RFP Preferred Energy Service Company Partner -

Division of Finance and Business Affairs
Request for Proposal
and Specifications for
Preferred Energy Service Company Partner
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed,
stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form
by any means without the written permission of Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Procurement & Strategic Sourcing
April 21, 2026

Procurement & Strategic Sourcing
5700 Cass Avenue, Suite 4200
Detroit, Michigan 48202
(313) 577-3734
Division of Finance and Business Affairs
April 21, 2026
Dear Vendors:
Wayne State University invites you to participate in its Request for Proposal process to provide a proposal for Preferred
Energy Service Company Partner, for the Facilities Planning & Management, per the specifications contained herein the
Request for Proposal. This service is expected to commence on July 1, 2026.
We have a bid information package complete with the Request for Proposal and complete specifications available for
downloading from the University Procurement Website at http://go.wayne.edu/bids (include capitalization and underscores)
as of April 21, 2026. When visiting the Website, click on the "Service." link in green. Copies of the RFP will not be available
at the pre-proposal meeting.
To participate, it is Optional that you and/or responsible representatives of your organization attend our pre-proposal
conference. For this RFP, the University offers the following Pre-Proposal Options: Virtual. The meeting will be held on April
28, 2026, 11:00 a.m. (Eastern - Detroit Time).
Vendors who would like to participate in the pre-proposal meeting via a TEAMS Video Conference or Conference Call, may do
so via the information below:
Microsoft Teams Meeting
On-line or via Conference Call
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/26673169021145?p=nk86SEJuulfr5pAQ9X
Need to join from a mobile device but don't have TEAMS on it?
Visit our website for instruction on adding TEAMS to your device.
Attendance will be taken during the Prebid Meeting. When Pre-proposal Meetings are Optional, nominal scorecard points will
be awarded for attendance.
We hope you can join us at the Optional pre-proposal meeting. Please have a copy of this Request for Proposal for your
reference during the meeting. Should you have any questions or concerns about this invitation, please contact me at (313)
577-3757, or email: Rfpteam3@wayne.edu. Thank you for your interest in doing business with Wayne State University.
Sincerely,
Brittney Mills
Senior Buyer
Enclosure

Preferred Energy Service Company Partner
for Facilities Planning & Management
Page No.(s)
I. Introduction 1
II. Information for VENDOR 1
A. General 2
B. Calendar of Events 2
C. Optional Pre-Proposal Meeting 2
D. Examination of the Request for Proposal 2
E. Delivery of Proposals 3
F. Proposal Format 3
G. Proposal Evaluation 4
H. VENDOR Profile, Experience, References and Lost Accounts 4
I. VENDOR Service Plan 5
III. Scope of Work and Project Requirements 6
IV. General Requirements and Guidelines 7
UNIVERSITY PROVIDED SCHEDULES
Schedule A Proposal Certification, Non-Collusion Affidavit, VENDOR Acknowledgements
Schedule B Insurance Requirements
Schedule C Cost Schedule
Schedule D Summary Questionnaire
VENDOR CREATED EXHIBITS - TO BE SUBMITTED WITH VENDOR PROPOSAL
VENDOR Exhibit 1 Exceptions / Restricted Services
VENDOR Exhibit 2 Profile/Experience/References
VENDOR Exhibit 3 Service Plan
VENDOR Exhibit 4 Sample Management Reports
APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Wayne State University Map - (see website: http://campusmap.wayne.edu )
Appendix 2 New Vendor Set-Up Requirements
Appendix 3 WSU Wage Rate Schedules - Not Applicable
Appendix 4 Drawings - Not Applicable
Appendix 5 Sample Strategic Source Agreement

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I. INTRODUCTION
A. Wayne State University, founded in 1868, is committed to preparing its students to excel in a fast-
paced and interconnected global society. It combines the academic excellence of a major research
university with the practical experiences of an institution whose history, location and diversity make it a
microcosm of the world students will enter when they graduate. The University holds the Highest
Carnegie Foundation classification for research activity. It has 13 colleges and schools and offers more
than 350 academic programs including bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees; post-baccalaureate,
graduate and specialist certificates; and three professional programs (http://wayne.edu/about/).
