12405B23R0027-A - Clauses and Provisions.pdf

RFP – 12405B23R0027-A

PART 1 – THE SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

CLIN #01 - BASE BID

Description Price/Cost 0001 Full Design and Construction of onsite Photovoltaic (PV) systems, 200 kW base Ground Mounted Array -------------------------------------$__________________

0002 Add Alternate Option 01 – An additional Ground Mounted Array delivering 50KW. ---------------------------------------------------------- $__________________

0003 Add Alternate Option 01 – An additional Ground Mounted Array delivering 50KW. ---------------------------------------------------------- $__________________

TOTAL -------------$__________________

PERFORMANCE TIME

Base Item: 365 calendar days after Notice to Proceed is issued (1‐year Warranty also required)

End of this section

SECTION A – SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

DEFINITIONS

In addition to other terms specifically defined elsewhere in this Solicitation, where capitalized, the following words and phrases shall be defined as follows:

“AC” Alternating Current “Affiliate” with respect to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such first Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” and its derivatives mean, with respect to any Person, the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or otherwise. “Control” may be deemed to exist notwithstanding that a Person owns or holds, directly or indirectly, less than 50% of the beneficial equity interest in another Person.

“Array” Any number of photovoltaic modules connected together to provide a single electrical output.

“Array Boundary” all areas under and adjacent to solar arrays and any balance of system components.

For ground arrays, boundary shall be defined by fence line in plus areas under and adjacent to balance of system components.

“ARS” Agricultural Research Service.

“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday, or any other day in which banking institutions in New York NY are required or authorized by applicable law to be closed for business.

“BOS” Balance Of System components. All needed systems other than modules; e.g. inverters, wiring devices, metering and mounting hardware.

“CLIN” Contract Line Item Number. Refer to Section B.3.

“Completion Notice” The official letter from the Contractor to ARS notifying ARS that an individual PV system has completed commissioning and acceptance testing and is ready for final inspection and acceptance.

“Contaminants”

i. SEDIMENT: Earth that has been eroded and transported by runoff water.

ii. SOLID WASTE: Discarded solid materials resulting from construction activities.

iii. RUBBISH: A variety of combustible and noncombustible wastes such as paper, boxes, glass, crockery, metal and lumber scrap, tin cans, etc.

iv. DEBRIS: Combustible and noncombustible wastes such as asbestos, ashes, and waste materials resulting from demolition and construction work.

v. SEWAGE: Waste which is considered domestic sewage.

vi. GARBAGE: Refuse and scraps resulting from preparation of food.

vii. RUBBLE: Fill materials generated from concrete, masonry, asphalt construction, and natural earth resulting from excavations.

“Contract” The mutually binding legal relationship, resulting from this solicitation, including Sections A-M of the Request for Proposal, any Amendments, the Schedules, and Exhibits attached hereto and the Contractor’s price proposal in response to the Solicitation.

“Contractor” means the individual or entity that is awarded the Contract resulting from the solicitation.

“Contracting Officer (CO)” means a person(s) with the authority to enter into, administer, and/or terminate Contracts, task orders, and make related determinations and findings on behalf of the Government. The term includes certain authorized representatives of the Contracting Officer acting within the limits of their authority as delegated by the Contracting Officer (AKA Contract Specialist(s)) “Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)” means a person(s) who verifies the Contractor’s performance of technical requirements in accordance with Contract terms, conditions and specifications; performs inspections; and serves as liaison between the CO, the federal sites and the Contractor. The approval authorities and limitations for each COR shall be established by the CO and can be available to the Contractor upon request.

“DC” Direct Current “EA” means the environmental assessment study that must be undertaken by Federal agencies before undertaking any construction project. Besides environmental considerations, the EA study also covers historic, cultural and community impacts.

“Environmental Law'' means any statute, law, act, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, decree, or ruling of any Federal, State, interstate, and/or local Governmental, quasi-Governmental, legislative, administrative or judicial body, agency, board, commission or other authority relating to the protection of health and/or the environment or otherwise regulating and/or restricting the use, storage, disposal, treatment, handling, release, and/or transportation of Hazardous Substances, including, without limitation, CERCLA, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the Clean Air Act, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Emergency Planning and Community Right To Know Act, and the environmental control laws of the State or municipality, each as now or hereafter amended, and all regulations and interpretive guidelines respectively promulgated thereunder.

“Governmental Authority” means any Federal, state, regional, county, town, city, or municipal Government, whether domestic or foreign, or any department, agency, bureau, or other administrative, regulatory or judicial body of any such Government.

“Hazardous Materials” means any substance that is at any pertinent time defined or listed in, or otherwise classified, designated, or regulated pursuant to, any Environmental Law as a hazardous substance, hazardous material, extremely hazardous substance, hazardous waste, hazardous chemical, infectious waste, toxic substance, toxic pollutant or solid waste, or any other legislative or regulatory formulation intended to define, list, or classify substances by reason of deleterious properties such as ignitability, corrosion, reactivity, carcinogenicity, toxicity, including, without limitation, friable asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls and also including oil and petroleum, petroleum products, by-products and wastes, and by-products associated with the extraction, refining, or use of petroleum or petroleum products, whether or not so defined, listed, classified, designated or regulated in Environmental Laws.

