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The City of Pella Municipal Electric Utility is seeking proposals for an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) metering system and integration services. This project aims to modernize the electric metering capabilities, enhance operational efficiency, strengthen grid resilience, and improve customer engagement. The project is partially funded by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) and the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Resilience Formula Grant Program, requiring compliance with federal regulations, including Build America, Buy America (BABA) provisions. Key requirements include replacing approximately 5,300 electric meters with modern, IP-based AMI technology, leveraging the city's existing fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network where available, and using secure wireless connectivity where FTTP is not accessible. The AMI system must be designed for behind-the-meter communication and integrate seamlessly with the city's existing Caselle Clarity utility billing system. It must provide reliable interval data collection, outage and restoration notifications, voltage and power quality metrics, event logs, and secure firmware maintenance. Mandatory requirements include behind-the-glass integrated communications, FTTP-compatible architecture, remote disconnect capability, Caselle Clarity compatibility, power quality measurement, distributed generation support, a customer interaction portal, NIST-traceable accuracy testing, electronic test data provision, cybersecurity standards, and comprehensive implementation and training support. Proposals will be evaluated based on technical compliance, meter performance, communication architecture, customer portal features, cybersecurity, integration with Caselle Clarity, vendor experience, and total cost of ownership. Questions regarding the solicitation must be submitted in writing via email by 5:00 p. m. on Thursday, May 7, 2026. Proposals are due by 2:00 p. m. on Thursday, May 21, 2026, and must be submitted to the Pella Municipal Electric Utility.
The proposal due date and time is 2:00 p. m. on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
Unless otherwise specified in the final contract, payment terms shall be net thirty (30) days from receipt of an undisputed invoice and acceptance of goods or services by the city.
Vendors must provide warranty and support documentation, including standard warranty terms, extended coverage options, support response times, escalation procedures, and software maintenance provisions.
The city intends to award the contract to the highest scoring proposal, based on the criteria noted in Section 2. 4.
Proposals that meet all mandatory requirements will be evaluated according to the weighted criteria set forth in Section 2. 4.
