Project Snapshot: Start Here

• Please share the project name, your role, and the best contact for utility coordination (name, phone, email).
• Planned energization target or desired month for first power availability. Options: Within 3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, 12–18 months, 18+ months, Not decided
• What is the primary business driver for this electrical expansion (select all that apply)? Options: Start of operations, Capacity expansion, Regulatory requirement, Performance/efficiency upgrade, Fleet electrification/EV depot, Other
• Provide your best estimate of peak connected load (kW or MW). If unknown, give a range or enter 'TBD'.
• Which of these best describes your current project phase? Options: Conceptual/budgeting, Design/engineering, Permitting, Procurement, Ready to mobilize, Other

If the Utility Misses Its Date, Who Pays?

• If your project timeline had to be bet on one external factor, would you bet on the utility hitting their dates? Options: Yes, reliably, Sometimes, but risky, No, utility timing is uncertain, Unsure
• Have past projects experienced multi-month utility delays? Options: Yes - often, Occasionally, Rarely, Never
• When utility timelines slipped previously, which parts of your program suffered the most (select all that applied)? Options: Site construction, Equipment procurement, Commissioning/testing, Operational start delay, Financing/penalties, Other
• Describe the worst schedule slip you absorbed due to utility work and the immediate consequences (weeks/months, cost, operational impact).
• Who currently owns schedule risk in your organization when utility work drives the critical path? Options: Facilities/Engineering, Construction PM, Project Sponsor/Owner, Operations, Shared / No single owner, Other

Who Moves the Needle: Decision-Makers & What They Need

• Who would be most upset if the electrical work wasn't ready on day one—and why would that matter to them?
• List decision-makers and approvers we should engage (name, title, approval scope—budget/operations/safety/legal).
• Who is the capital budget owner and what approval threshold or process do they require? Options: Up to $50k, $50k–$250k, $250k–$1M, $1M+, Depends on scope / committee
• For each critical stakeholder, what does 'good' look like—key metrics, acceptable timelines, and risk tolerance (brief bullet points)?
• How quickly can your key approvers respond to questions or sign-offs? Options: Within 24 hours, 1–3 business days, 1–2 weeks, Longer/varies

What’s Actually on Site (Maps, Meters, and Hidden Issues)

• What’s hiding on-site that could make the utility process a nightmare?
• Which type of utility service or ownership applies to this site? Options: Investor-owned utility (IOU), Municipal utility, Electric cooperative, Transmission owner/TO, Multiple utilities/feeds, Unsure
• Do you have the service point details (meter ID), primary voltage, and nearest transformer locations documented? Options: Yes - full documentation, Partially (some items), No but contacts exist, No / unknown
• Are there known physical constraints that will affect conduit runs, substation siting, or truck access? Options: Easement limitations, Right-of-way restrictions, Floodplain/soil issues, Protected habitat, Adjacent developments/structures, None known, Other
• Please paste links or note where we can access one-line diagrams, site plans, utility correspondence, or previous studies.

Where the Numbers Break: Load, Demand, and the Gap

• If your current service were stretched to the new load overnight, what would fail first and why?
• Do you have interval load data or a recent load study we can use? Options: Full interval data available, Basic load study/report, Only nameplate equipment info, No data available
• Are there predictable simultaneous peaks we should design for (e.g., multiple chargers starting together)? Options: Yes - predictable shifts, Yes - unpredictable peaks, No, mostly steady load, Unsure
• How important is redundancy (N-1, backup feeds) versus minimizing initial capital cost? Options: Critical - must meet redundancy, Important but negotiable, Nice to have, Not required
• What interconnection timeline risk is acceptable to you (describe weeks/months tolerance) and what operational actions would you take if the timeline slipped?

Permits, Politics, and the Things That Surprise You

• What permit or political hurdle has surprised you on past projects—and if you could go back, what would you change?
• Which permitting authorities will need to review or approve this scope? Options: City building department, County planning/inspections, State environmental or utility agency, Local environmental agency, DOT/right-of-way, Tribal authorities, Other
• Have previous projects been delayed by public noticing, community opposition, or environmental reviews? Options: Yes - significant delays, Yes - minor delays, No, Not applicable
• Who will prepare and submit permit applications for this project? Options: Customer/internal team, Third-party permit consultant, Vendor (we manage), Combination / shared responsibility
• What documents or pre-approvals are essential before we can submit permits in your jurisdiction?

