RFP_-_PSC_07222024_SB_783_Brighter_Tomorrow_Web_Portal.pdf

COMMISSIONERS

FREDERICK H. HOOVER, JR.

CHAIR

MICHAEL T. RICHARD

ANTHONY J. O’DONNELL

KUMAR P. BARVE

BONNIE A. SUCHMAN

STATE OF MARYLAND

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

1 | Page WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER TOWER ∙ 6 ST. PAUL STREET ∙ BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202-6806

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0 General Information

Solicitation Title: SB783 Brighter Tomorrow Act Web Portal Contract Monitor: Brett Sproul, Technical Advisor Estimated Commencement Date:

December 1, 2024

Pre-Proposal Conference

Pre-Proposal Conference for PSC_07222024 - Brighter Tomorrow Act Web Portal Wednesday, September 25 · 2:00 – 3:00 pm Time zone: America/New York Google Meet joining info Video call link: https://meet.google.com/uqq-szog-rkd Or dial: 3917-438-(US) +1 413 PIN: 552 927 392#

Contract Duration: 2-year term Estimated Workload and/or Contract Value

Small Procurement Category III – COMAR 21.05.07.04

I Scope of Work

The Public Service Commission of Maryland (Commission, PSC) is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to hire a qualified consultant to develop a Renewable Energy Certification (REC) Web Portal.

The new system will provide an online experience that facilitates the registration process for qualified renewable energy facilities. The database is expected to be cloud-based. A user interface currently exists for applicants to file their applications electronically1. The applications are then reviewed by Commission staff for completeness and a weekly report is generated and sent to PJM Environmental Information Services (PJM-EIS), also known as GATS (Generator Attribute Tracking System). Data flow and decision trees can be found in the appendix to this document. The Commission received an average of approximately 830 PV Solar (SREC) applications per month in 2023. The majority of these are residential rooftop systems.

This initial contract will be for the development of the PV Solar portal. A subsequent procurement process will be executed to incorporate the existing database of 80,000 PV solar certificates and to broaden the scope to include other Tier2 1 renewables such as Solar Hot Water (STH), Geothermal Heating and Cooling (GTH), and others. The subsequent permanent contract will also include processing the applications. The formal approved application database exists at GATS. The

1 A sample application can be found in the appendix.

2 Tier 1 includes everything except hydro which is tier 2, according to the statute.

https://meet.google.com/uqq-szog-rkd https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/21.05.07.04.aspx

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In 2024, the Maryland Legislature enacted SB783 (Brighter Tomorrow Act). This legislation further modifies the SREC process to allow for application fees and other processes that will be included in the new portal for the first time. The new portal is also expected to include new inter-active data fields such as those required separately for utility scale systems3. The contracts are not expected to include the annual RPS compliance report which will continue to be prepared by Commission staff. SB783 also increases the banking duration of certificates from 3 years to 5 years.

I.A Summary Statement

The Public Service Commission of Maryland requires the services of a qualified contractor to assist with the implementation of its Small Solar Energy Generating System Incentive Program, complying with Maryland 2024 Senate Bill 783, The Brighter Tomorrow Act.

I.B Background, Purpose and Goals

The Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) was established in 2004 to capture the economic, environmental, fuel diversity, and security benefits of renewable energy; establish a market for renewable energy in Maryland; and lower the cost of obtaining electricity generated from renewable sources. The Maryland’s RPS Program does this by gradually increasing the amount of renewable energy electricity suppliers must procure from renewable sources by 2030 to 50 percent, at least 14.5% derived from solar energy, as most recently updated by the Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2019. On May 18, 2021, HB1007 (2021) altered the RPS for post-2022 to require a certain percentage of renewable sources each year to be derived from GHC systems.

As Maryland’s RPS increases, the state’s renewable energy resources will continue to grow. The consultant shall produce a prototype of the portal within 40 days from the start date of the contract so that staff can make improvements and corrections. The final approved product required by this solicitation is due to the Commission within 61 Days of the Contract commencement date. The final product is not complete until the Contract Manager approves it in writing.

