HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract 64009Dana Burg doff
City of Fort Worth Neighborhood Services Department
00
Fort Worth, TX 76102
CC: Benedict George
Dear Dana Burg doff
Reliant Energy Retail Services, LLC (Reliant) is a certified Retail Electric Provider serving residential customers in
the Texas ERCOT Market and is required to establish and maintain an energy assistance program in accordance
with the rules and regulations of the Public Utility Commission of Texas. As an affiliate of NRG Energy, Inc.
, Reliant offers City of Fort Worth Neighborhood Services (Agency ) the ability to participate in the
NRG CARE Program. The Agency has a proven record of managing energy assistance and relief programs and is
capable of processing customer payment assistance in an efficient, effective manner.
Reliant allocates funding to support the NRG CARE Program that encompasses the following Retail Electric
Providers that are entities owned by NRG (NRG Affiliates ) who serve residential customers in the Texas ERCOT
Market: Reliant Energy Retail Services, LLC (
. NRG has invited Agency to participate in the annual NRG CARE Program subject to
the terms outlined in this letter agreement. Previous carryover funds Agency retains now fall under this Letter
agreement effective May 1st 2025.
customers. The funds contributed for energy assistance payments must be deposited in a depository bank
account held in trust for the NRG CARE Program. The Agency will not discriminate during the distribution of NRG
CARE funds because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, lawful source of income,
level of income, disability, financial status, and location of customer in an economically distressed geographic
area.
Agency will accept program applications from potential clients and qualify customers as eligible recipients in
accordance with the following NRG CARE program requirements:
Each client recipient of NRG CARE contributions must be a customer with an active account under one of
the following NRG affiliates:
o Reliant Energy
o Direct Energy
o Stream
o Discount Power
o Xoom Energy
o Green Mountain Energy
o Cirro Energy
The client recipient name must match the customer account name on the bill.
Each client recipient should be notified that the contributions are from the NRG CARE Program.
The maximum annual client assistance payment limit is $600.00
Pledge payments using NRG CARE funds can be used to pay a Deposit
Pledge payments using NRG CARE funds can be used to pay fees charged by the NRG Affiliates or by the
Client recipients of NRG CARE contributions are eligible to receive multiple assistance payments on their
account if the cumulative amount does not exceed the maximum annual payment limit of $600.00 in
accordance with the Agency hardship criteria.
Agency Program Guidelines:
Agency will distribute and discuss program guidelines in a training session with all volunteers and staff.
Agency qualifies active NRG Affiliate customer.
Agency utilizes the NRG Agency Portal to make inquiries and/or pledges on behalf of the customer at
agencyportal.nrg.com/AgencyPortal
Agency remits payment within 45 days from the pledge date to NRG Affiliates and includes documentation
with Customer Name, Customer Account # and Pledge Payment Amount that denotes NRG CARE
payment. Payment can be sent by check or ACH:
If paying by check, mail check and documentation to the Payment Remittance Address:
Reliant Energy Retail Services, LLC
P. O. Box 1046
Houston, Texas 77251-1046
Attn: Agency Assistance
U.S. Retailers, LLC Discount
Power
P. O. Box 3587
Houston, Texas 77253-3587
Attn: Agency Assistance
U.S. Retailers, LLC CIRRO
P. O. Box 3188
Houston, Texas 77253-3188
Attn: Agency Assistance
Green Mountain Energy Company
P. O. Box 1509
Houston, Texas 77251-1509
Attn: Agency Assistance
Stream SPE, Ltd.
P. O. Box 3367
Houston, Texas 77253-3367
Attn: Agency Assistance
XOOM Energy Texas, LTD
P. O. Box 3916
Houston, Texas 77251-3916
Attn: Agency Assistance
Direct Energy LP
P. O. Box 2349
Houston, Texas 77253-2349
Attn: Agency Assistance
If paying by ACH, payment advice should be emailed to Credit Operations Agency Assistance:
Email: CreditOpsAgency@nrg.com
Agency must submit a monthly report form by the 10th of each month to NRG via email recording activity and
balance of funds regardless if funds were distributed or not . Agency must submit the monthly report excel
workbook in order to be eligible to receive additional funding contributions under the annual NRG CARE Program.