Hazardous Waste: A hazardous waste is any material or substance not excluded from regulation as hazardous waste. Hazardous waste exhibits the characteristics of hazardous substances and could be a mixture of solid waste and hazardous waste. Any discarded commercial chemical product or chemical compound is to be considered hazardous waste in terms of handling and disposal procedures.

“Interconnection” means the connection between multiple electrical loads and generation sources.

The Interconnection may be between the PV System and the building electrical distribution system, and between the PV System and the franchised Utility (“Utility” defined below). The Interconnection between the PV system and the utility is a multi-step process that is documented by an Interconnection Agreement.

“Interconnection Agreement” means the business contract between the Utility and the Government and or third-party owner for the purpose of interconnecting the PV Systems to the Utility electrical distribution system.

“Interconnection Application” means the process by which an Interconnection Agreement is initiated.

The application shall be submitted by Contractor or Government depending on state and utility requirements.

“kWh” means kilowatt hour. The measurement of energy equivalent to 1,000 Watt-hours. One kilowatt (1 kW) of power expended for one hour of time.

“MW” means megawatt. A megawatt is a unit for measuring power equivalent to one million Watts (1 Watt is equivalent to one joule per second).

“NABCEP” North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners “Offeror” an entity comprised by one or more entities that are qualified in accordance with the requirements herein to submit a bid response to the Government’s request for proposals.

“OSHA” Occupational Health and Safety Administration “NEPA” means National Environmental Policy Act which requires Federal agencies to undertake an environmental assessment (EA) study for construction projects to determine levels of impacts and associated allowable mitigation measures.

“Party” or “Parties” means either Contractor or the Government or the Contractor and the Government, respectively.

“Prime Contractor” The Contractor of signature on final contract agreement with the Government that is responsible for compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract. AKA Contractor “PV System” means the integrated assembly of PV components, including but not limited to PV modules, mounting assemblies, ballast weights, inverters, metering, transformers, disconnects, combiners, switches, wiring devices, conduit, wiring, and any other equipment or appurtenance necessary to be installed at the Premises to make the PV system complete and operational, owned by the Contractor, and interconnected with EDC, to provide electricity to the identified buildings.

“PV System Acceptance” means the official letter from ARS to the Contractor stating that an individual PV System has been accepted and is ready for operation.

“Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)” represent the environmental and other attributes of energy generated from renewable sources that are sold separately from the underlying electricity. They are also referred to as renewable energy credits, green certificates, green tags, or tradable renewable certificates. The RECs must include all of the greenhouse gas emissions and other attributes, with no attributes being disaggregated and sold separately.

“SRRC” Southern Regional Research Center. The name of the physical USDA site that the PV system is being installed in.

“System Acceptance Testing” is the installation and operational testing of the PV System as required herein.

“System Operations and Maintenance (O&M)” means the operation, maintenance (including all necessary repairs, as well as inverter and other equipment replacement) of the PV System performed by or for Contractor during the Term including any reporting to comply with utility or regulators, as more particularly described in Section C30.

“Term” has the meaning set forth in Section F.2 “USDA ARS” United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Services (aka ARS).

“Utility” The utility refers to the electric service provider and in states that are deregulated, the utility providing electric distribution services.

“Vehicles” as defined herein includes a wide variety and types common to government operations and shall include but not limited to: passenger fleet vehicles, private passengers cars, fleet trucks and vans, large specialized trucks, boats on trailers, forklifts, tractors, agricultural equipment, and low speed vehicles. Government vehicles include a wide variety of shapes (height, widths, lengths), dimensions, and weights.

Interpretation. The captions or headings in this Contract are strictly for convenience and shall not be considered in interpreting this Contract. Words in this Contract that import the singular connotation shall be interpreted as plural, and words that import the plural connotation shall be interpreted as singular, as the identity of the parties or objects referred to may require. The words “include”, “includes”, and “including” mean include, includes, and including “without limitation” and “without limitation by specification.” The words “hereof”, “herein”, and “hereunder” and words of similar import refer to this Contract as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Contract. Except as the context otherwise indicates, all references to “Exhibits”, “Attachments” and “Sections” refer to Exhibits, Attachments and Sections of this Contract.

[END OF SECTION]

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICE/COST

B.1 SCOPE OF CONTRACT

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) intends to enter into a firm fixed-price contract with a single Contractor for the design and construction of onsite Photovoltaic (PV) systems located at the Southern Regional Research Center (SRRC) 1100 Allen Toussaint, New Orleans, LA 70124-4305.

SRRC is on about 36.1 acres. The area identified for solar arrays is approximately 1.20 acres. SRRC consumed about 6,638,100 kWh of electricity in FY 2022. All arrays shall be connected to Entergy Louisiana account # 11246048. Refer to Section C.4 for a listing and map showing the location available for solar arrays on the SRRC sites.

