Project Information

Bid Title

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY INVESTMENT GRADE AUDIT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RELATED CONSERVATION MEASURES FROM ENERGY SERVICES COMPANY (ESCO)

Issuing Agency

Santa Barbara Unified

Location

California

Published Date

Dec 4, 2025

Closing Date

Jan 16, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Project Description

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY INVESTMENT GRADE AUDIT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RELATED CONSERVATION MEASURES FROM ENERGY SERVICES COMPANY (ESCO) (opens in new window/tab)

Dec 4 2025

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR ​

ENERGY EFFICIENCY INVESTMENT GRADE AUDIT AND IMPLEMENTATION

OF RELATED CONSERVATION MEASURES FROM ENERGY SERVICES

COMPANY (ESCO)​

The Santa Barbara Unified School District (“District”) is seeking

proposals/Qualifications from qualified persons or entities (“Responders”) to

provide energy efficiency investment grade audit and implementation of related

conservation measures from an energy service company (ESCO). The District

seeks an Energy Services Company (ESCO) to maximize energy and related

operational cost savings to pay for facility upgrades, improvements, and services.

These upgrades, improvements, and services will be implemented via an Energy

Savings Performance Contract (“ESPC” or “Contract”).​

​

Statements/proposals in the prescribed form must be received by January 16,

2025, by 2:00 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Unified School District Administration

Office, 720 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, California 93101. Attention:

Marina Verdian

​

The Request for Proposals (RFP) will be on file and available to view, download

through the District website at www.sbunified.org. Additional information may be

obtained by contacting the Santa Barbara Unified School District, attention

Marina Verdian, Director of Facilities and Operations, 724 Santa Barbara Street,

Santa Barbara, CA 93101; 805-963-4338 X 6238 or mverdian@sbunified.org ​

​

The Santa Barbara Unified School District reserves the right to reject any and all

submissions at its discretion. ​

​

BY THE ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE SANTA BARBARA

UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ​

By: Marina Verdian, Director of Facilities and Modernization ​

​

Published: December 4, 2025, December 11, 2025.

SANTA BARBARA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

​

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND PROPOSALS

​

​

TO PROVIDE ENERGY EFFICIENCY INVESTMENT

GRADE AUDIT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RELATED

CONSERVATION MEASURES FROM ENERGY

SERVICES COMPANY (ESCO)​

​

SBUSD # 08-25/26

​

SANTA BARBARA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

724 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

​

​

Date Issued: December 4, 2025 ​

Deadline for Submittal of Qualifications/Proposals: January 16, 2026, 2:00 pm.

SBUSD #08-25/26 - REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION AND PROPOSAL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IGA AND ECM IMPLEMENTATION

PAGE 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1: PROJECT-SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

A.​ BASIC SCOPE AND NEEDS OF THE CONTRACT:

B.​ MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

C.​ PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

D.​ SUBMITTAL INFORMATION

E.​ PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING

F.​ SUBMITTAL FORMAT

SECTION 2 – PROPOSAL EVALUATION

A.​ EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS, AND SELECTION OF THE ESCO:

B.​ EVALUATION CRITERIA

SECTION 3 – DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS

A.​ OTHER INFORMATION

EXHIBIT A – PROPOSAL CONTENT AND FORMAT

DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS

ATTACHMENT A – FACILITY TECHNICAL PROFILE

FACILITY TECHNICAL PROFILE

ATTACHMENT B – INVESTMENT GRADE AUDIT CONTENTS

SAMPLE INVESTMENT GRADE AUDIT AGREEMENT

INVESTMENT GRADE AUDIT AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT A - Investment Grade Audit Scope of Work

EXHIBIT B – Notice of Acceptance of IGA Report

EXHIBIT C – Measurement and Verification Plan

EXHIBIT D – Project Pricing Format

ATTACHMENT E – ENERGY SERVICES AGREEMENT

MODEL ENERGY SERVICES AGREEMENT

MODEL ENERGY SERVICES AGREEMENT

SBUSD #08-25/26 - REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION AND PROPOSAL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IGA AND ECM IMPLEMENTATION

PAGE 2

SECTION 1: PROJECT-SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND

REQUIREMENTS​

A.​BASIC SCOPE AND NEEDS OF THE CONTRACT: ​

The District is a public school district which serves approximately 12,000 students at 18

elementary and junior and senior high schools. A list of sites and District information is

available on the District Web Site (www.sbunified.org/schools/). For more detailed facility

information see Attachment A- Facility Technical Profile​

​

The Santa Barbara Unified School District (the “District” or “SBUSD”) seeks an Energy Services

Company (ESCO) to maximize energy and related operational cost savings to pay for facility

upgrades, improvements and services. These upgrades, improvements, and services will be

implemented via an Energy Savings Performance Contract (“ESPC” or “Contract”).

The ESCO shall be qualified to conduct an Investment Grade Audit (“IGA”) and implement an

ESPC to install Energy Conservation Measures (“ECMs”) to provide energy and maintenance

cost-saving equipment and services. The purpose of this Contract is to focus on energy

efficiency, sustainability, greenhouse gas reduction, equipment maintenance/repair, etc.

