Renewable Energy Draft RFR v4 8 23 17.docx

THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance

1 Ashburton Place, Boston, MA. 02108

Request for Proposal Renewable and Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Services

Document Number:

TBD, 2017

This is a single document associated with a complete RFP (also referred to as Solicitation) that can be found on COMMBUYS (www.COMMBUYS.com). All Firms are responsible for reviewing and adhering to all information, forms and requirements for the entire RFP, which are all incorporated into the RFP. Responses received after the deadline shall be disqualified. All Firms should plan advance lead time for uploading proposals in a timely manner prior to the deadline. All Questions and Answers and Bid Responses must be submitted electronically through COMMBUYS. Firms must be registered in COMMBUYS to bid on this Solicitation. Firms requiring assistance in the registration and use of COMMBUYS should 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.

Document Sensitivity Level: High during development; Low once published.

Revised: December 23, 2014 This is a DRAFT proposal, published for comment. It is the intent of the Commonwealth to consider suggestions from interested parties in the composition of the final RFR to be published. No Award will be made as a result of this publication. No evaluation of proposals will be made.

It is the hope of the Commonwealth that original thinking can lead to Improvements and a better business arrangement for all parties can come about as a result of a cooperative process of drafting the language and operational details of this effort.

All comments and questions regarding this Draft RFR are to be published in COMMBUYS.

Please submit your marked up copy in MS Word using Track Changes, or with highlighting or other techniques that clearly indicate your original work.

The Comment Period will be from August 24th to September 14th, 2017.

Please consider the following questions:

1. What have been the major industry changes since the last RFR?

2. Do you see any specific role for consultants such as yourself in the new Solar Mass. Renewable Target (SMART) program by DOER?

3. What are major expected industry changes in the works/near future for he renewable energy credit program that we should know which could potentially affect our current or future RFR?

4. What specific cost factors go into pricing for APS/RPS registration services?

5. What benefits are there for using a fixed price versus a percentage based pricing? Which would you recommend and why?

6. Of the specific program categories that make up this contract: SREC, Class 1 and Class 2 Renewable Energy Credits, Alternative Energy Credits and Green eRec purchase, are there any specific programs or categories tha you would bid or not bid on and why?

7. What issues or challenges do you foresee in transitioning of assets to another vendor in the event of renewal or end of contract term?

8. What other services could you provide (i.e. meter calibration services) as a part of ongoing maintenance in the AEC program?

9. What could you offer to incentivize long term facility commitment in the program?

10. What suggestions would you have in assisting projects to achieve LEED credits from renewable generation where there are no on-site options?

11. Does your company provide repair services? If not, will you be able to guide program participants to the proper channels to have repair work done?

12. What are the major obstacles preventing optimal performance that sites encounter in this program?

13. Due to the delay between generation and minting dates for Renewable Energy Credits, and credits generated in the third and fourth quarters prior to any contract renewal year shall be ineligible to be transacted on the spot market since selling and minting will fall into a new calendar/contract year. In the case where Renewable Energy credits are sold for this period, such as forward selling under a long-term contract, the transacting broker shall credit the new contract vendor with the REC sales into their NEPOOL account. Do you agree with this methodology—or is there another method that you propose to deal with this situation?

14. Are you comfortable banking SRECs until the auction if the floor price is the highest available price?

15. What path would you suggest to optimize Class 1 REC sales pricing?

Table of Contents Page ii

RFR Introduction and General Description Procurement Scope and Description The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAMM) is soliciting Bidders for the following services:

Category 1- Alternative Portfolio Standard (APS) which includes Combined Heat and Power (CHP), flywheel, Coal Gasification, Ground source and solar thermal and efficient steam tech. (bid as % of sale proceeds)

1. Review relevant design documents including: metering plans, plan diagrams, electrical and mechanical plans and provide recommendations for approved meters.

2. Review final submittal package to ensure that information is complete. Coordinate with appropriate program contacts at the Department of Energy Resources as needed.

3. Prepare and submit online Standard Qualification Application.

4. Provide an independent meter reader service as required.

5. Ensure that the DAS system meets program requirements.

6. Maintain and support the NEPOOL GIS account service.

7. Provide for annual meter calibration services.

8. Provide sale and distribution of revenue from credits.

9. Prepare and distribute quarterly performance reports including actual versus forecast variances.

Category 2- RPS/Class 1/Class 2 and SREC II and SMART program (bid as % of sale) All solar technologies, wind, hydro and other applicable renewable energy classifications.

