C&I Procurement Readiness:

Checklists for



Energy Sales Professionals

note: those items in bold are seasonal focuses

1. C&I Procurement Readiness Checklist

Used during first meetings or before going to market.

Company & Load Profile

• ☐ Provide 12–36 months of interval data
• ☐ Provide 12–36 months of utility bills
• ☐ Confirm facility operating hours and seasonal variations
• ☐ Identify major equipment changes (HVAC, motors, refrigeration, etc.)
• ☐ Identify any planned expansions, closures, or load shifts
• ☐ Discuss expected seasonal production changes or weather-related load fluctuations
• ☐ Review upcoming summer cooling or winter heating impacts on usage
• 
  

Contracting & Risk

• ☐ Provide current supply contract and amendments
• ☐ Confirm termination notice requirements
• ☐ Identify risk tolerance (fixed, block, index, hybrid)
• ☐ Identify budget certainty requirements
• ☐ Identify sustainability or ESG requirements
• ☐ Determine whether seasonal market conditions suggest accelerating or delaying procurement

Regulatory & Compliance

• ☐ Confirm tax exempt status
• ☐ Confirm demand response participation
• ☐ Identify any special tariffs or riders
• ☐ Identify multi-site aggregation opportunities
• ☐ Review upcoming utility tariff or regulatory changes that take effect during the contract term

2. Renewal Timing & Market Window Checklist

Used to guide clients on when to start renewal conversations.

Contract Timing

• ☐ Confirm contract end date
• ☐ Confirm drop-dead renewal notice date
• ☐ Confirm auto renewal terms
• ☐ Identify early termination penalties
• ☐ Begin renewal discussions 6–12 months before expiration whenever practical
• 
  

Market Conditions

• ☐ Review forward curves for next 12–36 months
• ☐ Identify seasonal volatility windows
• ☐ Identify ISO-specific risk events (capacity auctions, RTO changes, etc.)
• ☐ Review supplier appetite for term length
• ☐ Consider summer and winter weather forecasts that could affect wholesale prices
• ☐ Review expected capacity, transmission, and natural gas cost changes by season

Internal Readiness

• ☐ Confirm budget cycle timing
• ☐ Confirm internal approval workflow
• ☐ Confirm sustainability or reporting deadlines
• ☐ Confirm load forecast changes
• ☐ Coordinate procurement with annual budgeting and capital planning cycles

3. Supplier Bid Package Checklist

Used before sending an RFP to suppliers.

Data Completeness

• ☐ Interval data (CSV or Green Button)
• ☐ Utility bills (PDF)
• ☐ Load forecast notes
• ☐ Multi-site list with addresses and utility accounts
• ☐ Include expected seasonal operating schedules, shutdowns, or maintenance outages

Commercial Requirements

• ☐ Term lengths to quote
• ☐ Product structures to quote (fixed, block, index, hybrid)
• ☐ Bandwidth/tolerance requirements
• ☐ Pass-through components allowed/not allowed
• ☐ Request pricing options for different contract start months when appropriate

Legal & Compliance

• ☐ Credit package or financial statements
• ☐ Tax exemption certificates
• ☐ Contract redlines or required clauses
• ☐ Broker of record or LOA

4. Supplier Offer Comparison Checklist

Used when reviewing quotes with clients.

Price Components

• ☐ Energy
• ☐ Capacity
• ☐ Transmission
• ☐ Ancillaries
• ☐ Losses
• ☐ RPS/REC components
• ☐ Adders or uplift charges
• ☐ Compare seasonal pricing assumptions and contract start-date alternatives

Contract Terms

• ☐ Bandwidth/tolerance
• ☐ Swing penalties
• ☐ Pass-through items
• ☐ Billing type (utility consolidated, dual, supplier consolidated)
• ☐ Early termination language
• ☐ Material change clauses
• ☐ Evaluate treatment of weather-driven usage variations
• 
  

Supplier Reliability

• ☐ Financial strength
• ☐ Market share in region
• ☐ Historical performance
• ☐ Customer service SLAs
• ☐ Billing accuracy track record
• ☐ Review supplier performance during prior high-volatility summer and winter markets

5. Post-Contract Implementation Checklist

Used after the client signs.

Account Setup

• ☐ Enrollment submitted to utility
• ☐ Confirm enrollment acceptance
• ☐ Confirm start date
• ☐ Confirm billing type
• ☐ Verify enrollment is completed before the seasonal usage peak

Internal Communication

• ☐ Notify AP/finance of new supplier
• ☐ Provide contract summary sheet
• ☐ Provide escalation contacts
• ☐ Provide renewal timeline

Monitoring

• ☐ Set up monthly bill review
• ☐ Set up usage alerts
• ☐ Set up renewal reminders
• ☐ Track savings vs. prior contract
• ☐ Review summer and winter bills separately to verify expected savings
• ☐ Conduct seasonal business reviews before peak cooling and heating periods

Annual Calendar for C&I Sales Professionals

Many successful energy sales organizations also follow a seasonal sales calendar:

First Quarter (January–March)

• ☐ Review prior year's consumption and spending
• ☐ Begin renewals for contracts ending late in the year
• ☐ Discuss annual budgets and procurement strategies
• ☐ Identify capital projects affecting future energy use

Second Quarter (April–June)

• ☐ Prepare customers for summer peak demand
• ☐ Review demand response participation
• ☐ Verify HVAC readiness and efficiency projects
• ☐ Update summer load forecasts

Third Quarter (July–September)

• ☐ Monitor peak demand performance
• ☐ Review market volatility with customers
• ☐ Begin fall procurement discussions
• ☐ Update budgets using current forward pricing



Fourth Quarter (October–December)

• ☐ Finalize renewals before winter
• ☐ Prepare winter reliability plans
• ☐ Review annual savings and supplier performance
• ☐ Schedule next year's procurement milestones