RFP Amendment 2~1.pdf

Amendment 2

RFP: S-DASOBO-10700-00012436– ADMINISTATION,

MAINTENANCE, OPERATIONS, AND SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY

SOLAR PROGRAM

RFP AMENDMENT # 2

SECTION 1: PURPOSE

The purpose of this RFP Amendment is to:

1.1 MODIFY RFP OPEN DATE

1.2 MODIFY SECTION 1.2 SCHEDULE

1.3 MODIFY SECTION 2.4 PURPOSE

1.4 MODIFY SECTION 3.1 MINIMUM QUALIFICAIONS REMOVED

1.5 MODIFY SECTION 3.3.5.1 MANAGEMENT PLAN

1.6 MODIFY SECTION 3.3.5.3 FINANCIAL AND TRANSACTIONAL EXPERIENCE

1.7 MODIFY ATTACHMENT A, SAMPLE CONTRACT

1.8 ADD ATTACHMENT H. SUMMARY OF CURRENT PLATFORM FUNCTIONALITY

SECTION 2: MODIFICATIONS

1. The Cover page is modified as follows. New language is indicated by bold underlined font, deleted language is indicated by strikethrough font.

Date of Issue: January 14, 2025

Opening Date and Time: March 4, 2025, 2:00 PM April 8th, 2025, 3:00 PM

2. Section 1.2 Schedule is modified as follows. New language is indicated by bold underlined font, deleted language is indicated by strikethrough font.

Event Date Time

Pre-Proposal Conference January 22, 11:00 AM

Questions / Requests for Clarification Due

January 24, 3:00 PM

Answers to Questions / Requests for Clarification Issued (approx.)

January 30, 2025

RFP Protest Period Ends

February 4, 2025

Opening (Proposal Due) See RFP cover page

Opening of Proposal March 4, 2025 April 9th

2:00 PM

Issuance of Notice of Intent to Award (approx.)

May/June July/August

Award Protest Period Ends 7 calendar days after Notice of Intent to Award

3. Section 2.3 Overview and Purpose, sub-Section 2.3.1 Overview and Background is modified as follows. New language is indicated by bold underlined font, deleted language is indicated by strikethrough font.

2.3 Overview and Purpose Background

2.3.1 Overview and Background

In June 2017, Agency adopted administrative rules applicable to Oregon’s Community Solar Program (“Program” or “CSP”) established pursuant to Oregon Revised Statute (“ORS”) 757-386. See OAR 860-088-0005 through OAR 860-088-0190. OAR 860-088- 0020 provides for Agency’s selection of a third-party to administer the Program (“Program Administrator” or “PA”). As adopted in Agency Order 17-232, https://apps.puc.state.or.us/orders/2017ords/17-232.pdf, and as described in OAR chapter 860, division 088, the PA is responsible to facilitate and manage significant aspects of Program design, development, implementation, and administration. Following Order 17-232, the Agency adopted additional significant Program design elements in Order 19-392 https://apps.puc.state.or.us/orders/2019ords/19-392.pdf and Order 21- 317 https://apps.puc.state.or.us/orders/2021ords/21-317.pdf. Proposers can find additional Orders related to the Program in Docket No. UM 1930.

Following an RFP process in 2018 and 2019, the Agency contracted with Cohen Ventures, Inc., dba Energy Solutions, a California corporation (“Energy Solutions”) to implement https://apps.puc.state.or.us/orders/2017ords/17-232.pdf https://apps.puc.state.or.us/orders/2019ords/19-392.pdf https://apps.puc.state.or.us/orders/2021ords/21-317.pdf

Program Administration services, including development of a Program Implementation Manual https://www.oregoncsp.org/pim/. Energy Solutions, which continues to serve as the current PA, has implemented the Program since its launch in early 2020. Going forward, the Agency aims to continue and to accomplish key Program goals which include:

• continuing use and maintenance of existing Information System platform built with Mendex software, if that is the most cost effective approach and in the best interest of the Agency,

• Pre-certifying remaining unallocated Program capacity,

• Certifying remaining non-operational capacity, and

• achieving 160MW of operating and billing capacity.

The new PA will be central to achieving these Program goals. The PA shall also be responsible for services outlined in Exhibit A of Attachment A, the Sample Contract.

4. Section 2.4 PURPOSE is modified as follows. New language is indicated by bold underlined font, deleted language is indicated by strikethrough font.