The ESCO, through its work under this Contract, shall support the District’s interest in improving

the energy and water efficiency across their portfolio of facilities and maintaining the energy and

water savings for the life of the Contract. The ESCO shall evaluate opportunities for

electrification of fossil-fueled systems, wherever technically and financially feasible. The ESCO

shall seek all available funding opportunities including federal and state funding and separate

grant or rebate opportunities to support the guaranteed savings in funding the upfront and

on-going project costs.

Facility upgrades, operational improvements, and on-going maintenance, management, and

monitoring services to be funded through an ESPC, which:

a.​ Incurs no initial capital costs but with an option for SBUSD to provide initial

capital if desired;

b.​ Achieves significant long-term operating efficiencies, cost savings and/or carbon

emission reduction;

c.​ Provides an annual cost savings and performance guarantee over the term of the

contract;

d.​ Maintains improvements in, and consistent levels of, operational functionality;

e.​ Realizes additional related benefits such as reduced maintenance needs, facility

improvements, deferred maintenance, and occupant comfort;

f.​ Maintains consistency with all applicable state and local codes and standards.

Designs shall comply with all relevant building codes and shall meet or exceed

any SBUSD performance specifications provided;

g.​ Maximizes financial benefits from participation in utility sponsored energy

efficiency and demand response programs, as well as other Federal or State

grant programs;

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SBUSD #08-25/26 - REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION AND PROPOSAL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IGA AND ECM IMPLEMENTATION

h.​ The ESCO will include in the proposal, Investment Grade Audit, and subsequent

Performance Contract, the cost for a Third-Party Consultant or internal staff to

assist in the evaluation of the selected ESCO’s proposed cost-saving measures,

and oversight during both implementation and the performance period.

SCOPE OF SERVICE - PROJECT PHASES

Comprehensive Services: It is the intent of SBUSD to utilize a single ESCO to implement the

comprehensive services described in each phase below. The Investment Grade Audit (IGA)

scope, costs, and savings are non-transferable between ESCOs due to the conflicts of interest

and potential risks that may arise for both SBUSD and the ESCO.

Phase 1 - Preliminary Assessment: The selected ESCO shall conduct a district-wide

Preliminary Assessment (PA) at-risk to identify the potential energy and operational savings

measures, determine potential cost and savings of the project as a whole, and present a

measurement and verification plan with a proposed project cash flow to present to the District.

Phase 2 - Investment Grade Audit and Project Development: Upon completion, review, and

acceptance of the Preliminary Assessment, the District in its sole discretion may enter into an

Investment Grade Audit Agreement (IGAA) with the ESCO to conduct an IGA. This IGA shall

build upon the Phase 1 – Preliminary Assessment and shall be a district-wide IGA to further

identify energy and operational savings measures, determine the cost and savings of each

measure, and present a measurement and verification plan and commissioning plan to verify

the project savings. A project proposal shall present a comprehensive package of measures

that can be financed through guaranteed savings over the proposed ESPC contract term which

shall not exceed 20 years. The District, at its sole option, shall choose the financing approach

and contract term. The ESCO shall submit the IGA Report to the District for review and

approval. The scope & approach of the IGA shall align with the Exhibit A – Scope of Work

detailed in the Sample IGAA in Attachment B.

Phase 3 – ESA/Financing: The District reserves the right to evaluate all forms of financing and

will determine financing structure, cost, and financial terms for the performance contract. When

negotiations are concluded, the District may issue a Notice to Proceed (“NTP”). Through the

Energy Services Agreement (ESA), the ESCO shall proceed to final design, construction, and

commissioning of the improvement measures. The ESA shall define the final agreed upon list of

measures, equipment, and labor costs, guaranteed cost savings, measurement & verification

plans, and additional relevant information. The document shall identify equipment specifications

and warranties and establish the schedule and responsibilities of the ESCO and the District.

Phase 4 – Design, Implementation, and Commissioning: Upon issuance of a Notice to

Proceed, the ESCO shall continue the design process from the IGA phase and initiate

construction. The ESCO shall work continuously with its sub-contractors for each ECM to

provide interim design plans, design drawings, and equipment submittals to SBUSD for review.

Designs shall comply with adopted building codes and receive required permits. Design

charrette(s) shall be held with the ESCO and SBUSD personnel, and submittal reviews at the

30%, 60%, and 95% levels shall be performed by the District. The review process should be

documented accordingly, so that the appropriate designs and related equipment match the final

IGA scopes of work and meet the original ECM intent. During the IGA phase, the ESCO will

provide a construction schedule which includes estimated completion dates for the following:

ECM installation, commissioning (Cx), post-installation Measurement & Verification (M&V),

punch list, and final acceptance. Throughout the implementation phase, this schedule shall be

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SBUSD #08-25/26 - REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION AND PROPOSAL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IGA AND ECM IMPLEMENTATION

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541330Engineering Services
• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541690Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
• NAICS 541990All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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