1. Maintain existing SREC solar resources in applicable SREC I and SREC II programs.

2. Prepare applications for new qualified resources and register.

3. Review final submittal package to ensure that information is complete. Coordinate with appropriate program contacts at the Department of Energy Resources as needed.

4. Track production of existing solar arrays to ensure expected production levels.

5. Purchase Green-e RECs on behalf of the Commonwealth. Green-E RECs must be purchased from Class 1 eligible technologies.

Category 3- Repair and other services- Optional

1. Provide meter installation services.

2. Troubleshoot metering issues and other equipment issues and make recommendations in order to meet production estimates.

3. Provide repair of existing equipment (up to $50,000 in labor costs).

4. Advise DCAMM in regards to suggested equipment upgrades and replacement

Background information

Under the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) and Alternative Portfolio Standard (APS) regulations, all retail electricity suppliers must provide a minimum percentage of Kilowatt-hours (KWh) sales to end-use customers in Massachusetts from eligible renewable and alternative energy generating sources. As a result, there is a market for energy generated by such sources and Eligible Entities may be able to receive revenue for generating it. Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Alternative Energy Certificates (AECs) are tools used to trade such energy.

Under this contract, the Contractor must provide all equipment, devices, data collection, testing and any additional products and/or services necessary to qualify Customer Assets for RPS and/or APS. Furthermore, the contractor will compile and submit all necessary documentation required to create and certify all environmental certificates as being marketable and maintain all ongoing certification as required.

FAC83Designated DCAMM was awarded for the period 01/01/2014 through 12/31/2017. This is a follow on to that procurement The current contract/s will be expiring on December 31, 2017.

Applicable Procurement Law This Bid is issued under the following law(s):

· 225 CMR 14.00 and 15.00 (for RPS) and 225 CMR 16.00 (for APS)

· MGL c. 7, § 22; c. 30, § 51, § 52; and 801 CMR 21.00 (Goods and Services) Number of awards

The target maximum number of Contractors is no more than three (3). This is a target number; the SST may award more or fewer Contracts if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so. The desired number of contractors is One (1).

The Commonwealth reserves the right to award multiple contracts based on the program categories outlined in Section 1.1, in order to service Customer Assets. No more than one contractor per program category shall be awarded in Categories 1, Category 2 and Category 3 but preference will be given to contractors who will be providing all 3 categories in their proposal. Over the life of the contract, the PMT reserves the right to add products and services related to the scope of this RFR, or create additional categories, if it deems necessary in order to best meet the needs of the Commonwealth. It is desirable that bidders submit proposals to include more than one category and preference will be given to those who submit bids in all categories. Comment by ANF: Does this work? yes

Adding Contractors after initial Contract award

If, over the life of the Contract, the Strategic Sourcing Team (SST) determines that additional Contractors should be added, these may first be drawn from qualified companies which responded to this Bid but were not awarded contracts. If necessary to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth, the Bid may be reopened to obtain additional Quotes.

Eligible Entities

Any contract resulting from this Bid will be open for use by the Issuing Entity as well as the following other entities

1. Cities, towns, districts, counties and other political subdivisions;

2. Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches, including all Departments and elected offices therein;

3. Independent public authorities, commissions and quasi-public agencies;

4. Local public libraries, public school districts and charter schools;

5. Public hospitals owned by the Commonwealth;

6. Public institutions of higher education;

7. Public purchasing cooperatives;

8. Non-profit, UFR-certified organizations that are doing business with the Commonwealth;

9. Other states and territories with prior approval by the State Purchasing Agent; and

10. Other entities when designated in writing by the State Purchasing Agent.

The Issuing Entity reserves the right to add or remove additional eligible entities during the contract term. Each eligible entity is responsible for executing its own purchase orders and paying its own invoices for goods and/or services acquired from this Contract. Contractors will be responsible for marketing their goods and/or services to Commonwealth Agencies and other eligible entities.

Acquisition Method(s) In Categories 1 & 2, this contract is not associated with any expenditure on the part of the Eligible Entity. The Contractor is paid by taking a percentage of the sale of Energy Credits.

The Commonwealth will not expend any funds to purchase equipment or services under any contract resulting from this RFR unless otherwise stated in this RFR Section 3.6, Compensation Structure/Pricing.

Performance and Payment Time Frames Which Continue Beyond Duration of the Contract.