Money, Milestones, and Tradeoffs You’re Willing to Make

• If you had to cut budget or schedule, which would you sacrifice first—and what would you lose from that decision?
• What target capital budget range is allocated (or expected) for the electrical infrastructure? Options: <$100k, $100k–$500k, $500k–$2M, $2M–$10M, >$10M, Not set / TBD
• Would you consider scope phasing (e.g., partial energization or staged transformer additions) to meet operational milestones? Options: Yes - prefer phased approach, Possibly with clear cost tradeoffs, No - single go-live required, Unsure
• Which contract or delivery milestone matters most to your operation (select up to two)? Options: Design completion, Permit approvals, Long-lead equipment delivery (transformer/switchgear), Utility permission to energize, Commissioning completion
• Which procurement long-lead items concern you most and why (transformer, switchgear, custom prefabrication, relays)? Options: Transformer delivery, Switchgear lead time, Control/relay systems, Custom foundations/sitework, Cable/conduit availability, Other

If Everything Went Perfectly—What Would That Unlock?

• Imagine energization happens earlier than planned—what immediate business outcomes would that enable for you?
• What does a successful handover include (select all deliverables you expect)? Options: As-built drawings, O&M manual, Maintenance plan and schedule, Training session for your team, Spare parts list, Warranty and test reports
• Which KPIs will you use to judge our delivery performance? Options: On-time energization, Budget variance, Number of RFIs/change orders, Utility approval time, Safety incidents (TRIR/near misses), System performance metrics
• How long would you like post-commissioning support or a warranty response window to remain in place? Options: 30 days, 90 days, 6 months, 12 months, Ongoing retainer
• What contingency buffer (in weeks) would you like built into the plan to protect the energization date? Options: 0–2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 1–3 months, 3+ months, No preference

Let’s Make a Clear Next Step

• What would make you feel confident enough to sign off on next steps this week?
• Which of these deliverables would help you decide fastest (pick all that apply)? Options: Preliminary load study, Preliminary scope and budget, Utility engagement plan and contacts, Site visit report with photos, Reference projects and case studies
• What is your decision timeline for selecting an engineering partner? Options: Within 2 weeks, 2–6 weeks, 6–12 weeks, Undecided / ongoing
• Who else must be on our next call or included in a site visit to move this forward?
• Preferred method for secure transfer of technical files and signing documents? Options: Secure file share (Box/SharePoint), Portal upload, Encrypted email, In-person delivery, Other

Getting Grounded: Quick Site Snapshot

• What is the site's street address, facility name, and the best on-site contact (name, role, phone/email)?
• What type of facility is this (select the single best match)? Options: EV charging depot/fleet yard, Data center or colo, Manufacturing/industrial plant, Renewable energy interconnect, Mixed-use/retail campus, Other
• What is the target energization or in-service window for your equipment? Options: Within 0–3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, 12+ months, Unknown / To be determined
• Who holds final budget/CapEx approval for electrical infrastructure at your organization? Options: Facilities/Plant Ops, Director of Construction/Project, Corporate Finance/CapEx, Operations/Energy Team, Third-party Developer/Investor, Other
• Do you have any site plans, single-line diagrams, utility maps, or previous studies we can review? If so, please summarize or attach.

If the Grid Surprised You Tomorrow, What Breaks First?

