Need help finding federal funding sources for your projects? Try our new and improved Funding Tool
PROCUREMENT GUIDANCE
PROCUREMENT GUIDANCE MENU

Procurement Guidance Menu

Large-Scale Renewables Aggregation Guidance

Align on Co-Benefits Requirements

Procurement groups can also integrate goals beyond renewable procurement (i.e., co-benefits) into their RFPs. There are several potential co-benefits that local governments may want to consider:

  • Job creation
  • Renewable energy education and training
  • Promotional opportunities
  • Biodiversity protection (e.g., pollinator-friendly solar) or habitat restoration
  • Consultation with and benefits for Indigenous Peoples
  • Local economic benefits related to project development through job creation or direct investment from the project developer
  • Inclusion of women- and minority-owned businesses within coalitions of respondents
  • Support for union labor and livable wages

Groups should also discuss attributes they are looking for in the project developer or retailer, such as a strong reputation and references, financial stability, or sustainability credentials. Finally, if groups want to allow individual participants to customize specific elements of the template contract, it is important to decide in advance which clauses can be customized and clearly communicate this fact to potential proposers in the RFP.

The video below demonstrates the importance of evaluating the co-benefits of a renewable energy projects and how buyers can use the Co-Benefits Calculator to quantify the impact. Please contact cityrenewablesaccelerator@rmi.org if you want to know more about the Co-Benefits Calculator.

Top