Request for proposals to build an information technology platform to collect, manage and disseminate climate change data
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) invites proposals from organisations that will make a major contribution to its plans to develop an advanced information technology platform for the collection, warehousing, management and dissemination of information in furtherance of CDPs mission.
CDP expects through this process to record both corporate Carbon Liabilities, in a ledger, and where appropriate, Carbon Reductions, in a registry, externally verified wherever possible.
About CDP
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an independent not-for-profit organisation with charitable status in the UK and the US that aims to create a lasting relationship between shareholders, corporations and their suppliers, for the mutual development of solutions to climate change. CDP provides high quality information on climate change to facilitate dialogue from which a rational response to climate change will emerge.
On behalf of 385 institutional investors collectively, CDP seeks information on the business risks and opportunities presented by climate change and greenhouse gas emissions data from the world's largest companies: 3,000 in 2008. Over 8 years CDP has become the gold standard for corporate disclosure on climate change and CDPs website holds the largest repository of corporate greenhouse gas emissions data in the world. This information is publicly available, helping to catalyse the activities of policymakers, consultants, accountants and marketers to address climate change.
Business objectives informing this RFP
As understanding of climate change improves and demands for information about corporate climate change management increase in scope, scale and sophistication, there is a need for commensurate technology solutions that collect, store, manage and disseminate accurate and comparable information. We believe that achievement of CDPs mission will be enhanced and accelerated by the development of a suitable technology platform that facilitates maximum use of information towards effective climate change solutions.
As CDPs international recognition continues to grow and demands for its participation in the work of corporations, governments and others increases, there is an urgent requirement for CDP to further extend its worldwide operations. This will require significant funding.
Whilst remaining fully committed to our mission to make information publicly available, we are equally committed to reducing our dependence on philanthropic grantmakers by maximising opportunities for revenue from the sale of managed information to carbon markets, analysts and specialist users. CDPs greatest asset is the data it collects and packages. That packaged data has both environmental and commercial capital value and revenue generating potential.
Profile of and relationship with successful proposer
We are seeking a partnership or business arrangement that balances our charitable mission with our funding requirements In line with the business objectives summarised above, CDP is willing to consider a range of relationships/arrangements for the development of an information technology platform provided that its fundamental mission of making information publicly available is not compromised and that CDP therefore retains the right to publish data collected fully or - if appropriate - partially, in accordance with our charitable mission. Subject to this, arrangements with the successful proposer could include a commercial partnership designed to optimise revenue (for CDP and the proposer) or a cost and revenue sharing agreement with another not for profit organisation with complementary objectives.
Preference will be given to larger, established companies with a proven track record. Amongst proposals where the technical quality reaches the required standard and protects our mission, selection will favour applications that maximise income for CDP.
Basic requirements of the information technology platform
In summary, we are seeking an information technology platform that offers six key features:
1. Input functionality
We envisage that information will be entered onto the technology platform via an online reporting system.
Input requirements will be based on the CDP questionnaire. A copy of the draft CDP2009 questionnaire can be found on the News section of our web site. The next iteration of the CDP questionnaire, CDP 2009, will be finalised by 1 November 2008.
The basic questionnaire is used by a number of projects within CDP, which collect data from different communities at the request of specific groups. As an example, the CDP Supply Chain collaboration collects data from suppliers at the request of collaboration members. Each of these projects may have additional project specific questions, and reporting calendars Projects have detailed requirements for input and control of questionnaire recipients and security controlled access of responses. The number of projects and requirement for project specific questions will grow.
Input will be both qualitative/narrative and quantitative.
In order to satisfy output requirements (see below), proposing organisations should include suggestions for collecting information using a language or taxonomy that enables sophisticated search and output facilities.
The technology platform should allow, as far as possible, for automatic transfer of data from Environmental Management Systems, Continuous Emissions Measurement meters and any other established reporting system (eg: SAP) that holds data relevant to reporting greenhouse gas emissions.
As at August 2008, CDP collects greenhouse gas information annually. However, in order to satisfy users needs for contemporaneous information, proposing organisations should include facilities to enable information to be updated on a quarterly basis, or if possible, at any time.
Input will need to be tiered or organised into different levels to distinguish between, for example:
a. Organisations that report greenhouse gas emissions by facility, division or unit, (in which case the technology platform should have the functionality to roll up reports for individual facilities, units or divisions to corporate entity level).
b. Organisations that report aggregate greenhouse gas emissions for group companies.
c. Organisations that report greenhouse gas emissions according to a methodology/protocol that requires third party verification.
d. Non verified greenhouse gas emissions information.
2. Reference data
In order to maximise transparency and provide an audit trail for input of data, the technology platform should be populated with reference data including:
a. Calculation tools
b. Factors that can be used for automatic conversion of raw or activity data into carbon dioxide equivalent metric tonnes.
c. Guidance and cross reference to protocols and methodologies relevant to input.
Where possible, the input of activity/raw data should automatically draw on reference data to produce results for reporting to CDP.
3. Verification processing
Where organisations provide input under a reporting teir that requires verification according to a standard specified by CDP or an appointed partner, or where an organisation elects to have input verified under a non CDP/partner standard, the technology platform should enable access from verifying organisations and the facility for verification statements to be posted on the technology platform subject to permission from the reporting organisation.
4. Transferability/exchange capability
As voluntary and mandatory climate change related reporting initiatives grow, CDP is anxious to work with other organisations to align requests for information as far as possible and to minimise reporting burdens. On the basis that CDP will wish to facilitate exchange of corporate responses with selected partners organisations (so that information reported to CDP may be transmitted electronically to other carefully selected climate change data collection initiatives and information reported to other initiatives may be electronically incorporated in information reported to CDP, in either case with the agreement of the reporting organisation ), the technology platform should facilitate secure exchange and transfer of data between organisations.
5. Storage/Output/reporting formats
It is vital that data collected by the software can be stored and analysed in as many different ways as may be required by users, such as by :
a. sector
b. region
c. country
d. greenhouse gas type
e. company, subsidiary and company segment (eg: business division)
It is also vital that the data lends itself to being analyzed in conjunction with other metrics of corporate financial and accounting performance, and distributed through the main financial information distribution channels.
Proposing organisations are therefore invited to explain the various formats in which information may be analysed, how reports may be downloaded and how information may be distributed through financial information channels.
Proposing organisations are also invited to comment on the extent to which CDP data may be matched with corporate information from financial/statutory reporting systems (such as Edgar) and the forthcoming XBRL-based financial reporting format to create a full picture of a companys climate change profile in the context of its financial position.
6. Flexibility
As regulators and others around the world introduce cap and trade and reporting systems for greenhouse gas emissions, it is essential that the technology platform remains sufficiently flexible to interact or exchange with other carefully selected organisations, including those offering compliance and voluntary emissions credits.
RFP ends.
