00_RFQ-26-701_Solicitation_Manual_Addendum_01_ada.docx

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

SITING, TRANSMISSION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (STEP) SMALL POWER PLANT EXEMPTION (SPPE) PEAK WORKLOAD

RFQ-26-701– ADDENDUM 1

www.energy.ca.gov/contracts/ State of California California Energy Commission August 2026

The purpose of this addendum is to notify potential applicants of changes that have been made to RFQ-26-701. Added language appears in bold underline, and deleted language appears in [strikethrough] and within square brackets.

Table of Contents

Attachments

1. Contractor Status Form (Attachment 01)

2. Darfur Contracting Act Form (Attachment 02)

3. DVBE Declarations Form (Std. 843) (Attachment 03)

4. Bidder Declaration Form (GSPD-05-105) (Attachment 04)

5. Contractor Certification Clauses (Attachment 05)

6. Standard Agreement Example (informational, no form required in Statement of Qualifications (Attachment 06)

7. Client References (Attachment 07)

(SPPE) Peak Workload

I. INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND SUMMARY

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has exclusive authority to certify (license) thermal power plants, 50 megawatts (MW) or larger. Applicants interested in constructing and operating a thermal power plant of 50 MW or more and any appurtenant facilities (such as electrical transmission lines and natural gas pipelines) in California must file an application for certification (AFC) with the CEC. For thermal power plants that do not exceed 100 MW, an applicant may seek a small power plant exemption (SPPE). The CEC’s review is pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Code of Regulations, Title 20. The CEC can grant an exemption if it finds that the proposed facility would not create a substantial adverse impact on the environment or energy resources. As the lead agency under CEQA, the CEC prepares the appropriate CEQA document for the project (for example, a mitigated negative declaration or an EIR). If an exemption from the CEC’s authority is granted, the applicant would need to secure appropriate permits and entitlements from relevant local, regional, state, and federal agencies to construct and operate the power plant.

PURPOSE OF THIS RFQ

The purpose of this request for qualifications (RFQ) is to select a Prime Contractor (Contractor) to assist in evaluating applications for SPPE-eligible energy facilities, conducting analyses in accordance with CEQA and California Code of Regulations, Title 20, and supporting other activities in the areas of environmental impact assessment, engineering, and related regulatory matters.

The CEC is seeking one team of technical specialists led by a Contractor. A single Firm, and not a group of representatives from different companies, must submit a statement of qualifications (SOQ) as the prime contractor. The prime contractor will be responsible for all contract administrative duties, analysis, project management, report preparation, quality assurance, graphics support services, directing team members in all contract provisions, and participating in technical work assignments. The Contractor and the team can be from the same pre-existing organization, such as a full-service consultant Firm, or they can be from separate organizations (or self-employed) and form a partnership that can successfully work together for purposes of this RFQ. The term “Firm” is used in this RFQ to refer to the company or entity submitting an SOQ.

KEY ACTIVITIES AND DATES

Key activities including dates and times for this RFQ are presented below. An addendum will be released if the dates change for the asterisked (*) activities.

Times listed are Pacific Standard Time or Pacific Daylight Time, whichever is being observed.

AVAILABLE FUNDING

The contract amount between the CEC and the selected Firm will be zero dollars. The Firm will be reimbursed through a separate agreement with the Project Applicant. The CEC will be an expressly named third-party beneficiary to the agreement between the Firm and the Project Applicant.

The CEC reserves the right to reduce the contract amount to an amount deemed appropriate in the event the budgeted funds do not provide full funding of CEC contracts. In this event, the Contractor and the CEC Contract Agreement Manager (CAM) shall meet and reach agreement on a reduced scope of work commensurate with the level of available funding.

ELIGIBLE FIRMS

This is an open solicitation for public and private entities. Each agreement resulting from this solicitation includes terms and conditions that set forth the Contractor’s rights and responsibilities. The University of California, California State University, or DOE National Laboratories must use either the standard or the pre-negotiated terms and conditions on the Department of General Services Office of Legal Services (DGS-OLS) website at (http://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources). All other entities must agree to use the Standard Terms and Conditions (Attachment 6). The CEC will not award agreements to non-complying entities. The CEC reserves the right to modify the terms and conditions prior to executing agreements.

All corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships (LPs), and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) that conduct intrastate business in California are required to be registered and in good standing with the California Secretary of State (SOS) prior to a project being recommended for approval at a CEC business meeting. If not currently registered with the SOS, applicants are encouraged to contact the SOS Office as soon as possible to avoid potential delays in beginning the proposed project(s) (should the application be successful).

For more information, visit the SOS website at (http://www.sos.ca.gov/). Sole proprietors using a fictitious business name must be registered with the appropriate county and provide evidence of registration to the CEC prior to their project being recommended for approval at a CEC business meeting.

