PM and OCM Services for Markets+ Implementation

POWER MANAGEMENT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
PM AND OCM SERVICES FOR MARKETS+ IMPLEMENTATION
SPECIFICATION NO. PM26-0046F

City of Tacoma
Tacoma Public Utilities - Tacoma Power
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS PM26-0046F
PM AND OCM SERVICES FOR MARKETS+ IMPLEMENTATION
Submittal Deadline: 11:00 a.m., Pacific Time, Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Submittals must be received by the City's Procurement and Payables Division by 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
For electronic submittals, the City of Tacoma will designate the time of receipt recorded by our email server, as
the official time of receipt. This clock will be used as the official time of receipt of all parts of electronic bid
submittals. Include the specification number in the subject line of your email. Your submittal must be sent as an
attachment, links to your electronic submittal will not be accepted.
For in person submittals, the City of Tacoma will designate the time of receipt recorded by the timestamp
located at the lobby security desk, as the official time of receipt. Include the specification number on the
outside of the sealed envelope. Late submittals will be returned unopened and rejected as non-responsive.
Submittal Delivery: Sealed submittals will be received as follows:
By Email: In Person:
sendbid@tacoma.gov Tacoma Public Utilities Administration Building North,
Maximum email size including attachments: 35 MB. Main Floor, Lobby Security Desk
Multiple emails may be sent for each submittal. 3628 South 35th Street
Tacoma, WA 98409
Note: Email may pass through multiple servers before arriving Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
at its destination. Please allow sufficient time for email delivery
of submittals. Timely electronic delivery is at the risk of the
supplier.
Bid Opening: Submittals must be received by the City's Procurement and Payables Division prior to 11:00
a.m. Pacific Time. Sealed submittals in response to a RFB will be opened Tuesday's at 11:15 a.m. by a
purchasing representative and read aloud during a public bid opening held at the Tacoma Public Utilities
Administrative Building North, 3628 S. 35th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409, conference room M-1, located on the
main floor. They will also be held virtually Tuesday's at 11:15 a.m. Attend a Zoom meeting via this link or call 1
(253) 215 8782, using meeting ID # 884 0268 0573, passcode # 070737.
Submittals in response to an RFP, RFQ or RFI will be recorded as received, but not read at bid opening. As
soon as possible, after 1:00 PM, on the day of submittal deadline, preliminary results will be posted to
www.TacomaPurchasing.org.
If you believe your submittal was sent timely and was not read at bid opening, please contact
sendbid@tacoma.gov immediately.
Solicitation Documents: An electronic copy of the complete solicitation documents may be viewed and
obtained by accessing the City of Tacoma Purchasing website at www.TacomaPurchasing.org.
* Register for the Bid Holders List to receive notices of addenda, questions and answers and related updates.
* Click here to see a list of vendors registered for this solicitation.
Pre-Proposal Meeting: A pre-proposal meeting will be held at 3:00 PM on May 11th, 2026, in Conference
Room ABN-M1(main floor) of the Tacoma Public Utilities Administrative Building North, 3628 S 35th St,
Tacoma, WA. Video conference / teleconference is available through Microsoft Teams:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/271120892713033?p=I9I2EPCrSUuqLCop1h,
Meeting ID: 271 120 892 713 033, Passcode: fM2oS6Nn.
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Form No. SPEC-040C Revised: 06/03/2024

