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The City of San Antonio, acting by and through its City Public Service Board (“CPS Energy”) issues this global Request for Proposal (“RFP”) for energy efficiency and conservation programs in support of the next phase of its award-winning Sustainable for Tomorrow Energy Plan (“STEP”) program: FlexSTEP^SM.

STEP began in 2009 to empower customers to manage their energy through energy efficiency, weatherization, demand response and the adoption of both rooftop and community solar with a goal of saving 771 Megawatts (“MW”).  This goal was achieved early and under budget in 2019 with 845 MW in energy savings. In January 2020, the CPS Energy Board of Trustees and the City of San Antonio City Council extended the STEP Bridge program for an additional year with a target of 75 MW in energy savings.  In January 2021, the City Council approved an additional extension until July 2022 to allow additional time to recover from COVID-19 related program impacts and continue gathering public and stakeholder input for FlexSTEP.

CPS Energy’s vision for FlexSTEP is to combine the proven and tested, award-winning STEP program with the forward-focused, low-carbon vision of the Flexible Path^SM. In advance of this RFP, CPS Energy identified desired programs and technologies by seeking out a broad range of stakeholder and community feedback from multiple points of view and diverse objectives. CPS Energy is expanding the focus of FlexSTEP to include both energy (kilowatt-hour or “kWh”) and demand (kilowatt or “kW”) savings in our targets.  In or around the Fall of 2021, CPS Energy plans to seek the CPS Energy Board of Trustees’ and the City of San Antonio City Council’s approval of FlexSTEP.

CPS Energy is soliciting proposals (“Proposals”) from qualified and experienced companies (each a “Respondent”) to provide responses covering multiple energy efficiency and conservation programs (collectively, the “Programs”) separated into two Program sections: Tried and True (“Part A”) and the Innovative and New (“Part B”).  These Programs represent key components of CPS Energy’s FlexSTEP, which is intended to be the next step on CPS Energy’s Flexible Path. 

Part A – Tried and True

Part A of this RFP seeks to continue support for the Tried and True programs that made the STEP program successful.  The programs represented in Part A are the traditional energy efficiency programs that customers have grown to expect and value.  These programs are time-tested and an integral component to the success of STEP. Programs that are in Part A will support the completion of the current STEP Bridge program, and then continue in support of FlexSTEP. Part A Programs are further detailed in the attached Scope of Services (“SOS”) # 10644175.  (Please see the FlexSTEP RFP for specifics.)

CPS Energy will separately consider Proposals for each of the following categories:

• Residential Programs (SOS Section 1.A.)
• Weatherization (SOS Section 1.B.)
• Commercial Programs (SOS Section 1.C.)

Program goals, budgets, and Key Performance Indicators (“KPI”) will be evaluated annually.

Part B – Innovative and New

Part B of this RFP seeks Innovative and New programs that represent new offerings designed to help customers save electricity through behavior modification, earn rebates for adopting new technology, lower carbon emissions, and remove participation barriers.  Programs selected under Part B will be incorporated in the design of FlexSTEP.  Responses to the FlexPower Bundle^SM Request for Information issued in the Summer of 2020, along with public input, helped shape the categories for Part B.  Part B programs are pursuant to the attached SOS # 10658061.  (Please see the FlexSTEP RFP for specifics.)

Part B - Innovative and New: CPS Energy is seeking Proposals for any of the following type of programs:

• Behavior Based Programs (SOS Section 1.A.)
• Technology Based Programs (SOS Section 1.B.)
• Equity and Market-Specific Solutions (SOS Section 1.C.)
• Carbon Reduction-Focused Solutions (SOS Section 1.D.)
• Cutting Edge and Other New Ideas (SOS Section 1.E.)

Program goals, budgets, and KPIs will be evaluated annually.

Respondents may elect to participate in either Part A, Part B, or both.  Evaluation and selection of Proposals under Part A will be independent of the Proposals submitted under Part B.  CPS Energy and the selected Respondent(s) will develop and execute a Statement of Work (“SOW”) based on the applicable SOS. 

CPS Energy will make a concerted effort to maintain the schedule below but reserves the right to revise the schedule based on CPS Energy’s business needs.

Any inquiries from Respondents shall be submitted through the question & answer feature within the CPS Energy Supplier Management System portal.   Respondents are prohibited from communicating with CPS Energy employees, representatives, staff, or Board Members regarding this RFP during the period in which submittals have been solicited or are being evaluated (other than the Procurement Agent identified in herein in the designated manner), with the exception of pre-submittal meetings open to all Respondents or responses to questions posed during interviews scheduled after responses are received and opened.  Restricted communication includes, but is not limited to, “thank you” letters, phone calls, emails, and any contact that results in the direct or indirect discussion of the RFP or submitted Proposals.  Violation of this provision by Respondents or their agents may lead to disqualification of the Respondent’s Proposal.

The button below goes to the CPS Energy Supplier Management System Portal. Use this Portal to register to exchange information with CPS Energy regarding this Solicitation.

Please contact [email protected] if experiencing any difficulty accessing the Supplier Management System.

ENGLISH

Established in 1860, CPS Energy is the nation’s largest public power, natural gas, and electric company, providing safe, reliable, and competitively-priced service to 860,934 electric and 358,495 natural gas customers in San Antonio and portions of seven adjoining counties. Our customers’ combined energy bills rank among the lowest of the nation’s 20 largest cities – while generating $8 billion in revenue for the City of San Antonio for more than seven decades. As a trusted and strong community partner, we continuously focus on job creation, economic development, and educational investment. True to our People First philosophy, we are powered by our skilled workforce, whose commitment to the community is demonstrated through our employees’ volunteerism in giving back to our city and programs aimed at bringing value to our customers. CPS Energy is among the top public power wind energy buyers in the nation and number one in Texas for solar generation.  

Learn more about CPS Energy:  

• 2019-2020 Annual Report
  
• 2019 Environmental Sustainability & Stewardship Report