All term leases, rentals, maintenance or other agreements for services entered into during the duration of this contract and whose performance and payment time frames extend beyond the duration of this contract shall remain in effect for performance and payment purposes (limited to the time frame and services established per each written agreement). No new leases, rentals, maintenance or other agreements for services may be executed after the contract has expired. Any contract termination or suspension pursuant to this section shall not automatically terminate any leases, rentals, maintenance or other agreements for services already in place unless the department also terminates said leases, rentals, maintenance or other agreements for service, which were executed pursuant to the main contract.

Contract Duration The expected duration of this contract is as follows:

Initial Duration

Total Maximum Contract Duration

No goods may be ordered and no new leases, rentals, maintenance or other agreements for services may be executed after the Contract has expired.

Estimated Value of the Contract The estimated value of purchase(s) resulting from this Bid is amount / estimated units. The Commonwealth makes no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any Contract resulting from this Bid. Any estimates or past procurement volumes referenced in this Bid are included only for the convenience of Bidders, and are not to be relied upon as any indication of future purchase levels. Comment by H. Robert Huke, III: Amend Chart with units.

The following is information pertaining to current assets enrolled under the existing contract (list of current participating facilities is attached as Appendix 3).

Total Currently Participating Assets (kW)

Credit Production (MWh)

Note: potential CY2017 production.

*totals above are only inclusive of DCAMM tracked facilities and does not include authorities, municipalities and other quasi-governmental entities.

Basis for estimated dollar value for this Contract (including all options to renew) The “Estimated Value (US$)” for this Bid was based on the following:

prevailing rates for the different program categories and multiplied by the approximate kW enrollment (current and expected). See Table in Section 1.1 Basis for estimated number of units for this Contract (including all options to renew) The “Estimated Units” for this Bid was based on:

As above, the number of units current and potential for enrollment has been used to derive the expected total value of the contract. This does not consider any % split of proceeds from the prospective proposers.

Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as displayed on the COMMBUYS system clock displayed to Bidders after logging in. If there is a conflict between the dates in this Procurement Calendar and dates in the Bid’s Header, the dates in the Bid’s Header on COMMBUYS shall prevail. Bidders are responsible for checking the Bid record, including Bid Q&A, on COMMBUYS for Procurement Calendar updates.

Written questions via the Bid Q&A on COMMBUYS The “Bid Q&A” provides the opportunity for Bidders to ask written questions and receive written answers from the SST regarding this Bid. All Bidders’ questions must be submitted through the Bid Q&A found on COMMBUYS (see below for instructions). Questions may be asked only prior to the Deadline for Submission of Questions stated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar. The issuing department reserves the right not to respond to questions submitted after this date. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify receipt of questions.

Please note that any questions submitted to the SST using any other medium (including those that are sent by mail, fax, email or voicemail, etc.) will not be answered. To reduce the number of redundant or duplicate questions, Bidders are asked to review all questions previously submitted to determine whether the Bidder’s question has already been posted.

Bidders are responsible for entering content suitable for public viewing, since all of the questions are accessible to the public. Bidders must not include any information that could be considered personal, security sensitive, inflammatory, incorrect, collusory, or otherwise objectionable, including information about the Bidder’s company or other companies. The SST reserves the right to edit or delete any submitted questions that raise any of these issues or that are not in the best interest of the Commonwealth or this Bid.

All answers are final when posted. Any subsequent revisions to previously provided answers will be dated.

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s computer, network or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded contractor and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

Locating Bid Q&A Log into COMMBUYS, locate the Bid, acknowledge receipt of the Bid, and scroll down to the bottom of the Bid Header page. The “Bid Q&A” button allows Bidders access to the Bid Q&A page.

Amendment Deadline The SST reserves the right to make amendments to the Bid after initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any amendments, addenda or modifications to this Bid, and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. The SST and the Commonwealth accepts no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a Quote based on an out-of-date Bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

Oral Presentations: Oral Presentations / Product Demonstrations will be expected to prioritize this in their schedules. The SST will make every effort to find a mutually convenient time for the Bidder and the SST. However, failure to appear at the scheduled time of the presentation/demonstration may result in disqualification, reduction of points or other action that the SST deems appropriate.

Site Inspection Site inspection is not applicable for this contract.

Specifications Additional required terms appear in the Appendices to this RFR.

Bidder Qualifications Company certifications and affiliations

0. New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) Generation Information System (GIS) Account

All Vendors are required to have at least one account with NEPOOL GIS such that they can trade marketable certificates. Bidders must attach evidence of being account holders with NEPOOL GIS. Evidence of compliance with this requirement must be attached to the response as one file. In the case of certificate transfers, all transfers will be in accordance with NEPOOL GIS Operating Rules.

