Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is actively searching for a consulting firm to assist in shaping its future service delivery through customer-focused strategies. The request for proposals (RFP), noted as Contract# 24-136-S, is part of an initiative to enhance the way SPU serves its constituency, with a particular focus on aligning its efforts with the SPU’s 2025-30 Strategic Business Plan. The chosen consultant will be tasked with providing strategic planning, communications support, and customer engagement to improve SPU's operations and outreach. This move comes as part of a broader attempt to bring SPU's services up to speed with the evolving needs of Seattle's residents, as reported by the consultants' blog on Seattle's official website.
The contract in question, valued at an estimated $600,000, will encompass a three-year period with an option to extend for an additional two years. The scope of the on-call contract will encompass varied work assignments, ranging from customer surveying and report writing to strategic engagement support, as detailed by the consultants' blog on Seattle's official website. However, SPU has clarified that there is no guaranteed minimum quantity of work for the selected consultant, and the specifics regarding deliverable schedules are currently vague.
SPU has urged interested consultants to review the solicitation thoroughly and check any additional documents and addenda online. Responses to the solicitation are being accepted until 1:00 PM Pacific Time on September 10, and must be submitted electronically via the City's Procurement Portal. An optional pre-submittal conference is slated for August 21, which will be held via Microsoft Teams. While not obligatory, attending is encouraged to gain a better understanding of the RFP and pose questions directly to SPU representatives. All the relevant instructions and links for participation have been made accessible on the consultants' blog on Seattle's official website.
For any queries regarding the contract, consultants can submit questions either through the Bonfire procurement portal or directly via email to Sherry Shaffer, the Contract Administrator at SPU. The deadline for submitting inquiries is set for August 23 by 5:00 PM Pacific Time. Following this answers to the questions will be made publicly available at the same procurement Web portal.
