The Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) is soliciting proposals from qualified consultants to perform energy efficiency program needs assessments across two energy customer sectors for the Northern California Rural Regional Energy Network (Northern Rural Energy Network or NREN). The needs assessment will provide data on the NREN communities' interests and priorities, barriers to participation in existing energy efficiency programs, and information customers need to make energy decisions. The assessment should include an analysis of all current energy efficiency and decarbonization programs available in NREN regions, identify the gaps in programs reaching NREN customers, and an analysis of existing and proposed NREN programs' ability to meet the identified needs of the NREN communities. The NREN is a new California Regional Energy Network (REN) formed and led by four partners: RCEA, Lake Area Planning Council (Lake APC), Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG), and Sierra Business Council (SBC). NREN was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to serve hard-to-reach (HTR) and underserved customers in 17 rural counties across California. The consultant may bid on one or both sectors: 1) Residential (including homeowners, renters/tenants, landlords) and 2) Non-Residential (including small commercial businesses, contractors, public agencies, schools, special districts, local governments, tribal governments, building departments). The scope of work includes: kick-off meeting, collecting demographic data, needs assessment data collection through interviews and surveys, analyzing research and data, providing recommendations, and delivering a final report. The project is expected to run from May through October 2025.