Project Scope:
Tacoma Power is seeking to contract with one or more entities that can provide program management (PM)
and organizational change management (OCM) services in support of Tacoma Power's implementation of
Markets+, a day-ahead energy market that will be operated by the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). Contractor(s)
will perform various tasks, which may include data gathering, issue summarization, analysis, and development
of recommendations. Separate work orders will outline the objectives to be performed and specific tasks that
may be required.
Estimate: The contract(s) awarded as part of this solicitation will have provisions to limit aggregate expense to
no more than $3,000,000.
Paid Sick Leave: The City of Tacoma requires all employers to provide paid sick leave in accordance with
State of Washington law.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA Information: The City of Tacoma, in accordance with Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), commits to
nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, in all of its programs and activities. Specification materials can be
made available in an alternate format by emailing the contact listed below in the Additional Information section.
Title VI Information:
"The City of Tacoma" in accordance with provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, (78 Stat. 252, 42
U.S.C. sections 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively
ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises
will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated
against on the grounds of race, color, national origin in consideration of award.
Additional Information: Requests for information regarding the specifications may be obtained by contacting
Sara Bird by email to sbird@tacoma.gov.
Protest Policy: City of Tacoma protest policy, located at www.tacomapurchasing.org, specifies procedures for
protests submitted prior to and after submittal deadline.
Meeting sites are accessible to persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations for persons with
disabilities can be arranged with 48 hours advance notice by calling 253-502-8468.
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Form No. SPEC-040C Revised: 06/03/2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SUBMITTAL CHECKLIST .......................................................................................................... 5
1. BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................. 6
2. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS .............................................................................................. 6
3. SCOPE OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES................................................................... 7
4. CONTRACT TERM ............................................................................................................10
5. CALENDAR OF EVENTS ..................................................................................................10
6. INQUIRIES ........................................................................................................................10
7. PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING..............................................................................................11
8. DISCLAIMER .....................................................................................................................11
9. EVALUATION CRITERIA ...................................................................................................11
10. CONTENT TO BE SUBMITTED - This section represents 100% of the possible scoring
criteria. ......................................................................................................................................12
11. INTERVIEWS / ORAL PRESENTATIONS .....................................................................15
12. RESPONSIVENESS .....................................................................................................15
13. ACCEPTANCE / REJECTION OF SUBMITTALS ..........................................................15
14. CONTRACT OBLIGATION ............................................................................................16
15. STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS / GENERAL PROVISIONS ...........................16
16. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................16
17. PARTNERSHIPS ..........................................................................................................16
18. COMMITMENT OF FIRM KEY PERSONNEL ...............................................................16
19. AWARD .........................................................................................................................17
20. ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PROCUREMENT ..............................................17
21. PROPRIETARY OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION ..................................................17
22. ADDENDUMS ...............................................................................................................18
23. LEAP REQUIREMENTS................................................................................................18
24. EQUITY IN CONTRACTING .........................................................................................18
APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................19
APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................................20
Request for Proposal Specification No. PM26-0046F
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SUBMITTAL CHECKLIST
This checklist identifies items to be included with your submittal. Any submittal received without
these required items may be deemed non-responsive and not be considered for award.
Submittals must be received by the City of Tacoma Purchasing Division by the date and time
specified in the Request for Proposal page.
The following items make up your submittal package:
One electronic copy of your complete submittal package
Signature Page (Appendix A)
Information in Section 10 (Content To Be Submitted)
After award, the following documents will be executed:
Services Contract
Certificate of Insurance and related endorsements
Request for Proposal Specification No. PM26-0046F
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1. BACKGROUND
Tacoma Power is a division of the City of Tacoma (Tacoma or City) that provides electric
service to approximately 190,000 customers in Tacoma, Fircrest, University Place, Fife, parts of
Steilacoom, Lakewood, Joint Base Lewis-McChord and unincorporated Pierce County as far
south as Roy. We have been publicly owned since 1893. We are also a division of Tacoma
Public Utilities and are governed by a five-member Public Utility Board.
To learn more about the City of Tacoma, visit tacoma.gov
Tacoma Power is seeking to contract with one or more consultants that can provide Program
Management (PM) and organizational change management (OCM) services in support of
Tacoma Power's implementation of Markets+, a day-ahead energy market that will be operated
by the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). Consultant(s) will perform various tasks, which may
include data gathering, issue summarization, analysis, and development of recommendations.
Separate work orders will outline the objectives to be performed and specific tasks that may be
required. The consultant(s) will invoice Tacoma Power on a time and material basis at rates
established under a master agreement. Tacoma Power anticipates awarding one or more
contracts with an aggregate value not to exceed $3,000,000.
For purposes of this request for proposal, program management will also include various project
management activities. For clarity: project management should be understood to focus on
delivery of a single defined scope on time and within budget, while program management will
provide strategic coordination across multiple related projects-aligning resources, managing
shared risks, identifying cross project dependencies, and maintaining unified visibility and
communication for leadership. Given the complexity of Markets+, Tacoma Power intends to use

a program level approach for Markets+ implementation with a consultant serving as a Program
Manager that provides overarching coordination across Markets+ workstreams and multiple

