On Sept. 26, 2025, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) issued its ninth annual Renewable Energy Standard (RES) Request for Proposals (RFP), titled RESRFP25-1. The objective of this RFP is to procure 5.6 million Tier 1 eligible Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from facilities that have “a viable path to entering commercial operation in the near future.”
The solicitation follows a two-step process:
Step One: Eligibility Application
- Due: Oct. 21, 2025, by 3 p.m. ET
- Submission: Electronically via the solicitation website
- Notification of Eligibility: By Oct. 30, 2025. Qualified Proposers will be eligible to proceed to Step Two.
Step Two: Bid Proposal
- Due: Dec. 4, 2025, by 3 p.m. ET
- Submission: Electronically via the link provided in each Proposer’s Notice of Qualification
Step One: Eligibility Application
In Step One, Proposers must establish Tier 1 eligibility for each Bid Facility through the New York Generation Attribute Tracking System (NYGATS) by submitting either a Provisional Statement of Qualification (PSoQ) or a Statement of Qualification (SoQ). Interested Proposers who have not already received a Resource Eligibility Determination must apply via NYGATS no later than Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Additionally, Proposers must also submit a comprehensive Step One Eligibility Application via the solicitation website, including detailed project information, such as facility nameplate capacity, expected annual generation, interconnection location (e.g., NYISO zone), host community, intended pricing structure and whether energy storage is to be included. If the Bid Facility involves repowering or any incremental upgrades, specific eligibility criteria apply, including documentation of historical generation and verification of increased output through a third-party engineering report. NYSERDA staff will review applications to confirm Tier 1 eligibility and completeness. Proposers deemed eligible will receive a Notice of Qualification, granting access to Step Two bid instructions and materials.
Step Two: Bid Proposal
In Step Two, only Proposers who have received a Notice of Qualification may submit a Bid Proposal package through the secure solicitation website. This submission constitutes a binding offer to contract and must remain valid for at least 180 days. The package must include a completed Bid Proposal form, payment of a non-refundable Bid Fee (tiered by project size) and a binding REC price offer under either the Fixed or Index REC structure. In addition to price, proposals are evaluated on a wide range of non-price criteria, including interconnection viability, permitting progress, energy deliverability, financing and creditworthiness, project maturity, developer experience, resource assessment and production estimates, embodied carbon emissions, climate resiliency measures and community engagement efforts.
The evaluation will consider both price and non-price factors, with the Fixed REC Bid Price or Index REC Bid Price weighted at 70 percent and non-price factors at 30 percent. The 30 percent non-price evaluation component is divided into two categories: (i) 20 percent Project Viability, Operational Flexibility and Peak Coincidence, and (ii) 10 percent Incremental Economic Benefits to New York State.
NYSERDA conducts its evaluation in two stages. First, NYSERDA will review each proposal to ensure that proposed REC prices do not exceed the confidential Benchmark Levelized Net REC Cost and that the Proposer satisfies all minimum threshold requirements. Proposals meeting these criteria will then be evaluated competitively based on both price and non-price factors. The Technical Evaluation Panel will assess project viability, operational flexibility and broader portfolio considerations before final awards are made.
Awardee Responsibilities and Opportunities
Awardees must comply with applicable labor, procurement and equity-related obligations, including prevailing wage laws, the requirement to enter into Labor Peace Agreements and, for public entities, Buy American provisions for iron and steel procurement pursuant to Public Service Law § 66-r. For RESRFP25-1, NYSERDA has determined that requiring all iron and steel to be produced in the United States would not be in the public interest; however, awarded Bid Facilities must meet minimum U.S. iron and steel expenditure thresholds based on facility type. Proposers are also encouraged to make elective commitments in their Bid Proposals to deliver economic and environmental benefits to disadvantaged communities and host communities. All RECs must be delivered to NYSERDA through NYGATS Forward Certificate Transfer, and RECs already committed to other parties may not be resubmitted. Applicants are encouraged to clearly mark sensitive materials as “Confidential” or “Proprietary.” Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
Finally, the 2025 RFP offers developers the opportunity to secure long-term REC contracts of up to 20 years, supporting New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) goals. Applicants are encouraged to prepare thoroughly and ensure that both Step One and Step Two submissions align with the evaluation criteria and deadlines established by NYSERDA.rsey.
