RFP 848614 - Questions from Bidders_Revision 0.pdf

PNNL – PNW Regional Planning Facilitator RFP#: 848614 Amendment 1

August 30, 2024 Questions/Clarifications – Revision 0

1. Are the estimated hours in the pricing proposal form placeholders? Are these hours indicative of the project budget, or are they flexible? Is there a budget range you can share?

They are indicative and not prescriptive and are intended to estimate a reasonable estimate of the work for this project as a baseline and will be used for price evaluation purposes. The award will go to the lowest price, technically acceptable proposal.

2. Are there other consultants the facilitation and engagement team will work with?

There are no other consultants being considered to perform additional duties outside of those described in this request for proposals.

3. Do you have a preference if consultants propose with GSA or standard firm rates?

The rates which are offered to your most favored customers under similar terms and conditions are requested, GSA or Standard firm rates are acceptable.

4. Are there any federal reporting requirements we should be aware of?

Small Business Subcontracting Plan, annual reporting of data related to activity for sub-tier subcontracting.

5. Do you have a range of the number of comments you would expect to need the consultant to log and analyze? Do you have an estimate for the total number of meetings for the Steering Committee, Technical Committee and Work Groups?

The primary tasks will be to support the Steering Committee and the Technical Committee and to some extent the Work Group. The Steering Committee will be presented with a basic communications and engagement plan that might include one or two virtual public engagement opportunities which may result in public comments. At this point we do not know what the Steering Committee will choose to do for public engagement so it is difficult to estimate the number of comments that may be received. There will be additional facilitation funding provided to the contractor if the public outreach is determined to be more ambitious than one or two virtual public meetings.

Steering Committee meetings are likely to be monthly from October through January 2025 and then every other month from then on. Technical Committee meetings may be weekly or every other week through January 2025 and then every other week or monthly thereafter.

6. Is there a page limit for the proposal? Is it ok to include a cover letter in addition to the requested information?

No page limit. It is OK to include a cover letter.

7. Are there any criteria that will be used to evaluate proposals?

There are no other criteria other than the mandatory elements of the technical proposal as described here and the award with go to the lowest priced, technically acceptable proposal:

• Key assumptions; description and theory of facilitation approach; proposed Key Personnel including labor category, educational and professional qualifications; and availability/capacity to commence and sustain work throughout the period of performance. (Attachment B: Labor category descriptions, minimum qualifications and duties)

• Training and techniques related to consensus-building; methods of meeting deadlines with quality output;

understanding of both the energy sector and regional stakeholder needs.

• Experience in providing services of a similar nature and magnitude towards what is described in the Statement of Work; and ability to facilitate large virtual meetings.

• Demonstrated commitment to transparent, inclusive process building and consistent stakeholder engagement; reliably/accurately recording and summarizing meeting history and action items.

• Experience organizing and coordinating multiple concurrent activities.

8. Can you share more about the committee roster finalization process and how much consultant support you anticipate needing?

We anticipate that the Steering Committee roster will be complete before this contract begins. The Technical Committee roster will be partially complete when this contract begins and the SC will get to finalize the roster.

9. How many seats do you anticipate making up the Steering Committee, Technical Committee, and Work Groups?

Steering Committee: @15 to 18. Consultant will be very hands on with SC matters. Decision must be reached on all matters. There will be a mechanism to decide issues if consensus is not reached.

Technical Committee: @15 to 25. Consultant may help organize and track TC meetings but the intention is that this committee will self-actuate based on organization around specific modelling issues. There may be some need for consensus building, but there will be a process to have majority and minority recommendations to the Steering Committee. Ultimately the TC recommendations must be delivered to the SC.

Hydro Work Group: @ 10 to 15. Consultant may help organize and track Hydro Work Group meetings but the intention is that this committee will run itself.

10. What are the desired final work products and outcomes you anticipate for the Steering Committee, Technical Committee and Work Groups?

The final work over all is a completed study in documentary form. The completed study will describe the process, the methodology, and the results of the analysis over several scenarios. PNNL analysts will be writing the analytical elements.

Technical Committee and Hydro Work Group work products are recommendations to the Steering Committee during the pendency of the process.