RETAINER CONTRACT

Any contract awarded as a result of this RFQ will be a no-fee "retainer" contract. The selected contractor will be held on retainer and will be assigned work via work authorizations. Work authorizations will be assigned by expertise, or project workload. The CEC makes no guarantee that any or all of the funds will be assigned in any given year.

QUESTIONS

During the RFQ process, questions of clarification about this RFQ must be directed to the CAO listed in the following Contact Information section. Potential Firms shall carefully examine the qualifications and specifications of this RFQ and may submit written questions via electronic mail. However, all questions must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the date indicated in the Key Activities and Dates section.

The questions and answers will be posted on the CEC's website at (https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/solicitations).

Any verbal communication with a CEC employee concerning this RFQ is not binding on the State and shall in no way alter a specification, term, or condition of the RFQ. Therefore, all communication should be directed in writing to the CAO assigned to the RFQ and listed below.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Diana Grady, Commission Agreement Officer California Energy Commission 715 P Street, 3rd Floor, MS-18 Sacramento, California 95814 Email: diana.grady@energy.ca.gov

RESPONSES TO THIS RFQ

Responses to this solicitation shall be in the form of a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) according to the format described in this RFQ. The SOQ shall detail the Firm’s qualifications to perform the tasks outlined in the Scope of Work.

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Firms responding to this RFQ may want to familiarize themselves with the following documents:

Warren‐Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Act, Public Resources Code section 25000 et seq. (available online at https://www.energy.ca.gov/rules-and-regulations/warren-alquist-act ) California Code of Regulations, Title 20, Public Utilities and Energy, Division 2, State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (available online at https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/topics/power-plants/power-plant-siting-certification-title-20 )

II. SCOPE OF WORK

ABOUT THIS SECTION

In this section, the CEC describes the tasks the Firm (referred to as “Contractor” in the Scope of Work) will be asked to perform under the direction of the Energy Commission Contract Agreement Manager (CAM). This section also describes the work assignment process, deliverables, and due dates.

WORK AUTHORIZATIONS

The agreement that results from this solicitation shall be conducted as a “Work Authorization” agreement. No work shall be undertaken unless authorized by the CAM through a specific written document called a “Work Authorization” (WA).

The CAM will prepare and issue the written WAs and shall set a maximum price, budget, and schedule for the work to be performed. The CAM will work, in consultation with the Contractor, to assign work to either the Contractor or a Subcontractor.

NO WORK GUARANTEE

The CEC does not guarantee any minimum or maximum amount of work to the Prime Contractor or any Subcontractor under the agreement.

PUBLIC MEETINGS & HEARINGS

All public meetings and hearings are sponsored, organized, and facilitated by the CEC. The CEC is responsible for any costs associated with a public meeting or hearing. Contractor will provide labor only.

WORK PERFORMANCE

The CEC cannot accurately predict far into the future when work will be required under this Agreement. The need to supplement staff resources with the Contractor’s services will vary in response to submittals by applicants of energy facility. Further, once the need for work is initiated, the work may need to proceed at a quick pace to meet the required procedural deadlines. Accordingly, the Contractor will need to be able to respond to the CEC’s requests for technical support on a timely basis.

Contractor shall respond to requests for work in accordance with the following pattern:

· The CAM shall provide at least two (2) weeks’ notice that a significant work effort will be required and the Contractor will need to assemble an effective and trained team during that period.

· The Contractor shall provide individual experts to handle specific issues with only two (2) working days’ notice.

· The Contractor shall return telephone calls and e-mails from the CAM and provide an initial response within four (4) hours.

· The Contractor and all team members shall meet the agreed upon product deadlines on the day they are due.

· The Contractor and all team members shall meet the agreed upon event deadlines on the day, hour, and location needed.

· The Contractor shall provide quality assurance on its draft products before delivery to the CEC’s Work Authorization Manager.

CONTRACTOR ACTIVITIES

In carrying out the Tasks under this Agreement, the Contractor shall perform the following types of activities (bulleted below). These activities are the general types of work the Contractor will perform to accomplish the Tasks listed in this Agreement. These are not stand-alone activities but are the types of work required to perform Tasks 1-7 below. All work requested via work authorization will fit within one or more of the 7 Tasks.

· Perform California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis.

· Develop mitigation for significant effects on the environment.

· Write, edit and/or publish technical reports.

· Review and comment on technical reports.

· Identify, review and evaluate data. Develop information requests for data relevant to CEQA or NEPA analysis from sources outside of the CEC, such as project applicants, agencies, or other sources.

· Conduct literature searches and review existing studies.

· Attend, participate in, facilitate, organize and/or present at meetings and hearings.