B. Procurement & Strategic Sourcing is soliciting proposals from qualified professional organizations,
hereafter referred to as VENDOR(s), who specialize in providing Preferred Energy Service Company
Partner of superior quality, at competitive pricing, as described in the Statement of Work section of the
Request for Proposal (RFP). Project must commence on or before July 1, 2026, and be
completed by June 30, 2029.
The contract(s) will be for a three-year period ending on June 30, 2029. Thereafter, the
UNIVERSITY may, at its option, extend the contract, on a year-to-year basis for up to two one-year
periods, through June 30, 2031. VENDORS must state maximum price increases (if any) for years two
and three on Cost Schedule C.
This RFP outlines basic requirements as specified in the Scope of Work section of the RFP (Section III).
Proposals submitted are to be in accordance with the outline and specifications contained in and are to
remain in effect a minimum of 120 days from the date of submission and may be subject to further
extensions as negotiated.
C. The UNIVERSITY reserves the right to accept, reject, modify, and/or negotiate any and all
proposals received in conjunction with the RFP. It reserves the right to waive any defect or
informality in the Proposals on the basis of what it considers to be in its best interests. Any proposal
may be rejected which the UNIVERSITY determines to be incomplete, conditional, obscure, or has
irregularities of any kind. The UNIVERSITY reserves the right to award to the firm, or firms, which in its
sole judgment, will best serve its long-term interest.
This RFP in no manner obligates the UNIVERSITY to the eventual purchase of any products or services
described, implied, or which may be proposed, until confirmed by written agreement, and may be
terminated by the UNIVERSITY without penalty or obligation at any time prior to the signing of an
Agreement or Purchase Order.
D. Expenses for developing and presenting proposals shall be the entire responsibility of the VENDOR and
shall not be chargeable to the UNIVERSITY. All supporting documentation and manuals submitted with
this proposal will become the property of the UNIVERSITY.
E. All questions concerning this Request for Proposal are to be directed to Brittney Mills, Senior Buyer,
Email; Rfpteam3@wayne.edu. The deadline for questions is May 1, 2026, 12:00 noon. Under no
circumstances may a VENDOR contact other individuals at the UNIVERSITY, or its consultants to
discuss any aspect of this RFP, unless expressly authorized by Procurement & Strategic Sourcing to do
so.
II. INFORMATION FOR VENDOR
A. General
This RFP contains requests for information. VENDORS, however, in responding to this RFP, are
encouraged to provide any additional information they believe relevant. VENDORS are encouraged to
examine all sections of this RFP carefully, in that the degree of interrelationship between sections is
high.

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B. Calendar of Events
Activity Responsibility Date
Formal Release of RFP Procurement April 21, 2026
Optional Pre-Proposal meeting Procurement /Evaluation April 28, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.
Team (ET)/VENDORS
Questions due to Procurement & VENDORS May 1, 2026, by 12 Noon
Strategic Sourcing
Delivery of Proposals are by VENDORS Mayl 11, 2026 by 2:00 p.m.
electronic submission on Mayl 11,
2026. The link for bid submission will be
posted with the bid details at
http://go.wayne.edu/bids.
Interviews VENDORS / ET May 20, 2026
Evaluation of Proposals Procurement / ET May 29, 2026
(clarifications & negotiations)
Announcement of Selected VENDOR Procurement June 9, 2026
Readiness for Service/Contract VENDORS July 1, 2026
Commencement
Project Completion VENDORS / ET June 30, 2029
The UNIVERSITY will make every effort to adhere to the above schedule. It is subject however, to time
extensions at the University's discretion.