project managers (both internal and external to Tacoma Power).
Submittals and/or the selected Consultant(s) may be used for projects of similar type and scope
at the sole discretion of the City for up to one year.
2. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
The vendor must have the following qualifications:
* Minimum of five (5) years' experience working with Northwest regional and government
owned electric utilities;
* Knowledge of centralized wholesale electrical markets as demonstrated by experience
working with a market operator; and,
* A track record of expanding and/or improving client capabilities and expertise at both the
organizational and individual level.
Specific minimum qualifications, desired key competencies and specific experience for a role
will be included on the task assignment used to solicit for the project or job for each of the
categories in Section 3, Scope of Services and Deliverables.
Request for Proposal Specification No. PM26-0046F
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Awarded contractor(s) will provide qualified consultants with the aim of achieving as many of the
following key competencies where appropriate:
2.1 Team Leadership: Ability to lead matrixed, cross-functional project teams/business units
and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to achieve project/job goals and objectives; and take
steps to participate and/or build cohesive and results-oriented teams using facilitation and
team leadership techniques that create a cooperative and productive environment in
which to resolve problems or develop and implement plans.
2.2 Results Oriented / Initiative: Ability to effectively direct and integrate all aspects of a
project and/or initiative, ensuring that work progresses toward achieving goals and
objectives on schedule; collect, evaluate, and interpret data for project and program
execution; effectively solve problems; develop fact-based recommendations; drive
effective and timely decision making; influence policy development; conduct assignments
in a professional, independent, and timely manner; and remain current on applicable
ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
2.3 Workload Management: Ability to effectively organize multiple assignments, sometimes of
a complex nature or involving competing priorities, and analyzing situations to develop a
course of action to produce work products that are accurate, thorough, and on time.
2.4 Communication Effectiveness: Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in
writing to line staff and management/executive-level audiences; compile reports,
presentations, and records; and interact respectfully and sensitively with individuals and
groups to develop and maintain productive relationships, facilitate consensus, and
achieve results.
2.5 Problem Solving: Ability to apply previous experience, common sense, knowledge of best
practices, and tenacity to solve difficult or complicated challenges; and employ expertise,
credibility, creativity, and effective partnering to help clients identify, evaluate, and resolve
complex or sensitive issues, problems, and service needs.
3. SCOPE OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES
It is the City's intent to select a consultant based on qualifications and abilities of the firm and
key project individuals.
For Tacoma Power to successfully implement Markets+, it must accomplish a series of tasks in
a manner consistent with SPP's requirements for market participation. Accordingly, Tacoma
Power seeks the assistance of experienced consultants to perform PM and OCM services as
outlined in the following categories.
3.1 Category 1: PM - Program Management and Project Management
This service category includes: program management, project management, project planning,
scheduling, work status review, stakeholder coordination, executive and governance support,
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business analysis, process design, and staff augmentation. The consultant Program Manager
will provide strategic orchestration across multiple related projects, ensuring unified standards
and reporting, coordinated execution by internal and external project managers, and proactive
identification and resolution of cross workstream risks and dependencies. Certain workstreams,
especially those that are technical in nature, will remain under internal Tacoma Power

leadership.
Specific skills and duties may include:
* Expert knowledge of best practices in project management
* Development of project plans that include items such as project scope, objectives, timelines,
stakeholder assignments, and resource requirements
* Experience working collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure that project objectives align
with business goals and support organizational strategy
* Ability to use project management software such as Microsoft Project
* Significant experience managing greenfield projects, such as centralized market system
deployments, as well as the development and implementation of process improvement
projects
* Ability to work closely with leadership and cross-functional teams to identify process
improvement opportunities and implement solutions
* Strong background in process improvement methodologies
* Ability to analyze and understand business requirements
* Experience with identifying, planning, measuring, and tracking project objectives and
benefits from the start of a project or program investment until realization of benefits
In addition, program management support may include coordination activities such as
maintaining a comprehensive integrated program schedule; organizing and facilitating standing
governance meetings (including the Business Advisory Committee and Executive Steering
Committee); ensuring consistent documentation of program decisions and milestones;
supporting vendor selection and contracting processes; maintaining program level risk, issue,
and escalation frameworks; implementing a structured decision making framework across

workstreams; SME resource allocation, especially for critical path efforts; maintaining an

inventory of cross workstream dependencies and critical path analysis, and surfacing

timing/sequencing risks early for leadership action; clarifying procurement pathways (RFP, RFI,

direct negotiation) and associated tradeoffs to support stakeholder alignment; producing
executive level communication and reports (e.g., unified dashboards/scorecards) to provide
consistent visibility into the program; and coordinating multiple project managers (internal and

vendor) to ensure aligned standards, schedules, and unified reporting. The Program Manager
will not be responsible for execution of workstream specific technical deliverables.

