Committee reviews $200,000 RFP to develop city energy roadmap to reach 2040 goals

Kelly, the sustainability coordinator, presented a draft request for proposals that would hire consultants to produce a city-focused energy roadmap tied to Middleton's existing energy goals. "This project was limited to working on city energy goals," Kelly said, noting she compiled sample RFPs from other municipalities and tied the draft language to the 2026 budget request; highlighted clauses will be reviewed by legal before release.

Committee members asked whether the $200,000 capital allocation would be sufficient. "Is it possible that $200,000 is not going to be nearly enough? That is very possible," Kevin said, urging caution and suggesting staff may need to reduce project scope or negotiate with preferred firms. Kelly confirmed the $200,000 is an approved capital allocation for 2026 and said the roadmap's work will be technical and phased — from energy-efficiency retrofits to equipment replacement and grid-dependent decarbonization strategies — and will require engineering analysis to create realistic timelines and cost estimates.