Phase III: Market Deployment

Overview

In Phase III, CalMTA fully commits resources to intervene at the market-level through the bidding, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of a full Market Transformation Initiative (MTI) Plan. This commences after approval of the MTI by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) through an Application or Advice Letter. As with the prior phases, this work is completed in collaboration with the Market Transformation Advisory Board (MTAB) through public discourse and opportunities for public comment.

Diagram of Phase III showing the cycle of ongoing implementation, evaluation, and adaptation

Phase III stages and activities

Stage 5: Market Deployment

In Stage 5, CalMTA will release a competitive Request for Proposals (RFPs) to contract with program implementers and market actors to deliver the program strategies identified in our final program logic model and MTI Plan developed and approved during Phase II: Program Development. We will also bid out evaluation of the MTI. Market-level interventions that have been researched and tested will then be deployed in the market with MTI-specific market progress indicators used to track the impact of MT interventions.

CalMTA uses a process of adaptive management to make strategy adjustments as needed to ensure continuous improvement of implementation and outcomes. Note that MTI lifecycles are typically much longer than those of traditional energy efficiency programs.

Guidance in the MTI Plan includes adoption of specific milestones. Missing a milestone triggers a process of reconsideration of continued funding authorization. If this happens, the Market Transformation Advisory Board (MTAB) recommends the next steps to CalMTA concerning the continuation of funding. These recommendations are also made public and considered by the CPUC.

Stage 6: Long-Term Monitoring

Based on the market progress evaluation findings, CalMTA will make the decision to transition an MTI to long-term tracking if barriers have been removed or reduced enough that the market will continue to transform without further intervention. In this period called Stage 6, with support from an independent contractor, CalMTA will discontinue active market development activities and engagement, but track ongoing MTI diffusion. If the evaluation determines market growth has slowed or stopped, CalMTA may choose to transition an MTI back to Stage 5.

Stage 7: Sunset or Transition Market Transformation Initiative

When the goals of the MTI are achieved and the envisioned end-state of the market is accomplished, CalMTA implements the market transition or exit strategy. We may continue to track savings after we have exited market deployment. In this case, any needed monitoring will continue until savings are no longer claimable. At the conclusion of Stage 7, CalMTA will produce a final report on energy savings resulting from the MTI.