Program Administrators
Q: What is the timeframe for the program, and when do we have to spend funds by?
A: Funding for the HEAR Program is available until June 30, 2025.
Q: Can my jurisdiction apply multiple times for funding?
A: No, if you have already made a funding request, or are part of a funding request through a multi-jurisdiction partnership or consortium, you may not request more funding. However, if you are a city, and your municipal utility or county have requested funds, you may still request funds. If there are funds remaining after Commerce has funded all initial funding requests, Commerce may accept additional funding requests.
Q: Do eligible program administrators need to provide non-state matching funds?
A: No, matching funds are not required.
Q: What equipment qualifies for rebates?
A:
- Ducted and ductless heat pumps (air-source and ground-source)
- Residential and commercial induction cooking equipment
- Heat pump water heaters
- Heat pump clothes dryers
- Electric panel and wiring upgrades required to accommodate new electric equipment
All equipment must be ENERGY STAR Certified or AHRI CEE North Region Certified. Air-source heat pumps must be listed on the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership’s Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pump (ccASHP) Product List, or meet the most recent ENERGY STAR Cold Climate product criteria.
Where feasible, equipment that uses refrigerants must use low global warming potential refrigerants listed by the US EPA’s SNAP Program or the California Air Resources Board.
Rebates and incentives may not be used for new fossil fuel equipment, including fossil fuel heat pumps.
Q: Do programs using grant funds need to focus on fuel switching from fossil fuels to electric?
A: No, you are not required to fund fuel-switching projects. However, the goal of the HEAR Program is to help residential and commercial buildings transition away from fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Commerce encourages program administrators to use funds to meet these goals as much as possible.
Q: Are there certain guidelines for program administrators in how they run this program?
A: Commerce will allow program administrators to determine how their programs issue rebates. Methods for providing rebates could include, but are not limited to:
- Point-of-sale reductions in the purchase price or installation cost of eligible equipment
- Customers pay the full price of eligible equipment, then submit an application for a rebate check to be sent to them
- Paying for the full cost of installing eligible equipment
Additionally, programs do not need to provide rebates for all of the eligible equipment, and programs can choose to serve subpopulations of the eligible rebate recipients.
Q: Can HEAR funds pay for program administration?
A: Yes, Commerce will allow program administrators to use up to 15% of awarded funds for administration costs, including staffing and contractor fees. Commerce may consider increasing the allowable program administration percentage on a case-by-case basis.
Q: Are these funds subject to Washington State prevailing wage requirements?
A: Rebates issued in the form of checks, purchase price reductions, or deductions from contractor invoices are not subject to prevailing wage requirements. However, if program administrators are directly paying for the installation of eligible equipment, they must comply with state prevailing wage laws.
If a program administrator pays for labor with another non-public funding source, and then uses HEAR funds to pay for equipment, the funding used for the equipment is not subject to prevailing wage requirements.
Commerce is receiving additional clarifications from the Department of Labor and Industries about prevailing wage requirements for this program.
Tribal Governments are not required to comply with State prevailing wage requirements.
Q: Will Commerce require reporting on the use of grant funds?
A: Yes, Commerce will require program administrators to submit project and expenditure reports with each invoice submitted for reimbursem*nt. Commerce is finalizing all of the reporting parameters, but anticipates requiring the following information:
- A site list of where rebates or incentives were provided
- Household income or small business size verification
- Pre-rebate fuel type or heating source
- Amount of rebate or incentive issued
- Date of equipment install
- Specifications of the equipment purchased or installed, including brand and certification
Q: What are the household income qualifications, and how can we verify income?
A: Program administrators can provide rebates to households with a household income of 150% or less of the area median income (AMI). Commerce uses the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Income Limits Dataset to determine AMI. Program administrators may use household participation in other income-qualified benefits programs – such as LIHEAP, SNAP, or income-qualified housing – to verify that households meet the income limit.
