Washington Administrative Code › Title 480 - Utilities and Transportation Commission › Chapter 480-107 - Electric companies-Purchases of resources › Section 480-107-025 - Contents of RFP solicitations

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1)
			 An RFP must define the resource need, including specific attributes or
			 characteristics the utility is soliciting, such as the amount and duration of
			 power , time and locational attributes, operational attributes, the type of
			 technology or fuel source necessary to meet a compliance requirement, and any
			 additional information necessary for potential bidders to make a complete bid,
			 including a copy or link to the complete assessment of avoided costs identified
			 in WAC 480-100-615(12).
(2) The RFP
			 must request information identifying energy and nonenergy benefits or burdens
			 to highly impacted communities and vulnerable populations, short-term and
			 long-term public health impacts, environmental impacts, resiliency and energy
			 security impacts, or other information that may be relevant to identifying the
			 costs and benefits of each bid, such as a bidder's past performance utilizing
			 diverse businesses and a bidder's intent to comply with the labor standards in
			 RCW
			 82.08.962 and
			 82.12.962.
			 After the commission has approved the utility's first clean energy
			 implementation plan (CEIP), requested information must contain, at a minimum,
			 information related to indicators approved in the utility's most recent CEIP,
			 including customer benefit indicators, as well as descriptions of all
			 indicators.
(3) The RFP must
			 document that the size and operational attributes of the resource need
			 requested are consistent with the range of estimated new resource needs
			 identified in the utility's IRP.
(4) The RFP must explain the specific ranking
			 procedures and assumptions that the utility will use in accordance with WAC
			 480-107-035.
			 The RFP must include a sample evaluation rubric that quantifies, where
			 possible, the weight the utility will give each criterion during the bid
			 ranking procedure, and provides a detailed explanation of the aspects of each
			 criterion that would result in the bid receiving higher priority.
(5) The RFP must specify a detailed timeline
			 for each stage of the RFP process including solicitation , ranking , and
			 selection , as well as the utility's schedule of planned informational
			 activities and contact information for the RFP.
(6) The RFP must generally identify any
			 utility-owned assets, including merchant-side assets that the utility has
			 available, for the purpose of receiving bids that assist the utility in meeting
			 its resource need at the lowest reasonable cost. The utility must make
			 reasonable efforts to provide bidders with necessary technical details they
			 request and to allow bidders to design their bids for use in conjunction with
			 utility-owned assets.
(7) The RFP
			 must identify any minimum bidder requirements, including for financial security
			 requirements and the rationale for such requirements, such as proof of a
			 bidder's industry experience and capabilities.
(8) The RFP must include standard form
			 contracts to be used in acquisition of resources.
(9) All RFPs must discuss the impact of any
			 applicable multistate regulation on RFP development including the requirements
			 imposed by other states for the RFP process.
(10) All RFPs must clearly state the scope of
			 the solicitation and the types of bids that the utility will accept consistent
			 with WAC 480-107-024.
Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				  80.01.040 and
				  80.04.160. 06-08-025 (Docket No.
				  UE-030423, General Order No. R-530), § 480-107-025, filed 3/28/06,
				  effective 4/28/06.