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Projects
Project Contacts are prospective buyers, sellers, and other stakeholders who submit inquiries through the contact form on your Deal Star marketplace. This form serves as the primary lead generation and qualification tool, capturing essential contact information along with detailed risk assessment data to help evaluate transaction feasibility. Project Contacts can optionally be associated with specific Projects and are tracked through a sales pipeline.
Purpose: Capture leads, qualify prospects, and assess transaction risk factors Parent Entity: Project (optional - contacts can exist without a project) Key Fields: First Name, Last Name, Work Email, Company Name, Role, Message Status Workflow: Pending → In Progress → Contacted → Qualified/Unqualified → Converted
Required: Yes Type: Text input Validation: Required field
What it is: The contact’s given name or first name.
How to fill it out: - Enter the person’s first name - Use proper capitalization - No titles (Mr., Dr., etc.) - No company names here
Examples: - Good: “John”, “Sarah”, “Michael” - Avoid: “john” (lowercase), “Mr. Smith”, “ABC Company”
Why it matters: - Personalization: Used in all communications and emails - CRM tracking: Helps identify repeat contacts - Professionalism: Proper names build trust - Notifications: Appears in internal alerts to your team
Best practice: Use the name as the person prefers to be addressed professionally.
Required: Yes Type: Text input Validation: Required field
What it is: The contact’s family name or surname.
How to fill it out: - Enter the person’s last name - Use proper capitalization - Include suffixes if provided (Jr., III, etc.)
Examples: - Good: “Smith”, “Johnson”, “O’Brien”, “Van Der Berg” - With suffix: “Smith Jr.”, “Thompson III”
Why it matters: - Identification: Distinguishes between contacts with same first names - Full name display: Combined with first name throughout the system - Professional communication: Full names in formal correspondence - Record keeping: Legal documentation may require full legal name
Best practice: Match the name exactly as it appears on business correspondence and LinkedIn.
Required: Yes Type: Email input Validation: Required, must be valid email format
What it is: The contact’s business or professional email address.
How to fill it out: - Enter complete email address - Must include @ symbol and valid domain - Use business email, not personal - Format: [email protected]
Examples: - Good: “[email protected]”, “[email protected]” - Avoid: “[email protected]” (personal), “john@” (incomplete)
Why it matters: - Primary communication channel: All correspondence goes here - Verification: Used to verify contact is legitimate - Company identification: Domain indicates company affiliation - Lead quality: Business emails indicate serious prospects - Duplicate detection: System may identify repeat contacts
Email domain signals: - Corporate domains: Higher quality leads ([email protected]) - Free email: Lower priority (gmail, yahoo, hotmail) - Industry domains: Indicates sector (.energy, renewables, etc.)
Validation: - Must be properly formatted email - Cannot be blank - Should be active/deliverable
Best practice: Require work emails for serious inquiries. Personal emails may indicate less serious prospects or should be flagged for additional qualification.
Required: Yes Type: Text input Validation: Required field
What it is: The name of the company or organization the contact represents.
How to fill it out: - Enter official company name - Include legal entity type if part of common name (LLC, Inc., etc.) - Use proper capitalization - No abbreviations unless that’s the official name
Examples: - Good: “Renewable Energy Partners LLC”, “SolarCorp”, “Green Investment Group” - Acceptable: “REP LLC” (if that’s the official name) - Avoid: “renewable energy” (lowercase), “REP” (unclear abbreviation)
Why it matters: - Due diligence: Research company background and creditworthiness - Qualification: Company size and type indicate deal capacity - CRM tracking: Link multiple contacts from same company - Risk assessment: Known companies are easier to qualify - Market intelligence: Track which companies are active in market
Research opportunities: - Look up company on LinkedIn, Bloomberg, Crunchbase - Check company website for size and focus - Verify company is legitimate - Assess financial capacity - Identify decision-makers
Red flags: - Generic names (“Energy Company”) - Missing or very vague names - Names that don’t match email domain - Inconsistent capitalization or formatting
Best practice: Cross-reference company name with email domain and website to verify legitimacy.
Required: No Type: URL input Validation: Must be valid URL format if provided (http:// or https://)
What it is: The company’s official website URL.