C. Optional Pre-Proposal Meeting
You may attend an Optional Pre-Proposal Meeting on as a condition for submitting a proposal. For
this RFP, the University offers the following Pre-Proposal Options: Virtual.
The meeting will be held on April 28, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern - Detroit Time).
Vendors who would like to participate in the pre-proposal meeting via a TEAMS Video Conference or
Conference Call, may do so via the information below:
Microsoft Teams Meeting
On-line or via Conference Call
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/26673169021145?p=nk86SEJuulfr5pAQ9X
Need to join from a mobile device but don't have TEAMS on it?
Visit our website for instruction on adding TEAMS to your device.
During this meeting, we will answer any questions you may have to clarify any ambiguities in this
Request for Proposal. Answers to questions that cannot be answered during this meeting will be put
into an Addendum and emailed to all VENDORS and posted to the University website as soon as they
are obtained. Each proposal submitted shall list all addenda, by numbers, which have been received
prior to the time scheduled for receipt of proposal.
Attendance will be taken during the Prebid Meeting. When Pre-proposal Meetings are Optional,
nominal scorecard points will be awarded for attendance.
Minutes for the Pre-proposal Meeting will be distributed and published on the website as an Addendum.
Vendors are responsible for the information in this and all other Addenda and must acknowledge each
addendum in Schedule D on the second page of the Schedule.

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D. Examination of the Request for Proposal
Before submitting proposals, each VENDOR will be held to have examined the UNIVERSITY
requirements outlined in the Scope of Work and Technical Information sections and satisfied itself as to
the existing conditions under which it will be obligated to perform in accordance with specifications of
this RFP.
No claim for additional compensation will be allowed due to unfamiliarity with the specifications and/or
existing conditions. It shall be understood that the VENDOR has full knowledge of all of the existing
conditions and accepts them "as is."
E. Delivery of Proposals
Proposals with supporting documentation shall be submitted by electronic submission. The link for
bid submission will be posted with the bid details at http://go.wayne.edu/bids beginning April 21,
2026.
The electronic submission should be limited to no more than one of each of the following file types: 1
Word Document and/or 1 Excel Workbook and/or 1 PDF document, with a total file size less than 20
megabytes. ZIP Files containing separate sections of a proposal are not acceptable, drop box
submissions are not accepted either. If your submission was sent correctly, you will receive an auto-
reply message acknowledging receipt of your Proposal.
The specific format for responses is detailed in Section II F (below). Proposals and Schedule C, Cost
Schedule must be signed, and the authority of the individual signing must be stated thereon. All
responses are to be submitted by electronic submission on forms furnished with the Bidding
documents:
ATTN.: Brittney Mills, Senior Buyer
Wayne State University
RFP: Preferred Energy Service Company Partner
The link for bid submission will be posted with the bid details at http://go.wayne.edu/bids beginning
April 21, 2026.
Deadline for receipt of proposals by Procurement & Strategic Sourcing is, Mayl 11, 2026 by 2:00 p.m.
(local time). Proposals received after that time will not be accepted. No details of the proposal will
be divulged at the time of opening.
F. Proposal Format
Proposals are limited to 25 pages total, one sided, and eleven (11) point font. (This is inclusive of all
required documents and schedules and any optional material included at the discretion of the
respondent, but tab sheets and the cover pages do not count in the overall document count.)
Proposals are to be submitted with appropriate indices. Each proposal should provide a straightforward
concise description of the VENDOR'S service, approach and ability to meet the UNIVERSITY'S needs
as stated in this RFP. Schedules and Exhibits listed below must be included in your proposal:
University Provided Schedules (provided in this package)
Schedule A - Proposal Certification, Non-Collusion Affidavit, VENDOR Acknowledgements
Schedule B - Insurance Requirements
Schedule C - Cost Schedule, Summary of Quoted Rates
Schedule D - Summary Questionnaire
Vendor Created Exhibits (to be Submitted with Vendor Proposal)
Exhibit 1 - Exceptions/Restrictions, if any exist (Section II G)
Exhibit 2 - Profile / Experience / References (Section II H)
Exhibit 3 - VENDOR Service Plan (Section III)
Care should be exercised in preparation of the proposals since it is the UNIVERSITY'S intent to have
the final contract documentation to consist of a University Strategic Source Agreement (Appendix 5)

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that incorporates the RFP, VENDOR Proposal, any letters of clarification, and will require the issuance
of a Purchase Order for invoicing purposes.
Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or other presentations beyond those sufficient to present a complete
and effective quotation are not desired.
G. Proposal Evaluation
1. Proposals will be evaluated, and award will be based on the VENDOR'S ability to offer the best
value (quality, past performance and price), and on anticipated quality of service. Items considered
include but are not limited to:
* Technical & Team (35%): highered/Michigan ESPC experience; key staff; approach to
audits, design, commissioning, and M&V; program management capacity.
* Commercial Structure & Cost Rates (35%): competitiveness of O&P caps, subcontract
markups, IGA pricing, M&V rates, financing formula, and optional unit prices; transparency and
enforceability of openbook and subcontracting commitments. (including Completion of
Schedule C)
* Programmatic Partnership Fit (20%): demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects on
schedule and within guaranteed outcomes; local presence; safety record; client references.
* Sustainability Alignment (10%): demonstrated experience in sustainable design and
construction along with an acknowledgement and understanding of Wayne State's
Sustainability Objectives.
VENDOR proposals will be evaluated by a team consisting of members of the UNIVERSITY'S
Procurement and Facilities Planning & Management. A preliminary screening will be used to
identify competitive VENDORS who have met the mandatory requirements. Procurement &
Strategic Sourcing may subsequently request selected VENDORS to attend an interview or make a
presentation at a set time and date, to clarify information provided in the proposals. Final
consideration, evaluation, and recommendation may be made at this point. However, the
UNIVERSITY reserves the right to take additional time for reference review, site visits and/or
proposal negotiations.
2. To qualify for evaluation, a VENDOR'S proposal must be responsive, must have been submitted on
time and must materially satisfy all mandatory requirements identified throughout the RFP, in the
judgment of the UNIVERSITY. Any deviation from requirements indicated herein must be
stated in the proposal specifically under the category "Restricted Services", and clearly
identified as Exhibit 1. Otherwise, it will be considered that proposals are in strict compliance
with all requirements. Check the box indicating "None" for Restricted Services on the Proposal
Certification Schedule A. In those cases where mandatory requirements are stated, material failure
to meet those requirements may result in disqualification of the VENDOR'S response
3. If there are portions of any proposal the UNIVERSITY finds unacceptable or otherwise in need of
clarification or revision, the UNIVERSITY reserves the right to clarify or negotiate with any or all
VENDORS. Should the outcome of evaluations result in a recommendation, any resulting contract
will be subject to the approval of the UNIVERSITY'S General Counsel and must be approved and
signed by the appropriate UNIVERSITY representative.
4. After notification of acceptance of proposal and the signing of a resulting agreement and/or
Purchase Order, the successful VENDOR will be expected to establish and be in a position to
commence work or services on or before July 1, 2026.
H. VENDOR Profile, Experience, References, and Lost Accounts
1. VENDOR Profile should include:
VENDOR is required to provide organizational data that demonstrates the size, scope and
capability of the Company to handle the UNIVERSITY'S specific requirements specified in this
RFP. Explain any company relationships that could be construed to be a conflict of interest in
doing business with the UNIVERSITY now or in the future.
Upon University request, VENDOR must agree to provide publicly distributed annual reports
and/or independently audited financial statements including its statement of financial position,

5
statement of operations, and statement of cash flows for at least the past three years. Vendor must
further agree to permit the UNIVERSITY, upon request, to audit VENDOR's books, but only as it
relates to the Wayne State University account, including invoicing, operational, and technology
controls (when applicable). The University is limited to 1 request per calendar year of this
agreement.
