DOER NOI-ENE-2027-004 Due Diligence Posting of Notice of Intent to Contract Based on Best Value Offer.docx

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental affairs Department of Energy Resources Elizabeth Mahony, Commissioner

100 Cambridge Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02114

Due Diligence Notice of Intent (NOI)

Document Title: Due Diligence Posting of Notice of Intent to Accept a Best Value Offer

COMMBUYS Bid Number: BD-27-1041-ENE01-ENE01-133906 Agency Document Number: NOI-ENE-2027-004

Issued: September 25, 2026

Please Note: This is a single document associated with a complete Bid (also referred to as Solicitation) that can be found on www.COMMBUYS.com. All Bidders are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all information, forms and requirements for the entire Bid, which are all incorporated into the Bid. Bidders may also contact the COMMBUYS Helpdesk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or the COMMBUYS Helpline at 1-888-MA-STATE. The Helpline is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal, state and Suffolk county holidays.

Due Diligence Posting of Notice of Intent to Accept a Best Value Offer

The Department of Energy Resources (DOER) of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts announces its intent to Accept a Best Value Offer based on best value pursuant to the Commonwealth’s Due Diligence Posting policy, to accept the following from Franklin Energy (Franklin Energy), pending the results of this Notice of Intent (“Notice”):

Description

Franklin Energy is a program solutions and delivery company that partners with utilities, governments, contractors, retailers, and large commercial and industrial facilities. Franklin Energy’s designs and delivers clean energy solutions that reduce carbon, increase resilience, and make savings accessible for residents in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Commonwealth).

The DOER intends to contract with Franklin Energy for an amount not to exceed ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for a Residential Winter Weatherization Marketplace (“Services”), which includes the following:

1. A statewide direct-to-resident online storefront.

2. Centralized supply distribution in partnership with the Commonwealth’s Community Action Agencies.

3. The bulk delivery of weatherization kits directly to customers.

These delivery channels combine into one supply program supporting Commonwealth residents urgent winter weatherization needs prior to and during the 2026 heating season.

Franklin Energy currently operates the Mass Save Marketplace (Marketplace), an online catalog for residential customers in the Commonwealth to access point of sale rebates on energy efficient equipment, including but not limited to weatherstripping, V-strip, pipe insulation, window insulation kits, door seals, water heater wraps, advanced power strips, smart thermostats, and showerheads. Mass Save Program Administrators competitively procured Franklin Energy for this service, and after nearly 8 years of operation, the Marketplace is now an established market offering.

The Marketplace enables Commonwealth residents to participant in the Mass Save Program to easily access rebated equipment in one place, without the burden of having to wait for payment. The Marketplace has provided instant rebates to hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth households. Its established brand recognition makes it a critical, nation-leading direct-to-consumer provider of energy efficient products. It is anticipated that through this NOI if approved and resulting contract with Franklin Energy (if no other entities respond to the NOI) that 100,000 (one hundred thousand) additional households will be served in the Commonwealth

Franklin Energy is uniquely positioned to meet the urgent energy efficiency needs of the residents of the Commonwealths for the 2026 winter heating season through its existing Marketplace, direct delivery of energy efficient products and through its existing relationships with the Commonwealth’s Community Action Agencies (CAPs). In addition, DOER recognizes that energy bills in the Commonwealth are high, particularly in older, poorly weatherized homes. Residents forced to overheat their homes in order to live comfortably may encounter skyrocketing winter energy bills. Investing in do-it-yourself (D.I.Y.) no regrets energy efficiency measures prior to the 2026 heating season is of the utmost importance to support a decreased cost of living in the Commonwealth and increased household comfort.

The DOER believes that no other entities can provide best value due to Franklin Energy’s existing channels, connectivity infrastructure to deliver the timely and urgently needed energy efficiency products and services to Commonwealth residents particularly those that are low income and in urgent need of such products and services ahead of the 2026 winter season. For the above reasons DOER is seeking approval to post this NOI.

Services In consideration of the established Mass Save Marketplace, and the urgency of delivering weatherization offerings to households prior to the 2026 winter season, DOER posts this NOI for the following services built upon Franklin Energy’s existing design and delivery services for the Commonwealth:

1. Statewide online storefront for instantly rebated equipment: Franklin Energy will design and host a custom marketplace where Commonwealth residents will be able to order no-cost weatherization products. Residents will browse a variety of self-install energy efficiency products, select, and then securely check out. This marketplace will be distinct from the Mass Save marketplace but will leverage existing connective infrastructure.