11. For the website, what level of support are you seeking from the consultant? (e.g., content only, planning and site design, website development and hosting, ongoing maintenance)

The website will be a collaboration of the PNNL media group, PNNL staff, and consultant staff. Consultant may suggest content, design, and provide ongoing updating throughout the study period (but not beyond) in collaboration with PNNL project management staff. PNNL will host the website with content provided by PNNL and augmented by consultant.

12. Can you please clarify which task the following language is tied to (p.2 of SOW)? “The Contractor will also be a contributor to the final study report(s), which Battelle will lead. The Contractor will provide advice on the content of the report based on the outputs of the engagement process and provide written summaries of issues discussed in the process to inform the study drafting.”

PNNL staff will lead the work on the final study report but may seek input from consultant on preferences and recommendations developed by the Steering Committee. Therefore, this activity would fit under Task 3 Support Committees. To clarify, we have amended the SOW to make that clear.

13. Can you clarify the process for how you will evaluate the lowest price proposal?

The award will go to the lowest priced, technically acceptable proposal. The pricing proposal requirements are located in Attachment A and technical requirements are located in section 4 of the proposal submittal requirements, technical proposal section.

14. Can you share a list of bidders that have expressed interest in this proposal?

No, we cannot share the list of bidders that have expressed interest. This is an open competitive solicitation.

15. What is the anticipated frequency and duration of meetings for each of the following committees?

o Steering Committee o Technical Committee o Technical sub-committees

Steering Committee meetings are likely to be monthly from October through January 2025 and then every other month from then on. Technical Committee meetings may be weekly or every other week through January 2025 and then every other week or monthly thereafter. Hydro Operations Working Group will likely meet a handful of times.

16. To what extent are committee members already identified and aware of their role?

Committee members are not yet identified. A process is underway to develop the committee rosters. The Steering Committee will be announced in late September. The Technical Committee members will be in development during that time and it is anticipated that the Steering Committee will review and augment that roster. Clear roles will be described in a charter for the committees. That charter has been drafted and awaits review, amendment and confirmation by the Steering Committee.

17. What is your current thinking about the composition of the Technical Working Group and how you might divide up the three technical working groups that would help provide guidance on inputs and assumptions and/or scenarios?

The Technical Committee will work closely with PNNL modelers to work on modeling and data issues. There is a possibility of sub-groups for smaller groups to focus on issues. At this time, we are anticipating some organic organization around the issues to be discussed and carved out.

18. What is the anticipated size of the Steering Committee, Technical Committee, and Technical sub-committees?

Steering Committee: @15 to 18. Consultant will be very hands on with SC matters. Decision must be reached on matters. There will be a mechanism to decide issues if consensus is not reached.

Technical Committee: @15 to 25. Consultant may help organize and track TC meetings but the intention is that this committee will self-actuate based on organization around specific modelling issues. There may be some need for consensus building, but there will be a process to have majority and minority recommendations to the Steering Committee. Ultimately the TC recommendations must be delivered to the SC.

Hydro Work Group: @ 10 to 15. Consultant may help organize and track Hydro Work Group meetings but the intention is that this committee will run itself.

19. To support budget assumptions, what is the current thinking about the size and frequency of meetings for the

Stakeholder Input Committee, if it is convened?

Steering Committee meetings are likely to be monthly from October through January 2025 and then every other month from then on. Technical Committee meetings may be weekly or every other week through January 2025 and then every other week or monthly thereafter. Hydro Operations Working Group will likely meet a handful of times.

20. You mention both travel to Seattle/Portland and virtual meetings. To what extent do you anticipate meetings be in person vs. virtual?

The first Steering Committee meeting may be in person. It is assumed that all other committee meetings will be virtual.

21. Should the budget cover possible venue rental and AV costs?

PNNL will cover rental and AV costs.

22. How should we handle the consultant team’s travel budget—should it be incorporated into rates or a line item in the proposal? (Not included in Pricing Proposal Form)

The details of travel requirements are unknown at this time and although there may be some travel for internal meetings, they will not be frequent and most of all committee meetings will be virtual. The RFP included an estimated number of labor hours only for evaluation purposes.

For proposal purposes, bidders should add an assumption $5,000.00 for travel and add this amount to the total proposed amount in Attachment A. All travel to be billed at actuals per Federal Travel Regulations.

23. To support budget assumptions, what is the current thinking about the approach for Tribal community input opportunities?