If / when requested, failure to agree to this will result in disqualification of your bid (see
Schedule D).
Financial Information will be treated as confidential and not added to the publicly permanent RFP
file. Requested Financials must be sent to:
ATTN.: Kenneth Doherty, Associate Vice President
Procurement & Strategic Sourcing
Wayne State University
RFP: Preferred Energy Service Company Partner
Procurement & Strategic Sourcing
5700 Cass Avenue, 4th Floor - Suite 4200 AAB
Detroit, MI 48202
VENDORS must include a self-addressed envelope marked "Confidential" with their financial
statement. Statements will be returned upon completion of any University review.
2. Experience
VENDORS are to state in their proposals their qualifications to meet the RFP specifications
in terms of past and current consulting experience with the same or similar requirements. This
information should be provided in the VENDOR'S Exhibit 2 of their proposal. VENDORS are to
focus on experiences with organizations having needs similar to that of the UNIVERSITY.
3. References
Upon request, VENDOR must agree to provide a minimum of five (5) qualified references.
Requests for references will come from Brittney Mills, Senior Buyer, and will be treated as
confidential and not added to the publicly permanent RFP file.
References are to be from organizations that have successfully utilized the products and services.
The references supplied should include the name and address of the organization, and the
contact's name(s), titles, e-mail, and the telephone numbers.
Failure to provide references (if requested) will result in disqualification of your bid.
4. Lost Accounts and Legal Actions
Upon request, VENDOR must agree to provide a list of significant accounts that the VENDOR
has lost during the past three (3) years. "Significant" for this purpose shall be construed to mean
accounts representing billings by the VENDOR in the range of $25,000.00 or more each year. A
lost account can be defined when the vendor has been terminated on a job because of
performance or default. Contact names and telephone numbers of affected Companies must be
provided.
Indicate any significant past or pending lawsuits or malpractice claims against the VENDOR.
I. VENDOR Service Plan
Vendors should include a complete description of the products and services offered in their Proposal.
The Service Plan should include, but not be limit to:
1. A summary of the products or services to be provided.
2. When applicable, a timeline showing how the Vendor plans to deliver products and/or services to
fulfill any contract issued as a result of this RFP.
3. Key staff members at the Vendors organization that will be assigned to the University account or
will otherwise be part of an implementation team.

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4. Any resource requirements on the part of the University necessary in order for the Vendor to
meet its obligations under an agreement resulting from this RFP.
5. Any hardware, software, or other technology the University must have in order to use the
Vendors products or services.
6. Any alternative ideas or proposals that should be considered by the University in addition to the
base proposal.
III. SCOPE OF WORK AND PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
A. Purpose and Term
The Owner seeks to select one Preferred Energy Service Company (ESCO) to provide turnkey Energy
Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) services for multiple projects over the Contract Term. This RFP
establishes transparent, ratebased commercial terms-rather than projectspecific lumpsum pricing-so
the Owner can (i) compare proposers on a common basis now and (ii) negotiate project pricing following
Investment Grade Audits (IGAs). Anticipated Term: up to five (5) years, with Owneroption renewals.
Anticipated Delivery: Task Orders issued after completion and Owner approval of projectspecific IGAs.
B. Scope of Services (Summary)
The Preferred ESCO will provide, as authorized by Task Orders: facility audits, project development,
design, engineering, construction/implementation, commissioning, Measurement & Verification (M&V),
training, monitoring, and postinstallation performance services consistent with ESPC best practices.
C. Technical Approach
1. Performance Contracting Approach: In two (2) pages or less, summarize your firm's approach to
performance contracting and to what extent the owner is involved in these activities.
2. Investment Grade Audits (IGA) and Project Development: Indicate your firm's approach to
performing detailed energy audits, identifying and designing facility Improvement measures, and your
process for recommending which measures should be included in the performance contracting
project.