• If the utility required a full service upgrade instead of a simple tap, how would that change your schedule, budget, or go/no‑go decision?
• What is the site's current service voltage and main switchgear/transformer nameplate? Options: 120/208V (low-voltage), 480V, 4.16 kV, 13.8 kV, 34.5 kV, 69 kV or higher, Unknown
• Which best describes the spare capacity at the service point relative to your planned load? Options: Sufficient for planned load, Tight—may require modest upgrade, Insufficient—major upgrade needed, Unknown / needs load study
• Do you have interval meter data or recent billing we can analyze to validate available capacity? Options: Yes — interval/detailed data available, Yes — monthly billing only, No — only estimates, Not sure
• Are there planned future loads or expansions (select all that apply)? Options: EV expansion / more chargers, Additional tenant buildouts, On-site generation (solar, storage), Backup generation additions, Factory production expansion, No planned expansions, Other

What the Utility Actually Told You (And What They Didn’t)

• When you spoke with the utility, did anything they said feel like a subtle red flag we should unpack? Options: Yes — significant concerns raised, Some worrying caveats, No — they sounded positive, We haven’t engaged the utility yet, Other
• Please list the utility providers (distribution and any transmission/TO/ISO contacts) that serve this site, including names if known.
• Have you filed a formal service application or interconnection request? If yes, what's the reference and current status? Options: Not filed, Filed — under review, Filed — utility requested more info, Approved — awaiting estimate, Approved — ready for construction, Other
• Have you received written scope, cost estimate, or preliminary timeline from the utility? If so, summarize the key points or attach.
• Has the utility previously rejected or conditionally approved any part of your project (e.g., metering, protection scheme, point of interconnection)? Options: Yes — rejected items exist, Yes — conditional approvals with requirements, No rejections, Unsure

Invisible Site Constraints That Bite Projects

• Which hidden site condition would derail your schedule if it were discovered only during construction?
• Which of these physical constraints are known to exist on site (select all that apply)? Options: Underground utilities/conflicts, Right-of-way or easement restrictions, Limited access for cranes/trucks, Environmental contamination or wetlands, Historic or archaeological overlays, Floodplain / high groundwater, Adjacent private property constraints, Other
• Is there existing substation, transformer pad, or vault space on or adjacent to the property that could be reused? Options: Existing with spare capacity, Existing but needs upgrade, No existing infrastructure, Unknown / needs field verification
• What known geotechnical or subsurface conditions should we plan around (rock, shallow bedrock, high water table, contamination, unknown)? Please be specific.
• How open is your team to invasive investigations (potholing, geotech borings) if that meaningfully reduces utility or schedule risk? Options: Very open — prioritize risk reduction, Somewhat open — budget-dependent, Prefer minimal disruption, Not permitted due to leases/tenants

Permits, Politics, and Who Holds the Keys

• If permitting stretched well beyond utility timelines, who internally or externally would be pulled into emergency approvals or dispute resolution?
• Which permitting jurisdictions and permit types are likely required for this work (select all that apply)? Options: City building/electrical permit, County permitting, State utility or environmental permits, DOT/road/traffic permits, Right-of-way / easement approvals, Historic or design-review boards, Environmental impact permits, Other
• Do you already have a permitting contact or expeditor familiar with this jurisdiction? Options: Yes — internal permitting lead, Yes — external consultant/expeditor, No — we need support, Unsure
• Historically, how would you describe permitting speed in this jurisdiction? Options: Reliable/normal turnaround, Occasional delays, Frequently backlogged/multi-month delays, Completely unpredictable
• Are there community or stakeholder sensitivities (traffic, noise, aesthetics, EMF, environmental) we should proactively address in permit packages or outreach? Options: Traffic / construction impacts, Noise / nighttime work concerns, Visual/aesthetic objections, EMF or public health concerns, Environmental/habitat concerns, No known sensitivities, Other

People to Pull In — Roles, Authority, and Communication

• If the utility pushed back on scope or cost, who on your team can make tradeoff decisions immediately (name, role, decision authority)?
• Please list internal stakeholders we should include in utility coordination (name, role, preferred contact).
• Which external partners should we expect to coordinate with (select all that apply)? Options: General contractor / CM, Civil or geotech consultant, Architect / site planner, Tenant electrical contractors, Metering vendor / utility meter shop, Third-party developers/owners, Other
• Who is the budget owner and what is their tolerance: prefer minimizing cost at the expense of schedule, prefer schedule even if cost rises, or a balanced approach? Options: Minimize cost (schedule may slip), Prioritize schedule (higher cost ok), Balanced — tradeoffs allowed, Unsure / dependent on stage
• How do you prefer we communicate during utility engagement (select all that apply)? Options: Weekly scheduled calls, Email summaries only, Project portal with updates, Ad-hoc escalation as issues arise, On-site coordination meetings, Combination

