Integrated Resource Plan

City Water, Light & Power (CWLP), the municipal utility for the City of Springfield, Illinois, is requesting proposals for development of a comprehensive Integrated Resource Plan covering a 20-year resource outlook, with proposals due August 20, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. local time. Compliance with 220 ILCS 31 (the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Transparent Planning Act) is a mandatory requirement.

The vendor will manage the entire project scope: overall project management, load-forecast development and refinement, model construction and execution, public engagement (at minimum two public meetings and two City Council presentations), complete documentation and reporting, and regulatory analysis and coordination. CWLP retains oversight, input-data provision, methodology review and approval, and final approval of results. The utility serves approximately 68,000 electric customer meters and provides water service to approximately 160,000 people. All work must be completed by December 31, 2027, with key milestones including authorization to proceed by September 2026, initial public meeting by October/November 2026, preliminary IRP posting by July 2027, and final submission to the Illinois Power Agency by October/November 2027.

The vendor must demonstrate a minimum of 10 years of electricity sector experience, directly employ personnel with graduate degrees in economics, mathematics, engineering, or related fields, demonstrate expertise in wholesale electricity market rules and MISO operations, and provide evidence of prior IRP development experience for generation-owning utilities and municipal electric systems.

Proposals are weighted 50 percent on vendor experience and qualifications, 30 percent on proposed project methodology, and 20 percent on proposed project cost. Pricing must include detailed line-item costs for project management, load forecasting, modeling and analysis, and public engagement, with pass-through costs for travel, accommodations, venue rental, and audiovisual services provided separately without markup. Proposals may include optional line items for one additional public meeting and one additional City Council presentation. Payment is structured on a milestone basis: 15 percent upon authorization to proceed, 20 percent upon initial data request, 25 percent upon draft preliminary IRP submission, 20 percent upon preliminary IRP public meeting, and 20 percent upon final IRP submission. Questions closed August 12, 2026. Bid security was not required.