Bid responses will be evaluated partly based on achieving the greatest power generation. See Section M “Selection Criteria.” Final designs will be approved by USDA-ARS managers.

The Contractor, at its own expense, shall furnish all engineering, design, construction, labor, supervision, facilities, permitting, materials, equipment, transportation, supplies, install, commission and interconnection (including all required interconnection studies and required upgrades) and all other services necessary to install the on-site solar PV system capable of performing the requirements of this Statement of Work (SOW) “Section C” and in accordance with all solicitation and contract terms and conditions provided therein.

This solicitation uses FAR Part 12 Acquisition of Commercial Items and Part 36 – Construction and Architect Engineer Contracts. This solicitation is issued on a restricted for Total Small Business Set‐ Aside (SBSA). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 221114, Solar Electric Power Generation. Your company must be registered and active in the System for Award Management, found at www.sam.gov, as a Small Business under the proper NAICS code (221114) on your SAM certification.

B.2 SCHEDULE OF ITEMS - CLIN

CLIN Structure Name Building ID Firm Fixed Price for each array

CLIN ITEM

BASE BID

Ground Mounted Array – 200 kW base

CLIN ITEM

Add Alternate Option 01

Ground Mounted Array – 50 kW additional

CLIN ITEM

Add Alternate Option 02

Ground Mounted Array – 50 kW additional

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

C.1 GENERAL

The USDA-Agricultural Research Service seeks to install solar PV systems at 1100 Allen Toussaint, New Orleans, LA 70124-4305 on the ground south of the Textile Wing Building centered at 30o01’01.8”N 90o05’13.1”W and serve the site through existing electrical circuits.

Contractor is responsible for all permits, approvals, environmental and historic compliance, freight, procurement, monitoring, inspection, billing, interconnection fees, and incidentals as necessary to design, construct, and interconnect all the complete solar photovoltaic generation systems, described hereinafter.

The Contractor shall confine systems to the footprint defined in Section C, unless the Contracting Officer gives written permission to exceed such footprints. Section C.4 shows a map of the array location.

The Government is interested in meeting federal carbon pollution-free energy policy goals, so system production is of the essence.

C.2 CORE SPECIFICATIONS

Core Component Specifications - Foundational to Additional Severe Weather Specifications - see below:

Module Quality and Safety

1. Two certified test labs share results publicly under pre-negotiated agreements with module manufacturers. These public lists of tested modules are not comprehensive but do provide a very convenient source of information on brands that have been tests.

i. PV Evolution Labs (PVEL): https://www.pvel.com/pv-scorecard/

ii. Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC): https://retc-ca.com/pvmi

2. Inverter Quality and Safety

i. Inverter test results published by PV Evolution Labs (PVEL):

https://www.pvel.com/inverter-scorecard.

3. Wire management

i. Mis-mating of quick connects - NEC Article 690

ii. No plastic wire ties shall be used secure string wiring, only purpose-built wiring hangers and or braided metal bundlers

C.3 SEVERE WEATHER SPECIFICATION – HURRICANE

a. Hurricane, Derecho, Tornado and Mountain Generated Winds

1. Structural engineering - Use latest version of ASCE 7 for all states with most updated SEAOC guidance document.

2. Wind - Module minimum strength rating for high wind and snow accumulations (minor to moderate cost implication)

3. PV Modules shall be tested per ASTM E1830-15 prescribed test parameters for loading (snow and wind) of solar modules (front and back). The test also covers several other stress factors relevant to high winds such as the “twist test.” For best protection against physical damage, the Contractor shall consider modules that are rated for “Very Severe Hail” (See below) Table 1 below provides specific data on front and back load ratings.

Table 1. Module Ratings

Minimum Module Loading Requirements by Weather Type

Standard (s) Minimum

Front Load (Push) Minimum

Back Load (Pull)

High Wind IEC/UL 61730 5,400 (Pa)/113 PSF 2,400 (Pa)/65 PSF

Hail RETC - HDT or PVEL N/A N/A

Snow + Ice IEC/UL 61730 N/A N/A

Mounting Solar Modules - Routine and Severe Weather Conditions - Wind, snow and ice accumulations.

• Specify PV panels and rail/rack systems that have UL 1703 and UL 2703 listing (as applicable), and an ICC AC 428 evaluation report.

https://www.pvel.com/pv-scorecard/ https://www.pvel.com/inverter-scorecard https://www.pvel.com/inverter-scorecard

• Fastener failures are a common primary point of failure for PV systems in severe weather, so this system requires robust design and quality installation of all bolted joints.

• Fasteners shall be included in the engineered drawing and calculations which show they have the capacity to withstand site conditions.

• Modules shall be through-bolted to the underlying racking only; top-down clamps should not be used under any circumstances.

• Maintaining pre-load on short grip lengths and preventing vibrational loosening: Threaded fasteners should include means to maintain pre-load and means resist vibrational loosening (locking mechanisms) to address both preload relaxation and joint slip. Given that through bolted modules typically have fasteners that are short and of small diameter (“short grip length”) and that prevent loss of fasteners from vibrational loosening, the following are acceptable fasteners choices and each must be specified by engineer of record.