· Conduct surveys and field assessments to collect and analyze information relevant to a CEQA or NEPA analysis.

· Prepare maps and conduct/complete Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis

· Use complex analytical models and decision support tools related to environmental and engineering matters, including developing high-quality model inputs and assumptions.

· Answer CEC staff’s, Commissioners’, Commissioner Advisors’, and public participants’ technical questions about environmental and regulatory issues associated with power plants and related facilities.

SPECIFIC TASKS

The Contractor will be required to perform management functions; to complete a series of specific tasks in analyzing applications for Small Power Plant Exemption (SPPE); and other support services.

Upon issuance of a work authorization, Contractor shall:

Management and Administration (Task 1) The Contractor will be required to perform the following management task.

Task 1 – Contract Management and Administrative Duties The Contractor will be required to perform contract management and administrative duties to manage the Agreement.

The Contractor shall:

· After approval of potential work tasks by the CEC Siting, Transmission, and Environmental Protection Division (STEP) management, prepare information for work authorization development for the CEC Work Authorization Manager, including proposed task language, schedule of deliverables, and work authorization budget.

· Attend CEC meetings in person or via Zoom, or MS Teams to discuss progress and other meetings as directed by CEC staff.

· Prepare and execute agreements with subcontractors that convey all provisions contained in the Agreement and specific work authorizations between the CEC and the Contractor.

· Enforce subcontract provisions, and in the event of failure of the subcontractor to perform satisfactorily, recommend actions to resolve the problem.

· Require subcontractors to provide invoices which correctly identify personnel, rates, actual hours, and direct expenses charged to each task of each work authorization and which provide adequate documentation to justify expenses, including electronic copies of completed deliverables. Maintain electronic record of invoices and invoice documentation, including completed deliverables. For work assignments spanning a lengthy period, the work authorization may be structured to allow billing for completed interim deliverables. Subcontractor invoices will be reviewed by the Contractor and the CEC Work Authorization Manager, technical lead, or CAM for accuracy and completeness.

· Provide monthly progress reports by the tenth of each month to the CAM on the Contractor’s and subcontractors’ progress for work assignments, including a summary of contract expenditures to date.

· Submit monthly invoices by the tenth of each month to the CEC’s Accounting Office with a copy to the CAM. Invoices shall indicate the labor costs, operating expenses, fees and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise (DVBE) amounts. Invoices shall coincide with the monthly progress report timeframe. Invoices will not list work authorizations not issued at the time of invoice preparation.

· Pay subcontractors for satisfactory products within five working days after payment is received from the CEC.

· Develop and maintain a secure website to share contract-related information with CEC staff and to track the status of all work authorizations.

Incidental Services (Task 2) In addition to Management and Administration duties (Task 1), the Contractor shall provide incidental services to support the environmental related work of CEC staff and consultant technical specialists.

Task 2 – Document Production The CEC may need to seek prior approval from the Office of State Publishing for any printing type work.

The Contractor shall:

· Produce graphics to support CEC documents and analysis, including GIS maps, and photographic and artistic renderings as directed by CEC staff.

· Write, edit and synthesize technical documents based on technical information from one or more sources to ensure the technical accuracy, correct grammar, style and clarity of CEC documents. Ensure that the written products of staff and the Contractor’s technical specialists clearly convey their intended message to the public and all stakeholders.

· Format and prepare electronic documents for high-quality printing and/or binding as directed by CEC staff.

Small Power Plant Exemption (Tasks 3 – 7) The Contractor will be required to perform the following tasks to support the Small Power Plant Exemption Program. The specific tasks and degree of effort the Contractor performs for each project may vary. Work authorizations for specific SPPE applications will detail the location of the proposed project and technical area for Contractor’s work. Specific due dates for Contractor’s work will be set pursuant to the project schedule developed by the CEC project manager.

Task 3 – Application Completeness Review The CEC must determine if applications for small power plant exemption contain the substance of information set forth in Title 20 of the California Code of Regulations necessary for a CEQA review of the proposed project. For SPPEs, this information is specified in section 1704 and Appendix B, Information Requirements for an Application. Note: for an SPPE, an assessment of the project’s conformance with laws, ordinances, regulations, and standards (LORS) is not required. The CEC is allowed 30 days from the filing of the application to review for completeness. If the CEC determines that the application is incomplete, it must provide the applicant with a written list of deficiencies (data requests) that must be addressed in a supplemental filing by the applicant.

The Contractor shall:

· Compare the contents of the application with the information requirements.

· Identify any deficiencies and prepare data requests for filing to the project docket within 30 days of application filing. Subsequent data requests (see Task 4) may be submitted informally to the project applicant by email (applicant responses will be docketed).