Please include the following within your narrative:
* Method for establishing energy consumption and cost baseline
* IGA development cost recovery structure
* Typical IGA duration and staffing levels
* IGA deliverables included (cash flow model, ECM financial proformas, carbon reduction analysis)
3. Project Management: Indicate your firm's approach to managing the installation phase. Describe the
various responsibilities of your team members during construction, and how they will keep the
owner's personnel informed of the project's progress. What is the ESCO's approach to ensuring
safety during the installation phase? What is your firm's Experience Modification Rate (EMR)?
Indicate your understanding of applicable codes and construction practices for this project.
4. Training: Address your firm's approach to training the owner's personnel on the newly installed
equipment. Does your firm offer additional training services to enhance the skills of facility operations
personnel? State location of your nearest training facility.
5. Support Services: Describe your firm's available support services to the owner after construction is
complete - in addition to the measurement and verification of project results, which is covered in Item
5, Financial Approach.
6. Measurement and Verification: Please provide a narrative of the following
a. Provide your firm's historical percentage of projects meeting or exceeding guaranteed savings.
b. Provide your firm's total guarantee shortfalls paid in the last 5 years.

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c. What is your firm's reserve/ escrow practices for guarantee coverage? What are your firm's
preferred IPMVP options?
d. How does your firm perform the annual reconciliation process?
e. Under what circumstances would your firm request baseline model adjustment and what is your
methodology for adjusting the model?
7. Multi-Year Partnership & Program: The University intends to establish a Preferred ESCO
relationship for a three- to five-year term to support implementation of multiple energy, infrastructure,
and decarbonization projects under a coordinated capital strategy. Proposers shall describe how their
commercial structure and delivery model support a long-term, programmatic partnership rather than a
single stand-alone project.
Specifically, proposers shall address:
a. Proposed fee reductions or pricing efficiencies associated with bundled projects or a multi-project
pipeline.
b. The dedicated staffing model that will be assigned to the University, including key personnel
continuity throughout the term.
c. Local office presence and financial backing, including the ability to support multi-year
performance guarantees.
d. Maximum annual project volume capacity and ability to deliver concurrent projects without
performance degradation.
e. Ability to phase projects under a single master agreement while maintaining cost transparency
and schedule alignment.
f. Approach to aggregating smaller projects or ECMs to achieve economies of scale.
g. Methods used to provide cost certainty across a multi-year capital plan, including escalation
assumptions, contingency management, and guaranteed maximum pricing practices.
h. Experience with Tax-Exempt lease purchase.
i. Experience with leveraging Federal/State Incentives (IRA, utility rebates, grants)
The University seeks a partner capable of delivering financial transparency, scalable project
implementation, and long-term guarantee reliability aligned with institutional planning horizons.
D. Wayne State University Sustainability Objectives
It is expected that the selected ESCO will support WSU's Campus Master Plan (The Wayne Framework)
and sustainability objectives as laid out in the Strategic Plan, linked here:
* https://campusplan.wayne.edu/
* https://sustainability.wayne.edu/about/strategic-plan
Once an ESCO is selected, projects in which they are deployed will need to include scope encompassing
the full building. It will be the responsibility of the ESCO to identify Energy Conservation Measures (ECM)
specific to the project, but the following will be required to be evaluated as a baseline:
* Building occupancy, schedules, and criticality of space uses.
* LED Lighting including controls
* HVAC Upgrades/ Replacements
o Electrification when cost effective
o Eliminate steam as a source of heat where feasible and cost-effective.
o Right-size equipment based on current/projected building loads.
* Building automation system programming, networking, software, and hardware standardization.
* Reduce campus dependence on natural gas as a fuel source for boilers and generators.
* Gas and Electric Real Time Metering
Please include your technical approach to these types of projects as part of your technical approach
section of the proposal.