Resolution E-4179 JULY 31, 2008

Nomination of Winning Bid for CSI RDD Program Manager/kar

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

ENERGY DIVISION RESOLUTION E-4179

JULY 31, 2008

RESOLUTION

Resolution E-4179. This Resolution names the winning bidder of the California Solar Initiative Research, Development, Deployment and Demonstration Program, pursuant to Decision 07-09-042, pending Commission approval.

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Summary

This Resolution, made pursuant to Decision (D.) 07-09-042, formally names the winning bidder for Program Manager of the California Solar Initiative (CSI) Research, Development, Deployment and Demonstration (RD&D) Program and orders Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to contract with the winning bidder. The most qualified and thus winning bidder is Itron, Inc. (Itron).

Background

The CSI is a statewide incentive program that aims to build a self-sustaining photovoltaic, solar electricity market. The CSI has a goal of creating 3,000 MW of new, solar-produced electricity in California by 2016. The CSI was authorized in 2006 by Senate Bill 1 (Murray) and subsequently by California Public Utilities Commission (Commission) Rulemaking (R.) 06-03-004.

Pursuant to SB1, the Commission allocated $50 million for a program to award grants for research, development, deployment and demonstration projects under the CSI program.

In D. 07-09-042 the Commission adopted a RD&D plan and laid out the structure of RD&D program administration, deciding that a Program Manager will support the Energy Division in implementing the adopted RD&D plan. The Commission instructed the Energy Division to select one IOU to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Program Manager, and upon selection of the winning Program Manager bid to seek final approval from the Commission through a Resolution. The Energy Division selected PG&E to issue the RFP for a Program Manager, and contract with the winning bidder.

Discussion

A draft RFP was developed by the Energy Division and issued to all parties for comment in January 2008. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) was selected to enter into a contract with the RD&D Program Manager, and a final RFP was issued on April 1, 2008. A bidder’s conference was held on April 28, 2008. Bidder’s submitted written questions to the Energy Division by May 6, 2008, which Energy Division responded to on May 16, 2008. Final bid proposals were submitted to the Energy Division on May 23, 2008.

All proposals received were independently reviewed by a three-person, Energy Division selection committee using a transparent and objective scoring process. Each bid received a numerical score based upon a number of weighted scoring criteria. A blank copy of the spreadsheets used for scoring can be found in Attachment A. Each selection committee member scored each proposal based on the following criteria:

Scoring Criterion / Weighting / Comments
Proposed Work Plan / 35% / Does proposed work plan demonstrate a clear understanding of the focus and intent of the RD&D Program, a practical approach to implementing the work, and the ability to competently complete the assigned tasks?
Experience and Qualifications of Team Members / 25% / Does proposal include an overview of the experience and skills relevant to this RFP of individuals who will be doing the work?
Bidder Costs / 15% / Are the bidder costs (hourly rates and total costs) presented in the proposal reasonable?
Conflict of Interest / 5% / Does proposal include full disclosure of any and all potential conflicts of interest and a signed conflict of interest disclosure document?
Supplier Diversity / 20% / Does bidder team include contractors or sub-contractors that are designated as WMDVBE agencies? Does bidder demonstrate that a good-faith effort has been made to support supplier diversity purchasing principles?

The Energy Division scored three proposals. Using the scoring criteria above, and the scoring spreadsheets found in Attachment A, each of the proposals received a numerical score. The proposal with the highest score, based upon the weighted scoring criteria above, is Itron.

Comments

Public Utilities Code section 311(g)(1) provides that this resolution must be served on all parties and subject to at least 30 days public review and comment prior to a vote of the Commission. Section 311(g)(2) provides that this 30-day period may be reduced or waived upon the stipulation of all parties in the proceeding.

A draft of this resolution was mailed to parties for comments on July 1, 2008. Comments were to be filed by July 20, 2008. No parties filed comments.

Findings

1.  The Commission directed the Energy Division to pick PG&E to prepare and release an RFP and contract with the winning bidder

2.  The Commission directed the Energy Division to prepare a Resolution, as per D.07-09-042, selecting the winning CSI RD&D RFP bidder

3.  The Energy Division scoring process resulted in the selection of Itron as the winning bidder.

4.  The Energy Division selected PG&E to issue the RFP for a Program Manager, and contract with the winning bidder.

Therefore it is ordered that:

1.  PG&E shall contract with Itron for the RD&D Program Manager.

This Resolution is effective today.

I certify that the foregoing resolution was duly introduced, passed and adopted at a conference of the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California held on July 31, 2008; the following Commissioners voting favorably thereon:

/s/ Paul Clanon

Paul Clanon

Executive Director

MICHAEL R. PEEVEY

PRESIDENT

DIAN M. GRUENEICH

JOHN A. BOHN

RACHELLE B. CHONG

TIMOTHY ALAN SIMON

Commissioners

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