2026 Demand Response Request for Proposals

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is seeking suppliers to deliver turn-key demand response (DR) programs at scale to customers within PSE's electric service area. PSE currently maintains 129 MW of DR capacity in its portfolio and seeks to acquire net-new demand response resources to reduce both winter and summer system peak demand.

Proposals must address load flexibility and provide summer and/or winter capacity targeting specific customer segments or technology gaps not currently served by PSE's existing DR portfolio. Proposed solutions must include a scalable capacity plan demonstrating incremental growth without duplicating customer participation in existing programs. Proposals must demonstrate reliable and measurable system peak capacity and energy savings delivery with consistent event performance. Suppliers must provide a pathway to deliver at least 50 MW of capacity by 2030, with preferred capacity availability beginning in 2027. Multi-aggregator proposals must identify a single primary contract owner responsible for coordinating sub-aggregator performance and maintaining overall capacity commitments. Solutions must integrate with PSE's enterprise systems and meet customer experience expectations and PSE standards.

The RFP process includes multiple submission deadlines. Suppliers must submit an Intent to Bid form by April 30, 2026, a signed Mutual Nondisclosure Agreement (MNDA) by May 15, 2026, and final proposals by June 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. Questions regarding the RFP may be submitted by April 30, 2026. All documents must be submitted electronically to DemandResponse@pse.com (for files under 25 MB) or via SFTP (contact DemandResponse@pse.com for access).

The RFP timeline includes notification of short-listed vendors on June 19, 2026, comprehensive due diligence on selected proposals beginning June 26, 2026, scope and pricing negotiations during August 2026, negotiation finalization in September 2026, contract terms submission to PSE purchasing department in October 2026, and contract execution with service launch by December 15, 2026.