Accelerating Clean Transportation (ACT) School Bus: Fleet Deployment

The Challenge: Reduce Barriers to Electrifying School Buses

Despite the long-term savings and health benefits of going electric, school districts face barriers to electrifying their school bus fleets. Challenges that school districts encounter include

Higher up-front costs for buses and associated charging infrastructure, compared to diesel buses
Implementing necessary depot upgrades
Training drivers and mechanics during the transition to electric buses
Coordinating with third-party transportation providers for districts that choose to lease their buses

About ACT School Bus Fleet Deployment

The ACT School Bus Fleet Deployment program offers school bus fleets flexible funding for depot upgrades and purchases of electric school buses and associated charging infrastructure. Participating fleets also have the opportunity to work with MassCEC's consultant team to address the gaps in technical knowledge impeding school bus fleets from electrifying, in areas such as coordination with stakeholders, equipment selection, procurement, and project implementation.

Closed

Award Potential

$2,500,000

Application Deadline

Not accepting applications

Apply

Questions? Contact

Funding Schedule

This RFP complements the 2023 EPA Clean School Bus Rebate Program.

ACT School Bus Fleet Deployment, Round 3
Process Step	Tentative Timing
Release of RFP	April 22, 2024
Webinar hosted by MassCEC	May 14, 2024
Questions due to MassCEC via email to CleanTransportation@MassCEC.com	May 20, 2024
Questions with answers posted to MassCEC website	May 28, 2024
Proposals due	July 10, 2024 by 4pm ET
Interviews of top applicants	July 2024
Notification of award	July-August 2024

This schedule is tentative and subject to change at MassCEC's discretion.

Who's Eligible

Eligibility for the ACT School Bus Fleet Deployment Program mirrors eligibility for EPA’s 2023 Clean School Bus Grant Program. Eligible Applicants for the ACT School Bus Fleet Deployment Program include:

Public school districts that are eligible under EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. This includes Massachusetts public school districts, including charter schools, that have an NCES District ID; and
Private school bus transportation contractors that are eligible under EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. These generally include school bus service providers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and private school bus fleets that provide student transportation services. (Please see RFP for further information.) Note that private school bus contractors can apply only on behalf of their associated Massachusetts public school district(s).

Program Structure

The responsibilities and expectations of each of the program participants are summarized below. These lists may vary with the needs of the school district and may not be exhaustive.

School District

Collaborate with the Technical Consultant on project design, deployment, and reporting on project outcomes
Provide baseline fleet assessment data, e.g., fleet size and makeup, routes data and schedules, current fuel types and costs
With the help of the technical consultant, deploy electric school buses and charging infrastructure to serve district schools

Technical Consultant

Conducting technical and financial electrification analyses that inform decision-making options for school bus fleets
Finalizing analyses of vehicle needs, charging needs, financial details, and distributed energy resources integration
Creation of plans for site work and electric school bus operation
Procurement support for purchase of electric school buses and charging equipment
Management of construction, equipment testing, and technical training
Operational support for school bus fleets and related entities

MassCEC

Participate in meetings with the technical consultant and the school district
Record and share lessons learned between school districts
Retain the technical consultant

Benefits of Participation

Obtain a plan for full-fleet electrification
Preparation of depot site(s) for full-fleet electrification
Procurement of electric school buses and associated infrastructure
Deployment of electric school buses and associated infrastructure

If your district is in the early stages of electrification planning, the Accelerating Clean Transportation (ACT) School Bus Advisory Services Program can provide free technical assistance you need to help you get started on your school bus electrification journey.

Not sure which program is right for you at your current stage?

Go to ACT School Bus Overview

...Or contact us at cleantransportation@masscec.com!