2. Stock the CAP network: Income-eligible customers already enrolled in the Weatherization Assistance Program and fuel assistance pipeline – including the waitlist and deferral households that will be unable to receive weatherization services prior to the 2026 heating season – will be able to receive DIY weatherization materials from their trusted local organizations. Franklin Energy will stock and replenish all sixteen (16) of the Commonwealth’s CAPs with door sealing bundles (door seal sets, sweeps, V-strip, and water heater wraps).

3. Bulk purchase weatherization kits for direct delivery: In addition to the previously detailed delivery channels, Franklin Energy will be able to ship weatherization kits directly to residents’ homes at the request of eligible customers. In the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth customers served by any investor- or municipally owned utility will be eligible for all three delivery channels.

The DOER is posting this Notice rather than conducting a full procurement because the DOER believes this opportunity represents best value to the Commonwealth by streamlining a series of services administered centrally and rapidly by drawing on existing delivery channels. Franklin Energy is the only existing entity with the existing statewide online marketplace infrastructure for this type of energy efficient equipment. By drawing on one inventory pool and scale in pre-priced increments, DOER can distribute funding to provide a more cost-effective delivery of weatherization equipment and better serve the winter comfort needs of Commonwealth residents. The DOER is utilizing this Due Diligence Posting to ensure that the process is open, fair and competitive. The DOER will enter into a contract with Franklin Energy for one year.

Determination of Other Interested Vendors

The intent of this posting is to determine if there are any other interested and qualified vendors. Any such vendors must Submit documentation that they can provide a comparable or better offer.

Response Requirement and Deadline

All Interested Vendors and Offerors interested in responding to this Notice, regardless of prior communications with the Department, must submit a Response to this posting containing evidence of their qualification and interest and evidence of efficiencies that can be achieved based on Vendor relationships with other state or municipal jurisdictions. All required information must be submitted by 4:00PM (prevailing Eastern Time) on Friday, October 9th, 2026 as follows:

If, after the posting deadline has passed, interest is generated by this Notice, the Department will review all Responses and will determine whether they will: (i) withdraw the notice and not accept the Offeror’s offer (and cancel the Notice of Intent) or (ii) accept the offer from the Offeror or (iii) accept an offer from another vendor offering a comparable or better value than the Offeror in their Response or (iv) accept the offer from the Offeror and from any other offerors offering similar value in their response.

Additional Terms Required for Doing Business with the Commonwealth

Quote Submission Method

Online Quote Submission via COMMBUYS is required. All Interested Vendors and Offerors must submit Quotes online using tools available only to Sellers registered in COMMBUYS. COMMBUYS provides Seller registration functionality at no charge. To register, go to www.COMMBUYS.com and click on the “Register” link on the front page. All Interested Vendors and Offerors who are awarded a contract resulting from this Notice, if any, will be required to maintain an active account during the duration of the Contract, by reviewing their registration information regularly and maintaining its accuracy.

COMMBUYS Quote Submission Training and Instructions

The following resources are provided to assist Interested Vendors and Offerors in submitting Quotes:

· An online job aid on How to Create a Quote;

· Webcast video on How to Find Bids (Solicitations) and Submit Quotes (Responses) through COMMBUYS;

· Instructor-led trainings (ILT) and live webinar sessions on “How to Locate and Respond to Bids” may also be available. Check the OSD Training Courses schedule for Sellers/Business Entities for available locations, dates and times. Note that space is limited and pre-registration for trainings is required to attend. Follow instructions on the course schedule to register.

COMMBUYS Support

Technical assistance is available during the procurement process. Every effort is made to respond to inquiries within one business day.

· Website: Go to www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys and select the COMMBUYS Resource Center link offered under Key Resources.

· Email: Send inquiries to the COMMBUYS Helpdesk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us

· Telephone: Call the COMMBUYS Help Desk at 1-888-MA-STATE (1-888-627-8283). The Help Desk is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal and state holidays.

Interested Vendors and Offerors are advised that COMMBUYS will be unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance hours of which all users will be notified.

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