Specifications include, but are not limited to: Through this dual-phase RFP process, Texas Tech will first identify one or more qualified firms for Retail Natural Gas Services (“Services”) in Phase One. During Phase Two, Texas Tech will select a final Proposer based on the evaluation criteria published in this RFP. The uninterrupted flow of natural gas is essential to Texas Tech’s operations and critical to the health, safety, and welfare of its staff, students, and research initiatives. Texas Tech requires a reliable, high-quality supply of natural gas. Its facilities are sensitive to supply constraints and other natural gas disturbances. Physical interruptions, pressure discrepancies, and other flow distortions have substantial adverse economic impacts on Texas Tech. Texas Tech University (Texas Tech) (both the Texas Tech Lubbock campus and the Texas TechHSC Lubbock campus) consumes approximately 1,200,000 MMBTU each year. Appendix B to this RFP provides a summary matrix with Texas Tech’s consolidated load. Phase One: Proposers will be invited to submit Proposals outlining their qualifications in response to Phase One of this RFP. Proposals should focus on experience, resources, and Services that best satisfy Texas Tech’s needs and must, at a minimum, meet the requirements in this RFP. No cost information should be submitted from Proposers in Phase One of the RFP process. Texas Tech’s third-party representative and the Texas Tech Contract Review Team will evaluate Proposer’s written responses with respect to Texas Tech’s needs and requirements, as outlined in Section Two. The most qualified Proposer(s), as determined by Texas Tech’s Contract Review Team and the criteria outlined in this RFP, will be invited to continue with Phase Two of the Solicitation process. The Proposer(s) selected must be willing to work with Texas Tech’s designated representatives, and Texas Tech’s transportation pipelines, to minimize service disruptions, coordinate planned outages, and provide timely responses to inquiries about system conditions on a twenty-fourhour-per day, seven days per week, 365/366 days per year basis. Qualified Proposers must sign a Master Agreement with Texas Tech acknowledging business terms and general requirements related to electrical Services. Phase Two: If a Proposer qualifies in Phase One, the qualified Proposer(s) will then be invited to participate in Phase Two, submit the pricing and other total costs upon request to Texas Tech’s third-party consultant through an auction system, and be evaluated by Texas Tech on a competitive basis. Only Proposers qualified in Phase One and awarded a Master Agreement will be invited to participate in Phase Two. Pricing will be requested as needed throughout the term of the awarded Master Agreement and awarded based on competitiveness and evaluation by Texas Tech. Texas Tech and the Proposer(s) awarded in Phase Two will provide and sign a formal Transaction Confirmation (TC) subject to Texas laws. For the sake of clarity, Texas Tech will award multiple Master Agreements but will seek pricing from the qualified Proposers in Phase One, and Texas Tech will purchase Services from one Proposer on an as-needed basis documented by a Transaction Confirmation. 2.1.1 Proposals in response to this RFP for Retail Natural Gas Services (“Services”) are to be based on supplying 100% of the natural gas capacity and requirements for each component institution facility (Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (collectively, “Texas Tech”), and/or providing the Transportation and Delivery. The delivery points for natural gas shall be the respective natural gas meters at each of the facilities agreed on by Texas Tech and any other means that Texas Tech may initiate, acquire, activate, or add during the term of the Master Agreement, and which list may be specified, supplemented, or amended by Texas Tech in Texas Tech’s sole discretion. 2.1.2 Proposer(s) will note in the Proposer’s Response Form (Attachment A) if responding to provide Services and/or the Transportation and Delivery of natural gas to Texas Tech.
