Amendment #2 DQ EFAA 27-87 Thermal Opportunity Mapping.docx

Documented Quote

DQ EFAA 2027000087

Thermal Opportunity Mapping (TOM) Consultant

September 1, 2026

DQ EFAA 27-87

AMENDED SEPTEMBER 14, 2026

Version 42225

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Appendices Appendix A: Purchase Order Terms and Conditions Appendix B: Vendor Disclosure Statement Appendix C: Accessibility Vendor Document Checklist Appendix D: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclosure and Use Requirements Appendix E: Required Data Formats Appendix F: Documentation & Metadata Standards

1.

SOLICITATION INFORMATION

A. Introduction On behalf of the State of Colorado, the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) is issuing this Documented Quote (DQ) to identify a qualified respondent as the Thermal Opportunity Mapping Consultant for professional consulting services to aggregate, clean, and provide data to the State of Colorado’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) for implementation into the Thermal Opportunity Mapping (TOM) platform. The awarded Respondent is primarily responsible for the identification, collection, aggregation, cleaning, and structured handover of relevant data information layers in coordination with OIT onto a public ArcGIS platform. The Awarded Respondent will not be tasked with developing the informational platform.

This solicitation is being published so that qualified respondents may submit a response in accordance with the terms of this solicitation. Please review all materials and appendices before responding.

B. Background Colorado has established a progressive, economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target, which is supported by a sector-by-sector decarbonization strategy. The industrial sector has a codified goal of achieving a 20% GHG reduction by 2030, a target that is currently on track to be met. Decarbonizing this sector remains challenging due to the diverse range of production processes and heating requirements across industrial entities. Given that industry tends to be co-located, and that over 50% of Colorado’s industrial energy pull is wasted as rejected energy, there is a clear opportunity for thermal sharing. In addition to these industrial waste heat sources and sinks, there is an opportunity to uncover and connect additional heat recovery sources (e.g., sewer heat recovery, geothermal, etc.) and sinks (e.g., commercial buildings) to maximize decarbonization opportunities.

Colorado's emerging waste heat market is rapidly expanding, driving the utilization of low, medium, and high-temperature thermal energy to use energy more efficiently while meeting the state’s decarbonization goals. The thermal market aims to connect industrial waste heat sources—including from boilers, data centers, oil and gas development, and wastewater treatment facilities—with heat users through thermal energy networks. Applications range from low-temperature heating and cooling for buildings via heat pumps in district energy systems to direct use applications like heating greenhouses or other industrial applications. Anticipated deep geothermal energy development technologies using Colorado’s abundant subsurface heat resources will open up new opportunities across the state for electricity generation and for applications of cascading heat utilization.

The utilization of waste heat can also open new economic and environmental opportunities. Facilities ranging from manufacturing and food and beverage processing to recreational hot springs facilities have an opportunity to diversify their income by capturing the heat and transferring it into a district heating system. The high efficiency of thermal energy networks helps reduce demand charges and provides greater electric grid services by reducing peak demand as a whole, resulting in savings that can be realized by all utility customers. Wastewater treatment systems can meet thermal regulatory requirements by capturing and storing excess heat, avoiding water and energy use with condenser units. There is even an opportunity to provide ecosystem services by moderating the increasing temperature in waterways during the summer.

The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) has been evaluating a statewide industrial waste heat mapping tool to serve as a comprehensive mapping of heat sources and sinks, a tiered analysis of waste heat potential and feasibility, and a focus on actionable connections. CEO has been identifying important data considerations that can assist the market related to electricity transmission capacity, gas-network constraints, thermal energy network siting, and more. CEO oversees the management of geothermal.colorado.gov as a public resource.

Key stakeholders working with the CEO are:

i. The Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) regulates deep geothermal development (deeper than 2,500 feet) and recently developed a Colorado geothermal resource study utilizing existing wellbore data. Data collection efforts include identifying opportunities for orphaned oil and gas wells, bottom-hole temperatures, thermal gradients, hot dry rock characterization, permeability and fracture networks, and local stress regimes.

ii. The Division of Water Resources (DWR) regulates shallow geothermal well development (less than 2,500 feet below ground). SB26-142 identifies capturing information related to thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and undisturbed ground temperatures. The availability of this information will build confidence in designing geoexchange systems across different regions, reducing project risk by building a shared understanding of subsurface characteristics.

iii. The Colorado Geological Survey (CGS) acts as a historical and ongoing repository for geological and geophysical data related to Colorado’s subsurface thermal resources. CGS has compiled extensive data over the decades, including numerous publications, heat flow maps, and geothermal gradient maps, which serve as foundational knowledge for exploration and was a key collaborator in producing the 2024 Geothermal Resource Study, which utilized over 63,000 corrected bottom-hole temperature readings to map geothermal potential across the state.

iv. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) will design, build, and deploy an accessible, secure, web-based GIS platform within the geothermal.colorado.gov website that is in full compliance of the State of Colorado's technical and accessibility standards. They will coordinate with and receive the appropriately formatted data layers collected or created by the awarded Respondent to incorporate into the platform to allow for easy-to-access data visualization. This includes developing the functional capacities of a public interactive mapping interface, data management and administrative portal, and analytical and reporting capabilities of the platform.

