Electric Operations Outage Management and Electronic Logging Software

The City of Palo Alto Utilities is requesting proposals for a fully cloud-hosted Outage Management System, electronic operational logging platform, and switching order management suite, with proposals due October 28, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. and questions due October 14, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. The critical functional requirement is native, automated data synchronization with the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and RC West reporting interfaces, combined with built-in compliance tracking for North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) standards — this integration capability is a primary evaluation signal.

The solution must support authoring, reviewing, and executing high-voltage electrical switching orders; managing planned and unplanned outages; and maintaining auditable electronic control room logs. The platform must be fully cloud-hosted with secure infrastructure, and the vendor must deliver system configuration, testing, comprehensive user and administrator training, and 24/7 technical support and maintenance over five years.

The contract is structured as fixed-fee with progress payments based on percentage of work completed. Year 1 covers software licensing, cloud subscription, implementation, system configuration, CAISO/RC West API setup, and user training (estimated 800 service hours). Years 2 through 5 include annual cloud subscription, 24/7 technical support, system maintenance, and software updates. The City does not pay for services before receipt and will not accept proposals with upfront payment or deposit requirements.

Evaluation criteria (by points): proposed solution quality and native CAISO/RC West API synchronization capability (40 points); proposal quality (10 points); relevant experience with municipal or regional electric utilities (15 points); ongoing service capability (10 points); cost (10 points); compliance with applicable laws and regulations (5 points); financial stability (5 points); and timely performance ability (5 points). Proposers must submit evidence of financial stability — audited financial statements, reviewed financial statements for two years, a letter of good standing from a financial institution or certified public accountant, or a Dun & Bradstreet Business Information Report updated within the last 12 months.

Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance including General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000), and Professional Liability including Errors and Omissions ($1,000,000), with the City named as additional insured. Contact: Ann Marie Romero, annmarie.romero@paloalto.gov, (650) 329-2460.