The typical schedule for activities and products during an SPPE data adequacy review is as follows:

Task 4 – Discovery During the discovery phase of the project, the Contractor will collect all information necessary to evaluate the project and prepare the analysis in the next task.

The Contractor shall:

· Review the application and other materials and coordinate with appropriate local, state, and federal agencies to determine the significant issues of the project for each technical area and the applicable regulatory context.

· Prepare data requests and meet with the applicant if necessary to discuss either the requests or the applicant’s responses, if additional information is needed from the applicant.

· Participate in site visits and necessary field surveys/studies.

The typical schedule during the SPPE discovery phase is as follows:

Additional Staff Data Requests (if needed)

Data Requests

Additional Applicant Data Request Responses

Data Request Responses

Task 5 – Analysis This task requires the Contractor to prepare a written evaluation of the project for each technical area assigned.

The Contractor shall:

· Describe the existing conditions at or near the project for each technical area.

· Describe the regulatory context applicable to each technical area.

· Assess the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of the proposed project.

· Evaluate the applicant’s proposed measures to eliminate or reduce significant impacts on the environment and energy resources.

· Recommend additional mitigation measures if necessary.

· Evaluate the environmental impacts and comparative merits of any feasible alternatives to the project.

· Recommend specific mitigation measures and prepare a mitigation monitoring and reporting program.

Analyses will be based upon Contractor’s review of the application, communication with appropriate federal, state, regional, and local agencies, consideration of various parties’ comments and concerns, public input, participation in site visits and necessary field studies, review of available information, and independent analyses.

The CEC will specify the analysis format of the draft and final analyses. The Contractor will be expected to consider various parties’ comments and concerns, respond to any comments from CEC staff and incorporate changes into the draft or final analyses that do not compromise the Contractor’s professional expert analysis. Meetings may be conducted to discuss the results of the analysis and proposed recommendations (including recommended mitigation measures) with the applicant, interested agencies, and the public.

The environmental assessment for an SPPE consists of either an initial study and negative declaration (or mitigated negative declaration) or environmental impact report (draft and final); no LORS compliance analysis is required.

The typical schedule during the SPPE analysis phase is as follows:

Note: timeline is based on a complete application.

Task 6 – Meetings and Decisions The Contractor will be required to prepare meeting materials for internal briefings, any public meetings, and Business Meetings as requested. The materials will be based on the initial analysis and any subsequent analysis necessary to respond to comments or a specific issue or request.

The Contractor shall:

· Prior to internal briefings, public meetings, and Business Meetings, participate as needed in preparation meetings.

· Prior to internal briefings, public meetings, and Business Meetings, prepare meeting materials, including slide decks and scripts, as requested.

· During internal briefings, public meetings, and Business Meetings, as requested, the Contractor shall present and answer questions.

Task 7 – Siting Project Management The Contactor will be required to provide project management services to support processing SPPEs.

The Contractor shall:

· Plan and organize the work of an interdisciplinary team (Contractor staff) engaged in the review of complex or controversial energy facility applications.

· Prepare project-related correspondence and notices, including those required by the California Environmental Quality Act.

· Prepare Executive Summary, Introduction, and Project Description sections of CEQA documents.

· Critically review and propose edits on technical analyses.

· Compile and publish Initial Studies/Negative Declarations/Mitigated Negative Declarations, and Environmental Impact Reports.

· Organize and conduct meetings between the staff, energy facility applicants, governmental agencies, private organizations, and the public to discuss environmental issues.

· Represent the Commission staff at CEC business meetings by making presentations.

III. SOQ Format, Required Documents and Delivery

ABOUT THIS SECTION

This section contains the format requirements and instructions on how to submit an SOQ in response to this RFQ. The format is prescribed to assist the Firm in meeting State requirements and to enable the CEC to evaluate each SOQ uniformly and fairly. Firms must follow all SOQ format instructions, answer all questions, and supply all requested data.

PRICING/RATES INFORMATION

Do not submit any price quotes or bids in your SOQ since this will be negotiated with the top- rated Firm.

REQUIRED FORMAT FOR AN SOQ

All SOQs submitted under this RFQ must be typed using a standard 11‑point font, singled-spaced and a blank line between paragraphs. Pages must be numbered and sections titled.

PREFERRED METHOD FOR DELIVERY

Firms must submit the SOQ (Sections 1 and 2).

The method of delivery for this solicitation is the CEC Grant Solicitation System (GSS), located at (https://gss.energy.ca.gov/). This online tool allows applicants to submit their electronic documents to the CEC prior to the date and time specified in this solicitation. Electronic files must be in MS Word and Excel Office Suite formats unless originally provided in the solicitation in another format. Attachments requiring signatures may be scanned and submitted in PDF format. The system will not allow electronic documents to be submitted after the SOQ due date and time. To avoid file size limitations, please submit each document as a separate file and do not combine multiple documents.

