Request for Proposal on Qualifications For an Energy Services Program Internal

TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL ON QUALIFICATIONS
FOR AN ENERGY SERVICES PROGRAM
APRIL 10, 2026
Internal

I. PURPOSE OF SOLICITATION
The intent of this Request for Proposal on Qualifications (RFP/Q) is to solicit qualification
proposals from Energy Services Companies (ESCOs). For the purpose of this RFP/Q, "ESCO"
refers to any company that is qualified to provide a turnkey energy program that includes all
services listed in this RFP/Q. Responses to this RFP/Q shall describe the ESCO's capability to
identify the need for, design, install, maintain, monitor, and arrange the financing of a large-scale,
comprehensive energy program that includes the services listed herein. TUSCALOOSA CITY
SCHOOL SYSTEM (TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS) intends to select an ESCO and award
contract(s) to perform cost-effective energy retrofits.
Please note that responses to this RFP/Q must be received on April 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM at the
address below. One (1) paper copy of the response must be sealed and delivered to:
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM
1210 Almon Ave., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Re: Proposal on Qualifications for a Comprehensive Energy Services Program
ATTN: Mr. Jay Duke, CSFO
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT reserves the right to reject any and all responses resulting from this RFP/Q. Late responses will not be accepted and will be returned to the submitting company unopenedTUSCALOOSA CITY
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS is not liable for any cost incurred by any person or firm
responding to this RFP/Q.
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS reserves the right to reject as non-responsive any proposals
that do not contain the information requested in Section VII and Appendix A of this RFP/Q.
Additionally, TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS reserves the right to reject as non-responsive any
proposals which are not organized and formatted as described in this RFP/Q.
Any and all questions regarding this RFP/Q and the program it represents must be submitted in
writing to:
Mr. Jay Duke, CSFO
Email: jduke@tusc.k12.al.us
All questions will be answered by email to all bidders.
Prospective respondents must limit their contact regarding this RFP/Q to Mr. Jay Duke.
Communications by Firms, its agents, employees, and/or representatives with any employee,
agent, or representative of TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS or Tuscaloosa City School Board,
other than Mr. Jay Duke, regarding its proposal or intention to submit a proposal in response to
this RFP will be considered inappropriate communications. If any such inappropriate
communications are deemed to hinder, influence and/or alter the competitive proposal process,
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS, in an effort to ensure a fair and equitable review and selection
process, reserves the right to decline consideration of the offender's sealed proposal.
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II. BACKGROUND
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS has 21 campuses.
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS proposes to address all gas and electric utility uses in all of its
facilities for this program in multiple phases. Additionally, TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS
intends to upgrade outdated and obsolete building equipment and perform property
improvements through the program.
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS anticipates a major reduction in annual utility costs through the
implementation of this energy program. The ESCO will provide a written guarantee of all utility
reduction and provide all financing for the project. The contract life of the program is expected not
to exceed 20 years. TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS intends to structure the program's
implementation schedule in a manner to minimize the programs financed capital needs.
Respondents to this Request for Qualifications (RFP/Q) shall identify their experience and
qualification to design, install and manage a major energy project that involve energy measure
(ECM) retrofits which address the following building components and applications: lighting, space
heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, envelope, heat recovery, energy management systems,
environmental system controls, motors, domestic water heating, fuel switching, air distribution
systems and water consumption systems. TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS is also interested in
the respondents' qualifications and experience related to programs designed to train building
occupants and maintenance workers in energy awareness.
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III. SERVICES REQUESTED
For this RFP/Q, TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS is interested in Energy Services Companies for
the identification, engineering, design, installation, training, maintenance, and financing of
approved ECMs for all of its facilities. TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS has the option to contract
all or some of the services listed above in phases if necessary.
If TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS contracts project financing through the ESCO, payment for
the contracted services will be indexed to measure reductions in annual energy costs or
consumption and will not begin until after the project is operational and generating savings. If
financing is necessary, it shall be structured so that annual payments never exceed annual
savings. Services will be required to provide the financing in such a manner as to ensure that all
costs are paid for from only the savings associated with the energy program. Operational savings
will be scrutinized as part of annual savings. The ESCO must make available a program that
guarantees the energy savings of the energy services financed. The ESCO's demonstrated ability
to provide this guarantee will be an evaluation criterion.
All equipment provided by the ESCO for this program shall have a history of successful operating
experience in similar installations and shall be in new and unused condition. This equipment shall
be state-of-the-art with readily available replacement parts. All equipment used for this program
shall be approved by TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS prior to installation.
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IV. SELECTION PROCESS
Proposal Evaluation
Interested ESCOs responding to this RFP/Q with a proposal must provide the information
required to complete the forms included in Appendix A. TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS will
evaluate submittals and choose the most highly qualified ESCO.
