Project Background
The OEB is responsible for leading the evaluation, measurement, and verification (EM&V) activities related to OEB-approved, ratepayer-funded natural gas demand side management (DSM) programs.
The OEB is seeking a vendor to act as the OEB’s Evaluation Contractor (EC). The OEB’s Evaluation Contractor is expected to be an expert in the field of energy efficiency and energy conservation program results evaluation. The OEB has employed the services of an Evaluation Contractor since the evaluation of the 2015 DSM program results. The Evaluation Contractor will be expected to conduct the annual evaluation of program results for each of the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 DSM program years. Additionally, the Evaluation Contractor will be expected to oversee and coordinate all other evaluation activities undertaken by the OEB. The Evaluation Contractor will be retained for a four-year period, beginning in early-2023 and remaining in place until the end of 2026.
The OEB recently approved a new multi-year DSM plan for Enbridge Gas Inc. to offer DSM programs to its customers. The term of the new plan will run from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025. As part of the OEB’s Decision and Order it indicated that the OEB will continue to lead evaluation activities throughout the duration of the 2023 to 2025 term.
Previously, the OEB approved a six-year term, from 2015 to 2020, with subsequent extensions for 2021 and 2022 to ensure program continuity. As part of the OEB’s 2014 Report on DSM, it indicated that the OEB will be leading the evaluation process of natural gas DSM program results. Following that direction, the OEB established the process it would use to evaluate program results and outlined the DSM evaluation governance structure. As part of the OEB’s evaluation governance structure the OEB established an Evaluation Advisory Committee (EAC) to act as a technical expert advisory group to both the OEB and the Evaluation Contractor. As part of the recent Decision and Order related to the 2023-2025 term, the OEB directed the continuation of the EAC for the duration of the pending term and indicated that the EAC will act as an independent sub-committee of the broader Stakeholder Advisory Group.
Evaluation reports for all studies conducted since 2015 can be found on the OEB’s webpage under the Reports heading.
Purpose and Objectives
The objective of the OEB’s evaluation process is to produce independently verified natural gas DSM program results. This will be achieved by having a consultant that is an expert in evaluating conservation program results act as the OEB’s Evaluation Contractor (EC). The EC will complete a detailed review of utility-reported draft program results and conduct a review and verification process to confirm the accuracy of the results. The outcome of the consultant’s independent review will be a report(s) that documents all final verified program results for all natural gas utility DSM programs.
The annual verified DSM program results will be used by the OEB to measure utility performance relative to OEB-approved targets. Enbridge Gas will use the final verified DSM program results as part of any applications to the OEB for recovery of financial amounts, such as lost revenues, shareholder incentives and/or incremental program spending. The final verified DSM results will also provide key information to the OEB, Enbridge Gas, and other interested stakeholders for consideration as part of future DSM plans and other related work, including policy development.
OEB staff will oversee all tasks related to the DSM evaluation process, including those carried out by the EC. The OEB will seek input from the EAC throughout the annual evaluation process as described under each task below. Final results from any DSM program evaluation will be provided to the broader DSM Stakeholder Advisory Group for information purposes.
Full details of the RFP document is available only through MERX at www.merx.com or 1-800-964-6379, MERX reference number 0000243141.