C. Overview and Goals To fully capitalize on the identified economic, environmental, and grid-related benefits of waste heat utilization—and move beyond a theoretical market—a systematic approach is essential to connect the diverse heat sources and sinks across the state. The current decentralized landscape, spanning industrial processes, geothermal development, and building thermal demands, makes it difficult for organizations to discover and pursue mutually beneficial heat-sharing projects. Therefore, pursuing a thermal mapping initiative (such as utilization of the EMB3RS model or other tools) is necessary to track heat sources and sinks across project types, deliver a tiered analysis of potential, and lay the groundwork for a scalable matchmaking system that drives actionable, real-world thermal energy connections.

The ultimate success of a statewide thermal mapping initiative rests on its ability to integrate existing and newly mandated data streams. The intention is to design a platform that unifies the legislative mandate under SB26-142 for the Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) and the Colorado Geological Survey to make publicly available state geothermal resource data, with the ongoing efforts to inventory waste heat sources. This includes gathering data on industrial and wastewater heat opportunities, such as the conceptual Denver Thermal Corridor[footnoteRef:0] assessment, alongside the established 2024 ECMC geothermal resource mapping effort compiled from thousands of well temperature readings. By also incorporating data from the Division of Water Resources (DWR) geoexchange well mapping and borehole construction reports, the thermal mapping tool will create a singular, comprehensive view of both shallow and deep thermal resources, making project development and resource connection far more transparent and feasible. [0: The Denver Thermal Corridor Initiative is a proposed project designed to create a district energy system that captures and repurposes waste heat from Denver's wastewater system to supply heating and cooling for major downtown developments and applicable industrial facilities. Key aspects include Thermal Bridging: The project connects "heat sources" (specifically 150–200 MWth of waste heat from Metro Water Recovery) with "heat sinks" (downtown developments like Ball Arena and River Mile and applicable industrial facilities) to replace fossil fuel reliance with a circular thermal energy loop. Unified Mapping: It will synthesize fragmented data from various stakeholders (e.g., Xcel Energy, municipal planners) into a single "Thermal Opportunity Map" to identify strategic physical connections and load profiles. Equity-Centered Engagement: The initiative prioritizes early engagement with Disproportionately Impacted (DI) communities—specifically in the 80216 zip code—to ensure the project addresses local concerns and integrates community-desired benefits like air quality improvements and workforce training. Replicable Framework: A key output is a "Community Engagement Playbook" and a scoping study, intended to serve as a national model for other states looking to convert industrial or wastewater heat into clean district energy.]

The Colorado Energy Office is seeking professional consulting services to integrate cross-agency data to identify, tier, and match statewide thermal energy sources and sinks.

The State requires the delivery of high-quality, structured, and cleaned datasets ready for seamless implementation by OIT into a Thermal Opportunity Mapping platform. The awarded Respondent will be responsible for the aggregation and standardization of diverse agency data—including industrial sources, wastewater districts, shallow geoexchange information (DWR), and deep geothermal data collected by ECMC and CGS per Senate Bill 26-142 and commercial building data collected by CEO’s Building Performance Standards Team—to provide a singular, comprehensive data foundation.

This data delivery must ensure high levels of accuracy, documentation, and compliance with State of Colorado documentation and metadata standards, as outlined in Appendix E: Required Data Formats. The awarded Respondent will focus on creating standardized data packages, ensuring all personally identifiable information is removed, and providing the metadata necessary for OIT to integrate the resources into a GIS visualization tool.

Based on the shared needs and requirements across agencies, the following data or methods are initially intended to be developed and utilized:

i. Facility point data

a. Industrial sources/sinks (point data)

(a) Potential localized case study of the Denver Thermal Corridor Initiative

b. Thermal energy networks (point data, potentially line data)

c. Wastewater facilities (point data)

d. Links to site-specific public studies (point data)

ii. DWR data (shallow)

a. Individual oil and gas wells (point data)

(a) Bottom-hole temperatures (point data, already used for heat mapping)

(b) Thermal gradients (point data, already used for heat mapping)

(c) Hot dry rock characterization (data type tbd)

(d) Permeability/fracture networks (point data)

(e) Local stress regimes (point data)

(f) Subset of prospective orphaned wells (point data)

(g) Data density (heat mapping)

b. Deep geothermal heat mapping (density map)

(a) 2,500 km (8202 feet)

(b) 5,000 km (16,404 feet)

