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The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (Agency) is soliciting responses from individuals or organizations willing and able to assist the Agency in carrying out an assessment of a low carbon fuel standard in the Puget Sound region through a review and analysis of transportation fuels.

Written responses are due at the Agency’s office by 12 p.m., Noon, Pacific Time on August 31, 2018. 

Section II.  BACKGROUND AND SCOPE OF SERVICES

A. Background. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (agency) is a municipal corporation responsible for protecting and enhancing the air quality in King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties (the agency’s jurisdiction) in Washington State.  Our 2014 strategic plan (report) directs us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that are directly related to a changing climate and that impact our region, our air quality, and our vulnerable populations. These negative impacts will grow and worsen without actions to reduce our GHG emissions and improve our environment. Our strategic plan guides our region to “do its part and more to protect our climate.”  

In February 2017, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Board adopted economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets of 50% below 1990 levels by 2030, and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. These targets are based on the most recent scientific findings on the need to achieve significant emissions reductions to minimize the devastating impacts of climate change.  

According to our most recent Emissions Inventory (report), almost half of all GHG emissions in our region are from the transportation and mobile sector. Due to the majority of GHG emissions being associated with this sector, the agency’s Board of Directors directed staff to identify and evaluate  candidate actions that could achieve significant reductions in transportation-related GHG emissions. The agency performed a preliminary evaluation on eleven candidate actions (report). To achieve meaningful emission reductions approaching the agency’s targets, staff recommended implementing candidate actions in the following three focus areas.

• • Increase zero-emission vehicle adoption
• • Promote alternative fuel use
• • Influence and increase mode-shift 

B.  A successful consultant, or team of consultants, should have the following skills:

• • Established knowledge in transportation fuel pathways, calculating carbon intensity of transportation fuels, macroeconomic impacts, and alternative fuel production.  
• • Expertise with GREET, REMI and VISION models.
• • Familiarity with health co-benefit models (e.g. EPA’s COBRA, BenMAP)
• • Excellent oral and written communication skills for presentation to a diverse audience.

Task I: Characterize transportation fuel entering, distributed, and produced within the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s jurisdiction (King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, WA) 

Task II:  Determine current alternative fuel feedstocks within Washington State 

Task III: Develop scenarios for a low carbon fuel standard within the agency’s jurisdiction and determine macro-economic impacts and optimal credit pricing structures. 

Task IV: The consultant will be available for four public in-person meetings (including public forum; board meeting; advisory council meeting) in the agency’s jurisdiction to discuss process and results of the analysis of a low carbon fuel standard in the agency’s jurisdiction.