How to fill it out: - Enter complete URL including https:// - Format: https://www.company.com - No trailing slashes typically - Verify URL is accessible
Examples: - Good: “https://www.renewableenergy.com”, “https://solarcorp.io” - Also acceptable: “http://example.com” (automatically upgraded to https) - Incorrect: “www.company.com” (missing protocol), “company” (incomplete)
Why it matters: - Verification: Confirms company legitimacy - Research: Learn about company focus, size, projects - Credibility assessment: Professional website = more serious - Contact information: Additional ways to reach company - Decision-maker identification: Find team members and leadership
What to look for on website: - Company size and history - Focus areas (buyer, seller, developer, etc.) - Recent projects or transactions - Financial information (if public) - Key personnel - Office locations - Industry credentials
Website quality signals: - Professional site: Serious company, likely qualified - Basic site: Smaller company or startup - No website: Red flag - requires additional verification - Dormant site: Company may be inactive
Best practice: Always visit the website if provided to verify the contact and company are legitimate. Look for information that helps qualify the lead.
Required: Yes Type: Dropdown select Options: Tax Credit Buyer, Tax Credit Seller, Developer, Broker, Accountant, Consultant, Attorney, Investor, Other
What it is: The contact’s role or function in the tax credit marketplace.
How to fill it out: - Select the option that best describes the contact’s primary function - Choose only one role (most relevant if person has multiple) - Select “Other” if none fit and explain in Message field
Role Options Explained:
Tax Credit Buyer - Person or company looking to purchase tax credits - Has tax liability to offset - Corporate tax departments, tax equity investors - Priority: Highest - these are your customers - Typical companies: Corporations, banks, utilities, insurance companies
Tax Credit Seller - Person or company looking to monetize tax credits - Project developers, asset owners - Priority: High if you’re a marketplace/broker - Typical companies: Renewable energy developers, project finance firms
Developer - Develops renewable energy or other projects generating credits - May also be the seller - Priority: High - source of inventory - Typical companies: Solar developers, wind farm developers, storage developers
Broker - Intermediary facilitating tax credit transactions - May represent buyers or sellers - Priority: Medium - potential partner or competitor - Typical companies: Specialized tax credit brokers, advisory firms
Accountant - Provides accounting, tax, or cost segregation services - May advise buyers or sellers - Priority: Medium - potential referral source - Typical companies: CPA firms, Big 4, specialty tax firms
Consultant - Provides advisory services in renewable energy or tax credits - May assist with compliance, structuring, or transactions - Priority: Medium - potential referral source or collaborator - Typical companies: Energy consultants, financial advisors, strategy firms
Attorney - Provides legal services for tax credit transactions - May draft opinions, purchase agreements, or advise on structure - Priority: Medium - potential referral source - Typical companies: Law firms specializing in tax or energy law
Investor - Provides capital for renewable energy projects - May invest in projects or credits - Priority: High - potential buyer or partner - Typical companies: Private equity, infrastructure funds, family offices
Other - Role doesn’t fit standard categories - Should be explained in Message field - Priority: Variable - depends on explanation - Examples: Researchers, journalists, government officials, students
Why it matters: - Lead prioritization: Buyers and sellers prioritized over others - Response templates: Different communication for each role - Qualification criteria: Different questions for each role type - Market intelligence: Track which types of contacts are inquiring - Routing: May route to different team members based on role
Follow-up by role: - Buyers: Focus on available inventory, pricing, process - Sellers: Focus on your services, value proposition, fees - Developers: Relationship building, future pipeline - Service providers: Partnership opportunities, referral arrangements
Best practice: Select the role most relevant to the immediate inquiry, even if the person has multiple functions.
Required: Yes Type: Multi-line text area (4 rows) Validation: Required field
What it is: Free-form text where the contact describes their inquiry, needs, or questions.
How to fill it out: - Describe your inquiry or needs clearly - Include relevant details (credit size, timing, specific questions) - Be specific about what you’re looking for - Mention any urgent timelines
What good messages include: - Clear purpose: “Looking to purchase $10M in solar ITCs” - Relevant details: Credit type, size range, timeline - Specific questions: What they need to know - Urgency indicators: “Need to close by Q4” - Background: Brief context about their situation
Examples:
From a Buyer:
We are a Fortune 500 company with approximately $50M in tax liability
for 2024. We're interested in purchasing solar and wind ITCs. Looking
for projects with strong documentation and insurance. Timeline: close
by end of Q4 2024.