Company experience Business background Years in business Years in the industry of the Bid Organizational chart Bidders must possess experience and proficiency in marketing all requested categories of Energy Credits (ECs). Bidders must use Attachment 1 to describe such experience in the form of a narrative and statistical information, including:

· Relevant statistics on assets enrolled and credits sold in programs with NEPOOL or other power pools.

· Prior two years portfolio history including the number of transactions, type of transaction, fees, etc. Bidders must show all fees including fees charged (or % split of revenue) to the buyers in all transactions. Maximum sale price, minimum sale price and average sale price for each of the past two calendar years (2016/17) for each submitted bid category; Category 1 is AECs and Category 2 is Class 1 RECs/SRECs and Class 2 RECs. Bids for Category 2 shall include separate values for Class 1 RECs, SRECs and Class 2 RECs.

· Provide narrative of any additional services such as metering and general troubleshooting that you have provided to your customers.

Additional documentation in the form of spreadsheets may be attached to the response. This information is important to determine the level of expected sales for the assets If vendors are submitting a bid for AECs then they shall document their experience, actual assets registered with a DOER Statement of Qualification (SQA) and whether the SQA package was submitted by the Bidder.

Financial stability including bankruptcy, litigation and contract defaults

Most current audited annual financial statements Gross annual revenue for most recently completed fiscal year Last bankruptcy and current/pending litigation Defaults on contracts Current days to pay <supplier invoices> Date of last order

References and reference information and/or requirements (Marketing Strategy to maximize returns) Largest customers in MA if applicable Largest state government customers if applicable Bidders must offer the Commonwealth a strategy to maximize the returns from the qualification and sales of ECs. Bidders must use Attachment 1 to provide a narrative (no more than 3 pages) detailing their marketing strategy. The narrative must specify specific actions that will be taken within the first 60 days after contract execution, list markets/exchanges in which the Bidder currently maintains positions, and provide other information as requested on the form. Bidders must also provide a marketing and outreach strategy for MassDEP Coordinated Eligible Entities and how this work would be coordinated with MassDEP to allow for minimal administrative burden on MassDEP personnel.

Employee requirements (Technical Strategy)

Bidders must offer the Commonwealth a technical strategy as to how they will evaluate and prepare assets for qualification (if necessary) and entry into the energy market. Bidders must use Attachment 1 to provide a narrative (no more than 3 pages) detailing their technical strategy on how they will maximize the number of credit-worthy assets in the Commonwealth. The narrative must specify specific actions that will be taken within the first 60 days after contract execution, and provide other information as requested on the form.

Bidders must also describe how ongoing metering, monitoring and calibration will be provided and paid for and specifically identify the preferred monitoring service, if any. Bidders must also provide a narrative as to their operational strategy for the provision for an independent third party meter reader.

For example, explain the process for preparing the SQA clearly delineating what the proposer will be providing and expectations for information required by the Commonwealth. Bidders shall provide a process flow chart and explain the strategy for acquiring the technical information required to be submitted to DOER for the successful registration of projects. Bidders shall document staff and resources available and who would be responsible for data collection required to prepare the SQA for submittal to DOER. Bidders shall identify whether a site visit will be included.

Employee technical/business experience, certifications, licenses Resumes Background/CORI check requirements Commodity Specifications Eligible Entities

DCAMM Coordinated, which includes Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches, including all Departments and elected offices therein, and public hospitals owned by the Commonwealth including Commonwealth entities under the Executive office of Higher Education. For all those Eligible Entities, DCAMM will serve as the point of contact for establishing initial communication, Customer Asset qualifications and all payments. Contractors may not qualify Customer Assets or sell credits derived from DCAMM Coordinated Eligible Entities without DCAMM authorization. The DCAMM contact for these entities will be:

Dave Lewis Program Manager Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Buildings Group Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance 1 Ashburton Place, 16th Floor Boston, MA. 02108 Phone: 617-727-4030 x472 dave.lewis@MassMail.State.MA.US

MassDEP Coordinated, which includes independent public authorities, commissions and quasi-public agencies, municipal government entities and all other entities outside of the DCAMM Coordinated group. Contractors may not qualify Customer Assets or sell credits derived from MassDEP Coordinated Eligible Entities without authorization by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Division of Municipal Services (DMS). With MassDEP’s authorization, Contractors will establish direct payment relationships with such Eligible Entities. The MassDEP contact for these entities will be:

Patricia Arp, Engineer State Revolving Fund MassDEP 8 New Bond Street Worcester, MA 01606 508-767-2771 Patricia.Arp@MassMail.State.MA.US

Requirements for consultant services Statement of Work (SOW) requirements Responsibilities of the user Responsibilities of the Contractor Requirements at Contract or engagement termination

Due to the delay between generation and minting dates for Renewable Energy Credits, any Renewable Energy Credits generated in the third and fourth (calendar) quarters prior to any contract renewal year shall be ineligible to be transacted on the spot market since selling and minting will fall into a new calendar/contract year. In the case where Renewable Energy credits are sold for this period, such as forward selling under a long-term contract, the transacting broker shall credit the new contract vendor with the REC sales into the new assigned contractor’s NEPOOL account including removing any restrictions to production data and reporting.