1. Lock-bolts

2. Bolt, nut and disk spring conical locking washers

3. Thick locking washers designed to increase grip length

1. Locking mechanisms shall be compliant with standard DIN 65151.

• Under no circumstances shall split washers, nylon-insert nuts, double-nutting, star washers, and/or serrated flange nuts be used to provide fastener locking capability.

• Under no circumstances shall clamping systems be used to hold:

1. Underlying structural frame members together.

2. Module frame to underlying structural frame member.

• Under no circumstances shall self-tapping sheet metal screws of any grade be used to hold array structural elements together or to mount conduit, electrical enclosures, metering, and weather station components. Further, these screws shall not be used to field-assembled fencing, lighting, security camera systems, and communications equipment. Any proposed use of self-tapping screws must be pre-approved by agency CO or COTR having authority. Any such screws approved for use must be SAE 316-grade stainless or aluminum metal flake suitable for marine applications.

Corrosion resistance in marine environments Min grades or approved equal - 254 SMO, Magni Coated, 316 Stainless Steel

Use Of Chemical Locking Compounds

1. Because chemical locking compounds prevent torque audits, re-tightening and have unknown longevity exposed to the weather, they shall not be considered.

Torque Rating of Fasteners

1. Generic torque call-outs from lookup values (based on fastener sizes and materials) shall not be used in lieu of specific values provided by racking manufacturer or EOR.

2. Each sub-assembly shall be torqued to racking manufacturer’s specification using torque wrenches or drivers designed to provide calibrated and metered forces and be rated by ISO 6780-2. For field-assembled components of disparate manufacturers or from custom fabrications, a structural engineer shall specify torque ratings and field assembly procedures to be included in submittals and construction drawings. These torque ratings and procedures shall be included in operations and maintenance manuals for later use.

3. For fasteners holding friction or clamping forces, Section 3.3 of ICC AC 428, 2012 shall apply. For permanently locking fasteners such as lock bolts or those with pre-applied thread locking compounds, complete only steps 1-2.

4. Engineering shall describe required marking and audit procedures for commissioning and ongoing operations and maintenance of the structure.

Threaded fasteners shall be kept clean and pre or field treated with anti-galling compounds.

The contractor shall stripe or mark each fastener torqued with metal marker to indicate complete installation of the fasteners and to aid visual auditing.

Wind-driven rain Electrical enclosures for critical balance of system components (combiners, switches, service panels, inverters, meter and sensors) shall be at a minimum NEMA 4X (corrosion resistant).

Flooding of conduit and equipment

1. Elevations of balance of critical balance of system (BOS) components (combiners, switches, service panels, inverters, meter and sensors) shall be above array field to prevent water gravity flows in conduit and flooding of BOS components.

2. Conduit routing to prevent potential water flows to BOS components. Below grade conduit runs shall be sloped to handholes with all entries into buildings having watertight seals.

3. Enclosures to include drains that allow moisture to escape while preventing ingress of moisture and dust.

C.4 PLACES OF PERFORMANCE

The Southern Regional Research Center is served by Entergy New Orleans. The Government intends for the solar array(s) be connected to account number 11246048 listed below. A utility history for Entergy account number 11246048 is in Attachment 1.

Bldg # Account # Service address Meter # ALL 11246048 1100 Allan Toussaint Blvd

New Orleans LA 70124-4305 3609252

C.5 NOT USED

C.6 INTERCONNECTION REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor is responsible for complying with all electric utility interconnection requirements (including costs for all studies and upgrade requirements), providing all necessary documents if required:

single line diagrams, estimated energy production data, catalog cuts, and other specifications and data with respect to the proposed new generating systems. The Contractor is responsible for gaining approval from the electric utility for interconnection and any electric utility-required upgrades. The Government will assist in facilitating communications with the Utility for this purpose. The electric utility interconnection agreements to connect the PV systems to the grid will be signed by the Government.

The government has contacted Entergy, obtained a copy of the interconnection agreement form for the ENO Net-Metering program and appended it in Attachment 4, which shall be used for this interconnection. Interconnection will be under Entergy GSA Areawide Contract number GS-OOP-16- BSD-1220 in Attachment 2. The Contractor shall complete and submit the Interconnection Application in Attachment 3 to the utility. It is expected that the Contracting Officer will sign Exhibit D of the GSA Areawide Contract and submit it to the electric utility with the approved interconnection agreement.

For any utility required electrical upgrades to government-owned electrical equipment, contractor to present these costs to the contracting officer.

Interconnection to Government owned electrical distribution systems For system impact studies where the Government operates or owns the electrical distribution system, the Contractor is responsible for:

1. A load flow protection coordination study, with the objective of revealing any existing protection equipment incompatibilities and/or unprotected lines.

2. A study to identify existing distribution system components that are incompatible with the reliable, stable, and safe distribution of power generated by solar PV systems.

3. Modifications or upgrades to the electrical system required to interconnect the PV systems.

4. Service panel upgrades in cases where panel condition and capacity are insufficient to accommodate and where line-side connections are impractical.

