Item 7- RCA: Customer Satisfaction Market Research — original pdf

Backup

Posting Language ..Title Authorize a contract for customer satisfaction market research for Austin Energy with Creative Consumer Research LLC, for an initial term of one year with up to four 12-month extension options in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000. Funding: $200,000 is available in the Operating Budget of Austin Energy. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. ..Body Lead Department Austin Financial Services. Client Department(s) Austin Energy. Fiscal Note Funding in the amount of $200,000 is available in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Operating Budget of Austin Energy. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. Procurement Language: Austin Financial Services issued a Request for Proposals solicitation RFP 1100 MTL3001 for these services. The solicitation was published on August 18, 2025, and closed on September 9, 2025. Of the five offers received, the proposal submitted by the recommended contractor represented best value to the City based on the solicitation’s evaluation criteria. A complete solicitation package, including a log of offers received, is available for viewing on the City’s website. This information can currently be found https://financeonline.austintexas.gov/afo/account_services/solicitation/solicitation_details.cfm?sid=142870 . MBE/WBE: This solicitation was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2- 9B(Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the services required for this solicitation, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established. For More Information: Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Austin Financial Services - Central Procurement at FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500. Respondents to the solicitation and their Agents should direct all questions to the Authorized Contact Person identified in the solicitation. Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action: January 12, 2026 - To be reviewed by the Electric Utility Commission. Additional Backup Information: This contract will provide customer satisfaction studies and market research for Austin Energy. The studies will monitor the attitudes and perceptions of residential and commercial electric utility customers and provide insight into the programs and services they value. Market research will include customer satisfaction, program participation, low-income weatherization evaluations, focus groups and other citizen-focused research. The contractor will utilize data collection techniques such as telephone surveys, direct mail, focus groups, online panels, and in-person interviews. Item 7This contract will replace an existing contract, expiring February 18, 2026. The requested authorization amount was determined using departmental estimates based on historical spend and anticipated future usage. An evaluation team with expertise in this area evaluated the offers and scored Creative Consumer Research, LLC as the best to provide these services based on project concept and strategy, experience, project management structure, price, local business presence, and small business. Creative Consumer Research LLC, a State of Texas-certified Historically Underutilized Business, is the current provider of these services. An evaluation team with expertise in this area evaluated the offers and scored Creative Consumer Research LLC as the best to provide these services based on project concept and strategy, experience and price. If a contract is not approved, Austin Energy loses a significant tool for process improvement. Contract Details: Contract Term Initial Term Optional Extension 1 Optional Extension 2 Optional Extension 3 Optional Extension 4 Total Length of Term 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year 5 years Contract Authorization $300,000 $300,000 $300,000 $300,000 $300,000 $1,500,000 Note: Contract Authorization amounts are based on the City’s estimated annual usage.