On-Call Electrical Engineering Support Services

The City of Seattle is seeking qualifications for On-Call Electrical Engineering Support Services. Qualifications are due no later than 1:00 pm on Monday, August 10, 2026. All questions are to be submitted through the e-procurement portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/seattle no later than 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

Background

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is seeking a qualified consultant to provide on-call electrical engineering services supporting electrical safety, building electrification and decarbonization, energy performance compliance, and long-term resilience planning. This contract will provide SPU with the technical expertise needed to address critical electrical safety requirements through arc flash studies, while also advancing SPU’s goals of eliminating fossil-fuel reliance, improving facility performance, and preparing for future building electrification and electric fleet infrastructure. SPU anticipates awarding one (1) on-call contract with an estimated value of $10M - $12M.

Project Details

• Reference ID: 26-114-S
• Department: Seattle Public Utilities
• Department Head: Andrew Lee (General Manager and CEO)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-07-23T00:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-07-17T18:00:00.000Z — Microsoft Teams Meeting https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/260175279997744?p=MnQ4es8mA7RPhXjF6e Meeting ID: 260 175 279 997 744 Passcode: nk2vb9GC Dial in by phone +1 206-686-8357,,641921660# United States, Seattle Find a local number Phone conference ID: 641 921 660#

Evaluation Criteria

• Technical Expertise & Approach - Page limit 10 (35 pts) —

  Describe the firm’s technical expertise and approach across the following scope areas:

  1. Arc Flash & Equipment Studies

  • Provide 1-3 recent projects (within 5 years) performing arc flash, coordination, and short‑circuit studies for utility, industrial, or critical facilities.
    • Scope, facility type, key team members, challenges, and resolutions
    • Approach to procuring utility fault current and equipment data
  • Describe methodology and experience using ETAP software for arc flash studies and labeling.
    • Provide at least 1 sample ETAP model output or screenshot.
    • Provide summary of data collection and field verification procedures, including key validation steps to ensure no assumptions are made and all data and inputs are based on real-world information.
    • Examples of arc flash study outputs and a concise explanation of the QA/QC process used to verify model accuracy and label correctness
  • Describe workflow for developing and validating one‑line diagrams, including:
    • How field conditions are captured and documented for drawing input
    • Tools used and an example of addressing unexpected field conditions

   

  2. Thermographic Inspections

  Provide:

  • Summary of inspection process and validation steps
  • Sample thermographic report with thermal images, visual images for comparisons, identified anomalies, and recommended corrective actions

   

  3. Electrification, Decarbonization & Resilience Planning

  Describe:

  • Process for evaluating electrical and mechanical upgrades supporting building electrification
  • Steps used to assess loads, capacity constraints, and equipment compatibility
  • Approach to evaluating mechanical system impacts (heat pump sizing, ventilation needs, distribution system changes)
  • One sample performance‑focused electrification analysis
  • 1-3 completed projects (within the last 5 years) demonstrating electrification, decarbonization, resilience, or related infrastructure planning, including scope, timeline, objectives, key qualified staff, and major technical tasks performed. Include system types and performance improvements (e.g., GHG emissions and EUI reduction, building controls sequence of operations, zero/low-cost measures)
• Quality Assurance, Document Control and Coordination - Page limit 4 (15 pts) —

  1. Describe the firm’s internal QA/QC procedures for ensuring accuracy and consistency of deliverables. Provide:

  • A summary of the QA/QC review process
  • Examples of the types of QA/QC tools used, such as templates, standard forms, or checklists
  • At least one example of a QA/QC issue that was identified and how it was resolved

   

  2. Describe the firm’s document control and coordination procedures. Provide:

  • Standard naming conventions, versioning practices, and revision control protocols. Examples of coordination workflows for multi‑disciplinary reviews or concurrent contributors.
  • A description of how workload fluctuations were managed during peak demand periods
• Experience & Qualifications - Page limit 4 (20 pts) —

  1. Qualifications:

  • Describe why your Team is the right fit for this contract
  • Describe Team experience and qualifications, including sub-consultants
  • Name key personnel and describe their experience and qualifications
  • Provide resumes for key personnel. No more than 2 pages per resume. Resumes are not included in the total page count.

   

  2. Describe the firm’s relevant project experience by providing 1–3 recent (within the last 5 years) completed projects. For each project, include:

  • Project scope and facility type
  • Key staff who worked on each project and their roles
  • Outcomes or measurable results (e.g., project delivered on schedule, improved system reliability, successful implementation of recommendations)
• Strategic & Operational Alignment with SPU Objectives - Page limit 2 (15 pts) —

  1. Describe the firm’s understanding of SPU’s objectives related to regulatory compliance, electrification, operational continuity, and infrastructure resilience. Using SPU’s Strategic Business Plan as a reference, provide:

  • A brief description of how the firm interprets SPU’s overarching strategic goals as they relate to this contract.
  • Examples of how this understanding will inform and shape the firm’s technical approach and decision making under this contract.

