Municipal Electric Utility (MEU) Feasibility Study – Solicitation Development Form

This is a Solicitation Development Form for a Request for Proposals issued by the City of St. Petersburg, Florida, for a Municipal Electric Utility (MEU) Feasibility Study (ECID Project No. 26133-130). The City seeks qualified consulting firms to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study evaluating the financial, technical, operational, regulatory, and legal implications of establishing a city-owned electric utility to potentially replace Duke Energy Florida. The procurement is structured in three phases: Phase 1 (base award) comprises the core feasibility study including project management, stakeholder engagement, data collection, baseline assessment, financial modeling, and comparative analysis; Phase 2 (optional award) assesses the technical and financial viability of a 100% renewable-powered MEU and compares it to Duke Energy's Clean Energy Connection program; and Phase 3 (optional award) evaluates alternative municipalization options, develops a draft transition plan, and supports public education and engagement. Proposals are due March 19, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. through the City's online bidding portal, with shortlisting scheduled for April 3, 2026, interviews and selection on April 22, 2026, and anticipated council recommendation for award on June 4, 2026. The deadline for submission questions is February 26, 2026. The contract term and renewal options are not specified in the solicitation development form.

The allocated budget for this procurement is $750,000 from Fund 0001, Department 130, Division 1341. No specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises are identified; however, the City requires all vendors to submit a business outreach plan describing efforts to identify and utilize Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), and Women Business Enterprises (WBEs). For service contracts exceeding $200,000, vendors with more than 50 full-time employees must comply with St. Petersburg City Code living wage requirements. No incumbent vendor is identified. Evaluation will employ a point-based system weighted as follows: Experience and Qualifications (35 points), Project Approach (30 points), Fee Summary (20 points), and Business Outreach Plan (15 points). Required insurance includes Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate, Commercial Automobile Liability of $1,000,000, Workers' Compensation as required by Florida law, and Errors & Omissions/Professional Liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence. Responding firms must be registered with the Florida Department of State, comply with E-Verify requirements, maintain current applicable Florida licenses, and provide criminal background compliance per Level 2 screening. Proposals are limited to 45 pages (excluding cover pages and section dividers) and must be submitted as single PDF documents. The City reserves the right to award to one or multiple vendors.