The deadline to submit SOQs through the CEC’s GSS is 11:59 p.m. The GSS system automatically closes at 11:59 p.m. If the full submittal process has not been completed before 11:59 p.m., your SOQ will not be considered. NO EXCEPTIONS will be entertained.

The CEC strongly encourages Applicants to upload and submit all SOQs by 5:00 p.m. because CEC staff will not be available after 5:00 p.m. or on weekends to assist with the upload process. And please note that while we endeavor to assist all would be Applicants, we can’t guarantee staff will be available for in-person consultation on the due date, so please plan accordingly.

Please give yourself ample time to complete all steps of the submission process: do not wait until right before the deadline to begin the process. Due to factors outside the CEC’s control and unrelated to the GSS system, upload times may be much longer than expected. For example, some past Applicants experienced unexpected issues on their end, causing long delays that prevented timely submission. They spent significant time and resources on applications the CEC will not consider. Please plan accordingly. For instructions on how to apply using the GSS system, please see the "How to Apply" document available on the CEC website at (https://www.energy.ca.gov/media/1654).

First time users must register as a new user to access the system. Applicants will receive a confirmation email after all required documents have been successfully uploaded. A tutorial of the system is available on the CEC Funding Resources website under “General Funding Information” located at (https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/funding-resources). You may contact the CAO identified in the Contact Information section of this solicitation manual (Section I: Introduction) for more assistance.

Hard copies or submissions via email or fax will not be accepted for this solicitation.

ORGANIZE YOUR SOQ AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1, ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSE

1. Cover Letter

2. Table of Contents

SECTION 2, TECHNICAL RESPONSE

1. Approach to Tasks in Scope of Work

2. Project Team Organizations Structure & Cost Minimization

3. Project Team Relevant Experience and Qualifications

4. Analytical Tools

5. Client References Attachment 7

6. Examples of previous Work Products

1. Approach to Tasks in Scope of Work A. Describe the Firm’s general and specific proposed approaches to providing the following services listed in the Scope of Work, highlighting outstanding features, qualifications, and experience of each team member.

1. Task 1 – Contract Management and Administrative Duties

2. Task 2 – Document Production

3. Task 3 – Application Completeness Review

4. Task 4 – Discovery

5. Task 5 – Analysis

6. Task 6 – Meeting and Decisions

7. Task 7 – Siting Project Management

2. Project Team Organizational Structure & Cost Minimization A. Describe the organizational structure of the Firm, including providing an organizational chart of the entire contract team.

B. Identify the locations of the Firm’s and each Subcontractor’s headquarters and/or satellite office(s) and proposed methods of minimizing cost to the State. Without revealing hourly rates or cost, describe the efforts the Firm will take to minimize costs to the Energy Commission in the successful performance of this Agreement. For example:

1. In-State Travel Costs – What policy will the Firm adopt as related to team member time charges when the team member is traveling and/or not working actively on the Agreement?

2. Out-of-State Travel Costs – It is the Energy Commission’s intent to reimburse contractor costs for airfare within California. If the Firm and/or team members are located out-of-state, will the Firm and/or team members establish an office in California and/or initiate all travel and related time charges from this California office, and not the out-of-state office? The Energy Commission is interested in reimbursing for active time spent working on this Agreement, not travel.

C. Provide a short description of each Subcontractor and key members of the team. Describe the relationship between the Firm and the Subcontractors on your team. Indicate any history of a working relationship between the team members noting any significant stories.

D. Describe professional awards.

E. Describe the organization, composition, and functions to be performed by staff members of the Firm and any Subcontractors and how the staff pertains to this Agreement.

F. Identify a primary contact person for the Firm and each Subcontractor. The primary contact person for the Firm must attend the discussion session described in Section IV. At least one individual representing the team’s expertise in each of the technical areas of your SOQ is encouraged to attend the discussion session.

G. Describe ability to effectively and efficiently recruit additional Subcontractors in response to Energy Commission direction.

H. Describe the ability of the Firm to pay Subcontractors on a timely basis (ahead of receiving payment from the State).

3. Project Team Relevant Experience and Qualifications A. Firm Only:

1. Describe the Firm’s approach to the contract management and administration of this agreement. Identify the Contract management team members.

2. Describe the qualifications of the Firm, and the planned approach to effectively provide direction, motivation and vision to the team; to provide quality assurance for each team member’s performance; and to minimize turnover and provide a stable professional team, including the ability to quickly add and train new team members as needed.

3. Describe the ability to organize and manage a team of technical experts to effectively complete statement of work tasks and deliverables in a timely manner.

B. Team Members including Firm:

1. Document the project team’s qualifications as they apply to performing the tasks described in the Scope of Work. Describe the nature and scope of recently completed work as it relates to the Scope of Work.

