Request for Proposals: NASEO Transmission Policy, Planning, and Project Development Guides

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) seeks a consultant to develop two comprehensive guidance documents for State Energy Offices with support from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity. The first guide focuses on State Energy Offices' roles and opportunities in transmission planning and permitting, examining regional transmission challenges, interregional considerations such as cost allocation, and areas where State Energy Offices can effectively engage. This guide should address transmission planning needs for the next 10-15 years, including strategies to streamline permitting processes and grid modernization approaches at federal, regional, and state levels. The guide may also include content on planning efficiencies for new transmission projects, such as utilizing highway right-of-way for transmission lines.

The second guide addresses innovative transmission solutions for State Energy Offices, including strategies to utilize existing transmission lines for clean energy projects through grid-enhancement technologies such as reconductoring. This guide incorporates information on monitoring and control technologies to protect the electric grid from cyber-attacks and enhanced resilience capabilities of modernized electric grids. Both guides must incorporate consideration of energy justice and equity issues through case studies, best practices, or policy outlines that State Energy Offices could use to address these challenges in transmission planning and development.

The project timeline spans from early March 2022 through June 2022. Key milestones include a kickoff meeting in March 2022, Task 1 outline due April 7, 2022, Task 1 review draft due April 31, 2022 (note: April 31 does not exist; likely April 30 or May 1), Task 1 final draft due May 15, 2022, Task 2 outline due April 15, 2022, Task 2 review draft due May 30, 2022, and Task 2 final draft due June 15, 2022. Questions on the RFP were due by 5:00 pm EST on Wednesday, March 5, 2022 (extended from February 17, 2022).

The consultant will work with NASEO staff and receive reviews from NASEO, DOE, and NASEO members. The guides should be written for non-technical audiences within State Energy Offices as the primary audience, with secondary audiences including public utility commissions, consumer advocates, governors' offices, and legislators. The consultant does not have the right to reproduce, utilize portions of, or publish the material from the guides without NASEO's express written permission. This is a competitively bid project using a times and materials consulting agreement with monthly invoicing based on actual work completed and milestones achieved.