From a Seller:
We have a 75MW solar project in Arizona that was placed in service in
June 2024. The project qualifies for the 40% ITC (domestic content).
We're looking to sell approximately $25M in credits. When can we
discuss listing on your platform?
From a Developer:
We develop utility-scale solar and storage projects across the
Southwest. We have a pipeline of 500MW over the next 2 years and are
interested in understanding your marketplace for monetizing our tax
credits. Would like to schedule a call.
What NOT to include: - Highly confidential information (save for later conversations) - Specific project locations (be general initially) - Detailed financial terms (discuss privately) - Personal information beyond contact details - Aggressive sales pitches
Why it matters: - Qualification: Detailed messages indicate serious prospects - Prioritization: Urgent/large deals get faster responses - Preparation: Your team can prepare relevant materials - Matching: Helps match contacts with appropriate inventory - Context: Provides background for meaningful first conversation
Message quality indicators:
High-quality (likely qualified): - Specific numbers ($10M in credits needed) - Clear timeline (by Q4) - Relevant details (technology preferences) - Professional tone - 2-4 sentences minimum
Low-quality (may need qualification): - Vague (“interested in learning more”) - No details - Very brief (“call me”) - Unprofessional - Spam-like
Best practice: Encourage detailed messages through form design and instructions. More detail = easier qualification and better first conversations.
The Project Contact form includes 19 risk assessment fields that help evaluate the complexity and risk factors of potential transactions. These fields are particularly valuable for seller qualification and transaction planning.
All risk assessment fields have three possible values: - Yes: Risk factor is present - No: Risk factor is not present - Unknown: Information not yet available (default)
What it is: Whether there’s a risk the IRS could recapture (clawback) the tax credits after they’re claimed.
When to mark “Yes”: - Project was placed in service very recently (same tax year) - Uncertain prevailing wage compliance - Domestic content certification is questionable - Engineering not finalized - Equipment substitutions may be needed
When to mark “No”: - Project is 2+ years in service - Full compliance documentation complete - Legal opinion issued - No pending IRS audits - All certifications verified
Why it matters: Clawback risk is the #1 concern for buyers and significantly impacts pricing and insurance availability.
What it is: Whether the credits come from residential properties, which carry additional compliance and aggregation challenges.
When to mark “Yes”: - Residential rooftop solar - Multi-family residential properties - Aggregated residential portfolios - Home efficiency credits
When to mark “No”: - Commercial projects - Utility-scale projects - Industrial facilities - Non-residential applications
Why it matters: Residential credits are harder to underwrite, may have lower liquidity, and face different IRS scrutiny.
What it is: Whether the project is in a location with elevated risks (weather, grid, regulatory, etc.).
When to mark “Yes”: - Hurricane-prone coastal areas - Areas with extreme weather events - Regions with grid instability - Jurisdictions with hostile renewable energy policies - High-crime areas - Earthquake zones - Wildfire-prone regions
When to mark “No”: - Stable, low-risk locations - Favorable regulatory environments - Proven grid reliability - Low weather-related risk - Safe, accessible areas
Why it matters: Location risk affects project performance, insurance costs, and buyer willingness to purchase.
What it is: Whether the project ownership or transaction involves multiple entities or stakeholders.
When to mark “Yes”: - Multiple project owners - Partnership structures - Multiple sellers of credits - Joint ventures - Syndicated ownership - Tax equity structures with multiple investors
When to mark “No”: - Single project owner - Single seller - Straightforward ownership - No partnership complications
Why it matters: Multiple parties increase transaction complexity, documentation requirements, legal costs, and closing timeline.
What it is: Whether the project requires safe harbor protection for ITC percentage grandfathering.
When to mark “Yes”: - Project started before IRA but completing after - Claiming pre-IRA credit percentages - Using grandfathered rates - 5% safe harbor or physical work test used
When to mark “No”: - Project started and completed post-IRA - Using current credit rates - No grandfathering issues
Why it matters: Safe harbor adds documentation requirements and legal complexity. Buyers will scrutinize safe harbor claims carefully.