C.7 SITE CONDITIONS

C.7.1 DISCOVERY OF SITE CONDITIONS “DIFFERING SITE CONDITIONS CLAUSE,

FAR 52.236-2”

As the project develops, the scope may evolve and change as new site information and external requirements are discovered. Minor changes in the Project should be expected, and the Contractor shall make necessary adjustments accordingly. However, in the event of major or material changes, resulting in the need for a modification in services provided, then an appropriate contract modification(s) will be negotiated. Any changes in contract costs; work scope, and time can only be authorized by the Government Contracting Officer in advance.

C.7.2 RETURNING SITE TO PRE-CONSTRUCTION CONDITION

The Contractor shall conduct all work necessary to explore, inventory, and evaluate existing facilities (including, but not limited to mechanical, civil, electrical, utility, structural, environmental, historical and architectural conditions of facilities and grounds) in order to complete the project. Where this exploratory and inventory work requires opening of finished surfaces, uncovering, demolition, and/or excavation, the Contractor shall promptly return all such areas to pre-construction condition or better upon completion of the investigations.

C.7.3 PREVIOUS SITE DOCUMENTS – INFORMATIONAL ONLY

Any previous site documents (drawings, reports and data) provided by the Government, current Government Contractor, or former Government Contractor can be considered outdated and needing of verification. If any information from these documents is used by the Contractor, the Contractor must separately and independently verify the accuracy of the provided documents, regardless of source, site conditions, and power and energy data.

C.8 WARRANTIES

C.8.1 INVERTER WARRANTY

The contractor shall secure the extended inverter warranty to a minimum of 20 years. Applicable to inverters used on installed system.

C.8.2 LINEAR MODULE WARRANTY

Modules used shall have a minimum of a 25-year performance warranty as measured using the linear module warranty methodology.

No module will be warranted to or in actuality generate less than 97% of its Standard Testing Conditions (STC) rated output in year one. No module shall degrade more than 0.9% for each year of the required minimum 25-year module warranty period.

C.8.3 COMPONENT WARRANTIES

All manufacturer’s warranties shall be transferred to the Government at project acceptance.

The Contractor shall warrant (workmanship and material) the entire system for a period of one year from Government acceptance. Manufacturer’s warranties for any equipment extending past one year shall be transferred to the Government.

C.9 PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS

C.9.1 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BOARD-CERTIFIED CONTRACTORS (NABCEP)

CERTIFIED INSTALLERS

With the exception of support laborers, all electrical and tradesmen supervising foremen shall be NABCEB certified. A NABCEP certified supervisory level site manager shall be onsite and managing all skilled or unskilled crews during the wiring and startup and commissioning phases of system installation.

C.9.2 PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER AND LICENSED DESIGN PROFESSIONALS

All architectural and engineering (A-E) services shall be performed by design professionals licensed in the state of Louisiana, with responsible control for each respective design discipline. Upon request by the Government, all design and/or coordination meetings shall be attended by the A-E licensed design professionals, at no additional cost to the government.

Solar PV racking manufacturer shall be engineer of record (EOR) for structural drawings on the array portion.

Each submitted final design drawing set, calculation document, and specification manual shall be signed and dated by, bear the seal of, and show the State Certificate Number of the preparing Architect or Engineer.

Coverage amounts for Errors and Omissions Insurance held by design professionals must be equal to the cost of each array subcomponent replacement cost.

C.9.3 PROJECT MANAGER

The Contractor shall assign a project manager with authority to represent the Contractor. The Contractor must have at least five years’ experience with project management of photovoltaic installations of similar scale and complexity.

C.10 PV SYSTEM MONITORING

C.10.1 ARS SPECIFIED POWER METER

Power meter shall be specified by ARS but be furnished and installed by the Contractor in addition to any utility revenue or production meter. The Contractor is not responsible for software integration of the agency meter into the Government’s network, but the Contractor shall coordinate with the agency and agency’s local area network systems integrator to provide field assistance with this function.

Government Meter Specification

a. Provide advanced meters capable of measuring interval data at 15 min increments and storing data at least 24 hours.

b. Provide latest version of Shark 270 advanced smart meter or equal. (Brand name provided only to identify the salient physical, functional or performance characteristics) and associated hardware/software peripherals necessary for Government IT staff to connect meters to existing Government sub-metering system.

c. Coordinate with and provide support to ARS Southern Regional Research Center IT personnel in order to establish secure communication with each solar system power meter.

d. Indicate Government meters on both review and as-built drawings sets.

e. Test and demonstrate complete power monitoring system operation to location facilities and IT personnel Identified by ARS.

f. Enable connection of the meter to the Advance Power Meter Server.

The agency power meter is subject to ARS device security requirements. The Shark 270 has been scanned and has a remediation plan from Electro Industries. If a power meter separate from Shark 270 is proposed as an alternative, then the Contractor must submit an RFI to Government IT Security personnel to determine if that meter has been scanned and has an acceptable remediation plan with the manufacturer. If not, the Contractor must:

(a) provide a meter temporarily for ARS to scan, with complete configuration information;

(b) obtain written assurance from the manufacturer that the manufacturer will make reasonable efforts to remediate any high risk or critical vulnerabilities detected.

