Contractors responding to the Consumers Energy RFP #1 should submit their questions in writing to Fred Alatalo, aaalatalo@cmsenergy.com. Please include the RFP number (#) in the subject line of your email submission.
Question period closes: March 18, 2009
Questions and answers will be posted at this location. The identity of the person or firm asking the question will remain anonymous when posted at this site.
Q#1: In the Business Solutions RFP, there is a reference to an EO Tracking System at Consumers to which data needs to be uploaded from the vendor’s tracking system. Just to clarify is there an EO Tracking System in place at Consumers or is one planned to be in place?
ANSWERA Consumers EO tracking system is planned
Q#2: What is the relationship between the Contractor maintained "program reporting database that tracks all aspects of the program" and the EO Tracking System as the "central repository to store application and payment information". Is the intention to have 2 separate databases which store the same information? If not, what are the distinct purposes of each database/tracking system?
ANSWER: The Energy Optimization Tracking System is Consumers Energy's central data repository that captures customer, transactional and cost data. It is expected that ICs will enter required information into the tracking system that relates to customer (contract account number), transactional data (what items the customer is applying for rebate) and payment information (check number and date of processing). This will be done via a VPN interface into the tracking system. The system is designed to capture internal and external data across all EO programs - C&I and Residential.
Q#3: Similar to the above question, the Contractor maintained system should be capable of providing information in real time (Paragraph 1) as well as exporting data exporting all incentive related data (5th bullet) and batch upload applications (7th bullet). Is the primary function of the Contractor maintained system to provide and report on program data in real time or to export information to another database?
ANSWER: We envision that once an application has been received data will be entered into the tracking system and the workflow completed depending on the type of Program the customer is eligible for. In many situations, the entire application/payment process can be entered in one transaction - in others, for instance a project in need of a post-installation inspection, it may require several updates to complete the workflow and close the application with payment/check information. These updates will be applied directly to the Tracking System via VPN.
Q#4: What is the purpose of separating the "export of all incentive related data" (5th bullet) and the "batch upload" of completed rebate applications (7th bullet)?
ANSWER: Batch uploads are limited to the high volume RESIDENTIAL EO Programs.
Q#5: Is the Consumers Energy EO Tracking System mentioned in the 5th bullet an existing system? If not, is it the system that Consumers Energy is planning to develop as described in the first bullet? If so, what is the relationship between the Consumers Energy EO Tracking System and the system to be developed?
ANSWER: The EO Tracking System is under development by a third-party consultant for Consumers Energy. They have designed similar systems for NSTAR and NationalGrid. The first Phase will be operational by late July, 2009.
Q#6: If the Consumers Energy filing to the Michigan
PSC contains inconsistencies between the annual savings goals and budgets
specified in the tables versus those specified in the text, may the contractor
choose whether to use the tables or text as the basis for meeting the annual
savings goals and budgets for each program?
ANSWER: If contractors
encounter areas of inconsistency between values as reported in tables versus
the narrative text, the correct values to use are those as detailed in the
tables, and Consumers would appreciate this inconsistency being brought to our
attention.