Red Flags, Practical Tradeoffs, and Clear Next Steps

• If you had to name the single non-negotiable outcome from utility work, what would it be—and why would missing it be catastrophic?
• Which of these risks keep you up at night for this project (select all that apply)? Options: Utility lead time / schedule slippage, Unforeseen site conditions, Permitting/backlog delays, Long equipment lead times, Unexpected costs / scope creep, Metering or protection rejection by utility, Other
• Which mitigation strategies would you consider acceptable if they get power to the facility sooner (select all that apply)? Options: Temporary service/portable transformer, Phased energization of portions of site, Load scheduling/management measures, Temporary rental equipment, Expedited utility work at extra cost, Backup generation until permanent service
• How soon would you be available for a site walk and joint utility discovery meeting? Options: Within 1 week, 1–2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 1–2 months, Unsure
• What would make you feel confident in our site assessment and recommended next steps (specific deliverables, level of detail, references, timeline)?

Before We Move a Shovel: Quick Project Snapshot

• Which statement best describes your current project status? Options: Final design complete, waiting on permits/utility, Design underway, procurement started, Permitting in progress, no procurement, Early planning / budget approval stage, Other (please describe)
• What is your target energization date (month and year)?
• Who is the single person or role that must sign off on capital release for electrical infrastructure?
• How confident are you, on a scale from 1–5, that the current schedule will hit that energization date? Options: 1 - Not confident, 2 - Slightly confident, 3 - Somewhat confident, 4 - Mostly confident, 5 - Very confident
• Tell us about one recent experience with utility-led delays (what happened and how it felt for your team).

Are the Long-Lead Items Already a Time Bomb?

• Which long-lead procurement items are likely to determine your earliest mobilization date? Options: Transformers, Switchgear, Substation equipment (bays/relays), Custom metering, Large-diameter conduit / prefab ductbank, Civil foundations (precast), Other (please list)
• For each item you selected, what is the current procurement status (not ordered / ordered but not delivered / on-site)? Options: Not ordered, Ordered, lead time not started, Ordered, in production, Shipped / in transit, Delivered to site
• What lead time (in months) are you currently assuming for your longest-lead item? Options: <1 month, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, 6–9 months, 9–12 months, 12+ months
• Who are your primary equipment suppliers, and do any of them have committed delivery dates we can review?
• If a critical piece of equipment is delayed, how willing are you to accept an alternative (rental, temporary solution, substitute vendor) to keep the schedule? Options: Very willing, Somewhat willing, Only as last resort, Not willing
• Describe any procurement approvals or internal gating processes that routinely add time to orders.

Is the Utility Actually Ready to Say Yes?

• What would surprise you most if the utility pushed approvals out by an additional 3 months?
• Which of the following utility interactions have been completed for this site? Options: Pre-application meeting, Service application filed, Interconnection study requested, Interconnection study completed, Utility design review delivered, None of the above
• Has the utility assigned a single point of contact and a projected approval timeline? Options: Yes, named contact and timeline, Yes, contact but no timeline, No contact yet, Uncertain
• Have prior permit or interconnection comments required scope changes that affected cost or schedule? If yes, give one example. Options: Yes, multiple times, Yes, once, No, not to date
• How do utility holidays, scheduled outages, or regional workloads typically affect your timeline expectations?

Who Really Controls the Timeline (and Do They Know It)?

• If energization slips, who internally will be most impacted—and what does that stakeholder typically prioritize most (cost, timeline, safety, reputation)? Options: Facilities / Operations, Construction Director, Capital Budget Owner / CFO, Project Manager, Operations Leadership, Other
• Which approval gates are legally or contractually required before construction can begin (e.g., utility approval, county permit, environmental clearance)?
• What typical internal review cadence (weekly, biweekly, monthly) do the decision-makers use to re-evaluate the project timeline? Options: Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly, Ad hoc / as needed
• Describe one instance where internal stakeholder availability or decision latency delayed a critical milestone.
• Who has the authority to approve contingency spend or schedule accelerators (overtime, expediting freight) if needed?