Environmental Specifications N/A Executive Order 515, Establishing an Environmental Purchasing Policy Products and services purchased by state agencies must be in compliance with Executive Order 515, issued October 27, 2009. Under this Executive Order, Executive Departments are required to reduce their impact on the environment and enhance public health by procuring environmentally preferable products and services (EPPs) whenever such products and services perform to satisfactory standards and represent best value, consistent with 801 CMR 21.00. In line with this directive, all contracts, whether departmental or statewide, must comply with the specifications and guidelines established by OSD and the EPP Program. EPPs are considered to be products and services that help to conserve natural resources, reduce waste, protect public health and the environment, and promote the use of clean technologies, recycled materials, and less toxic products. Questions concerning the EO or the appropriate specifications may be directed to OSD’s EPP Procurement Program, www.mass.gov/epp. The Order can be seen at http://www.mass.gov/Agov3/docs/Executive%20Orders/executive_order_515.pdf.

Environmental plan

· N/A

License Agreements and Service Agreements <Must be negotiated by SST in advance of use. Such agreements must not conflict with Commonwealth’s T & Cs. In general, see OSD and CTR Policy Guidance, “State Finance Law and General Requirements,” concerning execution of vendor contracts.> Compensation Structure/Pricing The pricing structure for this contract for Categories 1 and 2 is based on the percentage of revenue from the sale of Energy Credits by the Contractor. Category 3 pricing will be based on fee for service pricing and based on hourly rates. Additional services (if any) will be provided based on the hourly rates established for each employee level. Bidders must complete Travel expenses and all other expenses Commuting expenses Commuting expenses will not be reimbursed.

Other Terms Continued qualification based on performance Reporting.

Contractors are responsible for compliance with all other contract reporting requirements including, but not limited to, Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) and other contract reports, as required by this contract.

The Contractor will be responsible for providing reports on the on-going activities. These reports will be provided on a quarterly basis in a timely fashion and in Excel. At a minimum, the following reports will be prepared:

Quarterly Program Report for Qualification Status. These reports will include detailed information including the Facility Name/Location, the Asset Credit Value (actual or potential), Type of Credit (AEC/REC/SREC), and the following forecast dates: when assets will be metered, when asset credits will be enrolled, when assets will be sold.

Quarterly Program Report for Credit Sales. These reports will include detailed information including the Facility Name/Location (differentiate DCAMM Coordinated Assets from Non-DCAMM Coordinated assets), eligibility and enrollment status, credits sold and type, credit sale price ($/MWhr), earnings (both total and split) and any special circumstances such as forward selling obligations, banked credits, or auction account credits.

Quarterly compliance reports. Reports shall be submitted by vendor as required to ensure compliance with DOER guidelines.

Quarterly GHG reporting: Reports shall be submitted to the DOER as needed for documenting Greenhouse Gas emission reductions as part of the Green Communities Act.

Alternatives Contractors may propose alternatives for equivalent, better or more cost effective performance than specified under the Contractor’s original Quote at any time during the life of the Contract.

Failure to perform contractual obligations as outlined in the Standard Contract Form, Terms and Conditions, and RFR may result in the following;

Termination Suspension Adding additional contractors Cover/Replacement Costs Liquidated Damages

Audit During the term of this Agreement and for a period of six years thereafter, DCAMM, its auditors, the Operational Services Division, the Office of the Inspector General or other authorized representatives shall be afforded access at reasonable times to Contractor's accounting records, including sales information on any system, reports or files, in order to audit all records relating to goods sold or services performed pursuant to this Agreement. If such an audit indicates that Contractor has materially overcharged DCAMM, then the Contractor shall remit the overcharged amount and be responsible for payment of any costs associated with the audit.

Evaluation criteria Bidder scores will be used to rank Bidders and will determine which Bidders will proceed to subsequent stages of the evaluation and/or enter into negotiations with the Commonwealth to receive a Contract award.

