RFP for EVSE Submetering Innovation Grant

RFP Overview

Peninsula Clean Energy Authority issues this Request for Proposals (RFP) to seek offers from qualified providers for an EVSE virtual submetering innovation grant.

This RFP:

• Provides general background on Peninsula Clean Energy
• Describes the service sought by Peninsula Clean Energy (scope of work)
• Provides an opportunity for Proposers to describe their qualifications and experience
  and explain how they can contribute to services requested.

Background

Peninsula Clean Energy has committed to helping the community electrify the transportation sector through various Community Energy Programs, including the EV Ready Program, which has helped to install over 1,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers, 2/3 of which are at multi-family properties, with thousands more in progress.

This program facilitates the installation of EV chargers through free project design assistance and incentives. These design services provide customers with various project installation strategies and recommendations, including charging equipment, quantity of EV chargers, design layouts, etc. As of August 2024, Peninsula Clean Energy has delivered nearly 250 EV charging project designs to customers and will be working to recruit significantly more customers in the coming year.

One of the major challenges that Peninsula Clean Energy is seeking to address through these design services is the high cost of EV charging to EV drivers. For nearly all property types, but particularly large multi-family rental properties, Peninsula Clean Energy typically recommends that EV chargers to be installed on a single common use (a.k.a. “house”) meter and located at parking that has been assigned to residential units. In this configuration, third-party EV Service Providers (EVSPs) with billing functionality are required to recover the costs of energy from EV drivers. However, these services often come at high costs to property owners, which is passed on to EV drivers. In addition, the price to charge is unregulated and at the discretion of the property manager, often leading to significantly higher fees for drivers than EV charging at other residential locations.

The Plug-In EVSE Submetering Protocol (EVSMP), facilitated by the California Public Utilities Commission and a joint effort of the three major California investor-owned utilities, represents a possible solution to reducing these costs for EV drivers. For example, the EVSMP would allow the energy utilized by EV charging stations that are installed on a house meter to be transferred to an individual residential customer’s home energy bill. Such a configuration would:

• Eliminate the need for a third-party billing system (such as a credit card), allowing the residential customer to pay for their EV charging when they pay their residential energy bill.

• Harmonize the cost of EV charging to their home energy rates by eliminating a third-party actor from setting a different price for EV charging.

• Allow the EV driver to enroll in residential EV rates offered by the utility, such as PG&E’s EV2-A or E-ELEC rates.

• Encourage off-peak charging through residential Time of Use rates.

• Facilitate further EV charging cost reduction if the customer is receiving a utility discount such as the CARE or FERA program.

Peninsula Clean Energy is soliciting offers from interested organizations to develop all initial setup processes, certifications, registrations, etc. and offer EV charging equipment into the market that is equipped to provide the type of submetering through the EVSMP described above and is offering an innovation grant to facilitate initial development activities. Offers should fully describe how an organization will achieve all necessary setup tasks to have their EV charging equipment setup to offer these services in PG&E territory, including partnership or development of a Meter Data Management Agent (MDMA) and subject to the terms outlined in the EVSMP itself and this RFP.

Award winner(s) will be included in the EV charging design services that Peninsula Clean Energy offers to multi-family properties in the EV Ready Program, upon conclusion of all initial setup activities per the EVSMP and PG&E, so that charging equipment capable of EVSE submetering can be offered promptly to customers.

Term and Budget

Bidders are encouraged to pursue an aggressive development and registration timeline to complete setup tasks as soon as possible, factoring in unknown elements such as utility approvals, and include this timeline in their response.

Bidders shall also estimate the budget for activities included in this RFP and requested Innovation Grant funding from Peninsula Clean Energy. Peninsula Clean Energy intends to disburse awarded funds by paying 60% of the approved budget upfront and the final 40% upon successful completion of all initial registration activities.

About Peninsula Clean Energy

­Peninsula Clean Energy is the not for profit locally-led electricity provider for San Mateo County and Los Banos. Our mission is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by expanding access to sustainable and affordable energy solutions. The agency serves over 300,000 customers by providing more than 3,500 gigawatt hours annually of electricity that is 100% carbon-free.

Peninsula Clean Energy is a recognized leader in decarbonization initiatives with a strategic goal for 24/7 renewable power supply and aggressive initiatives to advance decarbonization in transportation and buildings. Leadership initiatives include the introduction of numerous new technologies and methods such as: pace setting model building codes providing for 100% charging access in multi-family buildings, adopted by most jurisdictions in the service territory and the State of California; innovative technical assistance and incentives dramatically lowering the cost of charging deployment through power management and low-power charging; pilots for smart outlet systems; and other advanced initiatives.