What it is: Whether the transaction includes a basis step-up structure to increase the eligible tax credit basis.
When to mark “Yes”: - Basis step-up transaction completed - Project sold to intermediate entity before placed in service - Basis increased through restructuring - Step-up documented in legal opinion
When to mark “No”: - Standard basis calculation - No step-up structure - Original development costs = basis
Why it matters: Step-ups require sophisticated legal opinions, face higher IRS scrutiny, and may be harder to insure. Can be valuable but adds complexity.
What it is: Whether prevailing wage and apprenticeship (PWA) compliance is required to claim the credit percentage being used.
When to mark “Yes”: - Claiming 30% or higher ITC (vs. 6% base) - Project over 1MW AC - Prevailing wage paid - Apprenticeship hours met - Full PWA compliance required
When to mark “No”: - Small project under 1MW (exempt) - Only claiming 6% base rate - PWA not required for credit type
Why it matters: PWA compliance is complex, requires extensive documentation, and is a major audit risk if not properly documented.
What it is: Whether the project still needs to secure long-term financing as a condition of the credit transfer.
When to mark “Yes”: - Construction loan needs to be refinanced - Bridge financing in place, permanent financing pending - Credit sale proceeds needed to obtain financing - Lender approval required for credit transfer
When to mark “No”: - Project fully financed - No financing contingencies - Cash equity funded - Financing complete and independent of credit sale
Why it matters: Financing contingencies create transaction risk and may delay or derail credit transfers. Buyers prefer projects with completed financing.
What it is: Whether there’s a risk the project won’t be placed in service by end of Q4 as planned.
When to mark “Yes”: - Construction behind schedule - Critical equipment delayed - Interconnection delayed - Weather delays possible - Substantial completion uncertain - Targeting December placed in service
When to mark “No”: - Project already placed in service - Completion well ahead of year-end - No material risks to timeline - Substantial completion achieved
Why it matters: Q4 deals carry significant risk. Buyers may require contingent pricing or escrow. Late-year failures leave sellers unable to monetize credits.
What it is: Whether weather events could delay project completion or affect performance.
When to mark “Yes”: - Hurricane season risk - Winter construction with freeze risk - Monsoon season delays possible - Tornado/severe weather exposure - Wildfire season concerns
When to mark “No”: - Project completed - Construction during favorable season - Indoor/protected construction - Weather-resistant timeline
Why it matters: Weather delays can push projects into next tax year, affecting credit timing and buyer tax planning.
What it is: How long the project developer has been operating (technically a risk field, not years).
When to mark “Yes” (low risk): - Developer with 5+ years operating history - Established track record - Multiple successful projects - Known industry reputation
When to mark “No” (high risk): - New developer (< 2 years) - First project - Limited track record - Unknown in industry
Why it matters: Experienced developers are associated with better project quality, documentation, and lower transaction risk.
What it is: Whether this is the seller’s first tax credit transaction.
When to mark “Yes” (risk present): - Seller has never sold credits before - First time navigating transfer process - Unfamiliar with documentation requirements - No prior transaction experience
When to mark “No” (lower risk): - Repeat seller - Has closed credit transactions before - Familiar with process and requirements - Established relationships
Why it matters: First-time sellers require more education, may have documentation gaps, and transactions may take longer. However, they may also be very motivated.
What it is: Whether the accounting/tax firm preparing the cost segregation or tax analysis lacks renewable energy tax credit experience.
When to mark “Yes” (risk present): - Local CPA with no renewable energy experience - Firm’s first cost segregation study - No track record in tax credits - Generic accounting firm
When to mark “No” (lower risk): - Big 4 or national firm - Specialized renewable energy tax practice - Proven track record in credits - Recognized industry firm
Why it matters: Inexperienced tax firms produce lower-quality documentation, may miss issues, and buyers will heavily discount or reject the analysis.
What it is: Whether the law firm providing the legal opinion lacks tax credit transaction experience.