Alternatives A Quote which fails to meet any material term or condition of the Bid, including the submission of required attachments, may lose points or be deemed unresponsive and disqualified. Unless otherwise specified, Bidders may submit Quotes proposing alternatives which provide equivalent, better or more cost effective performance than achievable under the stated Bid specifications. These alternatives may include related commodities or services that may be available to enhance performance during the period of the Contract. The Quote should describe how any alternative achieves substantially equivalent or better performance to that of the Bid specifications.

The SST will determine if a proposed alternative method of performance achieves substantially equivalent or better performance. The goal of this Bid is to provide the best value of commodities and/or services to achieve the goals of the procurement.

Evaluation Components The following components will be some of the criteria considered by the SST when evaluating each Quote:

In making this determination, the PMT will consider and score a number of factors including:

· Experience and Team

· Demonstrated NEPOOL GIS account

· Business References

· Past Experience in EC sales and working with government entities.

· Supplier Diversity Program Plan

· Strategy and Business Plan

· Documented operational strategy including the marketing strategy and technical strategy to maximize and streamline the payments to Customer

· Financial

· Payment Proposal Form

· Overall revenue to customer (seller fee, buyer fee, historic sales)

· Protection of the state against risk (i.e. state doesn’t inherit risk of non-delivery of RECs.)

· Other parts of the proposal.

The order of these factors does not generally denote relative importance. DCAMM reserves the right to consider other relevant factors as it deems appropriate in order to obtain a “best value” provider of energy consulting, procurement and contract management services. DCAMM may or may not seek additional information from vendors prior to making selection.

This RFR does not commit DCAMM to select any firm, award any work, pay any costs in preparing a response or procure or contract for any services. DCAMM reserves the right to accept or reject any or all submittals received, cancel or modify the RFR in part or its entirety, when it is in the Commonwealth’s best interest to do so.

Price Please note that price will carry a significant weight in the evaluation process.

Company certifications and affiliations Company experience Financial stability including DUNS Reports, bankruptcy, litigation and contract defaults References and reference information and/or requirements Employee requirements Capacity plan, resources and infrastructure for this Contract Customer forecasting Environmental specifications Online/web capability Samples for evaluation Other desirable or optional specifications

HOW TO SUBMIT A quote

All Bidders may begin creating and compiling Quote materials as soon as the Bid with all attachments is in the Sent document status. Bidders are instructed not to submit Quotes before the Bid Amendment Deadline has been reached (see Estimated Procurement Calendar).

Quote Submission Method Online Quote Submission via COMMBUYS is required.

All Bidders 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 Bidders who are awarded a contract resulting from this Bid, 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 <Edit this section as needed based on the resources you plan to provide to bidders, e.g. whether you will be holding a Pre Bid Conference.> The following resources are provided to assist Bidders in submitting Quotes:

· Appendix <include appendix number, 5 or 6>, Instructions for Vendors Responding to Bids Electronically through COMMBUYS, which is part of this document;

· Training sessions focused on online Quote submission, if offered, are noted in the Estimated Procurement Calendar;

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

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

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.

Bidders are advised that COMMBUYS will be unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance hours of which all users will be notified.

Bid Opening Date/Time All Bids must be received by the Operational Services Division before the specified date, month, year and time displayed as the Bid Opening Date/Time in the Header Information section of the Bid in COMMBUYS. Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as applicable. All Bidders are advised to allow adequate time for submission by considering potential online submission impediments like Internet traffic, Internet connection speed, file size, and file volume. OSD is not responsible for delays encountered by Bidders or their agents, or for a Bidder’s local hardware failures, such as computers or related networks, associated with bid compilation or submission. Bids submitted via COMMBUYS are time stamped by the COMMBUYS system clock which is considered the official time of record.

Quote Contents Bidders must comply with the requirements below.

RFR Submission Checklist Strategic Sourcing Teams seek to reduce the number of Bidder disqualifications based on incomplete submissions. Therefore, Bidders must complete and submit the RFR Submission Checklist and all documents referenced in the Checklist.

Electronic Signatures Quotes submitted via COMMBUYS must be signed electronically by the Bidder or the Bidder’s Agent by accepting the terms and conditions of the bid on the “Terms & Conditions” tab of the Bid in COMMBUYS. By selecting “Save & Continue” on the “Terms and Conditions” tab after accepting the terms and conditions of the bid, the submitter attests that s/he is an agent of the Bidder with authority to sign on the Bidder’s behalf, and that s/he has read and assented to each document’s terms.

