Q: Who will review my submission, and how long will it take?
A: Both during and outside of an Innovation Sprint, REV Connect will respond to your submission within two weeks. If your submission meets facilitation criteria, you will be invited to have a qualification consultation with a member of the REV Connect team.
Within approximately three weeks of your consultation, we will provide you with initial feedback and summarize your idea to the New York State investor-owned utilities (Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation, the Consolidated Edison Company of New York, National Grid, New York State Electric and Gas Corporation, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc., and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation) and New York State energy-related agencies and authorities (including the Public Service Commission/Department of Public Service, NYSERDA, the Office of the Governor, the New York Power Authority, Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and PSEG Long Island as a contractor to LIPA).
After that point, we will periodically provide feedback as we receive it from the New York utilities and the State energy agencies. Each of the utilities working with REV Connect has designated staff who engage with the REV Connect team at regular intervals to review submission ideas and provide feedback. These staff also work with REV Connect to determine how to route ideas to the relevant business and technical personnel within their company.
Q: How are submissions vetted? Who makes the judgement call about what ideas proceed?
A: Please see the REV Connect evaluation criteria and our process on the REV Connect portal.
Q: How is my confidential or proprietary information safeguarded?
A: We ask that you do not submit any confidential or proprietary information in your REV Connect web submission. We expect that in most cases we will be able to assess your submission without such information. If there is certain confidential or proprietary information that you feel would help support your submission, please discuss that with the REV Connect team member in your qualification consultation.
The Terms posted on the REV Connect portal provide further guidance on how the New York State Freedom of Information Law applies to NYSERDA initiatives, such as REV Connect.
Q: What is the deadline for submissions?
A: For information on Innovation Sprint deadlines, please see our Innovation Opportunities page and find the appropriate Innovation Opportunity.
Outside of Innovation Sprints, we accept submissions on a rolling basis but encourage you to provide your submission as soon as it is practical. As this is not an RFP, multiple submissions and iterations are acceptable. As your submission goes through the REV Connect process, it gets more refined and shaped to better articulate the business model and value to customers and the utility. The earlier you get a submission in, the more opportunity you will have to shape the submission.
Q: What if I have more than one idea or solution to offer? Can I make more than one submission?
A: There is no limit on the number of submissions a single company or individual can make, either during an Innovation Sprint or outside of it. Each idea or business model concept should be submitted separately. Each submission will be screened against the same set of criteria, and the REV Connect team can address several submissions during a single qualification consultation.
Q: Is it possible to work with REV Connect to modify an application after its submission?
A: Yes, provided your submission meets our criteria, you may have the opportunity to work with the REV Connect team to refine your idea after it has been submitted.
Q: Do submissions go to all utilities? Or can I target one utility specifically?
A: Unless an alternate course of action is specified with the submitter, a submission summary will be shared with all of the New York State investor-owned utilities and State energy agencies.
Submissions as part of an Innovation Sprint should target one specific utility and opportunity; however, submissions may be shared among all participating utilities, especially in cases of closely related opportunities.
We encourage submitters to review the New York State Utility Profiles on the REV Connect portal, and consider which utilities are the best fit for their idea. Within the REV Connect portal submission form, a submitter can select specific utilities that are targeted by the submission.
Q: Is LIPA/PSEG – Long Island involved in REV Connect?
A: As with all New York utilities, PSEG Long Island participates in Innovation Sprints at its own discretion; any relevant opportunities will be listed on the corresponding page. Summaries of the submissions to REV Connect that are shared with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and with PSEG Long Island as the manager of LIPA’s electric system; PSEG Long Island can work with submitters for potential demonstration projects in Long Island at its discretion.
Q: Do submitters attend the initial meeting with the utility and REV Connect?
A: Submissions initially are presented to utilities by REV Connect team members. If a utility has technical questions, the REV Connect team will communicate with the submitter or will arrange a follow-up meeting between the submitter and the utility.
Q: What happens if I don’t meet criteria for facilitation or no utility is interested?
A: All ideas submitted to REV Connect will receive a response, either notifying those submissions that do not meet minimum requirements, notifying those that do not meet criteria for facilitation, or inviting those that do meet criteria to a consultation session. In some cases, we may invite the submitter to refine their idea and re-submit. In addition, REV Connect and NYSERDA can help identify other opportunities and programs that the submitter could pursue outside of REV Connect.
