RFP for High Priority Transmission Corridor Study

The Washington Department of Commerce is soliciting proposals for a High Priority Transmission Corridor Study to support creation of the Washington Electric Transmission Authority (WETA) under SSB 6355, with proposals due September 28, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time. COMMERCE intends to award one or multiple contracts and reserves the right to require virtual presentations from top-scoring proposers before final award.

Proposers must hold a minimum of five years of demonstrated experience in electric system planning, transmission analysis, resource adequacy analysis, energy systems modeling, or related fields, and at least three years conducting complex power system or clean energy transition analyses. Proposers must be licensed to do business in Washington or commit to obtaining licensure within 30 days of selection. Contracts valued under $150,000 are mandatorily awarded to responsive and responsible Small or Veteran-Owned Businesses if such a business submits a qualified proposal. Proposers certifying they do not require employees to sign individual arbitration clauses will receive an additional 5 percent of awarded points.

The scope includes developing a transmission capacity study evaluating the need for expanded capacity through new construction, improvements to existing lines, and wholesale market connections; reviewing and compiling existing transmission plans from utilities and power producers; conducting a gap analysis and prioritization process to generate a recommended shortlist of high priority corridors; and analyzing costs and benefits to ratepayers, including environmental and financial impacts. The contractor must design and implement an open and transparent engagement process with tribes and interested parties, including vulnerable populations in Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla Counties, with materials provided in Spanish. Work covers Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Chelan, and Yakima Counties.

The estimated contract value is $460,000. The contract period runs from November 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with potential extensions for two additional one-year periods at COMMERCE's discretion. State funding is provided on a reimbursement basis for deliverables accepted and allowable time and expenses. Evaluation assigns 80 percent weight to the Technical Proposal and 20 percent to the Management Proposal, with cost scoring calculated by dividing the lowest proposed cost by each proposer's total cost. A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for September 3, 2026. The Apparent Successful Contractor will be announced October 16, 2026.