Consulting Services

The vendor is required to providers of consulting services that can assist with execution of city power’s wholesale electric market, balancing, and transmission functions.
- Consultant(s) will perform various tasks, which may include data gathering, issue summarization, analysis, development of recommendations, and performance of specified utility operations.
- City seeks the assistance of experienced consultants to perform work in one or more of the following categories:
1. Project and program delivery
• Expert knowledge of best practices in project management
• Development of project plans that include items such as project scope, objectives, timelines, stakeholder assignments, and resource requirements
• Experience working collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure that project objectives align with business goals and support organizational strategy
• Ability to use project management software such as microsoft project
• Significant experience managing greenfield projects, such as centralized market system deployments, as well as the development and implementation of process improvement projects
• Ability to work closely with leadership and cross-functional teams to identify process improvement opportunities and implement solutions
• Strong background in process improvement methodologies
• ability to analyze and understand business requirements
• Experience with identifying, planning, measuring and tracking project objectives and benefits from the start of a project or program investment until realization of benefits 2. Organizational development and organizational change management
• Advanced knowledge and experience in executive development, leadership development, succession planning, change management, management training, professional development, organization development, courseware design and delivery, and related talent management functions
• Experience as a facilitator with a track record of impactful and effective delivery to audiences at all levels for engagements such as workshops, meetings, and design review sessions
• Experience with providing survey and assessment instruments including 360 assessments and feedback
• Experience and track record of influencing senior managers and leadership
• Ability to conduct organizational assessments to determine how jobs, roles, and structures should change to meet a future state
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional stakeholders to develop and implement ocm strategies and roadmaps for new initiatives or the improvement of existing initiatives and processes
• Knowledge of best practices in enterprise change management including organization assessment and change management principles, methodologies, and tools
• Experience in human resources planning and staff allocation
• Experience with development and execution of internal and external communication plans leveraging numerous communication techniques
• Ability to capture and share institutional knowledge
• Experience with training plan development, curriculum development, materials development, vendor engagement and training delivery including an ability to produce instructional materials
• Experience with continuous improvement and project management approaches, tools, and phases
• Experience with agile development methods and phases
• Experience in application testing methodologies
• Experience providing coaching and related services to both individuals and teams to establish an environment that empowers organizations to implement change
3. Utility operations support
• Significant expertise with centralized energy market design and function, specifically the designs of the western energy imbalance market (WEIM), extended day-ahead market (EDAM) and markets+
• Strong understanding of various governance structures and organizations across western wholesale and retail generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure
• Experience with implementing/maintaining energy management systems, outage management systems, meter data management systems, etc.
• Experience with various data extraction tools and data querying methods of systems used by centralized market operators
• Experience with relevant enterprise databases and applications including snowflake, tableau, and sap
• Ability to perform data analysis and technical writing
• Familiarity with best practices for maintaining safe and reliable balancing and transmission operations
• Familiarity with systems used by balancing and transmission system operators to maintain situational awareness and coordinated operations
• Ability to assess opportunities for improvement in the provision of transmission service
• Ability to provide staff augmentation
• Experience with advanced metering infrastructure including AMI systems, smart meters, communications networks and data management platforms
• Knowledge of demand response program design and implementation to enable load management and contribute to grid stability during peak demand periods
• Knowledge of renewable energy and storage system integration including system sizing, interconnection requirements, and system sizing
• Experience with customer information and analytics systems for enhancing customer engagement, personalizing offerings, and facilitating demand-side management and other programs
• Experience in business process and requirement modeling
• Performances of tasks necessary to support information assurance, such as adherence to cybersecurity practices and contingency planning for data failures and interruptions
4. Regulatory compliance
experience with NERC reliability standards
• Experience with wholesale market rules
• Strong understanding of current and future regulatory trends in local, state, regional and federal jurisdictions
• Understanding of FERC procedures and the ability to assist with developing processes and knowledge aimed at ensuring compliance with FERC orders
• Experience with implementing hydroelectric licensing requirements into resource operating practices
• Experience with greenhouse gas pricing, dispatch, and reporting practices in wholesale electrical markets.
- Contract Period/Term: 3 years
- Pre-Proposal Meeting Conference and Questions/Inquires Date: March 26, 2025