Market Research RFP Issued By Florida Municipal Power Agency

Formed by the Florida Legislature in February 1978, the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a non-profit, joint action agency created to serve the needs of municipal electric utilities in Florida. Of the 34 municipal systems in the State, 31 are FMPA members who participate at varying levels in Agency activities.

Member utilities of the Agency serve approximately 2 million Floridians. Each member appoints one representative to the Board of Directors which governs the Agency’s activities. Thirteen members currently purchase power from the Agency through the All-Requirements Project (ARP). The ARP serves approximately 250,000 electric customers. For more information on FMPA, please visit our website at www.fmpa.com.<http://www.fmpa.com/>

One of the primary functions of FMPA is to develop and implement wholesale electricity supply projects on behalf of municipal electric utilities that are members of the Agency. Some FMPA members are evaluating the economic feasibility of a solar photovoltaic (PV) project. To assist in the decision-making process for a potential solar PV project, some member municipal electric utilities are interested in obtaining customer feedback and opinions regarding solar energy. On behalf of interested members, FMPA is seeking proposals to conduct market research of utility customer opinions regarding solar energy.

Survey Markets: The following FMPA member cities are currently participating in the joint market research effort. A separate survey of residential customers for each city is required.

City

Estimated Number of Residential Accounts

• Fort Pierce Utilities Authority 23,000
• Gainesville Regional Utilities 84,000
• Green Cove Springs 3,200
• Havana 1,100
• Homestead 24,000
• Key West 25,400
• Kissimmee Utility Authority 58,300
• Lakeland 104,600
• Leesburg 18,800
• Newberry 1,400
• Ocala 41,000
• Orlando Utilities Commission 196,000
• Vero Beach 28,800

Research Objective

The general objectives of the research are to elicit the following information from customers in each of the participating cities:

1. Opinion of solar energy.
2. Likelihood of participation in a solar energy project (uninformed opinion).
3. Action previously taken related to solar energy (i.e., read, investigated, installed/not installed, none), including information regarding current installations of rooftop solar or level of interest/consideration for installing rooftop solar.
4. Opinion about participating in a utility-developed solar project.
5. Opinion about whether a solar project needs to be visible in the community or whether a more cost-effective project built elsewhere is acceptable.
6. Opinion on how to pay for the higher cost of solar energy (i.e., by individual customers who chose to participate or by all utility customers)
7. Opinion on willingness to pay more for solar energy, and if so, how much more.
8. Identify marketing and communication strategies that a utility can employ to encourage participation in a voluntary solar project.
9. Likelihood of participation in a voluntary solar project (informed opinion).
10. Demographic information.

Research Requirements

The market research desired is a telephone survey for each municipal with the following requirements:

1. The survey respondents must be a statistically random sample of each city’s electric customers that is representative of each city’s customer base.
2. The survey results must have a margin of error no greater than +5%.
3. The proposer is required have its own call center.
4. FMPA and its participating members shall own all rights, titles and interests throughout the world in and to the project deliverable.
5. At the completion of each survey, all data will be owned by FMPA and its participating members, and will be sent to FMPA in electronic format specified by FMPA.

Research Services:

The selected firm will provide all associated services, including, but not limited to the following:

1. Assist with finalizing survey objectives and securing final approval from the Market Research Task Force.
2. Develop the survey instrument and secure final approval from the Market Research Task Force.
3. Identify the most cost-effective means to obtain the survey sample source for each city, and secure final approval from each Market Research Task Force member for their city.
4. Determine the number of completed surveys necessary to meet the specifications in the Research Requirements section of this RFP.
5. Assist member cities (if needed) with notifying customers that they may be contacted for a telephone survey.
6. Complete test sample of survey questions prior to survey initiation.
7. Conduct telephone surveys employing call center staff who are experienced and trained in conducting surveys. Call center staff must be able to conduct surveys in English and Spanish.
8. Complete data verification and quality control.
9. Provide a written report (in electronic form) of the results for each city. The report must include an interpretation of the results and conclusions from the results.
10. Provide one in-person presentation of the final results in Orlando, Fla., for FMPA’s Market Research Task Force and/or for FMPA’s Board of Directors.

Proposals are due by September 2, 2016 to:

Ms. Sharon Smeenk Member Services Manager
Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, Florida 32819