RM Construction Ready Stream

Applicants can be based internationally*, interstate or in NSW. To be eligible for funding, the lead applicant must:

• hold or be willing to obtain an Australian Business Number (ABN) prior to entering into a funding agreement
• be or will become an entity type listed below prior to entering into a funding agreement:
  • a company incorporated in Australia
  • a company limited by guarantee
  • an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
  • an incorporated association or co-operative
  • an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.
• be or will become registered for goods and services tax (GST) prior to signing a funding agreement
• hold or will attain all insurances required by law including $20 million public liability insurance and worker's compensation, prior to entering into a funding agreement
• not be subject to any insolvency event including the subject of an order or resolution for winding up or dissolution (other than for the purposes of reconstruction or amalgamation) or the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, administer or similar
• not be listed on the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) sanctions list
• disclose any legal proceedings or investigations including litigation, arbitration, mediation or conciliation that are taking place, pending or (to the best of the applicant’s knowledge, after having made proper enquiry) threatened against the applicant or a related body corporate (as defined in the Corporations Act) that may adversely impact the applicant’s ability to fulfil its obligations under the funding agreement
• disclose all Australian Government and/or Australian state territory grants applied for concerning the proposed project including a history of any grant funding over the last 5 years (including both successful and unsuccessful applications)
• materially comply with all:
  • obligations under employment contracts, industrial agreements and awards
  • codes of conduct and practice relevant to conditions of service and to the relations between the applicants and the employees employed by the applicant
  • applicable Workplace Health and Safety legislation.
• achieve Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval before commencement of the project, should it be required.

Joint applications

Joint applications are permitted provided the lead applicant satisfies the eligibility criteria. The lead applicant must enter into the funding agreement and will be held ultimately responsible for the delivery of the project. The lead applicant must complete the application form and identify all other joint applicants in the application. If invited to submit a detailed application, the application must include a letter of support from each organisation involved in the application. Each letter of support should include:

• details of the joint applicant
• an overview of how the joint applicant will work with the lead applicant and any other joint applicants (if applicable) to successfully complete the proposed project
• an outline of the relevant experience and/or expertise the partner organisation will bring to the application
• the roles and responsibilities of the joint applicant and the resources they will contribute (if applicable)
• the amount and source of any co-contribution to the proposed project (if applicable)
• details of a nominated contact (management level).

Applicants must ensure they provide correct organisation names and details as this cannot be changed once the proposed project has been assessed. Formal agreements between all joint applicants will be required before the execution of the funding agreement.

*International businesses will need an ABN, be registered for GST, have at least $20 million in public liability insurance and be an eligible entity (as listed above) to enter into a funding agreement if successful.

Manufacturing industries

To be eligible for funding, the lead applicant must confirm that the proposed project:

• will deliver new or expanded industrial facilities in NSW that will manufacture renewable energy products at commercial scale*. This includes:
  • components suitable for grid-scale renewable energy generation, storage, and transmission such as, but not limited to, wind towers, solar panels, batteries and transmission cables
  • hydrogen electrolysers.
• is located in NSW
• is expected to be fully delivered (operational) within 4 years of contract execution and no later than 30 June 2030
• is sustainable without continued government investment
• would not occur in NSW at all or in the same timeframe without government support
• has a viable commercial strategy
• has a minimum financial contribution of at least 50% of the total proposed project cost from non-NSW Government sources (for example, applicant, collaborators, private or other public organisations). In-kind (non-financial) contributions are not counted towards a contribution of 50% of the total proposed project costs.

*The technologies and processes used to manufacture the renewable energy components must be within the Commercial Readiness Index (CRI) 3-6.

The expected project outcome is a new or expanded commercial scale manufacturing facility for grid-scale renewable energy products. 

Funding may be used for capital expenses (CAPEX) and other costs directly related to the delivery of the project. Eligible costs may only be incurred once both parties have signed a funding agreement. This may include:

• purchase of land (if necessary for the project and suitable alternatives to rent do not exist)
• purchasing, constructing, installing and/or commissioning new plant, equipment and/or machinery
• purchasing, constructing, establishing and/or fitting out new facilities, buildings or hubs
• purchasing technology and/or intellectual property (IP) required to undertake the project
• upgrading existing facilities, buildings, plant, equipment, machinery and/or technology where necessary to deliver the project and achieve its outcomes
• external project management and administration costs up to 10% of project cost.

Ineligible applicants include:

• Australian or NSW Government agencies, state owned corporations or statutory authorities
• local government authorities or their Section 355 committees
• organisations that do not have an ABN and are unable to obtain an ABN to enter a funding agreement
• unincorporated associations
• other unincorporated organisations
• an individual (including sole traders)
• partnerships without nominating a lead applicant
• businesses that are insolvent.

The following costs are ineligible:

• funding the day-to-day operations of the business
• marketing and promotional costs
• costs incurred before both parties have signed a funding agreement
• costs already funded by other sources of local, state or commonwealth government funding.

The following projects are ineligible for funding:

• components for energy-harnessing technologies including geothermal energy, bioenergy and ocean energy
• mining of essential minerals needed to manufacture renewable energy components
• projects requiring ongoing funding from the NSW Government
• projects that would proceed and be delivered on the same timeline without government investment support
• projects that have already commenced for the scope of work for which funding is requested in the application
• projects that have already received NSW Government funding for the same outputs and outcomes.

Examples of eligible projects:

• Construction of lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant to supply electric vehicle and utility-scale energy storage markets.
• Construction of a new wind turbine component manufacturing facility. The facility will manufacture and assemble wind turbine components for local and export markets.
• Solar cell and module manufacturing plant to produce solar modules for residential, commercial as well as grid scale solar farms.
• Construction of a significant new electrolyser manufacturing and assembly facility. The new facility will supply hydrogen electrolysers to domestic and international markets.
• Production of high voltage transformers specifically used for dispatching renewable energy across electricity networks.

The lead applicant will provide a minimum cash contribution of at least 50% of the total project cost from non-NSW Government sources (for example, applicant, collaborators, private or other public organisations). In-kind (non-financial) contributions are not counted towards a contribution of 50% of the total proposed project costs.