Consulting Services

The vendor is required to provide consulting services to support the board with an independent third-party review of the existing governance model and to conduct a full assessment of the financial viability of agency.
1. Finance
•    Conduct a full assessment of the financial viability of the organization, including an analysis of the current rate structure relative to short, medium, and long-term solvency and infrastructure commitments, both with and without revenue from third-party partnerships, specifically, air products. 
•    Assess how financial information is presented to the board, including materials related to the utility master plan (ump), the train 4 project, budget presentations, and the budget approval process, and identify opportunities for improvement to support effective and transparent decision making. 
•    Undertake a review of the financial assumptions underpinning the analysis on all current and future major projects. 
•    Provide an assessment and offer recommendations to strengthen advocacy strategies for accessing grant funding in the future.
2. Governance
•    Review the existing governance model (including relevant bylaws, policies, and practices) to assess whether the governance framework should be modified and include an environmental scan of similar regional commission governance frameworks and any best practices for publicly funded utilities. 
•    Assess the current interface between the board and management and recommend how the interface could be strengthened based on identified best practices, including topics such as how the board is advised, on what topics, and whether board information and advice occur in a timely and comprehensive manner. 
•    Advise on other related governance-management matters that may impact on the board’s ability in exercising its governance responsibilities and provide recommendations addressing any identified governance issues.
•    Analyze the current roles and responsibilities for the board, CEO, and administration and provide recommendations with respect to potential governance models which distinguish and clarify governance versus operational roles and responsibilities.
- Budget: $150,000