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The City Of Seattle
Seattle City Light Department
Request For Information
For Financial Planning Software Tools
General Information
The City of Seattle, Seattle City Light Department (SCL), is requesting
information (RFI) from companies with expertise in providing and implementing
financial planning systems for the electric utility industry to assist
SCL in learning about the capabilities of such systems and the potential
fit with SCL's financial planning needs.
The major work products are a written overview of the company's financial
planning system, including examples of the ways electric utilities are
currently using it, and a presentation (by invitation after written
proposals are reviewed) of the system to SCL staff involved in financial
planning, cost of service analysis, rate setting, and information technology.
Background And Scope Of Work
SCL currently uses a financial planning model written in Fortran,
with Excel spreadsheet or manual inputs; a version in Visual Basic is
under development and is expected to be completed this year. Cost of
service and rate design models are Excel workbooks and spreadsheets.
Significant effort is expended in data gathering for updates, and the
number of different spreadsheets, links and handoff points sometimes
make quality control difficult. Updates to the financial plan have typically
been done quarterly and annually in the past, with specific modeling
for bond issues or rate change proposals, but management now wants to
see monthly updates and rapid turnaround for what-if scenarios. The
existing models can be quite flexible or very inflexible, depending
on the question asked. There is no direct link between SCL's budgeting
(organizational) and accounting (FERC-based) systems and the financial
planning system. SCL's budget and accounting systems are on an Oracle
database platform.
The scope of work is to submit a written overview of the company's
financial planning system including the elements enumerated below. After
internal SCL review of the information submitted, representatives of
those companies selected will be invited to provide a presentation of
their system to the staff noted above.
Selection Process
SCL may contract for services as a result of this RFI. This is a "Request
for Information" only.
Communication With The City
All communications concerning this RFI must be directed to the City
of Seattle, Seattle City Light's Purchasing Coordinator, Carmalinda
Vargas (206) 684-3095.
Cost Of Preparing Responses
This Request does not, under any circumstances, commit the City to
pay any costs incurred by any requester in the submission of a proposal,
or in making any necessary studies or designees for the preparation
thereof. The requester is responsible for all costs associated with
a response to this RFI.
Submittal
Respondents to this RFI are requested to submit brief statements,
specifically including the following information organized in the order
shown below:
- Name of financial planning system.
- Description of feature specifications including input capabilities,
data modeling, forecasting capabilities, scenario building, system
interfaces, user customizations, user interface, reporting functions,
dashboard capabilities, and security features.
- System specification/requirements including application architecture,
operating system, server environment, and database dependencies.
- System configuration and licensing options including modular component
options, initial licensing costs, and annual maintenance plans.
- Implementation services offered.
- References to other electric utilities using the system.
Submittal Deadline And Contact Person
Written Responses - Respondents should submit their written responses
to the RFI Coordinator by April 20, 2007, no later than 4:00 pm
Please submit your information to:
If delivered by postal service, it must be addressed to
Seattle City Light
Carmalinda Vargas
Contracts and Procurement Unit
PO Box 34023
Seattle, WA 98124-4023
If delivered by courier, overnight delivery or other service, address
to
Seattle City Light
Attn: Carmalinda Vargas
Contracts and Procurement Unit
700 5th Avenue, Suite 3200
Seattle, WA 98104
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Customer Service
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Call (206) 684-3000
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