When to mark “Yes” (risk present): - General practice law firm - Firm’s first tax credit opinion - No recognized tax credit lawyers - Limited energy law experience
When to mark “No” (lower risk): - National firm with tax credit practice - Recognized tax credit attorneys - Multiple opinions issued - Industry reputation
Why it matters: Legal opinion quality is critical. Inexperienced attorneys may miss issues, provide weak opinions, or make errors that kill transactions.
What it is: Whether the seller is offering an indemnity (guarantee) against credit recapture.
When to mark “Yes”: - Seller providing contractual indemnity - Sponsor backing the credits - Recapture guarantee included - Financial protection offered
When to mark “No”: - No indemnity - As-is sale - Buyer assumes all risk - Insurance only protection
Why it matters: Indemnities add value but require seller creditworthiness assessment. Buyers heavily discount indemnities from weak sellers.
What it is: If indemnity is offered, whether it’s from a non-investment-grade entity.
When to mark “Yes” (risk present): - Indemnity from private company - Non-rated sponsor - Startup or development company - Limited financial strength
When to mark “No” (lower risk): - Investment-grade rated company (BBB- or better) - Fortune 500 company - Strong financial sponsor - Rated indemnitor
Why it matters: Non-IG indemnities are worth much less to buyers. May require additional insurance or pricing discounts.
What it is: Whether tax credit insurance coverage is less than 125% of credit amount.
When to mark “Yes” (risk present): - Insurance at 100% of credit only - No buffer for interest/penalties - Minimal coverage - Standard policy limits
When to mark “No” (preferred): - 125% or higher coverage - Covers credit plus IRS interest/penalties - Enhanced coverage policy - Comprehensive protection
Why it matters: 125% coverage is market standard to cover recaptured credits PLUS IRS interest and penalties. Lower coverage leaves gaps.
What it is: Whether the seller has additional tax credits from future projects or years that could be bundled or sold.
When to mark “Yes”: - Multi-year PTC projects - Pipeline of additional projects - Phase 2 or 3 coming - Future credits available
When to mark “No”: - Single project, single year - No additional credits - One-time transaction - No future pipeline
Why it matters: Future credits create opportunities for volume discounts, relationship building, and streamlined future transactions.
What it is: Whether the project has future phases that could generate additional credits.
When to mark “Yes”: - Phase 1 of multi-phase development - Expansion planned - Additional capacity coming - Modular development approach
When to mark “No”: - Single-phase project - No expansion plans - Standalone project - Fully built out
Why it matters: Multi-phase projects offer relationship building opportunities and potential for easier future transactions with known parties.
Required: No Type: Text input
What it is: When the contact needs to complete a transaction or their timeline constraints.
How to fill it out: - Specific dates: “By December 31, 2024” - Quarters: “Q4 2024”, “Q1 2025” - Ranges: “Next 60-90 days” - Urgency: “ASAP”, “Flexible”
Examples: - “Must close by December 15, 2024 for tax year” - “Q2 2025 target” - “Within 90 days” - “Flexible timing, exploring options”
Why it matters: Urgent timelines prioritize leads. Late-year deadlines create pressure. Flexible timelines may indicate lower urgency.
Required: No Type: Text input
What it is: For buyers, their approximate annual tax liability that determines credit absorption capacity.
How to fill it out: - Range: “$10M-$15M annually” - Approximate: “~$25M per year” - Multiple years: “$50M over 2 years”
Examples: - “$10,000,000 annual liability” - “$5M-$8M this year” - “Approximately $20M”
Why it matters: Indicates buyer capacity, helps size deals appropriately, validates buyer is qualified.
Type: Dropdown select Default: Pending Options: Pending, In Progress, Contacted, Qualified, Unqualified, Converted
What it is: The current stage of the lead in your sales pipeline.
Status Workflow:
Pending - New contact form submission - Not yet reviewed - Awaiting initial processing - Action: Review and triage
In Progress - Contact has been reviewed - Research underway - Preparing for outreach - Action: Complete research, prepare materials
Contacted - Initial outreach completed - Email or call made - Awaiting response - Action: Follow up if no response
Qualified - Contact meets criteria for serious prospect - Has capacity and need - Worth pursuing actively - Action: Active sales process, proposal, matching
Unqualified - Contact doesn’t meet criteria - Insufficient capacity or need - Not right fit - Action: Polite decline, keep for future
Converted - Contact became a customer - Transaction completed or in process - Success! - Action: Deliver service, maintain relationship
Why it matters: Tracks pipeline, measures conversion rates, prioritizes team efforts, reports on lead quality.