Since Peninsula Clean Energy launched in October 2016 customers have saved over $100 million and over 1 million metric tons CO2e from our electric service compared to 2016 baseline, equivalent to over 140 million gallons of gasoline use. The agency has earned investment grade credit ratings from Moody’s and S&P. For more information on Peninsula Clean Energy, please go to www.peninsulacleanenergy.com.

RFP Schedule

• Question & Answer: Proposers may submit questions concerning the RFP at EVReady@peninsulacleanenergy.com.

• Offer Review: Peninsula Clean Energy will evaluate all Offers according to the criteria listed below.

• Contract Redline: Prior to interview, each shortlisted participant will provide a redline of Peninsula Clean Energy’s standard contract terms.

• Interviews with Shortlisted Participants: Peninsula Clean Energy will conduct interviews with Shortlisted Parties at Peninsula Clean Energy’s offices in Redwood City and/or virtually.

Proposal Submittal

Proposals must be received on or before the above deadline and submittal must be by

email to EVReady@peninsulacleanenergy.com with the subject “Proposal – <Vendor Name> – EVSE Submetering Innovation Grant”.

By participating in Peninsula Clean Energy’s RFP process, a Proposer acknowledges that it has read, understands, and agrees to the terms and conditions set forth in these RFP instructions. Peninsula Clean Energy reserves the right to reject any offer that does not comply with the requirements identified herein. Furthermore, Peninsula Clean Energy may, in its sole discretion and without notice, modify, suspend, or terminate the RFP without liability to any organization or individual. The RFP does not constitute an offer to buy or create an obligation for Peninsula Clean Energy to enter into an agreement with any party, and Peninsula Clean Energy shall not be bound by the terms of any offer until Peninsula Clean Energy has entered into a fully executed agreement. Only electronic submittals will be accepted.

RFP Materials

EVSE Submetering Innovation Grant RFP Q&A Response.docx

Content of Response

Interested vendors must submit the following documents (except those marked “Optional”) to be considered for awarding of this proposal:

1. Cover Letter with the following elements (1 page)

• Reference to this RFP
• Legal business name, address, telephone number, and business status (corporation, limited partnership, individual, etc.).
• Name of vendor’s representative with respect to this RFP along with telephone number and email address.
• A signature of an authorized individual.

2. Approach

• Describe how you would achieve the Scope of Work described below.
• Timeline and milestones.
• Technical approach.
• Key challenges and resolutions.
• Estimated specifications of EV charging equipment to be certified to the EVSMP and expected equipment costs, including all hardware and ongoing costs, as relevant.

3. Budget

• Total budget to accomplish the scope of work outlined in this RFP and total Innovation Grant funding requested from Peninsula Clean Energy.

4. Qualifications and Experience: Submit the following information

• Market readiness and how current product lines or existing equipment can comply with the EVSMP or bidder’s ability to develop new products in compliance with the EVSMP.
• Existing or proposed partnerships to achieve EVSMP registration, including with organizations providing MDMA functionality.

• Bios or resumes of leadership team directly involved.

5. Certificates of Insurance for the following coverages

• Commercial General Liability – for bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury $1,000,000 – each occurrence $2,000,000 – in aggregate
• Business Automobile Liability – “any auto” (Company Vehicles) – At least $1,000,000
• Personal Automobile Liability – “any auto” (Personal Vehicles) – At least $500,000
• Worker’s Compensation and Employer's’ Liability (EPL)– injury or death, each accident at least $1,000,000 (EPL not required for Sole Proprietor)

6. Supplier Diversity Questionnaire (Optional)

Peninsula Clean Energy’s Supplier Diversity Questionnaire can be downloaded at: Attachment-4-Peninsula-Clean-Energy-Supplier-Diversity-Questionnaire.docx Please note, your response (or lack thereof) will have no impact on your contract status or eligibility to work with Peninsula Clean Energy in accordance with state law.

