Illinois Power Agency Issues Request for Information to Develop Pre-Qualified Consultant List for Municipal Power Agencies, Municipalities, and Cooperative Integrated Resource Planning

The Illinois Power Agency (IPA) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking qualified consulting firms to support the development of a list of pre-qualified consultants. This list will assist Municipal Power Agencies, Municipalities, and Cooperatives in developing their Integrated Resource Plans (IRP).

Interested consultants and other stakeholders are encouraged to review the RFI and submit responses no later than July 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. CT. Additional information about the process is available on the IPA’s website.

Background

Section 1-30 of the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Transparent Planning Act was adopted through Public Act 104-0458 (Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act), which was enacted on January 08, 2026, and became effective on June 1, 2026. 

Section 1-30 obligates the Agency to issue an RFI to develop and maintain a list of pre-qualified consulting firms for the purposes of developing IRPs on behalf of applicable municipal power agencies, municipalities, or electric cooperatives, including generation and transmission electric cooperatives that provide wholesale electricity to one or more distribution electric cooperatives (referred to as “Utilities”) (see 220 ILCS 31/1-30).

Utilities subject to IRP requirements may select a consulting firm from the Agency’s pre-qualified list in developing their plans and supporting associated stakeholder engagement processes. Upon request, the IPA may also provide a pre-qualified consulting firm’s RFI response to an affected Utility; however, such RFI responses will not be posted on the Agency’s website or otherwise be made publicly available.

The RFI must be issued on June 1, 2026, and open to responses from any consulting firms that have the experience, technical expertise, market knowledge, and staffing capacity necessary to develop integrated resource plans and support related stakeholder processes. Consulting firms interested in participating in the RFI should review the posted RFI document and follow the instructions provided.  

For clarity, the IPA’s role is limited to the issuing this RFI and a future evergreen RFI to solicit and maintain a list of pre-qualified consulting firms.  The Agency does not and will not have governance over the development of these IRPs by the Utilities, the selection of a consulting firm, or the work performed by any selected consultants.