If Something Breaks, Who’s On First?

• When a critical-path issue occurs on site, what is your current escalation path—and have you ever had it fail? Options: Site foreman → Project mgr → Ops director, Site foreman → Contractor RM → Vendor, Direct escalation to utility, Other (please describe)
• What safety documents and certifications must be in place before mobilization (e.g., JSA, site safety plan, contractor orientations)? Options: JSA/Job Hazard Analysis, Site-specific Safety Plan, Contractor safety orientations, Confined space permits, Hot work permits, Other
• Are there site access constraints (security badges, restricted hours, union rules, traffic control) that impact crew scheduling? Options: Yes—security/badging, Yes—restricted hours, Yes—union/work rules, No major constraints, Other
• Which external parties will require mobilization notices or pre-construction meetings (utility, municipality, landlord, environmental agency)? Options: Utility, Municipality / county, Landlord / property manager, Environmental regulator, Local fire department, Other
• How comfortable are you with the current contingency plan for on-site emergencies and schedule recovery? Options: Very comfortable, Somewhat comfortable, Concerned, No plan exists

What Does 'Deployment Ready' Look Like—Really?

• If we declared the site 'deployment ready' tomorrow, which three documents or approvals would you expect to see in hand? Options: Utility approval / permit, All long-lead equipment delivered or committed, Site access and security clearances, Completed safety plan and orientations, Civil/site prep complete, Testing and commissioning plan, Other
• What specific acceptance criteria tied to the utility must be met before you’d authorize mobilization? Options: Meter install scheduled, Interconnection agreement signed, Utility relay settings approved, Permanent service point designated, Temporary service approved
• Which commissioning tests do you require to be planned and resourced before construction starts (relay testing, insulation, phasing, metering verification)? Options: Relay and protection testing, Switchgear functional tests, Insulation/hipot, Meter accuracy verification, Cable continuity and megger, Other
• How many calendar days of contingency buffer do you want built into the schedule between energization and equipment install? Options: 0–7 days, 8–14 days, 15–30 days, 30+ days
• Which party do you want to hold the formal 'go/no-go' responsibility for mobilization (engineer, GC, owner, utility)? Options: Host/Seller engineering lead, General contractor, Owner / Facilities, Utility, Joint sign-off

If We Missed the Date, How Bad Is It?

• What is the best estimate of the financial impact per week of a missed energization (direct costs, penalties, lost revenue)? Options: <$10k/week, $10k–$50k/week, $50k–$250k/week, $250k–$1M/week, >$1M/week, Unknown / need to calculate
• Beyond dollars, what reputational or operational impacts matter most if the site is late (customer commitments, regulatory fines, cascading project delays)?
• What backup plans exist today if the primary energization path fails (temporary generation, reduced load operation, phase priorities)? Options: Temporary generator, Phased energization / partial service, Rescheduling equipment install, Financial reserve for accelerators, No backup plan
• Would you consider paying to expedite permits, equipment, or utility work to protect the critical date? If so, which? Options: Yes—permit expediting, Yes—equipment air freight, Yes—overtime for crews, Maybe, depends on cost, No
• How would you prefer we present risk trade-offs: scenario costs, schedule impact charts, or a ranked risk register? Options: Scenario cost + schedule impact, Ranked risk register, Gantt with contingencies, Executive one-pager

Let’s Agree the Next Steps — Commitment & Communication

• Which of the following immediate decisions are you willing to make this week to reduce deployment risk? Options: Authorize procurement of critical long-lead, Assign single executive sponsor, Provide utility POC contact info, Approve contingency spend, Schedule a joint readiness review
• Who should be on our weekly readiness call (name and role), and who is the single point we should escalate to after hours?
• What format do you prefer for readiness deliverables: living checklist, shared dashboard, or formal sign-off packets? Options: Living checklist (shared), Interactive project dashboard, Formal sign-off packet / PDF, Combination
• What would make you feel most assured that mobilization won’t create surprise delays (e.g., verified deliveries, utility written commitments, on-site pre-mobilization walk)?
• Realistically, how soon can we schedule a joint 'pre-mobilization readiness' review with your team? Options: This week, Next week, In 2–4 weeks, Later than a month
• Is there anything else — an unspoken risk, political dynamic, or past trauma with a vendor or utility — that we should know now to avoid repeating history?

