North Carolina State Energy Program Energy Efficiency Subgrant — RFP NC001026
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) State Energy Office is seeking competitive proposals for state-administered federal State Energy Program (SEP) subgrant funding, using an award from the U.S. Department of Energy. This is an applicant-facing financial-assistance subgrant for qualifying North Carolina energy-efficiency projects, not a state procurement contract. The controlling 12-page RFP was issued October 22, 2026 and identifies solicitation NC001026.
Individual Awards and Total Program Pool
The RFP specifies an individual applicant project proposal range of $50,000–$200,000, with competitive selection and no guaranteed award. Approximately $1,400,000 is allocated across the subgrant competition; this total program funding pool is not an applicant award. No cost match is required. Multiple applications from an eligible entity are permitted. Funds are subject to applicable federal and state grant agreements and compliance terms.
Eligibility and Project Priorities
Eligible applicants include North Carolina towns, cities, counties, state agencies, universities, community colleges, K–12 schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and industrial entities. Strong priority is given to applicants with completed energy audits demonstrating potential savings, but an existing audit is recommended rather than mandatory. Projects must focus on building energy-efficiency upgrades. Potential activities include HVAC, lighting and building-envelope improvements, comprehensive system upgrades, demand-response or grid-interactivity measures, onsite renewable energy and storage when part of a cohesive energy-efficiency project, and retro-commissioning. Applicants should quantify expected energy savings and community impacts.
Restrictions, Readiness and Federal Conditions
All funded projects must finish no later than June 30, 2027; NCDEQ expects awards may not be made until the first quarter of 2027, so applicants must propose feasible timelines. Applicants should demonstrate infrastructure need, technical readiness, baseline energy costs, projected energy savings and credible implementation sequencing. Approved applicants must comply with applicable 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 910, federal monitoring and reporting, cost accounting, and, where applicable, National Environmental Policy Act, historic preservation, and Build America Buy America requirements or relevant small-grant waivers. The RFP explains awards below $250,000 are within the small-grants BABA waiver framework, subject to the grant terms. A vendor quote for parts and labor is strongly recommended with the initial application but required before final award.
Required Application Documents
Submit a title page with legal applicant name, contact, project location and county, distress ranking, brief project summary and funding request; an applicable Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is requested, and SAM.gov registration/UEI is required before an award. Provide a narrative of no more than five pages responding to the RFP’s four prompts: program importance, technical information, entity/community impacts, and need for financial assistance. Attach an itemized budget spreadsheet and budget justification, project schedule, written assurance of no debarment or suspension, assurance of required grant flow-down provisions, key partner roles, relevant environmental questionnaire and supplemental maps/quotes as applicable. Follow the full RFP instructions and check for addenda.
Application Deadline and Official Sources
Applications must be received by Tuesday, November 24, 2026. The controlling RFP does not state a specific application cutoff clock time or time zone; submit sufficiently early on the deadline date. Email the complete proposal package in one message to SEO.team@deq.nc.gov with “SEP” and the project location in the subject line. Questions must be submitted by November 9, 2026, and the State Energy Office anticipates posting responses/addenda by November 16, 2026.
Read the controlling official 12-page NCDEQ SEP RFP NC001026 and budget/waiver templates · Official North Carolina DEQ October 22 funding announcement. Verified October 24, 2026. Review any posted amendments before filing.