3 See the data request used by the Commission for solar projects greater than 1 MW, found in the appendix to this RFP.

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The Commission is seeking an experienced consultant in IT, web development and engineering that has expertise in leading-edge software and web application design. It is highly preferred that the consultant has 5 years plus of experience processing and approving renewable applications that are registered at PJM/GATS. The RPS is currently codified in COMAR 20.61. The REC application process is codified in COMAR 20.61.02. Community Solar Systems are described in COMAR 20.62, and the Small Generator Interconnection Standards can be found in COMAR

20.50.09. These regulations are subject to change.

Filing Requirements for PV Solar Applicants

1. Certificate of Completion (COC) or Interconnection Agreement (IA) from the utility showing system size in DC kws, facility address, account holder name and date of final approval and acceptance. Document should have an Electric Distribution Company (EDC) logo and a recognizable signatory. The Maryland PSC previously provided standard interconnection forms for all Maryland Utilities. However, EDCs in Maryland now post their own interconnection forms for the various levels according to COMAR 20.50.09.

2. Certificate of Good Standing if the system owner is a business (LLC, Inc).

3. Response to Data Request for systems greater than 1 MW. This document includes details about PJM Wholesale Registration, Type of metering (net, aggregate, virtual, community solar), applicable environmental reviews, county building permits.

4. GATS schedule A (optional)

5. County building permits. This has not been required, although many applicants provide it.

According to SB783, it will now be required, going forward.

6. Conformity with the application requirements of other states is possible providing Maryland requirements are met.

Miscellaneous Notes

1. Maryland does not issue SRECS certificates for out-of-state solar systems.

2. Maryland does not recognize out-of-state systems through the GATS reciprocity program.

3. Offshore wind credits (ORECS) are covered by COMAR 20.62. However, they are not expected to be part of the envisioned portal.

4. Maryland does certificate some out of state systems such as land-based wind and hydro projects.

I.B.a State Staff and Roles

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In addition to the Procurement Officer and Contract Monitor, the Awardee will interact with other internal and external, as prescribed and approved by Contract Monitor, stakeholders as part of the completion of phase II of this request.

I.B.b Other State Responsibilities

A. If necessary, The State will provide normal office working facilities and equipment reasonably necessary for Contractor performance under the Contract. Any special requirements (e.g., reprographic services, computer time, key data entry) shall be identified.

B. The State is responsible for providing the required information, data, documentation, and test data to facilitate the Contractor’s performance of the work and will provide such additional assistance and services as is specifically set forth.

I.C Requirements and Tasks

1. Transport all historical data into a new portal.

2. All database fields should be searchable for specific reports. The web system shall have the ability to pull data and generate reports such as current status reports, analytical reports, etc. All reports should be able to be downloaded into a csv excel file; whereas the GATS report also forwarded to PJM/GATS to be uploaded in a csv excel file format.

3. Each application will be assigned an ID number and shall be treated as a draft until final approval. The application ID number will hold all notification and confirmation emails associated with it in a separate folder labeled with the ID number. Applicants will be able to update the application until it is approved. Approved applications shall be issued a unique confirmation number (state certification number), and it will be emailed to the applicant after approval.

4. The administrator shall be able to search and view the application submission by using key elements such as application ID number, facility address, facility name, and applicant’s names. A sort feature shall allow the administrator to find the status of each transaction and access historical information.

5. Required documents should be labeled on the online application. System is able to upload all file formats such as portable document format, Microsoft Word, etc. All uploaded documents

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6. The online application should be tailored to the Interconnection Agreement Certificate of Completion. Once the Interconnection Agreement Certificate of Connection is uploaded it shall be used to auto-fill the data into the online application. Applicants shall have the ability to modify and verify the auto-fill data. System size and final approval and sign off are key data points for the application.

7. Proposed change and proposed growth applications should have a button where applicants can click to request documents needed in order to submit a complete application. The portal should incorporate a section where the administrator could see the request which will include who is requesting this document and be able to approve the request. Once approved, the documents should automatically be added to the online application. If the new portal does not have the documents, the administrator will be alerted to deny or override the request.

8. The facility address on the online application should be broken down into street number, street name, thoroughfare, quadrant, apartment number, city, and state. The thoroughfare, city, and state should have a drop-down to help the applicant fill out the application faster. After the address is completed by the applicant, the portal should recommend an existing postal address where the applicant can agree to use or to keep the manual entry.