(c) 7,000 km (22,966 feet)

c. Data certainty map

iii. Building Performance Colorado (BPC) Covered Building Point Data

a. Locations of buildings larger than 50,000 square feet

b. Special designation of ‘campuses’ D. Anticipated Term

i. The anticipated term of the Purchase Order resulting from the award of this solicitation is expected to begin as soon as a State issued Purchase Order is in place and is not expected to go beyond May 30, 2027.

ii. The State, at its discretion, reserves the right to extend the term of the PO beyond the anticipated term in accordance with the Colorado Procurement Code, and in the event that the State determines an extension is necessary.

iii. Any Purchase Order executed as a result of this award may be amended to include additional work that naturally follows the work detailed in this solicitation. Prior to adding any such work, the State will ensure that the work should not otherwise be competitively solicited and that the cost of the work is fair and reasonable.

iv. The State is not responsible for any goods delivered or services performed by the awarded Respondent without a State issued Purchase Order.

E. Schedule of Activities This Schedule of Activities is for information and planning purposes only. Activities listed as “Estimated” may be subject to change depending on the needs of the State. All times are stated in Mountain Time (MT), as adjusted for daylight savings.

i. The date of publication for this solicitation on Colorado VSS is September 1, 2026.

ii. Written inquiries must be submitted, via email, to tara.larwick@state.co.us no later than 5 PM on September 8, 2026.

iii. The estimated date for the State’s responses to Respondent’s written inquiries to be published on Colorado VSS is September 10, 2026.

iv. All quotes must be submitted in the method described below no later than September 16, 2026, at 5 PM September 18, 2026, at 5 PM.

v. The estimated date for award selection and notification is September 23, 2026.

vi. The desired Purchase Order start date is October 7, 2026. This is only an estimated date and subject to change.

F. Procurement Point of Contact

i. The State’s sole point of contact for this solicitation is Tara Larwick, Procurement Specialist, who may be reached via email at tara.larwick@state.co.us.

ii. Because phone lines may not be consistently monitored, email is the preferred method of communication. The individual listed above is the sole point of contact for this solicitation. Initiating contact with anyone other than this individual may result in Respondent disqualification.

G. Respondent Inquiries

i. Respondents may submit written inquiries via email concerning this solicitation to obtain clarifications. The State, in its sole discretion, may or may not accept inquiries received after the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Activities.

ii. Send all inquiries to the Procurement Point of Contact listed above. Inquiries should be clearly marked with the solicitation number and title. Where appropriate, inquiries should include references to any relevant Section and paragraph of the solicitation.

iii. Responses to Respondent inquiries will be published on Colorado VSS collectively, as an amendment to the solicitation. Respondents shall not rely on any verbal statements that alter any specification or other term or condition of the solicitation. Such changes are valid only if provided in writing by the Procurement Contact.

2. REQUIREMENTS

A. Accessibility Requirements

i. All work performed as a result of this solicitation must comply with all applicable provisions of §§24-85-101, C.R.S., et seq., and the Accessibility Standards for Individuals with a Disability, as established by the Office Of Information Technology pursuant to §24-85-103 (2.5), C.R.S. and 3) all State of Colorado technology standards related to technology accessibility and with Level AA of the most current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), incorporated in the State of Colorado technology standards.

ii. To be considered accessible, the following is required: Applications, websites, kiosks and digital documents are required to meet the applicable provisions of §24-85-101, C.R.S. This means that digital content like PDF documents and webpages are accessible to assistive technologies like screen readers and magnification programs, and websites and applications are robust and do not prevent users of a variety of devices, browsers, and operating systems from accessing all functionality intended for use by the public or a State of Colorado employee. For more information, review OIT's accessibility resources and OIT's dedicated Accessible PDF and Documents page

iii. The final deliverables must follow Accessibility guidelines in line with HB21-1110. State of Colorado vendors and bidders are required to demonstrate that information technology provided to the State of Colorado, including digital content, conforms to or addresses the most current version of the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), level AA success criteria. Respondents may do so by providing either of the following:

a. An independent, third-party evaluation from an accessibility consultancy

b. A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). If a VPAT is used, it must use the VPAT 2.5 template, which is based on WCAG 2.1 level A/AA. The Information Technology Industry Council offers a VPAT 2.5 WCAG template (download).

vii. Additional resources include:

a. Accessible Website Content: How To

b. Accessible Online Content QA Checklist

c. How-to guides B. Insurance Requirements The awarded Respondent will be required to submit a certificate(s) of insurance evidencing insurance coverage for the types and amounts of insurance as required by the Insurance provision in the Purchase Order Terms and Conditions, included in this solicitation as Appendix A, prior to execution of the Purchase Order.

C. AI Governance and Compliance Any use of Artificial Intelligence in the fulfillment of the resulting Purchase Order is governed by the Colorado Energy Office’s policies (for further guidance see Appendix D: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclosure and Use Requirements). Awarded Respondent(s) will be expected to maintain rigorous alignment with these standards to ensure the security, ethical use, and integrity of all State work products.

