Consent Item 9
Consent Item 9
TO: Ava Community Energy Authority
FROM: Chris Eshleman, Director of Energy Analytics and Electric Supply SUBJECT: First Amendment to Ascend Analytics SaaS Master Agreement DATE: March 20th, 2024
__________________________________________________________________ Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to negotiate and execute a First Amendment to the Software as a Service Master Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Ascend Analytics for Storage and Renewable Bid Optimization software services dated June 22, 2023, for a 2-year subscription term with a total 2-year subscription term not-to-exceed $270,600, together with the option to extend the subscription term for up to one, additional 1-year term. The amendment adds an additional $67,500 for the remainder of the 2-year term for a new not-to-exceed for the agreement of $338,100.
Background and Discussion
This amendment adds an additional standalone storage project, Tumbleweed, to Ava’s existing Storage and Bid Optimization software services with Ascend Analytics.
Staff initially conducted and issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in August 2022 for an off-the-shelf software solution to effectively bid and optimize solar plus storage assets. This solution serves the needs of the Power Resources team.
1. Assessment, Review and Selection Process
Consent Item 9
Following a round of interviews, staff members participating in the evaluation voted for Ascend Analytics. The following advantages were cited:
• Overall, the Ascend Analytics platform provides for a user-friendly experience and allows for uploading and downloading of operational data with ease. The interface is entirely web-based and allows users to access from anywhere they have internet access.
• Ascend Analytics platform allows for easy scenario analysis to determine the most appropriate bidding and scheduling strategy, each being unique to a particular solar plus storage resource.
• Ascend Analytics optimizes bids for both the solar resource and the storage resource, creating a paid bid set that manages the resource efficiently. • Ascend Analytics platform shows detailed financial breakdowns for each hour of each day for Ava staff to dive into and see where revenue streams are generated.
• Ascend Analytics platform contains all necessary information but does not contain extras for the sake of inclusion. This allows for focused presentation of information to allow Ava staff to digest the intricacies of operations.
2. Proposed Subscription Services
Ava staff proceeded to review and finalize the quote from Ascend Analytics. Below are the key features for the package proposed:
• Forecasting – Forecast market conditions to optimize both day-ahead and real-time. • Automated Bids Submissions – Manage asset revenue through 25 automated and optimized bid submissions per day (1 Day-Ahead and 24 Real-Time) with an adaptive real-time agent continuously adjusting real-time bids. • Plant Dispatch Optimization – optimize plant dispatch of traditional resources such as natural gas, biomass, biogas and geothermal.
• State of Charge Management – Balance battery state of charge against current and future revenue opportunities.
• Bidding Strategies – Manage multiple bidding strategies tune to asset-specific goals, risk appetite and desired revenue stack, through review of strategy performance.
• Risk – Ensure risk from market commitments remains within user defined acceptability parameters.
Ava staff will retain unlimited user licenses to cover members in Power Resources and NCPA scheduling teams.
Fiscal Impact
Consent Item 9
The subscription term for this amendment is for 1-year and 3-months with the term beginning March 21, 2024, and ending June 21, 2025, with a not-to-exceed of $67,500. The term of the Agreement does not change. This increases the not-to-exceed of the Agreement to $338,100.
Attachments
A. Resolution Authorizing the CEO to Negotiate and Execute a First Amendment to the Software as a Service Master Agreement with Ascend Analytics Attachment Consent Item 9A
RESOLUTION NO. R-2024-xx
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF AVA COMMUNITY ENERGY AUTHORITY AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A FIRST AMENDMENT TO
THE SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE MASTER AGREEMENT WITH ASCEND
ANALYTICS TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE USE OF A STORAGE AND
RENEWABLE BID OPTIMIZATION PLATFORM
WHEREAS The Ava Community Energy Authority (“Ava”) was formed as a community choice aggregation agency (“CCA”) on December 1, 2016, Under the Joint Exercise of Power Act, California Government Code sections 6500 et seq., among the County of Alameda, and the Cities of Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Piedmont, Oakland, San Leandro, and Union City to study, promote, develop, conduct, operate, and manage energy-related climate change programs in all of the member jurisdictions. The cities of Newark and Pleasanton, located in Alameda County, along with the City of Tracy, located in San Joaquin County, were added as members of Ava and parties to the JPA in March of 2020. The city of Stockton, located in San Joaquin County was added as a member of Ava and party to the JPA in September of 2022. The city of Lathrop, located in San Joaquin County, was added as a member to Ava and party to the JPA in October of 2023. On October 24, 2023, the Authority legally adopted the name Ava Community Energy Authority, where it had previously used the name East Bay Community Energy Authority since its inception.
WHEREAS there is a need for Ava to add an additional standalone storage asset, Tumbleweed, to the existing Storage and Renewable Bid Optimization software platform for the Power Resources objectives;
WHEREAS Ava staff has conducted a thorough assessment of Ava’s requirements for a Storage and Renewable Bid Optimization platform and evaluated several commercially available off-the-shelf software solutions via the issuance of a formal all-source Request for Proposals in August 2022; WHEREAS the services offered by Ascend Analytics was determined to be the best fit to meet the current and future needs of Ava;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AVA COMMUNITY ENERGY AUTHORITY DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Board of Directors hereby authorizes the CEO to negotiate and execute a First Amendment to the Software as a Service Master Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Ascend Analytics for Storage and Renewable Bid Optimization Attachment Consent Item 9A
software services dated June 22, 2023, for a 2-year subscription term with a total 2-year subscription term not-to-exceed $270,600, together with the option to extend the subscription term for up to one, additional 1-year term. The amendment adds an additional $67,500 for the remainder of the 2-year term for a new not-to-exceed for the agreement of $338,100.
ADOPTED AND APPROVED this 20th day of March 2024.
Jack Balch, Chair
ATTEST:
Adrian Bankhead, Clerk of the Board