9. Implement an enforceable e-signature tool for an affidavit of general compliance that will be provided to you by the PSC. The eSignature will be placed on the application certificate after approval for customers to have.

10. Web portal software shall scan specific data pertinent to the online application and have the ability to check for duplicate applications from the information the applicant enters into the system.

11. The web portal shall provide a submission confirmation and status updates throughout the entire application process to both applicant and administrator. Applicants shall receive a submission confirmation, rejection notice, and approval notice by email.

12. Create a live dashboard for administrators. Dashboard should show key performance indicators (KPIs) and data visuals for administrators. See current dashboard in the appendix. The system shall have the ability to save user performance data. The dashboard should consist of visual data models and notifications.

13. Incorporate visual data models that display the current application queue status. This should be located on a main dashboard. administrators should be able to filter the data based on

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14. Administrators shall have the ability to review and validate information on the online application with the uploaded documents. Administrators shall have the ability to bring back applications into the queue after approval. Applications are dismissed if they are not updated in a timely manner after rejection. Applications that are withdrawn or approved in error are decertified.

The system will record user history that tracks who and when a change is made to an application.

15. Incorporate a notification inbox on a main dashboard. This inbox shall receive reminders and communication updates from the contractor and applicants. Data updates, application submissions, application rejections, and application approvals can be accessed through this inbox. The administrator shall have the ability to view the notifications and receive reminders of outstanding applications in the queue. This inbox will be used for communication between the PSC and the contractor/ developers in case of any technical errors and troubleshooting.

16. The web portal shall be maintained by the developer. System and enhancement shall be managed by the developer. Security features shall be integrated into the web portal to prevent security vulnerability against cybersecurity threats and unauthorized users. Determine the overall capacity and storage requirements of the application and data archival. Daily data integrity checks to ensure the correct data is accepted into the system and the system is functioning correctly. The database shall be cloud-based.

17. Rejected and incomplete applications require a notification to allow the applicant to respond and fulfill the submission requirement. Updated applications should move to the front of the rejection queue and a notification or alert should be sent to the administrator for outstanding work to prevent backlogs. A log should be maintained for all applications documenting the date of receipt and the date of rejection or approval of the application. If an application is rejected, the reason(s) should be noted. Allow 7 business days for applicants to respond to requests for information or make corrections then the system will send an automatic reminder notification.

After 14 days the application will be dismissed, and a notification will be sent to the applicant.

18. Required annual training tutorials for aggregators and third parties that submit applications on behalf of the system owner or customers. This will include an e-Signature page after training.

19. The final page of the application should include an electronic payment option for all applications. Application fees have been established by SB783 in the PUC statute. Applications of less than 20 kw must be charged $50 and applications 20kw or more must be charged $200 upon approval. Upon submission there will be a pending charge and upon approval it will be

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20. The portal will generate automatic emails with the attached certificate and letter order. These emails shall be stored indefinitely in a PV solar mailbox and be searchable by application number, certificate number, date range, and applicant name.

21. The successful contractor shall propose a method for locating inactive systems and detecting fraudulent entries in the GATs system (PJM-eis) for REC generation and recordation. Such systems shall be decertified. The effective date of missed production should be determined if possible so that PJM can be notified about possible retraction of credits that have been awarded in error.

I.D Deliverables

Table 1: Deliverables Summary Table*

ID # Deliverable Description** Acceptance Criteria Due Date /

Frequency**

Password Protected Online

Portal including Software

Accessible 24 x7 and 365 days per year, except for required maintenance and modifications.

Comply to all state’s Cyber

Security guidelines.

Agreed upon Go-Live

Date between

Contactor and PSC

Importing all existing application data into the new portal

Ability to electronically import, accept and normalize data, with manual entry capabilities to fix and add.

Agreed upon Go-Live

Date between

Contactor and PSC

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ID # Deliverable Description** Acceptance Criteria Due Date /

Frequency**

3 Contact List

Designated Point of Contact for training and troubleshooting

Monday thru Friday 8:00 am to 5 pm, excluding Federal Holidays.