D. Highly Desired/Preferred Qualifications The following highly desired/preferred requirements should be verifiable and clearly documented in the awarded Respondent’s response.

i. demonstrated experience with geospatial analysis and database development with open-source tools.

ii. demonstrated experience working with state agencies.

iii. demonstrated Engineering background/experience with boiler/other industrial waste heat sources and/or geothermal systems.

iv. demonstrated Experience compiling similar datasets

3. SCOPE OF WORK (SOW)/SPECIFICATIONS

The CEO proposes a facilitated, phased cross-agency development of a mapping model to connect sources of heat supply or heat demand with potential users through technical, economic, and geographic matching to catalyze an emerging thermal economy. As detailed hereafter, awarded Respondent and any subcontractors will be compiling existing data sets or utilizing engineering knowledge to develop new data streams to inform the map.

To achieve the objectives noted above, the awarded Respondent shall perform the following work tasks and provide the following deliverables to the CEO, which shall have been checked by a second SME within the awarded Respondent’s organization, each subject to the CEO’s final approval and discretion.

Federal Quality Assurance terms and conditions require the awarded Respondent shall ensure a second subject matter expert reviews and approves all deliverables and backup/input documents for quality assurance. The following info will need to be verified using this second subject matter expert review:

A. technical review of methods B. calculations C. underlying datasets D. data are appropriate for intended use E. data are complete, representative, and current F. data sources are documented G. analytical methods are appropriate H. calculations are accurate In all cases, the CEO will need time to review the deliverables for acceptance. Whether called out in specific tasks or not, the awarded Respondent should allow at least one week per task deliverable for the CEO review and comment and one week for the awarded Respondent to make any needed changes. Building inadditional time for this full review process will help ensure deadlines are met with an appropriate buffer to ensure the end product is meeting all standards for quality, accessibility, and design.

I. Task 1 – Agency Coordination and Mapping Prioritization This initial phase ensures lockstep coordination across agencies to leverage existing datasets (e.g., geothermal resource mapping) and identify new data to be collected (e.g., industrial facility waste heat).

i. Task 1 Description/Subtasks

a. Task 1.1 Collaborate with the CEO, CDPHE, ECMC, CGS, and DNR to establish an implementation plan to identify, collect, prioritize, and manage data collection and integration into a shared mapping platform.

b. Task 1.2 Using resources outlined in this SOW and others suggested by CEO or awarded Respondent and agreed upon by CEO, compile a list of heat sources and sinks by sector and equipment types, the applicable temperature ranges, and identify those with greatest opportunities for sharing (either as a source or sink).

i. Example heat sources: Industrial boilers, data centers (server cooling or turbine exhaust), power plants, oil and gas facilities, deep geothermal energy development, hot springs, refrigeration operations (e.g., grocery stores, ice skating rinks), wastewater treatment facilities, and other high-temperature processes.

ii. Example heat sinks: District heating/cooling networks, large campuses (universities, hospitals), greenhouses, industrial processes requiring heat, outdoor radiant heating systems (e.g., snowmelt), and buildings suitable for heat pump or thermal network integration.

iii. Apply prioritization criteria developed in the implementation plan to the ranked list, including the following technical criteria:

1. Scale of available or required heat

2. Temperature compatibility

3. Location

4. Seasonality of the resource

5. Technical and economic feasibility (drawing on developer and engineering firm feedback)

ii. Task 1 Key Deliverables and Timelines Acceptance of all deliverables by the CEO is required before work can begin on Task 2.

a. Task 1.1 - Implementation Plan: a roadmap detailing the data coordination strategy, stakeholder engagement process, and management plan for data collection.

b. Task 1.2 - Heat Source & Sink Inventory: A comprehensive catalog categorized by sector, equipment type, and temperature range, highlighting assets with the highest potential for sharing (as a source or sink).

c. Task 1.3 – Prioritized Data Shortlist: A ranked assessment of high-priority data layers, hotspots, and other critical information identified during the coordination phase.

d. Task 1.4 - Data Strategy Memo: A formal document outlining identified data needs, potential challenges, and the actionable next steps required to initiate Task 2.

Timeline: Within 30 days of PO Effective Date, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the CEO and awarded Respondent.

