City to issue AMI program-manager RFP March 24; proposals due April 25 and Council review targeted for June
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Summary
Independence will issue an RFP on March 24 for a program and performance management firm to shape an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) strategy. Proposals are due April 25, staff plans to present a recommendation to Council on June 2, and the manager will help scope the AMI meter procurement later in the year.
Independence staff said the city will issue a request for proposals on March 24 for a program and performance management firm to lead planning and oversight of an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program.
Staff described a multi‑phased approach: procure a program manager to conduct discovery, stakeholder engagement and an accountability/metrics framework; use that firm’s analysis to update and reissue a meter-and-communications RFP; and then select an AMI vendor. Staff said the immediate RFP focuses on strategy, oversight and procurement design rather than meter procurement itself.
Key timeline and process items provided by staff: • RFP issue date: March 24, 2025. • Pre-proposal conference (webinar): to be held during the solicitation window. • Proposal due date: April 25, 2025. • Target Council review: June 2, 2025, with award expected shortly thereafter.
Staff emphasized that the program manager will assess the technical options, public expectations and cost scenarios before the city solicits AMI vendors. “There’s AMI out there, and we can get fixated and infatuated with the latest technology… But we wanted to really think through… taking a thoughtful and methodical approach towards how we approach AMI,” the AMI project lead said.
Staff estimated that after onboarding the program manager and completing discovery and an updated RFP, the city is likely “towards the end of the year before you’re issuing the next RFP” for meters. They also said funding questions and a business case — including whether to buy the newest generation of meters or select lower-cost alternatives — will be part of the program manager’s scope and part of the case presented to the Council.
Why it matters: AMI can change utility operations, customer communications and planning for demand. City staff said better metering data will be an important input to integrated resource planning, large-customer negotiations and system planning.
What comes next: staff will issue the March 24 RFP, hold a pre-proposal webinar, evaluate proposals and aim to present a recommendation to the Council on June 2. The program manager will then help define vendor requirements and the business case for meter procurement.
