Active SLED Opportunity · ARIZONA · CITY OF PHOENIX
AI Summary
The City of Phoenix seeks information from qualified organizations to support its Energy Access Plan through strategic partnerships. This RFI focuses on energy solutions, deployment models, financing, digital tools, community engagement, and sustainability to inform future procurements. Responses are due by May 1, 2026.
This Request for Information (RFI) is issued as a means of discovery and information gathering for a strategic Partnerships for Advancing the Energy Access Plan
The RFI is for planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation nor should it be construed as an obligation on the part of the City to make any purchases.
This RFI should not be construed as a means to pre-qualify vendors.
This is not a formal solicitation, but a request for interested parties to provide information as specified herein.
Participation in this RFI is voluntary.
No purchases will be made as a result of this request. Any price information provided shall be used for general comparison purposes only. Do not include applicable state and local taxes.
OBTAINING A COPY OF THE RFI AND ADDENDA
Interested parties may download the complete RFI and addenda from https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/phoenix. Internet access is available at all public libraries.
The City of Phoenix is seeking information from qualified organizations that can support the implementation of our Energy Access Plan. Our goal is to expand access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy through strategic partnerships with experienced technology providers, service partners, and solution innovators.
This Request for Information (RFI) aims to help us understand current market capabilities, partnership models, and available solutions that can strengthen project delivery and long‑term sustainability. Insights gathered will inform future procurement strategies and identify potential partners with the expertise to contribute to scalable, cost‑effective energy access initiatives.
This RFI is for market research only and does not constitute a solicitation or commitment to contract.
It is the responsibility of all vendors to examine the entire RFI and seek clarification of any requirement that may not be clear and to check all responses for accuracy before submitting a response.
Energy Access Solutions and Technologies
The City seeks information on technologies, systems, and services that can improve energy reliability and affordability for residents, businesses, and critical community facilities. Areas of interest include:
• renewable energy generation (e.g., solar PV, community solar, microgrids)
• energy storage solutions
• distributed energy resources and grid‑support technologies
• energy efficiency technologies for buildings and infrastructure
• electric mobility charging solutions that support equitable access
Infrastructure Deployment Models
Respondents are invited to describe feasible deployment and delivery models that can support citywide and community‑level energy access initiatives. This may include:
• turnkey design‑build solutions
• long‑term operations and maintenance support
• public‑private partnership (P3) approaches
• community‑based implementation models
Financing and Investment Approaches
The City is exploring financing structures that can expand access without increasing burdens on vulnerable communities. Funding this program should be at no-cost to the City of Phoenix. Respondents may propose:
• innovative funding and financing mechanisms
• subscription‑based or shared‑savings models
• grant leveraging strategies
• low‑income support structures aimed at affordability
Digital Platforms, Data, and System Management
The City seeks insights on tools and platforms that can support system planning, monitoring, and optimization of energy access solutions, including:
• energy management and analytics platforms
• customer engagement and enrollment systems
• remote monitoring and predictive maintenance tools
Community Engagement and Workforce Development
The City welcomes approaches that strengthen community participation and support local job creation associated with energy access initiatives, including:
• community outreach strategies
• partnerships with local workforce development organizations
• training programs to build technical and operational capacity
Environmental and Climate Considerations
Respondents may provide information on how proposed solutions can support the City’s sustainability, resilience, and climate‑action goals, including:
• reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
• improved resilience for heat emergencies and extreme weather
• integration with existing sustainability or resilience plans
Vendor Capabilities and Experience
Respondents should outline relevant background information that can support the City’s evaluation of potential partners, including:
• organizational capabilities and core competencies
• prior experience delivering similar energy access or clean energy programs
• existing partnerships with municipalities, utilities, or community organizations
Cost Considerations and Budgetary Insights
While no formal pricing is requested, respondents may provide high‑level cost ranges, cost drivers, or factors the City should consider when planning future solicitations.
Responses must be in possession of the Department on or prior to the exact time and date indicated in the Schedule of Events. Late submittals may not be considered. The prevailing clock will be the City Department’s clock.
