Request for Proposals: Energy Emergency Response Playbook for States and Territories

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), with funding support from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER), seeks a qualified subcontractor to develop an operational energy emergency response playbook for U.S. State and Territory Energy Offices. This project addresses the critical need for accessible, actionable emergency response resources following lessons learned from the 2017 hurricane season and increased support requirements for U.S. territories and remote communities.

The playbook will serve as a practical reference tool designed for energy officials with planning and emergency response duties to quickly reference during time-sensitive energy emergencies. Rather than replacing robust state-specific plans, the playbook will provide "plug and play" or replicable graphics, frameworks, checklists, if-then flowcharts, and other tools that state and territory energy offices can adapt for their own use. The document will be formatted for non-technical audiences within governors' offices, public utility commissions, and state energy offices, and will address energy source delivery disruptions from all hazards including hurricanes, earthquakes, winter storms, wind-related hazards, extreme heat/cold, drought, flooding, physical attacks, and cyberattacks.

The final playbook will not exceed 20-25 pages and will contain multiple sections addressing monitoring, analysis, and response procedures for electricity (including renewables), natural gas, and liquid fuels/petroleum. Content will include key elements such as data monitoring and tracking, timelines for events, contact information, legal authorities and responsibilities, comprehensive checklists, communication coordination protocols, mutual assistance procedures, and cyber-specific considerations. The playbook will be designed for usability at basic, intermediate, and advanced operational levels, with guidance tailored to the unique structures and responsibilities of different state and territory energy offices.

Key dates include a project kickoff on October 20, 2021, with intermediate deliverables including an EAP landscape review and stakeholder interviews due by November 4, 2021; an initial draft due November 24, 2021; and a final playbook delivery by December 15, 2021. The period of performance extends from October 20, 2021 to December 15, 2021. The project will include iterative review and revision cycles with NASEO, DOE, and select stakeholders, with three weeks allocated for internal and external reviews and up to four weeks for DOE's final document review.