Qualified Contractor Network (QCN) newsletter

Washington State Department of Commerce sent this bulletin at 11/03/2025 08:01 AM PST

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November 3, 2025

Qualified Contractor Network (QCN) newsletter

Contractor onboarding and training begins soon

We’ve been working hard with our rebate administrator to coordinate the onboarding and training phases of the IRA Home Energy Rebate programs. Their experience launching the program in multiple states is helping us move quickly.

The first QCN onboarding session starts in November and includes:

  • At least three hours of online training
  • An overview of IRA Home Energy Rebate programs
  • Household eligibility
  • Contractor portal registration
  • HARP and HOMES-specific program training
  • Quality Assurance checks and process

The initial IRA Home Energy Rebate program launch is a pilot focused on single-family projects. We anticipate multifamily opportunities in 2026. We'll roll out a full program launch statewide in early 2026. All activities are dependent on final approval by the U.S. Department of Energy. We'll pass on more information as we receive it.

 


IRA Home Energy Rebate Program update

We can't guarantee IRA rebates will be available for the tax credits that expire on December 31, so please don't delay important home improvements if they are needed.

Meantime, see if you qualify for the State Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates program. The state Weatherization Program and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are also available to low-income households.

 

 

Don't submit more than one QCN application

We’ve received a number of duplicate applications for the QCN. This is partly because we shared recruitment emails through our partners, and you may already be on their mailing lists.

If you submitted an application but you're unsure if someone else in your organization has submitted another, please contact us through the QCN contractor support form to inquire about your application status.

Also, if your business has undergone recent changes that may affect the work you will do in the QCN, please let us know through the contractor support form. Changes could include:

  • Staffing changes for the business point of contact on the application
  • Increase in capacity, new licenses, or certifications that will allow you to do additional work in the QCN
  • Changes in contact information
  • Any other changes you think we should know about

 


Recruitment and outreach

In early October, we gave a one-hour presentation to the Northwest HVAC Association and Training Center on the QCN and IRA Home Energy Rebate programs. Attendees spoke with our team, asked questions, and learned more about their roles as QCN contractors.

The QCN is open to all unions, associations and organizations that work with contractors that we are recruiting for the QCN. To schedule a presentation for your organization, complete our contractor support form.

 


HOMES rebate energy auditing standards

Every IRA HOMES project requires an energy assessment to determine what kind of work needs to be completed to reach the target home energy savings. You must have an energy auditing certification that institutes the BPI 2400 assessment standard (PDF) to satisfy the HOMES rebate program requirement. This standard integrates a home’s utility bills and models energy consumption and savings to provide an accurate assessment of a home’s energy impact.

The chart below shows how a household’s potential energy savings determines the project’s eligible rebate amount.

HOMES rebate program

Income level

Energy savings

Rebate amount

Less than 80% AMI

20%-34%

Lesser of $15,000 or 80% of project cost *

Less than 80% AMI

35% and greater 

Lesser of $20,000 or 80% of project cost *

80% - 150% AMI

20%-34% 

Lesser of $2,000 or 50% of project cost*

80% - 150% AMI

35% and greater 

Lesser of $4,000 or 50% of project cost*

AMI=Area median income

 

HARP Manual J and bill impact calculator

HVAC upgrades are an important upgrade to any home. Every HVAC upgrade project through HARP requires both a manual J assessment and utility bill impact assessment. These assessments help ensure you choose the right HVAC heat pump upgrade and clearly communicate to customers how it may affect their utility bills. This is especially important for households that may see their bill increase after installation of an electric heat pump.

Commerce recently selected the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Green Upgrade Calculator for bill impact assessments for contractor use. We will send more information on how to use these tools soon. Meantime, please take an opportunity to familiarize yourself with it, since it will be essential for the IRA HARP projects.

We need your help! Manual J calculations?

If you currently size heat pumps for residential homes using a Manual J load calculation, Commerce would love to hear what software you use. Please take this one-question poll to help inform IRA rebate programs.

 

Additional resources

November QCN application help hour rescheduled

We're still hosting the monthly QCN Application Help Hour for new applicants to ask questions about the QCN and IRA Home Energy Rebate programs. Whether you've completed an application or are considering it, you are welcome to this casual drop-in virtual meeting to talk with one of our team members.

We rescheduled the next help hour from Nov. 11 to Nov. 12 at noon in observance of Veterans Day.

If you already registered for the November 11 meeting, you can use the same link to join the November 12 meeting.

Sign up now. Select the Nov.11 registration date, and show up on Nov. 12.

Register on Zoom


Apply now: BPI - Jon Siemen Memorial Scholarship

Applications are now open for the Jon Siemen Memorial Scholarship, created to honor the life, memory and work of Jon Siemen, a beloved member of the BPI team and a lifelong advocate for weatherization.

To continue his legacy, this scholarship provides up to four recipients each year with free written and field exams for BPI certification.

  • Eligibility requirement: Applicants must currently work with a Weatherization Assistance Program or be a U.S. military veteran.
  • Applications are due by Nov. 30.
  • Download the application


Setting the standards through Energy Skilled programs

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy set the standards for the IRA Home Energy Rebate programs. For more information on their work or to learn more about their Energy SkilledTM Programs, visit their website.

 

If you have any questions about the QCN, please contact us through our support form.