Objective

The Resilient Cities Network (R-Cities) is developing an online version of the City Energy Resilience Framework (CERF). This online version will build on the existing Framework and Discussion Guide documents, presenting an updated, interactive version of the tool which is currently in its beta version. The primary objectives of the CERF web-tool (web application) are to:

1. Expand access to and interest in the CERF within and beyond the R-Cities member cities;
2. Be an intuitive and accessible tool for users;
3. Provide a variety of entry points for assessments based on the CERF;
4. Ease discussion facilitation (e.g. in a multi-stakeholder workshop setting) by automating the assessment-related features of the CERF;
5. Help users track data input and visualize results (e.g., assessment and input during CERF workshops);
6. Serve as a repository of energy resilience information for city governments and partners.

The two main types of website users are 1) energy and resilience professionals seeking to learn more about the tool and energy resilience, and 2) discussion facilitators using the website’s interactive functions to design and facilitate workshops. 

Requested Services

R-Cities is seeking consulting, web-design, and web-development support to transition the CERF into a web-based, accessible, multi-feature tool. The Consultant is expected to work closely with the R-Cities Program Team to broaden the accessibility and flexibility of the CERF in line with the objectives listed above. 

The Consultant will provide support to the Program Team to advance the work and deliver outputs in line with the Scope of Work and Activities listed below. The Consultant will work closely with the Senior Manager, Programs, Energy, and will report to the Program Director.

The scheduled period of the assignment is May 13, 2024, to August 31, 2024. The Consultant will be responsible for managing the work and related activities and outputs as outlined below. 

Scope of Work

Task 1: Research and Outline Content of the CERF Web-Tool  

• Conduct research and gather a list of example web-based tools that include features that can be applied to online CERF. 
• Collaborate with the Program Team to define content priorities in line with the purpose/objectives of the tool.
• Identify additional content that needs to be developed and provided by the Program Team for a complete and effective web-based CERF.

Outputs: 

• Short-list of online tools with notes on key features and applications in line with the purpose/objectives of the web-based CERF
• List of recommended features and elements for the web-based CERF
• Recommendations for additional content that needs to be developed by the Program Team

Task 2: Define Flow of Content and Journey 

• Define the full design of the web-tool, including how the content and key features will be organized. Features should include, but are not limited to:
  • Additional resources and information on energy resilience
  • Data input portal with result visualization capabilities
  • Filtering and sorting mechanism for the CERF goals
• Create a visual representation of the content structure and features of the web-tool to provide a clear overview the design including layouts, color schemes, typography, and branding.
• Construct user journey maps illustrating intuitive navigation, usability, accessibility, and responsiveness across devices (e.g., desktop, mobile, tablet). 

Note: Design should be aligned with CERF branding and R-Cities website branding. Final design will be developed in close consultation with the Program Team and will involve multiple rounds of reviews.       

Outputs: 

• Website wire frame
• UX Journey

Task 3: Develop CERF Web-Tool 

• Develop a fully functional web-tool on agreed upon host, meeting all requirements based on Task 2.
• Develop front-end elements of the web-tool using HTML/CSS/JavaScript, back-end functionality (server-side scripting, databases) and any integrations with external systems, as needed.

Outputs:

• CERF web-tool, all source code and deployment package containing all necessary files, configurations, and instructions for deploying the web-tool in a production environment.
• Testing documentation and user acceptance testing (UAT) 

Task 4: Troubleshoot, Documentation and Maintenance Plan

• Provide technical assistance to Program Team during launch of the web-tool, ensuring full functionality of the tool.
• Develop comprehensive documentation covering system architecture, technical specifications, installation instructions, user manuals, and troubleshooting guides.
• Define support and maintenance expectations and develop a plan for bug fixes, updates, and technical support post-deployment. 

Outputs: 

• Full documentation and maintenance plan

Proposal Guidelines

Expressions of interest and questions related to this Request for Proposal (RFP) can be submitted up to April 30, 2024. Proposals will be accepted until May 8, 2024. 

Interested individuals or organizations are invited to submit proposals that include the following: 

• Description of qualifications and experience in similar assignments, including examples from previous projects (include in the “Cover Letter” section);
• Brief description of approach for completing the Activities outlined, including estimated timeline for meeting milestones and delivering each output – within the designated period for the project (adequate review periods for each output should be included) (include in the “Cover Letter” section); 
• An initial outline of the proposed individuals/team, including short profiles and CVs (upload using the “Upload CV/Resume” function);  
• A full budget, broken down by activities and outputs, number of hours to be spent, and hourly rate of individuals that will fulfill the task. All costs should be in USD and should include tax, where applicable (upload using the “Upload CV/Resume” function).  

Contract terms and conditions will be negotiated upon the selection of the winning bidder. All contractual terms and conditions will be subject to review by R-Cities’ legal counsel and will include scope, budget, schedule, and other necessary items pertaining to the project.

Budget

The maximum budget and payment schedule will be negotiated based on the proposal received. 

The proposal should indicate a cost breakdown structure, outlining the cost for each component / output of the project. All costs included in the proposal must be all-inclusive, referring to any VAT, copyright, or bank fees, etc. Cost should be stated as one-time or recurring cost.

Selection Process

No proposal development costs shall be charged to R-Cities / all expenses are to be borne by the applicants. R-Cities may award the applicant offering the best value without discussion. However, R-Cities reserves the right to seek applicant clarifications and to negotiate with those applicants deemed to be within a competitive range. R-Cities may, at its discretion and without explanation to the prospective consultants, choose to discontinue this RFP without obligation to such prospective consultant or make multiple awards under this RFP.  

