-By Gregory Solman

LOS ANGELES Some agencies in California are balking at the complexity and demands of a proposal request issued by Pacific Gas & Electric as it embarks on a review, according to sources.

The 61-page document was described as "maddening" and "governmental" by sources. "The whole country of Australia didn't issue an RFP that long" for its recently completed tourism review, complained one exec.

Several recipients said they would not participate because of its "excessive demands," including calls for the submission of spec work demonstrating multiple capabilities.

The client could not be immediately reached for comment.

There is no incumbent, as the new work represents advertising for energy efficiency programs mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission, per sources.

PG&E spent more than $25 million in 2007, and $5 million through May '08, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.

According to sources, agencies are encouraged to vie for the lead creative and media roles; to pitch as "supplemental agencies" to handle smaller-scale work on a project basis; or participate as "specialized services" shops that would perform functions such as research, translation and Web site development.

Agencies in both Northern and Southern California received RFPs, per sources. The company is especially dominant in the former market.

The RFP calls for integrated marketing examples of how shops would handle a $7 million air-conditioning demand campaign and how they would create a $5 million "holistic approach" to integrating a rebate program for "smart homes."

This story updates and corrects a previous post: Venables Bell & Partners remains PG&E's general market advertising agency. There is no incumbent on the work in play via the RFP.