2. Identify and list all the Firm’s staff and Subcontractors (all team members) who will be committed to the tasks and describe their roles.

3. Describe job classification, relevant experience, education, academic degrees of these technical staff team members.

4. Provide a current resume for all team members listed.

5. Identify the percentage of time each team member will be available throughout the Agreement.

6. Describe each team member’s familiarity with the technical expertise in performing pertinent tasks identified in the Scope of Work.

4. Analytical Tools A. Describe any technical capabilities that would facilitate communication with the Energy Commission. Please note the team members must provide their own computers and software and these costs are not reimbursable under the Agreement.

B. Describe what types of computers and/or analytical tools will be used to accomplish the tasks listed in the Scope of Work.

C. List the names and editions of all software to be used in accomplishing the tasks listed in the Scope of Work.

5. Client References The Firm and each Subcontractor shall complete a Client Reference Form. Three client references are required for the Firm and three Client references are required for each Subcontractor.

6. Example of Prior Work The Firm and each Subcontractor shall provide one example of each type of a work product listed below that is representative of the services it will provide under the Agreement.

If more than one Subcontractor will be providing technical support in a technical expertise area, each Subcontractor shall submit one example product that demonstrates experience in potential work assignments described in this RFQ for the technical expertise area.

Areas of Expertise Required:

1. The Energy Commission is seeking one team of technical specialists led by a Prime Contractor (Contractor). The Contractor and the team can be from the same pre-existing organization, such as a full-service consultant Firm, or they can be from separate organizations (or self-employed) and form a partnership that can successfully work together for the purposes of this RFQ. The Contractor and its team must demonstrate that they can:

· Manage the work of all team members effectively during the Agreement term.

· Interact with the CAM and technical staff professionally and efficiently.

· Respond to the identified workload in a timely manner.

· Consistently meet all product and event deadlines.

· Provide competent and qualified experts in all technical and administrative areas identified in this RFQ.

· Meet the terms of the Agreement in a cost-competitive manner.

· Meet the minimum conflict of interest requirements.

· Support the Energy Commission’s Siting, Transmission, and Environmental Protection Division analyses in the environmental and engineering subject areas listed below. The Contractor team shall have the demonstrated qualifications and ability to apply these areas of expertise to assess SPPEs and prepare the appropriate environmental documents.

2. Environmental and Engineering Expertise Required Air Quality

· Air Quality Specialist

· Air Quality sub-topic: Greenhouse gas and climate change analysis

· Air Quality sub-topic: Nitrogen Deposition Modeling

· Air Quality sub-topic: Visible, ground-hugging, and thermal plume modeling and analysis

· Air Quality sub-topic: Analysis of criteria pollutant emissions

· Air Quality sub-topic: Air dispersion modeling and analysis Alternatives Assessment

· Alternatives Assessment Specialist Biological Resources

· Biological Resources Specialist

· Biological Resources sub-topic: Avian Biology

· Biological Resources sub-topic: Botany

· Biological Resources sub-topic: Marine Biology

· Biological Resources sub-topic: Wildlife Biology Cultural Resources and Tribal Cultural Resources

· Cultural Resources Specialist

· Cultural Resources sub-topic: Archaeology

· Cultural Resources sub-topic: Architectural History

· Cultural Resources sub-topic: Cultural Anthropology

· Cultural Resources sub-topic: Cultural Resources GIS

· Cultural Resources sub-topic: Geoarchaeology

· Cultural Resources sub-topic: History

· Cultural Resources sub-topic: Historic Architecture Energy and Energy Resources

· Energy Resources Specialist

· Analysis of impacts on local and regional energy supplies and resources Geology

· Geologist Specialist

· Geology sub-topic: Enhanced Oil Recovery/Carbon Sequestration

· Geology sub-topic: Sand dune morphology Hazards and Hazardous Materials

· Hazardous Materials Management Specialist

· Hazardous Material Management sub-topic: Battery energy storage systems

· Site Security Specialist Land Use

· Land Use Specialist

· Land Use sub-topic: Consistency with applicable local, state, and federal regulations

· Land Use sub-topic: Agriculture and Forestry Resources Mineral Resources and Paleontology

· Mineral Resources and Paleontology Specialist Noise and Vibration

· Noise and Vibration Specialist

· Noise sub-topic: Modeling and measurement methods

· Noise sub-topic: Noise and vibration impacts criteria

· Noise sub-topic: Regulatory compliance

· Noise sub-topic: Noise and vibration mitigation measures Public Health

· Public Health Specialist

· Public Health sub-topic: health risk assessment Socioeconomic Resources

· Socioeconomic Resources Specialist

· Socioeconomic Resources sub-topic: Population and Housing

· Socioeconomic Resources sub-topic: Public Services

· Socioeconomic Resources sub-topic: Recreation Soils

· Soils Specialist

· Soils sub-topic: Erosion, compaction, and stabilization

· Soils sub-topic: Agriculture, range land, and forest conservation Traffic and Transportation