J. Task 2 – Interactive Waste Heat Map Acceptance of all deliverables by the CEO is required before work can begin on Task 3. Final acceptance of the Task 2.4 deliverables by the CEO is contingent upon review and approval from the OIT GIS Team. Utilize the priority lists from Task 1 to guide detailed data collection for integration into the OIT-developed mapping platform.

i. Task 2 Description/Subtask

a. Task 2.1 - Data Collection & Standardization: Gather relevant data for heat sources and sinks. This may include use of data from the US EPA’s National Emissions Inventory (NEI), the National Boiler Map (analysis of 2020 NEI data), Colorado’s air permitting records, Building Performance Standard data, Energy and Carbon Management Commission well data, Colorado Division of Water Resources geoexchange borehole construction reports (DWR), and/or other sources. This step includes data cleaning, unit conversions, and other standardizations to ensure accuracy and comparability.

b. Task 2.2 - Waste Heat Potential Estimation: Calculate potential waste heat for sources using standard engineering assumptions (e.g., exhaust temperature, flow rates, stack limits) to categorize opportunities into high, medium, and low tiers for inclusion in the Thermal Opportunity Mapping (TOM) platform.

c. Task 2.3 - Overlay Analysis: Overlay prioritized sinks with proximity analysis, temperature matching, and basic feasibility scoring.

d. Task 2.4 - Data Delivery: Provide data to OIT (GIS Team) in the formats outlined in Appendix E: Required Data Formats, while also meeting documentation and metadata standards outlined in Appendix F: Documentation & Metadata Standards. Data should be transmitted to OIT via a file-based sharing method accessible to the OIT GIS Team and/or ArcGIS Online (via direct item sharing or ownership transfer). File-Based Deliverables (.gdb, .shp, metadata documents) must be packaged in a .zip file. Hosted Web Deliverables (Feature Services / REST Endpoints): Must be shared or transferred directly with the designated OIT GIS organizational account or group.

e. Task 2.5 - Pilot Release: Upon initial completion of the map by OIT, coordinate a pilot release with key stakeholders to collect and synthesize feedback on implementation with key recommendations.

ii. Task 2 Key Deliverables and Timeline

a. Task 2.1 - Standardized Data Packages: A structured, cleaned, and formatted collection of spatial datasets compliant with Appendix F and Appendix G standards.

b. Task 2.2 - Waste Heat Potential & Tiering Report: A technical document detailing the methodology used for heat potential calculations and the logic used to categorize tiers (high/medium/low).

c. Task 2.3 - Integrated Feasibility Layers: GIS-ready files containing proximity, temperature matching, feasibility, and other relevant overlay data.

d. Task 2.4 - Data Delivery: Written confirmation from awarded Respondent of successful data delivery in Task 2.4's outlined format and acceptance of the data from OIT via email.

e. Task 2.5 - Pilot Feedback Summary: A compiled report of stakeholder feedback and proposed adjustments following the initial pilot release. For task 2.4, final acceptance by the CEO is contingent upon review and approval from the OIT GIS Team. OIT GIS will be available to help facilitate the data transition and answer awarded Respondent questions before final delivery.

Timeline: Tasks 2.1-2.4 shall be complete within 90 days from the PO Effective Date, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the CEO and awarded Respondent.

Task 2.5 will be complete within 30 days of OIT’s release of the pilot map unless otherwise agreed upon in writing between the CEO and awarded Respondent.

K. Task 3 – Analysis Analyze real connections to demonstrate the value of the tool and provide recommendations to the CEO on expanding the tool.

i. Task 3 Description/Subtask

a. Task 3.1 - Case Study Selection & Analysis: Identify 2–4 high-potential connections (such as the Denver Thermal Corridor) to conduct deep-dive analysis.

b. Task 3.2 - Technical & Business Implementation: Outline the technical requirements and business cases necessary for real-world project implementation.

c. Task 3.3 - Cost Estimation: Develop high-level cost estimates for heat sharing infrastructure, including average piping costs.

d. Task 3.4 - Stakeholder Engagement: Facilitate user outreach to define key action items for pilot phase completion.

e. Task 3.5 - SB26-142 Integration: Draft a memo summary of the initiative to support the recommendations due by November 15, 2026.

f. Task 3.6 - Documentation & Training: Create two key guides: a "step one to step done" resource for the CEO to manage future data inputs, and a public-facing "how-to-use" guide for the TOM platform.

ii. Task 3 Key Deliverables and Timeline -

a. Task 3.1 - Case Study Selection & Analysis: Case study analysis document covering 2–4 high-potential connections

b. Task 3.2 - Technical & Business Implementation: An outline document(s) detailing technical requirements and business-case considerations for real-world implementation

c. Task 3.3 - Cost Estimation: A report or estimation document(s) providing high-level cost figures for heat sharing infrastructure (e.g., average piping costs)

d. Task 3.4 - Stakeholder Engagement: A documented list of key action items required to complete the pilot phase

e. Task 3.5 - SB26-142 Integration: A memo summary of the initiative to support the recommendations

f. Task 3.6 - Documentation & Training: A "step one to step done" instructional guide detailing how data was collated and cleaned e.g. Word or Google Docs), a public-facing "how-to-use" instructional guide for the TOM platform in an approved file format (e.g. Word or Google Docs), a technical transfer package or repository containing all source data, code, and supporting documents.

