Massachusetts DPU Issues Request For Response For Vendor To Design, Maintain Electric Shopping Website (Includes Desired Supplier "Performance Rating" Function, Other Specs)

The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has posted a request for response (RFR) regarding its retail electric shopping website, or Competitive Electric Supply System (CESS).

Click here for the RFR on CommBuys, the official procurement record system for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Departments

All communications related to the RFR must be submitted through CommBuys.

The (RFR) is for, "the design, construction, implementation, maintenance, and hosting of a Competitive Electric Supply System (CESS) to be accessed via the web."

As reported by RetailEnergyX.com earlier this month, an interim DPU shopping website has been launched while the full site is being developed

The RFR states that it is "desirable" that the CESS display a "Supplier User Performance Rating" (supplier user simply refers to each supplier), to be submitted by the DPU

"This would be displayed with each of the Supplier User's competitive electric supply products," the RFR states

A footnote appears with the discussion of the Supplier User Performance Rating, but appears blank due to an apparent scrivener's error

As previously reported by EnergyChoiceMatters.com, technical session discussions regarding the website have included consideration of a Yelp-like rating system for suppliers (click here for story)

The RFR states that it is required that the CESS display the following information for both retail supplier offers and basic service prices, as applicable:

1. Product pricing structure (e.g., fixed-price, monthly variable-price, indexed variable-price);

2. Product pricing elements (e.g., cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), dollars per month);

3. For products that include an introductory price offer:

a. introductory pricing elements (e.g., cents per kWh, dollars per month); and

b. the period of time the introductory price offer will be in effect (e.g., number of months);

4. Contract term (e.g., number of months);

5. Early termination fee elements, if applicable (e.g., dollar amount per month remaining in contract term, single dollar amount);

6. Renewable energy content, if applicable (e.g., percentage of renewable energy resources that the product includes);

7. Other energy-related products and/or services, if applicable (e.g., smart thermostats, solar installations, energy efficiency services.);

8. Non energy-related products and/or services, if applicable (e.g., reward points, gift cards, charitable donations);

9. Supplier website link.

The RFR states that it is "highly desirable" that the CESS display the following competitive electric supply product information:

10. For renewable energy products:

a. the types of renewable energy resources that comprise the product (e.g., wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric); and

b. the percentage for each renewable energy resource type (or an indication that the percentage is unknown).

The RFR states that it is "desirable" that the CESS display the following competitive electric supply product information:

11. For products that include an automatic renewal provision:

a. the pricing structure that will be in effect during the term of the automatic renewal; and

b. the term during which the new pricing structures will be in effect (e.g., months).

12. For renewable energy products:

a. the locations of the renewable energy resources that comprise the product (e.g., Massachusetts, other New England states); and

b. the percentage of the product that is composed of renewable energy resources in each identified location, or an indication that the percentage is not specified or unknown.

Furthermore, the RFR states that it is "highly desirable" that the CESS include a calculator function that will calculate and display, for each electric supply product selected by a consumer user for a comparison, the average expected monthly cost of the product over the length of the product's contract term. The calculation of the average expected monthly cost will be based on: (i) the electric supply product's price information and (ii) an average monthly electric usage value (set by default).

The RFR states that it is "desirable" that the CESS's calculator function allow a consumer user to specify a monthly electric usage value that is different from the average monthly electric usage value set by default

The RFR states that it is "desirable" that the CESS's calculator function is able to calculate and display, for each product selected by a consumer user for a comparison, the expected average monthly cost for the delivery service component of the electric bill. This calculation will be based on: (i) delivery service rates (set by default); and (ii) an average monthly electric usage value.

The RFR states that it is "desirable" that the CESS's calculator function is able to calculate and display, for each product selected by a consumer user for comparison, the expected average monthly cost for the total electric bill. This calculation will be the sum of the average monthly cost of the: (i) electric supply product; and (ii) delivery service component of the electric bill.