At time of award

Create a standardized

Interconnection Agreement

Certificate of Completion with the Public Service Commission.

This document should be able to upload into the portal, save as a document, and auto fill key information into the online application.

At time of award

Create the infrastructure for all four application types.

Criteria and questions will be provided by the PSC. All online applications should be user-friendly, structured and functional for applicants to enter information accordingly and to complete the entire process.

Agreed upon Go-Live

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ID # Deliverable Description** Acceptance Criteria Due Date /

Frequency**

6 Portal Welcome Page

The main page should be a welcome page with tutorial guides for both independent applicants and third-party applicants on how to complete each application type. It shall have a menu that can direct applicants to the next step in completing the application process.

Agreed upon Go-Live

Date between

Contactor and PSC

7 User dashboard

The online application should have data visuals to ensure the applicant knows the status of their application (The initial review, rejection queue, and approval stage). The dashboard should have an area where applicants can interact with the

PSC and check on application status.

Agreed upon Go-Live

Date between

Contactor and PSC

8 Notification Inbox

Applicants should have the ability to message the PSC through the portal.

Agreed upon Go-Live

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ID # Deliverable Description** Acceptance Criteria Due Date /

Frequency**

9 Administrative dashboard

The administrative dashboard should have data visuals to showcase the current queue status such as which application is waiting to be reviewed, rejection queue, initial review queue, and the number of applications approved based on the day, month and year. It should also include the weekly and monthly turnover time for applications. The notification alerts should be located on the administrative dashboard which will notify the PSC on any outstanding application.

Agreed upon Go-Live

Date between

Contactor and PSC

10 PJM-GATS report Tab

Weekly reports of all approved certifications should be generated on a csv file. Data template will be proved by the

PSC.

Agreed upon Go-Live

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ID # Deliverable Description** Acceptance Criteria Due Date /

Frequency**

11 Payment Page

Online electronic payment should be established, and automatic receipts should be emailed to applicants once the payment is completed.

Agreed upon Go-Live

*The deliverables summary table may not list every contractually required deliverable. Offerors and Contractors should read the RFP thoroughly for all Contract requirements and deliverables.

**Items marked “if requested” or “if necessary”, may only be exercised at the sole discretion of and if directed by the Commission. Items not exercised shall not be billed by the contractor and will not be paid for by the Commission.

II Contractor Requirements

II.A Contract Initiation Requirements

Contractor shall schedule and hold a kickoff meeting within 10 Business Days of NTP Date.

II.B End of Contract Transition

N/A

II.C Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based upon application of the following Evaluation Criteria:

The prospective Consultant shall demonstrate experience in each of the following areas:

A. Staff qualifications – education, length of experience, types of position held, length of service with the firm, etc.) and suitability for the project (experiences of performing the duties assigned to them aligning with the Commission’s SOW.)

B. Vendors’ Capabilities

C. Work Plans to achieve the desired outcome

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D. Approach and Methodology

E. References – Provide up to three references that collectively attest that the prospective offeror has provided similar services, which should include the following:

i. Client name and contact information (phone number, email address),

ii. Project name (time frame of project, results achieved),

iii. Description of the project (explain how the project meets the listed requirements).

Ratings for Acceptability Criteria

BEST VALUE ONLY — Each criterion will be rated using the following adjectival scoring method.

Definition of adjectival rankings:

• Exceptional: Exceeds specified performance or capability in a beneficial way to the Commission and has no weakness.

• Acceptable: Meets evaluation standards required under the technical provisions.

Weaknesses are correctable.

• Marginal: Fails to meet evaluation standards; however, any significant deficiencies are correctable. Lacks essential information to support a proposal. Marginal ratings must be resolved prior to award.

• Unacceptable: Fails to meet an acceptable evaluation standard and the deficiency is uncorrectable. The proposal would have to undergo a major revision to become acceptable. Demonstrated lack of understanding of the Commission's requirements or omissions of major areas.

A rating of "Acceptable" or higher is required to be eligible for award consideration. Offerors are cautioned to be aware of this standard when preparing proposals.

