Watershed 2026 Carbon RFP

Watershed, an enterprise sustainability platform managing over 2.3 gigatonnes of emissions for 800+ global companies, is seeking carbon removal and super pollutant projects for its 2026 Carbon RFP. This centralized procurement initiative aims to match credit suppliers with Watershed's aggregated customer pool, eliminating the need for individual negotiations and enabling suppliers to access pre-committed demand across multiple buyers.

The RFP accepts ex-post (verified) carbon credits across three Oxford Principles categories: Category I (avoided emissions or emissions reductions from geosphere without storage), Category IV (carbon removal to the biosphere), and Category V (carbon removal to the geosphere). Projects of all sizes may apply, though larger volume projects will be prioritized. Credits must be vintage 2022 or later, with anticipated volumes and pricing to be determined by suppliers. Projects must be in late development stages (minimum: completed feasibility study and late-stage registration) and must have issued credits or demonstrate high certainty of issuance by June 30, 2027.

Key dates for this cycle include: RFP opens March 9; Supplier Q&A due March 20 by 11:59 PM PT; Q&A responses provided March 27; application deadline April 10 by 11:59 PM PT; shortlist notifications May 8; extended diligence throughout May/June; and target contracting in July. Projects are evaluated on alignment with eligibility criteria, risk management and industry best practices, and commercial terms including price and payment-upon-delivery structures.

Projects must be registered on an eligible third-party registry (American Carbon Registry, Climate Action Reserve, Gold Standard, Isometric, Puro.Earth, or Verra) and cannot be located in US State Department Level 4 Do Not Travel countries. Additional specific guidance applies to super pollutant projects, afforestation/reforestation (ARR), improved forest management, regenerative agriculture and sustainable grazing, and biochar projects. Selected suppliers receive standardized contracts coordinated by Watershed and priority consideration for multi-year agreements and subsequent purchases.