Technical Assistance: DOE Community Benefit Plans

    The Green Economy Program of the UC Berkeley Labor Center has been contracted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory through the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Jobs to provide no-cost technical assistance to stakeholders interested in developing and implementing the job quality and skilled workforce and labor engagement components of Community Benefit Plans (CBPs) for demonstration and deployment projects. CBPs are required for all competitive IRA and BIL funding opportunities and usually account for 20% of the proposal’s score.

    For more detailed information on DOE’s Community Benefits Plans requirements please visit: https://www.energy.gov/infrastructure/about-community-benefits-plans

    The UC Berkeley Labor Center can answer questions, make referrals to potential partner organizations, and provide examples relevant to what the stakeholder is seeking to understand for CBPs. This assistance has no influence on how proposals will be evaluated.

    Stakeholders seeking technical assistance should submit an intake form that will be used to gauge whether the technical assistance request falls within the expertise and capacity of the Green Economy Program under its contract. The intake form can be found here: https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/forms/technical-assistance-doe-community-benefits-plans/.

    The Community Benefits Plan asks applicants to commit to negotiating agreements with affected workforce and community stakeholders. Examples of these agreements include community benefits agreements, project labor agreements, community workforce agreements, and collective bargaining agreements.

    Examples of the type of assistance on Workforce and Community Agreements that fall within the expertise of the Green Economy Program include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • Reviewing the workforce and labor components of an applicant’s Community Benefits Plan to identify opportunities to strengthen.
    • Identifying potential community and/or labor partnerships for applicants.
    • Helping to connect applicants with stakeholders that might be interested in partnership opportunities.

    The Community Benefits Plan also asks applicants to detail how they will create high-quality jobs that attract and retain qualified workers. Quality jobs are defined by 1) a commitment to ensuring workers have a free and fair chance to join a union, 2) above average wages and benefits for the industry and region, 3) investments in workforce education and training, and 4) engaging workers in the development and execution of workplace health and safety plans.

    Examples of the type of assistance on Quality Jobs that fall within the expertise of the Green Economy Program include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • Providing general guidance on understanding how unions work.
    • Providing general guidance on registered apprenticeships and other relevant workforce and training programs.
    • Providing general guidance on workplace health and safety plans.
    • Helping to connect applicants with stakeholders with organizations/agencies that could provide expertise on any of the above.

    Intake forms will be reviewed within 72 hours after being submitted. If selected, technical assistance will be limited to no more than 5 hours of support per party.

    For questions regarding the technical assistance intake form, please contact farzu@berkeley.edu