Q: What if I don’t know how to estimate the impact of my solution?
A: We are looking for submitters to demonstrate some understanding of the market rather than exact values. Submitters will not be held to the numbers and will have the opportunity to review and refine them with REV Connect facilitators.
Q: When will a utility select a third-party company through competitive procurement? Can a vendor propose an idea, refine it with REV Connect, pitch it to the utility, and then fail to be selected through a procurement?
A: The utilities determine when to utilize a competitive procurement process (e.g., RFI or RFP). A competitive procurement is likely in cases where multiple solution providers offer a comparable product or service. In other cases, utilities may choose to enter into a demonstration project or strategic partnership with a REV Connect submitter directly, without issuing an RFP or RFI.
Upcoming procurements that are known in advance are shared within the Innovation Opportunities section of the REV Connect portal.
Q: Why are utilities’ non-wire solutions projects separated from REV demo projects?
A: Non-wires solutions projects have specific operational requirements in terms of capacity and timing. REV demos on the other hand, aim to test new ideas and business models that are not proven, and hence include a certain level of uncertainty. With the above in mind, market partners are not precluded from submitting ideas for REV demos through REV Connect that can deliver benefits to utilities as non-wires solutions, as long as they can prove that they can meet the operational requirements that utilities set for non-wires solutions.
Q: I’m concerned that a utility may take my idea and turn it around into a procurement. Can you speak to this concern?
A: From past Innovation Sprints, we have seen positive examples of submitters influencing RFPs in ways that benefit them, ultimately resulting in their own selection. However, this is not a guaranteed outcome.
REV Connect enables submitters to collaborate with utilities on innovative ideas early in the decision-making process, with learnings potentially feeding into future procurements. Submitters should share in the REV Connect platform information that they feel comfortable putting in front of a wide audience within the utilities, and should try to avoid sharing proprietary or confidential information.
Q: I’m looking for another company to partner with on my submission. Can REV Connect help?
A: We can help you build a project team if you let us know what capabilities you are seeking in partners.
Q: If I have a technology solution that has been proven or adopted in another region, how do I develop its applicability to a New York State utility?
A: Data and resources are available in the REV Connect portal for each utility’s service territory, and submitters are encouraged to adapt their ideas in order to be better suited for New York State’s demographic characteristics and energy landscape.
Q: Can companies or teams from outside the US apply as well?
A: Yes, as long as they are legally and physically capable to provide any proposed products and services in New York State.
Q: Is grant funding available through REV Connect?
A: REV Connect does not award funding. Expert feedback and technical assistance are provided at no charge to submitters. If a project is defined through REV Connect, the utilities and market partners will work together to identify the appropriate source of funding. For many utility opportunities advanced through Innovation Sprints, funding has already been identified.
Q: Is there a limit or goal for the number or dollar amount of REV Connect projects to be completed?
A: There is no limit to the number or dollar amount of projects that can be submitted to REV Connect. The overarching goal of REV Connect is to drive a pipeline of ideas. Ideas submitted to REV Connect will be evaluated against a predetermined set of criteria, and will be presented to utilities based on their needs and priorities.
Q: How is REV Connect funded?
A: REV Connect is funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
Q: Can you provide quantitative information on submissions and results to date?
A: We publish metrics relating to REV Connect on our portal.
Q: Are the submissions to REV Connect made public?
A: REV Connect does not make submissions public. Please refer to our Terms for guidance on the treatment of proprietary or confidential information.
Q: Why can’t I upload attachments to the portal?
A: If your submission meets facilitation requirements, we will follow up to learn more, with an opportunity to send us additional attachments for your submission.
Q: What do I do if I have additional questions before I submit?
A: Please contact us.
Q: What if my idea doesn’t relate to an Innovation Sprint topic?
A: Submit! REV Connect continues to fulfill its mission for an ongoing open call for submissions to all Innovation Opportunities.
Q: What if I already submitted an idea related to one of these Innovation Sprint topics?
A: Great! Your REV Connect facilitator will inform you about how you can participate with your existing submission.