Consulting services - avoided costs

The Public Service Commission of South Carolina is soliciting consulting services for an Avoided Cost Proceeding (Docket No. 2025-17-E) related to Duke Energy Progress, LLC's 2025 avoided cost rates. This Request for Proposal seeks qualified independent third-party consultants to evaluate avoided cost methodologies, calculations, terms, and conditions, pursuant to the South Carolina Energy Freedom Act. Mandatory qualifications require offerors to be independent third parties who can comply with ex parte laws, respond to discovery, be deposed, and potentially testify before the Commission. Key deliverables include providing expert analysis and hourly consulting services with detailed documentation. Proposal submission is due October 18, 2024, at 2:00 PM EST through the state procurement portal (www.procurement.sc.gov), with questions accepted until August 28, 2024, at 2:00 PM EST. Evaluation criteria will encompass qualifications, performance data, staff expertise, public interviews, conflicts of interest certification, and pricing. The estimated contract period runs from November 1, 2024, through December 31, 2025, with the Commission selecting the most advantageous offer.

The solicitation does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Reimbursement for the selected consultant(s) will include actual documented expenses, with lodging limited to GSA maximum rates and meals capped at $35 per day within South Carolina or $50 per day outside the state, subject to written approval. The Commission may award contracts to multiple qualified consultants for the same docket, providing flexibility in vendor selection. All offerors must register as state vendors prior to submission and acknowledge any solicitation amendments. While no specific budget range is detailed, contractors will be compensated via hourly rates submitted as a separate pricing document. The final contract award will be determined by Public Service Commission Commissioners during a public Business Meeting, with the selection based on the most advantageous proposal to the State of South Carolina.