Resources

• City Energy Resilience Framework: https://resilientcitiesnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/City-Energy-Resilience-Framework-Main-Document-5.pdf 

• City Energy Resilience Framework Discussion Guide: https://resilientcitiesnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/City-Energy-Resilience-Framework-Annexe-1-4.pdf 

• Resilient Cities Network website: https://resilientcitiesnetwork.org/  

• Urban Power program: https://resilientcitiesnetwork.org/urban-power/   

Download RFP

About the Urban Power Program and City Energy Resilience Framework 

Urban Power Program

Many cities across the globe struggle with limited knowledge, data, tools, and partnerships needed to identify, assess, and develop projects and programs that have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure the resilience and equity of urban energy systems. We believe that helping cities enhance their capacity to respond to shocks and stresses while managing the shift to an inclusive, low-carbon economy is a powerful driver in creating decent green jobs, promoting social justice, and reducing poverty.  

Through the Urban Power program, R-Cities, with support from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), the S&P Global Foundation and others, is working with cities to develop energy projects that help them achieve a green and just energy transition, reach their net-zero ambitions, and deliver multiple resilience co-benefits.  

Urban Power supports cities by providing:  

• Technical framework and tools for identifying gaps and priorities for addressing urban energy resilience challenges,  
• Technical support to develop clean energy projects that unlock resilience co-benefits such as creating economic opportunities, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enabling an equitable energy transition for all, and 
• Intra- and inter-regional, inter-city learning exposure opportunities for city governments, bringing together key stakeholders in the energy sector including vulnerable communities, decision makers, industry actors, financial institutions, and private sector investors.  

The Urban Power program collaborates with our member cities in various regions of Asia, Africa and Latin America, with the goal of expanding its reach to other cities in the network and beyond.  

City Energy Resilience Framework 

As part of Urban Power’s effort to provide technical tools for identifying gaps and priorities for building energy resilience, R-Cities launched the City Energy Resilience Framework (CERF) beta in July of 2023. The CERF guides cities in applying a resilience lens to their power system and working toward their overall energy transition and urban resilience goals.  

The CERF incorporates key elements at the nexus of electricity infrastructure resilience, clean energy transition, equitable access to public services, effective emergency management and efficient recovery from shocks and stresses. It is an engagement tool designed to enable city governments to bring together stakeholders from various sectors to assess the gaps and challenges, and the goals and opportunities, for a more resilient energy system based on local policies, plans and initiatives. It aims to spark conversations, guided by examples from around the globe, about driving the uptake of energy solutions that have multiple benefits, which enhance the ability of urban communities to adapt, survive and thrive in the face of shocks and stresses. 

The CERF includes 48 goals, divided into 12 levers, which fall into four thematic sections. It was published with an accompanying CERF Discussion Guide, which outlines a set of discussion questions and case studies for each goal. In addition, the Discussion Guide outlines an evaluation matrix to prioritize goals in a workshop session.  

The tool was developed in collaboration with member cities and technical partners, with the earlier version tested in the four member cities participating in the Urban Power program.  

Piloting the CERF Through City-led Multi-Stakeholder Workshops 

Thus far, three GRCN member cities have utilized the CERF and Discussion Guide to assess their municipal energy resilience and identify priority challenges. In collaboration with GRCN, each of the three cities hosted a multi-stakeholder workshop to create a space for guided conversations and technical assessment of their city’s energy system through a resilience lens.  

Overall, the City Energy Resilience Workshops helped to: 

• Apply a holistic resilience lens, guided by the City Energy Resilience Framework, to assess the city’s energy system and identify priority areas for intervention; 
• Generate an inclusive and multi-stakeholder discussion to identify innovative approaches for building energy system resilience and outline high-level courses of action.   

Through the workshops, R-Cities was able to pilot the CERF and assess the Framework’s ability to 1) facilitate technical discussions and guide participants to apply a holistic, systems approach to defining energy challenges; and 2) serve as flexible tool that can be applied in various contexts. Based on the lessons learned from the pilot workshop, R-Cities was able to outline potential amendments and additional features that can supplement the CERF to enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of the tool.  

About the Resilient Cities Network

The Resilient Cities Network (R-Cities) builds on over ten years of investment in resilience from The Rockefeller Foundation and a Network of Chief Resilience Officers in more than 90 cities around the world. R-Citiesis dedicated to helping cities around the world become more resilient to the physical, social, and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century. R-Citiessupports the adoption and incorporation of a view of resilience that includes not just the shocks—earthquakes, disease outbreaks, fires, floods, etc.—but also the stresses that weaken the fabric of a city on a day-to-day or cyclical basis.

In R-Cities’ view, these shocks and stresses are not only, nor always, related to disasters or climate change. Examples of these include high unemployment, an overtaxed or inefficient public transportation system, endemic violence, or chronic food and water shortages. By addressing both the shocks and the stresses, a city becomes better able to respond to adverse events and is overall in a better position to deliver basic functions in both good times and bad to all populations.

Present in over 40 countries around the world, R-Cities member cities have created an innovative position in city government, the Chief Resilience Officer (CRO), to lead the city’s resilience efforts and they have adopted a City Resilience Strategy to guide their resilience efforts. Through these actions, R-Cities not only helps individual cities become more resilient but facilitates building a practice of urban resilience globally.

Core to R-Cities’ mission is the belief that for cities to become resilient, they must channel investments to solutions that maximize impact for every dollar spent. High-impact solutions yield multiple benefits such as more equitable access to basic services, better employment, and climate-resilient infrastructure. R-Cities works arm-in-arm with cities to scale resilience and investments in vulnerable communities and the critical systems that serve them through multi-city thematic programs that focus on three priority areas: Climate Resilience, Circularity and Equity and are designed and executed with holistic urban resilience thinking at their core.