C.11 SYSTEM STARTUP AND COMMISSIONING

Covered in Section E

C.12 PROJECT MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

C.12.1 MEETINGS

An in-person kickoff meeting shall be held at the start of the design and construction phases.

Meet with SRRC managers on site or by phone as necessary to complete the work of this project.

Meetings are anticipated to include, but are not limited to, an in-person overall kickoff meeting at the location, 50%, 90% and 100% on-site design review meetings and weekly telephonic progress meetings during design and construction. Additional meetings will likely be required in response to particular problems or issues that arise.

The Contractor will create minutes for each meeting, circulate for comments within two working days of the meeting, and finalize within two working days of receipt of comments.

C.12.3 SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT

In addition to the overall project schedule which must be approved before notice to proceed is granted, the Contractor must submit for approval:

1. Any revisions to the overall schedule for each array site.

2. A week-ahead schedule must be submitted by Thursday of each week for the next week, when construction activity is anticipated for the next week.

3. A request must be submitted two weeks in advance for any activity which requires an electrical or other service outage and interruptions to road/parking lot closures. Such outages must be scheduled off hours or at times selected by Southern Regional Research Center management and must not disrupt agency activities.

C.12.4 LAYDOWN AREAS

Government to make good faith attempt to identify laydown areas. The contractor shall secure all tools, equipment, and materials from theft or vandalism.

C.13 OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

See separate document

C.14 ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS

C.14.1 GENERAL

The Contractor shall be responsible for the professional quality, technical accuracy, and coordination of all investigations, evaluations, drawings, testing, cost estimating, submittals, written reports, construction, operations, and all deliverables as required by this Scope of Services document or as required to complete the work of this contract.

Prevention of harm to person, research, plants, animals and property from fire, electrical hazards or structural deficiencies shall be a priority consideration in all design, construction, and system operation.

Contractor shall in no way interfere with any research efforts taking place at SRRC.

Compliance with ARS Design Manual 242.1 is mandatory. A copy will be furnished upon request.

Coordination of Sub-Contractors’ Credentials The Contractor shall ultimately be responsible for the completeness, accuracy, and coordination of all submittals but may delegate the preparation of submittals in whole or in part to Sub-Contractors or suppliers.

Modifications and Alterations of Government Property Modifications, alterations, and/or additions to existing facilities shall be designed and certified to satisfy applicable requirements of Section C.

C.14.2 CODES AND STANDARDS

The Public Buildings Amendments of 1988, Public Law 100-678, section 21, requires that for new construction and renovation projects, the Government shall, to the maximum extent feasible, be in compliance with one of the nationally recognized model building codes and with other applicable nationally recognized codes. The latest edition of the nationally recognized codes, including the current accumulative supplements in effect at the time of contract award, shall be used throughout the project’s design and construction. The Government requires compliance to the following codes on all projects:

1. International Code Council (ICC)

2. International Mechanical Code (IMC)

3. International Plumbing Code (IPC)

4. International Building Code (IBC)

5. International Fire Code (including but not limited to Section 605.11).

6. Table 3. Summary of Code Topics and Descriptions

Topic Code Code Organization

Description

Safety Multiple OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration Regulations for Construction;

all regulations apply to all aspects of the project, with special attention to requirements for electrical safety and fall protection.

Safety Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations

OSHA 1910 Occupational Safety and Health Standards

Safety Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations Section 01546

OSHA 1926 Safety and Health Regulations for Construction. Government Safety and Health specification

Safety UL 1699 UL UL 1699 Arc-Fault Current Interrupters

Safety NEC 2017 Article 690 NFPA While NEC 17 may not be in effect for most states, sections addressing arc fault detection and interruption and firefighter safety apply.

Steel Work AISC Manual of Steel Construction (latest edition)

AISC Best Practices - Applies to any steel work

Concrete ACI-318 ACI Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI- 318, latest edition)

Civil Engineering ASCE-7.22 + SEAOC

PV2

ASCE Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures

Electronics and Engineering

IEEE C2 NESC IEEE IEEE C2 National Electric Safety Code (NESC) as applicable to modifications to the utility system not covered by National Electric Code (NEC)

Interconnecting Distributed Power Systems

IEEE 1547 IEEE Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems

Interconnecting Distributed Power Systems

IEEE 1547a IEEE Describes means and methods for inverter low-voltage ride through, low-frequency ride through, and power factor adjustments. Must be used with mutual agreement of Contractor, the Government, and the Utility.

Inverters and Converters

IEC 62109 IEC Safety of power converters for use in photovoltaic power systems, both Parts 1 and 2

Inverters, Converters, and Controls

UL 1741 UL Inverters, Converters, Controllers, and Interconnect System Equipment for Use with Distributed Energy Resources

Table 3. Summary of Code Topics and Descriptions (cont’d) Topic Code Code

Organization Description

PV Module IEC 61730, PVEL or RETC listed

IEC,PVEL,

RETC

Module safety qualification

Solar Balance of System

IEC 62093 IEC Balance-of-system components for photovoltaic systems - Design qualification natural environments

Racking Systems UL 2703 UL Rack Mounting Systems and Clamping Devices for Flat Plate Photovoltaic Modules – Bonding and grounding.