Ink Signatures Original ink signatures are required only after contracts have been awarded. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires Contractors to submit original ink-signature versions of the following forms:

Standard Contract Form Commonwealth Terms and Conditions Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing Request for Taxpayer Identification and Verification (Mass. Substitute W9 Form) Electronic Funds Transfer Sign Up Form Successful Bidders who agreed to the terms and conditions of these forms electronically via COMMBUYS online Quote submission tool must still submit the above forms with ink signatures within seven (7) calendar days of award notification or their contract may not be executed by the Commonwealth. Bidders who have previous contract(s) with the Commonwealth and have up-to-date, ink-signature versions of the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions and Request for Taxpayer Identification and Verification (Mass. Substitute W9 Form) on file with the Office of the State Comptroller may submit copies of the signed forms. However, a new Standard Contract Form and Contractor Authorized Signatory Listing with original ink signatures must be submitted for each new contract with the Commonwealth.

Limits and Restrictions Document Pages Proposals are limited to No More Than Fifteen (15) pages, independent of the Required Commonwealth forms.

File Naming Conventions Files submitted via COMMBUYS must follow the file naming convention specified below. The Description entered during the file upload process ensures each file is readily identified by Company Name and content. The File Name assigned by the Bidder as stored on their computer or network must be structured such that each file can be processed by the upload tool. The upload tool will reject any file name that includes spaces or symbols, like the brackets [ ] some systems apply when files are downloaded from the Internet.

RFR Section or Quote Component Description Enter in COMMBUYS during upload File Name Assign when creating files

Company Name Marketing Print Ad Company Name Marketing Postcard CompanyName_MktBroch.doc CompanyName_MktPrint.doc CompanyName_MktPost.doc

Company Name Clothing Catalog Part 1 Company Name Clothing Catalog Part 2 CompanyName_FootCat.pdf CompanyName_ClothCat1.pdf CompanyName_ClothCat2.pdf

File Size Limits The system will not accept files that approach or exceed 10 MB. If a large file fails to upload, the Bidder must save the contents as multiple files. Note the naming convention used above which illustrates distinguishing multi-part files through use of Part 1, Part 2, etc. If a large file fails to upload, bidders must break up the file and append _Part1, _Part2 to the end of the Description and File Name.

File Format Restrictions All scanned documents must be in .pdf or .gif format, and must be scanned in such a way that they can be read on a computer monitor and printed on 81/2” x 11” paper, unless otherwise specified. Forms provided for the Bidder to complete, with the exception of the forms requiring ink signatures, must be completed and submitted in their original formats, NOT scanned and submitted as PDF or other file types.

Withdrawing a Quote Prior to Bid Opening Date/Time Quotes may be withdrawn using the “Withdraw Quote” button offered under the Summary tab of a submitted Quote.

After Bid Opening Date/Time No Quote can be withdrawn after the Bid Opening Date/Time. If the Bidder wants to remove a Quote from consideration, contact the Strategic Sourcing Services Lead for guidance.

Additional Quote Terms Prohibition regarding contract terms Bidders must not, as part of their Quote, propose additional contractual terms, or supplemental or clarifying language pertaining to contractual terms, even if the proposed additions/clarifications are not in conflict with the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions, the Standard Contract Form, or other documents comprising this RFR. It is essential for Contracting Departments that all contractors’ Statewide Contracts can be depended upon to incorporate the same terms and only those terms. Contractors who wish to propose additional non-conflicting contractual terms, or supplemental or clarifying language, may do so ONLY on a case-by-case basis, negotiated for each specific engagement and memorialized in the Project Statement of Work.

Bidder Response Form All specifications of this RFR that are not mandatory such as those specifically identified as “optional,” “desirable” or in other terms indicating that the specification is not mandatory must have a response within the Bidder Response Form (or equivalent) provided on COMMBUYS for this Bid in order to be evaluated. Most items within the Bidder Response Form will be scored to determine the apparent successful bidders. The SSST does not want and will not read, consider or evaluate a line by line response to this RFR.

Appendix 1 – Required Terms for all RFRs General Procurement Information Alterations Bidders may not alter (manually or electronically) the Bid language or any Bid component files, except as directed in the RFR. Modifications to the body of the Bid, specifications, terms and conditions, or which change the intent of this Bid are prohibited and may disqualify a Quote.

Ownership of Submitted Quotes The SST shall be under no obligation to return any Quotes or materials submitted by a Bidder in response to this Bid. All materials submitted by Bidders become the property of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will not be returned to the Bidder. The Commonwealth reserves the right to use any ideas, concepts, or configurations that are presented in a Bidder’s Quote, whether or not the Quote is selected for Contract award.

