August 5, 2025

Overview 

For the past seven years, PLMA has hosted a two- to three-day¹ advanced class for flexible load management professionals to develop their knowledge and skills around program design and implementation. Historically known as the “Program Design and Implementation (PDI)” class, PLMA has recently expanded the scope of this class to address design and implementation capabilities beyond programming alone.  
 
This RFP seeks a qualified instructional team to complete the following tasks: 

1. Teach both an in-person and/or an online version of the PLMA Design and Implementation class up to three times a year for the next three years, 

2. Update the existing PLMA class materials so as to address the breadth of “design and implementation” opportunities across the scope of “flexible load management,”  

3. Maintain the class materials throughout the three-year instructional period via an annual review process that ensures these materials remain current and relevant to industry developments, and consistent with PLMA’s strategic approach to flexible load management, 

4. Ensure that key changes and updates to the information in the Design and Implementation class are also reflected in the shorter Design and Implementation summary section of PLMA’s Load Flex Fundamentals class.  

5. Ensure the class materials follow PLMA’s professional learner’s format (developed in early 2025 for its Fundamentals Class), and also PLMA’s branding standards. 

About the Current Class: 
The current Program Design and Implementation class is made up of nine modules, although PLMA is open to modifying (expanding or reducing) these, as appropriate. Prior to enrolling in this class, PLMA strongly recommends all learners first complete its Flex Load Fundamentals Class to ensure a solid understanding of basic load management concepts.  

PLMA Flexible Load Series: Design and Implementation Class Modules 

1. Overview of Demand Response 

2. Demand Response Potential 

3. Portfolio Development 

4. Program Design 

5. Cost-effectiveness Assessment 

6. Program Staffing and Outsourcing 

7. Marketing and Operations 

8. Technology, Architecture, and Integration 

9. EM&V 

The class has historically been offered two to three times annually, both in online and in-person formats, with the in-person classes usually hosted by a utility. The class is split into two half-days (online) and one full day plus two half days (in person) and generally accommodates up to ~25 professional learners from utilities, vendors, and consulting organizations. Most learners are intermediate level and above in their knowledge of flexible load management.  

The class is hosted primarily in a lecture format with a slide deck of ~200 slides. Knowledge checks, Q&A discussions, and industry “mentors” are also part of the class teaching experience and add both context and on-the-ground experiences for the benefit of class attendees.  

The current Program Design & Implementation class costs are as follows, however, a majority of class attendees choose to use a PLMA Member Pass as payment: 

For a Live Online Class Registration: 
$1,199 for PLMA members, $1,699 for non-members. 

For an In-Person Class Registration: 
$1,599 for PLMA members, $2,099 for non-members. 

About PLMA Education: 
PLMA prioritizes providing educational opportunities that focus on the key role flexible load management plays in ensuring grid stability, enabling the optimal use of renewable resources, providing customer control and choice, and supporting the energy transition. 

The Goals of this RFP 

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit vendor proposals for an instructional team to teach PLMA’s Design and Implementation Class so that: 

1. The upgraded class is modernized to reflect effective learning approaches and best practices for teaching content to professional learners, as has been recently developed in PLMA’s Load Flex Fundamentals class. These are based on effective adult learning strategies, cadences, formats, etc.  

2. The updated class should include a clear over-arching theme as well as logical connections from one learning module to the next. Having the modules cross-reference one another, and also build on one another, is important. 

3. Each module should include a summary of key learnings for the leaners and an appendix of additional (but optional) materials and resources for additional follow up, as appropriate. 

4. The modules should be appropriately sized so that they can be completed in the allotted teaching time, without the need to skip multiple slides during the presentation. 

5. The slides in each module should follow design “best practices” in terms of: the number of words included per slide; the size of fonts; the level of detail; and the value of pictures, diagrams, and charts to help to convey key information in a manner that is clear and easy to understand. Detailed information that explains each slide for the class learners should be provided in the NOTES section below each presentation slide. PLMA’s updated Fundamentals Class offers examples of each of the above.  

6. The class learning materials should be branded to be consistent with PLMA’s new branding standards. PLMA will provide the successful bidder with the current class materials which have already been mostly updated for branding purposes. PLMA will also provide a PowerPoint template and Brand Standards Guidelines for the selected vendor to ensure consistency across all PLMA Education offerings. 

7. The updated class modules need to be flexible enough for use in live online classes, in-person classes, and potentially for future use in “online on-demand” format. 

Deliverables 

PLMA has identified the following deliverables: 

1. An updated Design and Implementation class slide deck with branding consistent with PLMA’s new standards. This includes completed Notes pages for each slide that summarize the slide’s key points for learners; end-of-section takeaways; “checks for understanding” throughout the modules; and appendices to hold additional information that is valuable, but not key to understanding the presented content. 
    
   Please note, PLMA’s existing Program Design & Implementation deck had been mostly revised to include PLMA’s new branding, and some of the aforementioned elements. PLMA seeks additional improvements to the deck through updates to its older content with the goal of creating more comprehensive learning and engagement opportunities for learners.  

2. Recommendations for accompanying resources to use during the class and to take away following the class. Currently PLMA has “Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations” and a Position Paper titled “The Evolution of Load Management.” 

3. The name(s) and qualifications of the instructors who will serve on the Instructional team for this class for the next three years. PLMA recognizes that changes may occur in that time horizon and that the selected vendor will be able to onboard new qualified instructors as the need arises.  

4. Your own firm’s recommendations for additional goals and deliverables for the design, presentation, and delivery of this class, within the scope of PLMA’s budget and requirements. 

Budget 

PLMA expects to pay $10,000 for a complete review and update of the class deck, plus a review and update to the shorter Design and Implementation summary section that’s included as a single teaching module in its current Flex Load Fundamentals Class.  
 
In addition, PLMA will pay an instructional fee of $8,000 per class taught by the instructional team, and will cover the instructor(s) travel expenses for all in-person classes. 

 Deadline to Submit Questions about this RFP 

PLMA is pleased to respond to questions on this RFP until September 11, 2025.
Please email them to Judy Knight (jknight@flexload.org).  
 
Non-Disclosure Agreement 
For organizations interested in submitting a bid for this project, PLMA is willing to provide a walk-through of the current class deck to submitting bidders, under non-disclosure. The goal of this step is to provide bidders with some additional context for both updating the class deck and for fully understanding the instructional task.  

Submission Deadline 

PLMA appreciates receiving your proposal and pricing bid by 12:00 am ET, September 15, 2025. 

Timeline: 

Contact Information 

Please email your proposal and pricing bid to: 

Judy Knight
Chief Development Officer  
jknight@flexoad.org 

About PLMA 

PLMA serves the energy industry as the leading association for load management experts, practitioners, and vendors to share best practices, hands-on experiences, technology advances, and training, plus leadership and mentorship opportunities, all with a focus on DR, DERs, and managed charging. 

PLMA is inclusive of all participants and encourages organizations with an interest in flexible load management to join us. 

Thank you for your consideration. 

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