Quick Snapshot: Where We Stand Right Now

• Tell us the project type and the primary facility need driving this electrical upgrade (brief) Options: EV charging depot, Data center, Manufacturing/plant expansion, Renewable interconnect, Other
• What stage is your overall project calendar in today? Options: Concept / budget planning, Detailed design, Permitting in progress, Procurement started, Construction planning, On site / installation
• What is your target energization date (month/year)? If flexible, indicate the earliest and latest acceptable windows.
• Who on your team should we include for technical coordination (role titles)? Please list names/titles or indicate if TBD. Options: Facility Engineer, Director of Construction, Energy Manager, Project/Program Manager, Procurement, TBD/Other

What’s Really Keeping You Up at Night About Power

• If the grid upgrade became the single critical path, how would that affect your overall project (schedule, costs, operations)?
• Which of these utility-related risks do you believe is most likely to derail your timeline? Options: Utility queue/lead-time, Permit review delays, Unexpected site electrical issues, Transformer/substation availability, Cost escalation from scope changes, Other
• Have you experienced a utility delay or surprise on a prior project? Tell us briefly what happened and the real consequence (days, cost, stakeholder impact).
• How confident are you in the utility’s published timelines for service upgrades or interconnection? Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Skeptical, No visibility / unknown

Hidden Surprises: What We Might Not Be Seeing Yet

• What site or utility unknowns do you suspect exist but haven’t fully investigated? Options: Existing transformer capacity, Undocumented easements/encroachments, Historic/unknown conduit routing, Third-party attachments/rights, Unrecorded utility contacts, Other
• Have you had any prior utility applications, studies, or correspondence for this site? If yes, summarize the outcome or share dates. Options: No prior contact, Submitted service application, Preliminary study completed, Formal utility study / queue position, Prior denials/conditions
• Where on site do you currently anticipate major civil or electrical constraints (e.g., limited yard, underground clutter, easements)? Describe specific locations or features.
• How quickly could we get access to site drawings, single-line diagrams, or past as-built records if we requested them? Options: Immediately, Within 1–2 weeks, Within a month, Not available / unknown
• If we uncovered an unexpected utility requirement tomorrow, which internal stakeholder would need to sign off on the resulting change in scope or cost? Options: Facilities lead, Construction director, Capital budget owner/CFO, Operations director, Other

If Energization Went Perfectly: The Outcome You’d Celebrate

• Imagine energization day goes exactly as planned—what three outcomes would make you say the project was a success?
• Which downstream milestones depend on energization being on time (select all that apply)? Options: Equipment installation, Commissioning activities, Staff training/operations start, Contractual handover, Revenue or service launch
• How would an on-time energization change how your executive stakeholders view this project (risk profile, future investments)?
• What measurable indicators would you want us to report during delivery so you feel confident we’re on track (examples: utility queue position, permit days, procurement lead times)? Options: Utility queue status, Permit milestones, Equipment procurement ETA, Construction percent complete, Risk register updates, Other

What Could Break the Plan (and How Much Would It Hurt)?

• If you had to name the single most damaging failure mode for this project—what is it and why?
• How tolerant is your overall project schedule to a 2‑month, 6‑month, or 12‑month utility delay? Options: Can absorb 2 months only, Up to 6 months with re-sequencing, 12+ months would be catastrophic, Depends on contingency and costs
• Which of the following mitigation levers are available to you if utility timelines exceed expectations? Options: Temporary load sheds/operational workarounds, Phased energization, Alternative service providers/microgrid, Increase capex for expedited utility work, Adjust equipment schedule
• Describe a realistic worst-case cost impact if a key utility requirement forces a scope change (ballpark $ or % over budget).
• Who would we need to escalate to internally and on your side if the utility introduced a new technical requirement mid-project? Options: Site engineering lead, Procurement/CFO, Construction director, Operations head, Other

Decision Power & Money: Who’s Holding the Keys?

