Washington Department of Commerce

The buyer seeks proposals for human-centered design to understand energy access and costs for multicultural, rural, and indigenous households in Washington. The project aims to improve low-income energy bill assistance programs. The contractor will conduct research sessions, analyze findings, and develop a comprehensive report incorporating prior research on energy assistance needs.

• 7/18/2024 - Pre-Proposal Conference
• 7/24/2024 - Question & answer period ends
• 7/29/2024 - Answers to Q&A posted
• 8/15/2024 - Proposal Due Date
• 9/4/2024 - Earliest contract start date

• Licensed to do business in Washington or commit to becoming licensed within 30 days
• 5-7 years of human-centered design expertise
• 3 years of knowledge and understanding of public policy frameworks

• Use human-centered design methods to understand energy access importance for multicultural, rural, and indigenous households
• Analyze barriers and opportunities for accessing social service programs including utility bill assistance
• Conduct at least nine in-person exploratory research sessions in community settings
• Synthesize research findings into themes, insights, and design opportunities
• Develop a comprehensive report incorporating prior research and new findings