Offers should be submitted electronically via the City’s e-Procurement Portal by clicking on “Draft Response” via https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/phoenix/projects/242509. Offerors that are unable to submit electronically should contact the Procurement Officer to discuss the logistics of hard copy submittals. Offerors must be registered with OpenGov by signing up via https://procurement.opengov.com/signup. Vendor training guides can be found at: https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/ca6d1285-1e48-4a21-bb0d-715edb7794ed
It is the responsibility of the Offeror to ensure that the Offer is timely and to confirm that there are no technical reasons that any Offer submitted electronically may be delayed. The date and time on the upload as received/stamped by the City’s e-Procurement Portal will provide proof of submission and verification whether the Response was received on or prior to the exact time and date indicated in the Schedule of Events.
Please DO NOT submit links to Google Docs, Dropbox Paper, or similar services. Your offer may be deemed non-responsive if your offer is supplied utilizing these services.
At any time prior to the solicitation due date and time, an Offeror (or designated representative) may withdraw the Offer by clicking “Unsubmit Response” on the Offer submission via the City’s e-Procurement Portal.
All questions that arise relating to this solicitation should be directed via City’s OpenGov e-Procurement Portal and must be received by the due date indicated in the Schedule of Events. The City will not consider questions received after the deadline. All questions concerning or issues related to this solicitation must be presented in writing.
The Procurement Officer will answer written inquiries in an addendum and publish any addenda on the City’s OpenGov e-Procurement Portal.
All submittals in response to this RFI shall become the property of the City and become a matter of public record available for review pursuant to Arizona State law.
If a vendor believes that a specific section of its response is confidential, the vendor shall isolate the pages marked confidential in a specific and clearly labeled section of its response. The vendor shall include a written statement as to the basis for considering the marked pages confidential including the specific harm or prejudice if disclosed and the Procurement Officer will review and make a determination.
Q (No subject): Does the City envision this RFI informing one future solicitation or multiple solicitations?
A: Yes, the City intends to derive only one future Solicitation from this RFI.
Q (Response): If a respondent is most aligned with two focus areas, does the City want those focus areas addressed separately within “Section 3: Proposed Solutions and Technical Approaches” within the Vendor Questionnaire?
A: Yes, Vendors are allowed to submit any additional focus areas as an attachment to "Section 3: Proposed Solutions and Technical Approaches"
Q (Vendor Questionnaire): The Vendor Questionnaire appears to address most, but not all “focus areas” (A – H). Does the City want multiple Vendor Questionnaires to address multiple focus areas that respondents are qualified for?
A: The Questionnaire is not exhaustive. To this end, Vendors are allowed address any additional areas of qualifications not listed in the RFI.
Q (No subject): Is the City of Phoenix open to consortium or teaming arrangements in a follow-on procurement, and if so, would a technology/IT services firm be eligible to participate as a non-prime partner?
A: Yes. The City of Phoenix is open to consortium or teaming arrangements in a future solicitation, provided the partnership structure aligns with the scope and requirements of that procurement. Technology and IT‑services firms would be eligible to participate as non‑prime partners if their capabilities support the defined work and contribute value to the overall solution.
Q (No subject): Does the City of Phoenix have existing data infrastructure, energy management systems, or digital platforms currently in use that a future solution would need to integrate with, or is this largely a greenfield technology environment?
A: The City of Phoenix does operate an existing Energy Management System; however, it is used exclusively for managing and analyzing energy data for City operations and is not currently tied to the Energy Access Plan activities. For the purposes of the Energy Access Plan, the environment should be considered largely greenfield. A future solution may include the development of new digital tools or platforms specific to Energy Access Plan data, program tracking, and community‑focused analytics.
Q (No subject): Among the focus areas outlined in Section 2.2, are there specific areas the City of Phoenix considers highest priority for the near-term follow-on procurement?
A: All six focus areas of the Energy Access Plan hold equal strategic importance. That said, in the near term, the City anticipates a particularly high level of opportunity for external partners in the following areas: Multilingual and community‑based energy education, Solar access and consumer protection, Workforce development, and Sustainability Advocacy and Cross-Sector Coordination.
Q (No subject): Does the City of Phoenix have existing data-sharing agreements with APS and SRP that a digital platform solution would build upon, or would establishing those agreements be part of the scope?
A: The Office of Sustainability is currently in the process of working with APS and SRP to establish data‑sharing agreements. However, further development of digital infrastructure to support Energy Access Plan data, including tools, resources, and integration models, is an expected component of what the City is seeking to better understand through this RFI. Respondents are encouraged to outline how their solutions, platforms, or services could support or streamline these data‑sharing needs.
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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