Frequently Asked Questions: New Energy Jobs Fund – September 2015
1.
When will the funding actually be
available?
Payments are made in arrears based on evidence of the completion of milestones. The first
payment will be made upon the successful completion of the first milestone.
2.
Can I submit my proposal electronically?
Yes, the Department will only accept electronic proposals. Please refer to section 2.5 Method
of Lodgement in the Application Guidelines for instructions on how to lodge your proposal.
3.
When will assessment interviews for
prospective proponents occur?
The Department may interview respondents of eligible proposals during January. Notification
of interview times will be fairly short notice, no more than a week in advance. Tele or video
conferencing is available.
4.
Is the Department able help in drafting my
proposal?
No, as it is a competitive process the Department is unable to assist or provide guidance in
the development of your proposal due to probity reasons.
5.
Is the Department able to guide on
potential eligibility?
You can request a meeting with the Department to clarify details about the New Energy Jobs
Fund program and associated processes. Please refer to the Application Guidelines document
for information on program eligibility.
6.
Are there any predetermined quotas for
different technologies?
No, there are no quotas. Proposals are all assessed according to the Assessment Criteria in
the Application Guidelines.
7.
Are all mandatory assessment criteria
weighted equally?
No. Depending on the category the Assessment Criteria may have a difference in weighting.
Please refer to section 3.3 Table One: Assessment Criteria Weighting Summary in the
Application Guidelines for the exact weighting of each criteria by category.
8.
Does the Lead Organisation have to be
Australian-owned?
Yes, the Lead Organisation must have an ABN. Please refer to section 2.1.1 Lead Organisation
Requirements in the Application Guidelines.
9.
Does the Lead Organisation have to have a
base in Victoria?
No, but the project has to occur in Victoria. Please refer to section 2.1.1 Lead Organisation
Requirements in the Application Guidelines.
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10.
My organisation does not have three years Any organisation that cannot supply three years of financial information could partner with
of financial information, what can I do?
an organisation that does and which becomes the lead organisation.
11.
How long will successful proponents have
to complete their projects?
All contracts are to be completed within four years from signing the contract.
What involvement will the Government
12.
have over these projects?
The Department is only responsible for providing grant funding and ensuring that the
milestones in the funding agreement are delivered in time and on budget. The respondent is
responsible for the project and delivery of its activities according to the funding agreement.
Will there be a public announcement of
the successful projects?
Once a successful proponent has signed their funding agreement, the Minister for Energy and
Resources may make a public announcement. Respondents are restricted from announcing
their successful bids until both parties are agreed.
13.
14. Is there a co-funding requirement?
Co-funding investment in the project is mandatory for all categories except “community”,
where it is encouraged but not mandatory. For projects other than community projects, the
project must be able to provide private cash funding, or a combination of private cash
funding and other government contributions, over the life of the project in addition to the
amount of funding requested of Government.
15. Is there any set ratio for funding leverage?
No. As stated in the documentation, the higher the level of leverage of private to public
funding, the more favourably the proposal will be considered. As a guide, a typical ratio of
private to public funding for projects of this nature is 3:1. However, each proposal will be
considered on its own merits and assessed against the criteria.
Co-funding assurance is required within the 12 months after contract signing. This could be
included as a conditions precedent to the funding agreement. However, every effort should
be made to have as much information available as possible of the arrangements for cofunding at the time of submission. For example, it may be appropriate for a Letter of Intent to
*excluding community projects that have no formal be attached as an attachment to the submission. The more information available, the more
co-funding requirement
robust the application.
Does the co-funding amount* need to be
confirmed at the time the proposal is
16. submitted?
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17.
Will there be further stakeholder meetings
/ information?
All potential proponents are offered (and can also request) to meet with the Department
before the Application closing date. These meetings provide an opportunity to clarify any
issues about the Program and need to occur at least seven days before the Application
closure date. The meetings will not form part of the Department’s evaluation.
There will also be stakeholder forums at various venues around the State. Details of these are
available on the website.
How much detail is expected for the
18.
“budget” in my Application response?
The aim is to convince the Department that you have the technical and human resources and
financial capability to undertake the project as proposed. To make an eligible Application
submission you are required to complete the Application form, including the budget tables.
The Victorian Industry Participation Policy (VIPP) is a Victorian Government initiative
designed to ensure that local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are given a full and fair
opportunity to compete for government contracts, while still achieving value for money. The
Industry Capability Network (ICN) Victoria facilitates the VIPP on behalf of the Victorian
Government.
19.
What is the VIPP and will I be subject to its
conditions?
The VIPP applies to Victorian Government procurement activities, construction activities,
major projects, major events, public private partnerships and investment support, business
development and community infrastructure grants above the threshold values of $3 million
or more in metropolitan Melbourne and $1 million or more in regional Victoria. More
information is available from the ICN website: http://www.icn.org.au/content/victoria/vipp
Compliance with the VIPP is a condition of this Application and if the project is selected for
funding under the NEJF and the project value is above the VIPP threshold noted above the
Respondent is required register their project with the ICN. This process needs to be followed
in order to receive the grant.
20.
How do I quantify the number of direct
and indirect jobs my project will generate?
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Direct jobs are ongoing full-time positions created by your business. Indirect jobs are created
by other businesses due to the economic growth of your business. Consultants are generally
independent contractors and do not count as direct or indirect jobs.
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How do I know if my technology is
21. considered commercial / commercial
ready?
22.
When will I be notified of my Application
submissions success or otherwise?
The technology is considered commercial if it is commercial ready or if the technology
specified for the project will have commercial and performance guarantees at the conclusion
of the project.
Ineligible proposals will be notified in December 2015. All other proposals will be notified by
March 2016. Please refer to section 1.4 Indicative Program Timetable in the Application
Guidelines for other key dates.
23. Can the deadline be extended?
All Applications are due by 2pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time, 2nd of December 2015.
Do I have to answer “matters for
24. consideration” questions in the
Assessment Criteria?
No, however it may assist you by providing guidance to the matters you may need to
consider in sufficiently answering the assessment criteria question.
25. Do I need some sort of financial security?
Grant payments made by the Department before Project completion will need to be backed
by an appropriate security (excluding Community business cases). Refer to section 4 Funding
Agreement Compliance and Financial Security in the Application Guidelines for further details
of the form of security to be acceptable to the Department.
The maximum word limit is too short, can I No, responses should be concise in this section and be able to be assessed without further
26. state “refer to an attachment” in this
information. Attachments can be added to the Application but should only supplement the
section?
answer and not replace it.
27. Can I ask further questions?
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Yes, please email new.energy@ecodev.vic.gov.au if you have any specific questions.
Alternatively, follow the instructions on the website to make an appointment to meet and
discuss your project.
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