Quotes stored on COMMBUYS in the encrypted lock-box are the file of record. Bidders retain access to a read-only copy of this submission via COMMBUYS, as long as their account is active. Bidders may also retain a traditional paper copy or electronic copy on a separate computer or network drive or separate media, such as CD or DVD, as a backup.

Prohibitions Bidders are prohibited from communicating directly with any employee of the procuring Department or any member of the SST regarding this RFR except as specified in this RFR, and no other individual Commonwealth employee or representative is authorized to provide any information or respond to any question or inquiry concerning this RFR. Bidders may contact the contact person using the contact information provided in the Header Information this Bid in the event that this RFR is incomplete or information is missing. Bidders experiencing technical problems accessing information or attachments stored on COMMBUYS should contact the COMMBUYS Helpdesk (see the document cover page for contact information).

In addition to the certifications found in the Commonwealth’s Standard Contract Form, by submitting a Quote, the Bidder certifies that the Quote has been arrived at independently and has been submitted without any communication, collaboration, or without any agreement, understanding or planned common course or action with, any other Bidder of the commodities and/or services described in the RFR.

Terms and Requirements Pertaining to Awarded Contracts Commonwealth Tax Exemption Invoices or invoices submitted to Massachusetts government entities must not include sales tax.

Contractor’s Contact Information It is the Contractor’s responsibility to keep the Contractor’s Contract Manager information current. If this information changes, the Contractor must notify the Contract Manager by email immediately, using the address located in the Header Information of the Purchase Order or Master Blanket Purchase Order on COMMBUYS.

The Commonwealth assumes no responsibility if a Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the Contractor’s computer, network or internet service provider (ISP), cause e-mail communications between the Bidder and the SST to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

Contractual Status of Orders and Service Contracts Orders or service contracts placed under the Contract established as a result of this Bid by Eligible Entities shall be considered separate Contracts between the Eligible Entity and the Contractor, and shall be deemed to incorporate all of the terms and conditions of the Contract. Nothing contained in any order or service contract shall amend or vary the terms of the Contract. Additional terms which do not conflict with the Commonwealth’s Terms and Conditions, the Massachusetts Standard Contract Form, this Bid and any amendments, or the Bidder’s Quote, may be included in an order or service contract if mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and eligible entity.

Publicity Any Contractor awarded a contract under this Bid is prohibited from selling or distributing any information collected or derived from the Contract, including lists of participating Eligible Entities, Commonwealth employee names, telephone numbers or addresses, or any other information except as specifically authorized by the SST.

Appendix 2 - RFR - Required Specifications

In general, most of the required contractual stipulations are referenced in the Standard Contract Form and Instructions and the Commonwealth Terms and Conditions (either version). However, the following RFR provisions must appear in all Commonwealth competitive procurements conducted under 801 CMR 21.00:

The terms of 801 CMR 21.00: Procurement of Commodities and Services (and 808 CMR 1.00: Compliance, Reporting and Auditing for Human and Social Services, if applicable) are incorporated by reference into this RFR. Words used in this RFR shall have the meanings defined in 801 CMR 21.00 (and 808 CMR 1.00, if applicable). Additional definitions may also be identified in this RFR. Other terms not defined elsewhere in this document may be defined in OSD’s Glossary of Terms. Unless otherwise specified in this RFR, all communications, responses, and documentation must be in English, all measurements must be provided in feet, inches, and pounds and all cost proposals or figures in U.S. currency. All responses must be submitted in accordance with the specific terms of this RFR.

Items with the text, " Required for POS Only" specify a requirement for Purchase of Service (POS) human and social services procured under 801 CMR 21.00, Procurement of Commodities or Services, Including Human and Social Services and 808 CMR 1.00, Compliance, Reporting and Auditing for Human and Social Service.

COMMBUYS Market Center. COMMBUYS is the official source of information for this Bid and is publicly accessible at no charge at www.commbuys.com. Information contained in this document and in COMMBUYS, including file attachments, and information contained in the related Bid Questions and Answers (Q&A), are all components of the Bid, as referenced in COMMBUYS, and are incorporated into the Bid and any resulting contract.

Bidders are solely responsible for obtaining all information distributed for this Bid via COMMBUYS. Bid Q&A supports Bidder submission of written questions associated with a Bid and publication of official answers.

It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for:

· Any amendments, addenda or modifications to this Bid, and

· Any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid.

The Commonwealth accepts no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a Quote based on an…