In a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for technical support “to the Energy Code Compliance Software Support and Development” released Nov. 9, the California Energy Commission (CEC) wants to hear from qualified vendors that can meet its needs, including in the areas of software development and support. Among the takeaways:
- The CEC uses two computer programs to demonstrate “performance compliance” with the state energy code. Both “determine a building’s energy budget” and compare a structure’s design to check whether it complies with state law. The RFQ is aimed at helping the CEC choose a prime contractor to lead a team of architectural and engineering consultants to provide technical support in “developing, updating, and maintaining residential and nonresidential compliance documents, performance modeling tools, and related materials” to support the state energy code. The work, per the RFQ, will center on “development and implementation of the 2022 and 2025 Energy Code updates, maintenance and enhancements to the 2019 Energy Code update, and preliminary work on future Energy Code updates (2028 and beyond).”
- The work focuses on five tasks, three of which are particularly centered on IT. The contractor selected must do standards software tools development and maintenance, including updating and creating “residential and nonresidential software tools and associated documentation” needed to show energy code compliance; enhance and support data exchange infrastructure for the energy code, including providing “technical support for the data exchange protocols and data dictionary” that form the infrastructure on which entities create data registries and/or repositories; and software tools documentation and deployment — supporting the CEC’s deployment of software tools to enable code compliance.
- The solicitation is open to public and private entities, according to the RFQ, which indicates: “The University of California, California State University, or United States Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories must use either the standard or the pre-negotiated terms and conditions on the Department of General Services Office of Legal Services website ... .” All other entities must use the attached standard terms and conditions. The CEC will not make an award to a non-complying entity. Required areas of response include describing a company’s “general and specific proposed approaches” to delivering services required; experience with similar work; and appropriateness and effectiveness of a proposed approach to the project. Respondents must also describe “effectiveness of proposed approach to specifying, developing, testing, and documenting building energy-related applications.”
- The expected contract term is three years; the CEC has up to $4.5 million to fund it. This, the CEC said, is an “hourly rate plus cost reimbursement contract with a ceiling on the total contract amount.” Funding, from Cost of Implementation Account funds, will be subject to availability in the state budgets for the Fiscal Years 2021-2022, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. Contractor statements of qualification (SOQ) are due by 5 p.m. Jan. 18, and SOQ discussions with companies will be held Jan. 24-28. A notice of selection is expected Feb. 8, followed by cost negotiations Feb. 8-15 and a notice of proposed award March 1. Expected contract duration is June 1-May 31, 2025.