Email monthly report to:
Tara Norris: nrgcareprogram@nrg.com direct phone (918) 727-2387
Credit Ops: CreditOpsAgency@nrg.com
Additional Agency funding opportunity under the annual NRG CARE program is determined solely by NRG and is
accurate timely reporting as well as the availability of NRG CARE funds. Agency may request additional 2025
NRG CARE Program funds when Agency has pledged or utilized 75% of the 2025 contribution funds. Additional
contributions are subject to the 2025 NRG CARE Program funds available at time of request.
Agency must also keep records of all transactions relating to the distribution of NRG CARE contributions for a
period of 2 year(s) and will allow NRG full access during normal business hours to inspect, audit or reproduce all
such records and books of related to this agreement.
NRG can terminate this agreement at any time during the year by providing 30 days advance written notice to
Agency. Agency must take all necessary action outlined in the termination notice to conclude the program
work.
All 2025 NRG Care Program funds that are not utilized or pledged to aid qualifying customers by December 31,
2025, will be eligible to rollover to the next NRG CARE Program year, subject to approval by NRG. In the event
CARE Program is terminated for any reason, all remaining funds that are not
utilized or pledged for qualifying customers must be returned to NRG via check or ACH transaction within 45
days of the date of termination.
To acknowledge your agreement to and acceptance of the terms and conditions outlined in this letter please sign
below. Keep a copy for your records and return a copy to NRG attention Tara Norris at tara.norris@nrg.com
Sincerely,
Tara Norris
Date: _________
Energy Assistance Program Manager
AGREED AND ACCEPTED
By:
___________________________________
Name
Title
Agency Name:
RELIANT ENERGY RETAIL SERVICES, LLC
2025 NRG Care Program Agreement
CSC No.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
_________________________________________
Sophie Mathews
Assistant City Attorney
ATTEST:
_________________________________________
Jannette Goodall
City Secretary
M&C: M&C 25-0855
Dated: September 16,2025
CITY OF FORT WORTH
By: Dana Burghdoff
Title:Assistant City Manager
Date:
RELIANT ENERGY RETAIL SERVICES, LLC
By: Tara Noris
Title:Energy Assistance Program Manager
Date:
Contract Compliance Manager:
By signing below, I acknowledge that I am the person responsible for the monitoring and
administration of this contract, including ensuring all performance and reporting requirements.
_______________________________________________
Doonkeen, Michelle, Asst. Director
Neighborhood Services
Official site of the City of Fort Worth, Texas
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
Create New From This M&C
DATE:9/16/2025 REFERENCE NO.:**M&C 25-
0855 LOG NAME:19NS NRG CARE
PROGRAM 2025
CODE:C TYPE:CONSENT PUBLIC
HEARING:NO
SUBJECT: (ALL) Authorize Execution of a New Agreement with Reliant Energy Retail Services, LLC
in a Total Amount Up to $100,000.00 for the NRG CARE Program from May 1,
2025 through December 31, 2030, and Adopt Appropriation Ordinance
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Authorize the execution of a new agreement with Reliant Energy Retail Services, LLC in
an amount up to $100,000.00 for the NRG CARE Program from May 1, 2025 through
December 31, 2030;
2. Authorize the acceptance of interest earned for the advanced funds in the amount of
$34.98 for the new NRG CARE Program; and
3. Adopt the attached appropriation ordinance increasing estimated receipts and appropriations
in the Grants Operating Other Fund, subject to receipt of the grant, in the amount of
$100,034.98, for the purpose of funding the NRG CARE Program.