Buyers - Look for: - Substantial tax liability ($5M+ annually for most projects) - Corporate structure that can use credits - Understanding of tax credit transfers - Specific technology or size preferences - Realistic timeline
Sellers - Look for: - Real project (verify it exists) - Meaningful credit size ($1M+ typically) - Professional documentation or willingness to obtain - Reasonable price expectations - Experienced advisors or willingness to engage
Red Flags - Any Role: - Can’t verify company exists - Unrealistic expectations - Unprofessional communication - Inconsistent information - Free email addresses for large transactions - Vague or evasive responses
Volume Metrics: - Total contacts per month - Contacts by role (buyers vs. sellers) - Contacts by status - New contacts this week
Quality Metrics: - Conversion rate (Contacted → Qualified) - Conversion rate (Qualified → Converted) - Average time in each status - Qualified lead percentage
Risk Metrics: - Average number of risk factors per contact - Most common risk factors - Risk profile by transaction type
Response Metrics: - Average response time to new contacts - Contact rate (% we actually reach) - Reply rate (% who respond to us)
By Role: - Buyer pipeline - Seller pipeline - Referral partner pipeline (brokers, attorneys, accountants)
By Size: - Enterprise (>$10M credits) - Mid-market ($1M-$10M) - Small (<$1M)
By Timeline: - Urgent (< 30 days) - Near-term (30-90 days) - Long-term (> 90 days)
By Risk Profile: - Low risk (0-3 risk factors) - Medium risk (4-7 risk factors) - High risk (8+ risk factors)
When to link: - Contact expresses interest in specific project - You match a buyer to a listed project - Seller submits contact for their own project - Relationship develops around specific opportunity
How to link: - Edit contact record - Select project from dropdown - Save - Contact now appears in project’s related contacts
Benefits: - Track which projects attract most interest - See all interested parties for a project - Manage communications in context - Report on project-level conversion
Cause: Contact with this email already in system Solution: Search for existing contact, update that record instead
Cause: Email doesn’t meet validation requirements Solution: Check for typos, ensure @ and domain are present
Indicators: Generic messages, free emails, unrelated content Solution: Add CAPTCHA, honeypot fields, or manual approval process
Causes: Form too accessible, unclear positioning, poor targeting Solutions: Add qualification questions, clarify form purpose, require company emails
Cause: Contacts don’t complete risk fields (not required) Solution: Gather this information during qualification calls
Q: What’s the difference between a Project Contact and a User? A: Project Contacts are external leads/prospects who filled out a contact form. Users are registered accounts in your system who can log in.
Q: Can a contact be associated with multiple projects? A: This depends on your system implementation, but typically a contact is associated with one primary project or opportunity at a time.
Q: How long should we keep unqualified contacts? A: Keep for at least 12 months - they may become qualified later. Archive after that if no activity.
Q: Should we respond to every contact? A: Yes, at minimum a brief acknowledgment. Even if unqualified, professional response builds brand reputation.
Q: What if the contact doesn’t fit any role? A: Select “Other” and note their actual role in the message or internal notes.
Q: How many risk factors is too many? A: 8+ risk factors typically indicates very high risk. 4-7 is moderate. 0-3 is low risk. Evaluate severity, not just count.
Q: What’s a good conversion rate? A: Varies by industry, but 20-30% from Contacted to Qualified and 30-50% from Qualified to Converted is reasonable for B2B.
Q: Should contacts fill out risk assessment fields? A: Ideally yes, but many won’t know the answers initially. Gather during qualification conversations.
Q: Can we delete contacts? A: Usually better to archive or mark unqualified. Keep data for historical analytics.
Q: What’s the most important field? A: Message field - it provides context for everything else and indicates lead quality.
Related Articles: - Creating and Managing Projects - Sales Pipeline Management - Lead Qualification Best Practices - Tax Credit Buyer Qualification - Tax Credit Seller Qualification - Risk Assessment in Tax Credit Transactions - Building Buyer and Seller Relationships
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