ZEV Ready Step 8: Engage with Key Site Stakeholders

Step 8 of the site-level federal fleet ZEV Ready process is to engage with key site stakeholders.

Design Phase Steps
8. Engage with key site stakeholders
9. Coordinate with local utility service
10. Complete site assessment and design EVSE
11. Identify EVSE at non-agency locations
12. Work with leadership to secure EVSE funding

Successful fleet management requires strong communication and collaboration across many of the fleet location’s key stakeholders. After identifying zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) opportunities at the site location and securing funding commitments, these key fleet stakeholders should develop an EVSE deployment plan and begin the EVSE design process. The site ZEV champion should manage the coordination of local fleet management efforts with the site location fleet managers, facility infrastructure manager, facility energy manager, and the local utility service.

Overview: Engage with Key Site Stakeholders

ZEV Ready Step 8 graphic depicting collaboration with key stakeholders

One of the key actions to ensure that the design and deployment of charging stations is planned optimally is effective communication and collaboration among the key fleet stakeholders at the fleet site location. The site ZEV champion is responsible for engaging and coordinating with these key fleet stakeholders at the site, including the site fleet manager, facility infrastructure manager, and facility energy manager. Additionally, these stakeholders should engage and coordinate with the local electric utility representative early in the EVSE site design process, as detailed in Step 9: Coordinate with Local Utility Service.

Collaboration with the facility management staff is important, as these personnel are typically responsible for both real property and utility management at the location, and may be integral in the siting, procurement, installation, operation, maintenance decisions, and management for the EVSE. Similarly, the facility energy manager can help review and coordinate the impacts of EVSE designs on the overall facility energy plan.

DOE recommends developing a charging station deployment team that includes the location’s fleet manager and facility infrastructure manager, as well as utility staff, facility energy managers, and other potential stakeholders.

After identifying the near- and long-term opportunities to acquire ZEVs and deploy EVSE at the fleet location and securing the necessary funds to support the plans, the site ZEV champion and site location fleet managers should construct a team of the key fleet stakeholders at the site to ensure a coordinated approach to ZEV acquisition and EVSE deployment. Once the team is assembled, the site ZEV champion and site location fleet managers should next schedule a kickoff meeting and begin engaging with the identified key fleet stakeholders and agency leadership to discuss site fleet management. The key fleet stakeholders should engage with each other throughout the process.

Download the Federal Fleet EVSE Planning Form.

Federal Fleet EVSE Planning Form

All priority stakeholders should complete the Federal Fleet EVSE Planning Form to evaluate planning needs for EVSE at the fleet location. By completing this form, the site location initiates the process to complete an EVSE site assessment and design the EVSE to support ZEV deployment at the facility.

The Federal Fleet EVSE Planning Form includes a section for contact and location information.
The team should review the projected acquisition of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) at the location by year, using the Zero Emission Planning and Charging (ZPAC) tool results if available. This will help inform the quantity of EVSE that should be deployed at the location to support ZEV acquisitions. The site location should plan for EVSE to be installed before ZEVs arrive, if possible, especially to support BEVs. Therefore, it is prudent to install more EVSE than is required in the early years of deployment.
Fleets can use the data summary from the ZPAC tool to inform step 1 in the Federal Fleet EVSE Planning Form.
The team should complete a listing of the number and location of parking spaces at the fleet location, including (for each parking location) the number of BEVs and PHEVs planned, flexibility in parking locations, existing and unused wall outlets or EVSE, and whether parking is near a wall.
Fleets can get support from their facility manager or energy manager to complete step 2 in the Federal Fleet EVSE Planning Form.
The number of parking spaces informs the minimum and maximum quantity of EVSE that may be required at the facility. Section 6.5.7.8 of the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) Public Building Service P100 Facilities Standards establishes minimum standards for EVSE chargers for new or significantly modified GSA parking lots. The “quantity and configuration of chargers and ports must be designed to accommodate tenant vehicle usage and locations,” as follows:
Lots with less than 5 federal fleet vehicles must install, at minimum, two charging ports.
Lots with 5 to 15 federal fleet vehicles must install, at minimum, four charging ports.
Lots with greater than 15 federal fleet vehicles must install, at minimum, charging ports representing 30% of the total planned federal fleet vehicles.
The U.S. Access Board has developed “Design Recommendations for Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging States.” When siting EV charging stations, facility managers should review these Design Recommendations, determine their applicability to the project under consideration, and follow their recommendations to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Access Board Design Recommendations refer to a forthcoming Rule Making that will further define the implementation of ADA requirements for EVSE.
The team should evaluate the accessibility and availability of electrical service at each parking location, including the proximity to an electrical service panel, spare breaker positions, service panel rating, transformer rating and peak load, and distance from parking spaces to transformer. The team should understand whether any facilities proximal to parking locations are expected to undergo updates or changes to their electrical infrastructure (e.g., installation of additional power capacity to accommodate heat pumps or similar building retrofits). Consolidating electrical service projects will likely help reduce overall EVSE deployment costs.
Fleets can get support from their facility manager or electrician to complete step 3 in the Federal Fleet EVSE Planning Form.
The team should document site characteristics, including the facility’s ownership, electricity load management system, accessibility by nonfleet vehicles, network and cybersecurity restrictions (GSA is currently navigating the risk management framework for networked EVSE on their blanket purchase agreement), and any permitting requirements.
The Federal Fleet EVSE Planning Form includes a section for additional information.

Becoming ZEV Ready

As part of the Team Ready component of the ZEV Ready certification, the site ZEV champion is responsible for engaging and collaborating with the key fleet electrification stakeholders at the site, including the site location fleet managers, facility infrastructure managers, and facility energy manager, to ensure a coordinated approach in the design and deployment of charging stations at each fleet location.

PHASE	ZEV READY	STEP	ACTIONS
DESIGN	Team Ready	8. Engage with key site stakeholders	✔ The site ZEV champion should engage and coordinate with the key site stakeholders, including the site location fleet managers, facility infrastructure managers, and facility energy manager. This includes scheduling a kickoff meeting with the key stakeholders and managing the collaboration as needed in the design and deployment of charging stations.