2025 Independent Evaluator Request for Proposals

In December 2007, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued Decision (D.) 07-12-052 directing all investor-owned utilities (IOUs) to utilize an Independent Evaluator (IE) to monitor long term solicitations that may involve affiliate transactions or utility-owned or utility-turnkey bids, and for all competitive RFOs seeking products greater than three months in length regardless of the bidders.

In February 2014 the CPUC issued Decision (D.) 14-02-040, which established that the period required for the IOUs to evaluate their IE pool was extended to three years from the previous two-year cycle. 

The IOUs are currently required to:

1. Maintain a pool of at least three IEs:
2. Involve the CPUC's Energy Division (ED) in developing the IE scope of work, drafting IE contract, issuing the IE solicitation; and
3. Work with each IOU's Procurement Review Group (PRG), along with ED, to develop comprehensive conflict-of-interest disclosure requirements for IEs.

Being included in PG&E's IE pool is not a guarantee of specific work or projects. If and when PG&E selects and IE from its pool, PG&E and the IE will enter into its master service agreement (MSA) at that time of official entrance into the pool. The MSA would incorporate PG&E's requirements related to terms and conditions required as a consultant for PG&E.

PG&E and PG&E's PRG will also conduct interviews with bidders and any final recommendation, for inclusion of a party in the IE pool, will be reviewed and approved by the CPUC's Energy Division. Costs for participating and preparing bids shall be borne solely by the participants and not by PG&E.

Proposals shall clearly demonstrate compliance with all requirements in this RFP and shall include a cover letter signed by an authorized representative.

PG&E's Schedule for IE RFP*

All times are in Pacific Time ("PT"), unless otherwise noted.

*PG&E reserves the right to revise this schedule at any time in its sole discretion

PG&E will have no liability or responsibility to any Participant for any change in the schedule or for failing to provide notice of any change.

Power Advocate Registration

All Participants will need to register with Power Advocate using the link below to gain access to download RFP documents and to submit an offer into the RFP.

Power Advocate Registration Link: https://www.poweradvocate.com/commercialDatasheet.do?okey=230608

How to Respond to RFP Using Power Advocate

All offer materials and information submitted shall be the subject to the confidentiality provisions of this RFP.

All participants who are interested in submitting a proposal into PG&E's 2025 IE RFP will need to register and receive access to the IE RFP event on Power Advocate in order to submit an Offer. Interested participants that do not register on Power Advocate will be categorized as "Declined to Bid." Only those participants that have been accepted through the Power Advocate platform for this RFP event will be permitted to bid into this RFP. PG&E will only accept offers submitted through Power Advocate for this RFP.

Participants shall submit all required information electronically via the Power Advocate platform by the DEADLINE TO SUBMIT OFFERS noted in the RFP Schedule.

Participants must answer all questions provide information using the Power Advocate platform as directed by PG&E. Participants are to follow directions and submit required documentations in Power Advocate as directed in this RFP. Participants may enter and revise information, upload, delete and re-upload requested documents anytime during the bid event up until the DEADLINE TO SUBMIT OFFERS. It is recommended that potential Participants enter information and upload documents throughout the bid period and well before the DEADLINE TO SUBMIT OFFERS. After the DEADLINE TO SUBMIT OFFERS, Participants will be unable to make further revisions.

If Participants enter technical difficulties with entering information or the uploading process, please contact Power Advocate Technical Support at support@poweradvocate.com. If you continue to have issues after having contacted Power Advocate Technical Support, you should provide evidence of such difficulties (e.g., a screen shot of the error message) and email the RFP mailbox PGEIndependentEvalua@pge.com.

RFP Materials

All RFP materials* are available for download via the Power Advocate for viewing. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, all responses must be entered directly into Power Advocate.

• PG&E 2025 IE RFP Protocol
• Appendix 1 -- Declaration Regarding Conflict of Interest – This is to be completed by each proposed project team member currently on staff. This form must be signed and uploaded into Power Advocate
• Appendix 2 – General (DOCX)
• Appendix 3 – Conflict of Interest Questionnaire (DOCX)
• Appendix 4 – Supply Chain Responsibility (DOCX)
• Appendix 5 – Supplier Sustainability (DOCX)
• Appendix 6 – Technical Experience (DOCX)
• Appendix 7 – General Terms and Conditions (DOCX). Proposed edits, if any, must be uploaded into Power Advocate.
• Appendix 8 – Pricing (DOCX)

*See the 2025 IE RFP Protocol for additional details about the appendices and required information.

Participants may only submit offers to this RFP by submitting the information listed via the Power Advocate website no later than the DEADLINE TO SUBMIT OFFERS defined in the RFP Schedule. Email transmission of an offer will not be accepted.

IE RFP Communication

In lieu of a webinar, all questions or matters of general interest raised by any party submitting a proposal to this RFP (Participants) regarding this RFP should be submitted via the Power Advocate Messaging.

All communications including, but not limited to, RFP documents, information, announcements, and amendments will be posted on the Power Advocate website; likewise, question or comments between PG&E and Participants will utilize Power Advocate Messaging. Requested documents and information shall be provided through Power Advocate.

RFP participants will receive an email from PG&E's Sourcing Department to register on the Power Advocate website for this RFP event. Participants shall not contact other PG&E employees or consultants for information regarding the RFP. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disqualification.

If you have additional questions or have not received an invitation to register on the Power Advocate website for this RFP event, please email PG&E Independent Evaluator at: PGEIndependentEvalua@pge.com.

Accessibility

If you encounter any digital or disability access issues, or you would like to provide PG&E with feedback or suggestions regarding such access, please e-mail PGEIndependentEvalua@pge.com and we will respond to your inquiry.