meet a demonstrated business need.
Funding is available for training that advances skills in the following clean energy technology areas: energy efficiency and building electrification; renewable energy; energy storage; smart grid; and electric vehicle charging stations (installation, operation and maintenance).
Energy efficiency and building electrification (EE/BE) are the primary focus of this solicitation with approximately 80 percent of the funding reserved for EE/BE technology areas. In 2025, the New York State Public Service Commission directed NYSERDA to serve as the single program administrator (PA) in workforce development.  The Commission’s EE/BE directives present an overarching theme of NYSERDA’s role as workforce development PA to ensure that training curricula and program designs align with contractor needs and create a pipeline of trainees that can be hired by contractors conducting EE/BE work.
Funds are available for eligible initiatives that prepare individuals for entry into clean energy careers. Eligible activities include the delivery of technical training; equipment purchases for hands-on training or to build out training labs; training of trainers; test and certification fees; internships; career preparation and wraparound services as well as services to place individuals into full-time jobs (including New York State Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeships).
All training funded by NYSERDA must take place in New York State and serve New York State residents.

If changes are made to this solicitation notification will be posted on NYSERDA’s website at:
www.nyserda.ny.gov/funding-opportunities

Eligibility/Qualifications Requirements/Preferences:

B. Technology Area Eligibility
Funding is available for training that advances skills in the following clean energy technology areas:
• Energy efficiency and building electrification (EE/BE) (e.g., energy auditing, insulation, heat pumps, building controls, building operations and maintenance);
• Renewable energy;
• Energy storage (deployed wholesale bulk storage; “retail” commercial, non-residential, and community storage; and residential building storage);
• Smart grid; and
• Electric vehicle charging stations (installation, operation and maintenance).
Transferrable skills such as welding, electrical, and engineering are also eligible for funding so long as applicants demonstrate a connection to clean energy jobs for trainees now or in the near future. Applicants can demonstrate this through partnerships with employers and designing training to meet their needs.
Applicants must identify the clean energy occupations that individuals will be trained and prepared for.

C. Eligible Training Initiatives and Activities
Project Requirements
All proposed projects must meet the following:
• Take place in New York State and exclusively serve residents of New York State;
• Be carried out by an experienced applicant or project team ;
• Include rigorous and high-quality technical skills training along with career preparation designed to prepare individuals for clean energy jobs. The training program must have adequate hours of clean energy technical training content. Determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis considering factors such as overall training program hours relative to clean energy technical training content, industry standards, employer support, and more.
• Ensure that at least 50% of individuals who participate in training meet the criteria of Disadvantaged Communities and/or Priority Populations;
• Include wraparound services and/or stipends as needed to support individuals with barriers to training and/or employment. NYSERDA will fund wraparound services only after other sources of funding have been exhausted;
• Detail a thorough recruitment and screening plan to attract candidates to the program;
• Clearly describe the proposed training, including training format, dates, and locations, as well as targeted audience, industry, occupations, wages, and skills;
• Include partnerships, demonstrated in letters of commitment, with employers to interview program graduates and provide pathways to full-time jobs;
• Propose clear job placement goals for trainees, with a minimum of 70% of program graduates to be placed into full-time jobs (including Registered Apprenticeships) within six months of training completion;
• Demonstrate a sustainability plan to ensure continuation of training after NYSERDA funding is exhausted; and
• Be completed within thirty (30) months.

Reporting Requirements
Effective and regular communication is essential between selected applicants (“Contractors”) and the NYSERDA Project Manager. Reporting is required for the NYSERDA Project Manager to measure progress and to assess whether a Contractor’s invoice may be approved. Each quarter, Contractors will be required to submit a progress report based on a format provided by NYSERDA, documenting training activities and key program performance metrics over that time frame. NYSERDA, at its sole discretion, may terminate funding for projects that fail to timely meet deadlines or complete project goals.
Outcome Monitoring
The project must include a plan to track and monitor the career-related achievements of program graduates for at least 6 months after training completion (“Outcome Monitoring Period”). The Outcome Monitoring Period shall be included in the total project duration, which should not exceed thirty (30) months. Some achievements NYSERDA expects the Contractor to monitor include, but are not limited to, credentials earned, jobs obtained, additional training towards a career path, advancements, wages, and wage growth over the length of the tracking period.

Funding and Cost Share Requirements
NYSERDA Funding: NYSERDA will accept applications requesting between $250,000 and $1.5 million in funding with the intent to facilitate training at scale. At NYSERDA’s sole discretion, additional funding may be awarded to projects deemed successful after the original scope of work is completed.

Cost Share Requirement: Applicants must contribute a minimum cost share of 25 percent toward the total project budget, which may include “cash” or “in-kind” services. Cost sharing may be borne by the applicant, other team members, and/or other government or private sources. Cost sharing for individual tasks may vary between NYSERDA and the applicant; however, total costs must result in a NYSERDA/applicant split of no greater than 75 percent/25 percent.

The minimum cost share required for projects exclusively serving Disadvantaged Communities and/or Priority Populations is 10 percent. Projects that are led by or include New York State Minority and/or Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) certified by NYS Empire State Development and/or Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOB) certified by NYS Office of General Services (OGS) are also eligible for a 10 percent cost share provided that these entities perform at least sixty-five percent (65%) of the NYSERDA funded labor hours to perform the Scope of Work.

Business enterprises awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years:

None

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB)

SDVOB Goal: 0.00%

Minority / Women Business Enterprise contracting goals (MWBE)

MBE Goal: 0.00%

WBE Goal: 0.00%

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise contracting goals (DBE)

DBE Goal: 0.00%

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