Performance Monitoring

IEC 61724 IEC Photovoltaic systems performance monitoring

– guidelines for measurement, data exchange and analysis

PV System Safety

IEEE 1374 IEEE Guide for Terrestrial PV Power System Safety

Smart Grid IEEE 2030 IEEE Guide for Smart Grid Interoperability of Energy Technology and Information Technology Operation with Electric Power Systems and End-use Applications and Loads

Table 3. Summary of Code Topics and Descriptions (cont’d) Topic Code Code

Organization Description

Commissioning, Documentation, Tests, and Inspection

IEC 62446 IEC Grid connected photovoltaic systems – Minimum requirements for systems documentation, commissioning tests and inspection

UL – Listing UL Underwriters Laboratory (http://www.ul.com).

Only products that are listed, tested, identified, or labeled by UL or another nationally recognized testing laboratory shall be used when available. Non-listed products are permitted only when listed products do not exist. Non-listed products must be identified as such in all submittals and must be approved by the Government prior to use in construction of the systems.

Grounding and Bonding

UL 467 UL Safety Standard for Grounding and Bonding Equipment

Arc-Fault Current Interrupters

UL 1699 UL UL 1699 Arc-Fault Current Interrupters

Fire Life Safety NFPA 1 Fire Code NFPA The entirety of the code applies.

http://www.ul.com/

Fire Life Safety NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NEC)

NFPA & NEC Refer to the version of the National Electric Code (NEC), which is adopted by the local jurisdiction having authority. The electrical requirements of the NEC have been adopted by the Government in lieu of the technical electrical requirements of the ICC Electrical Code. All sections are referenced, with particular emphasis on the following articles:

1. NEC Article 300: Wiring Methods and

Materials

2. NEC Article 690: Solar Photovoltaic

Systems

3. NEC Article 705: Interconnected Electrical

Power Production Sources Structural – all solar arrays

ASCE 7-22 ASCE Latest version with new chapters addressing solar PV structures

Structural – Arrays

PV 2-2012 (or most recent)

SEAOC (Ground mount section only)

Note: Unless otherwise noted, the latest edition is applicable to all codes, standards, and guides.

C.15 ENVIRONMENTAL, HISTORICAL, AND CULTURAL

C.15.1 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA)

ARS Southern Regional Research Center managers have completed the NEPA process. The decision was a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies to consider the effects of their actions, including real estate activities such as leasing, design, and construction, on the human environment and alternatives that have the potential to reduce the impacts of those actions, and to prepare detailed statements for public and Federal agency review where significant impacts may occur. The Council of Environmental Quality’s implementing instructions can be found at 40 C.F.R. parts 1500– 1508. The USDA regulations can be found at 7 CFR 1b and ARS regulations appear at 7 CFR 520.

A NEPA-EA Report documenting the known history of the solar PV array sites with regard to environmental and other conditions; including the storage, release or disposal of hazardous substances thereon, performed by the Government is incorporated herein by reference. The NEPA Decision completed in support of this project is in Attachment 5.

C.15.2 HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND CULTURAL RESCOURCES

The Contractor shall not remove or disturb, or cause or permit to be removed or disturbed, any historical, archeological, architectural or other cultural artifacts, relics, remains or objects of antiquity. In the event such items are discovered on the Premises, the Contractor shall immediately notify the Government and protect the site and material from further disturbance until the Government gives clearance to proceed.

The Government shall provide for a qualified, designated observer to be present during the initial construction phase for all grading, digging, trenching and excavating activities on the Premises, as determined necessary by the Government. The Contractor shall suspend all operations in the immediate area of any cultural and/or paleontological resource (historic or prehistoric site or object) discovered on Federal land until written authorization to proceed is issued by the Government's Authorized Representative. An evaluation of the discovery will be made by the Government to determine appropriate actions to prevent the loss of items of significant cultural or scientific value. Any decision as to proper mitigation measures will be made by the Government after consulting with the Contractor.

The Government and the Contractor shall discuss in good faith the impact on Contractor’s performance obligations and responsibility for costs resulting from compliance with this Section.

C.15.3 CONTRACTOR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

1. Hazardous Materials/Due Diligence – The Contractor shall indicate if any hazardous materials will be disturbed, encountered, or used in the construction of these solar modules. The Contractor shall provide all appropriate mitigation measures, if required, to reduce impacts to insignificant levels.

2. Noise Pollution – The Contractor shall provide a description of construction activities and mitigation to reduce noise related to construction.

3. Traffic Impacts – The Contractor shall provide mitigation measures to reduce traffic impacts on local streets during construction, e.g., road/sidewalk closures, use of cranes, etc.

4. Jurisdictional Approvals – The Contractor shall provide required development approvals from the county and/or municipality. It is understood that conformance to all applicable approvals are at the sole cost and expense of the Contractor.

