District Energy System Feasibility Study

The City of Vaughan is soliciting proposals for a District Energy System Feasibility Study under RFP 26-092 to evaluate the viability of implementing low-carbon energy systems to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This city-wide project is supported by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' Green Municipal Fund and is divided into three primary tasks: data collection and methodology, geospatial analysis and site selection for three specific area profiles, and the development of individual implementation strategies. Key deliverables include site-specific modeling of business-as-usual and low-carbon scenarios, a comprehensive implementation plan featuring regulatory tools and bylaws, and a life cycle assessment of a typical system. The City will retain full ownership of all generated data and scripts. The contract will be awarded to the proponent with the highest cumulative score, derived from a two-stage evaluation process. Proponents must first achieve a minimum technical score of 70 percent in Stage 1 to have their pricing envelopes opened for the Stage 2 pricing evaluation, where the lowest bid receives maximum points. Submissions must be made exclusively online by November 5, 2026, via the designated bidding system. The agreement is governed by the City of Vaughan's standard consulting agreement and general provisions, with the RFP prevailing in the event of conflicts. Payment is based on monthly invoicing of pre-approved expenses and milestone-based progress payments, with the City maintaining the right to reject defective services within 90 days of performance.