Read the full research note here.
This research note by the Center for Public Enterprise and the State Support Center focuses on how RFIs can serve as a procurement strategy for public agencies with project finance, development, and/or ownership authorities. RFIs can be a valuable tool for state and municipal instrumentalities to (1) gather information about the sectors they hope to influence; (2) find and pre-qualify developers and firms with which they might work; and (3) construct a “pipeline” of projects through which they can more rapidly facilitate their desired investments and utilize their various authorities. This brief offers best practices for constructing and using RFIs, examples of effective utilization by public agencies pursuing energy investment, as well as a new Model RFI for public agencies to adapt to their particular investment programs. In addition, the appendix of this brief contains copies of:
- The New York Power Authority’s 2024 RFI that began pipeline development under the development authority granted by the Build Public Renewables Act
- The Connecticut Green Bank’s open RFP for energy and environmental infrastructure with financing needs not falling under its other programs and an RFQ for developers working with its C-PACE program
- The Colorado Energy Office’s RFI soliciting information on the public finance needs of large-scale developments in Colorado
- The Minnesota Climate Innovation and Finance Authority’s RFI on the changed financing landscape in the wake of H.R. 1