Scaling the RTF Budget

Regional Context: Region seeks to apply quality independent review of savings & cost as broadly as possible Utility evaluators do most of the work RTF primarily reviews others’ work Others’ work harvested for RTF-Approved UES & Methods Amount of work is independent of portion delegated to RTF Benefits of work delegated to RTF : Open Findings used widely Learn from others Peer Review Many eyes Yields high quality Economy of Scale Big savers held in common Avoid duplication Seek synergies

RTF as Fraction of Region Evaluation EM&V budgets inclusions vary. Examples below: Avista includes impact and process evaluation, not regulatory cost Bonneville includes impact & process evaluation, not planning or research Energy Trust includes planning, impact and process evaluation, not NEEA Tacoma includes planning, research, impact & process evaluation, plus NEEA

How RTF Builds Workplan Requests Proposer Initiated RTF-Identified Schedule by Advanced Agenda Request Measures w/ Obvious Regional Scope Large Program Savings (CFL) High Unit Count (Appliances) Deployed widely across funders Most NEEA Initiatives Large New (Ductless HP, HPWH) Long-Standing (Res Wx) Measures for Specific Needs Individual utility driven Vendor-driven (Grocery, DEI) Proposers develop data/analysis Some aid-based where proposers lack resources to develop data/analysis Known Quantity & Urgency ?? Quantity & Timing: Hard to Predict Volume Other Technical Needs Council Plan Development Analytics (Marginal Line Losses, Direct Gas) Predictable Volume & Schedulable

Budget Categories & Scalability Scale by selection, pacing & prioritizing reviews. Limited by staff throughput & Forum’s ability to digest in meetings per year. Relatively fixed Scale by selection & scope of RTF purview.

How RTF Executes Work Work Plan Approved by RTF RFP’s Staff & Committee Select Contractor Committee Develop & Manage Contract Staff Review Contract Products Committee Final Product Delivery RTF

In-Year Adjustments to Workplan & Budget Workplan Approved Funding Commitment RFP Assess Progress Needs & Budget Final Flight RFPs