Energy Benchmarking Software As-A-Service and Program Implementation Support

The Vendor is required to provide a software platform and associated help desk and other technical assistance services to support the administration of the city’s energy benchmarking ordinance and building performance program.
- Support City staff by providing a comprehensive building performance management software platform that supports building inventory management, developing a covered buildings list, benchmarking compliance, data quality assurance, future building performance compliance, and program administration.
- Provide support to building owners through help desk services, communication, a building portal, trainings, and building specific information to help them with compliance and learn more about individual building energy usage.
- Provide an extensible, secure, user-friendly platform that integrates with existing benchmarking tools such as energy star portfolio manager and supports local and state level compliance.
- The City aims to:
•    Successfully implement the Energy Benchmarking Ordinance
•    Create a covered buildings list with contact information
•    Achieve high compliance rates among covered buildings through clear processes, strong customer support, and proactive engagement
•    Support building owners in improving energy efficiency and reducing reliance on fossil fuels
•    Ensure accurate, accessible, and reliable energy data reporting
•    Inform rulemaking and future policy development
- Covered Buildings List (CBL)
•    Maintain a comprehensive and accurate inventory of buildings
•    Compile building characteristics (type, land use, square footage, number of buildings, building name, at a minimum) and owner contact information (name, mailing address, e-mail and phone if available)
•    Update the CBL BI-annually to reflect any property ownership or contact information changes and current compliance requirements
•    Integrate data from city parcel, tax accessor, GIS (geographic information system) databases, and other sources
•    Ensure the database can add new buildings and assign unique building IDs
•    Identify and address data gaps and inconsistencies
- Software as a Service (SaaS) Platform
•    Manage benchmarking compliance and submission tracking, status monitoring, and administration of exemptions, extensions, and alternative compliance pathways
•    Administer workflows and program processes aligned with implementation timelines, annual deadlines, and applicable local and state requirements 
•    Integrate with energy star portfolio manager and other relevant systems while ensuring data accuracy, completeness, audit trails, and data change tracking
•    Automate notifications, reminders, compliance status updates, and document all workflows and outreach activities to support long-term program continuity
•    Design, develop, and maintain dashboards and reporting tools, including standard and ad hoc reports with defined KPIS (key performance indicators) and performance standards
•    Analyze benchmarking data to identify issues and trends, and provide staff recommendations to improve the program based on data analysis (at minimum on an annual basis)
•    Develop, maintain, and regularly update a public-facing benchmarking map
•    Track fines, including collection and remittance to the city
•    Enable export of all raw and processed data in standard formats (csv (comma separated values), excel, API (application programming interface) access if available)
- Building Owner Portal
•    Enable secure and user-friendly submission of benchmarking data through energy star portfolio manager, including system connection and coordination with utilities to streamline whole-building data access
•    Allow users to view and manage building characteristics, property information, and a centralized respondent-created building information hub
•    Provide clear, real-time compliance status tracking (e.g. “compliant, “at risk,” “non-compliant”), including automated updates, reminders, and notifications for upcoming deadlines
•    Identify and flag potentially inaccurate data for user review and correction
•    Provide access to program guidance, resources, performance reports, dashboards, and reporting tools
•    Support requests for alternative compliance pathways, such as exemptions and extensions
•    Offer a mobile-friendly interface to ensure accessibility and ease of use
- Help Desk Services
•    Respond to inquiries and provide technical assistance for program compliance and benchmarking inquiries, including platform use and benchmarking submissions
o    Daily email and phone support, and possible chat support with a response time of 48 hours maximum (excluding weekends and holidays)
o    Business hours of 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. MST, Monday – Friday
•    Scalable capacity during peak compliance periods Track and maintain detailed records of all inquiries, including contact information, inquiry content request and response timestamps, response times, and resolution status, and provide monthly reporting to the City
•    Coordinate with City staff regarding escalated tickets
•    Analyze help desk activity to identify common issues and provide quarterly recommendations to improve program design and user experience
•    Support targeted outreach efforts, including engagement with underserved or hard-to-reach building owners
•    Provide an estimated annual service capacity of approximately 2 hours of support hours per building.
- Outreach, Engagement, and Communication
•    Deliver clear, timely and targeted communications to building owners and targeted stakeholders, ensuring consistent program branding and messaging across all materials Send compliance and deadline reminders, notifications, and program updates through multiple channels (e.g., email, direct mail, and other appropriate methods such as text reminders), including at minimum:
o    Two (2) direct mail notices
o    Staged email reminders (broad announcement, approaching deadline, and non-submission follow-up)
•    Provide educational materials and resources, including plain language guidance for non-technical audiences.
•    Deliver training and educational resources, including at minimum one (1) prerecorded video instructing building owners on how to submit their benchmarking data, and two (2) in-person training sessions.
•    Support engagement with diverse stakeholders to improve participation.
•    Maintain a dedicated section of the platform for program updates and communications.