NJEDA seeks input to support state’s growing offshore wind industry

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority issued a request for qualifications and proposals to support an offshore wind technical assistance program to help companies develop skills and competencies needed to participate in New Jersey’s offshore wind industry.

The NJEDA intends to contract with an experienced offshore wind industry advisory and certification company to develop a technical assistance program that will help participating small businesses assess their current capacity to supply the offshore wind market, and develop an action plan to get up to the current industry standards.

Businesses that complete the proposed program will receive assistance implementing their action plan and will be independently certified with industry credentials that are important for securing contracts.

“New Jersey is poised to lead the nation in offshore wind, and the Offshore Wind Technical Assistance Program will help New Jersey businesses and workers acquire the skills and industry knowledge they need to participate in this extraordinary growth opportunity,” NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan said in a statement. “Offshore wind is designated as a targeted sector under Gov. Phil Murphy’s plan for a stronger, fairer New Jersey economy, and is a cornerstone of his vision for 100 percent clean energy.”

Murphy says his economic plan identifies offshore wind as a focus sector where the state can stimulate significant economic growth and job creation.

Murphy issued Executive Order No. 92 to specify a goal for New Jersey to achieve 7,500 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2035. To reach this goal, the NJEDA, through its Office of Economic Transformation, has been working with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the Department of Environmental Protection and other agencies on the Offshore Wind Task Force to expand the industry  with programs such as the Offshore Wind Tax Credit and the Offshore Wind Supply Chain Registry.

The proposal anticipates that participating companies will be responsible for a portion of the cost to ensure their commitment to full participation and completion of the program. Based on the NJEDA’s expectation for which parts of the OSW supply chain will take root in the United States first, the initial cohort of the program is likely to focus on manufacturing companies.

Proposals are due at or before 3 p.m. on Feb. 5. The complete RFPQ/P documents and proposal submission requirements (2019 RFQ/P 094 Technical Assistance/Certification Services for the New Jersey Offshore Wind Supply Chain Technical Assistance Program) are available here. Respondents submitting electronic proposals must upload their documents to the NJEDA’s ShareFile Service, but  hard copy proposals may also be submitted.