First time working with a school district on their energy procurement. They're putting out an RFP for 47 schools totaling about 850,000 kWh/month. The RFP looks pretty standard but I'm wondering what special considerations apply to K-12 accounts. Are there education-specific rate programs I should be looking for?
K-12 school district RFP - what am I missing?
Iris - definitely check for public entity aggregation programs in your state. Many school districts can join municipal aggregation groups for better pricing. Also, summer usage patterns are totally different - most schools are nearly empty June-August so make sure any demand charges reflect that seasonal variation.
Don't forget about federal programs too. Some districts qualify for rural cooperative rates or state energy efficiency rebates that can offset costs. The key is making sure the RFP allows suppliers to include all available incentives in their bids.
Good advice from Chester and Tina. Also consider the contract term carefully - school budgets are annual but energy markets can be volatile. Many districts do better with 2-3 year terms with annual budget reconciliation. And definitely include language about new construction or major renovations affecting usage.
Randy, that's a great point about contract terms aligning with budget cycles. This district is planning a new middle school that would add about 200,000 kWh/month starting year 2 of the contract. I'll make sure the RFP addresses that expansion clearly.