DISCUSSION:
Reliant Energy Retail Services, LLC, (Reliant Energy) developed the CARE Program (Program) as a
supplement to government and community aid programs designed to assist Reliant Energy
customers in financial distress to meet their electric utility related costs. The Program is funded by
voluntary contributions from Reliant Energy, its customers, its employees and third parties. On
January 23, 2024, City Council authorized execution of an agreement with Reliant Energy in an
amount up to $100,000.00 for the CARE Program from January 1,2024 through December 31,2029.
The Neighborhood Services Department's (NSD) Community Action Partners will administer the
Program.
On April 25, 2025, the City received notice from Reliant Energy of significant changes to the CARE
Program. Effective May 1, 2025, the Reliant CARE Program and the Direct Energy Neighbor to
Neighbor bill assistance programs merged into a new program called the NRG CARE Program
(Customer Assistance and Relief for Electricity). Per the terms of the merger, all CARE and Neighbor
to Neighbor funding can be applied across all seven affiliates under the NRG umbrella. Affiliates
include: Reliant Energy, Direct Energy LP (Direct Energy), Stream SPE, Ltd (Stream) , US Retailers,
LLC dba DISCOUNT POWER (Discount Power), US Retailers, LLC dba CIRRO Energy (Cirro
Energy), XOOM Energy Texas, LLC (Xoom Energy), and Green Mountain Energy Company (Green
Mountain Energy). In addition, the maximum allowable assistance under NRG's CARE program was
increased from $300.00 to $600.00 per calendar year. To be eligible, recipients of the NRG CARE
Program must be a customer of an NRG Affiliate with an active account and the applicants name
must match the NRG Affiliates customer account name. Due to the merger, Staff requests
authorization for the execution of a new contract with Reliant Energy in the total amount up to
$100,000.00 for the NRG CARE Program from May 1, 2025 through December 31, 2030.
During the period of June 2017 to June 30, 2025, the City received a total amount of $78,732.98 from
Reliant Energy in the form of advanced funds under the CARE Program. These funds earned interest
earnings of $759.23, out of which $724.25 were appropriated and added by the City for the program
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Fund Department
ID
Account Project
ID
Program Activity Budget
Year
Reference #
(Chartfield 2)
Amount
Fund Department
ID
Account Project
ID
Program Activity Budget
Year
Reference #
(Chartfield 2)
Amount
(M&C-24-0026). The balance earned interest of $34.98 needs to be appropriated by the City into the
new NRG Care Program project.
A total of 316 Tarrant County households were assisted under the previous CARE program with grant
funds totaling $73,801.69. The carryover funds from the CARE program will be transferred to the new
NRG CARE program. It is projected that up to 350 qualified households will receive assistance under
the new agreement.
The term of the Agreement will begin May 1, 2025. The Agreement will automatically renew on a
year-to-year basis until terminated. No indirect costs are allowed by Reliant Energy and no matching
funds are required.
This program serves ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS and remaining parts of Tarrant County.
FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION:
The Director of Finance certifies that upon approval of the above recommendations, and adoption of
the attached appropriation ordinance, funds will be available in the current operating budget, as
appropriated, in the Grants Operating Other Fund. The Neighborhood Services Department (and
Financial Management Services) will be responsible for the collection and deposit of funds due to the
City. Prior to expenditures being incurred, Neighborhood Services Department has the responsibility
to validate the availability of funds. This is an advance grant.
TO
FROM
Submitted for City Manager's Office by:Dana Burghdoff (5804)
Originating Department Head:Kacey Bess (8187)
Additional Information Contact:Benedict George (7339)
ATTACHMENTS
101075 Reliant Care Project Budget Summary.pdf (CFW Internal)
19NS NRG CARE PROGRAM 2025 Updated FID.xlsx (CFW Internal)
ORD.APP_ 19NS NRG CARE PROGRAM 2025_21003_AO25(3).docx (Public)
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