Review and Selection Process

Evaluation will be based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative criteria. Peninsula Clean Energy will evaluate each Offer against these criteria and select a subset of Offers to move to the Shortlist phase. The most qualified individual or firm will be recommended by the RFP Evaluation Committee based on the overall strength of each proposal, and is not restricted to considerations of any single factor such as cost. The criteria used as a guideline in the evaluation will include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. Qualifications and experience of the entity and/or partner organizations, including capability and experience of key personnel and experience to execute this project.
2. Completeness of the proposed approach, including clarity of understanding of the activities outlined in this RFP.
3. Demonstrated understanding of the requirements for successfully implementing and bringing the product to market including identification of all relevant startup activities and proposed resolutions for key challenges in registration and initial setup of EV charging infrastructure capable of providing submetering in compliance with the EVSMP.
4. Timeline and ability to execute rapidly, including any groundwork already completed. This includes ability to meet any required timelines associated with other parties required.
5. Successful existing foundational product already in the market, in use and with associated certifications (e.g., UL, etc.), or market readiness of similar equipment with credible plan and partners for bringing the product, if entirely new.
6. Anticipated costs of EV charging equipment capable of providing the submetering described in this RFP, including upfront and ongoing costs, as relevant.
7. Financial viability of proposer.
8. Existence of and circumstances surrounding any legal or other claims and violations against you or your organization.
9. Total budget requested, including credibility of itemized elements, and any committed and demonstrated match or in-kind funding.

Agreement Terms

Awardees will be required to enter into a contract using Peninsula Clean Energy’s standard contract terms. Modification of the contract terms may be proposed by the Proposer for

consideration by Peninsula Clean Energy but are not guaranteed to be accepted. Rejection of the final terms from Peninsula Clean Energy is grounds for disqualification. Shortlisted participants will be required to provide any redlines to the standard terms ahead of the interview phase.

Peninsula Clean Energy’s standard contract terms are available for review here:

https://www.peninsulacleanenergy.com/contracts/

Supplier Diversity

Consistent with its strategic goals, Peninsula Clean Energy has a strong commitment to foster a work environment that espouses sustainable business practices and cultivates a culture of innovation, diversity, transparency, integrity, and commitment to the organization’s mission and the communities it serves. As part of that goal, Peninsula Clean Energy strives to ensure its use of vendors and suppliers who share its commitment to sustainable business and inclusionary practices.

To help ensure an inclusive set of vendors and suppliers, Peninsula Clean Energy’s policy requires it to:

1. Strive to use local businesses and provide fair compensation in the purchase of services
   and supplies;
2. Proactively seek services from local businesses and from businesses that have been
   Green Business certified and/or are taking steps to protect the environment; and
3. Engage in efforts to reach diverse communities to ensure an inclusive pool of
   potential suppliers.

General Order 156 (GO 156) is a California Public Utilities Commission ruling that asks utility entities to set a goal to procure at least 21.5% of their contracts with majority women-owned, minority-owned, disabled veteran-owned and LGBT-owned business enterprises' (WMDVLGBTBEs) in all categories. Qualified businesses become GO 156 certified through the CPUC and are then added to the GO 156 Clearinghouse database.

The CPUC Clearinghouse can be found here: www.thesupplierclearinghouse.com. Peninsula Clean Energy’s policies and commitment to diversity are consistent with the principles of GO 156, and, therefore, respondents to this RFP are asked to voluntarily disclose their GO 156 certification status as well as their efforts to work with diverse business enterprises, including those owned or operated by women (WBE), minorities (MBE), disabled veterans (DVBE), and lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender people (LGBTBE).

As a public agency and consistent with state law, Peninsula Clean Energy will not use any such provided information in any part of its decision-making or selection process. Rather, Peninsula Clean Energy will use that information solely to help evaluate how well it is conforming to its own policies and goals. Pursuant to California Proposition 209, Peninsula Clean Energy does not give preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

Peninsula Clean Energy Legal Obligations

Peninsula Clean Energy is not obligated to respond to any offer submitted as part of the RFP. All parties acknowledge that Peninsula Clean Energy is a public agency subject to the requirements of the California Public Records Act, Cal. Gov. Code section 6250 et seq. Peninsula Clean Energy acknowledges that another party may submit information to Peninsula Clean Energy that the other party considers confidential, proprietary, or trade secret information pursuant the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Cal. Civ. Code section 3426 et seq.), or otherwise protected from disclosure pursuant to an exemption to the California Public Records Act (Government Code sections 6254 and 6255) (“Confidential Information”). Any such other party acknowledges that Peninsula Clean Energy may submit to the other party Confidential Information. Upon request or demand of any third person or entity not a party to this RFP (“Requestor”) for production, inspection and/or copying of information designated as Confidential Information by a party disclosing such information (“Disclosing Party”), the party receiving such information (“Receiving Party”), as soon as practical but within three (3) business days of receipt of the request, shall notify the Disclosing Party that such request has been made, by telephone call, letter sent via email and/or by US Mail to the address or email address listed on the cover page of the RFP. The Disclosing Party shall be solely responsible for taking whatever legal steps are necessary to protect information deemed by it to be Confidential Information and to prevent release of information to the Requestor by the Receiving Party. If the Disclosing Party takes no such action, after receiving the foregoing notice from the Receiving Party, the Receiving Party shall be permitted to comply with the Requestor's demand and is not required to defend against it.