Engineering Proposal
Upon completion of the proposal evaluation, TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS and the ESCO will
design a Letter of Agreement which, when approved by TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS, will
allow the ESCO to proceed with the energy analysis, feasibility study, conceptual engineering
design and permitting plan for a district-wide energy program.
Upon acceptance of the Letter of Agreement by the Board of Education, TUSCALOOSA CITY
SCHOOLS and the ESCO will sign the agreement, thereby requiring the ESCO to proceed. If
during this phase, it is determined that the program options identified by the ESCO do not fall
within mutually agreed upon acceptable financing requirements and project scope, the Letter of
Agreement will be terminated with no financial liability to TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS. Shall it
be determined that the project's feasibility is within the agreed-upon financing parameters and
project scope and TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS terminates the Letter of Agreement for any
reason, then TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS agrees to compensate the ESCO a mutually-
agreed upon amount for the engineering design and permitting effort incurred through
termination. That amount will be stated in the Letter of Agreement.
Negotiating and Signing of Contract
Upon the determination that the project is feasible and acceptable to TUSCALOOSA CITY
SCHOOLS, an Energy Services Agreement (ESA) will be drawn up between TUSCALOOSA
CITY SCHOOLS and the ESCO. All engineering, design and permitting costs incurred by the
ESCO under the Letter of Agreement will be incorporated into the ESA. Upon acceptance of the
ESA by the School Board, the ESA will be signed, and the program will commence. It is
anticipated that the ESA will be presented to the School Board on or before October 1, 2026.
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V. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The following time frame is expected to be followed during the procurement period of this RFP/Q:
April 10, 2026 Release of RFP/Q
April 24, 2026 Proposal received - 2:00 PM
TBD Vendor selected
TBD Investment Grade Audit contract approved by School Board
This is a tentative schedule, and dates are subject to change.
Please note that responses to this RFP/Q must be received on April 24, 2026, by 2:00 PM. at the
address below. One (1) paper copy of the response must be sealed and delivered to:
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM
1210 Almon Ave., Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Re: Proposal on Qualifications for a Comprehensive Energy Services Program
ATTN: Mr. Jay Duke
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS reserves the right to reject any and all responses resulting from
these RFP/Q. Late responses will not be accepted and will be returned to the submitting company
unopened. TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS is not liable for any cost incurred by any person or
firm responding to this RFP/Q.
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS reserves the right to reject, as non-responsive, any proposal
that does not contain the information requested in Section VII of this RFP/Q and on the forms
contained in Appendix A. Additionally, TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS reserves the right to
reject, as non-responsive, any proposals which are not organized and formatted as described in
this RFP/Q.
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VI. SELECTION CRITERIA
Qualification of all business entities that respond to this solicitation, including any subcontractors
to be used, will be evaluated using the following selection criteria. (Percentage weighting among
categories of selection criteria is noted.)
Business and Financial Qualifications (20% maximum)
* Business unit dedicated to providing guaranteed energy savings programs.
* Business unit dedicated to ensuring project performance
* Years in business
* Affiliation with energy and/or business organizations (including ISO certification and EPA or
DOE affiliations)
* Demonstrable ability to bond savings through a third-party surety
* Financial viability of entity proposed to provide technical and financial guarantees
* Financing capability and lines of credit
ESCO will provide financial statements including income statement, balance sheets and
statements of changes for three (3) most recently completed fiscal years.
The ESCOs will provide information documenting the source(s) of proposed financing.
Personnel Qualifications (20% maximum)
Quality of personnel assigned to this project and degree of pertinent experience.
Project Management Plan (20% maximum)
* Comprehensiveness and rationale of project management plan, based on:
o Approach to project management, including staffing and contractor-oversight
o Ability to successfully complete projects on time and to customer satisfaction.
* Method employed to establish baseline energy use in individual buildings and facility-wide
* Method of measurement and verification used to demonstrate energy use reduction and cost
savings as guaranteed
Prior Project Performance (40% maximum)
* Experience with energy projects in the state of Alabama of a similar size and type to that
proposed for TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS.
* Experience taking responsibility for the full range of roles contemplated for this project (e.g.
identification and analysis of ECMs, design, installation, operation, training, financing,
savings verification, etc.)
* Performance on prior projects, including data on projecting, achieving, documenting, and
verifying energy savings to ascertain accuracy of projections
* References from prior and current customers. Must submit at least ten Alabama K-12
references from the last ten years
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VII. RESPONSE FORMAT AND COMMENTS
The responses to this Request for Proposal on Qualifications will consist of nine (9) specific
information subject areas which must be completed and returned in the order indicated below
with each section divided and tabbed with the appropriate section title. Additional forms (as
detailed below) are provided in Appendix A. For areas that do not require a form, the ESCO shall
provide specific information directly addressing the information requested in that section.
TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS may, during the course of the evaluation process, request
additional information to supplement and/or clarify the information provided by any ESCO. Any
additional information not specifically requested in this RFP/Q must be put in a separate
Appendix at the end of the response. Additionally, all supplemental materials (brochures, product
information sheets, etc.) not specifically tailored to this response must be placed in the Appendix.
Responses must be paginated, with page numbers appearing in the lower right-hand corner of
each page and must include a table of contents.
Section 1: Cover Letter
The ESCO's proposal will include a cover letter at the beginning of the proposal. The cover letter
shall provide a summary of the information presented in the proposal, names and telephone and
fax numbers of persons authorized to provide any clarification required, and a statement
accepting the terms of this solicitation or noting specific exceptions taken to any of the terms and
conditions specified in this document. This cover letter shall also include the name of the
person(s) authorized to conduct final contract negotiations on behalf of the ESCO.
Section 2: Introduction
Table of Contents
The ESCO's proposal should include a Table of Contents referencing each information section of
this RFP/Q. The Table of Contents should be further subdivided to describe information included
within each section of the proposal.
Executive Summary
The ESCO will provide an Executive Summary highlighting the ESCO's unique qualifications and
capabilities for this project.
Statement of Responsibility
The respondent must be the Prime Contractor. The Prime Contractor will be responsible for all
work and subcontractors involved in the project. The Prime Contractor will submit a list of all
participants in the project prior to the actual contract negotiations. If some or all of the participants
are not known at this stage, a selection strategy shall be identified noting which participants have
not been selected. A statement of responsibility must be provided, using FORM B in the
Appendix.
Section 3: Personnel
* Provide a graphical representation (organizational chart) of the participants listed in the
ESCO's proposal and their responsibilities in the program. The chart is to be used to show
the company and personnel responsible for each phase of the project, lines of authority, and
relationships between prime contractor and subcontractors. Attach resumes of all individuals
who will have a role in the project.
* A list of key personnel and their responsibilities for the duration of the project contract terms
should be listed. Include in this list the number of years each individual has been in the
industry. Attach resumes of individuals who will have a role in the project.
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Section 4: Project Management
Describe respondent's approach to project management, including coordination with
subcontractors, division of responsibility among project staff, and interaction with TUSCALOOSA
CITY SCHOOLS representatives. Include a sample of any contracts and/or agreements between
the respondent and subcontractor(s) that would be used in this project in an appendix.
Section 5: Energy Savings
* Describe the method used to establish projected savings.
* Describe how you adapt your analysis to specific projects.
* Describe the method used to calculate cost savings.
* Describe the methods used in measurement and verification (M&V) of project savings.
* Describe monitoring and support methods used after installation to guarantee ongoing
savings.
Include a sample guarantee contract in the Appendix to this response. Failure to include a sample
contract will be viewed as unresponsive.
Section 6: References
Provide information on at least ten performance contracts, similar in size and scope to the project
proposed for TUSCALOOSA CITY SCHOOLS that the respondent has successfully implemented
within the last ten years within the state of Alabama.
References shall include:
* Customer Name
* Name and Telephone Number of Contact
* Brief Description of the Project
Section 7: Equipment & Training
* Describe any relationships with manufacturers of energy equipment, including those
manufactured by the respondent or listed subcontractors. Respondent should also
demonstrate willingness to propose and ability to work with different makes of equipment
should such equipment prove to be the optimal choice for TUSCALOOSA CITY
SCHOOLS.
* Outline any training proposed as part of the project, including the subject, duration, and
location of training. Respondent should also describe the relationship with the
organization providing training, if not provided by the prime contractor.
Section 8: Project Non-Performance
Provide a complete list of all projects that in the last 5 years:
Have been reimbursed for non-performance on guaranteed savings.
Section 9: Financial Information
* Describe the financial soundness and stability of the ESCO and its ability to support the
performance guarantee.
* Describe your firm's capacity to issue payment and performance bonds. Provide a letter
from surety company demonstrating the bonding capacity of the ESCO.
* Describe what resources your firm has available to assist the Tuscaloosa City Schools
with financing and funding solutions. Provide three bank references that have provided
financing for past projects.
* Provide a letter of recommendation from a financial institution.
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APPENDIX A: PROPOSAL FORMS
FORM B: STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBIILITY
Prime Contractor (ESCO or Contractor);
Name:
Address
(Please note possession of any license or registration pertinent to this project.)
Area of Responsibility: (Describe in detail duties and responsibilities applicable to this
project.)
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