Timeline: Within 180 calendar days of the PO Effective Date, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the CEO and awarded Respondent.

L. Task 4 – Project Management

i. Task 4 Description/Subtask.

a. Task 4.1 - Kickoff call: Within 10 business days of the PO Effective Date, the awarded Respondent will organize and facilitate a 30 to 60-minute web-conference Kickoff Call with the CEO. During this meeting, the awarded Respondent and the CEO, with any other invited agencies, will discuss the requirements and goals of TOM, the stakeholder process, and how to use that process to effectively inform the development of TOM, the intended outcomes of this work, etc.

b. Task 4.2 - Project tracking: The awarded Respondent will create a project tracking resource (document, sheet, or other CEO approved method) to share planning information and ensure consistent communication regarding project work, roadblocks, milestones, and deliverables.

c. Task 4.3 - Coordination call: The awarded Respondent shall hold monthly coordination calls with the CEO to be scheduled by the awarded Respondent upon execution of the Purchase Order.

d. Task 4.4 - Monthly report and Invoicing: The awarded Respondent shall provide a monthly report and summary of all activities performed on this project and the estimated status of completion for each task, whether projects are on time, and if not, how they will be completed on time, along with a corresponding invoice.

ii. Task 4 Deliverables and Timeline

a. Task 4.1 - Kickoff call meeting minutes and visual aids - within five (5) business days of the kickoff call, the awarded Respondent will provide to the CEO the agenda and any supporting presentations and/or visual aids used in the meeting.

b. Task 4.2 - Project tracking resource – delivered to the CEO within ten (10) business days of Task 4.1 execution.

c. Task 4.3 - Coordination call summaries – Summaries of the monthly coordination calls will be delivered to the CEO within two (2) business days of calls.

d. Task 4.4 - Monthly report in Microsoft Word format and invoice for work performed pursuant to the resulting Purchase Order – due by the tenth (10th) day of the following month. Payment requests will be made no more than once a month.

M. Acceptance Criteria Unless otherwise noted above, the awarded Respondent shall submit all deliverables to the CEO for feedback before final approval. If needed, deliverables will be returned to the awarded Respondent for modification before they are considered complete and reimbursement is made. The CEO anticipates that prior to submission, all deliverables shall go through an internal quality assurance process and as such shall reflect the requirements of this Scope of Work.

The CEO shall determine whether deliverables meet the Work Task requirements in this Scope of Work. The awarded Respondent shall submit all final deliverables to the CEO by the dates established in the tasks described in this Scope of Work for final review and approval.

N. Budget Federal funds are being provided by the CEO through its Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Planning Grant. The budgeted funds set aside for this project are $180,000. Quotes over this amount will not be accepted. Although the maximum budget available for this Purchase Order is $180,000, it is expected that Respondents will give their best competitive price, as price is the primary (although not ONLY) consideration in award determination.

O. Payment Payments shall be made on a fixed-fee-per-deliverable basis upon the State’s acceptance of milestones and submission of a corresponding monthly invoice and activity report and in accordance with the provisions set forth in the PO. The State shall pay the awarded Respondent the reasonable, allocable, and allowable costs for work performed based on satisfactory progress of the work defined in the resulting State-issued PO.

The awarded Respondent shall invoice based on satisfactory completion of deliverables and shall be compensated only for work and services performed by the awarded Respondent and accepted by the CEO pursuant to the terms of the resulting PO. Payment shall be contingent upon the CEO’s timely receipt and acceptance of required reports and invoicing as described above. The awarded Respondent shall be reimbursed no more than once a month based on the submission of the awarded Respondent invoice and progress report.

The monthly progress report will provide details of the work performed on each task or deliverable. The progress report shall substantiate the amounts on the invoice for each task/deliverable. The awarded Respondent shall bill by task on an hourly basis for Tasks outlined above.

4. QUOTE SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Email Quote Submission Instructions

i. Respondents shall submit Quotes via email to the Procurement Point of Contact identified above. The Quote submission email should include the subject line “Quote submission from (Insert Respondent Name) for DQ EFAA 2027000XXX, Thermal Opportunity Mapping (TOM) Consultant.

ii. Quotes should be included as one or more attachments of commonly accessible file types.

B. Timeliness of Quote Submission A Quote received after the submission deadline may, at the sole discretion of the State, be rejected without further consideration.

C. Quote Format and Content Respondent’s response shall contain the following information, in the order and format provided below. Responses should be no longer than 15 pages in total, not including resumes, example documents to illustrate Respondent’s past project experience, or attachments.

i. Executive Summary The Respondent shall furnish an executive summary to introduce the Respondent’s firm and its qualifications and to provide a general overview of the Respondent’s response. Provide the same information for any subcontractors. Please address each of the following:

a. The Executive Summary must include Company name and address (local if available), business type (e.g. non-profit, consulting, etc.), full contact information for response inquiries, and description of services.

b. The Executive Summary should include a statement confirming that the Respondent’s firm has no real or potential conflict of interest that would prevent your firm from acting in the best interest of the CEO.

c. The Executive Summary should include a statement confirming Respondent’s acceptance and ability to comply with the AI Governance and Compliance requirements of Section 3.C.