· Traffic and Transportation Specialist

· Traffic and Transportation sub-topic: Aviation safety

· Traffic and Transportation sub-topic: Ground vehicle safety

· Traffic and Transportation sub-topic: Vehicle Miles Traveled and Level of Service Calculations Transmission System Engineering and Evaluation

· Transmission System Engineering and Evaluation Specialist

· Transmission system engineering sub-topic: Transmission line and substation analysis

· Transmission system engineering sub-topic: Regulatory compliance Utilities and Service Systems

· Waste Management Specialist

· See also Water Resources Specialist and sub-topic specialists Visual Resources (Aesthetics)

· Visual Resources Specialist

· Visual Resources sub-topic: Landscape Architecture

· Visual Resources sub-topic: 3D Photo Simulations

· Visual Resources sub-topic: Glint and Glare analysis Water Resources

· Water Resources Specialist

· Water Resources sub-topic: Groundwater impact modeling

· Water Resources sub-topic: Storm water management

· Water Resources sub-topic: Surface and groundwater supply modeling

· Water Resources sub-topic: Wastewater modeling and analysis

· Water Resources sub-topic: Surface water supply

· Water Resources sub-topic: Water quality and treatment

· Water Resources sub-topic: Sea Level Rise and Climate Change effects

· Water Resources sub-topic: Recycled water supply and use analysis

· Water Resources sub-topic: Economic feasibility analysis Wildfire

· Fire Protection Specialist

· Fire Protection sub-topic: Battery energy storage systems

· Worker Safety Specialist Other

· Project Manager

· GIS Specialist

· Technical Writer/Editor

· Formatter

3. Expertise Descriptions Project Management: Project managers for power plant siting and compliance projects provide leadership and direction to the project team, represent the CEC before the public, review staff products for consistency, develop case strategy, organize project records, and make oral and written presentations on a project to the Energy Commission and public. Project managers shall have demonstrated knowledge of CEQA and experience reviewing major development projects.

Senior Technical Specialist: A Senior Technical Specialist for a topic or sub-topic is defined in this RFQ as a team member that the Firm identifies as qualified to prepare and submit analysis on the topic or sub-topic directly to Energy Commission staff without requiring further review by other Team Members. Senior technical specialists shall have demonstrated knowledge of CEQA or NEPA or experience conducting environmental or engineering analyses. Team Member Qualifications scoring will be based primarily on the qualifications of the Senior Technical Specialists proposed by the Firm.

Administrative Support: Firms must have at least one person qualified for each of the following administrative support functions:

· Technical Editing

· Report Preparation and Production, including Formatting

· Work Authorization and Management and Invoicing

· Document Production

· Graphic Support (including GIS maps and photographic and artistic renderings)

· Contract Website Maintenance

3. Historical Information about Technical Expertise Required The following table shows historical information about the relative budgets and the number of work authorizations issued for licensing and compliance activities for each subject area under the current peak workload contract (Contract #700-11-027) from December 2012 through February 2018. This historical information provides an indication of the support needed for power plant licensing and compliance activities for each area. However, future needs are new activities for the CEC and are not reflected on this table; the future activities may be different.

Work Value Number of Assignments

IV. Evaluation PROCESS and Criteria

SELECTION PROCESS STEPS

The Energy Commission will organize a committee whose members have expertise in evaluation of architectural and engineering services. The Evaluation Committee will evaluate the SOQs as follows:

ADMINISTRATIVE AND COMPLETENESS SCREENING CRITERIA (MANDATORY)

Each SOQ will be screened for compliance with the Administrative Screening Criteria below. The CEC will evaluate each SOQ to determine its responsiveness to these requirements. SOQs that fail or do not fully comply with any of the Administrative and Completeness Screening Criteria may be disqualified and eliminated from further evaluation.

SOQ must be received by the exact time and date set for receipt of SOQs.

Firm cannot be currently suspended for violating DVBE law. SOQ cannot include a Subcontractor currently suspended for violating DVBE law. Military & Veterans Code section 999.9(g).

· SOQ must include a properly executed Contractor Certification Clauses.

· SOQ must include a properly executed Darfur Contracting Act Form.

SOQ must include a properly executed Iran Contracting Act Form.

SOQ must include a properly executed Civil Rights Laws Certification Form.

· SOQ must not contain false or intentionally misleading statements or references that do not support an attribute or condition contended by the Firm.

· SOQ must not be intended to erroneously and fallaciously mislead the State in its evaluation of the SOQ, and the attribute, condition, or capability is a requirement of this RFQ.