3.2 Category 2: OCM - Organizational Change Management
This service category includes but is not limited to: organizational design, leadership
development, team development, change assessment, stakeholder assessment, stakeholder
alignment and engagement, communication planning and implementation, documentation of
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business process changes, facilitation of knowledge transfer, and training program design and
implementation.
Organizational change support will specifically focus on preparing Tacoma Power for transition
to Markets+ and Western RC Services, and helping employees understand the purpose of the
change and their roles within it.
Specific skills and duties may include:
* Advanced knowledge and experience in executive development, leadership development,
succession planning, change management, management training, professional
development, organization development, courseware design and delivery, and related talent
management functions
* Experience as a facilitator with a track record of impactful and effective delivery to
audiences at all levels for engagements such as workshops, meetings, and design review
sessions
* Experience with providing survey and assessment instruments including 360 assessments
and feedback
* Experience and track record of influencing senior managers and leadership
* Ability to conduct organizational assessments to determine how jobs, roles, and structures
should change to meet a future state, especially for processes related to energy trading and
utility operations in the context of Markets+
* Ability to document current ("as is") and future ("to-be") trading and operational processes by
working with SMEs

* Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional stakeholders to develop and implement
OCM strategies and roadmaps for new initiatives or the improvement of existing initiatives
and processes
* Knowledge of best practices in enterprise change management including organization
assessment and change management principles, methodologies, and tools
* Experience in human resources planning and staff allocation
* Experience with development and execution of internal and external communication plans
leveraging numerous communication techniques
* Ability to capture and share institutional knowledge
* Ability to provide training plan development, curriculum development, instructional materials,
and vendor engagement, especially for processes related to energy trading and utility
operations in the context of Markets+
* Experience with continuous improvement and project management approaches, tools, and
phases
* Experience with agile development methods and phases
* Experience in application testing methodologies
* Experience providing coaching and related services to both individuals and teams to
establish an environment that empowers organizations to implement change
Consultant OCM deliverables will include development of a comprehensive Markets+ Program
OCM Plan that facilitates sponsor engagement and people manager support; creation of
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communication artifacts such as leadership updates and stakeholder facing messaging to
inform, engage, and prepare internal audiences for the Markets+ transition; production of a

training plan and supporting materials; facilitation of change readiness assessments;
development of dashboards or scorecards to monitor adoption; and support for sustaining
program outcomes. While OCM will not produce technical system configurations or formal
testing deliverables, the OCM Lead will facilitate and document the business process changes
required for Markets+, including "as is" and "to be" documentation for trading and operational

activities.

4. CONTRACT TERM
The contract will be for a three-year period with the option to renew the contract for an additional
one-year term. The City reserves the right to cancel the contract for any reason, by written
notice, as stipulated in the contract. Work will be performed as agreed in task orders executed
under each contract. A given contract is not in and of itself a guarantee of paid work scope.
5. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
This is a tentative schedule only and may be altered at the sole discretion of the City. Contract
may be issued after Public Utility Board approval. The anticipated schedule of events
concerning this RFP is as follows:
Publish and issue RFP: 4/30/2026
Pre-Submittal Questions: 5/13/2026
Response to Questions: 5/20/2026
Submittal Due Date: 6/2/2026
Submittal Evaluated: June 2026
Interviews/Presentations, on or about: June/July
Award Recommendation: June/July
Public Utility Board/City Council Approval, on or about July/August
6. INQUIRIES
6.1 Questions should be submitted to Sara Bird via email to sbird@cityoftacoma.org. Subject
line to read:
PM26-0046F - PM and OCM SERVICES FOR MARKETS+ - VENDOR NAME
6.1 Questions are due by 3 pm on the date included in the Calendar of Events section.
6.2 Questions marked confidential will not be answered or included.
6.3 The City reserves the discretion to group similar questions to provide a single answer or
not to respond when the requested information is confidential.
6.4 The answers are not typically considered an addendum.
Request for Proposal Specification No. PM26-0046F
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