(a) If the Respondent does not use AI in any capacity, they should state that here.

(b) If AI is used in any capacity, Respondents should include that information in their response to the section below on Work Plan and Roles.

d. Any exceptions, additions, or modifications to the Scope of Work or to this Documented Quote must be summarized in the Executive Summary and further detailed under the Work Plan and Roles section below and noted in the Costs section as appropriate.

e. Any exceptions to the State’s Purchase Order terms and conditions must be detailed in the Executive Summary.

f. Include a completed Appendix B: Vendor Disclosure Statement

g. Include a completed Appendix C: Accessibility Vendor Document Checklist

ii. Accessibility Requirements Respondents shall make a statement indicating their acceptance and ability to comply with the accessibility requirements detailed in Section 2.A., Accessibility Requirements of this solicitation. Respondents shall also complete and submit Appendix C: Accessibility Vendor Document Checklist with your response.

iii. Highly Desired/Preferred Qualifications Summarize how the Respondent and its team fulfill the minimum requirements listed above. The proposal should provide a detailed explanation of how each team member or the team as a whole meets the minimum qualifications.

iv. Organizational and Personnel Qualifications Describe the expertise and relevant project experience of key team members, and how the expertise of the lead team members meets or exceeds the qualifications necessary to successfully complete the project. Respondents shall attach resumes of key team members involved in this project (resumes not counted as part of the page limit).

v. Project Experience Describe at least one (1) previous work product that closely resembles the services being requested in this scope of work. The examples may differ in scope from the work tasks outlined herein; however, it must be similar in order to be satisfactory to the CEO. The Respondent’s response shall clearly describe the previous experience, including the time frames, a description of the work deliverables completed, engagement methods, project results, and total project cost from the example project(s).

If there are relevant reports, materials, or case studies which summarize previous experience, these may be included as attachments (which are not counted as part of the page limit).

The Respondent shall also provide a reference from each project, including phone number and email address. References should be someone unrelated to the Respondent and who has personal knowledge of the total project and all outcomes.

vi. Work Plan and Roles Provide a work plan and explain the specific roles and responsibilities of each team member in the completion of the project. The work plan shall describe in detail how the Respondent will perform all tasks including, but not limited to, a timeline for completing the project, key development stages that include periodic CEO review of progress, and ongoing engagement methods . The work plan should state explicitly how the Respondent will accomplish the deliverables for each task and subtask in addition to how all work product deliverables will comply with Section 2. A. Accessibility Requirements. If the Respondent recommends additions or changes to the Scope, they should be described here. As appropriate, the Respondent shall include strategies for data collection, quality control, timely delivery, and other key elements that will lead to a successful effort.

If the Respondent uses AI tools, include the types of AI tools used, how these AI tools are used, and how you intend to use AI to accomplish the work required under this project. Include a detailed description of your organization's policies and procedures for human oversight and quality control of AI-assisted work products including identifying which personnel will review AI-assisted deliverables prior to submission and any relevant subject matter expertise, how the firm ensures confidential client data is protected when using AI tools and any enterprise agreements or data and handling protocols in place. Describe how the verification and fact-checking process your firm uses ensures accuracy of AI-assisted research and analysis. Please note that certain information may be considered confidential by the State. Describe how you would ensure sensitive/confidential information would be identified and protected from being entered into an AI platform.

vii. Costs

a. This is a firm-fixed-rate engagement. The budget has been set for this project and therefore cannot exceed $180,000. Responses over this amount will not be accepted. Funding is provided by the State solely on a reimbursement basis.

b. The State requests that Respondents submit their most competitive pricing as cost is the prime consideration.

c. As part of its submission the Respondent shall include a detailed budget narrative which provides a detailed explanation of the proposed costs, an overview of the Respondent’s approach, and how they plan to fulfill the activities within the Scope of Work.

d. The Respondent shall also provide a detailed budget with a firm-fixed price for the entire engagement for all tasks as well as a breakdown of each task including the estimate of the labor hours per task, hourly rates and any other associated expenses it anticipates will be required to complete each task related to the statement of work. This should be all-inclusive, and the Respondent should anticipate any employee involvement to be reflected in the table. The Respondent shall estimate how many hours each team member will commit to the project, identify their hourly rates, and explain their role in the project.

e. If travel and per diem costs are anticipated, the Respondent should include those costs in the total proposed pricing. Any travel and per diem costs for Respondent’s staff travel relative to performance of services shall be determined in accordance with State Fiscal Rule 5-1, as amended. It is expected that the travel rate for labor hours will be billed at half the full rate.

f. Proposed pricing must remain firm during the term of the Purchase Order.

g. Pricing must include any applicable fees associated with the delivery of goods or services, including, but not limited to, shipping and installation, if applicable.

