Strategic Planning Facilitation Services

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Strategic Planning Facilitation Services

Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA)

View Consolidated Q&A’s for NWPPA RFP – Strategic Planning Facilitation Services here

1. Introduction

We invite proposals from qualified consulting firms to design and facilitate a comprehensive strategic planning process for the association.

This engagement will result in:

• A 10-Year Strategic Vision that articulates NWPPA’s long-term direction and role within the public power community; and
• A 5-Year Strategic Plan that translates that vision into a clear, actionable roadmap.

The selected consultant will guide a structured, inclusive, and objective process that supports informed decision-making by NWPPA’s Board of Trustees and leadership.

2. About NWPPA

Founded in 1940 and headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, NWPPA serves more than 150 consumer-owned electric utilities and over 400 associate members across Alaska, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

We have a 15-member staff supporting the organization’s mission to provide excellent training and education, advocacy, and timely and relevant industry information for our members.

The association is governed by a 36-member Board of Trustees, supported by 6 Associate Advisors, and serves a diverse membership representing varying:

• Utility sizes
• Governance structures
• Geographic regions
• Operational priorities

3. Project Objectives

The selected consultant will work closely with the Board of Trustees and staff leadership to:

• Facilitate development of a 10-Year Strategic Vision defining NWPPA’s long-term direction, identity, and role within the public power community, allowing for “blue sky” options that would allow a full reenvisioning of the organization.
• Develop a 5-Year Strategic Plan providing a practical implementation roadmap.
• Identify key long-term and mid-term priorities, risks, and opportunities, including an AI scenario analysis.
• Integrate structured input from trustees, associate advisors, and staff leadership.
• Deliver strategic objectives that are clear, realistic, and aligned with NWPPA’s mission, governance structure, and member needs.

4. Strategic Context and Core Planning Themes

Without prescribing outcomes, NWPPA anticipates that the planning process will explore several major strategic issues facing both the association and the public power sector over the next decade.

Artificial Intelligence as a Core Strategic Focus

NWPPA expects proposers to treat artificial intelligence (AI) scenario planning as a central component of the strategic planning process.

Given that workforce training, education delivery, and knowledge transfer represent core elements of NWPPA’s mission, the association seeks a rigorous and structured analysis of how AI advancements may fundamentally alter:

• The demand for workforce training
• Delivery models for technical education and certification
• Member expectations for learning formats and content
• Workforce skill requirements across the utility sector
• Long-term revenue models tied to training and services

Proposers should demonstrate experience facilitating scenario planning around disruptive technological change and helping organizations adapt strategically to uncertain futures.

Additional Planning Themes

Other anticipated areas of exploration may include:

• NWPPA’s regional identity (Western Pacific Northwest positioning), membership footprint, and branding implications
• Evolving member expectations and value proposition across diverse utility sizes and regions
• Long-term organizational capacity and governance effectiveness
• Utility industry transformation, regulatory uncertainty, and emerging risks to public power
• Financial sustainability and strategic prioritization
• Possible consolidation of public power trade associations

These themes are provided for context and are not intended to limit the planning process.

5. Scope of Work

Proposals should describe a clear, disciplined facilitation methodology that includes the following components.

A. Pre-Work with NWPPA Leadership

The consultant will conduct structured engagement activities to develop a comprehensive understanding of the organization.

This phase will include:

1. Interviews with senior staff leadership (including CEO, CXO, and CFO).
2. Interviews with a representative cross-section of Trustees and Associate Advisors.
3. At least two virtual webinars with the Board and Associate Advisors to introduce the process.
4. Development and administration of surveys to inform planning discussions.
5. The delivery of a “strawman” vision and plan report ahead of the Board Meeting as a starting point for the strategic session.

B. Strategic Planning Session

The consultant will facilitate a two half-day strategic planning session for the full Board of Trustees and Associate Advisors in Eugene, Oregon on October 13-14, 2026.

Pre-session materials must include:

• Organizational assessment (SWOT or equivalent)
• Environmental scanning and scenario analysis
• A written strategic framing memo
• A dedicated AI scenario planning analysis, including multiple plausible future pathways and strategic implications

C. Final Deliverables

The final report will include:

• 10-Year Strategic Vision
• 5-Year Strategic Plan
• AI scenario planning analysis and recommended strategic responses
• Supporting research and implementation milestones

A draft version of the final report must be delivered within two weeks of the planning session.

The final report must be delivered by December 1, 2026.

6. Timeline and Indicative Hours RFP Schedule

Milestone	Date
RFP Issued	February 13, 2026
Questions Due	March 3, 2026
Responses to Questions	March 9, 2026
Proposals Due	March 20, 2026
Interviews (if needed)	April 6 – 10, 2026
Consultant Selection	April 13, 2026
Contract Execution	By April 24, 2026
Project Kickoff	Late April / Early May 2026

Engagement Timeline

Activity	Timing
Leadership Interviews	May – June 2026
Board Webinars	May – June 2026
Board & Advisor Surveys	June 2026
Survey Analysis	Early July 2026
Pre-Meeting Materials (including “straw man” report)	Late September 2026
Strategic Planning Session	October 13-14, 2026
Draft Plan Delivered	October 31, 2026
Final Plan Delivered	December 1, 2026

Indicative Hours

Proposers should estimate total consultant hours required based on methodology, number of interviews, and depth of analysis.

7. Proposal Requirements

Proposals should include the following information:

Firm Qualifications

• Overview of the firm and relevant experience
• Experience facilitating strategic planning for associations, utilities, or member-driven organizations
• Experience conducting scenario planning related to technological disruption, particularly AI

Project Approach

• Description of proposed methodology
• Approach to stakeholder engagement, including survey usage
• Approach to AI scenario planning analysis
• Proposed timeline and key milestones

Project Team

• Key personnel assigned to the project
• Relevant experience and roles
• hours anticipated per team member

References

Provide at least three references for comparable engagements.

Cost Proposal

Provide a detailed cost proposal including:

• Total project cost
• Breakdown by project phase
• Estimated hours by task
• Reimbursable expenses (if any)

8. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Criteria	Weight
Relevant Experience & Qualifications	25%
Quality and Clarity of Proposed Methodology	25%
Demonstrated Capability in AI Scenario Planning	20%
Cost Effectiveness	20%
Understanding of Association Governance & Stakeholder Engagement	10%

NWPPA may conduct interviews with selected finalists prior to making a final selection.

9. Submission Instructions

Proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format no later than:

March 20, 2026

Submission details:
Please submit materials to NWPPA’s Executive Assistant, Connie Philibert at connie@nwppa.org

10. Reservation of Rights

NWPPA reserves the right to:

• Reject any or all proposals
• Request additional information
• Negotiate scope or pricing
• Cancel or modify this RFP