• Who is the ultimate approver for capital spending on this electrification work? Options: Facility owner / site sponsor, Director of Construction, CFO / Capital approval board, VP of Operations, Other
• Are there internal governance steps (e.g., CAPEX board, technical review committee) that typically add time to approvals? How long do they take? Options: No formal governance, Weekly board - 1–2 weeks, Monthly board - 2–6 weeks, Quarterly/longer - 1+ months
• Which stakeholders must sign utility-facing documents (applications, easement approvals, interconnection agreements)? Please list roles.
• Is there an internal budget contingency reserved for utility-driven scope changes or cost escalations? If so, what percent of the baseline budget? Options: None, 5% or less, 5–10%, 10–20%, 20%+
• How do you prefer we present trade-offs (e.g., timeline vs. cost) to decision makers—concise option sheets, detailed technical memos, or live briefings? Options: Concise option sheets, Detailed technical memos, Live briefings/presentations, Combination

Who Feels the Pain: Stakeholder Needs and Expectations

• Which stakeholder groups are most anxious about utility risk right now and why (operations, finance, construction, customers)? Options: Operations, Finance, Construction, Executive leadership, Customers/end-users, Other
• For the top anxious stakeholder you named, what would we need to show them to move from concern to confidence? (evidence, timeline, references?)
• Have external parties (utility, municipality, landlord) set expectations about timing or requirements that differ from your internal expectations? Tell us the mismatch.
• How important are references or past project examples in your vendor selection for this scope? Options: Critical / dealbreaker without them, Important, Helpful but not necessary, Not important
• Would providing a named utility contact and a recent reference project reduce your perceived risk? Options: Yes — significantly, Somewhat, Not really

Commitments That Would Earn Your Trust

• What contract or delivery commitments would make you feel comfortable moving forward today (examples: milestone-based payments, utility milestone guarantees, liquidated damages)?
• Which performance guarantees are acceptable or unacceptable to your finance team? Select all that apply. Options: Fixed-price delivery, Time-to-complete guarantees, Milestone-based invoicing, Shared risk/cost escalation clauses, Liquidated damages for delays
• If we proposed a milestone tied to utility approval (e.g., permit sign-off), what acceptance criteria would you require to advance payment or mobilization?
• How important is transparency on long-lead procurement (real-time ETAs, manufacturer confirmations) to your team’s decision to proceed? Options: Essential, Very important, Somewhat important, Not important
• Would a written mitigation plan (cost, schedule, contingency) for known utility risks change your timing to select a vendor? Options: Yes — we'd expedite selection, Maybe — would review, No — selection unaffected

Practical Next Steps: What Would Help You Decide

• Which of these discovery deliverables would be most valuable to you next? Options: Detailed load study and gap analysis, Preliminary scope and cost drivers, Utility engagement plan with contacts, Permitting pathway and timeline, Risk register with mitigations
• How quickly would you want a preliminary site electrical assessment completed (once we have documents and site access)? Options: 1–2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 4–8 weeks, Longer
• If we proposed a phased engagement (Phase 1: assessment and utility application; Phase 2: design and permitting), which procurement approach do you prefer? Options: Single vendor for both phases, Separate procurements for each phase, Preferred vendor for Phase 1 then competitive for Phase 2, Undecided
• What information or approvals do you need internally before you can accept a statement of work for Phase 1? Options: Budget approval, Technical sign-off, Procurement release, Site access/permissions, Other
• On a scale from 1–10, how urgent is it that utility readiness is de-risked for your project to stay viable? (1 = not urgent, 10 = must resolve immediately) Options: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Final Check: Anything We’re Missing That Matters Deeply

• Is there any institutional knowledge, past failure, political sensitivity, or local nuance we should know that would change how we approach utility engagement?
• If we could take one immediate action to reduce your stress about this scope, what would it be?
• Would you like us to prepare a short executive one-pager summarizing risks, options, and recommended next steps after this discovery? Options: Yes — executive one-pager, Yes — detailed technical memo, Both, No
• Preferred timeline for a follow-up meeting to review our findings and recommended next steps Options: Within 3 business days, Within 1 week, 1–2 weeks, Later / TBD