Outreach plans will be further developed by the Steering Committee. It is not anticipated that there will be a unique outreach to Tribal communities. The Steering Committee will have several Tribal members and they will help identify outreach pathways.

24. To what extent will facilitators be providing advice on modeling or other technical aspects of the analysis? (vs.

helping to translate technical information) Facilitators will not be providing advice on modeling or technical aspects of the analysis.

25. How much do you plan to rely on the input of stakeholders to develop data and assumptions, as well as scenarios, versus bringing your assumptions and scenarios to the group for review and consent?

The premise of this project is that stakeholders will provide significant input into the process and the development of the study scope. Stakeholders will be invited to help develop data, comment on methodologies, and advise on cost curves, load forecasts and other technical matters. Some stakeholders will be invited to supply data.

26. RFP proposal requirements:

a. Is there a page limit for the response? No

b. Should the response include resumes? Yes.

c. Should the response include references? Yes, if it’s needed to support your technical proposal.

d. For the budget, can we adjust hour allocations from the Pricing Proposal Form between labor categories?

No, the Pricing Proposal Form cannot be modified. The Pricing Proposal Form is to ensure all bids are equal and will establish the total proposed contract amount.

i. Can we add labor categories? Same response as question d above.

ii. Can we combine project manager hours with another category at the same rate? Same as above.

e. The RFP says that the study process is expected to last approximately 18 months (p.1). However, on page 7 the schedule says the project runs from November 2024 to November 2025, which is only 12 months. Can you clarify the timeline for the project?

This table on page 7 shows dates when modelers need certain inputs and when some outputs are ready. The project will run from July 2024 (internal PNNL data gathering) through December 2025.

27. Our firm is a small business that will be partnering with a subcontractor (that is a small non-profit). For previous federal projects we have been exempt from doing a subcontracting plan since we are a small business and anticipate doing 50% or more of the work ourselves. Can you clarify whether that would exempt us or whether we are required to fill out a small business subcontracting plan and submit with our proposal?

As a small business you would be exempt from completing a small business subcontracting plan.

You can propose lower-tier subcontractor rates as if they are contractor rates. The labor requirements are to be consistent regardless of which tier contractor is performing the work. The evaluation is based on labor rates provided as stated/required in the RFP, and should your standard category name be something different, you should be able to review the RFP categories/descriptions and provide a crosswalk or information that links their standard Labor categories with the RFP Labor categories.

28. Given the Labor Day holiday and the likely timing of receipt of answers to questions, would a one-week extension be possible?

There are no extensions allowed at this time.

29. Is this work currently being performed for PNNL, and if so, can you provide who the incumbent is?

The work described in the SOW has not commenced. Currently PNNL staff is working on foundational activities such as drafting documents, meeting with stakeholders, and communicating with the U.S. Department of Energy. The SOW sets out clear tasks associated with future aspects of the committee structure.

30. Can one person be proposed to support two labor category roles (i.e. Principal/Director AND Senior Associate)?

Yes, one person can be proposed for multiple labor categories, as long as they meet the minimum requirements stated in Attachment B, Labor Category Descriptions.

31. For the Project Manager, can years of experience be substituted for the degree requirement given the small amount of associated scope and hours?

All minimum requirements are stated in Attachment B, Labor Category Descriptions. As these are minimum requirements, they can not be substituted.

32. Task 4 includes “develop key messages, informational materials, a website, and on-going public input process for collecting and responding to comments”. There is no place for associated website development and hosting costs in the pricing proposal form. Will PNNL provide website hosting and support? If not, how would those associated costs be captured in the pricing proposal? None of the labor category descriptions/duties include a reference to website development.

The website will be a collaboration of the PNNL media group, PNNL staff, and consultant staff. Consultant may suggest content, design, and provide ongoing updating throughout the study period (but not beyond) in collaboration with PNNL project management staff. PNNL will host the website with content provided by PNNL and augmented by consultant.

33. Would other regulatory and stakeholder facilitation experience in the Pacific Northwest be considered in lieu of experience working with investor-owned and/or consumer-owned utilities in the Pacific Northwest?

This is difficult to answer without knowing the particulars. Non-energy regulatory matters will not meet the need for this project. This project is entirely focused on the electricity sector, in terms of stakeholder presence, policy needs, and system operations. There may well be gradations of actual experience with energy matters, however there is no replacement for that through non-energy regulatory work.