S27003 NEM Workgroup Public Notice.pdf

Public Notice for OPC Solicitation # S27003

Solicitation Title: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS OF THE MARYLAND OFFICE

OF PEOPLE’S COUNSEL – CONSULTING SERVICES FOR PC 78

Summary:

The Maryland Office of People’s Counsel is an independent state agency which represents the interests of residential and noncommercial users in all matters or proceedings before the Maryland Public Service Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In all such matters and proceedings, OPC has the rights of counsel for a party to the proceeding, including the right to participate in all discovery, motions, hearings, and appeals. The duties and powers of OPC are set forth in Public Utilities Article §§ 2-204 and 2-205. Following the 2021 Legislative Session, the Maryland General Assembly expanded OPC’s mandate to require OPC to consider the “environmental interests of the State and its residents, including the State’s progress toward meeting its greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals.”

OPC is seeking expert engineering, economic, and accounting consulting services to support OPC’s participation in Public Conference 78, which concerns the development of Maryland’s successor net energy metering program, known as NEM 2.0. The consultant will assist OPC in evaluating NEM 2.0 program design issues, including the value of distributed generation, ratepayer costs and benefits, impacts on nonparticipating customers, stakeholder proposals, potential legislative or regulatory recommendations, and utility tariff implementation issues.

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Because this solicitation is related to pending litigation, the nature of the services to be performed for OPC require confidentiality. For additional information, contact OPC Procurement Officer, Sarah DeMaio at Sarah.DeMaio@maryland.gov.

All bids must be received by July 29, 2026 at 5 P.M. EST. Bids must be mailto:Sarah.DeMaio@maryland.gov submitted by email to OPC.RFP1@maryland.gov. You must submit a signed copy of the bid on your firm’s letterhead, signed by an officer, partner or proprietor of the firm no later than the bid deadline.

EVALUATION AND AWARD

• If your offer is selected, you will be required to sign certain State of Maryland affidavits regarding campaign contributions, drug policy, payment of taxes, debarment, discrimination, etc. See attached for sample agreements and affidavits.

Please contact the Procurement Officer, Sarah P. DeMaio (contact information below) if you have any questions or concerns about the sample agreement and affidavits.

• If your bid is selected, your business must be registered with the Maryland State

Department of Assessments and Taxation as a business licensed to conduct business in Maryland. If your business is a sole proprietorship or general partnership, your registration must be active. If your business is a corporation or LLC, your registration must be active and “in good standing.” To check your registration status visit https://egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch

• The Office of People’s Counsel reserves the right to cancel this RFP; accept or reject any and all proposals, in whole or in part, received in response to this RFP;

waive or permit the cure of minor irregularities; and conduct discussions with all qualified or potentially qualified Offerors in any manner necessary to serve the best interests of the OPC. The OPC also reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to award a contract based upon the written proposals received without discussions or negotiations. Further, the OPC reserves the right to issue an award solely for any part or parts of the solicitation.

• Proposals will be reviewed based on the following categories and weightings:

Technical Expertise (40%), Quality of Issue or Policy Identification (40%), Price (20%).

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Questions related to this public notice may be sent to OPC Procurement Officer, Sarah DeMaio at Sarah.DeMaio@maryland.gov. Additionally, questions may be posed by phone at 410-767-8155. As questions are posed, the question and the answer will be circulated by email to all potential bidders.

Thank you for your interest in working with Maryland’s Office of People’s Counsel.

mailto:OPC.RFP1@maryland.gov https://egov.maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch mailto:Sarah.DeMaio@maryland.gov