23NC0465_Response_to_Bidder_Questions.pdf

STATE OF CALIFORNIA GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

505 VAN NESS AVENUE

SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102-3298

August 2, 2024

RFP 23NC0465 Energy Efficiency Group B Oversight

Questions from Vendors

1. There are conflicting references to the total budget available under this contract. Is the budget available $16M or $12M?

The total budget for this Agreement totals $16,000,000.00 (Sixteen Million Dollars).

2. Per Deliverable 21: Unanticipated Tasks, is the max $250k per year for each of the four years in the contract, or is it $250k total for all four years?

The maximum amount allowable for Unanticipated Tasks is $250,000.00 (Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars) over the lifetime of the Agreement.

3. There are impact evaluation references in the scope. Is the CPUC referring to gross and net impact evaluation of energy savings from these programs, or other types of impact evaluations?

Impact evaluation typically refers to gross and net impact evaluations, but there could be other impacts caused by the program that aren’t limited to energy savings.

4. Per the following language from the RFP, “CPUC currently has another RFP posted for Group A Energy Efficiency. Proposers may submit responses to both RFPs, but cannot be awarded both contracts. Group A will be awarded first, the Proposer selected for that contract will then become ineligible to be awarded the contract for Group B”. Does this language only refer to the prime contractor of each contract or to any vendor on the team?

This language refers to the prime contractor of each contract.

5. Would there be a Conflict of Interest if individuals or firms have participated in the Common

Metrics Working Group and/or the California Energy Efficiency Coordinating Committee (CAEECC) Equity Metrics Working Group (EMWG)?

The COI disclosures language starts on page 41 and goes to page 44 of the RFP. Please refer to that section for the definition of what constitutes as a Conflict of Interest. Bidders should disclose any contracts or work that may constitute a Conflict of Interest, as required in the COI Disclosure Attachment 2. Based upon this mandatory disclose, we will determine if there is in fact a COI, and whether it is disqualifying in nature, or can be mitigated, possibly through a firewall.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor

6. In the scoring section for 1.1, can you explain what “measure grouping” means in the context of Group B programs and scope?

We’ve removed this language.

7. In the narrative response per deliverable, is the CPUC requesting specific work scopes for each deliverable or an approach to scoping deliverables?

We’ve edited the document to remove “narrative required” for all deliverables except Deliverable 1.

8. Considering the complexity and extensivity of the RFP, will the Commission please extend the proposal submission due date by at least two weeks?

We have extended the proposal submission date to September 13, 2024.

9. Are there any incumbents for this program? If yes, could you please share the names (details) of those incumbents?

Opinion Dynamics is the incumbent vendor for Group B oversight (Agreement Number 17PS5017).

10. Can out of state entities participate as subcontractors to an in-state prime contractor?

Yes, permitted that the subcontractor(s) can perform services during normal California business hours 7:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, except State of California holidays.

11. Regarding “Possible Activities in the Research Sector” (on Page 10 of 73), will the Commission provide access to existing data sources, or is the contractor expected to collect all necessary data independently?

Existing data is available through the California Energy Data and Reporting System (CEDARS) website.

All additional data will be collected independently by the contractor.

12. For Deliverable 20 (Additional Meetings) (on Page 21 of 73), is there a predetermined schedule for these meetings, or will they be scheduled on an as-needed basis?

At this time these meetings should be considered as on an as-needed basis.

13. On page 1 of 73 of the RFP mentions proposed costs must not exceed $16,000,000 for this RFP, but On page 1 of 73 mentions an upper limit of $12,000,000; what is the max allocated budget for this RFP?

We apologize for the typo – please see the response to Question 1.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor

14. Regarding Deliverable 19 (on Page 21 of 73), what criteria will the Energy

Division Contract Manager use to determine the appropriate rigor level and approach for the studies, and what is the approval process for the contractor's submitted outline and work plan?

The approach will vary depending on the specific legislative mandate or Commission directive that provides the impetus for a given study. The Contractor will develop an outline with input from the assigned study’s CPUC Project Manager; the Contractor will then propose a workplan that must be approved prior to undertaking the study.

15. Regarding Task 11: Unanticipated Services (on Page 21 of 73), is this $250,000 cost additional to the budget ceiling?

The maximum available for this Agreement, including Unanticipated Tasks, is not to exceed $16,000,000.00 (Sixteen Million Dollars).

16. Regarding Peer review (on Page 23 of 73), what are the “current industry standards” that the peer review process must meet? Does the Commission outline any specific guidelines or procedures for conducting the peer review process? Are the peer review panel members compensated for their review from the same budget or separate budget?

The Contractor will undertake purposeful internal processes to enhance the construction, readability, and analysis contained in the reports it produces.

17. Regarding Deliverable 1: Four Research Sector Work Plans (on Page 10 of 73), should these research sectors be equally efforted or there are some preferential levels of effort to be considered? What should be the order of preference?

The focus of our research will be tailored to the specific program year (2024-2027) that’s being studied.

The scope of programs available and/or relevant for study will vary annually, reflecting the evolving energy efficiency landscape. Research priorities will be determined in close collaboration with the ED Project Managers and ED Contract Manager.