   

  2. Describe how the firm incorporates operational constraints, critical infrastructure needs, and regulatory considerations into project execution. Provide:

  • A description of the processes used to identify and mitigate operational impacts (e.g., outage coordination, sequencing of work, etc.)
  • At least one example from a recent project (completed within the last 5 years) demonstrating how operational or regulatory considerations influenced recommendations, scheduling, or decision‑making
• WMBE Inclusion Plan - No page limit (15 pts) —

  Respondent shall complete the WMBE Inclusion Plan. Points are awarded for responses that evidence:

  • Responsible good faith efforts
  • Meaningful and attainable self-set aspirational goals, which are consistent with Consultant Team strategy.
  • WMBE firms integrated into the team and within core work
  • WMBE firms integrated within value-added work opportunities
  • Evidence of strong past performance using effective models
  • Evidence of effective mentoring, training, or capacity-building

   

  Expected contract core services include:

  • Arc flash and electrical system assessments, modeling, and safety documentation.
  • Engineering support for building electrification, decarbonization, and resilience planning.
  • Technical deliverables such as reports, drawings, cost estimates, and modeling outputs prepared under a Washington‑licensed Professional Engineer.

Submission Requirements

• Statement of Qualifications (required)
• Minimum Qualifications (required) —

  This response is mandatory. The determination you have achieved all minimum qualifications is made from this section alone, and therefore, the Evaluation Committee is not obligated to check references or search other materials in your proposal to make this decision.

  For each Minimum Qualification listed below, please describe how you meet the minimum qualification.

  Minimum Qualification #1
  Provide Minimum Qualification

  Minimum Qualification #2
  Provide Minimum Qualification

  Minimum Qualification #3
  Provide Minimum Qualification

• Consultant Inclusion Plan (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Consultant Questionnaire (required) —

  Please download the below document, complete, and upload. 

  Provide information to the extent this information is available. If your response is incomplete or requires further description, the City may request additional information within a specified deadline, or may determine the missing information is immaterial.  

• Contract Modifications —

  Make requested changes to the Contract language using track changes and upload here.

• Will there be minimum qualifications? (required) —

  Are there qualifications the Consultants must have to even be considered?  Minimum qualifications should ONLY be those that the Consultant must meet to have their proposal considered, meaning you will toss the proposal out in full if the Consultant cannot meet the minimum qualifications. 

  Minimum qualifications can sometimes be important, such as a professional license.  If you require a Minimum Qualification, ensure it is fair, appropriate and reasonable. Consultants can protest these if they seem exclusionary and unnecessary.  In addition, some federal requirements may restrict or prohibit the use of such qualifications. Review the terms of the grant to ensure compliance with all such requirements. Minimum Qualifications are only for factual yes/no items which can be easily proven as a matter of fact and on the face of the RFQ response.  These are NOT subjective such as “Company needs to be experienced” or “needs to have good references.”  These are instead hard and fast criteria we check off “yes or no,” and we will toss them out without further consideration if they say no.

• Will a Consultant Inclusion Plan be needed? (required) —

  Note to department – All non-federally funded contracts above $395,000 require an Inclusion Plan. If potential work, including all phases, is above $395,000, retain the Inclusion Plan as a required submittal. The Mayor’s 2010 policy requires you to score the WMBE response, for no less than 10% of total points.

  Departments are encouraged to list the core Scope of Work items that the department has determined to be available for subcontracting.

  Contracts with FEDERAL FUNDING may require different or additional social equity requirements, such as federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) requirements, which are required for US DOT funded projects, such as FTA projects.  

  Exceptions: Exceptions to the Inclusion Plan requirement are rare. Departments must notify their WMBE IDT representative and PC for a review and written approval of an exception. An exception does not relieve the Consultant of its responsibilities to seek WMBE inclusion if changes to the contract provides opportunities for WMBE inclusion.

  For assistance, contact Miguel Beltran at Miguel.Beltran@Seattle.gov or 206-684-4525.

• Are you open to negotiating the standard contract terms and conditions? (required)
• Is this RFQ for architecture or engineering services per RCW 39.80? (required) —

  State law requires the City to select the firm deemed to be the most highly qualified to provide A&E services. The City cannot ask for pricing before selecting the most highly qualified vendor. 

  Per RCW 18.08.320, Architecture includes: the rendering of any service or related work requiring architectural education, training, and experience, in connection with the art and science of building design for construction of any structure or grouping of structures and the use of space within and surrounding the structures or the design for construction of alterations or additions to the structures, including but not specifically limited to predesign services, schematic design, design development, preparation of construction contract documents, and administration of the construction contract. 

  Per RCW 18.43.020, Engineering is any professional service or creative work requiring engineering education, training, and experience and the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences to such professional services or creative work as consultation, investigation, evaluation, planning, design, and supervision of construction for the purpose of assuring compliance with specifications and design, in connection with any public or private utilities, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, works, or projects. 

  Per RCW 18.96, Landscape Architecture is the rendering of professional services in connection with consultations, investigations, reconnaissance, research, planning, design, construction document preparation, construction administration, or teaching supervision in connection with the development of land areas where, and to the extent that, the dominant purpose of such services is the preservation, enhancement, or determination of proper land uses, natural land features, ground cover and planting, naturalistic and aesthetic values, the settings and approaches to structures or other improvements, or natural drainage and erosion control. This practice includes the location, design, and arrangement of such tangible objects as pools, walls, steps, trellises, canopies, and such features as are incidental and necessary to the purposes in this chapter. Landscape architecture involves the design and arrangement of land forms and the development of outdoor space including, but not limited to, the design of public parks, trails, playgrounds, cemeteries, home and school grounds, and the development of industrial and recreational sites.