Graphic Design Services

The City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) is soliciting proposals for graphic design services. CPAU implements a variety of customer services, including utility billing, outreach for construction projects, rates and safety information, energy and water conservation, efficiency and education (e.g. explanation of programs and offerings, workshops and outreach campaigns, rebate programs, gas safety awareness, water quality reports) targeting residents, businesses and industry. Services required in this RFP include CPAU’s traditional outreach—ads, bill inserts, flyers and online media.

Qualified individuals, firms, contractors, consultants or entities that meet the requirements set forth in this RFP and can provide the services requested are encouraged to submit proposals to this competitive solicitation process.

The City of Palo Alto (City), is a charter city located in the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California. The City provides electricity, natural gas, water, wastewater collection, fiber and other utility services to customers within its boundaries through CPAU. CPAU is the only municipal utility in California that operates publicly-owned services in all of the above areas. CPAU is a department of the City government under the management of the Director of Utilities who reports to the City Manager. The City Manager reports to the City Council.

CPAU serves over 29,000 utility customers, of whom slightly more than 25,000 are residential. Residential customers account for approximately 16% of annual electric sales with the remaining load provided to commercial, industrial and institutional customers. The City’s peak electric demand is approximately 170 megawatts (MW), and its annual energy consumption of approximately 1,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) is provided through carbon-neutral supply resources since 2013. In 2017, CPAU also adopted a carbon neutral natural gas portfolio. We believe that CPAU is the only municipal utility in the world with both a carbon neutral electric and natural gas portfolio.

In April 2016, the Palo Alto City Council adopted an aspirational greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal of 80% below 1990 levels by 2030. As of 2018, Palo Alto’s GHG emissions were 56.5% below 1990 levels, primarily attained by achieving a carbon neutral electric supply in 2013. Primary paths identified by the Palo Alto community to achieve a sustainable and low carbon future include managing a progressive Renewables Portfolio Standard, offering energy efficiency programs, encouraging local solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and electrification of buildings, as well as the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

CPAU offers efficiency, education and outreach programs ranging in but not limited to the following topics:

• Energy (gas and electric) safety, conservation and efficiency
• Water supply, quality, conservation and efficiency
• Renewable energy
• Electrification/Sustainability
• Fiber optics
• Utilities safety, infrastructure capital improvement, operations and maintenance projects
• Emerging technologies pilot programs
• Resiliency