2.4 PURPOSE

Established by the Oregon Legislature in 2016 and launched by the Oregon Public Utility Commission in 2020, the Program allows participants to subscribe to solar projects developed by private entities. Through the CSP, Agency aims to provide equitable access to solar energy and incentives for low and moderate-income residents, small businesses, and other utility customers within PGE, PAC and IPC service territories in Oregon.

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from firms experienced in the administration of community solar programs to maintain the CSP developed by Energy Solutions under the State’s existing contract while ensuring the Program Administrator meets all program requirements and decreasing costs to ensure responsibility of ratepayer funds. The Program Administrator also needs to manage adequately effectively the transition period to keep costs down and meeting program performance goals.

5. Section 3.1 Minimum Qualifications is removed.

6. Section 3.3.5, sub-Section 3.3.5.1 Management Plan is modified as follows. New language is indicated by bold underlined font, deleted language is indicated by strikethrough font.

3.3.5.1 Management Plan

The Proposal must include a comprehensive management plan for Services that the Proposer intends to follow when delivering Services.

https://www.oregoncsp.org/pim/

Describe how Proposer would manage and perform the major activities for all Services in context with the scope of Services and in the sample Statement of Work set forth in Exhibit A of Attachment A Sample Contract. Additional system information in Attachment H Summary of Current Platform Functionality. Proposer shall describe how the management plan will serve to coordinate and facilitate successful delivery of the Services.

Proposer shall describe major implementation milestones, timing, and strategy to deliver milestones. Proposer shall describe activities from the beginning of the transition period to Certification of remaining unallocated and currently Pre-Certified Program capacity over the three-year contract term.

7. Section 3.3.5, sub-Section 3.3.5.3 Secure, Financial and Transactional Experience is modified as follows. New language is indicated by bold underlined font, deleted language is indicated by strikethrough font.

3.3.5.3 Secure, Financial, and Transactional Experience

The successful Proposer will manage a wide variety of project and electric company customer and participant data and funds. This includes data that shall be highly secured such as customer account data and data that may be considered trade secrets.

Proposer shall describe in detail Proposer’s data and funds management experience in these or similar circumstances, and all experience and expertise associated with developing, implementing and maintaining information and funds management systems involving utility customer data and funds.

Proposer should describe experience creating, implementing and maintaining custom information systems. Include in the description the using the Mendix low-code application development platform that regularly sends, receives, and processes information with other information systems separately managed by third parties.

Proposer should also describe experience creating, implementing and maintaining secure systems involving the receipt, tracking and sending of funds from and to third parties including for which an independent accountant has determined compliance.

The successful Proposer will also manage participant data, receive monthly customer and solar generation data from the electric companies, calculate bill credits for Program participants depending on participants’ subscription or ownership shares in solar projects, and transmit bill credit data to the utility and Project Managers on a monthly basis. Proposer shall describe in detail experience performing complicated calculations for ongoing, high volume, electronically administered programs and how the Proposer will meet the requirements of the Statement of Work, Attachment A, Exhibit A and Attachment H, Summary of Current Platform Functionality.

8. Section 4.10 Evaluation Process and Responsibility Determination, sub-Section 4.10.1 Responsiveness and Responsibility Determination, sub-Section 4.10.2.3 Secure, Financial and Transactional Management is modified as follows. New language is indicated by bold underlined font, deleted language is indicated by strikethrough font:

4.10.2.3 Secure Data, Financial, and Transactional Experience Management o How well does the Proposer demonstrate its experience securely managing and sharing confidential data with program partners, including utility customer data?

o How well does the Proposer’s experience with financial and transactional management, including experience with detailed financial settlements and substantial monthly transaction volume between end users and large entities, meet the needs of the State of Oregon?

o How well does the Proposer’s experience and capabilities with implementing a new system or and maintaining currently used Mendix software information systems reflect the need of the State of Oregon?

o How well does the Proposer’s plan and approach for data management and exchange with utilities and projects meet the needs of the State of Oregon?

o How well does the Proposer’s experience in managing data disclosure requests and verifications meet the needs of the State of Oregon?

o How well does the Proposer demonstrate technical understanding of sending receiving and processing information with other information systems separately managed by third parties?

9. Replace Attachment A, Sample Contract with Revised Attachment A, Sample Contract

10. Add Attachment H, Summary of Current Platform Functionality

SECTION 3: PROTEST

Protests to this addendum must be submitted in the same manner required in RFP section 4.4.2.