SOQ must not have a conflict of interest as stated in Section VI (Administration) of this RFQ.

· SOQ must not contain confidential information or contain any portion marked confidential.

· Firm must agree to the terms and conditions as attached to the solicitation. Firm must sign the Contractor Status Form indicating acceptance with the terms and conditions. Firm must not state anywhere in the SOQ that acceptance is based on modifications to those terms and conditions or separate terms and conditions.

GROUNDS TO REJECT AN SOQ

In addition to the Administrative Screening Criteria identified above, the CEC reserves the right to reject an SOQ if:

· The SOQ is unsigned.

· The SOQ is not prepared in the format described.

· The Firm has submitted multiple SOQs.

· The SOQ does not literally comply or contains caveats that conflict with the RFQ and the variation or deviation is not material, or it is otherwise non-responsive.

· The Firm has previously completed a Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) agreement, received the PIER Royalty Review letter, which the CEC annually sends out to remind past recipients of their obligations to pay royalties, and has not responded to the letter or is otherwise not in compliance with repaying royalties.

· The SOQ proposal includes use of Generative Artificial Intelligence that presents an unacceptable level of risk to the State, as determined by the CEC.

EVALUATION OF QUALIFICATIONS

The Evaluation Committee will review and score all remaining SOQs based on the Evaluation Criteria in this RFQ. The preliminary technical score for each SOQ will be the average of the combined scores of all Evaluation Committee members.

RANKING AN SOQ

After each SOQ is scored, it will be placed on a list, in rank order, with the highest scoring SOQ placed first and the remainder in descending order based on score.

NOTICE OF FIRMS SELECTED FOR DISCUSSIONS

Approximately five (5) business days before the time scheduled for discussions, the CEC will notify all Firms indicating whether they will be invited to participate in the discussions.

DISCUSSIONS

The Evaluation Committee shall conduct discussions during the Evaluation Process with no less than three (3) Firms, unless fewer than three (3) Firms apply, regarding qualifications and methods for furnishing the required services. Firms invited to participate in the Discussion will be scored by the Evaluation Committee on their response. The Evaluation Committee may use patterned questions and/or questions specific to an SOQ to conduct these discussions. The Evaluation Committee may provide the Firms with a copy of the questions and/or issues to be addressed and a format for structured discussions.

Firms should anticipate discussions to occur through virtual meetings via MS Teams. The project lead must participate and at least one (1) person from each technical area is encouraged to participate in the discussion.

Upon completion of the discussions, the Evaluation Committee may adjust the preliminary scores and re-rank the Firms. From the Firms with which discussions are held, the Evaluation Committee shall select no less than three (3), unless fewer than three (3) Firms apply, in order of preference, based upon the established criteria, who are deemed to be the most highly qualified to provide the required services.

NOTICE OF SELECTION

Subsequent to the SOQ evaluations and the discussions with Firms, the CEC will post a “Notice of Selection” of the top-scoring Firm on the CEC’s website at (https://www.energy.ca.gov/funding-opportunities/solicitations).

NEGOTIATIONS

Pursuant to Title 20, California Code of Regulations (CCR), section 2565 and Public Contract Code (PCC) 6106, within 14 days after posting the Notice of Selection, the CEC will begin negotiations with the top ranked Firm for an acceptable fee (hourly rates and markup on direct costs, if any).

The top ranked Firm will be required to submit:

1) Proposed percentage that the Firm will mark up on any direct costs incurred, if any. Direct cost items, such as equipment purchase or rental, copying, etc. must be charged to the CEC at the same actual cost that the Firm is charged by outside vendors or subcontractors, or the same cost the Firm charges other customers. The CEC will negotiate with the Firm on any markup that the Firm proposes to charge, if any, on top of the actual cost of the item.

2) A list of rates for people listed in the SOQ, after written notification of selection. The CEC may consider negotiating rates for a person that the Firm did not include in the SOQ. However, because the additional person might affect the Firm’s score or take additional time that the CEC does not have or does not want to spend, the CEC reserves the right to do any of the following, along with any other existing rights:

· Assess how the new person might affect the Firm’s score, including possibly rescoring its SOQ;

· Refuse to add the new person; or

· Add the new person.

If the CEC determines that it will not accept a new person or hourly rate that the Firm proposes for a particular person, the CEC will stop rate negotiations for that person and proceed with negotiations for the remainder of the people. Firms are cautioned that they should include all team members in their SOQ. The CEC does not want to be in the position of assessing additional team members during rate negotiations.

If negotiations with the top ranked Firm fail, the CEC will enter into negotiations with the next highest scoring Firm, and so on.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED AWARD

After the negotiations, the CEC will post a “Notice of Proposed Award” (NOPA) on…