Introduction

We invite proposals from qualified firms or individuals to conduct a comprehensive stakeholder mapping exercise focused on green transition in cities across the United States. This joint initiative is spearheaded by the Sweden-US Green Transition Initiative (GTI) and Viable Cities.

The Sweden-US Green Transition Initiative (GTI) is a collaborative platform launched by the Embassy of Sweden in Washington D.C., Business Sweden, the Swedish Energy Agency, and Sweden's innovation agency Vinnova. We aim to accelerate Swedish-American collaboration in the transition towards a low-carbon economy. 

Viable Cities is a strategic innovation program initiated by the Swedish government, drawing inspiration from NASA's historic mission to the moon. It was launched a decade ago with an ambitious vision; its primary objective is to achieve climate neutrality in the nation's biggest cities by 2030, two decades ahead of the rest of the European Union. Since its inception, the program has pursued a broader mission than achieving zero emissions. It has embraced a mission-oriented approach, rallying individuals from all walks of life to collaborate towards a common, audacious goal: transforming cities into vibrant, sustainable, thriving hubs. This approach has yielded remarkable success, garnering global attention and positioning Sweden as a leader in urban sustainability. Notably, Viable Cities is a pioneering initiative in its field. It has catalyzed similar endeavors worldwide, including the European Union's ambitious aim to render 112 cities climate-neutral by 2030.

GTI and Viable Cities have set goals to inspire and facilitate system transformation towards climate-neutral cities by 2030, not only in the United States but also in the European Union (EU) and globally. These goals include developing enhanced collaboration between Sweden, the EU, and the United States to strengthen global efforts towards achieving climate-neutral cities. Additionally, there is a focus on mobilizing capital in support of climate-neutral cities, aiming to reach ten billion dollars in public and private procurement volume and financing from various financial institutions by 2030, with a portion allocated to cities participating in the initiative.

To achieve these goals, it is essential to identify and engage with key stakeholders across different levels and sectors in the United States. The stakeholder mapping exercise will focus on understanding the landscape of actors driving green initiatives, financing sustainability projects, advancing innovation methodologies, developing green technologies, and shaping policies across the United States at both state and city levels. The insights gained from this mapping will inform strategic approaches for collaboration and engagement to accelerate the transition towards climate-neutral cities.

Scope of Work

The scope of work for this project entails tailored tasks aligned with cities' pursuits in achieving net zero emissions, with a strategic focus on critical criteria including challenges, ambitions, receptiveness to collaboration with Sweden, and alignment with Viable Cities' methodology (including Climate City Contracts and System Demonstrators). This alignment considers funding availability, identified challenges, and focus areas resonating with Viable Cities' mission and their significant commitments to scaling solutions to achieve climate-neutral cities.

Special attention should be given to California and Washington state due to the potential for activities and collaborations supporting the letter of cooperation on green transition between California and Sweden, as well as ongoing discussions with Washington state.

State-Level Stakeholder Mapping: Conduct a comprehensive stakeholder mapping exercise at the state level to pinpoint pivotal stakeholders leading green initiatives (e.g., building performance standards, transportation, electrification etc.) in a curated selection of states across the US. Prioritize 2-4 target states (including evaluation of California and Washington state) for deeper collaboration exploration based on the abovementioned criteria.

City-Level Stakeholder Mapping: Shortlist 8-12 cities across the US, focusing on primarily selected states identified in Task 1, based on opportunities for further collaboration. Identify relevant stakeholders in financing, innovation, technology, city leadership, and potential focus areas for system demonstrators. 

Research Institutes and NGOs: Identify stakeholders in research and innovation programs and institutes, NGOs and think tanks dedicated to city decarbonization, emphasizing key players and collaboration opportunities.

Funding Stakeholders: Deepen an overview of US based stakeholders, as provided by GTI, influencing the allocation of financial support for green transition initiatives in cities globally, such as government funding agencies, foundations, and investment firms. This encompasses stakeholders involved in mobilizing capital for climate-neutral cities, both from public and private sources.

Opportunities for Engagement and Collaboration: Evaluate the topics of interest and sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or Letters of Intent (LoIs) with GTI and Viable Cities to establish a collaboration for 2025 and beyond, based on the mapped stakeholders. Identify the key events and conferences in the United States during fall 2024 and spring 2025 to further engage with Viable Cities' mission and methodologies.

Deliverables

The selected firm or individual will be responsible for delivering the following:

• Comprehensive stakeholder maps for each task, outlining key stakeholders and their roles.

• Summary of findings from stakeholder mapping exercises, including description of strength areas.

• Recommendations for stakeholder engagement strategies based on the analysis.

Proposal Requirements

Interested parties are requested to submit proposals that include the following:

• Overview of the proposed methodology for conducting stakeholder mapping.

• Relevant experience and qualifications of the proposing firm, team and/or individual.

• Proposed timeline for completing tasks and overall project. 

• Cost estimate, including any associated expenses.

• Samples of previous similar work, if available.

Timeline

Proposals must be submitted by May 3, 2024, to johanna.eklund@gti-sweden.se. 

We will notify the selected firm or individual by May 10, with final delivery expected by June 14.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

   - Level of understanding of the scope of work.

   - Experience and qualifications of the proposing firm, team and/or individual.

   - Relevance of methodology proposed.

   - Cost-effectiveness of the proposal.

   - Ability to meet the project timeline.

  Contact Information

For inquiries and submission of proposals, please contact:

Johanna Eklund

Sweden - US Green Transition Initiative

Johanna.eklund@gti-sweden.se

We look forward to receiving your proposals and collaborating with the selected firm or individual to gain valuable insights into stakeholder dynamics driving the green transition in US cities.