Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 168 - Arkansas Economic Development Commission › Rule 168.00.14-003 - Weatherization Assistance Program: July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
Mission Statement
The mission of the Arkansas Energy Office, a division of the
			 Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEO), is to promote energy
			 efficiency, clean technology, and sustainable strategies that encourage
			 economic development, energy security and the environmental well-being for all
			 citizens of Arkansas.
The State Goals
The policies contained in this document are meant to enable the
			 state and the subgrantee network to effectively provide weatherization services
			 for the maximum amount of Arkansans as possible by:
*Ensuring that only the most cost effective measures are
			 employed.
* Leveraging all available resources, financial or
			 otherwise.
* Significantly reducing wait time for Arkansans seeking
			 weatherization services to one year or less.
I.
Overview
Executive Summary
The Arkansas Weatherization Assistance Program State Plan for
			 Program Year 2014 serves as Arkansas's application to the US Department of
			 Energy (USDOE) for Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) funding. These funds
			 will provide assistance to approximately 201 households across the State. (201
			 represents only DOE funding)
The purpose of the Program is to install energy conservation
			 measures in the homes of income-eligible persons, especially homes occupied by
			 the elderly, persons with disabilities, families with children, high energy
			 burden and high energy users. Funds are targeted to the most cost-effective
			 energy efficiency measures, as determined by an on-site energy audit of the
			 eligible building. The program helps to reduce national energy consumption,
			 reduces carbon emissions that contribute to climate change, and lessens the
			 impact of higher energy costs for low-income families. The program also
			 improves the health and safety of assisted households.
Arkansas relies on a network of eight (8) subgrantees, six of
			 which have extensive experience in delivering weatherization services in their
			 designated service area; two are new to the network. One of the new subgrantees
			 will have a service territory one will work statewide on multi-family
			 developments and two will be used on special projects as they are
			 developed.
Subgrantees provide energy efficiency weatherization services
			 using their own trained crews and by subcontracting work to qualified
			 contractors. Energy efficiency measures financed through the program can range
			 from air sealing and insulating single-family homes to replacement of heating
			 systems. The program assists all types of housing units, including single- and
			 multifamily housing, manufactured housing, and group homes. The state will
			 allocate program funds for the Program Year (PY) 2014 in accordance with this
			 plan.
I.2
Budget
Category
DOE
LIHEAP
2014 Program Year Allocation
$ 1,613,442.00
Training and Technical
						Assistance
$ 290,420.00
AEO Administration
$ 66,151.10
Subgrantee Administration
$ 66,151.00
CPA Audits
$ 10,000.00
Pollution Control Insurance
						(LIHEAP)
$ 17,000.00
Leveraging Plan (LIHEAP)
$ 100,000.00
Software Maintenance (LIHEAP)
$ 60,000.00
Liability Insurance
$ 10,000.00
Multi-Family Projects (LIHEAP)
$ 350,000.00
Health & Safety
$ 178,607.97
Capital Intensive Measures
						(LIHEAP)
$ 500,000.00
Program Operations
$ 992,111,83
Totals
$ 1,613,442.00
$ 1,027,000.00
I.3
Proposed Weatherization Projects
DOE Allocation Subgrantee Network PY2014
Black River Area Development Corporation
$
129,714.03
Central Arkansas Development Council
$
228,571.86
Community Action Program for Central
						Arkansas
$
80,419.99
Crowley's Ridge Development Council
$
181,495.61
Crawford-Sebastian Community Development
						Council
$
295,040.11
Pine Bluff-Jefferson County Economic Opportunities
						Commission
$
141,012.47
Elevate
$
230,616.84
Better Community Development, Inc.
LIHEAP
I.4
Summary of Major Changes from the 2013 Program Year
In 2013, the state issued a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for
			 additional service providers to address multi-family units and special
			 projects; there were four (4) responsible bidders each of whom met the minimum
			 requirements to participate in the WAP. One new subgrantee will be allocated a
			 territory; one other will complete multifamily units in each congressional
			 district and the remaining two will work on special projects.
Arkansas has elected to set the maximum cost per unit at $5,000.
			 This maximum cost does not include Health and Safety and Capital Intensive
			 Heating and Cooling Modifications (LIHEAP funds). Please note Arkansas uses
			 LIHEAP funds for capital investments to reduce the overall DOE cost. The
			 rationale for reducing the average cost per unit is that:
(1) The energy audit recommended measures
		  over the past year, have had an estimated cost of $5,000 or less;
(2) Arkansas has a LIHEAP funded separate
		  category to fund Capital Intensive Heating and Cooling efficiency measures.
		  This category will complement WAP funds.
(3) Arkansas has a separate category to
		  address Health and Safety;
(4) The
		  time on a wait list ranges between 2 ½ and 14 years. By limiting the
		  cost per unit the state will be able to complete more units and reduce existing
		  waiting lists.
In addition to reducing the maximum cost per unit, the state will
			 limit the program support category to a maximum of 20% of the cost per unit.
			 The state will also revise the program support (operations) category by
			 removing contract labor line item which leaves all other program operations
			 cost, off site supervision salary and fringe budget items. The state will add
			 the category of Client Direct Services that will include, agency installed
			 materials, contractor installed materials, on-site personnel salary and fringe
			 (energy auditor, QCI, etc.).
The state will implement new program management software that
			 will allow the program staff to manage the program from application intake to
			 invoice processing. The Energy Conservation Online Software known as ECOS will
			 replace NEAT and MHEA and will be used to mandate measures to be installed on
			 all homes, site built, manufactured and multifamily homes.
In Program Year 2014, the state will explore the possibility of
			 using a third-party contractor to conduct Quality Control Inspections (QCI) for
			 the state. This exploration will include a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and
			 a possible pilot testing.