5. Storm Water Runoff Management – The Contractor shall provide sufficient documentation to demonstrate that the requirements of Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) section 438 are being met. The Contractor shall not change the pattern of storm water amounts or runoff. If the project involves digging/trenching in soil of an area more than 50 linear feet, the Contractor must provide an erosion and sediment control plan. The Contractor shall restore predevelopment hydrology where more than 5,000 SF (square feet) is disturbed.

6. View Shed Analyses – The Contractor shall provide view shed pictures showing the potential visual impacts of the solar installation on neighboring residential neighborhoods. The Contractor and COR should devise acceptable means of shielding view of arrays deemed problematic by the

CO.

7. EMI Prevention - Per Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Part 15B, the PV system shall not emit electromagnetic interference (EMI) that interferes with other communications, and incoming EMI shall not cause problems with the control or performance of the PV system. If the PV system emits EMI, the Contractor shall turn off the system and take measures (e.g.

cancellation, shielding, ferrite choke) to eliminate the emission of EMI prior to restarting the system.

C.15.4 GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall comply, at its sole cost and expense, with all Environmental Laws that are or may become applicable to the Premises or the Contractor's activities on the Premises, including but not limited to all applicable Federal, state, interstate, and local laws, regulations, and other requirements relating to occupational safety and health, the handling and storage of hazardous materials, and the proper generation, handling, accumulation, treatment, storage, disposal, and transportation of hazardous wastes. The Contractor, shall at its own expense, maintain in effect any permits, license or other Governmental approvals relating to Hazardous Substances, if any, required for the Contractor’s use of the Premises. The Contractor shall make all disclosures required of the Contractor by any such Environmental Laws, and shall comply with all orders, with respect to the Contractor's and its employees', agents', and invitees' use of the Premises, issued by any Governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Premises and take all action required by such Governmental authorities to bring the Contractor's and its employees', agents', and invitees' activities on the Premises into compliance with all Environmental Laws affecting the Premises.

C.15.5 ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY AND HEALTH MANGEMENT (ES&H)

The Contractor shall assure the Government that its designated Environment, Safety, and Health (ES&H) manager is knowledgeable in applicable Federal, state, and local ES&H requirements. The Contractor shall assure Government that its sub-Contractors and employees are trained in, familiar with, and compliable with the Contractor’s ES&H policies, procedures, and standards.

The Contractor shall notify the Government's Authorized Representative within two hours of any employee injuries/illnesses at the Premises requiring medical attention in excess of first aid, or incidents at the Premises that result in damage to equipment or facilities, or threats or impacts to the environment.

The Contractor shall suspend operations at the Premises and immediately notify the Government's Authorized Representative if unanticipated conditions are encountered that present a possible ES&H exposure (e.g., imminent danger, suspected hazardous materials, accidental release of hazardous material, possible archaeological sites). The Contractor must inform all its workers and sub-Contractors that they have stop work authority when these conditions are encountered. A hazard assessment must be completed, and appropriate controls identified to mitigate the identified hazard(s) prior to beginning work.

The Contractor shall conduct activities on the Premises within the scope of any Environmental Assessments (EA) and determinations made by the Government pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Contractor shall not initiate any construction or take any other irreversible actions until the Government issues a NEPA clearance. If changes are anticipated to the scope of activities as described in the applicable NEPA documents and determinations, or if the scope of activities is desired to be expanded, the Contractor has a continuing notification obligation, and shall notify Government of any proposed changes. Requirements for additional NEPA documents or determinations shall be determined on a case-by-case basis. The Contractor shall provide information as requested to support any future NEPA determinations.

The Contractor shall take all necessary and reasonable safety precautions with respect to providing the System installation, operation and maintenance, and ensuring that work shall comply with all applicable laws pertaining to the health and safety of persons and real and personal property. The Contractor shall comply with applicable State standards for public health and safety, environmental protection and siting, construction, operation, and maintenance if these State standards are more stringent than Federal standards for similar projects.

The Contractor shall be responsible for providing and placing all barricades, lighting, and safety devices during construction activities.

The Contractor shall have prior approval from the COR before any exit or exit access is obstructed or closed. The closing or obstructing of exits is discouraged and shall be prevented whenever feasibly possible. No padlock, chain, or other securing device will be used to prevent escape from the egress side of an exit or exit access while the construction area is occupied. This does not preclude securing the area at night as long as it does not affect the exit from non-construction areas.

The Contractor shall follow the OSHA’s permit-required confined space procedures in accordance with

1910.146 when entering and performing work in a confined space. The Contractor shall follow their Confined Space Entry Plan when their Construction Authorization Form is approved by SRRC.

The Contractor shall follow the OSHA Lockout/Tagout procedures in accordance with 1910.147 when performing work at SRRC. The Contractor shall not remove any lockout device not installed by the Contractor’s personnel without first obtaining permission from SRRC.

All work performed using hazardous materials that off-gas, in occupied buildings, that are or produce toxic/volatile organic compounds shall be accomplished outside normal work hours, unless it is possible to contain the toxic material, or vent the volatile organic…