NASEO Request for Proposals: Toolkit for Stakeholder Engagement in Transmission Planning

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) seeks a consultant to develop a comprehensive Toolkit for Stakeholder Engagement in Transmission Planning designed for use by State Energy Offices. This toolkit will support state energy officials in engaging stakeholders, particularly community-based organizations and community members located near potential transmission projects, as the United States transitions toward a more electrified clean energy future.

The toolkit will address the critical need for meaningful engagement and coordination among communities, state, regional, and federal stakeholders, Tribes, utilities, and the private sector to facilitate an equitable transmission planning and siting process. The consultant will research, draft, revise, and finalize one comprehensive toolkit that includes case studies of successful and unsuccessful stakeholder engagement efforts, lessons learned, and strategies for effective and inclusive engagement. The toolkit will also identify stakeholder engagement strategies from other sectors that could be replicated in the transmission space.

Key deliverables include an outline due October 27, 2023, a review draft due December 15, 2023, and a final draft due January 31, 2024. The toolkit will consist of one-page educational fact sheets on key transmission topics and several 2-5-page resources covering transmission basics, federal and regional transmission initiatives, and stakeholder engagement strategies. Content will be written for non-technical audiences within State Energy Offices (primary audience), with secondary audiences including Public Utility Commissions, governors' offices, and state legislators. The consultant will work closely with NASEO staff, with a kickoff meeting scheduled for September 2023.

The project period extends from September 6, 2023, through January 31, 2024. This is a competitively bid, times-and-materials consulting agreement funded through a cooperative agreement between NASEO and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity. The consultant will invoice monthly for actual work completed and must submit monthly invoices and progress reports by the tenth of each month.