III Period of Performance

The period of performance commences from the date of award or notice to proceed whichever is earlier and continues through the end of the base period which is two (2) years. The Procurement Officer may extend the period of performance by exercising any option years, if applicable, which is subject to the

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IV Invoicing

a. General

B. The Contractor shall e-mail the original of each invoice to the Contract Monitor at the e-mail addresses: christine.ugwa@maryland.gov;

matthew.phillips1@maryland.gov

C. All invoices for services shall be verified by the Contractor as accurate at the time of submission.

D. An invoice not satisfying the requirements of a Proper Invoice (as defined at

COMAR 21.06.09.01 and .02) cannot be processed for payment. To be considered a Proper Invoice, invoices must include the following information, without error:

E. Contractor name and address;

F. Remittance address;

G. Federal taxpayer identification (FEIN) number, social security number, as appropriate;

H. Invoice period (i.e. time period during which services covered by invoice were performed);

I. Invoice date;

J. Invoice number;

K. State assigned Contract number;

L. State assigned (Blanket) Purchase Order number(s);

mailto:christine.ugwa@maryland.gov

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M. Goods or services provided;

N. Amount due; and

O. Any additional documentation required by regulation or the Contract.

P. Invoices that contain both fixed price and time and material items shall clearly identify each item as either fixed price or time and material billing.

Q. The Commission reserves the right to reduce or withhold Contract payment in the event the Contractor does not provide the Commission with all required deliverables within the time frame specified in the Contract or otherwise breaches the terms and conditions of the Contract until such time as the

Contractor brings itself into full compliance with the Contract.

R. Any action on the part of the Commission, or dispute of action by the Contractor, shall be in accordance with the provisions of Md. Code Ann., State Finance and

Procurement Article §§ 15-215 through 15-223 and with COMAR 21.10.04.

S. The State is generally exempt from federal excise taxes, Maryland sales and use taxes, District of Columbia sales taxes and transportation taxes. The Contractor;

however, is not exempt from such sales and use taxes and may be liable for the same.

T. Invoices for final payment shall be clearly marked as “FINAL” and submitted when all work requirements have been completed and no further charges are to be incurred under the Contract. In no event shall any invoice be submitted later than 60 calendar days from the Contract termination date.

U. Payment under this Contract will not be made until after certification is received from the Comptroller of the State that all taxes have been paid.

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b. Invoice Submission Schedule

The Contractor shall submit invoices in accordance with the following schedule:

A. For items of work for which there is one-time pricing, those items shall be billed in the month following the acceptance of the work by the Commission.

B. For items of work for which there is annual pricing, those items shall be billed in equal monthly installments for the applicable Contract year in the month following the performance of the services.

C. Deliverable billing may be combined, as long as the resulting invoice does not conflict with above mentioned provisions, and lists each Deliverable as an individual line item, including the title, price, date of delivery and acceptance.

c. Deliverable Invoicing

A. Payment for deliverables will only be made upon completion and acceptance of the deliverables as defined in Section I.D.

d. For the purposes of the Contract an amount will not be deemed due and payable if:

A. The amount invoiced is inconsistent with the Contract;

B. The proper invoice has not been received by the party or office specified in the

Contract;

C. The invoice or performance is in dispute or the Contractor has failed to otherwise comply with the provisions of the Contract;

D. The item or services have not been accepted;

E. The quantity of items delivered is less than the quantity ordered;

F. The items or services do not meet the quality requirements of the Contract;

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G. If the Contract provides for progress payments, the proper invoice for the progress payment has not been submitted pursuant to the schedule;

H. If the Contract provides for withholding a retainage and the invoice is for the retainage, all stipulated conditions for release of the retainage have not been met; or

I. The Contractor has not submitted satisfactory documentation or other evidence reasonably required by the Procurement Officer or by the Contract concerning performance under the Contract and compliance with its provisions.

e. Travel Reimbursement

A. There shall be no reimbursement for Routine Travel. Contractor shall not be reimbursed for

Non-Routine Travel without prior Contract Monitor approval.

B. Routine Travel is defined as travel within a 50-mile radius of the Commission’s base location, as identified in the RFP, or the Contractor’s facility, whichever is closer to the consulting site. There will be no payment for labor hours for travel time or reimbursement for any travel expenses for work performed within these radiuses or at the Contractor’s facility.