General Terms and Conditions

1. Peninsula Clean Energy’s Reserved Rights: Peninsula Clean Energy may, at its sole discretion: withdraw this Request for Proposal at any time, and/or reject any or all materials submitted. Respondents are solely responsible for any costs or expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and submittal of the materials for this RFP.
2. Public Records: All documents submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of Peninsula Clean Energy upon submittal and will be subject to the provisions of the California Public Records Act and any other applicable disclosure laws.
3. No Guarantee of Contract: Peninsula Clean Energy makes no guarantee that a contractor and/ or firm added to the qualified vendor list will result in a contract.
4. Response is Genuine: By submitting a response pursuant to this RFP, Respondent certifies that this submission is genuine, and not sham or collusive, nor made in the interest or on behalf of any person not named therein; the submitting firm has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other submitting firm to put in a sham bid, or any other person, firm or corporation to refrain from submitting a submission, and the submitting firm has not in any manner sought by collusion to secure for themselves an advantage over any other submitting firm.

Detailed Project Description and Scope

Overview

Peninsula Clean Energy mission is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reinvest in the San Mateo County and Los Banos community. Transportation emissions remain a significant source of these emissions and major challenges to the widespread adoption of EVs persist, such as the lack of EV charging infrastructure at multi-family housing and the relatively high costs of EV charging fees for many multi-family housing residents that do have access to EV charging at their properties.

To address these issues, Peninsula Clean Energy is offering an Innovation Grant to help an organization(s) develop affordable EV charging equipment that fully complies with the EVSMP, including all required registration, certification, and startup activities with PG&E and other organizations as relevant, the development or partnership with an MDMA, and other go to market activities, as necessary to deploy EV charging equipment capable of the submetering capabilities outlined in this RFP.

Objectives

PCE intends to assist an organization bring an EV charging product(s) to market that can offer the ability to act as a submeter, in compliance with the EVSMP, and allow energy used for EV charging through EV charging infrastructure on a multi-family house meter to be transferred to an individual(s) separate residential meter(s).

Once all initial setup activities are completed and an approved EV charging equipment, in compliance with the EVSMP and other relevant standards, is ready for installation, PCE intends to incorporate the EV charging equipment into its EV Ready program, to be installed at multi-family properties enrolled in the program.

Relevant Standards and Resources

• Plug-in Electric Vehicle Submetering Protocol (EVSMP), May 2022, https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M496/K420/496420292.PDF

• PG&E Submetering Program, https://www.pge.com/en/clean-energy/electric-vehicles/electric-vehicle-submetering-program.html

Intended EVSE Features

• EV charging equipment in compliance with all relevant requirements outlined in the EVSMP.

• EV charging equipment with low ongoing user or site host fees.

• Cost-effective EV charging equipment. EVSE can be EV charging stations or smart outlets.

Scope of Work

• Identify and outline all necessary startup activities to develop EVSMP-compatible EV charging equipment.

• Develop an EVSE prototype(s) for certification to standards outlined in the EVSMP.

• Obtain all third-party safety, accuracy, and other testing and certifications outlined in the EVSMP, by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, as appropriate, including various ANSI, FCC, IEC, IEEE, NEMA, and UL standards, as relevant.

• Complete initial testing and setup with relevant organization, including field testing, as required.

• Develop meter data transmission functionality with an MDMA in accordance with the specifications outlined in the EVSMP, including various communication and security standards/protocols, and subject to all relevant MDMA roles and functions outlined in the EVSMP.

• Development and submittal of a maintenance schedule to PG&E for approval, as relevant.

• Administrative tasks, including:
  1. Kickoff meeting to review program goals and objectives, budget, timeline, etc.
  2. Recurring check-in meetings to review project progress, deliverables, etc.
  3. Monthly progress report, summarizing key activities and milestones achieved in the prior month.
  4. Final report including a summary of major startup activities, milestone achievements, including major approvals, etc.