5. AWARD

A. Basis for Award (See Procurement Rule R-24-103-204-01)

i. This solicitation and the resulting Purchase Order will be awarded to the responsible Respondent whose acceptable Quote is determined to be the most advantageous to the State, with price/cost being the primary consideration. Other considerations may include, but are not limited to, sample quality, and lead time for delivery.

ii. “Acceptable” means that the goods or services submitted in the Respondent’s Quote will meet the state’s needs, and that the price is fair and reasonable. The determination of whether a Respondent’s Quote is acceptable is solely within the State’s discretion.

B. Negotiations The State may negotiate with any Respondent to clarify the Respondent’s Quote or to effect modifications that will make the Quote Acceptable or more advantageous to the State; however, any requirements identified in this solicitation may not be negotiated. Reference Procurement Rule R-24-103-204-01(d).

C. Single Quote If only one Quote is received in response to this solicitation, an award may be made to the single Respondent if the procurement official finds that the price submitted is fair and reasonable and that other prospective Respondents had reasonable opportunity to respond to the solicitation. If the price submitted is not fair and reasonable and there is not adequate time for re-solicitation, the procurement official may enter into competitive negotiations in accordance with Procurement Rule R-24-103-208-02.

D. Notice of Award A notice of the intent to award will be announced on Colorado VSS.

E. Documents After Award Prior to Purchase Order execution, the Awarded Respondent must provide the State with proof of Good Standing with the Colorado Secretary of State and an insurance certificate documenting coverage as required by the Purchase Order.

6. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

A. Colorado Vendor Self Service This solicitation is being published on Colorado Vendor Self Service (Colorado VSS), so that Offerors who have an interest may submit a response in accordance with the terms of this solicitation.

Vendors can self-register for this system free of charge, or may click on “Public Access” on the website to view solicitation documents and modifications without registering. Vendors are encouraged but not required to register prior to or at the time they submit their response. The State also recommends that interested vendors check Colorado VSS on a regular basis throughout this solicitation process.

B. Modifications and/or Supplemental Information to the Solicitation

i. Any modifications, amendments or supplemental information to the solicitation will be published on Colorado VSS. A modification notice will be published on Colorado VSS in the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this solicitation.

ii. It is the Respondent’s sole responsibility to check Colorado VSS on a regular basis, prior to the Quote submission deadline, as this is the primary means for communicating any clarifications or changes to solicitation content, timeline and/or requirements.

C. Solicitation Cancellation and/or Rejection of Quotes

i. In accordance with §24-103-301, C.R.S., and the related Procurement Rules, the State may cancel this solicitation, or any and all Quotes may be rejected in whole or in part, without penalty, at any time before a purchase order is executed, when it is in the best interest of the State. The reason and documentation supporting the decision to cancel the solicitation or reject Quote(s) shall remain confidential for the lesser of six months or until a purchase order is awarded by the State. Reference Procurement Rule R-24-101-401-05.

ii. If the solicitation is canceled after Quotes are received, the Quotes that have been opened shall be retained in the procurement record, or if unopened, they will be disposed of, or returned to the Respondent upon request at the Respondents’ expense.

D. Modifications or Withdrawal of Quotes A Respondent may modify or withdraw its Quote by written notice to the Procurement Contact prior to the established Quote submission deadline. Withdrawal of a Respondent’s Quote following the Quote submission deadline and prior to award, may be allowed, at the State’s discretion. Withdrawal of a Respondent’s Quote after award is not allowed. Reference Procurement Rules R-24-103-201-08 and R-24-103-201-09.

E. Mistake and Minor Informalities in Respondent Quotes In certain circumstances, a Respondent may correct a mistake(s) in its Quote and/or the State may waive minor informalities. Reference Procurement Rule R-24-103-201-08.

F. News Releases and Announcements Respondents shall not issue any news releases, communications or announcements of any kind pertaining to this solicitation, without prior written approval by the State.

G. Not a Legally Binding Offer Neither this solicitation nor a Respondent’s Quote submitted in response to this solicitation constitute a legally binding offer. Reference Procurement Rule R- 24-103-204-01(b).

H. Respondent Quote Content The contents of the Quote of the awarded Respondent and any modifications to the Quote negotiated by the State included in the resulting Purchase Order will become contractual obligations. Failure of the awarded Respondent to accept these obligations may result in cancellation of the award to that Respondent.

I. Quote Response Material Ownership All material submitted in response to this solicitation becomes property of the State.

J. Certification of Independent Price Determination By submitting a Quote, the Respondent certifies that the prices and other terms in the Quote have been arrived at independently without any consultation, communication, agreement with, or knowledge of the contents of the Quote by any other competing Respondent.