C. Non-routine Travel is defined as travel beyond the 50-mile radius of

Commission’s base location, as identified in the RFP, or the Contractor’s facility, whichever is closer to the consulting site. Non-routine travel will be reimbursed according to the State’s travel regulations and reimbursement rates, which can be found at: https://dbm.maryland.gov/ - search: Fleet Management. The

Contractor may bill for labor hours expended in non-routine traveling beyond the identified 50-mile radius, only if so specified in the RFP.

V Basis of Award https://dbm.maryland.gov/

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The Commission will award a contract to the responsible offeror whose proposal conforms to the solicitation and is determined to be judged to be the most advantageous based on an overall assessment of technical merit and price in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria. In conducting this assessment, the Commission is more concerned with obtaining superior technical or business management features than with making an award based on the lowest overall cost to the

Commission. However, the Commission will not make an award at a significantly higher price or cost to achieve only slightly superior technical or management features.

VI Form of Response

Proposals shall fully describe, where applicable, how the offeror will perform each task listed in

Section 0, and state who will perform each task.

Electronic proposal submission shall be divided into 2 volumes. All volumes shall have the

Solicitation number, the proposer's identity, volume number, and volume title printed on a cover page. Volumes shall be individually uploaded in the following order:

i) Volume I -- Technical — consists of Offeror's technical proposal in compliance with the SOW. (Shall not include cost/price information)

The Technical Proposal shall include:

1) A narrative demonstrating the offeror’s understanding of the Commission’s needs and requirements;

2) An explanation of how the offeror proposes to accomplish each task listed in the scope of work and to provide the required deliverables;

3) Proof of qualifications;

4) References supporting the Offer Qualifications;

5) Resumes for each proposed team member;

6) The Proposal Affidavit; and

7) The Non-Disclosure Agreement for Offerors.

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ii) Volume II – Financial — consists of the Offeror's cost/price proposal

The Financial Proposal shall include:

1) Firmed Fixed Price Proposal Price and Schedule.

2) Individually list a proposed price for each deliverable, as defined in Section I.D;

3) Fully loaded rate per hour and proposed hours for each person assigned to the respective deliverable. The fully loaded rate shall include total travel expenses

(transportation, hotel, and food) for one (1) in-person appearance.

The Total Proposal Price shall be fully loaded, that includes, but is not limited to, labor, profit/overhead, general operating, administrative, travel expenses, and all other expenses and costs necessary associated with the provision of services as required. No other amounts will be paid to the offeror.

A pre-proposal conference shall be scheduled via Google Meets on September 25, 2024. Please submit attendees and email addresses by 02:00 PM, EST September 24, 2024, to Devan B. Perry at devan.perry1@maryland.gov. Questions regarding this solicitation shall be submitted no later than

October 8, 2024. Proposals shall be submitted via email to the Procurement Officer at procurement.psc@maryland.gov, no later than November 1, 2024, at 3:00 pm Local Time. No other form of submission can be considered.

The successful offeror will be issued a State of Maryland Purchase Order. PSC will pay a set price not-to-exceed the Total Proposal Price, after receiving an acceptable product and an appropriate invoice.

Attached are the Bid/Proposal Affidavit (Attachment C), the NDA for Offerors (Appendix-3), the Sample

Contract (Attachment M), the Contract Affidavit (Attachment N), Sample Solar Certification - Initial mailto:devan.perry1@maryland.gov mailto:procurement.psc@maryland.gov

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410-767-8000 ∙ Toll Free: 1-800-492-0474 ∙ FAX: 410-333-6495

MDRS: 1-800-735-2258 (TTY/Voice) ∙ Website: www.psc.state.md.us

Application and SREC Data Request Forms (Appendix 1 and 2), and the NDA for Contractors (Attachment

I).

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Best, Devan B. Perry

Procurement Officer

Maryland Public Service Commission

6 St. Paul St, 16th Floor

Baltimore, Maryland 21202-6806 e: procurement.psc@maryland.gov p: (410) 767-8308 w: https://www.psc.state.md.us https://www.psc.state.md.us/